Explain Me Paddy Johnson and William Powhida

What does contemporary kitsch look like? In this episode, Paddy and William use a discussion of the art fairs and New York gallery scene to lead a defining of the term. From its generic definition of objects described to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, to the current nostalgia driving a tasted for recycled art movements, all kitsch lacks in originality. 
Listen in for the whole conversation. 
 
THE INDEPENDENT
Kenny Schachter at Allouche Benias Gallery 
Renate Druks at The Ranch,
Olivia Reavey at Helena Anrather
 
1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR
Sanaa Gateja at 50 Golborne
WonderBuhle at BKhz Gallery
 
VOLTA
Michael Foley
 
GALLERIES 
Judith Linhares at PPOW 
JTT Gallery Anna-Sophie Berger and Sam McKinniss
Sky Hopinka at Broadway Gallery 
Paul Mpagi Sepuya at Bortalami 
Nora Turato at 52 Walker Gallery
 
ARTICLES
The Downward Spiral: 59th Venice Biennial by Dean Kissick 

Art media does a great job at looking forward to art events, yet rarely looks back to reflect on what these happenings say about the cultural moment. In this episode of Explain Me, co-hosts Paddy Johnson and William Powhida do a deep dive into the fairs to discuss the deeply conservative sales landscape we've been sinking into over the past ten years.  
ARTISTS DISCUSSED
Carlos Jacanamijoy’s 2020 ab ex painting “Carminos de Luz” at Harper’s
Laurie Reid’s “Ballast” at Et Al. Gallery
The Baboon Chair by  Margaux Valengin at Pact
Paul Gabrelli’s “Everyday Objects” at New Discretions
Elliot Reed at Anonymous Gallery
Dan Colen at Gagosian
Al Freeman at 56 Henry
Tessa Lynch’s text-based compositions at Patricia Fleming Gallery
Scott Lyal at Migeul Abbreu Gallery
Aaron Garber-Maikovska
Casja von Zeipel’s Celesbian Terrain  
Kevin McCoy’s corporate-sponsored display of Quantum and some generative artworks by Jennifer and Kevin McCoy. 
Pedro Reyes, Alex da Corte, Nayland Blake, Alex Katz, Matthew Wong, 

We're baaaaack! After a four month break William and Paddy return with some big news about the podcast and an in depth conversation on The Whitney Biennial. We do the full dive here: What are the themes? How is it organized? Is it worth seeing? Is it too cautious? Who are the notable omissions? Why do these omissions matter?  
 
Artist discussed:
Cy Gavin
Rebecca Belmore
Guadalupe Rosales
Lucy Raven
Kandis Williams
Raven Chacon
Na Mira
Alex Da Corte
Trinh T. Minh-ha
Coco Fusco
Dave McKenzie
Jacky Connolly
Alfredo Jaar
WangShui
Daniel Joseph Martinez
Jason Rhoades
Rick Lowe
Pao Houa Her
Nayland Blake
Awilda Sterling-Duprey
Matt Connors
Leidy Churchman
Monica Arreola
James Little
Ralph Lemon
Jane Dickson

How many times have we seen artist-centered communities lose their grass roots identity when they buy property? High profile organizations that have shed their founders vision as they gained visibility such as the New Museum and Meow Wolf serve as cautionary tales. The quality of the work they produce suffers and their poor treatment of employees makes headlines. That's to say nothing of personality-less art complexes like The Shed, which cement the wealth of their funders while meagerly contributing to the city's cultural life.
But these types of cultural outcomes are a choice and not an inevitable destiny, a reality made clear in this episode's interview with Flux Factory's Nat Roe. In his role as residency Executive Director, Roe recently secured $5 million from the city to purchase the building the organization has been working out of since 2009. Additionally, the organization will now operate a new satellite location, Flux IV, a the 3000 square foot ground floor gallery space on the ground floor of Gotham Point’s South Tower building. At no point in our discussion did we talk about significant changes that needed to be made to Flux's DNA to make this acquisition happen. Rather we talked about the importance of sound proofing their building so they don't disturb the neighbors.
In the midst of LIC, a homogenized tech-enclave for Manhattan commuters, this grass roots artist organization and residency program will now serve as a permanent beacon of creative energy for the community.
Can the DCLA support other smaller arts organizations in New York by helping them purchase real estate? Nat Roe gives us the skinny, going full wonk on city policy, while offering a history of Flux Factory and its place in the New York City arts landscape.

 
SHOW LINKS
 
Help Launch Flux Factory's new venue, Flux IV 
 
The Western Queens Community Land Trust—artist Jenny Dubnau is a co-chair of the board. 
 
NY Times Tribeca Art Galleries, June
 
NY Times Tribeca Art Galleries, October article 
 
How many times have we seen artist-centered arts organizations lose their NYC Club Scene debt? New York Times
 
Secret Project Robot 
 
NYC Commercial Rent Law 

In this episode artist Chloe Bass’s tweet pointing to the hypocrisy of the art world leads to a discussion of labor, the New York art fairs, and unions. 
We discuss:
Max Lankin’s observations for ArtForum on the Armory Fair about how the new digs at the Javits Center improve upon the Piers, which were literally falling into the water.  Funny how easy it is to forget that the Javits Center, just two months ago, served as a mass vaccination center, and the year prior a makeshift hospital for COVID victims. Mostly people were just happy to see each other again. 
Dana Kopel’s piece in the Baffler Magazine, Against Artsploitation, which chronicles the unionization efforts at the New Museum, and the museum executive’s endless gaslighting of employees. 
The New York Art Fairs. We talk about the art at The Armory Show, The Independent, and Spring Break. The work discussed below: 
 
THE ARMORY SHOW
Jeffrey Gibson at Tandem PressWendy Redstar at Sargent’s Daughters Tau Lewis at Night GalleryTony Matelli - Maruani Mercier Theresa Chromati at The Kravets Wehby GalleryJennifer Bartlett at Locks GalleryKamrooz Aram at Green . Art . GalleryJose Davilas at Sean KellySara Greenberger Rafferty at Rachel Uffner Susumu Kamijo at Jack HanleyHayley Barker at Shrine Dontae Hayes at Mindy Solomon GalleryMichael Rakowitz at Jane Lombard
INDEPENDENT
Julian Schnabel at Vito SchnabelSedrick Chisom at New American PaintingJo Nigoghossian at Broadway GalleryErik Parker at Ross+KramerAmy Feldman at Galerie Eva PresenhuberThe Ranch
SPRING BREAK
Guy Richards Smit 
Jennifer Catron and Paul Outlaw - curated by Magda Sawon
Chapel - curated by M. Charlene Stevens with work by Sophie Kahn and Colette Robbins
Outliars, curated by Elisabeth Smolarz, work by Angie Waller
Gather Rusted Satellites curated by Amanda Nedham Tristam Lasndwone, Kyle HittmeirerNicholas Cueva 
Loren Erdrich
Willa Wasserman
James Razko
Tammie Rubin
Steve Locke

This week hosts William Powhida and Paddy Johnson sit down with curator, writer, and former museum director Laura Raicovich to discuss her new book Culture Strike: Art and Museums in An Age of Protest. We do a deep dive with her not just on the subjects in the book, but her latest project, The Art and Society Census. Relevant links below. 
Culture Strike: Art and Museums in An Age of Protest, VERSO
The Art and Society Census, HYPERALLERGIC AND THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Deinstutitional Research Team. (A project William Powhida worked on mentioned in the book.) LINK
StrikeMoMA LINK
The Whitney Staff letter central to the Kanders' protests. HYPERALLERGIC
A good policy-based companion for Laura Raicovich's project. THE PEOPLE'S CULTURAL PLAN
A non-profit with a board structure worth promoting as a positive example. RECESS
Back story on Laura Raicovich's resignation from the Queens Museum of Art- ARTNET NEWS