INTERVIEW: New documentary series checks in with Brooklyn artists during COVID-19
Photo: Fara’h Salehi and Ralf Jean-Pierre talk about art on an episode of Flowstate / North Brooklyn Artists. Photo courtesy of ALL ARTS / Provided by Everyman Agency with permission.
Flowstate / North Brooklyn Artists is a new documentary series that chronicles the lives, practices and careers of artists living in Brooklyn. There is a particular emphasis on the challenges and triumphs of creating work during a global pandemic.
There are eight parts to the series, with each episode focusing on two artists, making for 16 intimate portraits of creative people in this beloved borough of New York City. Specifically, Flowstate looks at the neighborhoods of Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick.
The series is headed by Minos Papas and features hosts Sophia Kayafas and Ralf Jean-Pierre. They set out each week to have conversations with these artists in their home studio, according to press notes. There are fascinating talks about life and artistic practice, including one’s technique and process.
Amongst the assembled artists are Derrick Adams, Jilly Ballistic, Matthew Benedict, Dave Choi, Lisa Corinne Davis, Damien Davis, Amber Hany, Coby Kennedy, Naomi Okubo, Joey Parlett, Fara’h Salehi, Buket Savci, Fred Tomaselli, Carlos Vela-Prado, Sophia Wallace and B.D. White.
Audience members can check out the episodes on WNET’s ALL ARTS app and at allarts.org. Viewers can also check out PBS.org for archived episodes.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Papas about the series. He is an award-winning director and producer who is the creative force behind Cyprian Films, New York (CFNY). Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What originally motivated you to create Flowstate / North Brooklyn Artists?
I think that there are still many misinformed impressions of who artists are: that making art is not a real job; that it doesn’t bring financial stability; or on the other end, it’s some kind of heady, intellectual practice that’s limited to an elite group. I wanted to dispel these ideas and reveal the every-day, inner workings of what it means to be an artist. Art isn’t born on the white wall of a gallery; it comes from an artist’s studio, their home or their neighborhood. While many TV shows and documentaries focus on the academic side of art, I wanted to show artists for the real, actual people they are, where they live and what motivates them. Hence, we employed a casual, conversational approach with verité cameras on location. I was going for an intimate portrait of artists, to help viewers connect with them and feel inspired by them.
How did you find each of these artists?
With the help of local artist and associate producer Joshua Starcher, we made a long list of visual artists living and working in North Brooklyn. Then, through a process of elimination we narrowed our list to artists who were willing to allow us into their spaces, and who knew their respective neighborhoods or had specific experiences of them. We also wanted a range of artists from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of their careers.
What were some of the struggles they faced as artists during a global pandemic?
Many of the artists we featured had second jobs, either as artists’ assistants, or in props and scenic shops, or as bartenders. As those businesses shut down, the artists lost their jobs or were furloughed. Other artists lost access to their studios as studio buildings shut down and had to improvise on where to work, as in the case of Lisa Corinne Davis and Fred Tomaselli. We even met two artists who finally made the move away from NYC, largely due to the pandemic. Joey Parlett moved to Colorado Springs after 12 years in his Bushwick studio, and Naomi Okubo moved back to her native Japan. Artists also had their shows canceled or postponed. In every case, however, the artists found a way to keep working at home.
Why is Brooklyn such a great place to find creativity and artistry?
Brooklyn is alive. It’s diverse. It’s where old and new meet. It’s constantly moving and changing, much like all of New York City. We focused the show on the neighborhoods of Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Bushwick in North Brooklyn because they are adjacent areas that artists started moving to in the ’80s and ’90s in search of affordable space. The 2000s saw the arrival of rapid development and change, as well as a notoriety of the presence of hipsters, artists and DIY spaces. I’ve lived in the area since 2003 and saw the changes firsthand. North Brooklyn is now quite gentrified. This local history and the part artists played in it is why we focused on North Brooklyn. I’d love to see future seasons of the show explore more neighborhoods in New York.
Are you hopeful for the local arts scene in Brooklyn after talking with these individuals?
In the show we discovered the ways in which artists navigated the pandemic — as well as all the other challenges they face on a regular basis. The show is a testament to the creativity and perseverance artists inherently possess. While I would like to see the return of more affordable spaces for artists to live and work in, I also believe that artists will always find a way to survive in NYC, no matter what. Moreover I hope that the arts ‘scene’ and establishment will understand how to include more diverse voices.
How important is the concept of ‘community’ in 2021 when considering the difficulties facing the country and the world?
In the final episode of Flowstate, artist Derrick Adams talks about how he is very happy to have been able to house his studio in a residential neighborhood where he can be among families and local businesses. Derrick makes the point that artists don’t just have to exist in an industrial ‘studio building’ among other artists but can also have a place in the community — just like the local 99 cent store or fabric shop. It’s a valid point. In my mind, the artist is our local storyteller and can have a visible place in the neighborhood to create a dialogue between art and community. I think we are going through a time when artists can create healthy and essential narratives to help us navigate the social, ecological and political struggles of the world. We need to keep our artists close.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Flowstate / North Brooklyn Artists, created by Minos Papas, continues with new episodes through April 14, and past episodes are archived online. Click here for more information.
