“Joy doesn’t betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a fine act of insurrection.”
-Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power
In times of intensity, it is OK to let yourself feel whatever happens to come up. Give yourself permission to let even the most difficult things come up, but do not let your hope and joy diminish completely. Even when it is darkest, there is always a spark of light somewhere. And while it can be hard to see it at times, eventually we find our way. That is not to say that we should naively expect all to be well all the time, far from it. Sometimes it takes tremendous work and patience to find our way back to the light. But eventually we get there.
Francine Tint joined us to talk about her show at Upsilon Gallery, In Dialogue with Helen Frankenthaler, which runs until November 30. Tint has long admired Frankenthaler as a colorist and indeed as one of the only women of her time doing the work she was doing. Additionally, her connection with her mentor, well known artist Larry Poons, began in a bar, she admitted with a laugh. To hear more about Tint’s current show, listen to this delightful interview.
Daniel Giordano joined us in 2019. In this archival interview, we discussed his shows at the time, The Big Linguine, a solo show at Sardine Gallery, and a group show that was upcoming at the time. In the studio, he was busy filling a large metal trough with pulverized urinal cakes. To learn more about his past shows and work, listen to the complete interview. To learn more about what Giordano is up to these days, visit his artist website.
A few words to keep in your pocket
I repeat, hold on.
Outings
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 Bob recommends Spinoza’s Religion: A New Reading of the Ethics by Clare Carlisle.
Opportunities
Smack Mellon’s Artist Studio Program offers six NYC-based emerging artists free studio space, curatorial visits, and a fellowship. Three spots include Van Lier Fellowships for underrepresented, financially disadvantaged artists under 30. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Deadline is November 24.