Are You Hopeful?

“I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it’s pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living.” – Harry Nilsson

What would life be without hope – that glimmer that, even in the darkest times, reminds us there is more ahead. There is something to work toward and believe in. I heard someone say recently that the texture of now feels very different than ever before. What I took from that is the idea that something fundamental has slipped, and there are those of us who aren’t sure where this slip will lead. And yet we have hope – the idea that we will do what’s right in the end.

Stephanie H. Shih joined us to talk about her show, Domestic Bliss, which was on view at Alexander Berggruen Gallery until February 26. As part of her artistic practice, Shih raises money for victims of state violence. She does this by raffling off work or working with other artists to design things like tee shirts. To date, she has raised more than half a million dollars. To learn more about this and Shih’s work, listen to the complete interview.

Emil Lukas spoke to us about his show, Infinite Edge, running through March 15 at Sperone Westwater Gallery. As described by the gallery, the show features paintings and works on paper utilizing materials which have characterized his practice: thread, acrylic, ink and larvae. To learn more about this, listen to the complete interview.