“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Eli Wiesel
Although there may be moments when we witness an undoing of things, we can’t let this discourage us or keep us down. It is our right – our duty – to speak up, to create momentum, to move the needle of history in the direction of what is good and just. We possess a great gift and that is freedom. With this comes an obligation to insist that those we ask to lead us do so with our collective interest – not just their own – at heart.
Antoine Catala joined us from New York in April 2022. He told us he recently opened a large group show in France featuring work created during the pandemic. He expressed gratitude that the work was getting a second chance, noting that showing during the pandemic was a very different experience than the norm. In his studio, Catala is busy fixing and optimizing old work as well as embarking on new work. He is in talks with two galleries about shows next year. To hear more about Catala’s current work and his upcoming plans, listen to the complete interview.
Robert Zandvliet spoke to us from Haarlem, Netherlands where he is at work on a series of paintings titled le Jardin. In these small paintings, he seeks to uncover the structures in vegetation, understanding how it all works and using painterly techniques to represent it. Whereas in a previous series, he explored a single color in every piece, these new works explore our connection with nature, something that we have largely lost in the modern era. Zandvliet seeks to make people aware of nature once again. To hear more about this series and other aspects of his work, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket
Embrace your right to stand up for what’s just.
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. Indulge in My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard, audiobook ready by Edoardo Ballerini. Sarah Slappey recently finished The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time by John Kelly.
Deadlines:
Artists are invited to apply to the Bioart Society for residency in Finland. This program fosters collaboration between artists and scientists to promote new ways of thinking. To learn more and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is June 16.
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.