“Silence can be either protest or consent, but most times it’s fear.”
-Paul Beatty, The Sellout
Speaking up can sometimes feel like the most difficult feat imaginable. There are moments when we are simply at a loss for words – and then there are times when we may have plenty to say but lack the nerve to say it. Think back to times when you have found yourself speechless. What were the driving emotions behind those moments? Have there been episodes in your life when you wish you’d said something but could not seem to get the words out?
Ever Baldwin joined us to talk about their show, Stranger in the Echoes, which was on view at Marinaro Gallery until December 7. The work featured are painted and sculptural, incorporating their frames, which are bespoke for each finished piece. Baldwin begins each piece without a preconceived idea of where the work will go, allowing for experimentation. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Elise Engler chatted with us about her show, History Paintings, which ran until November 24 at Frosch & Co. Each work is packed full of imagery related to major political, historical and social events over the years. A previous body of work, The Diary of a Radio Junkie, was created over the course of 1,888 days during which Engler got up and listened to the radio before creating and posting a painting every day. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
A few words to keep in your pocket
Say it anyway.
Outings
Join me at the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library for a glimpse of the oldest NYC free library and a children’s art show.
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android, please click here. All weekly essay pieces are here in a shareable format. The full archive of interviews is here.
More books to read
Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Dan McGarrah is reading The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel.
Opportunities
Apply for a Saltonstall residency, a stipend-supported opportunity for New York State artists and writers, offering accessibility, diversity, and creative focus on the ancestral Gayogo̱hó:nǫ’ (Cayuga Nation) land. For more information, visit the website. Application deadline is January 5.