Exchange Visitor

A Bibliophile’s Guide to the Book Business

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Enobong Essien always knew that she wanted to share her love of stories with others. Growing up, she surrounded herself with books and eagerly read whatever she could get her hands on. Her passion for reading led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, writing in her spare time for her blog, Coconut Confessions.

For the past three months, Enobong has been interning with Booklist, the American Library Association’s review journal for public and school librarians. Booklist reviews over 8000 books each year to help librarians select books, develop their collections, and advise readers. As an intern, Enobong has received a crash course in magazine publishing and an overview of the American publishing world. She’s also had the opportunity to review books for the Booklist blog.

We caught up with Enobong to hear more about her internship experience and her must-dos in Chicago!

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

My J-1 experience has taught me a lot about adapting to a new workplace and making new relationships. Career-wise, I know now that I definitely want to enter into publishing, and I feel like I have a better idea about how to enter into the industry. It has opened my eyes to see that there are people as passionate about books and publishing as I am.

What was your favorite memory from your exchange experience?

My favourite memory is actually doing the mail with the other intern here. I had no idea just how many books are published every day and the range in qualities. I do wonder how there is a market for some of the books we open in the mail. My other favourite thing has been writing reviews. I love to read anyway, but it’s nice to add another purpose to reading for leisure.

What was your favorite thing to do in Chicago?

My favourite cultural activity was going to the downtown lighting ceremony and parade. The parade was unlike anything we have in England. I’ve also enjoyed attending live sports games, I’ve seen a football and a hockey game. But I love how metropolitan Chicago is and how vast the music scene and varied the arts and museum scene is. I spent a lot of my free time attending live music events and exploring art galleries and museums. Chicago also has some spectacular architecture, and in October, they had an open house, opening up otherwise private buildings to the public. I was allowed into City Hall and saw the inside of some amazing buildings. Plus, I got to see Hamilton, which was outstanding!

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States? 

The advice I would give is to dive fully into all opportunities available to you. Americans are very friendly people, and it’s easy to make friends, which I would highly encourage.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Cultural exchange means stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing fully the new culture that you are a part of. It means taking risks and trying new things.

To read more from Enobong, check out her blog, connect with her on Twitter, or follow her on Instagram!

Finding New Meanings in American History and Culture

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In her doctoral research at the University of Hull, aspiring curator Elizabeth (Lizzie) Rogers has typically focused on researching the collections amassed by women in the eighteenth century England. But this past summer, Lizzie had the opportunity to expand her understanding of collections by interning at Stratford Hall, a historic American house museum in Virginia. During her internship at Stratford Hall, Lizzie worked extensively on the Margaret Law collection, researching its origins, re-cataloguing it through object research and photography, and creating an online exhibition that included pieces from the collection.

Beyond her research, the location of Lizzie’s internship gave her a unique insight into how collections and historic homes are preserved in the United States, an often contentious topic as the U.S. reflects on the figures and practices of its history. Stratford Hall was the home of the Lee family of Virginia and the birthplace of Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Interning at Stratford Hall led Lizzie to consider how American history and the diversity of the American people intersect, as well as the debates surrounding the presentation of historical culture. “[Museums] have such an important role to play in considering how things should be preserved and how messages perpetuated by monuments and places change over time,” she explains.

We caught up with Elizabeth to hear more about her experience at Stratford Hall and how her internship inspired her new career path as a curator.

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

Being able to undertake a curatorial internship in the U.S. has had a big impact on my life and future career aspirations. It gave me the chance to travel and explore new places, which, as I was on my own and meeting people for the first time, really built my confidence and also taught me how much I enjoy it. I realised very quickly I want to work towards a career in curatorship and public history – being able to be so hands on with historic objects was so interesting, and I was able to gain experience in putting together exhibitions both in physical spaces and online. The way history is communicated to the public and the opportunities made available for public engagement are so important, and gaining experience in these areas at Stratford has helped me to focus my career goals.

What was your favorite memory from your exchange experience?

My exchange program is certainly one I will never forget – I had such a great time that it is difficult pick one favourite memory! I loved helping to put together an exhibition on the Stuart family at Stratford Hall – it was really fun helping to get the space ready and getting the objects in place, including dressing a mannequin with a dress from the early 1900s. I loved visiting Jamestown – I have always wanted to visit, so was really excited when I found out I was spending ten weeks in Virginia and knew I had to go. In the end, I went twice, which was so fun! I should also probably mention the weather – I think I only experienced about a week’s worth of rain in the whole time I was there, which was so nice for someone who is used to British summertime! It was also amazing to spend time visiting the museums and galleries in Washington, DC, Boston, and New York when I finished – as well as trying all the food and drinks. My new favourite place is Georgetown Cupcake, so I’m really sad we don’t have one in the UK!

What was your favorite thing to do in Stratford?

I was lucky enough that my internship covered Stratford Hall’s Wine and Oyster Festival, which was held in mid-September. It was such a great weekend trying local food and wine, alongside perusing the stalls from local artisans and listening to local musicians play.

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States? 

I think my biggest piece of advice would definitely be to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you. I wanted to make sure I tried lots of new things, from foods to going to my first ever baseball game (which was great fun – I would definitely go again!), as well as trying to visit as many places as possible.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

I think cultural exchange means the chance to surround yourself with new people and learn from them and their experiences, as well as taking in the history, culture, and heritage of the place you are staying in. I think it also means the chance to share things from your own culture, discuss how things are different or similar and learn from each other. It is so important to ask questions of the friends you make, learn where you can and enjoy immersing yourself in a different place.

 

To read more from Lizzie, check out her blog, connect with her on Twitter, or follow her on Instagram! 

Behind the Scenes of “Little Evil” with Alex Campbell

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Filmmaker Alex Campbell has developed an impressive international career that spans film, television, commercials, theater, and photography. Based in London, the young writer and director was awarded the inaugural Sundance Ignite fellowship after his film Journey Home won the Sundance Ignite “What’s Next” challenge in 2016. Alex’s most recent short film HUSH premiered at the British Film Institute and has since gone on to win awards at film festivals in North Africa and Europe. His films Journey Home, The Trench, and HUSH have also been screened at a number of prestigious International Festivals around the world, including the Africa International Film Festival, the Encounters Film Festival, and the Aesthetica Film Festival.

Last year, Alex participated in IA&A’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and spent five months as a film production trainee on the set of Little Evil, an American horror-comedy film that was recently released on Netflix. In the movie, a recently married man named Gary (played by Adam Scott) wants to bond with his stepson, who seems to be a bit unusual. Soon, Gary begins to fear that the boy might be the anti-Christ and chaos (naturally!) ensues. As a trainee, Alex spent his days with the film’s production team, shadowing the director and learning the in-and-outs of post-production.

To get in the spirit of Halloween, we caught up with Alex to hear more about his experience working on the set of Little Evil and how his exchange helped advance his filmmaking career back in London.

What was it like to work on the movie’s set?

I started my traineeship in the film’s “prep week”. During this first week, I had the opportunity to take part in table reads, assist during storyboard review sessions, and sit in on major production meetings between the director, director of photography, and other heads of department. This was a great opportunity to really meet and get to know the crew, and allowed me to get great time shadowing and interacting with key members of the production team as they ran test shoots and made final preparations for the start of the production.My responsibilities and duties changed and adapted over the duration of the traineeship due to the ever-changing nature of a film production. As we moved into production, I received mentorship on how to make the frame surrounding the main action feel alive and natural for when directing background and extras. I also had the chance to shadow the director and production team during shooting and assist them with day-to-day tasks of all kinds whilst receiving on-the-job training and guidance.

The duration of my traineeship was spent deeply integrated in the Assistant Director’s (AD) department. The AD department works with all members of the production team and was the ideal place to gain an overview of the entire production as they work and liaise daily with the camera, lighting, grip, electric, hair, and makeup departments. There is never a dull day on set, with so many locations and set ups, from monster truck stunts to household interiors. Every day was energetic and different with each posing its own challenges and rewards!

How has your on-set production training advanced your career as a filmmaker?

Since my traineeship, I have learnt so much through shadowing and working alongside numerous members of the production team for the entire shoot. The placement has given me a chance to gain an understanding of the style and process of the key creatives involved in bringing Little Evil to life. From their techniques and craft, to how they shoot a scene, and to an insight into how Eli, the film’s director, directs actors and his crew to achieve his vision.I felt as though I had undertaken a complete crash course in the rules, rights, and wrongs of making a mid-budget feature and gained a greater understanding of how an independent film is made, both on- and off-set in the United States.

Since returning from the United States, I’ve continued working as a director back in the UK, most recently completing a documentary called Voices of Britain commissioned by the British Film Institute for broadcast by the BBC. I have also recently taken a position in the creative production department at the London School of Fashion where I work directing content for their internal and external clients.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Having spent time in Cleveland, OH, and Los Angeles, CA, I’ve experienced different ways of life, different cultures, and the different interests, passions, and work that creatives in America are exploring today. I gained a greater understanding, empathy, and interest in the American film and arts culture, along with a set of friends, teachers, and mentors who I hope to spend time with and collaborate with for a very long time to come.From visiting LACMA and The Broad, to roller skating and big sporting events, to seeing film premieres and being invited into artist’s personal studios, to meeting with filmmakers at the Sundance Film Festival, this opportunity has given me the best insight I could have imagined into the “American Experience” and how that differs from what I grew up with in the UK.

I think the ability to share with those that I met along the way my experiences and perspectives from growing up in the UK, and to hear their stories, is at the heart of what cultural exchange really means to me.

 

To see more of Alex’s work, check out his website, connect with him on Twitter, or follow him on Instagram! 

Gohar Dashti: Here & There, Then & Now

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Gohar Dashti works at the intersection of art and society. The Iranian artist has spent more than twelve years navigating the various social issues of the world through photography, bringing sensitivity and empathy to the art form. Trained at the Fine Art University of Tehran, Gohar often draws on personal life events in order to build bridges between the personal, universal, real, and political. Her work is inspired by her surroundings, her memory, and her personal perceptions, and it sparks important dialogues about conflict, citizenship, and civility.

International Arts & Artists (IA&A) is proud to have supported Gohar in her early career as a participant in IA&A’s ArtBridge program. In 2008, Gohar was part of a group of six emerging and mid-career Iranian photographers who visited the United States to participate in ArtBridge (pol-e honari, in Persian), a unique exchange program coordinated by IA&A’s Cultural Exchange Programs. The aim of this one-of-a-kind exchange was to establish relationships and networking opportunities between American and Iranian visual artists and arts professionals, and to promote mutual knowledge and cultural awareness in the two countries. A principal focus of ArtBridge was to explore the role of the arts in local communities in the United States and Iran.

Before her visit to the United States, Gohar told IA&A:

Growing up in the period that there were no relationships between Iran and U.S. made us (as a new Iranian generation) curious to know what [it’s] like to go and experience life in [the] U.S. As a photographer, I have always been interested in different cultures and the influences that one can affect from his/her culture.

During their three-week visit to the United States, the group attended workshops that examined the history of art in cultural hubs, held roundtable discussions, and went on visits to artists’ studios, galleries, museums, universities, and other cultural organizations. The program culminated in The Burden of Representation: Contemporary Iranian Photography, an exhibition of the artists’ work at IA&A at Hillyer (previously Hillyer Art Space). The ArtBridge exchange proved to be a visit full of dynamic interactions, new experiences, and exposure to varying perspectives.

Since her participation in ArtBridge, Gohar has become an internationally-acclaimed photographer with exhibitions at prominent museums and galleries around the world including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), the Mori Art Museum (Japan), the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), and the Contemporary Art Museum (Tehran), to name a few. She has participated in multiple artist residencies and has received numerous awards and scholarships, including the MacDowell Colony fellowship (Peterborough, NH), the DAAD award (Berlin), and the Visiting Arts award, 1Mile2Project (London). Her work has been featured in various media outlets such as the Boston Globe, the Guardian, and the Huffington Post, with Forbes’ Jonathan Keats characterizing Gohar’s images of Iranian civil society as “a deep psychological truth.”

Gohar Dashti, “Today’s Life and War”, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist.

IA&A was honored to collaborate with Gohar on Urban Mapping, a new exhibition at IA&A at Hillyer featuring work by ten Iranian photographers and video artists. In her curator’s statement, Gohar explains:

Public spaces have long been the nurturers of urban life, economic and political transformations, and citizens’ social communications. When we utilize the public space composition, it means that we are considering the close relationship between the private space and the public space. People are always moving between these two spaces and the relations governing the two, bringing out fears and ties. The severity of these crises is revealed when the two grow further apart.

Urban Mapping reveals the impact of political and social transformations of pubic space on the collective experience of Iranian citizens. The exhibition uses photography and video as a tool for reflecting upon these public spaces’ new meanings. Urban Mapping will be on view at IA&A at Hillyer from September 1 to October 29, 2017.

A selection of work from Urban Mapping. Clockwise from top left: Arash Fayez, “Ramblings of a Flâneur”, 2008. Ghazaleh Hedayat, “Snake and Ladder”, 2012. Rana Javadi, “Enghelab Street, Tehran”, 1978. Saba Alizadeh, “Light and Soil”, 2011. Behnam Sadighi, “Ekbatan, west of Tehran”, 2004-2008. Mehran Mohajer, “Between & Non-Between”, 2017. All images courtesy of the artist.

From Tehran to Washington, DC, Gohar continues to create work that connects audiences through a shared humanity and promotes cross-cultural understanding. IA&A is amazed to see the incredible achievements Gohar has accomplished since participating in ArtBridge in 2008 and looks forward to seeing what she does next!

Alumni Update: Hyppolite Speaks at One Young World

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“At a very young age, my eyes have seen what no child should see; my ears have heard what no child should hear. That’s why I work with young people to halt the intergenerational transmission of hate for a much more peaceful future.”

#J1Alum Hyppolite Ntigurirwa recently delivered a powerful address at the One Young World summit in Bogotá. As part of the “Peace and Reconciliation” plenary session, Hyppolite shared with the audience how he is spreading his message of peace, using theater as a tool for healing, reconciliation, and peacebuilding in post-conflict communities both in Rwanda and abroad.

In 2016, Hyppolite participated in IA&A’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program as the first international young leader to be selected for Arts Connect International’s Artist-in-Residence program. During his program, Hyppolite connected with other artists and social activists, acquired key arts management skills, and further developed his artistic body of work. He continues that work today through his Be the Peace Initiative.

Watch his speech below and read more about his exchange experience here.

Puppet Love: Pulling on NYC’s Heartstrings

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Emily Whittingham’s unique internship experience is a fantastic example of the opportunities available through the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program! Challenging the stereotypical idea of an internship, Emily used the opportunity to follow her dream of becoming a puppet maker and hone her craft in New York. She landed an apprenticeship with Puppet Kitchen Productionsand spent this past winter working alongside some of the best puppet makers in the business.

Each apprentice at Puppet Kitchen Productions also has the opportunity to work on a project of their own during their program. For her project, Emily created a puppet of the Carpenter from Lewis Carroll’s poem The Walrus and the Carpenter. After hearing more about her time in New York, we can’t help but compare her J-1 experience to a Wonderland-like experience!

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

It’s been a life-long dream to live and work in the United States. I adore the variety of culture, environments, people (and food!) that America has, and the animation and puppetry scene is incredible. My J-1 experience has given me the chance to taste both life and work as a puppet maker in New York City, one of the most famous and bustling cities in the world! I have learnt so much in both puppet making and living in a new country, and I feel I am ready to take on the world!

What was your favorite memory from your exchange experience?

In December, I helped at a sock reindeer workshop in Bryant Park. It was so amazing to see the amount of people eager and excited to make reindeers, even the freezing cold didn’t stop us from having a great morning! And to add to that, my mum visited that week and she made a reindeer too!

What was your favorite thing to do in New York?

New York City is a world of its own, and it’s so diverse with so much to offer, especially at Christmas, where everywhere is lit up and decorated so beautifully! I love just being able to step outside and find something new each day. Particular highlights for me have been the American Museum of Natural History, ice skating in Bryant Park on Christmas Eve and seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade first hand!

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States? 

Don’t hesitate and just go for it! You won’t regret it.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

To me, cultural exchange means taking the step outside of your own home and culture to live in a new land and experience a new culture. And with somewhere as diverse as New York City, I feel that cultural exchanges happen almost every day!

To see more of Emily’s incredible work, check out her website, connect with her on Twitter, or follow her on Instagram!

One City, Two Stories: A Double Feature with Arielle

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What could be better than one incredible cultural exchange experience? Two! Just ask Arielle Estrada, an aspiring filmmaker from France who spent the past year in San Francisco, CA, splitting her time between internships at two different host organizations. The first was at the California Film Institute (CFI), an organization that uses the power of storytelling through film as a way to educate, inspire, and entertain. While at CFI, Arielle helped to develop educational programs and manage special events, including the Mill Valley Film Festival. She also learned about the technical tools and skills necessary for video productions. At Canyon Cinema, a foundation dedicated to educating the public about independent, non-commercial, experimental, avant-garde, and artist-made moving images, Arielle was able to enhance her knowledge of film archives and preservation. Through these two distinct, yet complementary, internships Arielle was able to develop the skills that will help her become a well-rounded filmmaker.

We caught up with Arielle to hear about her exchange experience and how it has impacted her future career in filmmaking!

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

My experience has definitely been extremely positive both on a personal and on a professional level. I had the chance to be challenged at the California Film Institute, to be offered responsibilities and a diversity of projects to work on that gave me more confidence and ideas for the future. And interning at Canyon Cinema once per week was more like an opportunity to enter a world that brings a now-endless interest for me: the world of archives preservation and the culture of American experimental cinema! The connections I created in the Bay Area are one-of-a-kind and will remain very strong. In general, people here seemed to me to be extremely considerate, creative, and straightforward. I learnt a lot from the diversity and inventiveness of this place!

What is your favorite memory from your exchange program?

I enjoyed biking to the Canyon Cinema every week. I would enter this big industrial building full of workshops and studios, push open the door to Canyon Cinema and feel as if I was entering a secret place detaining a big slice of cinema history. At the California Film Institute, one of the best memories was leading the Young Curators summer program. It consisted in teaching a group of young movie aficionados how to curate a “Youth Reel” section for the Mill Valley Film Festival. We watched and discussed 150 short films in three days and it was wonderful! Another tremendous memory was producing a five episode TV series from scratch. In it, I would invite teenagers to be the hosts of the show and they would talk about a storytelling and filmmaking workshop they had participated at the California Film Institute many years ago. They would then comment on the evolution of their inspiration and stories.

What was your favorite cultural activity to do in San Francisco? 

A lot happens in the streets of San Francisco, particularly in the Mission district. Carnaval, Halloween, Pride Days, Dia de los Muertos, or regular Sundays at Dolores Park . . . these certainly were my favorite cultural activities. I enjoyed the beautiful performances and drag shows in SoMa, and regularly went to the BAMPFA events in Berkeley. As a person involved in film, I tried to go to as many theaters as I could and appreciated the variety of their styles. One of the best things about living in the Bay area was also the proximity of beautiful mountains and natural landscapes. The south coast of San Francisco was one of my favorite places to go.

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States?

In the United States, the work culture is very interesting. It is intense, but very challenging and you feel a real commitment to work collaboratively. There is also definitely a sense of “giving a chance” to young people and creators that I had never felt as strongly in other countries. Take advantage of it! Coming from Old Europe, North America felt to me like the land of optimism: if you are committed to what you are doing, you will find support and positivity. Finally, remember that you also have a lot to bring from your own culture and background. Your difference will really be appreciated by your hosts and you should not be scared to value it.

What does cultural exchange mean to you? 

It is hard to give a personal definition of what cultural exchange is because it feels like the words never fit quite well. I prefer the idea of intersections. It is more relevant with the way I have experienced culture and situated myself since I was a child in a complex network of cultural references and values. Nevertheless in a broad sense it could be learning humility and always putting in perspective what you think constitutes the core of your beliefs. It could be getting to know yourself better by knowing others, or reinventing yourself, getting multiple selves by becoming more creative. It could also be embracing diversity and be inspired by it.

To see more of Arielle’s amazing work, check out her website or follow her on Instagram!

Meet Stina-Laura, Our J-1 Intern from Estonia

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Did you know that International Arts & Artists hosts J-1 interns at our office in Washington, DC? We know #WhyHostingMatters and were lucky enough to have Stina-Laura Parg, an art history student from Estonia, join us for nine months to learn the ins and outs of arts management! During her program, Stina-Laura interned with IA&A’s Hillyer Art Space, our contemporary exhibition space that shows both local and international artists. She also spent time working alongside the team in IA&A’s Traveling Exhibition Service, where she researched and archived pieces from the Hechinger Collection.

While interning with IA&A, Stina-Laura was able to apply her arts management knowledge in a new context, assisting with exhibition preparation, installation, and promotion. She recalls that her favorite memories are from the installation weeks, “when we had one week to un-install the old exhibition and install a new one . . . at the end of the week we got to celebrate our hard work with First Friday exhibition opening with the artists and gallery visitors.” The exhibition openings were a great opportunity for Stina-Laura to interact with members from the DC arts community, including artists, collectors, and art aficionados!

Gohar Dashti, “Today’s Life and War”, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist.

Interning in the heart of a bustling city like Washington, DC, also offered many perks! Stina-Laura immersed herself in the city’s arts community, frequenting numerous exhibitions and panel discussions throughout her stay. The Smithsonian Institution museums in particular stood out as a highlight to Stina-Laura. “There is something for every taste,” she told us. Stina-Laura was also able to join IA&A for “Museum Morning”, our quarterly outing with our DC-based J-1 exchange visitors. Together with other interns from Cyprus, Singapore, and the United States, IA&A visited the newly-renovated East Building of the National Gallery of Art and the Library of Congress. Looking back on her exchange experience, Stina-Laura has some words of wisdom for future exchange visitors. “Do as much as you can and visit as many places as possible. The exchange time will end unexpectedly fast so don’t waste your time.”

A selection of work from Urban Mapping. Clockwise from top left: Arash Fayez, “Ramblings of a Flâneur”, 2008. Ghazaleh Hedayat, “Snake and Ladder”, 2012. Rana Javadi, “Enghelab Street, Tehran”, 1978. Saba Alizadeh, “Light and Soil”, 2011. Behnam Sadighi, “Ekbatan, west of Tehran”, 2004-2008. Mehran Mohajer, “Between & Non-Between”, 2017. All images courtesy of the artist.

Exchanges are a wonderful opportunity to learn more about a different culture, both as a participant and as a host organization! “This experience has been a wonderful chance to explore a culture very different from my own,” Stina-Laura told us. “For me, cultural exchange means the readiness to knowingly explore and learn about a new culture and its nuances from the culture and the people in it, not through someone or something else; and in turn, offer knowledge about my own culture.”

We loved having Stina-Laura with us and look forward to seeing what this next chapter holds for her! Are you interested in interning with IA&A? Check out the various opportunities available to gain hands-on gallery and arts management experience with IA&A’s Hillyer Art Space.

Artist Spotlight: Mia Daniels

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At International Arts & Artists, we love keeping up with our exchange visitors through the lens of their host organizations! This month’s artist spotlight features Mia Daniels, a J-1 scholar from Canada completing a residency program with the Textile Arts Center (TAC) in Brooklyn, NY. Mia was recently featured on TAC’s blog, where she discussed her creative background, influences, and time at TAC. Keep reading for more on Mia’s J-1 experience and follow her on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her incredible work!

A version of this interview was originally published on the TAC blog by Sam Crow.

Mia Daniels, one of our AIR cycle 8 residents, uses everyday objects to situate her work within a context where myth and the unknown reside. She aims to cultivate a sensitivity in her work as a way to consider uncertainty and the fragile divide between beauty and decay. During her time at TAC, she has discovered that engaging in textile craft in today’s world can embody both an experience of labour and luxury. Mia shared some words with me about her creative background, what influences her work, and her time at TAC.

On her creative background:

I grew up in a house filled with beautiful handmade textiles from different parts of the world: Guatemala, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Lao, Nepal, India . . . the art of my home, they embodied my experiences: an intimate recollection of travel, family, adventure, and the ability to immerse yourself in the joyous unknown. I remember my first encounter with natural dye: on the coast of Oaxaca exploring the intertidal rocks with my sister and friends, collecting catechol/snails and rubbing their special slime onto our heads, permanently dyeing Mexican hair a beautiful deep purple, while my sister and my fair hair turned a bright punk pink to mirror our sun-scorched skin.

Gohar Dashti, “Today’s Life and War”, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist.
On what influences her work:

An informative part of my practice comes from residing within the board cultures of snow and surf: a sort of modern nomadism in which living in cars, vans, tents, and on sailboats is intrinsically a part of the lifestyle. Through these experiences I have come to learn that limitations can be liberating. Such challenges can provide a framework for highlighting assumptions and questioning behaviors, beliefs, and values. It was within the ocean’s crashing waves in which I first encountered the simultaneity of chaos and fluidity, an abstract duality which challenges the black/white polarizations in which we are so accustom to in the grappling of sense-making in our unstable world – although at the time I might have described it more attune to experiencing the powers of freedom, beauty, and destruction all together tumbled within the crashing ions.

Gohar Dashti, “Today’s Life and War”, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist.

On her material choices:

I think that the use of everyday materials situates the work in a very real – not contrived – context, while a sort of ‘ad-hocism’ creates space for myth and the unknown. ‘At once elegant and in shambles’ is a sensitivity I aim to cultivate as a way to consider uncertainty: exposing the fragile divide between beauty and decay, if even there is one. Evidencing a lived culture, the materials allude toward the process or experience being the work itself. It is through this use of ambiguity in which the potential for a personal experience of discovery may lie: the viewer or participant has the opportunity to decide for themselves. I believe these balances are important, not as an either/or and not as propaganda, but as a platform to negotiate the problematic binaries which seem to make it difficult to embrace complexity and uncertainty.

On her experience at TAC:

I came in with the intention to learn skills of making and have been amazed at how some relatively simple and lo-fi methods, to spin fibers or to build up the chaotic structure of a felt fabric, for example, can be equally humbling and empowering. Through this material intimacy I am intrigued at how engaging in textile craft in today’s world can embody both an experience of labour and luxury. There seems to lie much potential for the slow, methodical processes of working with your hands – ‘remembering in our bodies’ the learned cultural wisdoms – to inform or (re)discover more intimate cultural expressions.

A selection of work from Urban Mapping. Clockwise from top left: Arash Fayez, “Ramblings of a Flâneur”, 2008. Ghazaleh Hedayat, “Snake and Ladder”, 2012. Rana Javadi, “Enghelab Street, Tehran”, 1978. Saba Alizadeh, “Light and Soil”, 2011. Behnam Sadighi, “Ekbatan, west of Tehran”, 2004-2008. Mehran Mohajer, “Between & Non-Between”, 2017. All images courtesy of the artist.

On what artists/art movements she looks to:

Most recently I have been looking to the Assemblages, Arte Povera, and Fluxes: Happenings and Collective Actions, and more directly to the ‘embodied actions’ and the ‘everydays’ of Andrea Zittel, Francis Alys, Franz Erhard Walther, Otto von Busch, Richard Wentworth, Yvonne Rainer. I often consider Rainer’s ability to reveal the poetic acts of the peculiarities of the ordinary performing body. In essence, it is about a shift in perspective through the reveal of a mundane-sort-of-magic – that which often goes unseen.

Check out the video below to see Mia in action and learn more about the Textile Arts Center Artist-in-Residence program here! 

Career, Culture, Cuisine, and Always Saying “Yes”

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By saying “yes” to every opportunity, Harrison Malone is living out the dream of most young professionals! He combined his passions for the creative industry and sports, landing a dream internship with PadillaCRT, a PR agency based in Minneapolis, MN. There, Harrison has struck a balance between working hard at his internship and enjoying everything the city has to offer! After he finished his first internship, Harrison decided to apply for a program extension so that he could continue to grow his communications skillset and further develop his professional network. We caught up with Harrison right before he started his second internship at CSL International hear all about the new experiences he’s embraced so far!

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

There are various impacts the program has had on my life and career. Firstly, I’ve fallen in love with the Twin Cities. It feels like home now in terms of the people I socialize with, the food I eat and how I navigate myself around. It’s cool to have more than one place I call home as it makes me feel like a global citizen. Secondly, I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside senior people in the creative industry. Being able to get their feedback on a day to day basis has been super valuable. I’ve tried to ask as many questions as possible as to apply the lessons they’ve learnt to my own career. Thirdly, having these roles on my resume will be of great value by the time I get home. I believe that I’m more employable having worked overseas at a young age and this will put me ahead of the pack. Not only that, but I’ve built up a great network of connections who I can turn to for job hunting advice.

What was your favorite memory from your exchange experience?

My favourite memory is incredibly hard to choose because there is so much to pick from. I think the number one experience has to be going tailgating and then seeing the Minnesota Vikings play. That whole day was a whirlwind and just a crazy experience. The giant nachos actually exist like in the Simpsons! Special mention to Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween as well as seeing it snow for the first time which is fascinating from an Australians perspective. I also look back fondly at the travel that I’ve done having been to New York, Chicago, Montreal and Toronto. There was one particular night in New York where I was with a friend from Melbourne and we just had the best time. We kind of joined in on a bar crawl in East Village, meeting some great people and then dancing the night away. We somehow stumbled upon the classic New York diner Katz’s on the way home which made the whole experience feel like a movie! The place was packed at 3AM and had these amazing smoked meat sandwiches. Highly recommend it.

What was your favorite cultural activity to do in your city? 

The culture in the Twin Cities is something that many people are unaware of. Some of the best and most diverse food in the world is here! My favorites include Burch in South Minneapolis, Punch Pizza and Rusty Taco in the North East and Skyway Wok in downtown. My favorite coffee shop, where I’ve also spent a lot of time writing, is Spyhouse which has a couple of locations all around the city. Another one of my favourite activities, especially in the fall, was going for runs around the Lake of the Isles. There was one particular run that I remember on a balmy October night, and the sun set was one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen, with the colors bouncing off the lake. I did a fair bit of riding in the warmer months as the bike paths here are next level good. I even rode to work. I’ve been to the football, baseball and basketball, with the ice hockey on my to do list. The record stores and vintage shops here are also world class, and on a Sunday I’ll often just go for a bit of a browse. The bars and breweries are again some of the best I’ve ever been to. I’ve spent many evenings at UpDown in Uptown (sorry about the tongue twister) which is an arcade craft beer bar. Pacman, Super Mario and Skeeball are some of my favorites there.

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States? 

I think the best advice for future exchange visitors coming to the United States is to say yes to every opportunity you get. It has been something my mum has been saying to me a lot, and I’ve tried to live my life with this always in the back of my mind. When you say yes often enough you’ll have interesting experiences, ones that you might find challenging, but the rewards far outweigh these challenges. My other piece of advice is that if you’re coming to the Mid West in winter bring a jacket. However, the cold is nothing to be afraid of. I now know what minus twenty feels like and it’s actually not that bad if you dress properly. The heating here is also so much better than back home, so you’re usually comfortable in short sleeves once indoors.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Cultural exchange to me means pushing boundaries and associating yourself with people you aren’t normally used to being around. It means giving the new culture a go, investing yourself fully in it and coming out the other side with a new perspective. It means being a great example of a person from your home country, showcasing all the great things it has to offer and educating people about it. It means inviting them into your home if they ever decide to travel there. It means asking questions about the new culture and trying to learn something new about it everyday. It means being friendly and respectful.