“You can be lonely anywhere, but there is a particular flavour to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people.”
-Olivia Laing, The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone
We live in a lonely time. Despite being more connected than ever before, studies seem to suggest we are also lonelier than we have ever been. By moving our lives online, we have lost the community that once sustained us. So what can we do? First and foremost, we can consider how to detach from technology more and more. We can put down the phone and show up in person. Join groups, volunteer, network, attend openings, find ways to put ourselves in the presence of peers. And once we’re there – engage!
Amy Stober joined us to talk about Hand in My Pocket, her show at Page NYC that ran until January 11. The title of the show is a tongue in cheek reference to the Alanis Morrisette song of the same name. The work featured is all self-portraiture of sorts, with the title alluding to a physical and emotional inferiority as well as a corniness. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
David Humphrey chatted with us about his show, PorTraits, which was on view at Fredericks & Freiser until February 8. The capitalizing of the title, aside from being a bit of an affectation, leans into the idea of traits while ironizing the concept of portraits. This speaks to the work in the show, none of which are actually portraits. Rather, the art points to a fragmented, broken, complicated self. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.
What are some ways you combat the loneliness of the modern era?
Outings.
Join me at Resurrect Studio.
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. I recently finished reading Dirty Snow by Georges Simenon.
Opportunities.
The Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program offers six visual artists a year-long residency with housing, studios, and a stipend, fostering creativity and community engagement in New Mexico’s contemporary art scene. To learn more, visit the website. Deadline is March 15.