“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
We live in a world where the potential for love is high. Too often, that potential is disturbed by the human desire for power, for control, for monetary increase. Hate, misunderstanding, violence, these things are fueled very often by our tendency to blindly accept doctrines that we have not taken the time to consider critically. An awful lot of destruction throughout history, today and in the future could be avoided if we’d only take a moment to think – think for ourselves whether something is so, think for ourselves whether hate is the noblest response to a situation. If we’d only stop and set aside our flash reactions, begin to understand one another…
Mandy Morrison spoke to us from Brooklyn in mid-June. At the time she was busy with multiple projects. When lockdown began, she had just responded to a call from an artist in residence who had only been involved in residency for two weeks when things shut down. The artist was looking for collaborators over Zoom. Morrison became one for a year, meeting every few weeks to talk to the artist in residence and others. Morrison had been preparing for a show that was subsequently delayed, which gave her a perfect opening to join the collaboration. A few months before speaking with us, she had finally met with her collaborator in person and was rehearsing to open their performance the following week. The collaborators were all women, one of whom was a physician working in the hospital during the pandemic. The group spoke about many things, and through this organic process, a show began to emerge. In addition to this, Morrison, who completed a residency in Brazil a few months before the pandemic, had just received a grant to help her compile film shot during her time there into a film. To hear more about her work, listen to the complete interview.
Margaret Wibmer spoke to us from Amsterdam in late July where she reports that regulations were not as strict as they were in other places through the bulk of the pandemic. When we spoke, she was preparing for a show in Cologne at the beginning of September during the beginning of the Dusseldorf-Cologne cultural season. The show, in collaboration with another artist, incorporates some of Wibmer’s older work, which has given her the opportunity to return to work that has been in storage for quite some time. One piece from 2005, titled 5 pm, consists of a telephone holder combined with soft foam and a photograph of a woman wearing a white pleated skirt. This imagery is meant to symbolize the idea of secretaries. To hear more about this and other works in Wibmer’s current show, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
Setting aside the need for endless power, cultivating empathy, these are ways toward love and away from hate.
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 here.
Books to Read
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Mandy Morrison spoke of Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane. Margaret Wibmer discussed Don’t Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River (川に着く前に橋を渡るな) by Francis Alÿs.
Deadlines:
Mophradat offers grants intended to help further artists’ practice by offering financial support intended to assist with research needs, the realization of a proposal or their livelihood in general. The program also connects artists with peers with whom they will engage throughout the duration of the grant period. For complete details and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is October 1.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists; Making it in the Art World, New Markets for Artists, The Art World Demystified, Fund Your Dreams Like a Creative Genius, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius, and Succeed with Social Media Like a Creative Genius. His book, Making it in the Art World, is available now with bonus content here.