SaveArtSpace is proud to present Matriarchy Now, a public art exhibition on billboard ad space in New York, NY, opening November 6, 2026, curated by Reka Nyari.

Matriarchy Now invites artists to explore the power, presence, and complexity of women who lead — in their families, communities, and beyond. We are looking for work that make us feel the weight and the grace of feminine leadership in its many forms: inherited, earned, unsung, or unapologetic. Matriarchy Now is a call to witness the women who have always been shaping the world, and to hold them in the frame they finally deserve. We invite artists to imagine a world ruled by women, not as a mirror of the world we know, but as something altogether different. In this vision, leadership is not about dominance or hierarchy, but about creating the conditions for life to thrive. Women in power place family and nature at the center, build societies rooted in equality, and measure strength not by who is subdued but by who is protected. It is a world where the rules of the game have changed entirely, because the ones making them never forgot what truly matters.

We invite artists of all ages and talents to submit their artwork between August 31 and September 28, 2026 in order to be considered for the exhibition. This is an opportunity to have your work placed on billboard ad space in New York, NY.

The application fee is $35 for 1-3 images; each additional image carries a $10 fee. Fees support the production of the exhibition, including the purchase of billboard ad space. All fees paid to SaveArtSpace are 100% tax deductible donations.

Selected artists will be announced after October 12, 2026. Public art will be on view starting November 6, 2026 in New York, NY, and will be on view for at least one month.

Curator

Reka Nyari (born 1979, Helsinki) is a fine art photographer and mixed media artist based in New York City. Raised between Finland and Hungary, she brings a multicultural perspective to her artistic practice, which centers on capturing the intimate stories of fully tattooed women from around the world through striking, large-scale, predominantly black-and-white photographs. Having studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Nyari laid the foundation for her unique visual language, which bridges photography and mixed-media art.

Her powerful portraits celebrate authentic self-expression, featuring real tattoos alongside carefully crafted compositions with very little post-processing—all tattoos and props are real and intentional, serving as integral parts of the storytelling process. Nyari aims to empower the women in her photographs, focusing intently on telling their own unique stories of transformation and personal journeys. Her collaborative approach ensures that each subject's voice is heard and their individual narrative honored. Her work transcends traditional portraiture, creating complex visual narratives that explore themes of identity, empowerment, femininity, and the art of the human canvas as a site of personal expression and reclamation.

Through her lens, she reveals the profound stories etched not only in ink but in the lived experiences of her subjects—women who have chosen to mark their bodies as acts of self-determination, rebellion, healing, or artistic expression. Each photograph becomes a meditation on resilience, beauty standards, and how individuals claim ownership over their own narratives and lives.

Nyari has exhibited her photography in many prestigious galleries, museums, and art fairs around the world, bringing these powerful stories of transformation to international audiences and challenging conventional notions of beauty, art, and identity in contemporary visual culture. She has received awards from prestigious organizations, including first-place winner of the International Photography Awards (IPA in 2010 and 2022). Her 225-page Monograph titled “Femme Fatale: Female Erotic Photography” is published in 6 languages and has sold out worldwide. Her video art piece raised $200,000 for charity during Art Basel 2021 and was featured in the New York Times.

Connect with Reka at @rekanyariphotography.

SaveArtSpace

Founded in 2015, SaveArtSpace is a non-profit organization that works to create an urban gallery experience, launching exhibitions that address intersectional themes and foster a message of social change that benefits the working class. By placing culture over commercialism, SaveArtSpace aims to empower artists from all walks of life and inspire a new generation of young creatives and activists.