“Writing is painful, but having written is ecstatic, and the ecstasy induces amnesia, so you’re willing to do it all over again. Like falling in love.”

Today from our friends at the Brooklyn Rail, we bring you Jarrett Earnest’s conversation with famed art critic Peter Schjeldahl. This interview is perfect for our Summer Reading series because it digs deep into what it means to contemplate and respond to contemporary art; Schjeldahl says, “Looking at art is like, ‘Here are the answers. What were the questions?’” This article was originally published on July 13, 2015. In[…..]

Today from our friends at REORIENT, we bring you an excerpt from Joobin Bekhrad‘s interview with artist and curator Ali Ettehad, who says, “I strongly believe that at a time—especially in the Middle East—when art is, for the most part, commercially-driven, performance art is powerful in its ability to help artists retain their independence and integrity.” This article was originally published on June 2, 2015. Joobin[…..]

Canadian artist Erica Prince would not appreciate the Mattel playhouse I had as a kid, filled with floral furniture, plastic appliances, and female dolls to ensure that the household was running smoothly. Prince’s version, recently on view in Philadelphia, is my playhouse’s conceptual opposite—and that’s a wonderful thing. Prince is more inspired by science fiction than by domesticity. Her sculptures, installations, and drawings have a[…..]

Artist Ian McMahon is a material purist who makes monumental sculptures from raw clay and industrial plaster. The resulting works are contradictory in impression—domineering but fragile, familiar while avoiding redundancy. In his most recent exhibitions he has introduced an element of controversy for anyone who has ever engaged with the tedium of delicate materials—the work is made to be broken. Ashley Stull Meyers: Let’s talk[…..]

Art in time of conflict is not for the faint of conviction. For its makers, it can be leveraged for communication, catharsis, or an attempt at clarity; Brooklyn-based artist Shanti Grumbine engages with all three. She cuts found text and images in reconsideration of the boundaries between absence and presence—between profane and sacred content. Her drawings, prints, and collages make hay of what remains from[…..]

Today from our friends at Big Red & Shiny in Boston, we bring you author William J. Simmons‘ article showcasing the work and thoughts of filmmaker Lili White.  Of her work with the Another Experiment by Women Film Festival, White’s says, “[W]hen I see something that really turns me on, it feeds me; I want to show it to somebody else, and make sure others see it. […] We[…..]