Soul of Ukraine: Immersive Shevchenko How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Valeriy Kostyuk to take action through art WORDS BY SHERENE ALMJAWER | VISUAL ARTS SPACES MAR 21, 2023 | ISSUE 9 Immersive Shevchenko ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE Valeriy Kostyuk, by Kalya Ramu Tais Poda, Creative Director to Immersive Shevchenko, joins smART Magazine from Zakarpatya, Ukraine “There are a lot of artists in Ukraine that are doing their part in regards to protecting the national heritage,” Valeriy Kostyuk states. This sentiment reflects the courageous spirit of the Ukrainian people in the face of an invasion that’s put the entire world on alert. As a producer of Immersive Shevchenko , Valeriy, a Ukrainian from Odesa, underscores the severity of the injustice taking place in his country. He is the pioneering producer behind the exhibit that celebrates Ukrainian artist and cultural icon Taras Shevchenko and was instrumental in developing the production to meet the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. All proceeds from every ticket to the exhibit will be donated to The Red Cross and other initiatives to provide economic relief to victims of the war in Ukraine. Shevchenko’s career spanned various artforms while simultaneously advocating for his country’s independence on all fronts. Valeriy speaks with smART Magazine about the artist, exhibit, and the nation he inspired. sM | How have you been coping throughout the first couple of weeks of this invasion? VK ─ I don’t sleep peacefully anymore. No one does. I have alarms set for every two hours to check in on family members. I worry my family will hear the sirens, warning about potential bombs, yet they don’t always go into the bomb shelters. They’ve had enough, which is why I constantly check on them. Being away from my family in different cities is stressful because if I were there, I would help make decisions. My initial thoughts were to fly or drive home to reach my family. But the situation changed so quickly that there were military personnel everywhere. So now, I check my phone to get in contact with them – most of the time, the silence means they’re sleeping. But not hearing from them can be worse because of the unpredictable times we’re in. There’s just no way of ensuring that your family is safe. sM | What do you think is the most potent message that can be sent to the artists and people of Ukraine at this moment? VK ─ If there were anything to distract people from war, it would probably be art. However, I will not tell artists to continue making art in these unprecedented times. Not when they are unaware of whether or not they will be safe in their own country. It’s more important for them to do their part in protecting Ukraine. I know many artists that have signed up to physically defend the cities. To patrol the streets and ensure there’s no fighting, it’s all in an effort to defend Ukraine’s national heritage. My message to artists and people of Ukraine is to simply try and get through it. There are truly no right words to say or to bring encouragement. This kind of situation leaves me speechless, but I remind the people of Ukraine that “All will be Ukraine.” We are one culture, even if we are moved. The Russians can change our borders with a pencil, but our culture and heritage is ours and within us. They cannot and will not take that away. sM | How would you describe Shevchenko’s significance to the people of Ukraine and diasporic Ukrainian communities? And how will the profits from Immersive Shevchenko help the efforts for humanitarian aid? VK ─ Shevchenko is a known name in every Ukrainian household, and there are statues all over the world dedicated to him. 1,384 statues, to be exact. He was fundamental to Ukraine’s history. As a serf, he was essentially a slave in his teenage years, and when he was freed, he received an education in the fine arts. During this time, he captured Ukrainian culture through his revolutionary poetry when it was trying to be destroyed by Russian hegemony. His mission was simply to provoke the soul of Ukraine. He died in St. Petersburg at the age of 47, but was buried on a hill in Dnieper as he requested in his poem entitled “My Testament.” In fact, this hill is now a place of pilgrimage for many Ukrainians, allowing us to feel the energy of Ukrainian identity. Portraits of Shevchenko are hanging in homes now, often depicting him as much older and many years after his rebellious youth. He was, and is, essential to Ukraine’s identity and independence, and visitors will be able to testify to that through this exhibit. The profits from Immersive Shevchenko will be donated to the American Red Cross and The National Bank of Ukraine. The Red Cross is a non-profit initiative that will be on the ground helping Ukraine. The donations to the National Bank of Ukraine is to ensure the state and government continue to be able to operate for the civilians nationwide. But another way people could help right now, is by donating directly to different types of charities and sending money to personal or local initiatives. There are never enough supplies, and every day, more provisions are needed: toilet paper, shoes, paper plates, cups, and so on. The people of Ukraine will appreciate all the help they can get. Natalya Delieva, C0-Producer of Immersive Shevchenko, joins smART Magazine from Odesa in Ukraine sM | Can you describe the current situation in your region and how the Russian invasion has disrupted daily life? TP ─ Normal daily life in our region is just over. It no longer exists. It seems there is no world that existed before the war, and it will not exist for a long time. My family has evacuated from Kyiv. Now the army, territorial defense, and civilians are preparing to defend Kyiv because it can be under siege. The defenders have been accumulating reserves, strengthening the city borders, and organizing logistical chains. My family moved to Western Ukraine and live minimally in a rented apartment. The sky is quiet here, but every sharp sound makes us shudder, hoping it’s not an explosion. My child has been in psychological shock. In general, children no longer study at school, and it is unknown when learning will resume. But for thousands of people, the situation is much worse, so we do not complain in any case. Every day I spend part of my time volunteering to coordinate and help people who come here. We are always in touch; we pass the information on how to get here, where to look for housing, where one can eat for free. Also, every day together with other women, I spend 3-4 hours weaving camouflage nets in a local school. Almost every evening, I also communicate with people who need psychological help because I have a degree in therapy. This is not a full-fledged clinical consultation, but it does not matter because the results are what matters here. And, of course, I dedicate part of my time to my favorite work - creating video content with my team. We are in different places, but manage to coordinate production. This is very important because it is all about cultural diplomacy. When culture is highly developed, wars are less common because people share high values and respect principles of law. Our future lies in culture, education, and morality. And it’s not just about Ukraine; it’s about the whole world. Immersive Shevchenko ND ─ I never imagined that Russia would attack Ukraine. But it happened in 2014. All 8 years since then, I have lived in fear. I felt that aggression in Crimea and Donbass will not end. I very much hoped that our country would be supported by the world, that these issues would be resolved at the diplomatic level, and that the crimes committed by Russia over 8 years with Ukraine would be tried in The Hague’s International Court of Justice. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and Russia went further. On February 24, when the war broke out, I was very confused. It was like a nightmare for me. But I gathered myself, and on February 25, I became a volunteer and took care of the 18th separate battalion of the Armed Forces Marines protecting the Black Sea coast. I took care of the logistics and supply of the necessary needs for the army. I managed a theatre for 17 years, I was a producer and a filmmaker, I organized seven international comedy festivals, I held five Red Head City festivals, I, like Valeriy, produced this exhibition — and now I am practically a warrior. sM | Aside from the proceeds from Immersive Shevchenko, what other ways can we in the West assist individuals like yourselves in grassroots operations and aid for the Territorial Defence Forces? TP ─ There are different ways to help. Of course, our people are in dire need of financial support, as many of them have left all their property and homes with only their clothes and documents. Money is also needed to purchase ammunition for territorial defense. Ordinary people and defenders need all kinds of humanitarian goods, medicines, and food. At the national level and as part of international cooperation, we need weapons. A lot of weapons, planes, and air defense — it’s something that will simply allow us to survive. And, perhaps most importantly, Ukraine is protecting the Western world and its values at the cost of its own lives. This was the case during the Mongol Yoke, when Kyivan Rus’ stopped the Mongol invasion by detaining them on its territory, allowing Europe to live peacefully and develop spiritually in the bosom of its own cultural paradigm. This is not the first time we have defended the West. But, it is very important that when all this is over, we are accepted into the family of Western nations and associations without additional questions, hesitations, and pharisaism. There is no room here for a policy of double standards, and we need this political recognition of our Western perspectives. Therefore, moral, political, spiritual support will never be replaced by any humanitarian cargo. And this is what is most important to us. ND ─ The army needs a lot of things now, and not just the army. If you write the whole list, it will take a few pages of this magazine. We now need all kinds of support from financial to moral and material assistance, from weapons, planes, bulletproof vests, and helmets for the military, to baby food and diapers. We will be grateful for any help. The main help is to help us close the sky from missiles and enemy planes, and we will be able to deal with the military on our land. Help close the sky. Civilians are dying; our children are dying under the bombing! Natalya Delieva by Ella Mazur TP ─ Taras Shevchenko is a genius Ukrainian artist and poet, but for our nation, he is also a national prophet, a fighter for the freedom of our people. He is iconic; literally, his portrait hangs in every second Ukrainian house and in each Ukrainian school. He was born in 1814, was the son of a serf, but his ancestors were free Cossacks in Zaporizhzhia in the 17th–18th centuries. It should be recalled that in those days, the Russian Empire brought slavery to the Ukrainian land, as well as to the lands of other nations, whose national identity was destroyed by Muscovites. Shevchenko lived only 47 years, of which 24 years he spent in slavery, 10 years in exile, and the rest of his life under the supervision of imperial gendarmes. But his extraordinary talents had allowed him to become an academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts and create more than a thousand graphic works and paintings. He was also a poet who called all the Ukrainian people to fight against the Russian Empire for their own freedom. He became a prophet who left spiritual testaments for our nation in his poetry. These testaments have become our cultural and genetic code. “Fight and you will win!” “Fire does not burn the fierce...” With these words, by Shevchenko, Ukrainians are right now fighting for their freedom, the right to physical and spiritual existence. It is an existential struggle, a fight for the moral values of the free Western world. Shevchenko believed in a certain mystical purpose of the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian language was censored in the Russian Empire because they felt that the uprising of the Ukrainian language and culture would awaken the nation. Ukrainians are those who are doomed to cause the Russian Empire to break up and help other peoples regain their national consciousness and cultural identity. And that’s exactly what happens now. ​ ND ── Taras Shevchenko is a symbol of Ukraine, who fought all his life for a free Ukraine. We love and respect him very much! 177 years ago, he wrote “break the shackles, be free” [from the poem “My Friendly Epistle”]. I hope that after this war, we will finally break the shackles that Russia has put us in for centuries. Through this exhibit, let North America see what Ukraine was like two centuries ago how Shevchenko portrayed it. Let them hear Ukrainian singing and see the faces of the Ukrainian intelligentsia of that time. Let them know that Ukraine is original and special. Let them look at our Shevchenko – the symbol of Ukraine, who all his life aspired to a free Ukraine and painted it in his paintings. Let them see and know what a beautiful and peaceful country Ukraine has always been! ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Maja Lena A bold new voice in the U.K.’s folk scene embarks on a celestial journey WORDS BY REBECCA LASHMAR | CUMBRIA | PERFORMING ARTS ALT.ITUDE FEB 27, 2023 | ISSUE 11 Maja Lena by Martha Webb ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE ​ ​ Continue reading in Issue 11 Delving into the rich and endlessly inspiring world of flora and fauna, the alt-folk albums of Marianne Parrish (AKA Maja Lena) are rooted in the rustic soil of her biophilic hobbies. Blossoming out of the band Low Chimes, Maja Lena is the latest phase of Parrish’s creative evolution, experimenting with melodies that trace a path from the terrestrial to the celestial, and everything in between. Maja Lena’s previous (and first solo) album, The Keeper, was heavily influenced by the U.K.’s lakes and landscapes, the Swiss Alps, and her time working in rhubarb gardens or on horseback. Her latest album, PLUTO, orbits vast spaces within, powered by heavy influences from sci-fi epics and new-age jams, textured throughout with intricate guitar-picking and gorgeously layered melodies. With soundscapes inspired by the fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli, Star Trek , and Battlestar Galactica , Maja Lena explores transformation, destruction, rebirth, and the relationship between real and the imaginatively realized. With a core foundation in agriculture, ecosystems, and nature’s profound interconnectedness, Maja Lena discusses her... ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Yo-Yo Ma Celebrates 100 Years of the TSO All North-American program sets the tone for the TSO’s future WORDS BY MICHAEL ZARATHUS-COOK | Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto NOV 16, 2022 | COMMUNITY Jeremy Dutcher and Sarah Prosper | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE Yo-Yo Ma and Gustavo Gimeno | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra.jpeg The Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra Why are we here? And by here I mean Roy Thomson Hall on any given night that the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is performing. Why are we preserving this music? Why, as taxpayers, are we contributing to the perpetuation of this organisation’s competitiveness on the world stage? These are of course questions that are taken for granted, and were perhaps settled at a much earlier point in the TSO’s 100-year history. Yet, it seems these are precisely the type of questions that concerts such as this Celebrate 100: A Gala Evening with Yo-Yo Ma examines within the context of a centennial celebration. The answers yielded are as multivarious as the number of tickets sold, but the overwhelming sentiment was singular: nothing else does what this music can do, and the way we do it here cannot be replicated anywhere else. And after a century as an ensemble - one that began with false starts and a grassroots effort - the TSO seems to be charting a path forward that is uniquely Canadian, and an increasingly prominent node in the circuit of concerts by some of the world’s most celebrated talents. This program - with Yo-Yo Ma and Jeremy Dutcher in tow - exuded the type of confidence that comes not only from turning 100, but also from striking an optimal balance between the horse-and-buggy that your audience is accustomed to—and the Ford Model T that’ll drive them into the future. Returning to this topic of here , the TSO managed to deliver the most evocative land acknowledgements I’ve seen at a concert. Part of what has made land acknowledgements a staid and performative curtsy is how it is we hope to honour the traditional territories which we occupy despite the absence of the Indigenous peoples that are being acknowledged. There’s no single fix to this problem, but seeing Dutcher strut on stage at the top of the evening to acknowledge the presence of his people, in his language, in his traditional garb, is a damn good start. Bravo. Simultaneous to Dutcher’s presence on stage was the Mi’kmaw dancer Sarah Prosper, performing within the audience on the main floor. The effect of Dutcher’s song, and Prosper’s dance was a profound sense of presence, of hereness , that underscored the TSO’s Canadian identity which might otherwise be lost in the Eurocentric heritage of the music it programs. This sense of place was transferred seamlessly from the land acknowledgement to the first item on the program, Oskar Worawetz’s Carnival Overture , as a jovial prelude to Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Morawetz earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto, where he went on to teach composition from 1946 to 1982. His fairly frequent appearances on TSO programs - the last time being November 19th, 2021, for which I wrote the program notes to his colourful Sinfonietta for Winds and Percussion - is another nudge as to why the TSO matters in the cultivation and preservation of Canadian compositional heritage. The stringencies of this music make sense best against the backdrop of absolute artistic freedom – that freedom is what this program celebrates – and the Symphonic Dances is as vividly fluorescent a backdrop as you’ll see performed by an orchestra. From the finger snapping, to the tutti cries of “Mambo!”, to the furious rhythmic changes in the percussions section, to the various skirmishes in the string sections, the carnival figures in the brass section, the taunting woodwinds that give way to the pell-mell of a swinging jazz number of the “Cool” Fugue in the seventh movement—this is as much fun as the TSO could fit into 22 minutes of music. Yo-Yo Ma and Jeremy Dutcher | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra Yo-Yo Ma. Everything you’ve heard about the gravitational pull of his aura on stage is true. The second half of the program began again with Dutcher, this time accompanied by Yo-Yo Ma and orchestra to perform Honour Song by Mi'kmaw elder and composer George Paul. The most astounding thing of seeing Yo-Yo Ma on stage is how it is he still manages – despite the ubiquity of his fame – to disappear into the collaboration with Dutcher. Their relationship began at a concert at Montreal’s Maison symphonique in 2018 when Dutcher was invited as a guest artist to close out Yo-Yo Ma’s performance of the complete Bach solo cello suites. Their compatibility on stage is a seamless revelry in that aforementioned backdrop of absolute artistic freedom. Singing again in the Mi’Kmaq language, Dutcher’s performance carried a simplicity and earnest fragility that was in complete dialogue with Yo-Yo Ma’s cello, a conversation which concluded with an emphatic “TAHO!” from all on stage. Gustavo Gimeno and Yo-Yo Ma | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra The program was rounded out with Dvorák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, an excellent choice to spotlight that curious intimacy which a musician of Yo-Yo Ma’s notoriety is able to establish on stage. Not only are you hanging on every note, but on every gesture: a sly wink to the front row in between movements, half-turning to wave at the orchestra after the first movement, casually yanking off a loose hair on his bow—our attention was rapt, and he engaged it in kind. He is a celebrity, and like all celebrities, he knows every eye and ear in the hall is falling on him - even during that long opening passage by the orchestra while he sat by waiting for the cello’s entry – and so in this waiting he struck a secret dialogue with the audience that encouraged a collaborative and active listening. Listening to the closing stretch of this concerto, you can’t help but wish the composer had heeded an early recommendation. After composing a first draft of the concerto, Dvorák passed it off to cellist Hanuš Wihan for commentary and Wihan suggested an addition that would have been perfect for an artistry like Yo-Yo Ma’s: a protracted cadenza at the tail end of the Finale. Instead, the composer opted for a more colourful finish – articulated with precision and sincerity Gimeno and company – with a diminuendo tapering into pp on the solo instrument, which the orchestra responds to with a maestoso burst to the end. Yo-Yo Ma and Gustavo Gimeno | Photo by Jag Gundu : Toronto Symphony Orchestra Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the concert, aside from Yo-Yo Ma’s grace and gravity on stage, was that it was an all-North American affair (Dvorák composed the concerto in America). And, half of the items on this program have a specifically Canadian origin. While the first century of the TSO’s existence has relied largely on the import of European artists and attention, the next century has to be one which places an emphasis on the people here , and the music of the people who are alive and working now. Yes, the demographic of the audience for this absolutely packed house is still overwhelmingly white and over the age of 60, but demographic change typically lags far behind even the most ambitious programming and initiatives. This gala experience seems to have been curated to both meet the gaze of the demographic profile that the TSO has relied on since its inception, but also to open its doors even wider to the folks who have not been catered to previously. In his Issue 7 interview with smART Magazine , Gimeno noted that, “I’ve discovered, and am still learning, that there is not just one Toronto, there are many Torontos.” This program, along with the organisation’s recent engagements with local communities , underscores a tremendous effort being made to reflect these various cultural intersections that make make Toronto Tkaronto ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

A Close-Up On Costumes Enter the Showstoppers! exhibit, and meet the costumiers of New York City WORDS BY TASH COWLEY | NEW YORK CITY | PERFORMANCE SPACES NOV 15, 2022 | ISSUE 8 Storm Trooper Costume on Display from Disney California Adventure - Photo by Rebecca J Michelson ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE Frozen Costumes at Showstoppers - Photo by Rebecca J Michelson The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Costumes on display at Showstoppers - Photo by Rebecca J Michelson The shop windows of New York City’s Garment District are a sumptuous feast for the imagination. Beyond the glass, a dense jungle of color buzzes in the high-ceilinged canopies that flank narrow walkways, overflowing with texture; thread, ribbons, feathers, buttons, paints, trims, rhinestones, crystals, and towering rolls of sensuous fabrics stretch into oblivion. Dotted sporadically between 34th and 41st Street, these quirky stores burst with possibility; however, a new style of shop front is casting dark shadows across this historic district’s aesthetic. Wooden boards, dark blinds, and worn silver shutters have replaced many vibrant displays, serving as a relentless reminder that in many instances, these bright and brilliant businesses are gone for good. COVID-19 ravaged New York’s costume industry. The ecosystem is built on small businesses, and when Broadway closed abruptly in March 2020, this cottage industry lost $26.6 million in gross revenue that year. Workers could rarely adapt their roles to fit a work from home model, and numerous shops closed permanently, removing familiar suppliers from the map. Experts with years of experience have said goodbye to their vocations, taking precious practical knowledge with them. Without those face-to-face interactions in the work room, demonstrating techniques and passing intelligence along, we may be losing more than we realize. However, some businesses have managed to stay afloat, due in large part to the tireless efforts of the Costume Industry Coalition (CIC). The CIC was established in response to the pandemic and is composed of 55 NYC-based businesses and artisans who create, supply, and care for costumes on stage and screen. Their aim is to protect and uplift businesses that became vulnerable during the pandemic by purchasing materials from local vendors, employing skilled professionals, and boosting the city’s economy. The CIC is also responsible for NYC’s unmissable new pop-up on West 42nd street. “Showstoppers! Spectacular Costumes From Stage and Screen” allows visitors a rare, in-depth look at the expertise of New York’s finest costumiers, a place to admire every stitch, strand, and sequin up close. It is a celebration and acknowledgement of the debt that onstage majesty owes to offstage expertise, and all proceeds from the exhibition raise money for the CIC Recovery Fund, which supports and advocates for small businesses in need. In collaboration with Thinc design and the Artisans Guild of America, the CIC created an immersive labyrinth of art; jaw-dropping costumes are interwoven with truly enlightening educational content, bringing this intricate and often underappreciated work to our attention. Inside, we learn about the process from design to build, and the delicate marriage between individual labor and consistent, communicative teamwork. The lifeblood of a “look” appears to flow through a show’s costume bible; this binder is an essential meeting point for the team, and is filled over time with performer’s measurements, sketches, fabric samples (alongside source locations & pricing), fitting photographs, and more. Working from sketches, the makers spend hours selecting materials, establishing the correct cut for performers, deciding on appropriate embellishments, and developing a flawless fit that is comfortable, durable, and well-suited to the story. It truly does take a village to perfect these looks. Milliners, seamstresses, cobblers, bead experts, cleaners, pattern makers, pleaters, tailors, painters, and many more are involved. Not to mention that, for most shows on Broadway, every actor in the company will change outfits at least twice before the final curtain drops. Heartbeat Opera's Dragus Maximus Costume on Display at Showstoppers - Photo by Rebecca J Michelson Nestled amongst the exhibition’s magnificent displays, a handful of talented craftspeople are busy creating masterpieces, allowing us a front row seat to their working day. While there, I stumbled upon Camilla Chuvarsky, a milliner at the Lynne Mackey Studio, who was constructing a bridal veil for Hamilton’s Eliza. She explained that the matrimonial headpiece takes around 40 hours to complete and that, while the item may not be worn for long, it adds integral texture to our visual storyboard. Every little detail is a piece of the puzzle; in this case, a sweet, subtle bouquet of flowers (some vintage, some hand-made) in shades of pink, blue and cream cover the “band” of her veil, pairing perfectly with her dress and adding contextual layers to her story without distracting the eye. Some of the most time-consuming tasks lie in the tiniest of flourishes. Closely following designer Gabriella Slade’s sketches, the makers at John Kristiansen hand-placed over 18,810 studs onto costumes for the queens of Six The Musical , allowing the regal 16th century shapes to take on a sharp, contemporary edge. Polly Kinney, the Theatrical Beader for Aladdin , worked 10 hours a day for five months to complete the beading on Aladdin’s pieces. The beads themselves travelled many miles to reach Broadway, hailing from Austria, India, China, Japan, and the Czech Republic. The Lion King Costumes on Display at Showstoppers - Photo by Rebecca J Michelson The devil appears to be in the details, and not only with smaller items of clothing. Large scale pieces must be afforded the same level of attention, and are often more easily seen and scrutinized.. In The Lion King , large animal masks are worn above the face so as not to obscure the actors, but they must also be intensely expressive on their own to make an impression on the back row of the mezzanine. Up close, the mask for Scar is a fascinating study in contours. The makers chisel the lightweight material into a sly, cold expression, with hollows and cuts that give him a gaunt and menacing air. The features are deliberately asymmetrical, making him seem unbalanced, and his angular eyebrows steadily mock us. These subtle touches of personality tell the audience in no uncertain terms that this feline is not to be trusted, and all before he has even warned us to “Be Prepared.” Another major consideration for both maker and designer is the physical demands of a show. The garments may need to be danced in, handled roughly, lit up, used as props, or stripped off for rapid quick-changes backstage. In Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton , the female ensemble is almost in perpetual movement; therefore, their corsets were constructed using spandex panels to allow for flexibility while retaining the period aesthetic. When designing costumes for TV and Film, duplicates of many outfits must be made for the actors’ stunt double, and may require extra room or alternative tailoring to accommodate protective gear and padding. These costumes must stand up against deterioration and weathering, not to mention having to survive the actors themselves. We frequently credit writers, directors, musicians, and performers for the way that theatre makes us feel , but I believe equal kudos is owed to the artists that clothe our beloved characters. Any actor will tell you that those first rehearsals in costume are extraordinary; clothes have immense power and presence, and can elevate a performance from moving to mesmeric. To the audience, they are the first impression we have of a person. For an actor, it can mean the donning of armor, or stripping away of inhibition. Clothes lead our perspective in more ways than we realize and when handled expertly, they not only embellish the exterior shell, they inform the interior life. ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Margaret Vergara MINNEAPOLIS — AiR TOUR — Issue 8 "Van Gogh Irises" by Margaret Vergara Margaret Vergara sM | What is the one social issue that your art speaks to the most? MV ── Mental health. I’m very open when talking about my struggles with mental illness and how it shows up quite often in the themes of my work. My work is centered around the theme of exploring the relationship and interaction of joy and pain in the same space. I started painting when I was 8 years old, and while it started as a fun, creative outlet, it eventually became a way for me to transmute my negative emotions into something pleasant and calming. Now my most effective and powerful paintings are the ones where I felt an overwhelming emotion and transformed it into an abstracted landscape. Continue the AiR tour in print: ISSUE 9 | ISSUE 10 Sign Up to K eep Up! Our newsletter brings you the best in the visual and performing arts. Exclusive interviews. Global coverage. Local perspectves. sM | What have you accomplished in your residency? MV ── I’ve done quite a bit of live painting and digital collage-making. Most of my current work is abstract. I tend to create pieces based on the emotional state I’m in, so it’s been a challenge trying to come up with new ideas of what to paint after I’ve exhausted my emotions. I’ve really enjoyed revisiting painting more traditional landscapes, but still finding ways to make it feel like it’s still in-line with my voice as an artist. When I collage, it’s a whole different process where I center play and experimentation. I’ve had a lot of fun creating collages using van Gogh’s work, and I discovered so many pieces I had never seen before during my research and collection phase. sM | What inspiration do you get from artists around you? MV ── I’m very lucky to be a part of Public Functionary’s incubator program, Studio 400, so in my studio practice I’m surrounded by eight other incredible emerging artists. Often I’ll peek in on my studiomates’ work and be inspired to try a new technique or they’ll lead a workshop where I’ll learn new forms of making I had never considered before. We also have conversation labs, so if I’m ever stuck and need ideas on how to move forward, I have folks I can turn to for advice or validation. We uplift each other while building community, and it’s great being around artists with new and exciting perspectives. PREVIOUS NEXT

Tom Gabbard Introducing the CEO of Charlotte’s Blumenthal Performing Arts WORDS BY EMILY TRACE | SAN FRANCISCO | VISUAL ARTS MAR 21, 2023 | ISSUE 3 Tom Gabbard by Jeremy Lewis ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE ​ ​ Tom Gabbard is no stranger to theatre: as CEO of Blumenthal Performing Arts, he presents the largest annual season of Broadway productions in Charlotte, along with works by 16 local theatre companies across six different venues. But what about Blumenthal’s co-production of the uniquely immersive, cutting-edge engagement offered by the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit? According to Gabbard, IVG Charlotte “represents a next step in how we approach the theatre. It gets audiences up out of their seats, from having a passive experience to a much more active one.” Combining European-style digital art, a historic venue seemingly tailor-made for both Charlotte and Van Gogh, and a comfortable way to return to the arts after COVID, “it feels like a next chapter for those of us who work in the theatre business. For Blumenthal specifically, partnering with Lighthouse Immersive to bring IVG to Charlotte fulfills an ongoing commitment to attract global talent while also honouring local culture. “It’s about blending big, bold international ideas with wonderful, exciting ideas from our local artists, and interweaving them in a really meaningful way. Sometimes that convergence of international and local can be problematic, because it isn’t done respectfully or authentically. But I think we’ve learned to really embrace both.” In this vein, IVG is modelled on Blumenthal’s three-year presentation of the London hip hop festival Breakin’ Convention in Charlotte, which they proudly dubbed “the best from around the world and around the corner.” “With Immersive Van Gogh ,” Gabbard said, “we’re finding exactly the same thing.” Gabbard added, “I know of no other city where an organization like ours has such a huge presence in the regional community. With that comes a lot of responsibility, but also a lot of opportunity, since our being enablers is really going to make a difference for some of these artists. We can shine a very bright light on them and make the public aware of what they do and why it matters.” In this season’s production of Immersive Van Gogh , international collaboration and innovative audience engagement both stem from IVG’s unique European style of digital art, which has now been featured in cities across the US, Canada, and abroad. Gabbard himself, however, had already been a fan of the exhibit long before IVG Charlotte was ever dreamed of. Gabbard spoke warmly of Lighthouse Immersive co-founder Corey Ross’s initial pitch: “Corey called me and began to describe the show’s success in Toronto and its style. But I said, ‘Corey, you don’t have to explain that to me!’ I pulled up my iPad, because my screensaver was a picture from the Atelier des Lumières in Paris, which I’d already visited several times. I said to Corey, ‘I’m already a fan!’” Before IVG Charlotte, Gabbard had worked with Ross and his team on numerous theatrical shows. “To expand that team, adding Svetlana and others,” Gabbard said, “has been a real joy. We’re thankful we’re dealing with partners who have good taste. It’s important for us as tastemakers here in Charlotte to bring high-quality productions here. So we have to have partners whose taste we trust, and I do very much trust Corey and Svetlana and the creative team they’ve engaged.” Gabbard also stressed his appreciation for Lighthouse Immersive’s willingness to help him make the production, in his words, “Charlotte’s own.” His comments were aimed at IVG’s installation in Camp North End’s historic Ford Building, a 1924 Ford assembly plant that is now surrounded by art galleries, boutique shops, and local eateries. Aside from housing a heaping slice of American and Charlottean history, the unique venue also bears a special connection to some of van Gogh’s most memorable subject matter, representing the 20th-century equivalent of the working-class farmers and craftspeople the artist frequently painted. “They toiled in the fields, they got their hands dirty,” Gabbard explained. “And the building we’re in in Charlotte is exactly that.” As Immersive Van Gogh continues to expand into new markets, Gabbard’s comments made clear that the show’s ultimate value stems as much from its thoughtful situation in different local environments as it does from the core artwork. “At the heart of it is this beautiful digital art that Massimiliano has put together. But then how it’s implemented and what it’s surrounded by are totally unique in each city, and uniquely reflective of that city. At a certain point in time, fans will find it well worth the trip to visit these various sites and compare and contrast them.” Gabbard described IVG’s implementation in Charlotte as creating a sense of discovery for ticket-holders. “Most people who have bought tickets have never been out to this site. It’s literally only a mile and a half from our Blumenthal theatres in downtown, so it’s really close by, and yet people haven’t been there. So, this whole experience is an opportunity for us to tell a story of discovery. When you buy a ticket to Immersive Van Gogh Charlotte, you’re going to discover what for many will be their first experience with this European-style digital art. And you’re going to discover some things about Van Gogh. But you’re also going to discover this incredible industrial site that’s just now beginning to be revitalized.” Finally, it’s worth asking where something like IVG Charlotte lands coming out of COVID. On this point, Gabbard was proud to note, “It lands perfectly.” At a time when performing arts organizations like Blumenthal are concerned about whether people will be comfortable getting back to shoulder-to-shoulder seating in large auditoriums, Immersive Van Gogh ’s more open, spacious layout offers a kind of middle ground on the way to more conventional theatrical productions. More importantly, IVG’s pivotal role in many patrons’ personal narratives of returning to the arts cannot be overstated. Reflecting on this aspect of the experience, Gabbard observes that, “for many people, this is their first time coming back to a public event. I have literally seen people tear up over that. Not just ticket-buyers, but also some of our staff, who have been without this kind of work for a year and a half and are back for the first time. They’re tearing up, because they’ve missed it so much.” ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

In One Ear, and Out the Other Separating tall tales from truth in the case of van Gogh’s ill-fated ear WORDS BY SHERENE ALMJAWER & MICHAEL ZARATHUS-COOK | ROME | LIGHTHOUSE IMMERSIVE STUDIO SESSIONS NOV 28, 2022 | ISSUE 8 ​ ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE ​ ​ Avid admirers of Vincent van Gogh could no doubt describe Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear in great detail. He sits in solemn contemplation, a thick blue cap concealing his now infamous red hair. Penetrating, still blue eyes gaze out from a hauntingly gaunt face. An open window, a Japanese print, and a canvas on an easel wait patiently behind him. And, as the work’s title suggests, a bandage swaddles his ear. Which ear, you ask? That, to this day, is a hotly debated detail. van Gogh gifted us with an extraordinary insight into his artistic process and psychological state; a swathe of hand-written letters between himself and correspondents deftly piece together the pivotal details of his life. However, conflicting witness accounts (alongside the impishly perplexing self-portrait) have planted seeds of doubt regarding the specifics of his notorious self-mutilation. Not only do we doubt which ear was chosen for the razor-blade guillotine, but we are also left questioning how much was removed, who removed it, and who received the bloody reward after the fact. One thing is certain; people are still hunting for the truth, and are keeping their ears to the ground for clues to this day. Let’s begin with the question of which ear he chose for the chopping block. Several reputable resources, including the official Van Gogh Museum of the Netherlands, The Courtauld Institute of Art, and The History Channel, confidently affirm that the severed ear was his left . However, on viewing the portrait itself, it seems obvious that the chosen ear was his right. To unpack these conflicting messages, we must consider what we know of van Gogh as an artist. van Gogh painted some 36 self-portraits over the course of 10 years, but not out of vanity. At the time, hiring models to sit for portraits was too expensive an option for the impoverished artist. Therefore, in order to hone his skills as a portraitist, he used himself as a model, a cheap and effective alternative which allowed him to master the craft. It has therefore been argued, and widely accepted, that by painting himself using a mirror, our eye has been tricked by the mirror-image that we are receiving, and we therefore falsely believe that the damaged ear is on the right side, not the left. This has been a point of confusion and debate for decades. Over 30 years ago, tucked between advertisements for Broadway shows, among a flurry of letters discussing politics, Palestine, andFranz Schubert’s sexuality, lies an example of the relentless dispute between left and right in the pages of The New York Times . On September 17th 1989, the paper posted a response on their Letters page from reader Scott A. Bailey, remarking on a recent article by John Russell entitled “The Ear in the Mirror.” Bailey argues that Russell is “in error” by stating that the severed ear was the right, asserting that, “in the days following his self-mutilation, van Gogh painted his self-portraits in front of a mirror. Hence, bearing the reverse image.” Bailey’s response to Russell’s article does raise another interesting question; he goes on to state that van Gogh removed “the lower lobe” of the ear. However, owing to the work of art historian and author Bernadette Murphy, we now know more. At first, it appeared that contrasting witness accounts, from that time, were the only pieces of evidence at our disposal. Some claimed it was only the lobe that was removed, while others believed it to be the entire appendage. Revelatory new evidence came to light when Murphy released her book, Van Gogh’s Ear , in 2016, claiming she had unearthed a vital document while investigating the archives of Irving Stone. Stone was an American writer, who had travelled to Arles, France in 1930 to interview van Gogh’s doctor, Félix Rey, hoping to gain information for his upcoming novel, Lust For Life . While searching through Stone’s archives, Murphy discovered a sketch penned by Dr. Rey himself; having torn a scrap of prescription paper from its pad, Rey illustrated the arc of van Gogh’s wound. The drawing clearly indicates that almost the entire ear was removed. As previously mentioned, several witness accounts from the time had suggested otherwise. A particularly pertinent letter from French artist Paul Signac was written after visiting van Gogh in hospital and claimed that it was the lobe only, and “not the whole ear”. However, when revisiting that letter, Murphy found one line stating that on his visit, van Gogh was “dressed as usual, wearing a band round his head and a fur cap.” During a talk at the Morrison Library at UC Berkeley, Murphy unveiled that it was at this point that she realized no-one had ever seen the ear uncovered, rendering Signac’s assertion that it was only the lobe to be unsubstantiated. Some might wonder at the relevance of this new information. In a blog article for The Arts Newspaper online, Martin Bailey rightly states that, “the main point is that van Gogh was in such a disturbed state that he severely mutilated himself. But it would still be instructive to know the extent of his injury. If it was the entire ear, it suggests that van Gogh was determined to cause maximum damage and possibly death. If it was just part of the ear, it could have been more of a plea for help.” Extensive research, alternative theories, and new information help us piece together parts of van Gogh’s psyche that allow us to appreciate and understand the artist in new ways. Additional facts surrounding the event have been contested over the years. While most believe that this was an act of self-harm, two reputable German academics, Hans Kaufmann and Rita Wildegans, published a book in 2008 offering an alternative theory. In Van Gogh’s Ear: Paul Gauguin and the Pact of Silence , they argue that Gauguin severed the ear with a sword and that the two artists had kept the truth a secret from the world. There has also been doubt cast upon who van Gogh gave his ear to. Murphy addresses this point in Van Gogh’s Ear , claiming that, contrary to popular belief, the artist did not bestow his ear upon a local sex worker named Rachel, who was employed at a local Maison de Tolérance. Instead, Murphy states that he bestowed the trophy upon a maid named Gabrielle who worked in a brothel in Arles. This would seem to contradict information from other sources, such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Van Gogh Gallery online. Writer Adam Gopnik, in a 2009 article for The New Yorker entitled “Van Gogh’s Ear,” discusses Kaufmann and Wildegan’s book, arguing the following point; “It’s tempting, and not altogether wrong, to dismiss the question as trivial, or beside the point. But ears do not haunt ages without reasons.” The incessant deliberation, investigation and intrigue in this case proves that we are not yet satisfied on all points of this bloody story. Additionally, the legend of this historic event continues to permeate our everyday lives, our artistry, and our cultural spaces. On Whiskey Row in Prescott, Arizona, you can find the Van Gogh’s Ear art gallery. In Union, New Jersey, you may step inside the Van Gogh’s Ear café for an evening of good food and live music. And just this year, Paste Magazine named American rapper and painter ZelooperZ’s newest work, entitled Van Gogh’s Left Ear , one of the best new albums of 2021. ZelooperZ’s album art pays tribute to van Gogh’s self-portrait, a bloodstained, contemporary rendition of the original set against a swirling backdrop of Starry Night . However, ZelooperZ has switched the direction of the subject around; he is facing left, with the blood-soaked bandage seeping into the stark white fabric of his left shoulder. Is this, too, a mirror image? Is the picture we’re viewing a reflection, an impish trick leading us to believe the opposite of what is true? The subject stares steadily outwards with a stoic, unreadable expression; perhaps he’ll keep this secret to himself, and let us revel in the joy of discovery on the road to the truth. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Angela Davis: Seize the Time An Exhibit Fit for a Larger-Than-Life Activist WORDS BY MICHAEL ZARATHUS-COOK | HONG KONG | VISUAL ARTS SPACES NOV 11, 2022 | ISSUE 9 Angela Davis speaks in DeFremery Park at Free Huey Rally - Photo by Stephen Shames, 1969, Oakland, CA - Photo Courtesy of the Exhibit ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE "Free Angela" by Herb Bruce (1971) - Photo Courtesy of the Exhibit Angela Davis Speaks to the Press - Photo by Stephen Shames, February 1972 - Photo Courtesy of the Exhibit The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) honors activist Angela Davis with Seize the Time, an exhibition detailing her career, accomplishments, and legacy. The exhibit runs from October 7, 2022 until June 11, 2023. Seize the Time debuted at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum earlier this year. Like OMCA’s recent exhibitions, All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 and Hella Feminist , Seize the Time connects local activism and history with national impacts and worldwide phenomena. The exhibit features four main sections: the first gives visitors background on Davis, the second and third detail her arrest and its aftermath, and the final section covers mass incarceration and Davis’s work on prison abolition. The exhibition opens with a biographicalsection on Davis, cataloging her work as an educator, her activism, and how the two affected each other. This opening section includes posters, archival newsprints, collages, and photographs from a variety of sources. One of the most prominent source collections is an archive put together by activist and curator Lisbet Tellefsen . These objects and artworks give visitors a background of who Davis was in the years leading up to her arrest: a professor at UCLA, a Communist Party member, and a prominent leader in the Black liberation movement. The second and third sections of the exhibition cover Davis’s imprisonment, her trial, and the effect it had on the world. In 1970, Davis was placed on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list while retaining many supporters across the nation. Art, primary source materials, and quotes from Davis herself illustrate the divided nature of the public regarding her trial. They also show how this tension was reflective of larger societal issues affecting the nation at the time: for example, how the “Free Angela” campaign became synonymous to many with “Free all political prisoners.” These efforts culminated in an international grassroots campaign supported by staunch activists and everyday people alike. Historical political paraphernalia and works from the Black Arts Movement give viewers an idea of the diverse ways in which the public supported Davis and others seeking political asylum. ​ Seize the Time’s last section takes a macroscopic look on mass incarceration by interweaving historical context, contemporary artwork, and Davis’s own work on prison abolition. In recent years, media like 13th and The New Jim Crow made connections between slavery and the modern-day prison industrial complex. This exhibit builds upon that foundation, showing viewers how Davis’s biographical history and work post-trial mapped the movement’s greater trajectory. This final section is a testament to how Davis’s status as a cultural icon continues to inspire artists and activists to create and spread an intersectional awareness of social issues such as civil rights and feminism. Furthermore, the exhibit features tangible takeaways and connections to current events, which, when combined with Davis’s legacy, will inspire visitors to collectivize, advocate and trigger change in their own communities. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Tony Taylor Toronto artist with a unique take on portraiture WORDS BY TASH COWLEY | QUÉBEC CITY | STUDIO SESSIONS STUDIO SESSIONS NOV 18, 2022 | ISSUE 4 Tony Taylor ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE "With A Little Help From My Friends" by Tony Taylor ​ En route to my favourite butcher in Toronto’s Kensington market this past summer, I noticed a loose line forming along the sidewalk. Would-be buyers pointing, chuckling, and then eventually buying one of Tony Taylor’s wood-block prints from his pop-up kiosk. The most striking feature of his style is perhaps how swiftly it explains itself to the curious observer: various icons of pop culture are depicted with their heads replaced with that of an animal. It’s in the succinct pairing of various heads, with variously famous bodies, that Taylor’s wit—and artistic flair—comes through in vivid colour. This unusual approach to portraiture is (literally) backed-up with an unconventional wooden canvas that make the artworks very hangable. I bought myself a trio of basketball bodies with complimenting animal heads (a cobra, a t-rex, and a goat— I’ll leave you with the mystery ) and made a mental note of the artist behind the work. Taylor joins smART Magazine now to reflect on how he arrived at this fascination. sM | How would you explain this fascination with superimposing the animal form on the human form? TT — For myself it all started with politicians and economists. I wanted to show they were driven by animalistic behaviours that are often not in the best interest of the population they were supposed to serve, instead of dominating. Replacing their faces with animal heads was an easy jump when I first started thinking about how to best achieve my inclination. In the beginning, I was more interested in the body language of the figures than who they were or their political status. After pursuing the series for a few years and hearing people project their ideas about who the people in suits were. I started thinking about how I could portray them in a way that people would be able to tell who they were. I was choosing animals that could mock or create a more untrustworthy feeling but, as the years have passed, I’ve used the style to make the human form more loveable in most cases. People often say my version of the Queen as a corgi is quite flattering. sM | How do you go about pairing a particular celebrity and animal? Is there a rule of thumb, or are you inspired by one before setting out to find the other? TT — Lately I’ve been embracing some literal connections with the subject’s first or last name—or well-known nicknames in various sports. People really enjoy seeing a good pun occasionally. In other cases, I usually start with a celebrity and think about which dog or cat might best suit their personality. I’ve been getting inspired by pop culture the most lately, both past and current pop culture. I really enjoy seeing people’s reactions to their favorite movie actor or sports icon in a new way that somehow makes more sense to them with an animal face. I keep a running list of ideas for different genres that I’m always trying to troubleshoot. www.tonytaylorart.com IG: @tonytaylorart ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

7 Podcasts for the Dancer in You Seven Dance Podcasts You Need to Tune Into WORDS BY NICOLE DECSEY | DANCE IN MOTION NOV 14, 2022 | ISSUE 9 Photo by Jeremy Fokkens ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE From Why Dance Matters: Count Me In Masterclass with Kimberly Wang at Carnegie Hall Iana Komarnytska of the Belly Dance Life Podcast - Photo by Pedro Bonatto Dancers around the world collectively felt at a loss when theatres and studios closed due to COVID-19. Their practices and way of life got turned upside down. For many, this took the form of shows streamed online and classes moving to livestreams on Zoom—but it didn’t stop there. Dancers have also waded deeper into the world of filmmaking and podcasts. Like with almost every other industry throughout the pandemic, podcasts have become an invaluable resource for dancers. From shows about healthy lifestyles to shows that talk with industry professionals on inspiring artists across all career levels, there is a podcast for everyone. The curators of these podcasts have found a new outlet for their creativity while broadcasting to new and potential audiences across multiple platforms. In some ways, the dance world has never been more connected. Here is a breakdown of some of the best and most interesting podcasts on the scene. Take the time to listen to the podcast that best suits your life—who knows, they just might provide the advice you have been craving as you navigate the next phase of your artistic endeavours. A little inspiration from a fellow creative can go a long way. 1. Creatures of Dance Creatures of Dance is about contemporary dance in Israel and is part of the Tights: dance & thought platform in Jaffa, Tel-Aviv. Tights: dance & thought is a place to talk about local dance and its philosophy, history, politics, and more. Hosted by Yali Nativ and Iris Lana, Creatures of Dance explores Israeli dance through conversations with choreographers, artists, and scholars. This podcast began in December 2020 and has grown to a handful of episodes, each around an hour in length, that feature Israel artists such as Ohad Naharin, Yasmeen Godder, Niv Sheinfeld, and more. It is available on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and Google Podcasts. 2. Why Dance Matters Why Dance Matters is a podcast from London, England by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) asking artists across the globe how dance impacts their lives, and why it matters to them. It is hosted by David Jays, Editor of RAD magazine, the Dance Gazette . Why Dance Matters is in its third series having featured guests such as Gurinder Chadha, Dr. Guddi Singh, Ralph Heimans, Yami “Rowdy” Löfvenberg, and Joyce DiDonato, to name a few. Artists from all disciplines are interviewed to show not only why dance and the arts matter but also why we, the dance audience, matter. This podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify. 3. Belly Dance Life and Artist Date The Belly Dance Life podcast is hosted by Iana Komarnytska, a Ukrainian belly dancer based in Toronto. Her podcast features stories and tips from professionals in the belly dance world that are useful to all dancers, no matter their style and practice. Komarnytska is a belly dance teacher and offers online classes through the Iana Dance Club. She not only hosts the Belly Dance Life podcast but also has a blog and — along with photographer Pedro Bonatto — co-hosts Artist Date, a weekly podcast that discusses travel, creativity, inspiration, and living an artist’s life. Belly Dance Life can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts; Artist Date can be found on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Belly Dance Life is on its fifth season, but Komarnytska recently paused the release of more episodes due to the invasion of Ukraine. 4. Assemblé Dance Studio Coaching Claire O’Shea is a dance studio owner, dance instructor, and business coach based in Australia. She has created multiple businesses including Petite Performers Preschool Dance , Arts Education Co. , and her podcast Assemblé Dance Studio Coaching . In this podcast, O’Shea discusses the practical steps necessary to help grow your business with insights informed by both her own experiences and those of other entrepreneurs in the dance industry. As a business coach, O’Shea also offers group coaching, one-on-one coaching, and free on-air coaching calls that are recorded and turned into podcast episodes to help others who may be struggling with the same problems. Assemblé Dance Studio Coaching is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. 5. DanceWell Podcast The DanceWell Podcast is dedicated to sharing a wide breadth of knowledge on health and wellness for dancers. Episodes are released twice a month and feature practitioners such as dietitians, body workers, medical doctors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, conditioning experts, and psychologists. DanceWell is hosted by dance artists, Ellie Kusner and Marissa Schaeffer, and is based in New York. Some of the most recent episodes include “Food and Mood”, “Measurement in Dance”, and “In-Season Cross-Training”. Many dance teachers have started incorporating DanceWell episodes into their curriculums; add it to your podcast routine via SoundCloud, Apple Music, Stitcher, and Player FM. Lauren Ritchie of The Dance Podcast - Photo by Martine Martell 6. The Dance Podcast The Dance Podcast is hosted by Lauren Ritchie, a Calgary-based dance educator, mental skills trainer, adjudicator, and writer. The podcast was created to connect dancers and educators alike and provide the resources necessary for a long and healthy career. Ritchie talks with industry experts about mental health, education, a healthy mindset, and the commercial and concert dance worlds. The Dance Podcast has over 150 episodes available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 7. The Background Dancer The Background Dancer is a podcast hosted by Jason Yap, a professional producer, choreographer, curator, psychology graduate, and educator in Slovakia. The podcast focuses on all things offstage while exploring the possibilities of a post-performance career. Yap talks with dance artists from across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Topics in The Background Dancer range from management, entrepreneurship, education, technology, fashion, politics, choreography, interdisciplinarity, media and wellness. There are currently more than 35 episodes waiting for you on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

CONVERGENT DIVERGENCY TDT ends it's season with explosive juxtapositions WORDS BY MILES FORRESTER | Toronto Dance Theatre MAR 23, 2023 | COMMUNITY Peter Kelly, Yuichiro Inoue, Megumi Kokuba, Rachana Joshi, and Purawai Vyas in “helix” choreographed by Atri Nundy. Lighting design by Noah Feaver. Costume design by Valerie Calam. Photo by Marlowe Porter ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE Megumi Kokuba and Rachana Joshi in “helix” choreographed by Atri Nundy. Lighting design by Noah Feaver. Costume design by Valerie Calam. Photo by Marlowe Porter Roberto Soria, Kelly-Ann Johnson, Devon Snell, Erin Poole, and Jocelyne ‘Jaws’ Cardenas in “GIVE ME ONE” choreographed by Danah Rosales. Lighting design by Noah Feaver. Costume design by Diséiye. Photo by Marlowe Porter Convergent Divergency is the kind of title that would be familiar to anyone who's ever had to put a group of artists together. It sounds like theory and it's open enough for most practices to reside in its dialectic. That said, the success of Toronto Dance Theatre's last show of the season owes a small part of its success to the seed that title planted. Atri Nundy's helix (a Bharatanatyam-informed minimalist exploration of forms) and Danah Rosales' GIVE ME ONE (a joyous exhibition from Toronto's kiki ballroom scene) are both excellent works. When paired, they're an incredibly cohesive program. It's not that one departs from the other, or one creates the ground for that departure; each piece has something revealed by their compliment. helix begins with Megumi Kokuba centre stage, spotlighted, in a posture of arrested movement. The performers surrounding her (fellow company members, Yuichiro Inoue and Peter Kelly, along with guest Bharatanatyam dancers, Rachana Joshi and Purawai Vyas) move so slowly, both forward and back, that the minute torsion in Kokuba's waist is genuinely surprising. You'd regret missing it, but you'd also regret focussing and missing the whole composition. Eschewing any kind of pyrotechnics (that comes later) helix highlights the ensemble's attention and peripheral vision. Atri limits the vocabulary to movements that feature the spine: bends, twists, crouches, and one (and only one arm) being raised by each dancer. Using these building blocks, they create eclipses, chimeras, and architectures where fingertips converge (hey, there you go!) across the space of the stage. Composer, Nancy Thavaruban, creates looping figures featuring cellist, Dante Alaimo, that keeps the intensity just below the surface, this is a meditative piece but it's in no way sleepy. The second movement, Metronome , foregrounds a pulse, with each member cycling through numbers out loud in individuating rhythms, paces, and limits (5, 6, 9, maybe more). Like the introduction, one performer will take your attention, leading you to their terminal number, and another dancer will interrupt and confuse you as a listener. When Thavaruban's pulse stops, and the dancers return to their first formation in silence, a mixture of relief with sustained tension remains. Roberto Soria, Jocelyne ‘Jaws’ Cardenas, Erin Poole, Devon Snell, Kelly-Ann Johnson, and Matthew ‘Snoopy’ Cuff. Photo by Marlowe Porter After a short intermission, the doors burst open with house beats by GIVE ME ONE's composer, myst milano, beckoning the crowd inside. The dancers loom over, greeting us as we come in, “Don't be Shy!” Garments provided by stylist, Diséiye, drape from and dot the railings and stairways all the way back to our seats. Once everyone’s resituated, the dancers dress and showcase their outfits to us individually, “So warm!” company dancer, Roberto Soria, exclaims, stroking a humongous lime-green puffer coat. This instrumental hospitality is not only an introduction to the personae and trappings of ballroom culture, it creates a genuine euphoria within the audience. Following the rigorous calm of helix , Danah Rosales has landed a perfect punchline. Matthew ‘Snoopy’ Cuff in “GIVE ME ONE” choreographed by Danah Rosales. Lighting design by Noah Feaver. Costume design by Diséiye. Photo by Marlowe Porter Comprised equally of company members (Soria, Devon Snell, and Erin Poole) with stars from Toronto's ballroom scene (Kelly-Anne Johnson, Matthew ‘Snoopy’ Cuff, and Jocelyne ‘Jaws’ Cardenas) GIVE ME ONE is structured around vignettes. There's a hilarious dueling read between Snell and Poole, Snoopy’s Solo to “That’s The Way Vogue Goes” by Vjuan Allure, silver runways glowing under Noah Fever’s lighting design, and ultimately, a climactic battle royale. Each section builds on the other, not only showcasing the moves that define ballroom but also how community is formed through loving combat. When Jaws lands the first dip and the audience starts screaming, it feels earned. The controlled chaos of intersecting limbs, spins, and percussive dips also contains moments of synchronized motion, cohering and veering out. Maybe this is the moment the entire evening catches onto itself as an organic whole. From these dynamic poses to helix 's assemblage of postures, recognizing this continuity feels like discovering a new element. ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Nick Lee CLEVELAND — AiR TOUR — Issue 8 "Knowledge at Your Leisure" by Nick Lee Nick Lee sM | One social issue that your art speaks to the most? NL ── One of the social issues that remains in my work is representation. When I grew up, as a young Japanese American, I did not have many role models that looked like me in the media. Fast forward to myself as an adult and the same thing could be said about the art community in America. White Supremacy has bled into the art world, with the majority of the works in museums in the United States being created by white men, and portraits shown in museums of only white people. This does not reflect the world we live in, nor my life as Asian American. The Continue the AiR tour in print: ISSUE 9 | ISSUE 10 Sign Up to K eep Up! Our newsletter brings you the best in the visual and performing arts. Exclusive interviews. Global coverage. Local perspectves. work I choose to do reflects portraits of minorities, like myself, who are not represented well in our media and in art. When people, especially children, look at paintings and can see themselves represented, it gives them the permission that they can achieve their own dreams. sM | What have you accomplished in your residency that you're proud of? NL ── I got to share my culture as a Japanese American and paint more diversity for the public. I painted many works based on my Japanese heritage from wooden dolls to kabuki masks. I was never informed about my own culture in public education. If I can bring more attention to Japanese culture and art to the great city of Cleveland, then it pleases me. My work seeks more representation in painting. I chose to paint the security guard, Matt, who works at van Gogh Cleveland too. Matt’s portrait is based on van Gogh’s Postman portrait. This allows African American people to see themselves in a traditional painting. A young boy was so excited to see that painting and to see himself represented. He even took a picture with Matt in front of the painting. These incidents make me proud as an artist, because people feel seen in the work. sM | How does it feel being a staff member and a resident artist at the same exhibit? NL ── In the summer of 2021, I searched for a long time for a job that would be creative and fulfilling to me, a recent graduate. When I got hired to work at Immersive Van Gogh Cleveland, I felt really blessed to find a job in my field and to work at a place that appreciates the arts. I feel that this was a great transition from getting my BFA in painting to working full time. Then I became the Artist-in-Residence for this wonderful job, and I felt honored that I was chosen to represent van Gogh and his work. We celebrate the life of Vincent van Gogh by cherishing his paintings and I feel I do that when I am a host or painting at the venue. My favorite part about working here is talking about van Gogh’s life, and his paintings, with the guests and staff. PREVIOUS NEXT

Jeff Alexander: President of the CSO "The state of the organization was overtly and intentionally keeping people out." WORDS BY EMILY TRACE | CHICAGO | MUSIC THE smART Ensemble MAR 21, 2023 | ISSUE 3 President Jeff Alexander by Olga Nabatova ​ ​ Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily LISTEN NOW https://loveinexile.lnk.to/preorder Cody Fry LISTEN NOW www.codyfry.com Víkingur Ólafsson ON TOUR NOW www.vikingurolafsson.com Samara Joy LISTEN NOW www.samarajoy.com Bruce Liu ON TOUR NOW www.bruce-liu.com Disney Animation: Immersive Experience TICKETS ON SALE NOW CLICK HERE ​ ​ President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 2015, Jeff Alexander is well-known for navigating difficult situations calmly and receptively—a skill that one the world’s most renowned orchestras needs to steer safely through 2020’s myriad of challenges. sM | What kind of programming has the CSO been developing over the past year? JA ─ When the pandemic hit we all had to shut down so quickly on March 12, a day we’ll never forget. In Chicago, the mayor announced a ban on public gatherings and the governor extended that by 60 days. We turned to our musicians and asked what they would like to do, because of course they love playing together in ensembles and orchestras. They were eager to help the organization and the community, so it evolved pretty quickly though May and June. Most of our activity involved members of our orchestra recording videos from home: they were short, really quite endearing, and musically excellent. The viewership was wonderful; some were getting viewers in the multi-millions from around the world. As we started thinking about the fall and the fact that we were not going to be able to present live performances, CSOtv was born in discussions with the senior management team and the marketing department. There were also discussions going on on a national level with the American Federation of Musicians, since orchestra member’s contracts are written for normal circumstances. So CSOtv was a good collaboration with our orchestra members and their union. Normally we would have 80-100 people on stage, but we measured our stage and how many people we could fit while keeping everybody 6 feet apart. We came up with 45 musicians—about half the orchestra. So we planned some chamber music programs that only needed 10-15 musicians and some that only needed 45. A lot of baroque and early classical. The first four or five weeks of programs were strictly chamber music: octets, quartets, septets, etc. We decided not to do live streams for a couple of reasons: we didn’t have the technical equipment and also felt that it would put too much pressure on everyone involved. We are fortunate that we have a wonderful photographer/videographer on retainer who’s been with the orchestra for over twenty years. And of course, our Music Director Riccardo Muti participated in finalizing the programs as did Vice President Cristina Rocca, and off we went. Simultaneously, we wanted to make sure we were producing some educational programs as well, and we just launched the third one a couple of weeks ago. These are wonderful short videos that are available for free to the general public. sM | Do you foresee CSOtv becoming a permanent installation post-pandemic for the folks who can’t make it to the auditorium? JA ─ We’d have to get funding for it since the costs currently outweigh the revenue; we charge about $15 per episode, and depending on the episode we’ll have anywhere from a couple hundred to several thousand people watch it. But yes, I think, going forward we will continue to have some kind of online video presence. Right now, it’s wonderful because it’s keeping our musicians active and keeping us in front of our subscribers. And the CSOtv episodes have already been viewed by people in over twenty countries around the world and in most of the fifty states, so there’s a much broader geographical exposure even though it’s a fewer number of people. One of our main responsibilities as a performing arts organization is to give people pleasure, and joy, and comfort. It doesn’t make any sense from a financial standpoint, but it makes sense with our mission. sM | How has the CSO responded to the massive reckoning with racial representation happening across sectors that began in 2020? Do you see the CSO’s African American Network and Latino Network playing a more involved role moving forwards, perhaps in programming, recruitment, educational access for young musicians of colour, or how the CSO can evaluate its own culture of inclusivity? JA ─ About a year ago we were taking a look at our board governance document which outlines the responsibilities of our Board of Trustees, and it had not been refreshed for several years. We observed that there’s very little that speaks to diversity, equity and inclusion. So we said, let’s fix that. We added a requirement that the Trustees would make certain there was a focus on DEI by mandating that the administration reports annually on what progress has been made. Over last summer and into the fall, we established five framework groups, each with a different focus on DEI: one for music and musicians, education of course, Trustee recruitment and retention, administration recruitment and retention, etc. The members of the framework groups are a cross section of trustees, the orchestra, the chorus, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the administration. So these five groups are working on plans for how we can advance DEI within the organization. sM | The question of blind auditions was hotly debated when a NY Times article came out arguing for an end to the practice of blind auditions for the sake of conscious diversity. JA ─ That was an interesting and controversial article; in the case of the CSO—and I think this is true of most orchestras, not all, but most—blind auditions had been our tradition going back forty or fifty years to correct the lack of gender diversity. And we don’t screen resumes; everyone who applies is invited to audition. Now… not everybody attends ; let’s say 200 people send in their resume; we then send the list of repertoire that’s going to be asked of them during the audition and that usually reduces the number. We have preliminary auditions all behind a screen, so anyone who performs has the opportunity to be successful. Then we do a semi-final round where a very large pool has been narrowed down to ten, still done behind a screen. Typically, a final round has maybe three people left. Then, the screen’s been coming down at the end. And one could say that gives you the opportunity to discriminate in the final three, but the rationale behind taking the screens down has always been that when hiring someone to play in the orchestra, it’s important to see how they hold their instrument; if they’re a string player, the bow arm is very important. And also sometimes in the final round, especially for winds or brass, we might have the finalists play duets with a member of the orchestra just to see if the sound blends. Two or three years ago when we last had our collective bargaining negotiations, the musicians suggested that we change the audition regulations so that we leave the screens up even during the final round. To prevent discrimination of course, but also sometimes someone’s student is in the final round, or a spouse, or a friend, and it’s better just to keep the screens up until the end. Post-pandemic, I think we will be leaning more towards leaving the screens up. sM | How did artistic leadership react to 2020 and what was the atmosphere like? Did that change the mission and the sense of urgency felt within the organization around DEI? JA ─ About a year ago we were taking a look at our board governance document which outlines the responsibilities of our Board of Trustees, and it had not been refreshed for several years. We observed that there’s very little that speaks to diversity, equity and inclusion. So we said, let’s fix that. We added a requirement that the Trustees would make certain there was a focus on DEI by mandating that the administration reports annually on what progress has been made. Over last summer and into the fall, we established five framework groups, each with a different focus on DEI: one for music and musicians, education of course, Trustee recruitment and retention, administration recruitment and retention, etc. The members of the framework groups are a cross section of trustees, the orchestra, the chorus, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the administration. So these five groups are working on plans for how we can advance DEI within the organization. I’ve been with the CSO for six years and when I came to the organization it was clear to me that it was a very open and embracing organization. Of course if you look at the staff, or the orchestra, or the board you would say, “Come on. It’s not diverse enough.” That clearly was the case and it’s still the case. It’s definitely an issue; what I didn’t observe is that the state of the organization was overtly and intentionally keeping people out. And certainly, though there are a number of African American trustees, LatinX trustees, Asian trustees, the numbers were not big enough and we’re working on that, same for the administration. It’s not easy; it's never easy. But we’ll see improvements because of 2020. It’s opened our eyes even further; prompted us to ask, “Can’t you see what your organization looks like? Don’t you think it should look different?” And we all agree that it should look different. I’ve come up against no resistance and in fact, quite the contrary, I feel a warm embrace of the activities we’re undertaking right now. On the side of the orchestra, where we feel we can be helpful, is in the education of young musicians. Because it is hard to win an audition into a symphony orchestra and it’s really hard to win an audition into the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—or Cleveland, or Boston, or New York, or Toronto and Vancouver. So we’re focusing on a program we founded a couple years ago called the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative in partnership with six other local performing arts organizations, funded by the Mellon Foundation. The goal is that every year we’ll identify fifty young musicians of colour selected through an audition process—not blind, of course—and then they’re mentored by professional musicians. They’re coached, they take private lessons, they take part in mock auditions, all to prepare them for the life of a professional musician. And we were so proud at the end of the first year that seven seniors of those fifty were successful in winning auditions with conservatories. What happened in 2020 put an incredible focus on the lack of diversity in our organizations and incredible focus on how people of colour have been treated in the United States. It’s been there since the beginning. There’s an interesting line between not overtly excluding people of colour from the organization and overtly welcoming them. sM | What’s a best practice that you could recommend to smaller performing arts institutions that may be struggling to clarify their vision forward in these times? JA ─ I take the philosophy that the two most important things to do during times like this are doing whatever we can to keep our employees well taken care of, and to do whatever we can to keep the people who benefit from our activities as connected to us as possible. But for the small organizations that have lost all of their earned revenue, one would hope that their donors are remaining faithful to them. They’ll need to take the long route, plan for the future, keep their artists healthy however they can so that when this ends, they can emerge in as good a condition as they possibly can. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIND US IN PRINT 2-ISSUE PACKAGE | 3-ISSUE PACKAGE | 5-ISSUE PACKAGE Supported by Nominated for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture

Ava Lambert MINNEAPOLIS — AiR TOUR — Issue 9 “Irises” by Ava Lambert Ava Lambert sM | How does this exhibit fit into the artist community in Minneapolis? AL ── This exhibit was very in tune with its surroundings and really utilized the creative potential of the local artistic community. It provided opportunities to local artists not only through the residency program, but in many other ways. Inside the venue, a large mural of Starry Night over the Mississippi (inspired by van Gogh’s Starry Night over the Rhone ) was painted by local artists. Many of the exhibit employees, whom I met during my residency, were also artists or involved in other art exhibits. So much of the life and design of Minneapolis originates from its local artists, and this exhibit was no exception. Continue the AiR tour in print: ISSUE 9 | ISSUE 10 Sign Up to K eep Up! Our newsletter brings you the best in the visual and performing arts. Exclusive interviews. Global coverage. Local perspectves. sM | What have you accomplished in your residency? AL ── My main goal going into this residency was to expand upon the exhibit’s purpose and spread van Gogh’s art and an awareness of his life in a unique and accessible way. I decided to do this by recreating his artwork on weatherproofed outdoor garden rocks. This way, van Gogh’s artwork could live outdoors — somewhere it’s not typically seen and in a fashion it’s not typically experienced. The outdoor aspect also tied into van Gogh’s and many Minnesotans’ love of nature. It was great to have so many people learn about and take home his works through these rocks. sM | How has the pandemic transformed your mission as an artist and priorities as a creative? AL ── The pandemic has made me realize just how much of my love for art is the act of sharing it with others. During the first lockdown, I began to test my ability to engage an audience. I began a project series called #WalkArt, where I created and placed detailed fine art paintings on rocks and logs alongside walking paths. Many would find the tagged art and send a message, or even leave notes by the paintings. I have continued to push myself creatively since then by joining an artist studio, leaving sketches for others to find, or painting on other non-traditional materials, like snowboards. This time has proven to me that creativity can come from, and is often needed most in, even the darkest moments. PREVIOUS NEXT