“I shouldn’t have said that. We should keep reality as far away as possible.”
-Taichi Yamada, I Haven’t Dreamed of Flying for a While
Do you escape? I feel we all do from time to time. Some will say that the only way to live is to confront life full-on, moment-to-moment, but I posit that once in a while, we all need a break. And that is perfectly fine. For some, that may mean retreating to books or films, and for others perhaps it is surrounding oneself in nature or focusing intently on a hobby. Life comes at us fast without relenting.
Michael Dayton Hermann talked to us about his show REconstituted, which is running through May 8 at Baxter Street at the Camera Club of New York. The speaks to the process of making the work as well as some of the themes. The photographic works examine the relationship between tradition and invention as perhaps harmonious forces. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Vincent Donato sat down to discuss his recent show, Resurface, which ran until April 6 at 81 Leonard Gallery. Donato derives titles from what is going on in his life when he creates his bodies of work. This one refers to him once again being grounded after a chaotic period, leaving him feeling resurfaced. The work in the show all featured roses, a theme he used early on and has now brought back. To learn about the symbolism of this and more, listen to the complete interview.
A few words to keep in your pocket
Give yourself permission to take a break.
Outings
Join me at Dacia Gallery, an artist-run gallery at 621 E. 11th Street, New York, NY
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 member Valerio Murri is reading When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut.
Opportunities
Harpo Foundation is rolling out its first $25k fellowship to amplify the contributions of under-recognized Native American contemporary artists. To learn more and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is April 29.
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 six books for artists, most recently Making it in the Art World. He also has a new book coming out in the Spring of 2024, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, which is available for preorder.