“If you were wise enough to know that this life would consist mostly of letting go of things you wanted, then why not get good at the letting go, rather than the trying to have?”
We all recognize on some level the plain truth in life that the only constant is change. And yet the vast majority of us spend quite a lot of time and energy trying to hold on, sometimes long past the time when letting go was really our only option. Why is that? Theories abound, and in fact entire philosophies have been built around this very question. Change is hard. The unknown is scary. Sometimes holding onto something, however broken it may be, feels like the safest option even when everyone – including ourselves – knows it’s a lost cause.
Torbjørn Rødland joined us to talk about
Bones in the Canal and Other Photographs, his current show at David Kordansky Gallery on view until April 25. Rødland began as a student of photograph in the mid-1990s, working first on the medium format camera before getting to know the large format camera. Throughout his career, and to this day, he has continued working in film, preferring to eschew the digital side of photography. To learn more,
listen to the complete interview.
Leonardo Madriz spoke to Praxis about
Do Not Be Afraid, his exhibition at Parent Company, running until May 2. The title of the show became inevitable in a way, with Madriz saying that the title settled in and he just had to use it. The phrase serves many meanings, but Madriz is careful to say that as someone who lives a life that is sufficiently spiritually engaged, he believes that the world will do what it needs to do and everything will carry on. To learn about the sculptural works in this show and more,
listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.
Discuss something you’ve let go of – or something you need to let go of – and what makes these experience especially uncomfortable and complex
Outings.
Join me at Harper’s Gallery in Chelsea for Entanglements a two-person show featuring work by Eleanor Johnson and Lydia Makin
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 Mary Angela Schroth is reading War and Rememberance, by Herman Wouk.
Opportunities.
La Napoule Art Foundation offers residencies at Château de La Napoule near Cannes, France, fostering creative work and cultural exchange. Programs include international and Canada-only residencies; applications accepted in English or French. Visit the website for more information. Deadline is April 20.
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 seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now.
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