El Anatsui employs language to broaden interpretation
El Anatsui often uses his native language of Ewe when naming his work because the words can have a range of meanings when pronounced differently.
“Since I’m working with the idea of non-fixity and something indeterminate, I don’t want the language to inform,” says the artist. “By giving it a context, you limit its ability to stretch.”
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Aliza Nisenbaum empowers immigrants through portraiture
While working as an art and English teacher at Tania Bruguera’s Immigrant Movement International, Aliza Nisenbaum painted intimate portraits of the Mexican and Central American immigrants who frequented the space.
“A lot of these women are people that hide in some way,” says Nisenbaum. “I was trying to give a sense of agency to the women that were here in terms of finding their voice, in terms of art, and in terms of basic English skills.”
Recommendations from Art21
Read: The March trilogy by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
As someone who is not a big fan or has the patience to sit down and read a book, I’ve always gravitated towards comic books, graphic novels, and audio books without a shadow of a doubt. The March trilogy was one of those instances where I actually looked forward to reading a book, not only because of how compelling the story of John Lewis’s earliest years was, but because the choice to go in the graphic novel direction with stellar captivating visuals made it much more enjoyable for me as a reader.
Shared by Jason Mendoza, Bloomberg Arts intern; Available now from your retailer of choice
Listen: NuLeaf: Smooth Jazz Underground
At some point in searching for the perfect writing atmosphere, I stumbled upon the inspirational power of 1980s-era Kmart radio. Whoever programmed those sounds is a wizard of ambience. Smooth jazz ambience. The audio connoisseurs at the Numero Group captured a similar spirit with their latest masterpiece compilation, NuLeaf. Bring your own fluorescent lighting, ICEEs, and SuperPretzels.
Shared by Jonathan Munar, Director of Digital; Purchase now from Numero Group or stream from your platform of choice
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