“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” -Moliere
Challenges come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s merely a matter of figuring out what to have for dinner for the 354th time this year. And other times it could be something more impactful, even lifechanging. But no matter the obstacles you face, how you respond is really what matters. That is not to say you must always approach with grace and exhibit perfect control of the situation. Far from it. Some things call for falling apart, at least at first. But every obstacle can be met, often overcome. And you just may find that on the other side of things, you’ll have grown in ways you never imagined.
Soumya Netrabile joined us to talk about her recent show, Holding Current, which ran until October 19 at Rachel Uffner Gallery. One of the drivers of the process behind the paintings in the show has been Netrabile engaging with the forest. This led her to examine what attention means and how we use it, a concept that connects to her meditation practice. Holding current is a phrase in circuit theory that reflects the minimum charge required to keep a circuit in the on position. In much the same way, the work speaks to how much focus Netrabile can hold while she paints. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
Adam Simon chatted about his current show, Great Figures, running until November 9 at OSMOS Address on 1st Street in NYC. The title of the show was suggested by the gallerists, and Simon agreed to its efficacy. Though he told us that he might have titled the show Fragments, a nod to the works being made up of fragments of his older pieces. That said, the imagery he uses comes from multiple places but all holds significance to the source imagery he is tapping into. To learn more about the show, listen to the complete interview.
A few words to keep in your pocket
When obstacles present, look them in the eye and move forward.
Outings
Join me at Friedrichs Pontone’s new flagship space in Tribeca
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. Praxis user Lisa Gizara is reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin
Opportunities
The Studios is MASS MoCA’s year-round residency for artists and writers, located in the Berkshire Mountains. It hosts up to 10 artists for 2- or 4-week stays, open to all nationalities. Learn more at the website. Application deadline is November 8.
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