A provincial artist in New York...
I’ve returned to New York for the second time, once again for meetings and presentations, for work, with the strange feeling of being crushed by the city day after day...
...but at the same time filled with creative energy.
I left taking many more precautions than the last time—U.S. border checks have become more arrogant and aggressive. I was advised to be careful, and I must say I was quite nervous. It went well in the end, though borders always leave an impression on me. Geographic maps, with all their borders, are ultimately drawn by regime artists—obedient cartographers.
But New York is something else, it’s creativity, contrast, beauty, kindness, noise...
The first event took place in Brooklyn at the Salotto venue, where Elettra and I presented our book “Zodiac” in a space full of creativity and intelligence. Together with Julie Trébault, we spoke about Ai Weiwei and the process that led us to create this book with him. It was moving, intense, and deeply meaningful to share this journey with him.
Here’s a group photo with Emiliano Ponzi, who was instrumental in organizing the event, and with all the other wonderful people who helped make it unique: Gabriel, Giulia, Vittorio, Gabriele...
Here to see all the photos: [link] Photo by Alex Kroke
On a warm evening in the East Village—not far from where Allen Ginsberg lived and where Ai Weiwei studied as a young man—Elettra read Zodiac, our book, while my drawings were projected on the screen.
It was an intense event, organized by Seth Tobocman.
On stage with us were also Peter Kuper, Larimar Lora, and the band Continuity of Struggle.
It was a magical evening, immersed in that American underground we continue to love. A special thanks to the Francis Kite Club for their hospitality.
Here to see all the photos: [link]
After many years of virtual acquaintance, I finally met Sarah Leah Whitson in person—lawyer and director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), the project founded by Jamal Khashoggi, and former director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch.
I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with DAWN in the past, and given the strong connection between our work, I’m confident new collaborations will emerge in the future as well…
For a top-secret project, Elettra and I visited the RKO headquarters in Manhattan yesterday.
RKO Pictures is a historic film production and distribution company, one of the most iconic from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Among its most famous titles: King Kong, Citizen Kane, Top Hat, The Big Sleep… and many other masterpieces that have shaped the history of cinema.
I met with the students of the comics course at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, in Seth Tobocman’s class. This course has a long and meaningful history, having helped shape many of the most important voices in contemporary comics.
Over the years, SVA has had among its faculty some of the most influential comic artists and contemporary visual storytellers, including Will Eisner, Seth Tobocman, Howard Cruse, Martha Rosler, and Kris Kovick.
SVA was one of the first art schools in the United States to offer a dedicated program for comics and visual storytelling, marking a pivotal shift in integrating comics into formal art education.
It was an honor to share my experience for a few hours at this school.
Priscilla Grim is a remarkable person, and I finally have the chance to meet her here in New York, outside the virtual world. A digital strategist, writer, and proud Nuyorican, she lives in Brooklyn.
She has been part of several communications teams tied to social movements, including the social media team of Occupy Wall Street on Facebook and Twitter, The Occupied Wall Street Journal, and the We Are The 99 Percent blog on Tumblr. In 2010, she co-founded RealPunkRadio.com.
When she’s not working at her standing desk, you can find her in a city park, observing graffiti, listening to music, and writing with the hope of a turning point that could benefit all living beings on Earth.
Goodbye New York, it was beautiful...
Actually, it was amazing.
