A Letter from Our Artistic Director, Anjuli Nanda Diamond, March 2022

Dear Friends,

As the new Artistic Director at the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, I am writing to share some news and introduce myself. While the role is new to me, 2022 marks my 10th year with the Foundation. In this position, I intend to steward the organization on a new trajectory while respecting the wide-ranging and often international work that has been accomplished at the Foundation so far. Equity in how we operate is of the utmost importance, and I aim to further democratize the organizational structure, taking a team approach to internal decision-making and working in collaboration with artists, curators, and our community, toward a shared vision for exhibitions and events.

The first step on this path is reflected in our Open Call for Curators. As we continue to work with different artists from a multitude of racial, national, and economic backgrounds, engaging with different narratives and perspectives in all aspects of programming and exhibitions is imperative to my vision. Our goal is not only to provide a platform in terms of an exhibition space, but also to help nurture and shape the next generation of curatorial voices, utilizing our team’s extensive experience in exhibition production to support and guide curators toward a successful realization of their respective projects.

We are thrilled to welcome the community back to the gallery with the opening of our newest exhibition at The 8th Floor, Articulating Activism: Works from the Shelley and Donald Rubin Private Collection. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, and to meet new ones at the opening reception on March 3rd. The show features acquisitions made under our art and social justice collecting initiative, while also drawing from the Rubins’ extensive collections of contemporary Cuban and Himalayan art, and includes work by ACT UP, Belkis Ayón, Firelei Báez, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Tony Cokes, Ángel Delgado, Guerrilla Girls, Gonkar Gyatso, Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds, Shaun Leonardo, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carlos Martiel, Frank Martínez, Mary Mattingly, Ana Mendieta, Michael Rakowitz, Dread Scott, Tsherin Sherpa, José Ángel Toirac, Betty Tompkins, Chungpo Tsering, and Jorge Wellesley. Although the artists in the exhibition draw from various passions and life experiences, each demonstrates through varied approaches how art and artists can be a channel for social and political change.

Articulating Activism corresponds to a project we have been working on for 2 years – the release of our two-volume publication on the legacy of the Foundation, An Incomplete Archive of Activist Art. The book features contributions from writers and artists who have been highlighted by the Foundation, including Mel Chin, Hock E Ay I Vi Edgar Heap of Birds, André Lepecki, Lucy Lippard, Claudia Rankine, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Dread Scott, and Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Also included are roundtables with artists such as Hasan Elahi, Zoey Hart, Shaun Leonardo, and Martha Wilson, and others on the impact and role of art today, accessibility in the cultural sector, and the impact of technology, surveillance, and privacy on artistic practice.

Finally, we are delighted to begin in-person programming at the space again, in conjunction with the current exhibition. First up, we are thrilled to stage postponed performances by artists Larry Krone and Kalup Linzy, and host a discussion on the role of chosen families in ballroom culture between creative and healer Twiggy Pucci Garçon; director of the feature length documentary Kiki Sara Jordenö; and artist Christopher Udemezue. Upcoming programming will celebrate the artists, academics, and theorists of our community, as well as launch events for An Incomplete Archive of Activist Art.

We are open again for tours to school groups, universities, and any other interested parties. We hope you can join us for our full slate of exhibitions and events. As always, you can find more information on programming and safety protocols on our website. I look forward to seeing you all soon, and in person!