Hi folks. This issue taps into contemporary craft. It wasn’t intentionally a choice informed by the season, but it feels right to contemplate our own crafts at the end of the year—a season of endings, reflections, and new opportunities. We approached this topic from many different angles, from traditional craft to craft and tech. In this issue’s features, our “Studio Visit” features Bonnie Lynch, who has dedicated her career to hand-built, smoke-fired ceramic sculptures. In a dispatch from Las Vegas, Nevada, Marcus Civin profiles artist Justin Favela, who pays homage to the piñata in his sculptures and installation work. Robin Babb profiles five contemporary craftspeople spanning hat- and boot-making, botanical perfumery, weaving, and fruit-based syrups. Tamara Johnson takes a deep-dive into the world of dance technology and the potential for tech to shape the crafts of choreography and performance.
In our columns, “New Mexico Women” profiles Navajo nurse-midwife Nicolle Gonzales, who is the founder of Changing Woman Initiative. Our Portfolio features work by Tommy Bruce and the subculture of furries. Our book review features a monograph of work by David Deutsch (published by Radius Books). And our “National Spotlight” is a dispatch from LA on an exhibition of work by Philip Guston at Hauser & Wirth. Also in this issue, we debut a re-working and expansion of our reviews section that allows us to cover more shows in each issue!
In keeping with the season, one last feature is a year-in-review piece in which Krittika Ramanujan interviewed nine New Mexico curators on the exhibitions they found to be most compelling or important in 2019, and what they are most looking forward to next.
Lastly, we have a few big events coming up in December! One is the opening of the exhibition (N) at Southwest Contemporary on Friday, December 13, 6-8 pm. (N) is a three-person show with L. Marta Andersson, Nate Massé, and Chase Stafford, and is curator by artist and SWC contributor Clayton Porter. The exhibition will be on view through February 14, 2020, but we hope to see you at the opening!
Second, our second salon event Better Wednesdays Vol. 2 will take place on Wednesday, December 18, 6-8 pm at the beautiful Wheelwright Museum library, and is sponsored by our friends at the Santa Fe Workshops. We were blown away by the presenters and response we had to Better Wednesdays Vol. 1, and can’t wait to present this special program again with a fresh line-up of performances and talks. Due to the overwhelming response, registration is now required (!), so please visit southwestcontemporary.com to find the ticket link (suggested donation $15). Lastly, proposals for presentations at upcoming salon events are accepted on a rolling basis. We are looking for an eclectic array of work, talents, and interests! Find the submission form on our website.
Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!
In gratitude,
Lauren Tresp
editor + publisher, Southwest Contemporary + The Magazine
lauren@southwestcontemporary.com
1415 W Alameda St, Santa Fe, NM 87501