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ISSUE
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2020
girls magazine GIVE
ME
LIBERTY
OR
GIVE
03
Letter from the Editor
05
Nimah Gobir
08
Xirin
13
Aino Frilander
16
Manami Takashina
ME
HEALTH
GIRLS MISSION STATEMENT GIRLS is a revised portfolio of interviews from a nationwide community of real, strong women. It's a magazine that is 100% all women, which is beautiful in its rarity - the magazine is a safe space FOR women ABOUT women. Created by Adrianne Ramsey, it serves as a content destination for millennial women. Read on for an engagement of feminist voices and a collaborative community for independent girls to discover, share, and connect. FRONT
02 | GIRLS 5
AND
BACK
COVER
IMAGE
CREDIT:
YELENA
RACHITSKY
letter from the editor ADRIANNE
RAMSEY
Since its detection last December in Wuhan, China, coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a household term and spread to every corner of the globe. Media hype has reached an all-time high, with the numerous daily updates from WHO and the CDC, state governors, Trump and the WH Coronavirus Task Force, elected officials, and global leaders quickly becoming overwhelming. COVID-19 is different from the typical winter flu in that its symptoms are more severe. A primary danger of COVID-19 is that the illness can go unrecognized and undetected. While it is possible that one can contract the illness and heal without receiving medical attention, those who suffer from pre-existing conditions or are 60+ are in danger of life-threatening complications, which can lead to death. The severity of COVID-19 has been disputed by the Trump administration since the start of the New Year, with the first confirmed case detected in mid-January. Trump publicly dismissed the virus as a hoax and some Republicans falsely claimed that this was Democrats’ attempt at sabotaging Trump’s re-election efforts. Fast-forward to less than three months later - the whole world is virtually on lockdown, with the United States now the epicenter of the pandemic. At the time of this writing, the U.S. has 350,000+ confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 10,000+ deaths. Economists fear that we are on the verge of a nationwide depression and global recession, with several Americans suddenly unemployed, quarantined at home under statewide shelter-in-place orders, and unsure of how to pay their rent and bills. In addition, the nationwide testing shortage is a disaster, as some are unable to get a test for a multitude of reasons, including: lack of insurance, immigration status, low-income status, or being turned away because their symptoms are not "severe" enough. The White House and Congress may feel invincible, but every human needs care for their bodies and their overall health throughout their lifetime. Our health can be unpredictable and in crisis situations such as this, we need insurance to cover the high costs of prevention and repair.
03 | GIRLS 5
(Continued)
letter from the editor ADRIANNE
RAMSEY
Thousands of businesses have temporarily or permanently shuttered, major events are canceled or postponed, including the 2020 Summer Olympics, public gatherings are highly discouraged, schools have shut down for the remainder of the academic calendar, and even going outside is risky. These are terrifying times, and until we find a viable vaccine that can be distributed widely, the future can feel bleak and unsteady. The art world is seriously affected; museums and galleries are temporarily closed worldwide and project financial losses in the millions. Art fairs, exhibitions, public programs, and performances are postponed or canceled altogether, and several visitor-facing employees are either furloughed or laid off, as their jobs are not considered “essential to art institutions” during the temporary closures. GIRLS 5 is the first issue in what will most likely be a long-standing conversation about the art world and the pandemic. This emergency edition features four women who discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their lives, artwork, employment, and future plans. GIRLS 6, the second issue about the pandemic, will feature female arts administrators and has a tentative release date of June 2020. Stay safe, stay healthy, and most importantly, stay at home.
04 | GIRLS 5
NIMAH GOBIR
PHOTO BY NIMAH GOBIR
Nimah Gobir is a San Francisco Bay Area based artist whose paintings and installations explore the nuances and shared experiences of being Black. Her work draws on text and photo references collected from both family and personal archives and has been exhibited at ForYourArt, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, and Root Division. She is the recipient of Root Division’s Blau Gold Studio/Teaching Fellowship and is currently completing a fellowship through Emerging Arts Professionals SF/BA. She holds a BFA in Studio Art and BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Chapman University, and a Master’s in Education, with an emphasis in Arts in Education, from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
05 | GIRLS 5
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO COVID-19? I was at a hotel eating breakfast when I heard on the news that there was an incurable disease spreading rapidly through China. We had just gotten our first couple of cases in the U.S., but I honestly didn’t think much of the situation. It seemed like something that had gotten out of hand in the same way that Ebola and Swine Flu did several years ago. Because neither of those widespread diseases affected me personally, I wasn’t too worried. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT COVID-19 NOW? I’m afraid because I know that our lives have and will continue to change dramatically, and there are going to be disastrous and socioeconomic repercussions that will fall on our most vulnerable populations including, and not at all limited to, POCs, homeless populations, low-income people, and artists. I am privileged because I don’t have any pre-existing health conditions, I’m young, can work from home, my loved ones are safe, and I have a safe place to practice social distancing with access to food that I can afford. HAS THE U.S. RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? I really admire [California] Governor Newsom for issuing a shelter-in-place order so that we can begin mitigating the spread of COVID-19. However, we have huge homeless populations in California and need to support them during the pandemic. On a larger scale, the U.S. was way too slow in responding to COVID-19 and failed to address the nation in a way that discourages panic. I’m also skeptical of the effectiveness of Trump’s economic stimulus package.
06 | GIRLS 5
yes, that's what it does, Kija Lucas
Nimah Gobir
HOW HAS THE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER AFFECTED YOU? All things considered, I feel good. I’m self-quarantined away from my family, which is the hardest part of all of this. I don’t have a car so I’m unable to get around as much as I would like to. But I’m sheltered-in-place with my partner who I love and enjoy being around, so I know that things could be a lot worse. HOW HAS COVID-19 AFFECTED YOUR ARTWORK & EMPLOYMENT? I was finishing up the final steps to rent a spot in a communal studio space, but I haven’t been able to move in since the shelter-in-place order was enacted. I was also supposed to be in an exhibition at the end of March that was postponed indefinitely. My full time job at YR Media has kept me busy with a new project called "Coronavirus Comes to Campus" that captures student responses to COVID-19 closures across the nation, so it’s been nice to organize and respond to the pandemic in that way. HAVE ART INSTITUTIONS RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? A lot of art institutions tried to stay open for as long as possible before ultimately shutting down. I think they've done a lot to address public-facing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, but I've also heard a lot of really worrisome things about how they are not protecting or supporting their employees. Art spaces closing for indefinite periods of time has led to an abrupt loss of shows and connections within the community, which will make it harder to sell/show artwork and be in communal spaces such as shared studios or exhibitions.
07 | GIRLS 5
Nimah Gobir
XIRIN PHOTO BY KYLIE SHAFFER Xirin is an Iranian, New York based multidisciplinary artist whose work reclaims romantic tropes, emphasizing the ways that idealistic notions of attachment cause pain. With an artistic practice composed of performance, painting, video, and installation, she frequently uses the form of the duet to explore how larger social power structures locate themselves within intimate relationships. Her recent work investigates what it means to love men as a feminist within patriarchy, describes ideas around narcissism and autofiction, and embraces intimacy as a transgressive tool against an increasingly pervasive sense of social apathy. Recently, Xirin has performed at the Jewish Museum, Knockdown Center, and Pioneer Works. Her writing is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and her work has been featured in publications such as Pitchfork, Vestoj, and PAPER Magazine. Alongside Kembra Pfahler, she frequently organizes performance art events in New York, known as Incarnata Social Club. Xirin received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and her MFA from Columbia University.
08 | GIRLS 5
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO COVID-19? I remember the myth about a virus in China slowly becoming part of the sociocultural ether between December and January, but I felt no connection to it. By mid-February, my airy understanding of it materialized into genuine concern. I feel guilty that my initial viewpoint on it was that it was an unfortunate phenomenon happening elsewhere. It sucks that in our current culture, most people can’t grasp a concept unless it’s placed as an object in front of them. Like climate change, which is such an ethereal, nuanced crisis, its remediation demands maximum human empathy and complex, contextual thought. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT COVID-19 NOW? I oscillate hourly between feeling very worried, extremely hopeful, and an urgency to engage with the pandemic responsibly. This doesn’t just mean social distancing, but acknowledging the aspects of capitalism that lead us to this situation and actively revisiting these modes. Most inaction is caused by denial; nobody wants to recognize that our economic systems are what’s causing ecological destruction and human suffering because doing so makes people feel ashamed, with shame being the underbelly of avoidance. I’m trying not to feel shock because I think that shock is totally stupid, shortsighted and impotent, and I believe that expression is often performative. Real, genuine shock only happens a handful of times in life, but our cultural attitude is to be shocked all the time. Especially in America, it feels like shock is the national prescription for elite docility. That’s the design: act shocked, send love and prayers, and move on with your day.
09 | GIRLS 5
Xirin
HOW HAS THE U.S. RESPONDED TO THE PANDEMIC? I, like many, have a distrust towards our government and feel disappointed in the amount of public denial and swindling that radiates from our officials. The delayed testing disaster and the dissolution of a pandemic-preparedness council makes things feel hopeless. But I also think that feelings of distrust are extremely dangerous right now. I have seen a bunch of conspiracy theories and think that many Americans have developed this Pavlovian response to not just question authority but presume the direct opposite of any bureaucratic message, especially if it suits their needs. We can’t shrink away from difficult truths that live within all the propaganda we hear and the lies we tell ourselves. Right now our leaders need to be the peons of scientists and doctors, and individuals need to have faith in each other to do the right thing like staying at home, washing their hands, and being self-disciplined. It’s like the honor system, and there’s something really spiritual about honor. HAS COVID-19 INTERRUPTED ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU? Earlier this year I was invited by A.I.R. Gallery to do a residency, which is now postponed. While it’s difficult to plan performance projects for the rest of the year and be away from my studio for so long, it’s really all super inconsequential. It’s important to make work right now in order to anchor this period in time.
There is a cork that keeps me from turning into vinegar, Xirin, 2019
I never really break from making things, but my bizzare-o art projects take a back seat as I navigate survival like everyone else. People can’t pay bills, access healthcare, or hang out with friends. We’re heading into a global recession. Fantasies of education, social mobility, romance, family are all shattered.
10 | GIRLS 5
Xirin
HAVE ART INSTITUTIONS RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? We’re all living through this globally unifying experience, so it feels like no organization or institution can be unresponsive to this historical moment. Human beings have been preparing for doomsday since forever, and even if you don’t believe in the end-times it seems like there’s definitely a pervasive sense of calamity. Art institutions are losing hundreds of millions of dollars. Artists rely on the generosity of institutions because they don’t get paid time off and can’t collect unemployment. Everything is at a standstill and it seems like everyone is fumbling exquisitely right now. Judging from the influx of emails I have been receiving from various institutions it seems like everyone is on the no-plan plan; institutions rarely respond well to anything so it will ultimately be difficult for them as we continue to fortify our current modes of value. Everything is about growth and entrancement by ideas of expansion, misinterpretations of individual freedom, and what Laurent Berlant calls ‘vanilla dreams.’ All we do as humans is take. Our overconsumption of everything has depleted our planet, yet we’re still promoting this idea that productivity is progress and progress is prosperity. We need to recognize that our resources are limited and that value should be placed upon the work that helps us strive, such as caregiving, teaching, and researching – positions that utilize the human emotion and intelligence that can’t be replaced by robots. We need better systems to legitimize and include larger forms of labor; the art world and its institutions are just one example of how entities suffer within this antithetical system. This crisis is pointing out the flaws in the ideology of artists having to be professional, identifiable packages who create legible works, but at the same time produce some sense of what is otherworldly and mentally free. Productivity reinforces the image of civilization in motion, whereas stillness is not valued.
Hope Eats the Soul, Xirin & Sebastian, 2019. Live performance, film, and installation. Photo by Antonio Barrera
11 | GIRLS 5
Xirin
HOW HAS THE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER AFFECTED YOU? I am currently quarantined in Los Angeles with my partner, and it’s been a fortuitously constructive period in terms of art-making and deepening my relationship. Nobody really knows exactly how the effects of this stealthy virus will pan out, so we are in this period of chaos and confusion. Pandemonium intensifies close relationships and ingenuity. Stories are very useful, but chaos is especially auspicious and beautiful because our world will never make sense – isn’t that amazing? That all we can do forever is try to be our absolute best selves? I have never been good at keeping time and can be nocturnal, so I’m thriving in self-quarantine and romanticizing this moment. I’ve been writing short stories, making paintings and music, and editing videos. It’s been relatively blissful being able to do all these things and spend so much time with my partner. I’ve been circling around some new themes to incorporate in my work. First, isolation has got me thinking about incarcerated people and life within a limited space. Second, while I usually play with the idea of tragedy in my work, it feels a little uncomfortable right now amidst this catastrophe – but there is never really any respite from tragedy. I love framing certain things as tragedy that wouldn’t normally be described in that way due to the effects of tragedy and all its melodrama, melancholy, and sense of humor.
ANY ADVICE FOR ARTISTS STRUGGLING IN THIS MOMENT? Right now we are in a period of destruction, which is a concept that’s really fruitful for artmaking. I don’t want to insinuate that plagues and cruelty are what contributes to good art. The whole tortured-artist thing is a dangerous sham, as an artist doesn’t have to suffer to make good work – but ultimately, trouble is cool. Lindsay Kemp once said: “An artist is never content. We are always questioning what we have done and trying to get it better. Contentment is not for an artist.” This can apply to everyone because anyone can be an artist and try to do better. An artist doesn’t necessarily have to produce any work to be considered an artist. The ideas we have of who as an artist is predicated upon autocratic ideas of productivity, excellence, and talent. I recognize that crafts can be mastered but I don’t think mastery is necessarily interesting. I say all this to encourage artmaking and creative thinking in this moment. Informally making art at home can add a sense of vulnerability and intimacy to whatever is being made. It’s a great prophylactic measure and a form of rebellion in the way that optimism is a form of cultural rebellion. Optimism is the weed growing out of the crack in the pavement – against all odds, it’s there.
12 | GIRLS 5
Xirin
AINO FRILANDER
PHOTO BY CATHERINE YOUNG
Aino Frilander is an arts worker and journalist based in Los Angeles and Helsinki. She holds a MSc in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics and is currently a MA in Arts Journalism student at the University of Southern California.
13 | GIRLS 5
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO COVID-19? I first heard about COVID-19 when the initial news from the China outbreak started to roll in. While concerning, the situation sounded distant and possibly containable – SARS and H1N1 didn’t really have an impact on my life, so I thought why should this? Until it became clear that it would. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT COVID-19 NOW? I’m currently in Los Angeles, sheltering-in-place just like millions of people around the world. I count my blessings for being in a situation where I haven’t been affected in terms of health or money so far. I do worry about my loved ones and the future – what will become of art and media in the economic recession that we’re headed towards? Will I have a job? Will artists be able to focus on their work? HOW HAS COVID-19 AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY? In LA, people and businesses have generally been incredibly responsible and taken the situation very seriously, and I’m thankful for that. Museums are closed, art fairs have been cancelled, and performances have been postponed. JOAN, the art space where I work, responded responsibility by closing its doors as recommended by the authorities and shifting to appointment-only operating hours. I’m also currently in graduate school at USC and all classes are now online. The art writing landscape has obviously shifted – does it make sense to pitch stories about exhibitions that people are unable to see, or does it make sense for exactly that reason?
14 | GIRLS 5
Aino Frilander
HOW HAS THE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER AFFECTED YOU? I did a little escape-to-the-desert road trip when we were just beginning social distancing and isolating, but I’m enjoying quarantining so far. Feel free to ask me again when it’s Day 46! I’m generally happy to putter around at home, cooking and reading and writing. Long solitary walks in the neighborhood are essential, as are the Instagram live dance classes by all my favorite teachers from LA, Berlin, and beyond. This mandatory slow-down is doing me a lot of good, as I feel like I’ve been working pretty hard for a long time. But I’m keeping up with the news and worry about those who don’t have the luxury of staying at home. HAVE ART INSTITUTIONS RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? Given the incredibly short notice, art institutions have responded as well as they possibly can. I’m heartened by the speed and efficiency with which art institutions have adapted and created experiences that can be viewed online. One might ask why these online offerings weren’t initiated earlier to increase accessibility, but I’m so glad it’s being done now. Obviously it’s nowhere near the same as that in-person experience and there are only so many videos I want to watch online in a day, but it does give me hope. The learning curve is definitely steep, but the ways that art institutions approach sharing and communicating has now been changed for good.
15 | GIRLS 5
Aino Frilander
MANAMI TAKASHINA PHOTO BY ANNIE MECCHI
Manami Takashina is a New York based dancer. She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, concentrating in contemporary dance, French language and culture, and food studies, and was recently accepted into New York University’s MA in Food Studies program.
16 | GIRLS 5
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO COVID-19? It’s all a blur now, but I believe that I first heard about coronavirus in February. At first it didn’t seem very serious and felt very far away. I did feel concern for the people it was affecting and the possibility of it spreading, but it felt so distant that it was hard to imagine how it could affect us. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT COVID-19 NOW? Each day there’s something new and it’s all very overwhelming. It was only a matter of time before New York became the epicenter of this pandemic, so I am now in the middle of it. I am grateful for my health and can only do my best to do my part in keeping myself and others healthy. HAS THE WORLD RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? The U.S. response was slightly behind. With a pandemic as large as this it’s necessary to get ahead of it, and now we’re trying to make up lost time. However, I do feel that [New York] Governor Cuomo has really taken a stand and done everything in his power to improve the situation. Global leaders have responded well, particularly in China and in areas that immediately implemented a quarantine order. Because of their swiftness, China should start living normally again soon. It was ignorant of Trump to say that we might start opening things back up around Easter because that would’ve been way too soon and caused conditions to worsen. 17 | GIRLS 5
Manami Takashina
HOW HAS THE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER AFFECTED YOU? I enjoy spending time at home by myself, but certainly not to this extent. My two close friends are my roommates, but both of them are currently away so I have been living by myself for the past couple of weeks. I initially enjoyed the time alone but am starting to crave social interactions. I’ve been feeling extremely isolated and lonely. I have been trying to keep myself active and productive by doing things I enjoy, such as going for walks and Face Timing friends, but the routine has gotten old. HAS COVID-19 INTERRUPTED YOUR ARTWORK? Dance often requires physical touch, so I am fully affected. All dance studios and rehearsal spaces are closed. It is difficult to practice in my small apartment, however I am grateful to dancers, teachers, and companies who are now teaching virtually and providing new ways of taking a dance class or maintaining your art form. I dance once or twice per week with Alaina Wilson, who I met at Sarah Lawrence while she was participating in the graduate dance program. Alaina, myself, and a few other dancers had just begun rehearsals in late February/beginning of March to prepare for autumn shows. I was so looking forward to creating new material, and now all of it is on Photo by Yoel Iskindir
18 | GIRLS 5
hold. Manami Takashina
HAS COVID-19 AFFECTED YOUR EMPLOYMENT? Before the pandemic, I had two part-time jobs working at Everlane in SoHo, a sustainable fashion brand based in San Francisco, and Lafayette, an upscale French restaurant and cafÊ in NoHo. At first, both of my workplaces made efforts to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, but eventually had to close. Everlane agreed to pay us ten days after the closure, but Lafayette was forced to layoff all of their employees. I am very concerned for the restaurant industry and all the employees, ranging from dishwashers to servers, who rely on those weekly paychecks. The NoHo Hospitality Group is a very large restaurant group with many successful restaurants located in NYC, Washington D.C., and Detroit. It’s saddening that even an established group like this that probably makes thousands of dollars is unable to pay their employees during the pandemic. Imagine the situation for a single restaurant in NYC. HAVE ART INSTITUTIONS RESPONDED WELL TO THE PANDEMIC? Art always seems to be one of the first things to go because it is often not considered necessary or imperative. I do think it was wise for museums, galleries, and theater spaces to close as soon as they did, as they often attract large crowds and those are dangerous right now. But it does make me sad. Many of my friends work in the art world and majority of their work is fully on pause at this time. It is good that many art grants are being offered to those who have no work now, but the amount of unemployed people is far greater than the amount of financial resources there are.
19 | GIRLS 5
Manami Takashina
APRIL
2020
VOLUME
1,
ISSUE
girls magazine
GIVE
ME
LIBERTY
OR
GIVE
ME
HEALTH
5