“Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives.” -Joshua Foer, Moonwalking with Einstein
Does time seem to just slip away, with every week blending into the next? Perhaps it’s a sign to shake things up a little, change up your routine and see what happens. Joshua Foer tells us that routine, while often the key to a long life, can make time appear to compress, giving us the impression of a short life. But, he says, if we break free of the monotony in which so many of us exist, we can gain the impression that time stretches out longer. What are some ways you step out of routine? Perhaps you travel or work in an unconventional way – many artists create a life rich in variety. Let me know in the comments.
Dr. Heather Dewey-Hagborg joined us to discuss her work, including the show Hybrid: an Interspecies Opera, which ran until December 13 at Fridman Gallery. For about 20 years, Dewey-Hagborg has worked at the intersection of art and technology, beginning with an interest in AI and surveillance systems. Her interests evolved toward biotechnology and how it intersects with digital technology, beginning with an interest in genetic privacy. She has continued with this line of work, working in what some refer to as bio-art, using it as an opportunity to offer an entry point to think about the implications of emerging tools like CRISPR. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Cyle Warner sat down with us to talk about his recent show at Welancora Gallery, Weh Dem? De Sparrow Catcher? which looks at his upbringing in the Caribbean through photography. The title draws on Caribbean vernacular, the first part meaning “where are they” and the second indicating that “they” are “the sparrow catcher.” The sparrow catcher embodies Warner’s great-grandfather, whom he never met in person but certainly did meet through the stories about him and his trips to and from Trinidad, from where he would sometimes bring birds back to New York. To hear more about this, listen to the complete interview.
Outings
Ken Price: Sculpture 2001–2011 at Matthew Marks, 519–523 West 24th Street New York.
Philippe Parreno’s exhibition at Gladstone, Hertzian Tales, 515 West 24th Street
A few words to keep in your pocket
Create time to create time.
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.
More books to read
Ours is a community of readers. Tells us what books you’re into these days by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Fredericka Foster recently finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.
Opportunities
Artists whose work would benefit from significant primary research related to the early modern world are invited to apply for a Folger Institute Artistic Research Fellowship. Applicants can apply for one, two or three months of support with a $4,000 per month stipend. For more information, including a timeline for the research period, visit the website. Deadline for applications is January 15.
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.