'Open Call: Portals' Spotlights Up and Coming NYC Artists

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – Episode: 'Open Call: Portals' Spotlights Up and Coming NYC Artists

Introduction

In this engaging episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart delves into the vibrant world of emerging artists through the Shed's latest Open Call program. Titled "Portals," the free exhibition showcases innovative works from 17 selected artists and collectives, out of approximately 1,000 submissions. Set to run until August 24th at the Shed, the program not only highlights diverse artistic talents from New York City but also underscores the importance of supporting early career artists through accessible and transparent platforms.

The Mission Behind the Shed's Open Call Program

Alison Stewart opens the discussion by introducing Deja Ballard, Associate Curator of Visual Art and Civic Programs, and Darren Biggert, Director of Civic Programs. She inquires about the mission and inception of the Open Call program.

Darren Biggert explains, “[00:59] Open Call actually started before the building opened. It was really important to our artistic director and executive team to platform early career artists.” He emphasizes the program’s commitment to a democratized selection process, fostering transparency, and leveraging collective wisdom to discover and support artists who may not yet have had major solo shows or gallery representation.

Deja Ballard adds clarity on the term “early career,” noting, “[02:25] Early career for us means that they haven't had any major solo shows, working with any museums, any sort of gallery representation.” She highlights the diversity in age and background among the selected artists, reflecting the varied pathways to establishing an artistic career in New York City.

Selection Process and Community Involvement

Alison points out the extensive review process, mentioning that over 70 individuals assisted in evaluating the 1,000 applications. Deja Ballard elaborates on the importance of involving a wide network of arts and culture professionals: “[03:17] We've worked with about 70 different arts and culture professionals across every industry, every medium you can think of, so that each application gets a discipline-specific reviewer and also gets two other reviewers who are not discipline-specific.”

This multifaceted review strategy ensures that interdisciplinary works receive appropriate consideration, acknowledging the blend of mediums and the evolving nature of contemporary art.

Spotlight on 'Portals' Exhibition

The core of the episode revolves around the "Portals" exhibition. Alison asks Darren Biggert about the significance of the title, to which Deja Ballard responds, “[05:12] Portals becomes a third space for all these artists in the exhibition to sort of work through these themes of migration, colonialism, spirituality, look at power dynamics, looks at place of imagining, looking back at past ancestral histories.” The exhibition serves as a connective space that binds the various narratives and cultural backgrounds of the participating artists, emphasizing shared human experiences and historical contexts.

Featured Artworks and Artists

1. The Door of No Return by Ghislaine Rodriguez and Luis Vasquez Laroche

   Deja describes this poignant piece: “[05:57] It is an architectural ruin of the Door of no Return from the Elmina slave castle in Ghana. It symbolizes the last site in Africa before the transatlantic slave trade.” The artwork serves as both a portal into the exhibition and a carrier of historical memory, transforming the doorway into an altar for the sea goddess Yemaya, representing the enduring legacy of African traditions through generations.

2. Sticky Sins by Mel Corchado

   Alison highlights an intriguing installation, prompting Deja to explain, “[08:43] Sticky Sins is a runway of sugar garments made completely out of sugar. It is melting, it is sticky, it smells sweet.” This piece deteriorates over time, symbolizing the unsustainable practices in the fashion industry and critiquing labor exploitation within both the sugar and garment sectors. The visceral caramelized aesthetic underscores the transient nature of beauty and sustainability.

3. Hair Paintings by Jarrett Kay

   Darren Biggert elaborates on Jarrett Kay’s unique approach: “[10:30] Jarrett is paying homage to their grandmother by transforming the traditional Alphabet into significant phrases associated with their upbringing, complemented by gestures.” These embodied paintings create an archive of visual language, extending communication beyond the written word and honoring cultural heritage through performance and tactile expression.

4. Ceramic Sculptures by Ayoung Yoo and Nicholas Oh

   Deja describes a captivating installation: “[11:58] A circular enclosure of 12 life-size ceramic sculptures, glazed in traditional Korean celadon, representing the eastern zodiac as spiritual ancestral protectors.” Accompanied by dual video works depicting the Korean DMZ and the US-Mexico border, the piece juxtaposes natural sounds against politically charged landscapes, highlighting global interconnectedness and ancestral lineage.

5. Neo Mayan Pyramid by Victor Quinones

   Reflecting quintessential New York influence, the sculpture stands as a 22-foot-tall homage to immigrant street vendors: “[13:40] A Neo Mayan pyramid made from ice coolers, adorned with murals and altars, plays music through embedded speakers.” This public art piece embodies the hustle and cultural mosaic of New York City, inviting viewers to contemplate both familiarity and critical commentary on urban life.

Global Influences and New York’s Cultural Mosaic

Alison asks about the global influences present in the exhibition. Darren Biggert affirms, “[14:32] These influences are throughout because New York City is a collection of people from other places.” The diverse backgrounds of the artists bring a rich tapestry of cultural narratives, from Chinese and Mexican to Canadian influences, seamlessly integrating into the local art scene. Deja adds, “[14:25] The offertories on the front side of Victor Quinones' sculpture represent many different cultural identities and experiences,” reinforcing the exhibition’s global yet locally grounded essence.

Support and Development for Artists

Discussing the support mechanisms provided to artists, Darren Biggert states, “[07:12] We offer financial support, cohort-wide learning sessions, and mentorship programs.” The Open Call program focuses on holistic artist development, encompassing marketing, fundraising, accessibility, and network expansion. This sustained support ensures that artists not only present their work but also build a robust foundation for future endeavors.

Upcoming Events and Public Programs

As the exhibition progresses, Deja Ballard shares insights into upcoming events designed to deepen audience engagement: “[15:13] We have performances, panels, a clothing swap by Mel Corchado focusing on sustainability, and a foraging expedition exploring plants and plant medicine.” These programs aim to provide audiences with a deeper understanding of the artists’ practices and the thematic underpinnings of their work, fostering a more interactive and immersive cultural experience.

Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by reiterating the significance of the "Portals" exhibition, encouraging listeners to visit the Shed and experience the diverse artistic expressions firsthand. The episode underscores the importance of community-driven initiatives in nurturing emerging talents and enriching the cultural landscape of New York City.

Notable Quotes

• Darren Biggert [01:06]: “It's a really democratized selection process. So I think baked into that is the ethos of transparency and collective wisdom.”

• Deja Ballard [05:12]: “Portals becomes a third space for all these artists in the exhibition to sort of work through these themes of migration, colonialism, spirituality…”

• Darren Biggert [07:12]: “We have cohort-wide learning sessions. Our goal is really for every artist that's part of Open Call to both deepen their own personal practices and expand their networks.”

• Deja Ballard [08:43]: “Sticky Sins is a runway of sugar garments made completely out of sugar...”

• Jarrett Kay [10:30]: “Communication as beyond the written word into something that can be embodied as they honor that relationship and their heritage.”

• Deja Ballard [11:58]: “A circular enclosure of 12 life-size ceramic sculptures… representing the eastern zodiac, which is meant to be like a spiritual ancestral protector.”

• Deja Ballard [13:40]: “Our sculpture… a 22-foot-tall Neo Mayan pyramid made entirely out of ice coolers… pays homage to immigrant street vendors.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of All Of It brilliantly encapsulates the essence of contemporary art within New York City, highlighting how cultural diversity and supportive infrastructures like the Shed's Open Call can elevate emerging artists. Through "Portals," listeners gain insight into the profound narratives and innovative practices that shape the city's dynamic cultural landscape.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Every few years, the Shed puts out an open call, a specific one, for local emerging artists to submit an artistic proposal for work, videos, sculptures, all different disciplines. Selected artists are given resources and guidance to create new work that will be on view as part of a group exhibition. For the latest round, about 1,000 people submitted, and 17 artists and collectives were chosen. Work from some of those artists is on view now at the Shed. The free show is called Portals and is open through August 24th. I have with me now the organizers of the show, Deja Ballard, associate Curator of Visual Art and civic programs. Hi, Deja.

[Deja Ballard]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

And also Darren Biggert, Director of Civic Programs. Welcome, Darren.

[Darren Biggert]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

Before we get into the exhibit, Darren, what is the mission behind the Shed's open call program? When did it first begin and why?

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah, so Open Call actually started before the building opened. It was really important to our artistic director and executive team to platform early career artists. It's a really democratized selection process. So I think baked into that is the ethos of transparency and collective wisdom. And it's really important to us to connect with folks who are making work that might not have already had a solo group show, a solo show at a gallery, or have been seen at a lot of New York institutions to make sure it's a springboard for their careers.

[Alison Stewart]

Deja, he said early career artists, but it is open to all ages.

[Darren Biggert]

Right?

[Alison Stewart]

Explain that to me.

[Deja Ballard]

Yes, that's correct. So early career is really an interesting term, I think, because we find ourselves working with artists from all different age groups and demographics. So we have artists in the current show who are from their 20s into their late 40s, early 50s. So early career for us means that they haven't had any major solo shows, working with any museums, any sort of gallery representation. But as we know, all of that can be hard in New York City. So the age that we see within early career tends to vary.

[Alison Stewart]

Why was that so important to you, Darren, to talk about early career artists?

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah, I think, like Deja said, it's a really challenging thing to get a foothold in the industry. Right. I also think because we have so many applicants and because we have so many reviewers, you know, we had, as you said, 1,000 people applied. Amazing. It's amazing. It's extraordinary, the breadth of it. And 75 people participate in that selection process. What that does for us is it allows us to meet artists that we might not otherwise know. There's so many people in all five boroughs Making really artistically rigorous work that's really rooted in intention, but the only way to find those people is to make it accessible. Right. Free to apply, free to attend. And then a lot of outreach on our part through borough arts, arts councils and collaborators all throughout the city.

[Alison Stewart]

As he said, Over 70 people helped you read through all the applications and helped you decide why did you want this wider network of people? And can you give us a couple of examples?

[Deja Ballard]

Yes, of course. So the process is really a democratized one that really puts us in a place to say, what is New York City thinking? What are the artists that they're looking for to really be on the nose of it all. And so we've worked with about 70 different arts and culture professionals across every industry, every medium you can think of, so that each application gets a discipline specific reviewer and also gets two other reviewers who are not discipline specific, so that we get a broad range of application reviews in our finalist round. And we've had some incredible people work with us. You know, we've had Kimberly Drew, who's been on our panel, Larry Ose, Mensah, incredible performance artists, dancers, Charmaine, Charmaine Janet.

[Darren Biggert]

Janet Wong, Tamara McCaw, Toria Beard, like real incredible leaders in the industry and across industries.

[Alison Stewart]

I love to have that difference of people's expertise deciding on the artist. That's so interesting.

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah. I think the other thing about that is that so many people are making work in an interdisciplinary way. So there are folks even represented in this gallery exhibition who are using multiple mediums, even some of them actually applied as performance artists. And in conversation, we thought that they might be kind of really interesting in a gallery setting. And so, as Deja mentioned, I think having people from various disciplines review these projects, it makes sense because of that kind of blend that's happening.

[Alison Stewart]

Anyway, we're discussing the Shed's latest Open Call program, which is currently showcasing new work from 12 local artists and collectives. My guests are Deja Balardo, associate curator of Visual art and civic programs, and Darren Biggert, director of civic programs. The free show is called Portals. It is on view through August 24th. The title, Portals. Darren, why?

[Darren Biggert]

Oh, my gosh. I have to ask Deja to describe this. It's a huge.

[Alison Stewart]

Deja, why?

[Deja Ballard]

So Portals becomes a third space for all these artists in the exhibition to sort of work through these themes of migration, colonialism, spirituality, look at power dynamics, looks at place of imagining, looking back at past ancestral histories. And so those all come together in a gallery. And it was a way for me to make connections between the artists and through an open call process that help to tether all of the stories together and remind us of the ways that we are all tethered together as humans and sort of highlight those connections that we often might forget about.

[Alison Stewart]

For example, we'll give you a real easy one. The Door of no Return is the name of a piece. Explain this West African story to us.

[Deja Ballard]

Yes. So it is actually the first work that you encounter when you go into the exhibition. And it is residents time to see if history that is by one of our artist duos in the show, Ghislaine Rodriguez and Luis Vasquez Laroche. And the work is an architectural ruin of the Door of no Return from the Elmina slave castle in Ghana. It is the architectural site where their ancestors, and many of our ancestors, the last site that they had in Africa before they were transported in the transatlantic slave trade. And so for Yelena and Luis, they're looking at their Caribbean heritage and they're making this architectural ruin into an altar for the sea goddess Yemaya, who have sort of carried their ancestors as they journey through their passage to the Caribbean, specifically the Dominican Republic for Ylan. And so they've created these altar space that both the doorway serves as the first doorway, the first portal into the space, but it also serves as a carrier of history and the ways that African traditions and spiritualities also travel with them as well.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a beautiful piece. You just described it beautifully. But you have to ask yourself, Darren, you give these artists a great deal of support. How are they supported as a part of the Open Call?

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah, in a lot of ways. You know, this is our fourth iteration of Open Call. So one thing we do is take feedback, you know, every year to learn what artists really need. Obviously, there's financial support, but beyond that, I think we've sort of created a culture of learning. We're really oriented that way. So we have cohort wide learning sessions. Our goal is really for every artist that's part of Open Call to both deepen their own personal practices and expand their networks by deepen their practices. That comes in our day of learning. You know, they learn about marketing and fundraising and accessibility. So that access is artistry. It's baked into their work from the beginning. We think about things like audio description, language access, ASL tactile tables, and then I think alongside that learning, they're building their relationships with each other. And outside of the cohort as well, a lot of them are paired with mentors that I think can stay with them through this Process and beyond so that they really leave this exhibition having built a strong foundation to fly.

[Alison Stewart]

Is that new for a lot of these artists?

[Darren Biggert]

I think so, yes. I think that kind of institutional support and the through line of it, you know, they're with us for two years, but honestly, the alums, we're in touch with them very frequently. We engage all the time. You know, we connect them to other folks and we see them a lot and keep considering how we can continue to expand their networks and bolster their careers.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk about a couple of other things we might see at the program. Sugar garments.

[Deja Ballard]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell us a little bit about sugar garments. This looks so cool.

[Deja Ballard]

Sticky Sins. Sticky Sins by Mel Corchado. It's a Runway of sugar garments made completely out of sugar. So it is melting, it is sticky, it smells sweet.

[Alison Stewart]

It must have changed a lot in the past week.

[Deja Ballard]

Oh, it has and it will continue to. And it's meant to deteriorate over time to be both a commentary on the sustainability of the fashion industry, but also looking at the exploitation of labor and things like the sugar industry, the garment industry, and the degradation of the body itself. So it's a very powerful work. And the caramelized color of the sugar really has a visceral quality that I think completely transcends, you know, what the artist is aiming to do.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you know how he actually goes about making the garments?

[Deja Ballard]

Yes. So Mel casts these sugar garments out of these plaster and silicone molds that they make from directly from the garments themselves. So they have garments like their mother's military uniform. Because also thinking about the garment industry in Puerto Rico, the military industrial complex, they casted their mother's military uniform in this sugar directly from the plaster. They have, you know, the traditional house sandals or the bata, the house dress. But they're also looking at the industries of Puerto Rico, so undergarments as well. And then of course, things like the fashionable dress and the handbag. And so those all come from directly hand casted garments.

[Alison Stewart]

The artist, Jarrett Kay, they them from Seal, Alabama, they make hair paintings. Would you describe their hair paintings for us, Darren?

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah. It's such a beautiful ritual. Jarrett is, I think, paying homage to their grandmother who raised them, thinking about literacy as beyond just the written word. So has kind of taken, and I'll let Deja describe a bit too, but has kind of taken the traditional Alphabet as we know it and assigned significant phrases that were part of their upbringing to each letter of the Alphabet and then also added a gesture to each of those phrase. So that this painting with their hair is also embodied. It's this kind of thinking about communication as beyond the written word into something that can be embodied as they honor that relationship and their heritage. Is there anything else you want to say about that?

[Deja Ballard]

I just add that in Jarrett's case, it was an excellent example of how we can integrate that multidisciplinary nature of artists in the exhibition. Because they did those performances live in the gallery, in front of live audiences. And you really got to see the nature of the live body and sort the visceral quality of throwing your body against a wall to create these words that are meant to create an archive of a visual language as a mode of communication.

[Alison Stewart]

This next one is wild. This was a collective that was chosen Ayoung Yoo and Nicholas oh. They've made this work, this huge piece of work which touches on the Korean demilitarized zone and the US Mexico border. Would you describe this for me? Who wants to go for it?

[Deja Ballard]

You go first. So the work, the work in itself is situated in the center of the gallery. It is a Circular enclosure of 12 life size ceramic sculptures that are glazed in this green celadon glaze, this traditional Korean glaze. And they each represent each one of the eastern zodiac, which is meant to be sort of like a spiritual ancestral protector. Of these two video works that are in the center, which one side is the Korean dmz, the other side is the US Mexico border. And in the films, we're looking at the landscape, the ecologies of these places. What are these places without human presence knowing that these are highly politicized zone. The work is captioned with this very poetic and beautiful transcript that talks about the nature of these highly politicized zones. But the audio that you hear is. Is just the sound of nature. So it's a really stark contrast. And we're looking at these two places as twin sites of both the contemporary, where these artists are based in the US and also looking at their ancestral lineage from Korea.

[Darren Biggert]

I didn't know before this that the DMZ in Korea is a crane sanctuary. So it's really wild to understand what we project onto this landscape, how it's been politicized and how it's a space of, in some cases, violence. And there are these cranes. You hear the sound of them in this beautiful landscape. And so it really. There's a dissonance as you stand and look at that film, right?

[Alison Stewart]

Learn something new every day. I know there are 12 artists and collectives on view that are based locally in New York when you think of all the art, what's the most New York influenced art that you can think of in the show?

[Deja Ballard]

That's tricky. We're not supposed to pick his favorites. But I will say that our sculpture, our public art sculpture that is outside on our public Plaza is a 22 foot tall Neo Mayan pyramid made entirely out of ice coolers. And it pays homage to immigrant street vendors that we see in our subways, on the sidewalks, by construction sites. And they're painted in gold and covered in a mural and these different altars. It has speakers, it plays music. And I think the nature of that work invites you in with the sound. You look at it, you see something familiar. And then you also have to think about what that means and the critique that the artist is making. And I feel like that is very New York.

[Alison Stewart]

Where do you see the global influence on the show? Because you have people from China, Mexico, Canada, all over.

[Darren Biggert]

Those influences are throughout. I think that's the beautiful thing about New York City based artists. Right. It's what this city is and has always been, is a collection of people from other places. So I think you see both of those influences in all of the work. And even, as Deja mentioned, the sort of offrendas that are on the front side of that sculpture by Victor Quinones represent many different cultural identities and experiences. So we see constantly, because for many people, that's the entry point. That's where they find themselves at the beginning, it's the portal, if you will, into the shed. And so I think they might identify very specific images or experiences right away and feel a connection and then come in to see the rest of the work.

[Alison Stewart]

Before we run out of time, I want to talk about some of the events you have planned.

[Deja Ballard]

Yes, we've had an incredible series of public programs and performances. We're just over halfway through, so you still have some time to come and check them out. Next weekend we have a performance on Friday night and two public programs on Saturday. And then we'll do that again in the following two weeks at the close of the show. But we wanted to give each artist in the show the opportunity for audiences to dive deeper into their practices, especially because where they are in their career. So not just to see the work, but to understand why and how the artists are making the work. So that takes many different forms that we're very excited about.

[Darren Biggert]

Yeah, everything from panels to performances. Mel, who made that Sticky Sins piece, did a clothing swap, thinking about sustainability in fashion. We've got a foraging expedition happening around the Shed to think about plants and plant medicine. So it really is form dictated by the content of the work.

[Alison Stewart]

The show is called Portals. It is free. It's at the Shed. It's on view now through August 24th. My guests have been Deja Bilard and Darren Biggert. Thank you so much for walking us through this wonderful program.

[Darren Biggert]

Thanks for having us.

[Deja Ballard]

Thank you. And shout out to all the artists.

[Darren Biggert]

Yes, come see open call coming up.

[Alison Stewart]

Jonathan Gluck has a fancy job, a beautiful wife and an adorable baby daughter. He was 38 and then an MRI revealed he had a lesion on his hip. His new memoir, an Exercise in Uncertainty, a Memoir of Illness and Hope, looks at what life was like living with cancer for the past 20 years. He's coming up after the news.

[Deja Ballard]

For 140 years, MultiCare has been in.

[Alison Stewart]

Washington prioritizing long term solutions, partnering with.

[Deja Ballard]

Local communities and expanding access to care.

[Alison Stewart]

Together, we're building a healthier future.

[Darren Biggert]

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