Hyperallergic Weekend Newsletter: Mehretu, Valdez, Jafa, and More
This weekend's newsletter from Hyperallergic includes a conversation with Claire Valdez, an artist and union organizer, who is campaigning for Congress in New York's 7th Congressional District. Valdez supports initiatives such as Medicare for all, universal rent control, taxing the wealthy, dismantling ICE, and advocating for Palestinian rights. She relocated to New York City in 2015, taking jobs at Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, and Pizza Hut. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 23. Additionally, the newsletter features Julie Mehretu's address at the Rhode Island School of Design, Aruna D'Souza's critique of the Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince exhibition at Fondazione Prada, and updates on the Obama Foundation's portrait by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the Whitney Museum's new director, and Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Key facts
- Claire Valdez is running for Congress in New York's 7th Congressional District.
- Valdez is a New York State Assemblywoman, artist, and union organizer.
- She advocates for Medicare for all, universal rent control, taxing the rich, abolishing ICE, and freedom for Palestinians.
- Valdez moved to NYC in 2015 and worked at Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, and Pizza Hut.
- The Democratic primary is on June 23.
- Julie Mehretu delivered a commencement speech at RISD, using an analogical mushroom to urge graduates to 'fruit in the wreckage.'
- Aruna D'Souza reviewed Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince's exhibition at Fondazione Prada in Venice, calling it 'too Black and White.'
- The Obama Foundation unveiled the first official dual portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama by Njideka Akunyili Crosby.
- Soyoung Yoon was appointed director of the Whitney Museum's Independent Study Program.
- A House subcommittee proposed eliminating the Department of Education's only dedicated arts grant program.
- Russian strikes set the Dormition Cathedral at Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv ablaze.
- Russian dissident artist Robert Kuzovkov (Semyon Skrepetsky) was killed in Poland at age 44.
- Christopher Myers created glass-tiled mosaics at Church Avenue station in Brooklyn.
- Kim Dacres sculpts with scavenged auto parts.
- A duck family at the Frick Collection's reflective pool was a memorable moment.
Entities
Artists
- Claire Valdez
- Julie Mehretu
- Arthur Jafa
- Richard Prince
- Njideka Akunyili Crosby
- Soyoung Yoon
- Robert Kuzovkov
- Semyon Skrepetsky
- Christopher Myers
- Kim Dacres
- David Hockney
- Duane Michals
- Danny Simmons
- Melissa Joseph
- Arleene Correa Valencia
- Ruby Neri
- Mykolas Valantinas
- Demetri Broxton
- Mildred Howard
- Diedrick Brackens
- Daniel Correa Mejía
- Paddy Johnson
- Hakim Bishara
- Aruna D'Souza
- Ela Bittencourt
- Aaron Short
- Daria Simone Harper
- Emma Cieslik
- Max Blue
- Eileen G'Sell
- Zohran Mamdani
- Emma Stebbins
- Charlotte Cushman
- Tracey Rose
Institutions
- Hyperallergic
- New York State Assembly
- United States House of Representatives
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Fondazione Prada
- Obama Foundation
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Department of Education
- Pechersk Lavra
- Frick Collection
- Art Basel
- MTA
- San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
- The Met
- Whitney Independent Study Program
- Ruby City
- Central Saint Martins
Locations
- New York City
- New York
- United States
- Ridgewood
- Queens
- Venice
- Italy
- Los Angeles
- San Antonio
- Texas
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
- Poland
- Switzerland
- Flatbush
- Brooklyn
- Church Avenue
- Upper East Side
- 70th Street garden
- Washington DC
- Bay Area
- New York State
- Church Avenue station
- London
- United Kingdom