Interview with Jordan Griska

Philadelphia-based artist Jordan Griska was recently interviewed by emerging Philadelphia artist and 2010 Moore graduate in Fine Arts Kelly Kozma to talk about what he's working on now and how he lives and works in the city.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background as an artist?

I would say my interest in art started in high school, or even younger. I was into building skateboard ramps and things like that. If I needed something I'd try to make it myself. In high school I was more into drawing than building. I wasn't sure what it meant at the time but I enjoyed doing it. I grew up in a family of doctors but they were very supportive; maybe not in the sense of it being a career but they did support my work. I went to George Washington University on a scholarship. I started getting more serious about my work and realized it might not be the right place for me to grow, so after a year I transferred to Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA). I did a combined program with PAFA and UPenn (University of Pennsylvania) so I was able to get both the academic and technical training I needed. It was important for me to have a well rounded education and that is where I realized that I was going to be an artist.

Being a recent graduate myself, I am constantly getting the question 'What are you going to do now?'  It's definitely a time of uncertainty and can be a bit daunting. Can you talk about the goals you set and steps you took after you graduated to transition from student to working artist?

One of the biggest roles in my post graduation career was establishing a group of other artists to be around. I work collectively with 5 guys, all graduates from PAFA. We bring together our tools and ideas and feed off each other's energy. Setting goals is also important. You need to be constantly applying for things even if you are busy with your job.

Speaking of which, what is your day job?

I do a lot of construction, framing, and building stuff. It works because it's flexible and I can spend time in my studio. On a side note there is a gallery opening on Juniper, Jolie Laide, that is commissioning many large works from me so I will be able to pay myself with that.  But in terms of succeeding as a working artist you have to keep your motivation and ambition strong. Find out what's available to you and go for it. It's also important to set perimeters. Work in your studio like it's your job. My friends have said I'm the hardest working person they know without a "real job." I also recently became a fellow of CFEVA, which has allowed me to network and find more opportunities.  

You talked briefly at the Net Nights event about the injury you experienced during one of your performance pieces.  Did that affect the way you approach your work or provide inspiration for future pieces?

It definitely affected the way I approach my work.  A lot of times you get caught up in the creative aspects and forget the practical ones.  It opened my eyes and taught me to scrutinize everything, especially when it comes to performance pieces that interact with the audience.  I learned to open up to people and ask them for help when it came to the engineering of my pieces.  You can contact other universities and talk to artists who really know their stuff.  It's important as an artist to reach out for help. It's just like making friends and then you know all these people with different skill sets. Most artists are willing to help when they can. After the injury it didn't take long to get ideas for new projects though.  My body slowed down, but my mind didn't.

You mentioned your collaborative workspace, Philadelphia Traction Company.  Would you talk about the benefits of being part of a collective and how the group came together?

It started out with me and my friends John Greig and Billy Dufala. They were a couple years ahead of me at PAFA. They saw my work ethic and skill sets and we had similar interests.  We talked about getting a big space with inexpensive rent, where we could come together, share tools and make work.  It started out with the three of us and then grew to six people. The advantages? Well, six heads are better then one.  We all are doing different work and have different skill sets. Some guys are working with molds, others bronze...steel...wood.  So it's nice to have all these different areas of knowledge.  It's also six times the amount of money for tools and the space.  It's great when you are setting up for a show because you can ask for help without overwhelming one person.  I remember at my first solo show everyone came and helped out.  Where would you find funds to pay people otherwise? I think it works because we are all doing different stuff. If we were doing the same thing there might be more of a competitive nature. It's also the mentality of a group and learning to share.  I used to be really particular about my tools but I've opened up a lot and have learned that having a sense of community is more important than having my own possessions. Having someone else in the studio is great, even if you aren't talking because it makes you want to be there and work hard.

What can we expect to see at your upcoming show?

I've been working on these honor boxes, titled Honor Box Reflection. They are newspaper boxes that I cut in half and then weld back together; creating a symmetrical structure that gives the illusion of a reflection. I wanted to address natural disasters like Katrina and the whole impending apocalypse. I'm taking a common object from the street and manipulating it, making you imagine that you are looking at it in a flood. I wanted to take a look at the phenomenon of natural disasters, which seems to have heightened since I was a younger, and create a 3 dimensional sculpture out of a 2 dimensional reflection. The conceptual aspects are important to me but I incorporate aesthetic value into what I'm making too. You never know who is going to see your work and I want to create a dialogue with as many people as possible, not just other artists.

What goals do you have set for yourself as an artist? Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I'd love to be showing in New York and internationally; the wider the audience, the better. The more places you are showing, the more funds you can get. I lived in Italy for five months and did a residency in Switzerland and it was really great to find out how similar people are despite their differences in culture. There is a dialogue about art wherever you go. 

Do you think with recognition and money comes pressure to make a certain type of work?

It can, but the way I see it is that the more money you get, the more power you have to discuss what's important to you. It's a luxury to be able to choose what you can and can't afford to do. I want to create works that reach as many people I can. Different people and different audiences allow for more opportunities, which allow me to make more work.

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Exhibition featuring The Other Woman @ Moore

Collectively Speaking, Then and Now: The Philadelphia Ten and The Other Woman
June 25 – August 23, 2010
Wilson Gallery

Selection of works from the 1920s, 30s and 40s by members of The Philadelphia Ten from Moore’s archives and new and recent works by members of The Other Woman, a Philadelphia-based art collective whose members are Aubrie Costello, Laura Graham, Darla Jackson, and Laura McKinley. Both groups were formed by female artists most of whom were students at Moore College of Art & Design (formerly known as Philadelphia School of Design for Women) in order to cultivate opportunities for group critiques, discussion forums and exhibitions. Collectives have a long rich history in Philadelphia. This exhibition looks at one of the earliest all women collective artist groups and how the tradition persists today.

In addition to individual works and a new installation by The Other Woman collective, the exhibition features paintings by seven of the eleven first members of The Philadelphia Ten who presented their first exhibition at the Art Club of Philadelphia in 1917 including Theresa Bernstein, Cora Smalley Brooks, Isabel Parke Branson Cartwright, Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Nancy Maybin Ferguson, Edith Lucille Howard and Helen Kiner McCarthy.

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Michelle Ortiz upcoming events

Michelle Ortiz, a mixed-media artist and participant in Net Nights at Moore - Building a Creative Life as a Teaching Artist back in March, will be part of an artist talk with members of the artist collective Las Gallas at Taller Puertorriqueño, Friday June 4 and is opening an exhibition with artist Nora Hiriart Litz at Casa Monarca on Friday, June 11. See below for event details or for more information visit Michelle's website.

Artist Talk at Taller Puertorriqueño
Friday, June 4th 6-8pm
Lorenzo Homar Gallery, 2721 N. 5th St. Philadelphia PA 19133

Las Gallas, Julia Lopez, Magda Martinez and Michelle Ortiz, will give an artist talk about their exhibition "Lo Que Aparece y Desaparece" at Taller Puertorriqueno. 

"El Viaje" Opening Reception @ Casa Monarca
Friday, June 11th

6:30- 9:00 pm

"El Viaje" is a project created by artists, Nora Hiriart Litz and Michelle Ortiz, that brings together the emerging Mexican community in South Philadelphia to give them a voice to tell their stories. These women, men, and children communicated their similar struggles, sacrifices, triumphs, and realities as immigrants making the journey to the United States. 

Casa Monarca is located at 1448 S. 17th Street (17th and Dickinson Streets)

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Interview with Aubrie Costello

A graduate of Moore in 2007, Costello, an installation artist, has exhibited extensively in galleries and boutiques throughout Philadelphia including Projects Gallery, Tower Gallery, Studio C, Mew Gallery, Top Hat, Bus Stop Boutique, and The Random Tea Room. Along with three other Moore Alums, Costello founded the ladies artist collective The Other Woman in 2006 to plan exhibitions, group critiques and discussions in an effort to create new outlets and opportunities. Aubrie was interviewed by BSA students Amber Callahan, Christine Ferri and Chriztie Kaufmann.

Whenever you and the other members of The Other Women Collective exhibit together, do you work within a common theme or are all of the works of art independent from each other?  We know where our work is going individually but we gather throughout the year to throw ideas around about themes. It's a creative process that takes time and four people to really nail down a good, cohesive idea. 

In your artist statement, you mention that your inspiration comes from the "sex industry," "human desire," and the "uncomfortable things in the world." What about these topics intrigue and inspire you? As a woman these things fascinate me:  this male driven society, sexual outlets for men and how women are objectified. I’m fascinated with ideas about what makes a woman perfect in society's eyes, the role of the physical body of women, and how this emphasis on the body effects the psyche and intrigues men and women. 

Do you get a lot of negative criticism for portraying this side of life? No, but I sometimes feel it's the calm before the storm. I really want to start making art that might push the envelope a little bit. I want to put it out there, but not be so over the top so that people can't see past  surface to the deeper thought process behind my art. There are many artists who produce exciting and really crazy pieces, and I am trying to find the place that I am comfortable with, to be talking about those topics.

Are you worried? Is that why you haven’t gone there yet?

I think so. Darla [The Other Women Collective member Darla Jackson] and I call it being “Jersey nice.” I don’t know where my work is going next but a lot of it will be about sexuality and a women's place in the craziness of this world.

Can you talk about the importance of your material choices?

I use materials like glitter and silk that will evoke an idea or emotion that tells a story. I think that materials that are sparkly, pretty and girly furthers the story and gives the viewer an idea of where I am coming from. I like using ballons to show the passing of time, like deflated balloons say "the party is over.” Through the use of different materials I can further the story or mood for the viewer.

What would it take for your group to go from exhibiting in other peoples spaces to curating in your own space?

First we’d have to get a space! We’ve dabbled with this idea but right now I think we’re more excited about finding new places where our work fits. We would love to do more guerilla style exhibitions, such as the four of us going into the woods or abandoned houses to create installations and documenting them. We would like to curate shows with other artists but we still need to continue showing together to develop our voice a little bit more before we would curate within our own space. We're still not 100% sure we would do that. 

Is making art your full time job, if not, do you have hopes for it to be?

Making art is not yet my full time job. I actually support myself by working three other jobs and I haven’t really figured out the process of having art be my full-time career.   I'm scared of it becoming too much of a grind and I don’t want to lose that passion. I make my art from a very emotional place, as a lot of professional artist do, but I'm still trying to figure out how to feel comforatable with making it a career and still having that fire that drives it.  I want to see the world, I want to travel and I think after some of that soul searching I will be able to figure out what I want to do. 

I am still young and I need to figure myself out some more to know what I want really want to be doing. I am always searching within different mediums and I think that once I really develop my voice as an artist I will know. It is an innate part of me to doodle these weird things, and want to do these projects, and I am constantly coming up with ideas. If that becomes a career, then that seems kind of amazing. 

I think that’s why I am in this collective. The other members are a little bit older than me and I just look up to them so much. All I am doing is being a sponge and observing their paths. Darla is very professional and I share a studio with someone who is really making a career out of this art thing, so it is really interesting to observe what that takes. When I put myself in those shoes I go, "Okay, well maybe I could do that."

Do the other women have outside jobs as well?

They do. Darla is teaching at Fleisher Art Memorial and she taught at Stockton College for a little bit. The two Laura's (Graham and McKinley) have other jobs, as well. We are all juggling a lot, while being a part of this collective and we are still figuring it out. This collective was formed in 2006 so we are still in our infancy---developing where we want to be and who we are individually and collectively. 

Do you ever have creative differences and disputes? How do you settle them?

We do, and when I first started in the collective I was freaked out because I knew I hadn't really gone full force yet. As I mentioned, I knew I wanted to do some crazy stuff. I was scared that these girls were going to be like, "This girl's putting vaginas on things!" "What is she doing?" or "Why does she have glitter all over the place, what is going on?" But they are really supportive and I think we really want to push the envelop in the coming years. I keep encouraging everyone to do so. I love when the girls do crazy stuff , I say, "Please make it crazier, do something insane!"

Do you do most of your work here, in this studio?

It is just Darla and me here. Laura Graham has a studio in New York and Laura McKinley has a studio right outside of Philadelphia.

What are the advantages of being in a collective rather then on your own?

We are all in it for different reasons. It was the winter before I graduated from Moore and I knew when I left college I wanted to feel like I could make art in collaboration with people. You kind of need that push after you graduate. You don’t know what you are going to do and I predicted that I would feel that way, because I was searching in school regarding where I wanted to be and what I was doing artistically. And the other girls were already out of school and making amazing work,  but they wanted to make work more often and wanted to get involved with planning events. 

That’s the advantage of a collaborative situation-- if I didn’t have the other members  I would sometimes feel like a chicken with my head cut off. I get a lot of ideas but sometimes I don’t know where to show things or who to approach about showing things, and it's awesome when one of the girls say, "Let's do a show here!" Now I can make this crazy piece that I want to make and it will have a place where it can be seen. Its really good because we give each other feedback and get each other excited about projects, because when you're in your own head and thinking about your own work, you don't always have a clear vision. After a while it's good to have other people to talk to.

Does it cost a lot of money to show in places?

Yeah—and to make your own stuff it's ridiculous! Even to get my work framed I wonder, "How am I going to do it?" I have a huge drawing and I wonder how I am going to frame it? Luckily, we all have our strong points and there are specific members that are very good at being treasurer and keeping things very organized, and keeping the expenses straight. It hasn’t really caused any issues--we all know making art costs money.

Do you get grants or do you just pay expenses from your own pocket?

We’ve been paying for everything out of pocket but we do want to start applying for grants. The people who get grants are very diligent about doing it. We haven’t had major expenses yet--but as our exhibitions get more ambitious--we know that we would have to apply for grants to be able to pull them off.

Are you talking about the materials that go into the works or to actually present the exhibition?

Once you decide to do a huge show you have to get very organized and if you find a venue you may have to pay something for it. But if you get a grant and there is a venue that you land a spot in, you may get in that time slot when they are sure you can show and then most of the grant money can go to the making of the work. We have only been able to pay ourselves through selling our work.

The galleries don’t usually charge you for showing there?

No, they don’t but they’ll take a percentage of sales. Some galleries get 60% and you only get 40%. That’s why pricing is so difficult. That’s one thing we do in the collective—discuss potential sales and ask each other what price we should ask for our work. The pricing of your work is really hard because you have to create a system. Darla and I have the same way of figuring out how to price pieces and you really have to do math to figure it out because you can’t just make up a number. We consider labor, costs of material and the “preciousness” factor. Someone said recently, "Oh, artists, they just throw a number up on something." But, no, a lot of artists really sit there and figure out how to price each piece and a lot of times you feel bad if something seems too expensive. However, if the gallery is going to take 50% you have to recoup something for yourself.

Is there anything in general that you feel like we (emerging artists) need to know or that you feel like you would have liked to know when you were just starting out?

Did you ever see that movie from the early ‘90s, Reality Bites, with Winona Rider? I was watching that and it really got me thinking about being in your twenties and trying to figure stuff out in your life and being lost.  I think the only thing I could say to young people that are trying to be in the art world--something that’s difficult for me--you have to be open to letting the universe, or whatever, make things happen and if there’s a big change in direction, try to open yourself up to it. I think you graduate with a degree and you think that you have a degree in this or that, so you need to be doing something in this field or that field.  I think that’s important, but you also have to let things happen naturally, while having an idea of who you are. I feel like I'm still figuring it out. I graduated in 2007 and it freaks me out sometimes--I'm like, "Crap, I was a 2D major and I want to make these weird installations." That can make me feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing, but then I think, "Wait-- there isn’t just ONE something you're supposed to be doing!" You just have to be open to trying new things.

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Interview with Sam Belkowitz

Member of the artist-run collective Little Berlin, Belkowitz, a 2003 Fleisher Challenge artist and PEW Fellowship finalist in 2001 received his BFA in Photography from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has exhibited throughout Philadelphia and the East Coast. His work has been shown at the Ice Box, the ICA Philadelphia, Vox Populi Gallery, Nexus Foundation, and the Painted Bride Art Center, as well as at the Baltimore Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, MD, The Studio House Gallery, Washington D.C, and Howard University, Washington, D.C. Sam was interviewed by BSA Students Amber Callahan, Christine Ferri, Chriztie Kaufmann.

 

Little Berlin Collective members

How do you manage the financial aspects of running a gallery?

SB: We do some type of fund raising every month, asking for donations for the opening receptions. In October, for example, we’re did the B.Y.O.T.Y. (Bring your own table, yo) book fair with people paying $25 to rent a space and I think we had over 20 people. Each month we try to do some fund raising at the openings that adds between $150-250. We sell t-shirts and people make donations at the door.

Do you need to have supplemental income-- Running Little Berlin isn’t your full time job?

SB: Exactly—it’s just a collective and everyone pays membership dues every month. Right now we each pay $25 a month and there are eight members so that generates $200 a month. Each member gets a $75 stipend towards cards, vinyl and PR. They can use the stipend any which way they want.

Is the way the collective is managing Little Berlin going to stay the same, or do you have any plans to change things?

SB: We’re happy to keep things as they are right now because we like how open it is for programming and such. We investigated becoming a 501c3 non-profit last April, but over the last few months we’ve been talking about whether or not we should do that. The 501c3 process can take a long time and is kind of costly.

A lot of organizations in the city have gone through the process with the help of the Arts and Business Council or the PVLA (Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts) and they do pro bono work to guide you. Basically you have to go through incorporating on a state level, which is involved and costs about two grand, and then you have to fill out an application, have a lawyer review it and then submit it, and that takes 3 months to a year to complete. One of the things we didn’t want to do is have that lengthy process stifle our programming. I think Martha (Savery) and myself and all the other members are trying to figure out the balance because the fund raising efforts I’ve described is really not enough to help us rent the whole space and give us an operating budget.

Is there a hierarchy in this organization or are you all on equal footing?

SB: Yes, we have a kind of hierarchy--we set people up with task titles like 'director' or 'president' or 'accountant'-- the person who handles the money. Two people have teamed up to do grant writing and public relations because we have a website component. We also have to deal with facilities. The person in charge of that task would be responsible for organizing the library, but then everybody else would also help out.

Do you ever seek out artists to work with in your galleries or do most of them contact you when they are interested?

SB: Its works both ways--most of the artists that are involved in the gallery get a month to curate and then when they curate they’re actually going outside of our group to get people to show here based on whatever their show is going to be. Now sometimes people just send out an open call to the community. Tim (Pannell) did that for his show, The End, which was a couple of months ago. He just put out an open call because he didn’t know a lot of artists and people responded. There is information on our website about his show.

What are you looking for in an artist or their work when considering working with them?

SB: I think when they apply they have to be on point-- their resume, their proposal and their artwork has to be presented well. And I think too, they have to really fit within the theme of the show that’s going to be executed. Straight up. And there’s no age limit. A lot of times we show artists that we don’t know so it’s really open in that way, but their work has to be really specific to what we’re showing. Outside people propose shows here-- like we’re going to be hosting a show for Philagrafika in February, and in March we'll have a show of ceramics, for NCECA (the national ceramics conference). Also we do hold shows for performance and theater groups. So they’ll do one or two shows a month on a night when we’re not here. They submit a proposal and usually it comes up because they’re looking for a space. We wind up offering the space to them and they bring a lot of people to the gallery that wouldn’t normally see the exhibit on view. It's also good for there to be events here on a night when we’re not really open-- the gallery hours are only on the weekends from 12-5.

Do you cover any of the costs when you take on a new artist?

SB: That’s up to the individual curator for that month. My month to curate is November and I will be covering shipping costs for some people. I have a few artists that are sending me work from Los Angeles and from the South, so I’ll be covering their shipping.

Sam, have you experienced many obstacles during your travels in your quests to take photographs?

SB: Yeah, but not anything that is beyond what people experience when photographing in the public.

So you haven’t had to give up on a picture you were trying to make because of some obstacle?

SB: Sometimes that happens, and it happens here in the States, and also when I travel abroad. On my last trip I was traveling to Copenhagen and I went to Christiana, which is an area sort of in the center of Copenhagen which is run by locals and is reactionary against the government there. The government has really messed with them and has had raids and pulled people out, so they have a 'please don’t photograph' sign up because everyone really feels threatened. So I didn’t take pictures there. I feel there are certain circumstances here in Philadelphia where that happens as well-- sometimes with the cops, you know they don’t want you taking photos in some situations. When that happens I feel like it’s the same as in Copenhagen.

Is there anything else that you would like to say to our readers?

SB: Come and see the show I curated which is opening on November 7th at 6 pm-- it’s the first Saturday in November. it’s called Heaven on Earth and runs through November 28.

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