Are we going back to “normal”?

So, I’ve been gradually re-engaging with the IRL art world. For a while, it seemed like maybe something new was taking shape; not a revolution, but a revision of the standard formats we were all familiar with before Covid, and it seemed pretty consistent and reliable. I liked it. There was a slower pace, and there were longer openings and more intimate guest lists for private events. There were appointments and vaccination checks, which seemed reasonable, all things considered. Lately, though, when I go out, things seem pretty chaotic. In recent weeks, I’ve encountered an array of approaches to gathering in our community. Some folks are holding to the protocols they established during earlier days of the pandemic with varying degrees of strictness, while others are embracing the notion that the pandemic is over by returning to “normal.” And everything in between. As I write this, the BA.2 variant is on the rise, the CDC extended mask requirements on public transportation, and then a federal court barred mask mandates altogether. There is still no vaccine approved for children under the age of 5, and globally, there are still millions of people who aren’t vaccinated. The pandemic isn’t over, but it seems to be “over.” According to one article I read recently, it’s largely public opinion and behavior that signal the end of a pandemic. In the art world, we’re returning to openings, artist dinners, art fairs, galas and all of the things we do as a subculture to run our little sector of the economy, share and create culture, and compare notes on where we are now. Are we, as a community, deciding that the pandemic is over for our community? And if so, who gets left out, whether it’s because they have compromised immune systems, ongoing illnesses, children too young to be vaccinated, fragile elders they take care of… ? And further, are we going back to “normal” and normal’s attendant inadequacies and inequities, or are we taking what we learned from our pandemic isolation and evolving our collective ways of being? What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.

This month’s installment of Dear CP touches on these questions, and for this month’s highlight from my ongoing ideas and resources doc, I’ve chosen a podcast that looks at power structures in the contemporary art field to investigate where we’ve been and hypothesize about where we might be going. Plus, a few notes on what’s happening in my practice and upcoming news from Contemporary Art League.

Dear CP, I founded a small business in the art world several years ago, and I’m committed to contributing a percentage of my annual revenue to causes that align with my values. I’m a longstanding donor to a national arts nonprofit based in the city where I live, and as part of my annual contributions this year, I’m sponsoring a paid fellowship for a young arts professional entering the art world through this organization. I recently received an invitation to the organization’s annual fundraising event, followed by direct outreach from a board member encouraging me to attend. (By the way, attendance requires a further contribution to the organization.) I believe the work this organization does is significant in ways that align with my values, but I don’t want to go to this event. I’ve attended many times before, and I’ve never found it to be enjoyable or productive. I’m also disappointed that the art world seems to be going straight back to doing all of the same things we used to do before Covid. Are big benefit events relevant any longer? Why don’t organizations just use donations for their programs rather than these big events that are so exclusive and wasteful? And although I seem to be one of the few remaining people who is still nervous about Covid, I also don’t think it’s wise to be in a room full of unmasked people for several hours. Is it OK for me to sit this one out, or would you advise that I adjust my mindset, purchase my ticket, and show up?

Since this is an advice column, I’m going to address your last question—your most direct request for advice—first, and then I’ll offer a few thoughts on your first two questions, which are somewhat more philosophical and programmatic.

Highlights from Ideas & Resources for Art Workers Have you listened to Hope & Dread? What a title! Lofty, reminiscent of Hunter S. Thompson, and also… disconcertingly relatable: Since March of 2020, my work has had me swinging between these two emotional poles on the regular. The podcast’s subtitle—”The tectonic shifts of power in art”—tells a little bit about what’s at play here, described by co-creators and co-host journalist Charlotte Burns and art advisor Allan Schwartzman as “an examination of recent clashes of power in culture.” Thorough and well-crafted, each episode delves into a specific theme or area of the art world to investigate its power structures and consider new ways to approach conventional practices. Through interviews with veteran artists, curators, museum directors, funders, board trustees, and more, Burns and Schwartzman navigate thorny issues without shying away from tough questions and adding enough historical context to make the topics accessible for listeners who might not be as deep in the art world as some of you reading this. It’s fully “inside baseball” but forgoes jargon and circumspection for straightforward analysis. It doesn’t pretend to know everything or have all the answers but offers substantive insight so that we can all ask bigger, more educated questions and hold each other accountable for making the next art world a better place to work, thrive, and support culture more effectively for all to appreciate and enjoy.

Offerings and updates… I need your help to decide whether or not to offer my Growth Planning Workshop starting in June! Drop me a line if you’re interested in participating, and I’ll start soliciting scheduling preferences. +++ Contemporary Art League celebrates our 1 year anniversary coming up on May Day. We have a big announcement to make, so sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know and get involved. +++ I recently taught a Parallel Practices workshop with the extra into it and impressive MFA candidates at USC Roski and the Syracuse University Turner Residency cohort. It was a real pleasure to offer some guidance about setting up a sustainable art practice beyond the MFA and to learn about their work. I have never amplified an exhibition in this space, but I’m gonna do it now because I’m excited about teaching! The last USC thesis exhibition of the year will be on view May 6-14 at the USC Roski Graduate Gallery, and the SU exhibition is opening April 30th from 4-6pm at Loft Art Studios and Galleries in San Pedro and will be open by appointment through May 12. I look forward to seeing what these young artists bring to the world!

Till next time…