Aries Season
Friends,
We’re in a global crisis, dealing with a pandemic of epic proportions—and even that feels like putting it lightly. As I’m writing this, De Blasio has announced an Executive Order severely limiting the service of bars, restaurants, and cafes, while closing movie theaters and more. And as I revise this, Cuomo’s signed a more extensive one too. Hardly a shock to those of us who have been self-isolating for days or weeks—with eyes glued to our screens, taking a break to gaze at the empty sidewalk from our bedroom window.
On one hand, this call from de Blasio feels like it’s coming a little too late. The number of diagnoses and deaths continues to rise, with city officials saying behind closed doors that, “Everyone in New York should assume that they have been in contact with COVID-19.” But on the other hand, the mayor’s decision is heartbreaking, making an economically precarious situation even more dire. We’re left to wonder, what will our blocks, usually bustling with energy, look like after all this is over? Worst of all, what happens to the millions of workers who’re now unemployed for the foreseeable future? What can we do to help?
New York City, already a hotbed for anxiety and doubt on a good day, has become an even more terrifying and maddening place to live. I’ve been spending my time endlessly scrolling through websites with an everlasting stream of content. Don’t know what I’m hoping to find—something like a seed of hope, a good joke, or kernel of useful information that can drive this unease and uncertainty away.
So, with all that, here’s my contribution to the deluge of distractions. A motivation to move forward, a small bit of entertainment and guidance. After all, COVID-19 can shut us in but it can’t, and it won’t, kill our spirits. Even though it feels impossible now, we will, without a doubt, pick up and get at it again.
xo,
Robert
P.S.—I’d be remiss not to share the following: Creative Capital has put together a wonderful list of Arts Resources During the Outbreak, including links to emergency grants, livestreaming tutorials, and more that continues to be updated. There’s the more extensive COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources website as well. HowlRound hosted the virtual panel Artists In a Time of Global Pandemic (ASL & Captioned) on Monday, now archived on their site; it’s an incredibly helpful resource and an inspiring model moving forward. If there’s anything else you’ve come across, I’d love to spread the word. As always, my inbox is open: hello@robertalangrand.com.
Aries
March 21—April 19
By the mid ‘60s, Yayoi Kusama (March 22) was sick of feeling powerless, consistently overlooked and flagrantly plagiarized. Once she saw Lucas Samaras’ Room No. 2, a full-room mirrored installation similar to her own Infinity Room from a few moths earlier, she’d had enough and jumped from her studio window. Her fall was broken by a bicycle parked below.
Thanks to the help and support of close friends, she recovered and soon returned to the art world, staging a series of scandalous anti-war performances around NYC. The artist would corral a motley crew and head down to Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, even to the New York Stock Exchange (there, protesting “the cruel, greedy instrument of the war establishment”). Participants stripped naked, their bodies decorated with—surprise!—painted polka dots. There would be conga drummers, sporadic dancing, sometimes orgy-like “love-ins,” before the whole thing was swiftly shut down by the cops.
In the US, and in conservative Japan, these happenings were anything but well-received, seen as cries for attention, disgraceful acts, and pure publicity stunts—the last one a kudos to Kusama, who knew how to secure coverage in a way that would make even the savviest of publicists jealous. Despite the criticisms, Kusama kept at it undeterred, and in 1968, wrote the following steamy missive to President Richard Nixon:
AN OPEN LETTER TO MY HERO, RICHARD NIXON
Our earth is like one little polka dot, among millions of other celestial bodies, one orb full of hatred and strife amid the peaceful, silent spheres. Let’s you and I change all that and make this world a new Garden of Eden.
Let’s forget ourselves, dearest Richard, and become one with the Absolute, all together in the alltogether. As we soar through the heavens, we’ll paint each other with polka dots, lose our egos in timeless eternity, and finally discover the naked truth: You can’t eradicate violence by using more violence. This truth is written in spheres with which I will lovingly, soothingly, adorn your hard masculine body. Gently! Gently! Dear Richard. Calm your manly fighting spirit!
True Aries energy—brazen, coy, and delivered without apology. Kusama’s overarching career, including her turn lately as social media icon, should act as a model for the year ahead, Aries. These past three months, you feel like you’ve been thrown against a wall. The fruits of your backbreaking labor haven’t shown any signs of ripening. Even before this crisis, there were no shows on the horizon, no sales, or—the worst for an artist—no attention paid to your practice overall. Or maybe you were in the middle of a huge undertaking, a project with many parts. You put in so much work behind the scenes but, thanks to collaborators or the system writ large, you failed to receive credit when the production hit the stage. And now, with the world coming to a standstill—well, it feels easy to walk away, throw the gloves off and simply give up.
I’m here to tell you Aries, it’s important to keep going, now more than ever. Sure, give yourself a short break here to recoup and recover, but don’t become complacent or say you’ll never get back to the grind (really, you and I know that’s not true anyway). It’s hard to visualize now, I know, but there’s a heap of success in store for you—as long as you follow the stars’ advice.
And what are they saying? Well, right now they’re telling me that you’re at the crest of this self-deprecating wave (probably good, to be honest, that you’re stuck indoors with little to do). They suggest closing your computer, spending your time with family members who will keep you grounded. There’s no practice talk at the dinner table though—your mother’s already worried sick about the toxicity of your materials or how you’ll make a living with your MFA in Social Practice. Instead, ask them questions and really listen to the answers. How did they made it though uncertain times in their lives? Through recessions from generations past? Through times of incredible self-doubt? Maybe their answers will be comforting, or maybe they’ll be frustrating. Either way, I’m sure something they say will make a good title for a painting.
Later in the year, when the world returns to normal, you’ll be ready to go—but start slow and don’t overexert yourself. Don’t marathon through studio visits and don’t drain your bank account applying for open calls. Remember what you learned during this national quarantine and narrow your focus, keep it moving at a steady pace. I know, Aries, you live for results but this year, this time, you’ll have to trust me. The more you step back, ask for help, and really examine your strengths and weaknesses (truthfully, not through the lens of arbitrary art-world accomplishments), you’ll find your way to real, substantial, rewarding success. You know how to win, Aries. Just take some deep breaths first.
Aries season
for those born under…
Taurus: A natural homebody, you’re in the perfect position to make the most out of social distancing and self isolation. In addition to keeping up some modified version of your larger practice, give yourself plenty of time to dream and to sketch—the stars have big plans for you once this all blows over, especially when autumn comes around.
Gemini: The stars are telling me you’ve taken an inward turn, even before corona fears—unusual for the gregarious Gemini—and you can’t explain why. The problem is, this current situation isn’t helping and, in fact, you’re just spiraling more than you were before. Make sure to carve out time for your practice without pressure to finish a piece or to continue a series. When you’re ready, schedule a studio visit over FaceTime, probably with a close friend or collaborator, to dip your toes into social waters again.
Cancer: Before the total shutdown, something big was about to happen for you, Cancer—some career defining solo show, a new relationship with an established gallery, or something of the sort. Now, with all that on hold, you’re upset and with good reason. Don’t complain too much about it though—you can’t see it now, but really, it’s a good thing you had to stop. Maybe you weren’t totally ready yet, or it just wasn’t your time. Don’t worry, you’ll get another shot before the year’s over.
Leo: You’ve been in a real research phase Leo, cooped up with a good book, an art history podcast, or an ASMR-like YouTube tutorial. Keep on this path and enroll in a virtual workshop or learning-based Zoom party. Because this is the perfect time to hunker down and really master a new skill—and if you don’t succeed, well, it’ll make a good “how I spent my spring quarantine” story.
Virgo: You’ve been on a roll lately, with a spring on your step that’s made every day feel like Saturday (even before the quarantine). Keep this positive mindset, Virgo, as cynicism will be all the rage this spring and fall. Don’t keep these feelings to yourself either—it’s a weird time, I know, but in the next few months you may be the only source of positivity among your friends and creative colleagues. You’ll be the Group Chat Cheerleader, congratulating everyone on their progress so far and keeping them motivated through the unpredictably long home stretch. Don’t shy away from that, Virgo—own it.
Libra: It’s time to step outside your comfort zone. Hard to do from your studio apartment, sure, but now’s the time to figure out a way. Maybe you become more politically active by, for example, demanding that New York City provide COVID-19 relief for art galleries, artists, and art workers. If you do turn passionate though, be mindful—times are tough, emotions are running high, and with all this hubbub, a creative you once admired may disapprove or socially distance themselves in digital ways. Good riddance, I say—if they can’t support you now, they weren’t ever worth your time.
Scorpio: You keep starting from scratch, Scorpio—gessoing over your paintings when they’re this close to being done or ripping your sketches, and plans for sculptures, into tiny little pieces. You have this feeling that all the work you’ve been doing is bunk, coming nowhere close to your high standards or usual output. I’m here to tell you, take this time to step back and ask a friend for help. They’ll definitely have a moment to look and offer feedback. Their insight will make you realize that what you have, even if it isn’t perfect, is still admirable and worth improving. After all, there’s no reason to feel like you have to reinvent the wheel.
Sagittarius: Everyone’s talking about this time as a break from the hustle. Finally, they say with a sigh of relief, we can settle down, ignore our obligations, and get through all the movies in our Netflix queue. Well, Sagittarius, you’ve been afraid to speak up but it’s clear you don’t feel the same. Even now, on the verge of a “shelter in place” order, you still feel overwhelmed, with too many obligations somehow on your plate. Your practice is nagging you too—maybe your sculpture is one move away from feeling resolved, or your performance piece is missing that cathartic third act. Whatever it is, feeling swamped and under pressure will only lead to a creative block. Go for a (solitary) run or sit in on some virtual yoga sessions. You’ve got to relax before you can move forward.
Capricorn: Oh Capricorn, I owe you an apology. I heard from some readers that last month’s prediction was a little too harsh, that maybe my, dare I say, personal bias seeped in. For that, I deeply apologize and I promise to put all that aside going forward. For this month, the stars are telling me you’re one of the lucky ones—some unique opportunities are coming your way, and it’s important you say yes to them. You may be feeling self-conscious, doubtful if you can pull off the project or if you deserve the accolades, but you really shouldn’t harbor anything close to these thoughts. Trust that whoever has taken an interest in you—whether it be a curator, a dealer, or another artist—wholeheartedly believes in you, your abilities, and your overall practice. Say yes and jump in head first.
Aquarius: Similar to Cancer, you were about to make a big change before the onset of this crisis. It’s good that your plans have been halted now, though. You’ve got time to strategize and craft the perfect move—necessary, as doing so will give you the confidence you need when push comes to shove. These are uncertain times, Aquarius, so stick to the status quo for now while you spend your evenings and weekends chugging away at a new goal. Also, try something new practice-wise, the act of learning or seeing differently will help to settle your feelings of anxiety and frustration. Maybe turn to collage. Watercolor. Sculpey. Something that gives you less pressure to perform.
Pisces: It’s time to get to business, Pisces—the COVID-19 crisis being the perfect kick in the keister. This isn’t even about your practice, necessarily, but it will be tangential. Maybe you’ve been thinking of moving to a different studio, apartment, hell, maybe a whole different city. You’ve been dreaming of new routines, other ways to live, and while they say the grass is always greener on the other side, I say it’s time for you to make the leap over there. Nothing like economic uncertainty to make you realize what you really want in life, not only for your practice and your career but for your overall mental health and well-being.