“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” -Flannery O’Connor

We live with uncertainty all the time. It is a natural state of being for every one of us to wander through life without knowing what each moment will bring. What makes us remarkable is our ability to carry on with this lack of knowledge always sitting on our shoulders. Although it reaches us at times, in moments of heavy awareness, we are, all of us, equipped with the power to live well in the dark.

Rosa Lleo lives and works in Barcelona where, for the last five years, she has been running a project called The Green Parrot. It began as a space in 2016 because Lleo felt that the city needed something that was not an institution or a commercial gallery. The space itself was a second floor apartment in the center of the city – Lleo describes it as a humble space. She began with no funding but over time built up a donor base. The program has grown and evolved over time, establishing itself firmly within the arts scene in Barcelona. The political upheaval in Spain has disrupted the project to some extent. To hear more about this, and about the project itself, listen to the complete interview.

Eiman Elgibreen spoke to us live at the Venice Biennale. She is a Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History as well as an artist in her own right in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She spoke to us about the meaning behind the Saudi Arabian pavilion at the biennale which was called After the Illusion. The inspiration came from lines from an old poet trying to recognize his home after being away for many years who must give in to his illusions in order to recognize his home. The exhibit itself was made up of columns with changing light, from warm to cool as well as various shapes. Elgibreen herself, chosen as a curator for the Venice Biennale, began as an artist. To hear her speak about her journey as an artist moving toward curation – the result of her disappointment when her art was constantly viewed through a political lens – as well as an interview with a second artist, Zarah Al Gamdi, listen to the complete interview.