“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent” -Isaac Asimov
We live in a world bathed in violence. This has always been true, in both he human and animal kingdoms, but in these days of 24-hour global news coverage, it can feel like violence is headed toward a tipping point. How do we process the images we see, the knowledge we carry about atrocities perpetrated against the innocent – how do we carry on with our lives while such things are carried out moment by moment? I do not purport to have the answer. But perhaps in art, we can begin to unpack the complexities amongst which we dwell.
Luisa Rabbia joined us from New York where she is presently working on a challenging project embracing the idea of psychological/terrestrial inferno. Typically, Rabbia focuses on positive messages, so this examination of something darker is a departure. She defines psychological inferno in terms of a state of mind felt by many in these complex times as we grapple with multiple crises all around us. To hear more about this and Rabbia’s other work, listen to the complete interview.
Rainer Gross spoke with us in early May. He is at work on a project called Double Takes in which he manipulates photographic images to create an end result that looks like work on paper that can not be immediately recognized or defined, but captures the viewer’s attention and offer the opportunity to unravel the mystery they hold. Throughout his career, Gross has employed multi-step processes to create art. To hear more about this, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
Look to your art to seek answers in the face of difficult questions.
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 Sal Strom recommends I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Circe by Madeline Miller.
Deadlines:
The Global Peace Photo Award is currently accepting submissions. In their own words:
The top five listed photographers will be awarded the Alfred Fried Peace Medal. The Peace Image of the Year will receive €10,000. The winning picture will be on display for one year at the Austrian Parliament and will be included in the permanent art collection of the Austrian Parliament.
For more information and to submit your work, visit the website. Deadline for submissions is May 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.