In times of political turbulence, art becomes a vital tool for truth-telling, solidarity, investigation, and calls to action. This exhibition amplifies voices demanding justice for all and imagining better futures with work that refuses to look away.
Our Exhibitions
First Fridays:
Exhibition Series
At NOT REAL ART, we love celebrating and elevating today’s working independent artists. In 2023, we began curating online exhibitions called “First Fridays,” featuring remarkable work from all the talented artists who have come into our orbit over the years. First Fridays is now a beloved bi-monthly feature where people discover today’s contemporary artists.
Since its debut in 2023, First Fridays has showcased 766 artists and 1,045 artworks across 39 exhibitions, featuring painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, mixed media, and more. Our First Fridays exhibitions are organized by theme and contain hundreds of artworks that will inspire you, make you think, feel, and even laugh. Please enjoy!
First Fridays
Currently Featured
Help Support First Friday Exhibitions!
Join our community of financial supporters who make our First Friday Exhibition Series possible. These exhibitions are a favorite on NOT REAL ART. Your contribution is tax-deductible through Arterial, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
First Fridays
Previous Exhibitions
The Art of Resistance
In times of political turbulence, art becomes a vital tool for truth-telling, solidarity, investigation, and calls to action. This exhibition amplifies voices demanding justice for all and imagining better futures with work that refuses to look away.
Modern Love
In keeping with the rites of spring, our May 2026 exhibition focuses on intimacy, fertility, fetishes, and coupling while probing the varied facets of love and desire. From declarations of self-love and memories of painful rejections, to moments of intense fusion and fleeting encounters, the work featured in Modern Love explores themes of longing and connection in all their complexity.
Out of Bounds
As a sequel to our popular Art and Tech exhibition in 2023, our March exhibition investigates the rapidly evolving connections between the imagination and machines in an era of explosive digital innovation. Filling their toolboxes with available resources, the artists in “Out of Bounds” incorporate artificial intelligence, augmented reality, 3D modeling and printing, digital collage, video, electronics, and animation into their work to explore the increasingly thin barriers between technology and art.
Lone Star
With Texas frequently in the news for political and weather-related issues, it’s easy to overlook its diverse cultural heritage. Perched between the South and the West, this fiercely independent state was inhabited by Indigenous people for millennia until the Spanish and French arrived in the 1500s and 1600s. After briefly becoming part of Mexico, Texas declared itself a republic before joining the United States. To kick off our 2026 exhibition schedule, NOT REAL ART presents a stellar array of artists sharing unique insights into life and art in the Lone Star State.
Pulp Fiction
Stemming from ancient Egyptian papyrus and invented in China during the Han Dynasty, paper became a versatile foundation for ink, graphite, and paint. In the wake of the French Revolution, Nicholas-Louis Robert developed a paper-making machine, accelerating the production of newspapers and books. The work in our December exhibition celebrates innovative works on paper nearly two thousand years after it appeared on the scene.
Home for the Holidays
At a time of year when we can all use a splash of color in our lives, our November 2025 exhibition presents a luscious array of images from Sugar Press Art, a leader in ecologically sustainable, archival prints. Produced at their studio in Los Angeles and priced from $40 to $200, they offer a unique solution to anyone searching for the perfect holiday gift. Selected for their emotional resonance, visual impact, and celebratory energy, and ranging from inspirational portraits to color-drenched abstractions, these museum-quality prints on recycled paper dazzle the eye, stir the imagination, and warm the spirit.
Witchy Women
The persecution of witches dates back to ancient times, peaking between the 15th and 17th centuries, coinciding with the rise and expansion of capitalism. According to Italian intellectual Silvia Federici, the timing of these two events is not coincidental. Our October show, Witchy Women, reclaims the witch as a symbol of women’s power gained through sexuality, reproductive control, and healing abilities.
Left Behind
During Environmental Awareness Month, the artists in our September exhibition rescue abandoned objects and materials, fashioning them into something provocative and new. From recycled bullet casings, microwave nachos, and used bubble mailers to vintage wedding cake toppers, antique clocks, and cast-off shoes, they uncover the hidden beauty in things lost and found, transforming them into riveting works of art.
Every Emotion All at Once
As the digital world steadily supplants the real world as the center of our culture, the artists featured in Every Emotion All at Once pause to reflect on the warmth of genuine connection, the isolating effects of living in a digital-centric culture, and our longing to experience feelings that are genuine, raw, and sometimes painful.
H2O
In the heat of summer, water offers survival, refreshment, danger, and inspiration. As we flock to the nearest pool or shoreline, our July exhibition presents a cooling font of artwork centered on this essential element. Through painting, mixed media, video, collage, digital art, and generative AI photography, this month’s artists tackle rising tides, racial inequities, plastic pollution, body image issues, and existential questions by examining their relationship to H2O.
First Fridays
Meet Our Artists
First Fridays
Support "First Fridays" With A Recurring or One-Time Donation
Your support for the First Friday Exhibition Series, one of the most engaging features on NOT REAL ART, is invaluable. Contribute through Arterial, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and enjoy the benefits of a tax-deductible donation.
The First Friday Exhibition Series is a curated collection of themed online exhibitions that require significant resources from staff members for successful execution. Each exhibition undergoes a meticulous planning process, involving the selection of appropriate themes and the careful curation of artworks to ensure a cohesive and impactful display. Staff members are tasked with coordinating with artists, managing the submission and review process, and preparing the artworks for online presentation.
Furthermore, the series is dedicated to promoting the artists and their work. Staff efforts include creating artist profiles, crafting exhibition narratives, and developing promotional materials to highlight the featured artists. The team also engages in marketing activities to ensure that the exhibitions reach a broad audience, which includes social media campaigns, newsletter inclusions, and outreach to press and art communities.
By supporting the First Friday Exhibition Series through donations, patrons contribute to the labor and operational costs associated with these activities, thereby ensuring that the series can continue to offer a space for artists to be recognized and appreciated.
Please Help Us Fund These Exhibitions with A Recurring or One Time Donation: