Venezuelan Artists Speak Out
Responses from Venezuelan Artists to the US attacks, shows to see in Los Angeles and Upstate New York, and someone stole Joan of Arc's sword in Paris.
Happy Armenian Christmas to our readers who celebrate. Remember the days when some of us had to actually convince people that American imperialist adventures like the Iraq War were more about stealing the country's oil than "promoting democracy"? Who needs any convincing now when the American president makes no effort to hide his real intentions?
Yes, the US invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, are all about seizing the country's oil reserves, the largest in the world. However, for many Venezuelans who had suffered under Maduro's autocratic regime, it's not so black and white. Today, we hear from five Venezuelan artists and cultural workers about their nuanced feelings in this historic moment. Their responses are raw, complex, and worth your time.
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
Venezuelan artists and art workers Javier Téllez, Jeffly Gabriela Molina, Vero Bello, Cassandra Mayela, and Silvia Benedetti — who witnessed the bombings firsthand in Caracas — respond candidly to the US attack on their country this weekend.
News
Paris police arrest a man suspected of stealing the sword from an equestrian sculpture of Joan of Arc at the Place Saint-Augustin in the city's 8th arrondissement in broad daylight. The suspect will undergo a behavioral assessment.
Guides
10 Art Shows to See in Los Angeles This January
Olga de Amaral’s refined material spectrum, Marianne Vitale’s tainted minimalism, Marina Stern’s architectural precision, and the work of seven Indigenous women artists who reclaim their own representation, depicting their struggles, strengths, and resilience. | Matt Stromberg
10 Exhibitions to See in Upstate New York This January
Joyce Kozloff’s tenacious spirit, Nina Katchadourian’s eccentric universe, Linda Mussmann’s political stance against passivity, and fun-loving mythical paintings by Michael McGrath. | Taliesin Thomas
Apply for Rent-Free Studio Space in Brooklyn Through the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program
The residency program awards 17 visual artists a year of rent-free studio space in New York City. Applications are due by January 15.
From Our Critics
When Isolation Is Your Only Companion
Bill Rice’s depictions of New York’s Lower East Side are paradoxes of bleakness and sensuality, gloom and intrepid spirits. | John Yau
John Singer Sargent’s Essence in a Brushstroke
Though it offers little in the way of Sargent’s artistic engagement with the city he called home for a decade, “Dazzling Paris” is a reminder of his uncommonly skillful brushwork. | Olivia McEwan
Member Comment
Adrian Rifkin on Ed Simon's "The Egalitarian Vision of Nativity Scenes"
From the Archive
The Zombie Life of Venezuelan Museums
Citizens deserve to know where and in what conditions the artworks find themselves in the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art. | Gabriela Rangel
