by Paddy Johnson and William Powhida on April 20, 2020
Steve Locke, Student 338, 2016, Hydrocal, galvanized steel nails, procion dye, shellac
approximately 12×4.5×5.5″, $4,000. Link to item.
This week on Explain Me, William Powhida and Paddy Johnson speak with artist Michael Shaw and L.A. staff writer Carolina Miranda how quarantining is affecting artists, galleries and journalists on the West Coast. Shaw talks about the prospect of losing his studio of nine years, The L.A. Tenants Union and landlords who are neither friendly nor flexible. Miranda speaks about cuts at the L.A. Times and the surrounding museums, as well as her latest story on how corona is impacting commercial galleries.
We take a virtual visit to the Dallas Art Fair together, and talk about the art we’ve enjoyed recently. All links below.
NEWS
Marciano Collection Announces it won’t reopen in wake of layoffs following union drive. — L.A. Times
MOCA lays off all 97 part time employees — L.A. Times
Uovo lays off pro union organizers while others are paid to stay at home —The Art Newspaper
How Arts Non-profits are responding to COVID – Hyperallergic
LACMA began demolition: But that hasn’t stopped a protest group for an alternate plan—L.A. Times
Painful closures lie ahead for L.A. galleries. How 35 are bracing for the worst. — L.A. Times
ART
The Dallas Art Fair
Mark Amerika’s Grammatron
Wellnow.wtf
Scott Mendes—Darren Bader’s VR app (still not released)
El Greco Audio Tour—Art Institute of Chicago.
This is Chance—99% Invisible
Sheep video review — The New York Times
The Weirdly Enduring Appeal of Weird Al Yankovic — The New York Times
Magda Sawon’s Twitter
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by Paddy Johnson and William Powhida on March 29, 2020
Serkan Özkaya’s Proletarier Aller Länder (Workers of the World) 1999, Image via Postmaster’s Gallery.
In this episode of Explain Me, hosts Paddy Johnson and William Powhida talk to Magda Sawon of Postmasters Gallery in New York, and Jonathan Schwartz, the CEO and founder of Atelier4, an arts logistics company based out of New York. The discussion includes stories and conversations you won’t find anywhere else.
Schwartz reports that at least one logistics company is currently breaking the law to ship art, and that Fedex trucks are in short supply because they’re being used to transport the dead.
Magda describes the challenges for galleries which range from financial burdens to the need to better consider the online art environment.
William and Paddy discuss the financial precarity of artists, writers, and educators.
As a group we talk about what needs to be done to respond to the crisis and what is being done. We also make the mini announcement that we will be launching a Patreon for Explain Me in the next week or two. More details on that soon!
We’re looking at a radical shift in opportunity, so this conversation includes a fair amount of debate. We’re also doing it over zoom, with William on the phone due to an internet connectivity issue. This isn’t the best recording quality we’ve ever produced, but it might be the most important episode. Please tune in.
COMING UP: Resources for freelancers and art organizations. What relief is available and how long it will take to get to the people who need it.
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