“No one every told me that grief felt so like fear.” -C.S. Lewis
Loss manifests in many forms. It can be the scraping chasm of a loved one departed, the sudden revocation of freedoms we take for granted or the unwelcome knowledge that our own person is susceptible in a way we had never considered. We grieve these things and it frightens us as we slowly accept, piece by piece, a changed reality from the one we thought we knew. Eventually we adapt, but the loss remains with us forever, altering our perception of the world in an irreversible way.
Desi Mundo lives and works in Oakland, California where, among other things, he is a part time middle school and high school educator. When he spoke to us on March 25 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he admitted that in a way the slow down caused by the global emergency has opened up more time for him to work on other projects. His high school students were in the middle of a mural when schools shut down so he worries that some of his seniors won’t have the opportunity to complete the work. But while the world is paused, he has taken time to plan an 8-story mural project that will be painted on the side of a building in downtown Oakland. To hear how he became involved in this project, and much more, listen to the complete interview.
Leila Seyedzadeh spoke to us from her home studio in Brooklyn where she was sheltering in place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While home, she is busy preparing for an upcoming show based on stories, music and more from Persian culture. Themes of migration and portable landscape are something she has been exploring – considering her adopted home of New York City and her native home of Tehran. Seyedzadeh works alongside her mother creating vibrant works with dyed cotton cloth. To hear more about these projects and other work, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
There is no wrong way to feel when everything we thought we knew is changing – the loss and fear, the quiet acceptance, all these things are useful and correct.
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. Desi Mundo is reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Leila Seyedzadeh is reading In Praise of Shadows by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki.
Deadlines
Drawing Lab Paris extends an open call for a contemporary drawing exhibition. Artist/curator duos are invited to present their proposals for an exhibition. The Drawing Lab offers a budget of 20,000 Euros for each selected project. Those pursuing new and innovative work are encouraged to apply. All artists and curators must be at least 25 years of age. For more details, visit the website. Deadline is April 5.
Weekly Edited Grant and Residency Deadlines – review the list here.
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Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center 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.