“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent” -Isaac Asimov

We live in a world bathed in violence. This has always been true, in both he human and animal kingdoms, but in these days of 24-hour global news coverage, it can feel like violence is headed toward a tipping point. How do we process the images we see, the knowledge we carry about atrocities perpetrated against the innocent – how do we carry on with our lives while such things are carried out moment by moment? I do not purport to have the answer. But perhaps in art, we can begin to unpack the complexities amongst which we dwell.

Luisa Rabbia joined us from New York where she is presently working on a challenging project embracing the idea of psychological/terrestrial inferno. Typically, Rabbia focuses on positive messages, so this examination of something darker is a departure. She defines psychological inferno in terms of a state of mind felt by many in these complex times as we grapple with multiple crises all around us. To hear more about this and Rabbia’s other work, listen to the complete interview.

Rainer Gross spoke with us in early May. He is at work on a project called Double Takes in which he manipulates photographic images to create an end result that looks like work on paper that can not be immediately recognized or defined, but captures the viewer’s attention and offer the opportunity to unravel the mystery they hold. Throughout his career, Gross has employed multi-step processes to create art. To hear more about this, listen to the complete interview.