Seeing Color

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. I want to first say my heart goes out to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas community following the tragic shooting that occurred on December 6th. Through the podcast, I had the privilege of connecting with many at UNLV and my thoughts are with you all.It's important to acknowledge that while prayers and sympathies are extended, they can only do so much in the face of the ongoing issues surrounding gun violence and the accessibility of firearms. This recent event is but one of the many somber reminders of the urgent need for meaningful change in gun control. How exactly to do this I myself am still figuring out in a country still glorifying guns.This incident ties into some of the concerns I'll be discussing with this week's guest, Ali Fathollahi, an Iranian artist currently residing in Las Vegas. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak with Ali's wife, Nanda, and you can listen to that conversation as well. Ali holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and went to the Azad University of Art and Architecture in Tehran, Iran for his Bachelor of Arts and his first Master of Fine Arts.Ali works in a wide variety of mediums, such as sculpture, light, and performance. In recent years, his work has critically examined the contemporary obsession with "Survivalism," both as a lifestyle and an ideology, often driven by fear and nostalgia. During our conversation, we delve into topics such as the challenges of language, the use of humor as a coping mechanism, and how pop culture influences our fascination with survival kits. As always, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Photo by Mikayla Whitmore.Links Mentioned:Ali's Instagram Max JobraniFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. Winter is upon us. Classes are almost for me and I am looking forward to the holiday season. For this week, I had a wonderful chat with Eri King, an interdisciplinary artist working in various modes such as installation, sculpture, textiles, painting, drawing, video, sound, and performance. Born in Japan and growing up in Las Vegas, Eri fell into her art career while attending the University of Las Vegas, where she received a concentration in Studio Art and Art History, before completing her MFA at Hunter College in 2018. Eri and I had a ton of overlap within our art circles and it was great to learn more about her and her work. We discuss finding and creating art communities in affordable spaces, holding zen in Hot Cheetos, having Beyonce as Hunter College's neighbor, and secret paintings. As always, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Eri's WebsiteEri's InstagramAddiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las VegasEri's "Lined and Torn" ExhibitionEri's "The Emotional Show" ExhibitionFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are ready for the long weekend with friends and family. Maybe catch up on sleep? I know I'm totally ready to sleep some more if I can. In the meantime, I've got you covered with this week's episode as I talk with Ashley Hairston Doughty. Ashley, currently an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a visual storyteller, explaining personal experiences through verbal and visual language. Ashley's research on BIPOC design pedagogy was published in the award-winning Black, Brown + Latinx Graphic Design Educators by Princeton Architectural Press in 2021. She holds a BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. We had a quick chat about how moving around the US has impacted Ashley's work, what is visual communications, and how motherhood has affected and influenced her current project. As always, stay safe and healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Ashley's WebsiteAshley's InstagramAshley's BlogWomen's Studio WorkshopFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well wherever you are. This week I have Nanda Sharif-pour, a multi-disciplinary artist residing and working in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nanda holds a B.A. in Graphic Design and two M.F.A. degrees, one from Azad University of Art and Architecture in Tehran/Iran, and the other from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Nanda's practice encompasses sculpture, video, and installations that explore the relationship between the modern human and nature. In our discussion, we hear Nanda's story of coming to the US from Iran, thinking about the memories that live within us, and how plants bring peace and joy to our lives. As always, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Nanda's InstagramFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. These recent days have been shrouded in a somber tone, although perhaps it has always been. I am both saddened and angered by what is happening in the Middle East. As a method to cope through it all, I am trying to keep busy and seek solace in my daily activities. Wherever you are, I hope you are finding your own ways to navigate this insane situation. With that all said, today I am interviewing Quindo Miller. Quindo spent their formative years in Guam before moving to Las Vegas. They earned a BFA at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and explores isolation, rituals, and repetition through the medium of painting, drawing, installation, video, and sound. They have exhibited at venues such as the Goldwell Open Air Museum, 5th Wall Gallery, La Matadora Gallery, and the Las Vegas Contemporary Art Center. Our discussions lead us to empty tarot cards, musing about art residencies, the process of archiving everything, and documenting a sense of place. So please, wherever you are, be safe, take care of yourself, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Quindo's WebsiteQuindo's InstagramFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hello everyone. I hope you are doing well. We are on to the second episode of this fall season, this time with Noelle Garcia. Based in the Chicago area, Noelle is an artist and educator who focuses on themes of identity, family history, and recovered narratives in her work. She is an indigenous artist from the Klamath and Paiute tribes. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Noelle has earned awards and fellowships at various institutions such as the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, the Nevada Arts Council, the Illinois Arts Council, and the American Indian Graduate Center. I had a good time re-listening to our conversation as we discussed how motherhood informed Noelle's beadwork, the ownership of stories, and deciding who to sell one's trauma to. As usual, relax and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Noelle's WebsiteNoelle's InstagramEdgar Heap of BirdsTrail of TearsMaternal Perspectives ExhibitionTending Tender ExhibitionCenter For Native Futures and Indigenous ResearchFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Wow, it has been a while since my last episode. Life kinda happened and I just needed another break to deal with some moving and life changes. I'm back with 10 new episodes that will be released over the course of the coming year in conjunction with local Las Vegas artists. A few things about my life since. I started doing some VR with Unreal and I was able to show it in this year's Ars Electronica. At the same time, I got to travel around a bit in Austria with my parents. Just two weeks ago, I traveled back to China for my Ph.D. in Computational Media and Arts, which I talked a bit about with my guest today, Krystal Ramirez. Krystal is an interdisciplinary artist and educator from Las Vegas, Nevada. Her practice focuses on our relationship with places of reverence and devotion. She has a BFA in Photography and Studio Art from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada and she recently received her MFA in Art Practice from Stanford University. She has shown in museums and galleries throughout the United States, including the Nevada Museum of Art (Reno, NV), Barrick Museum of Art (Las Vegas, NV), NMSU Art Museum (Las Cruces, NM), SOMArts (San Francisco, CA), and Gallery 400 (Chicago, IL.) Through our conversation, we discussed our interests in photography, the instability of language, and the possibility of working with our parents in art. As always, stay safe, and relax, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Krystal's WebsiteInstagramSpivak's Can The Subaltern Speak?Follow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Happy lunar new year. It is the year of the bunny, so to all those bunnies out there, I wish you the best and most prosperous year. I was busy these past few days transferring my visa in Hong Kong. Lots of changes happening as I will be moving north an hour to Guangzhou in a few weeks. But anyway, enough about me. I have a wonderful guest to introduce today, Yamu Wang, an artist interested in examining subjectivity and its construct, often informed by queer discourses, by using her personal experiences and found cultural materials as case studies. Yamu mainly works with language, both as media and subject matter, in part because it conditions her very being. She received a BA in Western and Chinese Literatures from the National Taiwan University and an MA in Fine Arts from Zurich University of the Arts. Yamu also served as a fellow in the Home Workspace Program from 2019-20 at Ashkal Alwan, the Lebanese Association for Plastic Art. I met Yamu through an online art residency called Artists for Artists and she was one of the many wonderful connections I made during that time. Our conversation here took many interesting turns as we explored ideas of an Asian diaspora, practice versus theory, stepping outside oneself, and why we do art. So sit back, relax, and happy new year. Links Mentioned:* Yamu's Instagram* The Agony of Eros by Byung-Chul Han* Dictee by Teresa Hak Kyung Cha* Haruki Murakami - Carnaval short story* Burning* Drive My Car* In The Mood for Love* Roni Horn on politics in art* Artist for Artist Follow Seeing Color:* Seeing Color Website* Subscribe on Apple Podcasts* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram

Hi everyone. It has been a while since I last released an episode. Sorry for the long pause. I just needed a brief break to get some mental rest. It has been a crazy year with lots of changes for me both personally and professionally. After the brief pause, I got back some extra energy and will be releasing a few more episodes periodically over the next few months. I will do my best to keep up the bi-weekly schedule but I hope you understand if the episodes deviate in schedule a bit here and there.Anyway, with that out of the way, I would like to introduce my guest for today, Teresa Flores, an interdisciplinary artist whose work examines identity and wellness and often takes place in the public sphere and incorporates civic engagement. Teresa studied at CSU Fresno and Fresno City College, and holds an MFA in Public Practice from Otis College of Art and Design. Her work responds to the consumption and accessibility of food, culture, and art in suburban and urban spaces. I recorded this episode a while back right before I took a break. Teresa was so kind as to still let me release our conversation. I smiled as I listened to our discussions meander around the pronunciation of names, creating fancy quesadillas, and doing yoga in unexpected places. As always, sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Teresa's WebsiteTeresa's InstagramFresno Feminist Art ProgramTeresa at Alta JournalFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. I got a wonderful episode to share with you today as I speak with Aram Han Sifuentes, a fiber and social practice artist, writer, and educator who works to center immigrant and disenfranchised communities. Her work often revolves around skill sharing, specifically sewing techniques, to create multiethnic and intergenerational sewing circles, which become a place for empowerment, subversion, and protest. Aram got her BA in Art and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she is currently an Associate Professor Adjunct. Aram's energy is infectious and I found myself laughing a lot with her in our discussion as we chatted about growing up in rural California, protest banners, voting rights, and political literacy among immigrant communities. Aram also just opened with a solo show at moCa Cleveland, so go check it out if you are in the area, something I would like to be able to see before it closes in the summer. Otherwise, sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Aram's WebsiteAram's InstagramJin Soo KimThe Intimacies of Four Continents by Lisa LoweThe Ruptures of American Capital by Grace Kyungwon HongBone Black: Memories of Girlhood by bell hooksCauleen SmithJane Addams Hull-House MuseumThe Sentencing ProjectIshita DharapMinariFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well! Today I have the lovely Yara El-Sherbini, an interdisciplinary artist who uses humor and play to create socially and politically engaged work. Yara got her BA Fine Art in Context at the University of the West Of England, Bristol and her MA Fine Art Media at Slade, University College London. She has shown in venues such as the Tate, the Venice Biennale, ZKM, and so much more. I actually had a chance to play her piece at the Venice Biennale before I knew about Yara, which was a happy coincidence. Yara was so kind as to take time out of her day to chat with me and we got to discuss how bodies interact in public spaces, pub quizzes, what does it mean to be participatory and playful, and rethinking context within an artwork. As usual, take care, stay safe, and I hope you enjoy this.Photo credit: Hugo GlendinningLinks Mentioned:Yara's WebsiteMona HatoumEmily JacirTehching HsiehSarah LucasNaeem MohaiemenFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. Today I have a wonderful conversation to share with you. I talk with Rea Tajiri, a filmmaker and visual artist born in Chicago, Illinois. Rea got her BFA and MFA from the California Institute of the Arts before moving to New York. Her work has been shown in the Whitney Biennial, The New Museum, MoMA, The Guggenheim, and many more. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts at Temple University where she teaches documentary production. I first learned about Rea through her film History and Memory, an experimental video essay that dealt with the mutable nature of one's remembrance of a place and community. We talk about that, the purpose of documentation, Forensic Architecture, and what does it mean for a place to exist as fiction with cultural resonance. As usual, take care, stay safe, and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:* Rea's Website* History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige* Forensic Architecture* Tōyō Miyatake* Dave Tatsuno* Densho Follow Seeing Color:* Seeing Color Website* Subscribe on Apple Podcasts* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram 

Hey everyone. Welcome to a new year and I am excited to share with you the first episode of 2022! I have with me today Maria Gaspar, an interdisciplinary artist whose work addresses issues of spatial justice to amplify, mobilize, or divert structures of power through individual and collective gestures. Maria got her BFA from Pratt Institute, an MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is currently an Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I became aware of Maria's striking photographic pieces before realizing her large breadth of work that existed also in installation, sound, and performance. I enjoyed our conversation where we talked about going to art school as a first-generation immigrant, performance as practice, the invisibility of jails, guides that are generative as opposed to predictive, and re-imagining new and better worlds. As always, stay safe and healthy in this new year and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:* Maria's Website* Ernesto Pujol* Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo* National Museum of Mexican Art* Yvette Mayorga* Holland Cotter's El Museo Review* Jackie Sumell* Favianna Rodriguez* El SawyerFollow Seeing Color:* Seeing Color Website* Subscribe on Apple Podcasts* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram

Hello everyone. The winter holidays and New Year's are coming up and I just hope that wherever you are, you are able to spend some time with your friends and loved ones. It can be hard these days even to do that, so cherish those moments. I have only one last episode to share with you before the end of the year, which is also the last episode from the Rogers Art Loft series that I conducted this past summer. Don't worry, I will see you all in January. So without further ado, I want to present Dr. Erika Abad, a Queer Latina poet, born and raised in Chicago. Dr. Abad received her BA in Latin American and Latina/o Studies from DePaul University and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Washington State University. Prior to her move to Las Vegas, Dr. Abad was an oral historian for the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College. Beyond Puerto Rican, Latinx, and Gender Studies, she is a well-published essayist, poet, and fiction writer, most recently writing a poem and creative reflection on the Pulse-Orlando tragedy. She is also a regular writer for Women in Higher Education. Erika and I chat about writing during difficult times, giving feedback to students without minimizing their experiences, queer fandom, and being mindful. This was a live-recorded event that was hosted by the wonderful Lance Smith of the Rogers Art Loft. Until next year, stay safe and healthy and have a wonderful winter holiday.Links Mentioned:Erika's InstagramErika's TwitterLove, VictorAnna CastilloTato LavieraIn Other Words Feminist Community CenterSinister Wisdom 117: Lesbians in the CityDennis McBride - LGBTQ Las VegasLin-Manuel MirandaPoseVidaVisions of UsFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. The winter holidays are almost upon us and here's hoping for a better new year. The news about Covid and all the variants doesn't seem to end so stay safe wherever you are. For this week, I have May Maylisa Cat, a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans video, paintings, glass, and live performances. May grew up in Chicago and graduated from the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. Her work plays a critical role on the dominant discourses towards the community, the fantasy of the cultural “Other,” and how contemporary art appropriated social imaginaries, bringing them to a diluted universal conception of art. I spoke with May while she was finishing up a residency at Bunker Projects in Pittsburgh a few months ago, the city I used to live in. We ended up discussing third-culture kids, Zombie Formalism, Thai horror films, mukbang, ASMR videos, and so much more. As usual, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:May's WebsiteMay's InstagramThird culture kidKalup Linzy KrasueUncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past LivesMukbangASMRFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. Hope you are well. It is hard to imagine how time is flying…it has been just about over a year since I landed in China since the pandemic started. Now this past week I just had an exhibition opening which went okay. Felt kinda relieved after and was able to relaxed a bit. Now back to documenting and working on new projects. Gotta keep moving.Anyway, for this week, I have the amazing Ashanti McGee, an artist and arts advocate who has been living in Las Vegas for over 25 years. Ashanti began working in with arts institutions through grant writing and has since been part of WESTAF's Emerging Leaders of Color program and most recently served as a district representative for Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee, focusing on outreach for Black, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities around arts and culture, and environment and public lands. A proud parent of four, Ashanti has committed her work to updating arts education standards for the Nevada Department of Education; serving as a board member for Cultural Alliance of Nevada; co-founding the Las Vegas Womxn of Color Arts Festival, and acting as a core member of NUWU Cultural Arts + Activism complex. She also just curated "A Common Thread" at the Barrick Museum of Art at the University of Nevada, an exhibition celebrating womxn of color textile artists. I got to talk with Ashanti about many of these amazing activities, along with the importance of finding support in the arts while finding rest for yourself. Sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned: * Ashanti's Instagram* A Common Thread Exhibition* WESTAF* Emerging Leaders of Color* Mesa Gallery* African Diaspora of LV* Giovanni Melton Foundation Follow Seeing Color: * Seeing Color Website* Subscribe on Apple Podcasts* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram 

Hello everyone. How are you all doing? I am in the midst of installing my show in Zhuhai. It is mostly done and I can't wait to be able to get some rest after the opening, which by the way is this coming Saturday, November 13th at Xu Yu Huan Bian Gallery, which is near the Yangmi mall. I'll be there starting at 5pm so come by to say hi if you happen to be in the Zhuhai area. I am showing two new video installations, some lightboxes, and aluminum prints. It feels good to be able to make some work after such a long hiatus. Anyway....for this week, through the Rogers Art Loft Residency, I am speaking with Tiffany Lin, a visual artist, wordsmith, and dreamer. Tiffany got her BA in Gender & Women's Studies and Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley and an MFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Illustration Practice. Tiffany's work examines how power is expressed in the subtext of American vernacular. Utilizing both creative and sociological methods, she combines participatory action, interviews, and social theory to support her claim that desire and belonging are mediated by external politics. Tiffany and I discuss the evolution of her work, the use of words and language, finding inspiration in the US Census, and how we all self-identify our identities. Tiffany called in from her car on the side of the 10 in LA, which was a little noisy at times. I found Tiffany's energy and thoughts infectious and I hope you do as well. Until next time, stay safe and healthy wherever you are and enjoy!Links Mentioned:Tiffany's WebsiteTiffany's Instagram24 ViewsBullfrog Biennial 2021Follow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. I've been quite busy lately and don't know where the time is going. Everything seems like a haze. The teaching and art are going well. Everything humming along as usual. For this week, I am releasing a live interview with Jennifer Kleven as part of the Rogers Art Loft Residency that I attended this past summer. The wonderful Lance Smith introduces both of us before our conversation and we end with a quick Q&A from the listeners. Jen is an arts administrator, artist, curator, and current grants manager for the Neon Museum in Las Vegas. Jen holds a BA in Art History and BFA in Art from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work has been exhibited in the Las Vegas City Hall gallery, Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, Trifecta, and CounterSpace in Las Vegas. From 2010-2013 Jen founded and operated Kleven Contemporary, a gallery exhibiting emerging artists in downtown Las Vegas. Jen shares her experiences as a curator, working at Starbucks, being part of the Gulch Collective, and juggling work and studio time. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous doing the interview live and I think it turned out ok. In any case, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Jennifer's InstagramGULCH CollectiveKleven ContemporaryFUTURE RELICS: Artifacts for a New WorldThe Neon MuseumFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey y'all. Good morning and evening to all my listeners. Not much new with me. Just overall working a lot and juggling many different projects in life, as all of us are. But enough about me. Let's get to this week's guest, the wonderful Nathalie Sánchez, an interdisciplinary artist, social justice arts educator, and arts advocate raised and rooted in Los Angeles. She graduated with her B.A. in Art History and Studio Arts with an emphasis in education from Loyola Marymount University and received her M.F.A. in Public Practice from Otis College of Art and Design. Nathalie has developed and led visual arts and museum education programs at ArtworxLA, Avenue 50 Studio, Fowler Museum at UCLA, Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (MOCA), and P.S. ARTS. In 2016, Nathalie founded the Art Education + Social Justice Book Club as a direct response to the U.S. presidential election and in the hopes of cultivating a community of thought partners and change-makers in arts education. Currently, the Art Education + Social Justice Book Club has over 350 members worldwide and continues to grow. Nathalie and I talk about all these projects, along with how to marry art and community, having advocates, holding accountability, and making friends. Nathalie was a joy to talk to and I hope you can join her in the upcoming book club meetings. Until then, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Nathalie SánchezArt Education + Social Justice Book ClubBarbara CarrascoUnited Farm WorkersPatrick MartinezMacha SuzukiVincent Price Art MuseumFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are all doing well as the fall comes full force. Things have been busy for me. I've been in the midst of completing three new video works and it is taking all my time. Mid-autumn Festival was a nice quick break and the upcoming national holiday will be some extra time for me to do my own work. Otherwise, today I have the amazing Fawn Douglas, an Indigenous American artist and enrolled member of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe. Fawn is dedicated to the intersections of art, activism, education, identity, place, and sovereignty. Within her art-making and activism, she tells stories in order to remember the past and also to ensure that the stories of Indigenous peoples are heard in the present. Fawn is currently working on her Master of Fine Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and co-curates the Vegas Institute for Contemporary Engagement (V.I.C.E), an artist team that has been the catalyst for exhibitions, podcasts, interviews, performances, and experimentation that makes space for marginalized artists in the Las Vegas community. Fawn and I had a wonderful conversation about call-out culture, cultural accessibility, and giving each other grace. It was moving listening to Fawn discuss her work as a community organizer and her experiences as an activist. As always, take care and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Fawn's Website / NuwuartFawn's InstagramLas Vegas Paiute TribeIndigenous Women HikeKrystal RamírezInstitute of American Indian ArtsRed RockStanding RockMurdered & Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW)Ah'-Wah-Nee ExhibitionBlack Mountain InstituteFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are well. I've been feeling quite busy these past few days. Everything seems to be moving too fast. Maybe I'm just getting old. The first week of school felt intense and I'm already preparing for the following weeks. Anyway, for today, I have Sapira Cheuk, an ink painter and installation artist interested in ways of knowing through the body and how these modes of knowledge reflect or internalize external experiences. Sapira got her BA at UC Riverside and an MFA at Cal State Bernardino. She is currently teaching at UNLV, where she has found a welcoming art community in the Las Vegas area. I was connected to Sapira through the Rogers Art Loft and was glad to have learned about her practice. We also talk about Sapira moving to Hawaii from Hong Kong at a young age, Sapira hiding her art career from her parents early on, working in a collaborative project, and our unexpected connection with Zhuhai and the Shoshana Wayne Gallery. Hopefully, we will meet in Las Vegas. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Sapira's WebsiteSapira's InstagramDancing Together in a PandemicFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are well. I've been getting ready for the new semester and just saw this Netflix show called The Chair in preparation, which makes fun of academia. Obviously, there were many parts made for dramatic effect, and it was trying to tackle way too many subjects in way too little time, along with being produced by the same people from Game of Thrones gave me pause, but there were a few nice moments that felt also true that made me laugh, along with Sandra Oh's great performance. I'm not sure if that is a strong recommendation or not to see it. But anyway. This week I am returning back to the Las Vegas community through the Rogers Art Loft Residency and I am speaking with the amazing Vogue Robinson, a poet, author, mentor, and teaching artist. Originally from Perris, California, Vogue got her BA in English at San Diego State University before eventually landing in Las Vegas. Vogue was the poet laureate of Clark County, Nevada (2017-2019) and is the first Black woman to receive the Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers' Hall of Fame. Vogue has an infectious laugh and was a joy to talk to. We discussed what a poet laureate does, the croaking of frogs, Pringles, Nikki Giovanni, and so much more. As I was listening to the recording, I realized my voice was quite lethargic, even more than usual that day, and I apologize for that. I hope you can bear with it. I think Vogue brings the energy levels up every time she speaks and can't wait to visit her in Las Vegas in the near future. As always, stay safe and healthy and enjoy the show.Links Mentioned:Vogue's WebsiteVogue's InstagramNikki GiovanniNikki-Rosa by Nikki GiovaniAmanda GormanHistory of Poet laureateFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are well wherever you are as we are mid-way through August. Summer seems to have come and gone. At least it has for me. I have been mostly preparing for my classes in the fall and for a show I'll be having in November. Otherwise, I have nothing new to report. But for this week, I have a great artist to present to you, so let's get to the introductions.For today, I am interviewing Camilo Godoy, an artist and educator born in Bogotá, Colombia and based in New York City. His multidisciplinary projects are concerned with political histories and memories. Camilo's work engages with the intersection of history, race, gender, and sexuality and is informed by Queer, Latinx, Feminist, and Black perspectives. Camilo got his BFA at Parsons and is currently completing an MFA at Columbia University, which we discuss in greater detail the politics surrounding elite institutions and academia in the art world. We also get into how Camilo mines archival materials for his work, the role of an educator, the joy of art interviews, and his most recent solo show at OCD Chinatown. Camilo is also part of the group shows at the Leslie Lohman Museum in New York City and at Momentum 11 in Norway. I had a lot of fun talking with Camilo and I hope you appreciate what he has to say as well! In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and enjoy the show.Hi everyone. I hope you are well wherever you are as we are mid-way through August. Summer seems to have come and gone. At least it has for me. I have been mostly preparing for my classes in the fall and for a show I'll be having in November. Otherwise, I have nothing new to report. But for this week, I have a great artist to present to you, so let's get to the introductions.For today, I am interviewing Camilo Godoy, an artist and educator born in Bogotá, Colombia and based in New York City. His multidisciplinary projects are concerned with political histories and memories. Camilo's work engages with the intersection of history, race, gender, and sexuality and are informed by Queer, Latinx, Feminist, and Black perspectives. Camilo got his BFA at Parsons and is currently completing an MFA at Columbia University, which we discuss in greater detail the politics surrounding elite institutions and academia in the art world. We also get into how Camilo mines archival materials for his work, the role of an educator, the joy of art interviews, and his most recent solo show at OCD Chinatown. Camilo is also part of the group shows at the Leslie Lohman Museum in New York City and at Momentum 11 in Norway. I had a lot of fun talking with Camilo and I hope you appreciate what he has to say as well! In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and enjoy the show. Links Mentioned:Camilo's WebsiteCamilo's InstagramAmigxs Show at OCD ChinatownLeslie Lohman Museum's Omniscient: Queer Documentation in an Image CultureMomentum 11 - House of CommonsBrooklyn Museum's Nobody Promised You Tomorrow: Art 50 Years After StonewallJosé Limón's The Moor's PavaneFélix González-TorresBarbara KrugerJenny HolzerGran FuryMichel Foucault's Friendship As A Way of LifeSarah Schulman's The Gentrification of the MindJia TolentinoAmerican Friends Service CommitteeNew York Immigration CoalitionClaudia Tate's Black Women Writers at WorkFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Hope you are doing well. I just finalized a 4-channel video during my time in Shanghai and had a chance to exhibit it to the local art community. I am currently preparing to leave back to Zhuhai in a bit. I also just finished my time at the Rogers Art Loft residency and held the closing talk last week, so thank you to all who swung by. It was a wonderful experience and I hope to visit everyone in Las Vegas soon. I will be posting the conversations I had with the local Las Vegas Community over the next few months, interspersed with previous interviews I conducted. So stay tuned.For today, I will be talking to Brent Holmes, a multi-disciplinary artist with a deep affinity to words- historical, epistemological and ontologically themed creative projects. Holmes also seeks to create a dialogue through several culinary projects, on the nature of communication, and morality and identity. Brent holds no degrees and says he most likely never will. Being the son of an entertainer, Brent is thoroughly traveled but has never completely identified any one place as his home until moving to Las Vegas. Brent and I chat about the coming apocalypse and for whom, the construction of the American West in relation to freedom, the body within a landscape, and symbolisms in objects. It was an enjoyable chat and I hopefully you will like it as well. As always, stay safe and healthy wherever you are and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Brent's WebsiteBrent's InstagramBehold a Pale Horse ExhibitionFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Happy Tuesday. We are in the midst of summer and time is going by quite quickly. I've been spending some time in the quiet suburbs of Shanghai before heading back to Zhuhai. There's a small but strong artist community here and it has been great getting to know the people here. Otherwise, I have been working on a 4-channel video and prepping for a show in the fall. I have also been recording a ton of interviews with the Las Vegas community through the Rogers Art Loft residency, through which and I am excited to share with you my chat with the amazing Erica Hector Vital-Lazare. Erica is a professor of Creative Writing and Marginalized Voices in Dystopian Literature at the College of Southern Nevada. She is also a poet, writer of fiction, and the co-producer of the photo-narrative installation Obsidian & Neon: Building Black Life and Identity in Las Vegas. Furthermore, Erica is the editor of McSweeney's Of the Diaspora, a series revisiting classic Black works in literature. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Erica as we talked about sci-fi and black futurism, reclaiming and revisiting one's past identity, and so many amazing book recommendations. As always, stay safe and healthy, both physically and mentally wherever you are, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Erica's InstagramPaule MarshallSeverance by Ling MaParable of the SowerMcSweeney's Of The DiasporaBrit BennettDanielle Valore EvansWesley BrownMarita GoldenZora Neale HurstonRichard WrightBlack Quantum FuturismNnedi OkoraforRalph EllisonRuby DuncanStorming Caesars Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on PovertyObsidian & NeonWomxn of Color Arts FestivalMarjorie Barrick Museum of ArtFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well wherever you are. As I mentioned previously, I am currently part of the Rogers Art Loft residency in Las Vegas and they have been putting me in touch with the local community and helping me meet people for the podcast. I have been speaking with quite a number of wonderful artists and cultural workers and these conversations will be released throughout the summer and upcoming fall season. For today, I am excited to share with you the first one of these talks as I speak with Shahab Zargari, an Iranian-American filmmaker, record label owner, and musician. Shahab takes me through his journey from working in advertising to making his own independent films and what drives him to tell the stories that he tells. We also talk about the pronunciation of names, Iranian films, Mad Men, and how he got a shoutout from Kevin Smith. Shahab also talks about his latest short film, Oh, the Guilt, which is a coming-of-age story set in the 1990s featuring a Persian-American as the main character. The plot tackles death, loss, and survivor's guilt, elements of the human condition that transcend age, race, and creed. Check it out if you have the chance. Again, this episode was made possible through the Rogers Art Loft residency and I want to thank them for this opportunity. I hope you all enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Shahab's WebsiteThink Speak FilmsVladimir Tretchikoff's Chinese GirlInside Iranian CinemaChildren of HeavenA Girl Walks Home Alone at NightFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well. I have been working quite a bit the past few weeks. I did a quick virtual artist talk with my good friend, Justin Favela, for the Rogers Art Loft virtual residency I am currently part of. I have also been recording quite a number of interviews with the Las Vegas community, so keep an eye out for these episodes in the upcoming months. Also, on June 30th and July 14th at 6pm PST, I will be doing live interviews with Jennifer Kleven and Dr. Erika Abad, with a quick Q&A afterwards. I will post the links on social media as the dates get closer. I hope to see a few of you there.For today, I am interviewing my good friend and the amazing artist, Yvette Mayorga. Yvette is a multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago, Illinois who interrogates the broad effects of militarization within and beyond the US/Mexico border and intervenes in the colonial legacies of art history. She fuses confectionary labor with found images to explore the meaning of belonging. Yvette got her BFA with a Minor in Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has shown in numerous places such as the National Museum of Mexican Art, LACMA, the DePaul Art Museum, and most recently the El Museo del Barrio. I met Yvette a few years ago in Miami and we formed a special friendship that continues on to today. Yvette and I talked about Gloria Anzaldúa, the Nike Cortez, showing at art fairs, and Key Lime Pies. Stay safe and healthy, and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Yvette's WebsiteYvette's InstagramAdam ToledoGloria E. Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera: The New MestizaEl Museo del Barrio's La TrienalHernán CortésNike CortezDePaul Art Museum - LatinXAmericanFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well wherever you are. I just started my virtual residency at Rogers Art Loft, where I will be interviewing local Las Vegas artists and cultural workers. There will be a few live events, so I'll post them as they come about. Stay tuned!But for today, I have a really special episode with Dr. Jeffreen M. Hayes, a trained art historian and curator who advocates for racial inclusion, equity, and access. Jeffreen has extensive curatorial experience and some of her projects include SILOS, Augusta Savage: Renaissance Woman, AFRICOBRA: Messages to the People, and Embracing the Lens: BlackFlorida project. Jeffreen is also the Executive Director of Threewalls, a space that intentionally develops artistic platforms with artists to help manifest the organization's vision of art connecting segregated communities, people and experiences together. In this episode, Jeffreen was extremely generous with her time and labor as she talks about her journey through different arts organizations, from challenging racists institutions to welcoming the unfolding of the unknown. We also talk about how representation by itself is not enough, allowing for vulnerable moments, the importance of black-centered organizations, and defunding museums. Jeffreen hits so many key points more eloquently than I could ever do and I am excited to share our conversation with you. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Jeffreen's TED Talk* for the love of blkThreewallsJamaica Center for Arts and LearningThe Organization of Black American CultureWall of RespectAfriCOBRAJeff DonaldsonWadsworth JarrellJae JarrellBarbara Jones-HoguGerald WilliamsAFRICOBRA: Nation Time at the Venice Biennale 2019The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Arts and MusicDefund Art MuseumsInside the Walls PodcastFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are well. I got my first vaccine shot. Hoping to get my second in a few weeks. I also have been traveling through parts of southern China and trying to grasp the art scene more. My students just had their senior year exhibition which I am proud to see their work hanging. It brings back memories of my undergrad. I have have one more week of school and then a month of meetings before I head to Shanghai. Time is moving fast. Anyway.For today, I have Dan Wang, an artist, writer, and organizer. Chinese-Midwestern by birth and currently living in Southern California, Dan’s art work has been shown in several solo exhibitions and scores of group shows, and has inhabited venues ranging from museums and art centers to street demonstrations and toilet stalls. His texts have been published in books, journals, webzines, exhibition catalogues, as commissioned art projects, and in a range of artists’ publications. As a cultural organizer, Dan has also worked in several collaborative configurations, having contributed to projects and productions authored under the names Compass, Madison Mutual Drift, and Red76. He was one of eight founding keyholders of the Chicago experimental cultural space Mess Hall. I caught up with Dan recently and was excited to learn more about his family background and growing up as a Chinese-American in the midwest. We chatted about Jajangmyeon, learning Chinese, spreading ideologies, and so much more. I hope to catch up with Dan in the future after this discussion for round 2. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Dan's WebsiteDan's InstagramYang XianrangWu HungThe Fifth EstateThe Revolution of Everyday LifeNadja by André BretonKilling of Vincent ChinNow-Time Asian AmemricanGrace Lee BoggsNaeem MohaiemenFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. Hope you are doing well. Things are okay so far on my end. School is ending soon and the temperature is getting hot and humid very quickly. My Chinese is steadily getting better and I have a few shows planned for the coming months, so I have to get back to my video editing as the deadline approaches. I also am doing a remote residency via Rogers Art Loft in Las Vegas in the coming summer, as well as a residency in Shanghai. I'll keep you updated about any upcoming events as they happen.For today, I have a really wonderful chat with Addoley Dzegede, a Ghanian-American interdisciplinary artist who grew up in South Florida and is now based in Pittsburgh. Her work has been exhibited throughout the US, Europe, and Africa, and she has been at residencies such as at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, Osei Duro in Accra, Ghana, Thread: a project of the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in Senegal, and many more. Addoley employs different materials, textile traditions, and notions of “authenticity” to investigates notions of belonging, migration and location, and hybrid identities.  Her work is a contemplation of the forces of history, experience, and location, as well as how they work together to tell a story, essentially, of longing as a state of being. I was able to ask Addoley more about these topics, along with the different histories of the textiles she uses, the idea of getting ready for grad school, and figuring out how to work at residencies. As a side note, I was introduced to Addoley and her partner, Lyndon, through her brother, Zechariah, who I know through my undergrad. I still am amazed at how small and interconnected the world can be, not just in the arts, but on our tiny little Earth. It is my hope we all can realize this sooner than later before it is too late. Anyway, take care, stay safe, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Addoley’s websiteAddoley’s InstagramHomegoing Novel by Yaa GyasiBatikKente ClothTrade BeadsAsk Addoley and Anna's PodcastMy interview with LyndonFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well wherever you are. The George Flyod trial finally finished up and I feel institutions are already forgetting how much more work there needs to be done. As always, the question is where do we go from here and what else can we do. Only time will tell. We shall see. But for today, I am interviewing Dr. Yewande Pearse, a neuroscientist and science communicator. Born and bred in North London, Yewande got her Ph.D. from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, and is now a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA. Her research interests focus on rare genetic disorders of the brain, and stem cell therapy.I first learned about Yewande through a show she curated me in at Naval LA, where she sits on the Programming Committee. I also watched some of the programming related to the exhibition, which focused on the impact of genomic studies on three aspects of identity: race, gender and politics. Yewande also hosts a few monthly radio shows and podcasts, such as Sound Science, Inside Biotech, and First Fridays for the Natural History Museum LA. On top of Yewande's prolific output as a podcaster, Yewande writes for Massive, an online science publication. For all these reasons, I was excited to finally talk with Yewande about her scientific work, her podcasting work, and her special science experiment work with John Legend. As always, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Yewande's WebsiteYewande's InstagramYewande and John LegendSound Science PodcastYewande at Massive ScienceNavalRACE, GENETICS, AND THE 0.1% with Dr. Terence Keel and Dr. Aaron PanofskyBatten DiseaseSound Science interview with Dr. Shawntel Okonkwo: Black in STEMDr. Jennifer Mullan of Deoclonizing ThearapyEvelynn Escobar's Hike Clerb Inc.Follow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Born and raised in Southern California, Noé developed his passion for art education working at the Skirball Cultural Center and Armory Center for the Arts in Los Angeles before getting a BA at UC Irvine. After, Noé completed an MFA in Public Practice at Otis College of Art and Design. Noé is also part of Michelada Think Tank, a collective of socially conscious artists, educators and activists working towards racial equity in the arts. More recently, Noé also joined Admin, a space for arts administrators to support one another, discuss pressing issues, and workshop new forms of cultural institutions. In addition to all this, Noé works as the School, Youth, and Family Programs Educator at the Brooklyn Museum. I first met Noé through my good friend, Carol Zou, a previous guest of the show. Carol and the rest of Michelada Think Tank were doing a project for Open Engagement in Pittsburgh and the whole collective stayed at my place. At the time, I was taking care of a bunny named LeBun James and coming home late to see LeBun jumping over and sitting on the sleeping Michelada crew is one of my fondest memories. Apparently, Noé remembered it as well. Throughout our conversation, we discuss finding community, diversity work at institutions, and people over objects. I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Noé Gaytán’s websiteAdminPrevious Episode with Carol ZouArmory Center for the ArtsSkirball Cultural CenterLACELorraine O'GradyChange the MuseumDaniel Joseph MartinezArt Museum Staff Demographic Survey 2018Adjoa Jones de AlmeidaKeonna HendrickCUE Art FoundationOpen EngagementFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are well. It has been crazy this past week with all the mass shootings that has been happening in the US. I don't have much to add other than what a previous guest of this show, Tereneh Idia, recently posted, which is that the people of the global majority needs to unite to end white supremacy, that too many have adopted white supremacy as their ideals, their love, their body, their mind, their work, their art, their heart and their soul. This is something we all have to work on as the global majority. This work never ends. Don't be afraid to find someone to talk to about these topics. These discussions needs to be out in the open. With that in mind, stay safe wherever you are.For today, I am interviewing Khaty Xiong, a poet born to Hmong refugees from Laos and is the seventh daughter of fifteen brothers and sisters. She is the author of Poor Anima, the first full-length collection of poetry published by a Hmong American woman in the United States. Most recently, Khaty was awarded a 2020 Ruth Lilly & Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship. Khaty's other honors include a Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, a Roxane Gay Fellowship in Poetry, and the Nadya Aisenberg Fellowship at MacDowell.I met Khaty over a year ago at Vermont Studio Center and we bonded over meals, late night chats, and Houdini the cat. Khaty had a very calming presence, which belies the complex thoughts she reveals in her writing. Our conversation goes deep into Khaty's family history, an important part to understanding the influences of Khaty's poetry. As Khaty describes it, her body of grief work is an ode to the inability to “return home” as a descendant of illiterate diasporans, interrogating, as well as creating, myths around mothers, death, and gardens. We also discuss being vulnerable,  transparent family stories, and the acceptance of grief. Be warned that this is an intense episode. Take care, stay safe, and I hope you enjoy it.Links Mentioned:Khaty XiongKhaty's WebsiteKhaty's TwitterHow Do I Begin?: A Hmong American Literary AnthologyKhaty's profile at the Poetry FoundationMore info on the Laotian Civil WarMore info on the Hmong PeopleFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. As usual, I hope you are doing well wherever you are. I went to Guangzhou this past weekend and visited a few locations where my family lived. I have some new ideas jumping around in my head and maybe will start something new soon. I will keep you updated.For today, I have a wonderful chat with Jeffrey Augustine Songco, a multidisciplinary artist exploring the complexity of self-portraiture. As a gay American man of Filipino ethnicity, Jeffrey's work is a place of representation — an opportunity to playfully cast himself as the protagonist of a postcolonial queer narrative. Jeffrey got his BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. While our paths did not cross in Pittsburgh, there was a shared sense of familiarity as I talked with Jeffrey in the way we both approach our work. We discussed Jeffrey's beginnings as a child actor, the creation of his secret society, and how he ended up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Jeffrey's WebsiteJeffrey's InstagramTina FabriqueStephanie SyjucoFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Hope you are doing well. The Lunar New Year came and went without much trouble and teaching started back up at my university. Over the break, I caught up on some work, cooked a bit, and read some books. I was able to finish Raven Leilani's Luster and Charles Yu's Interior Chinatown. Both were a good break from some of the more dense art theory I sometimes put myself through. I recommend you check both out. Anyway. For this episode, I am interviewing Jen Liu, an artist working in video, painting, biomaterial, sculpture, and performance on the topics of national identity, labor economy, and the reinterpretation of archival artifacts. Jen got her BA in creative writing from Oberlin College and an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. She has attended residencies such as De Ateliers, Akademie Schloss Solitude, Pioneer Works, and many others. Jen has also exhibited in venues like The Whitney Museum, The New Museum, and the 2014 Shanghai Biennale. Her past awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, a LACMA Art+Technology Award, and a Creative Capital grant. In our discussion, we chat about Jen's path from a writer to an artist, living and working in Europe, and how she views storytelling in the framework of time-based media. Jen thought we sounded like two cute chipmunks which I take as a compliment. In any case, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Jen's WebsiteMichael AsherCharles GainesLane RelyeaFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Happy Lunar New Year. I wish you good luck and hope lots of fortune befalls upon you this coming year. It is the year of the ox and hopefully a lucky year for those of you born on the year of the ox. In what is normally a time for celebration, instead I hope that we can all reflect and take a breather for our physical and mental state in whatever situation we are in. It isn't clear for how long COVID is here to stay, much less the uneven distribution of vaccines and the rise of all these new virus strains. So with all that in mind, 新年快乐 and 恭喜发财! On today's episode, I am chatting with Lyndon Barrois Jr., an artist who breaks down and re-configures the language of print, design, and popular culture in order to investigate underlying ideology, ethics, and conceptions of identity. Lyndon got a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA from the Sam Fox School of Design from Washington University in St. Louis. I was put in contact with Lyndon through a series of coincidences, starting with an acquaintance of an acquaintance from my undergrad breakdance group who mentioned that his sister and her partner, Addoley and Lyndon, were artists. This was mentioned years ago but I didn't reach out to either one until last year, at which point I realized that Lyndon was just hired at my graduate program as an Assistant Professor of Art at Carnegie Mellon University. I remembered seeing the announcement but I didn't connect the dots until after we started chatting. There were a few other overlaps Lyndon and I had with each other and I was happy to learn more about Lyndon's work, along with Lyndon's pizza making skills, his thoughts on taking time off before grad school, and some of the difficulties he encountered while living the art residency life. I plan to talk with Addoley in the near future as well, so keep an eye out for that episode. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Lyndon's WebsiteLyndon's InstagramYoung Aspirations | Young ArtistsJana NapoliAmiri BarakaMathias Poledna: Imitation of LifeImitation of Life (1959 film)My interview with Didier WilliamLeslie Smith IIIFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing ok this winter season wherever you are. The Corona virus keeps mutating and vaccines are coming in too slowly so I wish you the best in whatever situation you are in. I am currently on winter break from teaching until after the Chinese Spring Festival, which I am spending staying at home and working on some new projects.It is also Black History Month, although hopefully you are celebrating Black History Month year round and not just the month of February. It is important to remember and acknowledge our painful histories as opposed to keeping them hidden from view. This is not a one month sort of thing but a constant work against the forces of racism. I hope that is something we all keep in mind.But for today, I have a really special episode with Ilana Harris-Babou, an artist who uses music videos, cooking shows, and home improvement television as a starting point for her work. Ilana's sculptures and video installations are, in a sense, an abject exploration of the American Dream. Ilana got her BA in art from Yale University followed by an MFA from Columbia University. Afterwards, Ilana taught at Williams College while doing a string of residencies and shows. She has been featured in places such as The New Yorker, Vice, and Art in America and exhibited at Anton Kern Gallery, Jacob Lawrence Gallery, and the 2019 Whitney Biennial. Most recently, Ilana moved back to New York City and is a resident artist of Pioneer Works. I talk with Ilana about her working process in the studio, getting into the Whitney Biennial, and the troubled history of labor through reparations. Again, please stay safe both physically and mentally and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Ilana's WebsiteIlana's InstagramIlana at the WhitneyRujeko HockleyWe Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–85New Yorker articleHouse of SlavesThe Black Embodiments StudioIlana's recent show at The Jacob Lawrence GalleryFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone! Wow...what a month. Since my last episode, I had to wrap up my university classes around New Years, got a bit busy grading, and thought it would be a ho-hum sort of holidays. Instead, the underbelly of American's history reared its head for all to see right in the heart of Washington D.C. I am not sure what else there is to add to that event that hasn't already been said over and over about white supremacy in all its forms. I am still not sure what to think about Biden being president but I can only hope for something better than the status quo set by the past white liberal ideas of a melting pot. And Martin Luther King's birthday just passed yesterday, the timing of which reminds us both how much and how little has changed. We shall see. But for today, I have a really special guest, Maree ReMalia, a choreographer, performer, teaching artist, and certified Gaga instructor. An adoptee born in South Korea and raised in Ohio, movement practice and performance has supported her in an ongoing process of self-discovery, liberation, connection, expression, healing, and care. Her collaborative performance works have been commissioned by Gibney DoublePlus Festival (NY) and have been presented at venues such as American Dance Institute (MD), BAAD! Bronx Academy of Art and Dance (NY), Cleveland Public Theatre, and many more. As I edited this episode, I realized Maree had a very calming effect on me as an interviewer and we glide through many different topics, delving into Maree's experiences as a South Korean adoptee, her meandering path towards movement as a means of expression, getting groovy with Gaga, and so much more. As always, stay safe and healthy wherever you are, both mentally and physically, and I hope you enjoy this. Links Mentioned:Maree's WebsiteMaree's InstagramGagaA Letter Compiled From All LettersMy interview with Staycee PearlMy interview with Natalia GomezFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well and somewhat prepared for the new year. For me, classes are winding down and I am looking forward to spending more time editing some videos in the backlog. But as the year comes to a close, I still think about how much time has passed and what a crazy surreal year it has been. I'm sure we have all been coping through these recent events in our own ways. But wherever you are, I wish you a wonderful and merry holidays.For today, I have on the podcast Weston Teyura. Born in Hawaii, Weston received a BA in studio art and minor in Asian American Studies from Pomona College and an MFA from the California College of the Arts. Weston has curated exhibitions for Southern Exposure, Kearny Street Workshop, and the Berkeley Art Center. He is one of the core members of the Related Tactics collective, a group of artists, writers, curators, and educators of color creating projects and opportunities at the intersection of race and culture.I met Weston briefly during my time in the Bay Area and have followed his work and podcast since then. Weston's podcast, (un)making, also tackles similar topics as my podcast and I was naturally interested in learning more about his process. We also talk about how ideas of immigrant success can change from one generation to another, the visual language of development and progress, and working within a collective. It will be a new year next time I release an episode, so as always, stay safe, stay healthy, and Happy New Years.Links Mentioned:Weston's WebsiteWeston's Instagram(un)making - Weston's PodcastRelated Tactics442nd Infantry RegimentMari MatsudaPhyllis JacksonOne Way or Another: Asian American Art NowPhantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano MovementSF Grants for the ArtsThe Cultural Equity InitiativesJina ValentineBlack Lunch TableRecologyArt PracticalWeston's EssayFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are doing well and safe. I'm doing okay. I just found a new apartment since my lease was not renewed at my last place. Everything is moved in and now I am slowly unpacking. Otherwise, I am just teaching and learning Chinese. I'm trying to start back up some new work but have been spending a lot of time just reading. I got a standing desk which helps alleviate my wrists and I hope that will motivate me to start video editing. I know these are all just excuses but you know. Anyways...For today, I am presenting the last of my interviews during my time at Vermont Studio Center from almost a year ago. I wish I could be better at getting through my interviews more timely but juggling the whole podcast project by myself does have its limits. With all that aside, I am chatting with Angelique Scott, an artist, educator, and activist who creates work about blackness as a social and cultural identity. Angelique arrived halfway through my time in Vermont for a shorter period, but we quickly got to know each other and had lots of late night studio breaks together. Angelique graduated with a BFA in Art Education and Studio Art with a focus on ceramics, a material I still have trouble working with. In addition to ceramics, we discuss hyper intentionality within one's work, craftwork as art, and writing artist statements. As usual, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Angelique's WebsiteAngelique's InstagramKahlil Robert IrvingSonya ClarkKehinde Wiley's ResidencyJamea Richmond EdwardsFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are safe wherever you are. I am currently back in Zhuhai and settling down. I still have quite a lot to do such as unpacking and getting a multi-entry visa but otherwise, after four COVID nasal tests and two anti-body tests, I am out of quarantine. Life feels strangely normal and post-COVID here with China having essentially tested everyone and closed its borders to the world. I hope with all the news on the vaccine that the world can open up soon. We shall see. But for today, I am interview Yon Natalie Mik, an experimental dancer and researcher who works at the intersection of dance, performance studies, and ethnology. Natalie began her dance career studying classical ballet before branching out to other dance forms and disciplines. Currently, Natalie is pursuing her Ph.D on choreography and ghosts in contemporary transnational Asian performance. I met Natalie during my time in Berlin and even saw two of her performances, but I did not have a chance to interview her until recently over zoom. The sound quality is not the best, but hopefully it isn't too distracting. We chat quite a bit about Natalie's early life and path through dance, Asian studies in Germany, teeth blackening, and Asian squats. I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Natalie's WebsiteNatalie's InstagramGayageumPrumsodun OkEun-Me Ahn's Dancing GrandmothersTeeth BlackeningFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. It has definitely been a crazy week and it seems things are turning out ok. It was four days of election news and uncertainty, but there is some sort of clarity now. I feel some kind of hope, in spite of 70 million Americans voting for an outright racist. With the bar so low, it seems the situation can more likely get better. I partially didn't release an episode last week because of the timing, but also I was in the middle of flying back into China. I was a bit stressed out with the whole ordeal of getting the all the proper documents, visas, COVID tests, and jet lag. At the moment, I am currently in Xiamen and day six of hotel quarantine. In addition to the COVID test I had to take in order to board the airline, I received another COVID test upon landing, before being directly shuttled to a hotel where will be tested for again before I leave. After that, I can travel back to Zhuhai and around China. So anyway. Enough about me. For today on the podcast, I am interviewing Marcus Scott Williams, a writer I met last winter at Vermont Studio Center. I can't believe it has been almost a whole year since that residency and right before the whole pandemic started. I spent a lot of time with Marcus that snowy January and even did my first stick and poke for him. Before our interview, I read Marcus's last book, Sparse Black Whimsy, and found it to be a smooth stream of consciousness mixed with poetic examinations that are both playful and thrilling. I've linked the book in the episode descriptions if you are interested. Marcus had a long and winding path to get to where he is today, which we chat about, along with vulnerability, questioning the need to be right all the time, and paying attention to the minor details in life. I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Marcus's WebsiteMarcus's InstagramSparse Black Whimsy: A MemoirRITFB PodcastFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey y'all. I hope your week is going well. This is the last episode where I revisit a previous guest to cap off my two year anniversary of this podcast. Sometimes, I wonder who I am celebrating this with and who is listening, but for those of you out there, I hope this is bringing some moments of joy. Anyway, I talked with Tereneh Idia and Justin Favela for the past two episodes and you can check those out as well if you missed them. For this week, I have my good friend, Carol Zou, someone who I have known for over a decade. Carol's work facilitates creative social change projects with a focus on racial justice, informal labor, and public space. Informing a lot of Carol's work is the belief that we are most free when we help others get free. I was able to catch up with Carol late at night and we talk over some drinks through zoom, which the sound quality leaves much to be desired. I did my best to clean it up, but hopefully you can bare with it. Our chat is informal, which is to say a bit all over the place, and we discuss motorcycles, being rooted in place, Chinese congee recipes, and how to spend your time at art residencies. I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Carol's WebsiteCarol's essay for A Blade of GrassVampires vs. the BronxThe People's WPAYarn Bombing Los AngelesI May Destroy YouChewing GumThe Princess WeiyoungStory of Yanxi PalaceAmItheAsshole subredditFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. Thanks for tuning in to round 2 of the special two-year anniversary edition where I revisit three past guest of the show. Last week, I talked with Tereneh Idia, an internationally based fashion designer, which if you haven't listened to yet, go check it out. But for this week, I am chatting with Justin Favela, an artist known for his colorful large-scale installations and sculptures that manifest his interactions with American pop culture and the Latinx experience. In 2018, Justin won the Alan Turing LGTBIQ Award. He also hosts two culture-oriented podcasts, "Latinos Who Lunch" and "The Art People Podcast." I met Justin 3 years ago and have maintained a close long-distance friendship with him since. Hopefully you can hear our familiarity with each other in our banter as we chat about José María Velasco, performance art, working for Hollywood, and finding a ranch for the future. Justin also inspired me to create this podcast, so visiting him again on the two year anniversary seemed important as we reflect on both the past and present. I have got one last special guest for next weeks episode. Until then, I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Latinos Who LunchThe Art People PodcastMy first interview with JustinRoxanne GayThe Ajumma ShowJade+XD FodcastWe Love Trash PodcastThe Read PodcastAnother Round PodcastFor Colored Nerds PodcastJosé María Velasco GómezMarjorie Barrik Museum - Future RelicsLou Diamond PhillipsLa Bamba Ritchie ValensSelenaSeven Magic TiresJustin's Show at Mass MocaJustin's Show at the Amon Carter MuseumFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are well. The news is going more crazy with each passing day, although I think we have a new definition for the words karma and irony in relation to the current US state of affairs. I finally got my mail-in-ballet, which I quickly filled out and dropped off at my local town hall, so that is out of the way. I did get information about my returning to China, although it is a national Chinese holiday this week so everyone is on vacation and the instructions for renewing work visas are still very unclear. So more waiting around, as has been the case for everyone.But for today I am doing something different to celebrate the fact that somehow I have been doing this podcast for 2 years. So for the next three episodes, which I will be releasing every week as opposed to bi-weekly, I will be revisiting three special guests from earlier episodes. For this week's episode, I will be chatting with Tereneh Idia, who I first talked to in Episode 8, which I will link in the show notes. As a quick overview, Tereneh was born and raised in Pittsburgh and is an internationally based fashion designer and founder of Idia'Dega. She also has a bi-weekly column for the Pittsburgh City Paper, which she recently won a Golden Quill award for Excellence in Written Journalism. This podcast had its most concrete beginnings in Pittsburgh and I thought it would be good to be able to chat with Tereneh about recent events in relationship to Pittsburgh, a city which I hold close to my heart. We also talk about some of current events, zoom meetings, protests, monuments, and so much more. Again, thank you to everyone who continues to listen to my rambling thoughts and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Tereneh's WebsiteTereneh's InstagramTereneh's TwitterMy first interview with TerenehAurora Borealis. My First Muses. - Frick MuseumPittsburgh City PaperThere are Indigenous People in the PresentWhat is the correct way to protest?Pittsburgh Post-Gazette removes a Black reporter from George Floyd protest coverageOther Border Wall ProjectOAM PGHFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are all doing ok. The recent passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is bringing up a lot of complicated feelings for me, as I am sure it is for many people. Of course, we must remember the shift in power in the Supreme Court is just one of many things that has been failing over the course of US democracy. It means come this November, voting for the US elections is important, but so are all the local elections and difficult discussions about what it means to exist on this planet where we are all entangled with each other. Yeah...I just don't know. Yeah. Anyway, for this week, I am returning to an older recording I did with Vicky Truong while I was living in Berlin over a year ago. Born in Australia, raised by a half Chinese-Teochew half Vietnamese father, and a half Chinese-Teochew (ti-jiu) half Thai mother, Vicky grew up with an abundance of different cuisines and cultures. She lived in France for three years where she worked in the Fashion Industry before moving to Berlin working as a teacher, activist, and artist. I met Vicky through a few Asian diaspora centered events where I learned more about the work Vicky was doing. Vicky started Rice is Life, a project celebrating Chinese Teochew, Vietnamese, Thai and Australian foods. Vicky also leads a diversity and inclusion workshop series called Eye to Eye, which we talk about in our conversation. We also chat about her growing up in Australia, appreciating our cultural heritage, and how an unfortunate event at Berlin Art Week helped lead her to the work she does today. Listening to this brought back many memories to my time in Berlin and how far away it seems now. In any case, as always, stay safe, stay healthy, and please vote this November.Links Mentioned:Vicky Truong's WebsiteVicky's InstagramD.A.M.N. (Deutsche Asiat*innen, Make Noise)korientationI Am Not A Fortune CookieZairong XiangHornback AdNobuyoshi ArackiFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well wherever you are. I don't have too much new to report. But for today, I have a great episode with Almaz Wilson, an artist I met back in January while I was at Vermont Studio Center. Almaz got her BA in Biological Anthropology from the University of Maryland and an MFA from the University of Florida. I got to know Almaz during the many hours talking over meals and late at night after a long day in the studios. As a sidenote, I planned the release of this episode a bit poorly as Almaz had an exhibition of her work in New York City back in February 22. We talk about her show in the interview and I should have released our chat before then. I need to plan these releases better. I actually had a chance to see her show before it went down as I had just flown back from Asia as the world began to change from COVID-19. It was nice to see the work all hung up after doing a few studio visits with Almaz while the work was in progress. In addition to talking about how she is preparing for her exhibition, Almaz and I talk about different ways to take up space, thinking about art criticism, and building things up in order to move on. I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Almaz's WebsiteAlmaz's InstagramDenyse ThomasosFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are doing well. I have had a lot of things on my mind lately, the future of this podcast being one of them, not to mention the futures of the myriad of other responsibilities in life. I have been taking some amazing zoom classes lately and reading some dense theory stuff that I probably understand only a small portion. Also, China opened up its visa process to Europe and parts of Asia, so maybe I'll be able to go back before classes start and can avoid the whole remote teaching while in a 12 hour time zone difference. Of course it is hard to predict the future right now and I am grateful I even have a job. I will keep you updated.For today, I have the wonderful Emily Lu, a poet I met in Vermont last January. Emily was born in Nanjing, China before she and her family moved to Canada. Emily got her B.Sc. at the University of Toronto and her M.D. at Queen's University. She is currently finishing up her residency training in psychiatry while she continues to write poetry. This tension of being both a psychiatrist and poet is one we talk about in our discussion, along with Emily's thoughts on translations, her experiences growing up in Canada, and finding confidence in the unknown. Emily ends our chat with a lovely reading of one of her poems.  As always, stay safe and healthy and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Emily's TwitterEmily's ChapbookAn essay that just came out by EmilyFranny ChoiJeremy DutcherMicro SeasonsBescherelleFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope all is well with y'all as this new normal of COVID-19 is settling in. I don't have too much news...still awaiting returning to China and still not sure I can be physically there by the fall semester. I have a few logistical things with my living situation in China that is causing some headaches but otherwise I am safe in the US. One small thing I am part of is this video project curated by Isaac Leung of Videotage in Hong Kong. My video is showing on Videotage's website but it is also all over public screen in the streets of Lisbon, Portugal...so I guess if you happen to be in Lisbon, you might see my video at random street corners. I'll post a link or two on instagram.Anyway. For today, I am talking with Jean-Ulrick Désert, a conceptual and visual artist born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti before his family fled to the US. Originally trained as an architect from Cooper Union and Columbia, Jean-Ulrick got drawn to art and never looked back. He left his architecture job and traveled to France before ending up in Berlin, where he has been since 2002. He most recently represented Haiti at the 2019 Venice Biennale, although the project ran into a few roadblocks keeping it from being fully realized, which we discuss in our discussions. I met Jean-Ulrick through my good friend, Yvette Robertson, who I interviewed in Episode 31. Jean-Ulrich and I chat for quite a while in this episode, but Jean-Ulrick had so many gems that I kept most of it. Our conversation includes how language can reconfigure one's brains, the function of art titles, and thinking about art as healing. I hope you enjoy it.Links Mentioned:Jean-Ulrick's WebsiteJean-Ulrick's Unrealized Haitian Pavilion ProjectMy interview with Yvette RobertsonWrapped ReichstagOkwui EnwezorJosephine BakerJames BaldwinPost-black ArtThelma Golden reflecting on Post-blackInfinite Island: Contemporary Caribbean Art at the Brooklyn MuseumZwarte PietCharlemagne PéralteMartin PuryearThe Invasion of Haiti in 1915Zanele MuholiW. E. B. Du BoisFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are doing well. I am trying to enjoy the summer the best I can by avoiding groups of people. I have been doing a lot of reading these past few weeks, which has been nice. I also spoke with Tereneh last week, a previous guest on the show, who is thinking of starting her own podcast with a few friends which I am looking forward to listening to. Shoutout to Tereneh! Check out my chat with Tereneh on Episode 8, which seemed so long ago. Speaking of long ago, I have been thinking a lot about my own process in getting my episodes out since the beginning. When I started recording 2 years ago, I was in Pittsburgh for the summer and about to leave for Germany. I decided to record as much as I could before my flight to Berlin, giving me time to see what my habits were in the process of interviewing others and finding my own voice in the process. I figured if I could get around 26 interviews, I would have a year of material for a bi-weekly podcast. I ended up with 28 episodes and released my first episode on September of 2018. Of course, this meant I had a huge backlog of material that was not always current which I slowly worked through, with some episodes continually getting pushed back as I proceeded interviewing new people while in Europe. Since my classes have ended for the summer, I had the time to go deeper into my archives and listen to older interviews, one of which I am releasing this week.So for today, I am interviewing Celeste C. Smith, a co-founder and current board member of 1Hood, a collective of artists and activists who utilize art as a means of raising awareness around issues affecting oppressed people in the region and around the world. Celeste is also the current Program Officer for Arts and Culture at The Pittsburgh Foundation, a position she just started when I interviewed her. Celeste is a graduate of Chatham University and has served on the Transformative Arts Process Advisory Board at The Heinz Endowments, the Pittsburgh Symphony Community Advisory Council and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Equity in Arts Funding Research Committee. I visited Celeste at her office in Downtown Pittsburgh, which is located in a literal glass castle designed by Philip Johnson, who is most famous for his Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. Celeste and I chatted about her many projects at the intersection of art and activism, self-care, building support for the youth, and knowing your self-worth. I regret it has taken this long, but after listening through, I felt Celeste's words still resonate strongly, if not more, today. I will have another older episode next time as well. Thank you Celeste for your patience. I hope everyone enjoys this.Links Mentioned:Celeste SmithMy interview with TerenehPamela Lawton1Hood MediaThis Week With Jasiri XPortrayal And Perception Two Audits Of News Media Reporting On African American Men And BoysThe Nefertiti AllianceThe Legacy Arts ProjectThe Shyne AwardsNia ArringtonYouth Power CollectiveSun Fest PittsburghBlak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.Brittney ChanteleFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hey everyone. I hope you are doing well and staying safe. I don't have too much news to share these days. It seems like this whole virus situation is here to stay and I am uncertain I will be able to return to China anytime soon for work. If the EU is refusing travelers from the US, I would assume China to do the same, and for good reason. But I don't have too much to complain about as I have a roof over my head in a rural area that is OK for now in terms of ou breaks. I have been thinking more about the future direction I want to take this podcast as I normally have been interviewing friends and others I have met in person, but with the current situation, I have been thinking about expanding out. Of course, I am a bit nervous about moving forward this way. I have a number of interviews I still need to release before this happens, but the time will come soon enough. It may be for the better for this podcast.In any case, for today, I am interviewing Didier William. Originally from Port-au-prince Haiti, Didier moved to Miami as a Creole-speaking 6-year old. His interests in art blossomed there and he went on to earn his BFA in painting from The Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Yale University. Currently, Didier is Assistant Professor of Expanded Print at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. I first met Didier while I was at a residency in Vermont this past winter and was able to interview him around March, just as COVID's presence began being felt in the US and prior to the recent protests around the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and many others that have surfaced with each passing week. I've been thinking a lot about how I release my episodes weeks, months, and sometimes years after the initial interview and what it means in terms of relevancy. It is something I need to figure out. Anyway, for this interview, Didier and I chat about trying to find agency in stillness, the concious privileging of certain languages, and maintaining an honest conversation about social complexities. Again, stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy this.Links Mentioned:Didier's WebsiteDidier at Crystal BridgesDidier's Solo Exhibition at the Figge Art MuseumFollow Seeing Color:Seeing Color WebsiteSubscribe on Apple PodcastsFacebookTwitterInstagram