“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” –Thich Nhat Hanh
Have you ever stepped back and realized that you have been holding on tight to something that isn’t serving you? Perhaps it’s a grudge, or some small moment that disturbed the surface of your well-being and which, for reasons that aren’t always clear, you have been struggling to let go of. This is a common situation to find yourself in as a human being – often we become so used to operating in a space even if it’s uncomfortable that we would rather opt for the familiarity of the struggle than what might be on the other side of it.
Soumya Netrabile joined us in 2024 to talk about her show, Holding Current, which ran until October 19 of that year at Rachel Uffner Gallery. One of the drivers of the process behind the paintings in the show was Netrabile engaging with the forest. This led her to examine what attention means and how we use it, a concept that connects to her meditation practice. Holding current is a phrase in circuit theory that reflects the minimum charge required to keep a circuit in the on position. In much the same way, the work speaks to how much focus Netrabile can hold while she paints. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Adam Simon chatted with us around the same time about his show, Great Figures, which ran at OSMOS. The title of the show was suggested by the gallerists, and Simon agreed to its efficacy. Though he told us that he might have titled the show Fragments, a nod to the works being made up of fragments of his older pieces. That said, the imagery he used came from multiple places but all held significance to the source imagery he tapped into. To learn more about the show and Adam’s work, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.
Consider what you may be clinging to that should have been let go of ages ago.
Outings.
Join me at Matthew Marks Gallery for Plein Air by Robert Gober
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 user Elena Behrakis has been reading The Art of Rivalry: Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art, by Sebastian Smee
Opportunities.
Loghaven Artist Residency offers artists a retreat-style residency in Tennessee, featuring historic cabins, dedicated studios, stipends, and ongoing support. Eligible U.S.-authorized artists must be 21+, live 120+ miles from Knoxville, and not be enrolled in degree programs. Learn more at the website. Deadline is July 15.