Centuries Apart, Still Human

“Sadly, I part from you;
Like a clam torn from its shell,
I go, and autumn too.”

-Matsuo Bashō, Narrow Road to the Interior: And Other Writings

Bashō was a great observer of life and the world around him in 17th century Japan, and he immortalized these things in his haiku. His observations reach through the centuries, reminding us that however distant in time, the human experience and our interactions with the world are perennially relatable. In this poem, he captures the searing pain of departure, something all of us can surely understand. What a humanizing thing, a description of sorrow passed along to use here today, connecting our world with his.

Ethan Cook joined us to talk about his recent exhibition, Free Hand, which ran at Nino Mier Gallery until May 10. In this show, the hand woven works and sculptures in the show relate to each to each other. Cook began weaving in 2012, and this became is entry into painting in that it gave color structure and a body. To hear more about these works, listen to the complete interview.

Cianne Fragione sat down to discuss What Remains, her recent exhibition at Nunu Fine Art New York. The show, which ran until May 10, is based on two collections of poems by Italian poet Eugenio Montale. Fragione uses poetry as a means to be transported, a practice that began during the pandemic with physical travel was impossible. To hear more, listen to the complete interview.

A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.

What do you think will be relatable from your life many centuries from now?

Outings.

Join me at RxART for a chat with their founder about their mission to create site specific art installations in pediatric hospitals at no cost to the hospital

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. Further explore the works of Eugenio Montale, whose poems were inspiration for Cianne Fragione’s recent show.

Opportunities.

Art on Lincoln offers $75,000 to an artist or artist team to create a temporary public artwork along Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road, enriching its vibrant cultural and pedestrian experience. To learn more, visit the website. Submission deadline is June 18.

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now.