“Anyone can lose his temper and fly off the handle. But it’s better than being mean.”
-Tove Janssen, The True Deceiver
Outlets are important. For each of us, there must be a way, a place, a method to get rid of that which no longer serves. Whether this is anger, pieces of grief, resentment, or whatever holds us back, keeping them can cause further damage as we move along the road. These outlets may come in as many forms as there are people on earth. Perhaps no two are exactly alike. But they are an essential part of the resources we need to carry on.
Kristen Sanders chatted with us about her show, Protoself, running through July 28 at Asya Geisberg Gallery. The title of the show derives from the theory of consciousness by neurologist Antonio Damasio. He posited that the protoself is the first in a hierarchical system of consciousness and foreshadows the self to be. The work in this exhibition focuses quite a lot on coming into the self. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Amy Winstanley joined us to discuss, among other things, her show, Lost Hap, which recently closed at Margo Samel Gallery. The title of the show came to her about two years ago while reading Living a Feminist Life and The Promise of Happiness, both by Sarah Ahmed. The author discusses the old English root of the word happiness, which shares “hap” with “perhaps” and “happenstance” and has lost some of the breezy element that it once carried. Nowadays, we feel the need to gain things in order to be happy, which has led to our consumerist culture and, consequently, our ecological destruction. To hear more, listen to the complete interview.
A few words to keep in your pocket
What are your outlets?
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. Click here to learn more about the work of Antonio Damasio.
Deadlines:
M&C Saatchi Group announces this year’s Art for Change Prize with a total prize fund of £20,000 to be split between six winners, five to receive £2,000 and one overall winner to receive £10,000. Winning artists will also have the unique opportunity to exhibit their work at Saatchi Gallery in London. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for entries is July 17.
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.