published texts
SHARIF FARRAG: THE PERSON, THE PRODUCT, OR THE POWER
“Sharif Farrag makes unforgettable work—it looks like nothing you’ve seen before. In this world of constant visual consumption, a fresh perspective is always welcome. Farrag has found a unique way to speak through ceramics and does so from the depths of his being. However, while his work is a part of him, he is not his work. Rather, his ceramic pieces are only parts of who Farrag is and what he can do. As we know, some parts do not indicate the whole. We are all continuously discovering our inner selves, and some of us do so through our insanely intricate ceramic work.”
MUSICIAN SHIVANI DESAI EXPLORES THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON OUR INNER BEING
“Shivani Desai’s wisdom seems to extend past the years they’ve been alive, which is likely related to how advanced their artistry is. As a musician, Shivani is in pursuit of the highest forms of knowledge—frequencies, and the effect of music on the inner being is a central theme to their work. At the same time, they are also a musician in the most intrinsic sense. This is to say that while Shivani explores the more abstract ideas, the simple joy of playing an instrument has equal value to them. Shivani has spent the last year playing guitar behind Deb Never. The pure experience of music is the most inspiring aspect.”
“Julia Wright’s weaving shines. Materials themselves each have their own unique power, but it takes real dedication to be able to bring them out. Under such dedication, the material takes on a life of its own. Weaving is easily misunderstood today because the world doesn’t work the way it used to. The loom is a technological dinosaur in modern culture, so watching Julia work on the loom is both a history lesson in itself and also strangely postmodern. To rework the art of weaving from its foundation is to be highly aware of its history. In this way, her work engages with the generations of women before her who have woven. It’s also clear she knows the machine intimately.”