“There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can’t fix it you’ve got to stand it.”
-Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There are the things in life we know and willingly accept to be true. Conversely, there are those things that perhaps some part of us knows to be true, but another piece of us pushes back against, choosing to live outside, or perhaps alongside, reality. These can range from the profound to the mundane. Annie Proulx explores this theme in her book Brokeback Mountain, which was made into a major motion picture. She looks at contradiction and cognitive dissonance through the lens of rural Wyoming. In her characters, we confront those parts that perhaps all of us carry, the parts that contradict themselves whether for protective reasons or otherwise.
Cynthia Lahti joined us to discuss her show, Little Storms, on view until January 13 at James Fuentes. The ceramic figures in the show represent the primary medium of the last 15 years of Lahti’s career. She has, in the past, worked in mixed media, including plaster, metal and glass. Moving forward, she finds she’s excited to turn back toward working with metals and perhaps found objects. To learn more about the work in this show and Lahti’s career as a whole, listen to the complete interview.
Brad Kunkle chatted with us about his show, Palisaide, which ran through the end of 2023 at Arcadia Contemporary. For some time, he saw in his head images of landscapes with cliff faces, becoming interested in the mystery of this imagery and whether the cliffs were a psychological protection of some sort. Often, Kunkle primes his canvas with raw umber, then leaves it aside for a time to observe. Over time, images begin to emerge from the toned surface, guiding him toward what the final work will be. To learn more about his process and the work in this show, listen to the complete interview.
Outings
A few words to keep in your pocket
Are there contradictions within you? Are you comfortable telling us about them in the comments?
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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. Tell us what books you’re into these days by adding your titles to our reading list here. An anonymous Praxis user is reading Prison Baby: A Memoir by Deborah Jiang-Stein.
Opportunities
NXTHVN seeks seven artists and two curators for its 10-month Fellowship Program, providing paid opportunities, including studio space, stipends, and housing. Applicants join a mentorship-based curriculum in New Haven. Selected fellows mentor local high schoolers, fostering creative growth, culminating in a group gallery showcase. For more information, visit the website. Deadline is February 26.
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.