The abstract photograph often begins where description ends. That is the territory claimed by The Abstract Image, an international juried exhibition at Praxis Gallery & Photographic Arts Center in Minneapolis. This call for entry focuses entirely on images that move away from literal depiction and into form, perception, distortion, gesture, pattern and visual essence. The exhibition will run from January 17 to February 14, 2026, with the submission deadline set for December 14, 2025 and selection notices sent on December 20, 2025. For photographers who follow photography contest deadlines through Deartline, it is one of the key abstract focused calls of the season.
The Abstract Image is open to lens based work from around the world. Praxis invites color and black and white, traditional and non traditional techniques and digital post production, as long as the final result leans into abstraction. Up to 38 images will be chosen for exhibition in the gallery. One Director’s Choice and five Honorable Mentions will receive additional visibility in the printed show catalog and the online exhibit gallery.
Entry costs start at $35 for up to five images, with additional files at $5 each up to a total of ten. New Praxis members can benefit from a free 10 image entry, and there is a small pool of hardship waivers for artists who need support. Set against the wider landscape of abstract photography contests and international photography contests, this call stands out for its clear theme, physical exhibition and catalog based documentation.
Contents
The Abstract Image Prizes
The prize structure for The Abstract Image centers on exhibition, recognition and future opportunities within the Praxis program. Up to 38 photographs will be selected for display in the gallery exhibition at Praxis Gallery & Photographic Arts Center in Minneapolis.
From this selection, the Praxis Directors will designate a Director’s Choice. The artist receiving Director’s Choice is awarded free entry into two future juried calls of their choice hosted by Praxis.
Alongside this, five Honorable Mentions will be named. These photographers will be recognized within the exhibition on site, in the printed show catalog and in the online exhibition gallery. Their work becomes part of a documented record that continues beyond the closing date of the physical show, connecting the call to broader exhibition prizes and publication opportunities.
All selected artists benefit from professional printing and presentation options, a clear sales structure through the gallery and long term presence in Praxis’s online archive.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories or Themes
The Abstract Image has a single central theme. All accepted work engages with abstraction, which means that recognizable subjects, if they appear at all, are secondary to form and visual perception. Praxis describes this approach as drawing away from what is realistic or literal and working instead with conceptual meaning and intrinsic form.
Within this framework, artists can explore color, light, shadow, texture, shape and line in any way that makes sense for their practice. All lens based artwork is welcome, so photographers working in approaches that overlap with fine art or more experimental processes can submit alongside those coming from more traditional backgrounds, as long as the final images remain rooted in abstraction rather than straightforward representation.
The Abstract Image Dates and Entry Fees
The schedule for The Abstract Image 2025 is clearly defined, which makes planning easier for photographers working across different projects.
- Submission deadline: December 14, 2025
- Notice of acceptance: December 20, 2025
- Exhibition dates: January 17 to February 14, 2026
The standard entry fee is $35 for up to five images.
Photographers can then add further images at a cost of $5 each, up to a maximum of ten images in total for this call.
New Praxis members receive one free 10 image entry that can be used for this call. In addition, the organization offers a limited number of free submissions for artists experiencing financial hardship, available on request by contacting the gallery directly.
How to Enter:
Entries are submitted online via the application link on the Praxis Gallery website. Photographers create an account on the submission platform, select The Abstract Image call and upload their files through the form. Images must be digital JPEG files no larger than 8 MB each and should follow the requested naming convention, including image title and artist name in the filename.
About the Jury
The Abstract Image is juried by the Praxis Directors. This internal curatorial team evaluates all submitted work and selects up to 38 images for exhibition based on how effectively they address abstraction through lens based media. The same group designates the Director’s Choice and the five Honorable Mentions.
Why Enter The Abstract Image?
For photographers dedicated to abstraction, The Abstract Image offers a focused setting in which their work is not competing with traditional genres for attention. The entire exhibition is built around abstract thinking and visual experimentation, so the conversation on the walls remains consistent. Within the wider field of abstract photography contests, this kind of single theme approach is particularly valuable for artists who want their images to be seen next to work with similar concerns in form and concept.
The exhibition context is another concrete reason to consider this call. Selected works are shown in a dedicated gallery environment in Minneapolis, presented in museum quality frames and mats that follow a set of carefully defined sizes. Finished pieces can be offered for sale, with the gallery handling inquiries and sales for the duration of the show and taking a standard commission on any purchases.
There is also a longer lifespan for the work beyond the exhibition dates. Honorable Mentions are featured in a printed show catalog and in an online exhibition gallery, and selected works are archived on the Praxis website. For photographers who regularly consult Deartline to compare this call with other popular photo challenges, The Abstract Image 2025 can be seen as a way to connect abstract work to both a physical audience and an ongoing online record through an established photographic arts center.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the The Abstract Image has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Entrants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission. The call is international in scope and open to artists working anywhere in the world.
All submissions must be lens based and must be uploaded as digital JPEG files through the online submission form. Each file should be 8 MB or smaller and follow the requested naming structure, including the image title and the artist’s name. Up to ten images may be submitted for this call, with the base fee covering the first five and additional costs applied to further images.
Submitted images must not have been exhibited at Praxis Gallery within the previous year. If an artist is selected for the exhibition, they will receive detailed instructions on either sending prints that fit one of the gallery’s standard mat sizes or providing high resolution digital files for in house printing. Framed artworks are not accepted, since Praxis provides framing for all shows.
Copyright and Image Usage
Artists retain all copyrights to their photographs. By submitting, they grant Praxis Gallery a non exclusive right to use the selected images for purposes directly related to the exhibition and the promotion of the artists and the gallery’s programs.
This usage may include display of prints in the physical exhibition, reproductions in the printed show catalog, publication on the Praxis website, inclusion in the online exhibition archives and features on the gallery’s social media channels. Wherever an image is shown, the artist’s name is credited. Selected prints may be offered for sale, with Praxis managing interest from potential buyers and taking a commission on any finalized sales.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
