In their own words: Two decades of interviews
In more than 25 years as a professional writer, I've interviewed countless artists, activists, and thinkers. Here's a quick list of links to some of my favorite conversations.
Visual Artists:
Allora & Calzadilla (2004), on the "art of response-ability"
Mike Fitzsimmons and John Grider (2009) of Broken Crow, on their mural practice
Anthony Burrill (2011), on his design practice, including posters like Work Hard & Be Nice to People
Paul Chan (2012), on his experimental publishing house, Badlands Unlimited
Paul Chan (2012) on why he published the democracy speeches of Saddam Hussein
Izabella Demavlys (2010), on her photo series featuring women survivors of acid attacks
Fritz Haeg (2012), on Edible Estates, his series of suburban front-yard gardens
Pao Houa Her (2023) on photographing homelands, lost, constructed, reimagined
Jim Hodges (2011), on AIDS, activism, and the art of Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Steve Lambert (2014), on why he'd give away his ArtPrize winnings
Kris Martin (2014), on his sculpture, For Whom..., a clapperless bell
Andy Messerschmidt (2013), on his Graze Anatomy installation and “campification of the divine”
Kaz Oshiro (2012), on balancing painting and abstraction in his practice
Trevor Paglen (2012) on The Last Pictures, photos of humanity he launched into space
Eric-Paul Riege (2023) on Diné weaving, animate objects, and performance
Alec Soth (2006) on his role as photographer and "binoculographer"
Cameron Sinclair (2006), on Architecture for Humanity and his book, Design Like You Give a Damn (print only)
Hiroshi Sunairi (2009), on his Tree Project, in which he shares seeds from hibaku ("A-bombed trees")
Rirkrit Tiravanija (2006), on "the land," the autonomous art community he co-founded in Chiang Mai, Thailand (print only)
JoAnn Verburg (2012), on newspapers as portals into politics in her photography
Curators:
Peter Eleey (2006), of MoMA PS1 and Walker Art Center, on his work with Creative Time
Nato Thompson, Creative Time (2013), on urbanism and art's role in the changing city
Filmmakers:
Laverne Berry and Anne de Mare (2018), on their documentary film, Capturing the Flag
Errol Morris (2008), on his documentary Standard Operating Procedure and on his interviewing tool, the Interrotron
Jem Cohen (2012, with Dean Otto), on his Occupy Wall Street Newsreels
Performance Makers:
Nels Cline and David Breskin (2012, with Doug Benidt), on their visual-musical performance work, DIRTY BABY
Cynthia Hopkins (2013, with Republican meteorologist Paul Douglas), on climate change
Meredith Monk (2018), on Voice, #MeToo, and Recurring History
Kenneth Parris (2011), on sketching the Merce Cunningham Dance Company
Media Makers & Thinkers:
Stephanie Kinnunen (2007), on the one-year anniversary of humanitarian magazine, NEED
Alexis Ohanian (2014), on tech-startups, fails, and co-founding Reddit
Scott Stulen (2013), on the Internet Cat Video Festival he helped co-create
Siva Vaidhyanathan (2003), on copyright, IP, and his book The Anarchist in the Library
Josh Wolf (2007), on videoblogging and his imprisonment for not turning over footage to police
Activists & Advocates
Winona La Duke (2006), on "the land" and the White Earth Land Recovery Project (print only)
Michael Schellenberger (2007), on "the rebirth of environmentalism" and his book Break Through