Hrag Vartanian
@hrag
Art Critic Futurist 🧬 Editor-at-large, cofounder of @Hyperallergic.com 🗽 Aleppo born, Toronto raised, Brooklyn based w/ @veken.bsky.social I tweet about art and politics because art doesn't exist in a vacuum.
Got to get a tour of Chris Borgia’s solo show (with the artist, pictured here) on Fire Island, NY. The building (Carrington House) has a fabled past as it’s where Truman Capote wrote Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
I wrote 4 catalog essays in the last year, incl. 1️⃣ @lindaganjian.bsky.social at Frontroom (Hudson, NY) 2️⃣ @claudhart.bsky.social at Francisco Carolinum (Linz, Austria) 3️⃣ Sara Siestreem at Missoula Art Museum (MT) 4️⃣ @pyaariazaadi.bsky.social at Pen & Brush (NYC) & wanted them to be on your radar.
Still processing my surreal experience at the Great American State Fair 🇺🇸 and how many times people approached me to pray.
Another drawing in the same show, sketch related to “Figure Piece (USA Birthing)” (nd)
The William Pope L. Show at the Drawing Center includes this painting from 1989–90, “Portrait aka The American Dream Is to Be Able to Think.” It’s a fitting tribute to the promise of this country while acknowledging its challenges.
There are also a few of these signs and bells on the way to the cabin announcing its presence.
How this will weather is anyone’s guess, but I’m curious if one of the local black bears will take up residence.
It references the history of garden hermits in the 18th century that saw the wealthy hire people to act out pastoral existences on their estates for visitors.
It was great to see @naylandblake.bsky.social’s new outdoor sculpture at Art Omi, “Haunt” (2006).
Knicks win and I’m at a watch party on Bedford Ave (Williamsburg) outside a smoke shop.
Saw the new Saltz/Smith documentary and it was a sweet story of their relationship and rapport.
I wrote an online piece (and made a video) about the situation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and how i would characterize it as a war to control our imaginations. hyperallergic.com/they-want-to...
I had to comment on this story coming out of SAIC (School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where a prof was put on leave for using a Palestine reference. Wild part is the provost who did it has made a career publishing about civil rights & whiteness. Like … wut?! hyperallergic.com/saic-puts-pr...
Met up with Dr. Nasser Mohamed, the first openly queer Qatari, who is helping create change in SWANA communities with his amazing activism. He’s dropping a song this month (it’s great!) and will be a spokesperson at the World Cup and other Pride festivities 🥳 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ He inspires me with all his work!