Letter from the editor:

Support the US Postal Service by buying art stamps, New York museums will reopen soon, an interview with artist Angel Otero, and more.

All I can think about is the US Postal Service. It’s distressing that such a wonderful public institution is threatened because of some angling by the President who thinks that by making votes by mail more difficult and unreliable he can win November’s election. 

I compiled a list of what you can do to help. If you’re in the US, first thing: write your representative. Next, buy stamps! No, really, that’s how the USPS makes money. And I’ve included a few more ideas I think we could try.

Now, some good news. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo finally announced that museums and other “low risk” cultural institutions will be able to reopen on August 24, but added they can only welcome visitors at 25% capacity and must enforce masks.

The Metropolitan Museum has already announced it will open Saturday, August 29, while the Whitney Museum has set Thursday, September 3 as its reopening date. I do want to caution everyone, though, as a new wave of infections in New York could force the reclosure of these institutions, which is what happened in South Korea and elsewhere. Regardless, I’m delighted to see our beloved art institutions will be opening again, and hopefully helping to save the jobs of those who work there.

Reporter Valentina Di Liscia got to interview painter Angel Otero, who discusses his new body of work created during the lockdown, including this very personal work:

V: There’s a painting in the show, “Drifting Far From Shore,” that stood out to me because the references to furniture or domestic interiors are less obvious. Did this work also come from memories of your grandmother’s home?

AO: I had a boat like this one years ago, which we call a dingy, in Puerto Rico. I always used it to go fishing by myself, and it was kind of my little escape out there, very personal. When I started making these new paintings, I felt that those works had such a strong relationship to what we’re dealing with now: the solitude, the idea of being alone. It was very curious to see how something that I did back then was very resonant now. Because my grandmother had so many plants around the house, I added these plants around everything — it’s almost like it’s her in the picture. 

I’ve used these references to her for many years — they originated from this very personal “grandma’s boy” thing. But in comparison to back then, I don’t speak about them so directly anymore. Tiles, plants, puzzles, bingo games, couches — she always slept on the couch, never on her bed — all these very specific memories, they’ve become something more broad. I’m not just thinking of her. It’s become more mine: a presence of me.

Btw, I know Cardi B’s “WAP” video was the talk of the town last week, but I want to make sure you saw this really good conversation with a gynecologist in New York Magazine about the meaning of that name (FYI, it stands for “wet ass p***y”). And if you don’t know, this and many other “must-see” links are in my weekly Required Reading that is published every Saturday morning as part of Hyperallergic Weekend. I always like to keep things interesting.

Here’s How You Can Help Save the US Postal Service

From signing petitions to stocking up on art-inspired stamps, here are some small but vital ways you can help keep USPS afloat in spite of Trump’s targeted attacks.

Hrag Vartanian

News

NYC Museums and “Low Risk” Cultural Sites Can Reopen On August 24, Governor Says

Institutions will be allowed to welcome visitors at 25% capacity, and they must enforce face coverings, among other safety measures.

A Virginia Museum May Take Ownership of the US Capitol’s Robert E. Lee Statue

The recommendation to move the Confederate general’s monument to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture was made unanimously by the Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol.

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