“I make my share of mistakes, but one I never make is to underestimate the power of things. People imbued from childhood with the myth of the primacy of feeling seldom like to admit they really want things as much as they might want love, but my career has convinced me that plenty of them do. And some want things a lot worse than they want love.” -Larry McMurtry, Cadillac Jack
No matter what angle you look from, we live in a materialist society. Things are not just things; they connote status, power, circumstance, and a million interpretations of who someone is based solely on the objects they possess. History tells us that this is not a modern twist; rather, this has been part of human standing for perhaps as long as the record shows and beyond. What is it about possessions that we connect with so deeply? Does it speak to a primitive need to control vital resources? Or is there something more going on here?
Oda Jaune spoke with us about her show, Miss Understand, at Templon Gallery in New York. The entire show began with the name and the idea of no particular woman who is at the same time every woman. This woman is someone who can be understood or who can never be understood. At the same time, she may or may not be able to understand the world around her. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Sandi Haber Fifield joined us to talk about her show, The Thing in Front of You, at Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York. The title speaks to all the things we are bombarded with every single day and how we make sense of it all. Haber Fifiled drew from a quote by John Cage, “There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may to make a silence, we cannot.” To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Outings
A few words to keep in your pocket
What is your view of things – objects – possessions? And what do you make of their strong grip on humanity?
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android, please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews is here.
More books to read
Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re into these days by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis member Beatriz was reading Because We Are Rivers by Mark Edward Mann.
Opportunities
The Keyholder Residency Program offers emerging artists free 24-hour access to printmaking facilities, aiding their artistic journeys. Held in a shared Artists’ Studio, it includes solvent/etching areas and a darkroom. Keyholders work independently alongside peers, irrespective of discipline. Applications are reviewed by a panel, with 8 artists awarded annually. NYC-based artists without studio access are encouraged to apply. Visit the website for more information. Deadline is March 1.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written six books for artists, most recently Making it in the Art World. He also has a new book coming out in the Spring of 2024, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, which is available for preorder.