E6: Katya Grokhovsky - Defining the Contact Zone

In this episode, Katya Grokhovsky joins Asia to discuss The Immigrant Artist Biennial, which Katya founded back in 2019. 

The Immigrant Artist Biennial (TIAB) facilitates a platform of support for marginalized and underrecognized artists. Contact Zone, the second edition of TIAB, will take place this fall and winter from September 8, 2023 to January 14, 2024. Co-curated by Bianca Abdi-Boragi, Katherine Adams, and Anna Mikaela Ekstrand, the biennial will present 48 artists from over 35 countries across seven venues.

Katya begins the conversation by sharing what the biennial's theme means to her (02:55). She also discusses how the founding of TIAB runs counter to the exclusive nature and structure of traditional biennials (05:58). 

Then Katya discusses the necessity of offering free and accessible events through TIAB (09:58) and also comments on the way that TIAB resists the production of nationhood or reinforcement of nationalism (11:23). 

Katya notes that many artist grants, fellowships, and residencies in the U.S. require applicants to be citizens or have access to a green card, which consequently excludes many immigrant artists with various statuses from ever applying for those opportunities (13:29). TIAB responds to this and many of the other institutional and economic barriers that exist in the art world to introduce a platform where immigrant experiences are centered and valued. Alongside other volunteers and organizers, Katya wanted to ensure that TIAB could distribute resources and care throughout the community (23:56). 

In the second half of the episode, Katya both looks ahead to the future of TIAB (16:40) and reflects on earlier visions or goals of the biennial (26:43). Ultimately, Katya hopes to prioritize making TIAB sustainable in the years ahead with more institutional support and partnerships (31:17).

Follow The Immigrant Artist Biennial on Instagram @theimmigrantartistbiennial and online at www.theimmigrantartistbiennial.com/

This podcast is produced and edited by Asia Stewart. 

Find Asia online @asiastewart and @performvu