October Newsletter
This fall has been equal parts too-much, devastating, contemplative, and anticipatory. I’m not sure I have a word for what I’ve been feeling or experiencing — maybe you don’t, either. The days around Yom Kippur have me thinking about what atonement means under seemingly intractable circumstances: what is the true process of reparation, and how can we broaden it beyond our individual feelings or actions to create collective change?
But on to the art part. Tonight (October 8th), Cantando Bajito: Chorus opens at the Ford Foundation. I’m excited to exhibit new video essays for the first time ever. Titled Cutting Room Floor (#1, #2 and #3), these works are footnotes to my four-channel film we turn to time. The entire project represents the culmination of two years of intimate work with 4 families from across the US, who agreed to share moments of their lives with me, so that I could then then share them with you.
we turn to time will debut in its full form sometime in 2025 — stay tuned.
You may not read this in time to come to the opening celebration, but you are invited — just RSVP here (the Ford Foundation’s building policies are somewhat strict).
Cantando Bajito: Chorus Opening Celebration
October 8th, 5 - 7 PM
Ford Foundation Gallery: 320 East 43rd St, New York, NY
The exhibition will remain on view through December 7th.
I’m thrilled to share my upcoming sonic project if you hear something, free something is a recipient of a 2024 grant from the MAP Fund. Those who know me know that my work’s origins are in theater and performance; still, it’s been a long time since I’ve been publicly recognized by a performance-based organization. if you hear something, free something is a sonic activation that calls for public action and care. You’ll be learning more about the project soon — including possible ways to participate in its development and messaging.
Read below for a few smaller announcements, little celebrations, and more.
New sculptural work at Frieze London
For those of you who will be in London this week, I’m showing new glass sculptures at Frieze with Alexander Gray Associates. The fair opens tomorrow (October 9th), and the gallery is in booth C15.
These extremely minimalist works feature texts from the 45 days of news summaries I conducted beginning January 6th, 2020. Each sculpture contains a light on a timer that brings the text in and out of view on an approximately 30-minute cycle. It was incredibly fun developing this project over 2023 and early 2024 with the support of the glass geniuses at MDSG Studios, and my lighting fabricator, Peter Tran.
These two works will be on view through October 13th, with others from the series also available for exhibition or acquisition — let us know if you’re interested.
Announcing Our 2024 - 2025 Social Practice CUNY Fellows
Turning to a little celebration of others, it’s my pleasure to to announce our 2024 - 2025 Social Practice CUNY Fellows. Each year we get the joy of awarding fellowships to activists, artists, and social practitioners from across the 25 CUNY campuses to participate in the Social Practice CUNY. This year’s cohort will receive a distributed $136,360 in project funds and scholarships.
“This year we’re excited to see a range of fresh project ideas and interests that reflect the ongoing complexities of our world: from work investigating darkness, to projects in support of artists, students, and faculty in Palestine, to work towards more positive paths for aging, SPCUNY’s new Fellows are demonstrating serious concerns and steadfast commitment to produce a better world across multiple scales,” said SPCUNY Co-Director Chloë Bass, an Associate Professor at Queens College.
Related Reading
I was commissioned to write 12 core questions for A Blade of Grass, which you can ponder here. This was a lot of fun to do, and it’s even more fun to watch as answers trickle in.
Ari Wolff and I also had a conversation for A Blade of Grass, and which you can read here.
Calling on community
Alicia Grullón, an organizer with the North Bronx Collective, an artist, a dedicated teacher, and a person I care about a lot, needs our help. I hope to rally my community to help Alicia with the necessary home repairs she needs as a working artist and teacher, and single mother of two teenagers, to make sure her house is safe and heated through the winter.
Click here to read more about Alicia and her family, and please donate if you can. If you’re not in a position to donate right now, I would very much appreciate it if you can spread the word to other folks.
Wherever you are, I hope that you are safe; I hope that people are safe around you; and I hope that you are working together to create safety for others. More soon.
Always,