“Why I Make Art” Exhibition

Miles McEnery Gallery (520 W 21st St.)

This event has ended.

Miles McEnery Gallery presents Why I Make Art, a group exhibition derived from the recent publication by Brooklyn-based artist, Brian Alfred. Gathered from the archives of “Sound & Vision,” a podcast directed by Alfred, the book presents interviews with artists conducted between 2016 and 2020. Both the publication and the exhibition explore the practices and life stories of artists across multiple mediums.

“There are certain themes that recur for many of the artists I’ve spoken with in my time. For a lot of them, creativity entered their lives early. It often scratches an itch–boredom, loneliness, a desire to connect or entertain, to find validation or a feeling of worth–that children can have difficulty articulating with words. A lot of the time this instinct to create, visually, materially, is only understood in retrospect.

This book is full of written portraits of artists. It’s not about one thing in particular–theory or studio practice or their inspiration. It’s about them as people in the world. An artist myself, I wanted to approach this compendium of portraits as an exploration, rather than a place to make definitive statements about the art being made today.

In the moment, when I’m speaking with an artist, the conversations fly by. Going back over the talks has been like watching a complicated movie for a second time; I’ve seen things more fully, with deeper context and richer understanding. It’s also allowed me to slow down, reconsider, and ponder what’s being said. I hope this book does the same for you.” - Brian Alfred