New York
July 22, 2020
Letter from the editor:
Amid wilting temperatures, the no-longer-novel prospect of exploring artworks from home has taken on a renewed advantage. Nestled firmly into the spot on my couch that is closest to the air conditioning vent, perusing the standout MFA projects of students from Pratt and Parsons has provided some thought-provoking relief from sweatier outdoor endeavors. Check out some of the highlights from each institution’s graduating class here, as part of our ongoing series on virtual MFA presentations.
Also coming to a screen near you soon is a new trio of live performances by Autumn Knight, the New York-based interdisciplinary artist whose performance-cum-talk-show was a highlight of the 2019 Whitney Biennial. She’ll be broadcasting live from the Kitchen, as the art center remains closed to the public amid the pandemic. Sadly — but very appropriately, given surging COVID-19 transmission rates in the US — Governor Cuomo has announced that the reopening of New York City Museums has been postponed.
Elsewhere amid the echelons of power, the NYPD is proposing “new regulations that would expand the authority of officers to seize the press credentials of journalists,” according to our staff writer Hakim Bishara. Read more on the alarming new rules here. Equally distressing are the findings of a new report commissioned by the Department of Cultural Affairs, which notes that over 15,000 workers have been laid off or furloughed from local cultural organizations. Our staff writer Valentina Di Liscia shares a full breakdown of the findings here.
Looking for something else to stream? Check out Rodney Evan’s poignant documentary Vision Portraits, streaming now via the Whitney Museum, ahead of its public program with the artist on Saturday. Check out Jourdain Searles’s thoughtful reflection on the film’s approach to blindness and vision loss here.
Over 15,000 Workers Have Been Laid Off or Furloughed From 810 NYC Cultural Organizations
A report commissioned by the Department of Cultural Affairs describes a grim landscape for the city’s cultural sector amid COVID-19, with a notable difference in impact between large and small nonprofits.
Valentina Di Liscia
Event Picks
Autumn Knight Responds to the “Gaslighting of the Current Moment” in New Performance Series
For Knight, whose work slyly critiques the raced, gendered, and classed nature of power, a residency at the Kitchen will provide an opportunity to use the empty building as a collaborator.
Dessane Lopez Cassell | July 24, 6pm (EDT)
Experimental Films Contemplate the Future From an “Endangered Present”
After Civilization, a free, month-long film series presented by Maysles Documentary Center, explores broader questions of what if and what now.
Dessane Lopez Cassell | Online, July 16 - August 15
News
Metropolitan Museum Confirms Late August Reopening With Limited Hours
The museum, which has been closed since March 13, will reopen at 25% capacity.
NYPD Proposes Stricter Regulations on Press Credentials
The proposal would expand the authority of officers to remove credentials from journalists and bar them from crossing police lines to cover news stories.
LA Artist Donates 1,800 Paintings to Brooklyn Hospital
Michael Gittes shipped a truckload of paintings to Interfaith Medical Center in Bed-Stuy — one for every worker.
Ecofeminist Art Takes Root
ecofeminism(s) at Thomas Erben Gallery offers an urgent reminder of our present climate and human rights emergencies. Likewise, the works featured imply that another world is, and has always been, possible.
Cassie Packard
The Art World’s Erasure of a Revolutionary Japanese-American Artist
It’s clear that Leo Amino was neither interested in making identity the key to his art nor concerned with fitting in because he likely knew that he never could.
John Yau
Thought-provoking MFA Work From Pratt and Parsons
As part of a series on virtual MFA presentations across the country, we highlight exciting work from graduates of two NYC art schools.
Dessane Lopez Cassell
A Deep Dive Into Sarah Charlesworth’s Image Archive
An important aspect of Charlesworth’s practice is her longstanding engagement with publishing: she was an active writer and critic, and made several artist books and photo catalogues.
Megan N. Liberty
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