“A true work of art is the revelation of a new conception of life arising in the artist’s soul, which, when expressed, lights up the path along which humanity progresses”

-Leo Tolstoy, What is Art

Art speaks. It enlightens and guides. Art reminds us where we’ve been, grounds us to where we are and illuminates the way forward. It breathes truth into a dubious world, questions authority and challenges the status quo. Art heals and art ignites. It breaks down barriers and delineates boundaries.

Erick Antonio Benitez spoke with us in mid-August shortly after closing out a group show at Selenas Mountain titled A Country Made of Ice Cream. When we spoke he was working on completing his thesis installation at CalArts incorporating sculpture and video. Conceptually the show plays with ideas of mythology and ideas of virtual and physical space, examining where that meets identity and culture. To hear more about this and more, listen to the complete interview.

Naomi R. Safran-Hon was in the midst of a solo show titled Soft Power at Bonisson Art Center in the south of France. The work consists of around 15 pieces of different sizes that mix different materials like cement and lace to demonstrate the juxtaposition of softness and power. Safran-Hon creates both abstract and specific works tied together by her personal framework based on her upbringing and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. She hopes through her work, viewers are able to receive a message that relates to their own homes, pasts, communities, belonging and displacement. To hear more, listen to the complete interview.