OTHER WRITINGS STUBS

WEST PALM BEACH MAGAZINE ARTICLES

On January 9, 2019, WPB Magazine published an article I wrote on CONCEPTualism 2019, an exhibit at the Box Gallery WPB.

"In contemporary art spaces, it is common to hear ‘is it art?’ in reference to Conceptual Art. Instead, I propose we ask: How is the artist trying to communicate their ideas through what we experience visually, olfactorily, tactilely, or even through sound and taste? Looking past the aesthetics of art requires a discerning eye and a curious mind. This means that as audiences, we should open our minds to what Conceptual Art offers us and enter into these conversations to transcend our ideas of what art is supposed to deal with and look like."

Read more: Art Synergy: Bringing the Palm Beach Art Scene Together

Also, on December 24, 2018, WPB Magazine published my article on Raúl Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet and his work. Excerpt and link below.

“Eggegun, is not simply the travesty mispersonified as ‘diablitos’ by centuries of syncretism between Roman Catholic and Western African traditions throughout Latin American and Caribbean communities.

The costumes themselves have patterns, colors, layers, and styles that are infused with meaning. For a thinker and artist of Ferrera-Balanquet’s caliber, each of these things matter and are thoughtfully included in the performance with the utmost care to honor each of the traditions that inform it.”

Read more: Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet: A Master Storyteller

NATASHA MARIN COLLABORATIONS

In February and March of 2016 I had the honor to participate in a couple of Natasha Marin's projects. Her projects are inclusive, personal, and empowering, and helped me expose a different part of me. If you have some time, feel free to read my submissions:

#WaterStories
#WomanCentered

INTERVIEW STUBS

THE COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION ON THE CORAI PROJECT

On January 2018, the College Art Association published an interview article on my thoughts about the creation of CORAI, the state of art history, and the impact of the humanities in the future. 

"JTP: Do you think artists and art historians can change the world?

AI: Because I think that everything is connected, I always say art history does not exist in a vacuum.

JTP: I agree.

AI: Everything that’s happening scientifically, economically—it’s reflected. You’re going to see it in 50 years when you look back at art, you’re going to see it. Can it change the world? It can help change the world because humanities play a crucial role. The humanities help you see the world in a different way. They help your critical thinking skills and help you read humans. It helps you build community."

Read More: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA IAROC, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CORAI PROJECT

FIU'S CARTA ON THE CORAI PROJECT

Florida International University's CARTA Alumni Magazine published an article about the creation of the CORAI Project in August 2017.

“Art history’s methodologies, theories, and general practice have been shaped by Western European perspectives, which do not apply nor represent the global community,” says Iaroc

Read more: ART + ART HISTORY ALUMNA OPENS DOORS IN ART HISTORY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN WASHINGTON STATE

GENERAL STUBS

LIFT UP OTHERS

The art of critiquing is easily lost on the average argumentative interaction. As I have previously mentioned in my writings, entering a debate with an ‘us versus them’ mentality is lazy and counterproductive. The most satisfactory thing to do as a human is to build bridges of understanding and use kind language to connect to one another so an action item can be created; leading to progress and growth for both parts. Sometimes this is futile, so it is best to walk away but, as Michelle Obama reminds us, even as we decide to walk away ‘when they go low we go high’.

Here are seven steps I translated from a list in Spanish, that we can follow when entering an argument in opposition to an idea in question or critiquing someone for their standing on a given matter:

1. Be well informed on the matter

2. Offer alternatives

3. Choose the time and the place well

4. Show respect and appreciation

5. Be concrete and keep to the matter at hand, do not enter the territory of personal insults, angry outbursts, or cursing

6. Use positive reinforcement (my favorite)

7. Criticize only if there is a possibility of change

8. Respect people’s right to counter the argument

** Remember, just because someone wants an argument does not mean we owe them one. Be wise with your time and energy investments.

A. Iaroc 7.2020

(NSFW) WHY DO WE CENSOR NUDITY?!

I still do not conceive of contemporary museums, galleries, and other art organizations throwing warnings about nudity left and right. What particularly rubs me raw is hiding nudes without anyone demanding it!! (I am looking at you Capitoline Museum). 

So, I will leave you with this link to some awesome neo-erotica art/film by A Four Chambered Heart. 

Orthodoxy: Bite me.

A. Iaroc 2.2016

PRETENTIVISM

Definition: To give a false appearance or allege insincerely, consciously or uncosciously, interest, opposition or support for a cause.

Pretentivists like slacktivists get involved in causes at minimal cost but unlike slacktivists do "show face".

A. Iaroc 12.2015

BLOG SHOUT OUT

The Jewish Women's Archive has a kickass blogger group called Jewesses with Attitude. The JWA blog explores a wide variety of topics and highlights feminist achievements, theories, and realities.

Take a minute to check it out, please.

A. Iaroc 11.2015

ARTIST STUBS

DANNY LYON: A MAGNUM BADASS

The first time I held a Danny Lyon photograph was at the Henry Art Gallery in 2013. They had received a generous gift in December 2012 and I was cataloging and writing condition reports under the wonderful Curator of Collections, Judy Sourakli. 

It wasn't any old photo. No, it was a beautiful gelatin silver print of a biker, titled Corky at home, Chicago. I was mesmerized looking at every vice and almost perfect contrast of blacks, greys, and whites. I learned through his photos about his fascination with 1960s biker culture and how he submerged into it and was accepted as a brother.

Other than my very intimate exposure to his work, I only had books to help me understand it better. 

Earlier this March I walked into the Frost Art Museum in Miami and was surprised to see an exhibit with his work on the civil rights movement. His lens transpired understanding, sympathy, anger and frustration. This went beyond New Journalism. 

I was very touched and emotional, maybe because I went there to see some Roman mosaics from Israel and was not prepared to see this. But it was beautiful and I am glad I decided to go to that section of the museum rarely anyone ventures in when they've got "bigger"exhibits to see.

A. Iaroc 3.2016

Wangechi Mutu

Funkadelic chic. Mutu's collages are full of symbols, meaning, femininity, fragility and fierceness. Many of these pieces bring up issues of fertility/feminine health and can both impact and provide validation to viewers that have struggled with these situations. 

Painful and beautiful to look at, Mutu is very much needed in a society that still has issues accepting women's bodies, menstruation, abortion, sexual needs, among many other things. 

We need more Mutus and similar artists in this world. Heck, they are already here, we just need to look up.

A. Iaroc 11.2015

Artistic arrogance

CNN's Allison Love wrote an article on Stanislas Guigui's photographic project on the Eriin Gurvan Naadam festival in Mongolia.

Guigui's interview answers reveal a man with so much contempt for native cultures that he thinks simplistically about their society to give value to his art. He said things like: "You go to a land where there is nothing, and you see people living like they would 100 years ago. But they all have cell phones, they know how to use Skype and Facebook". Statements like this reinforce my idea that Western Caucasians like to think of natives as "lost peoples" only to be found and experience civilization as a gift bestowed on them by "superiors".

But Ms. Love also rides the wave of arrogance by offering side commentaries, like this gem: "Guigui's portraits pay homage to this threatened way of life." Homage‽ what are you talking about Ms. Love? Do you honestly think that someone who believes that photographing native peoples is like  "photographing an endangered species in Africa" really pays homage to them?

Guigui's photographs are beautiful and, while he did not ask them to pose in any way that did not feel natural to them à la Edward S. Curtis, he is still exoticizing Mongolian culture. I think he should give it another try after studying microaggression and colonial history/mentality. As for Ms. Love, she should do the same.

A. Iaroc 9.2015

A xxi century Mary cassat

The great Mary Cassatt captured domestic life and child-mother intimacy in her portraits. Viktoria Sorochinski's recent works are created on the same vein.

I really like how egalitarian Sorochinski is in her representation of domestic life, as fathers are included in the child-parent dynamic.

She is doing an important job in photography by portraying the realities of the 21st century family, albeit the fantastical and fairytale setups.

A. Iaroc 6.2015

Lyne, taking street art by the horns

Galleries come and go in Miami's Wynwood district but the one thing that has consistently increased in presence around the neighborhood is graffiti. I am not talking about some scribbles and cat scratch tagging, I am referring to the coolest murals you've ever seen.

I met Lynn many years ago while working for a contemporary art museum and always thought her a talented and clever illustrator. As life would have it, there was passion and fire behind her voluptuous and grotesque figures, which did not escape the notice of some gallerists in the area. I am proud to see how much this woman has grown artistically and look forward to her mural commissions.

My fondness for good graffiti stems from the way it has changed people's perspectives on the culture of street art. I like art that is challenging - culturally, sexually, and politically - and street art is uniquely positioned to do all of these things well. In Lyne's case, the sexually charged depictions of women is liberating.

Felicitaciones mamita - you are fighting the good fight.

A. Iaroc 4.2015

WOMANLINESS Á LA GÉRALDINE GEORGES

I know I am late to the bandwagon, but I learned about Georges work very recently.

For me, the combination of her work as a designer and artist with a love for the female figure and fashion is almost... flawless. It has an element of Art Nouveau, enhanced by Photoshop .

As I evolve in my thinking, I am consistently becoming more attracted to women artists that work almost exclusively with the female form. It really makes me feel like they understand their bodies and history in both a collective and personal way. 

Alors ... est félicitations à Géraldine Georges!

A. Iaroc 2.2015 

TALENTO COLOMBIANO

"Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get".

I was reading up on interesting blogs in Spanish and stumbled upon a Colombian/Argentinian-Jewess' blog. I immediately shared on Facebook one of her most passionate articles and proceeded to check up on more of her work. I discovered many similarities between us, and most importantly, she was an artist. After a few contacts were established I was lucky enough to get to talk to her and rediscovered the wonderful artistic genius that I so naively ignored while still in Colombia.

Vivian Calderon B, turned out to be a hidden jewel. A versatile artist who knows what she wants to do and where she is coming from and willing to explore different mediums to best express her artistry. Of course, I couldn't resist and among her many works discovered one that "spoke to me" and bought it. Glass sculpture is one of my weaknesses and Calderon is just on the right path to making more interesting things happen.
 
A. Iaroc 1.2015

Contemporary Coast Salish art traditions

When I was 16 years of age, I took my first Art History class through my high school's AP program. During this class I was exposed for the first time to Native North American art. I found the shapes and designs graceful and very different from the native South American and pre-Columbian art I was familiar with. However, this art was not particularly interesting to me - just like photography, textiles, and lots of other art forms and styles that I came to appreciate later on in my career. Very recently, I have been exposed to more Native American art work. I have had the pleasure of meeting these artists and hearing first hand why these traditions are important to them and how they are keeping them alive through their art.

In comes Shaun Peterson from the area I currently live in. A Puyallup tribe member that is keeping the Coast Salish style vibrant and contemporary.... and making Chief Sealth proud. I now own a Shaun Peterson shirt with a design of the transformation mask that inspired the Seahawks' logo (but I still don't know anything about American football). Please, take some time to look at his webpage.

A. Iaroc 12.2014

Andi Arnovitz AND THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PAPER, thread + fabric

During a conversation I had a few weeks ago with artist Andrea Raft, it was revealed that she is a fan of another Andrea, Israeli artist Andi Arnovitz. I had never heard of her, so with due diligence I went to check out her work. I found it intriguing, feminine, spiritual and powerful. And I need to share it with all of you who read this blog!

This is her page: http://www.andiarnovitz.com/

A. Iaroc 11.2014

MAYA ESCOBAR: A FORCE IN CONCEPTUAL IDENTITY ART

Maya's work first caught my attention when I saw how she fused Mayan weaving techniques with Jewish religious items (e.g. a 2006 tallit art piece entitled Tallit Rebozo, and Hiddur Napkin in 2008). I have followed her projects for the past seven years and she never stops surprising me. She fuses Latin American, American, and Jewish cultures in her work and expands on them to make thought provoking, sociocultural observations on the contemporary world, gender, placelessness, the construction of identity and cultural hybridity.

I encourage you to visit her page and excitedly await for her next adventure. 

A. Iaroc 9.2014