“were” -Stephen Birmingham, Life at the Dakota: New York’s Most Unusual Address
If these walls could talk – it’s a phrase we hear so often, a longing to know what was before, what went on in the spaces and the places that are so familiar to us now but that existed long before we did and will go on long after us. What we do within our own four walls or along the streets we travel day in and day out may seem so mundane and well-worn, and yet one day, these things will be as mysterious to those who come after us as our forbearers’ daily lives are to us. Time marches on, places remain, it’s humans that come and go.
Jasmin Anoschkin sat with us to discuss her sculptural exhibition, Supercharged Lollipop Valley, on view at HB381 through October 21. The large-scale works seem to be in conversation with one another, often arranged in pairs, some representing people from Anoschkin’s life. To hear more, listen to the complete interview.
Michael Polakowski joined us to discuss his two-person show, Back in 5, in which he exhibits alongside Ivan Montoya at 5-50 Gallery. His work is about two things, his life in the Midwest and his personal experiences with mental health, centering around how he deals with OCD and PTSD. To hear more about his background and work, listen to the complete interview.
A few words to keep in your pocket
Begin by learning to let go.
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 is here.
Books to Read
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Jane Runyeon is reading The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Los Angeles-based artists are invited to participate in NEW WORK Focus on Los Angeles Initiative via Prospect Art. This grant cycle provides $2,500 to seven selected projects. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for submissions is October 22.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists, most recently Making it in the Art World.