March 2021
One year ago the closing reception to Future Tense was cancelled due to COVID-19. In the spirit of giving the exhibit another chance to be seen and celebrated, please join the virtual closing reception for Future Tense on March 30th, 2021 at Noon PST. All of the artwork as it was presented in the exhibition will be minted as NFTs and made available via Open Sea. Anyone collecting an NFT from the exhibition will also receive the physical corresponding artwork.
Below is a draft of an announcement that was written this time last year, which has not been distributed until now. I think it still captures the spirit of this moment, and yet is a reflection of how much has changed in the last year.
March 30th 2020
You’re invited to a closing reception for my first solo show, Future Tense, but of course the reception has been canceled. Living through a global pandemic while exhibiting art about our uncertain future and the end of the world has been especially surreal for me.
All of the artwork in the show is about time, existential threats and opportunities, my anxieties around our conflicting narratives of the future, and the inner light of hope we can cultivate to burn through the darkness of despair. We’re somehow collectively racing towards both technological salvation and utter destruction.
But these concerns have been thrown off the table, time has been distorted. Next week feels like a month from now, next year feels like a decade from now, and every day I just want the world to wake up from this bad dream.
We seem to only speculate about the future in extreme dualities. In the next 40 years either we merge with AI and become gods that explore the cosmos, or the ecosystem collapses and we all go extinct. The president wants to re-open the country by Easter and epidemiologists expect millions of fatalities. The truth may be the middle path, somewhere between unbounded optimism and the worst case scenario.
It’s important we find that middle path and get balanced. We should “beware” in the sense of “being aware”, get prepared but don’t panic, take this seriously but don’t let it break your spirit. The future is tense and uncertain, but we can’t let the fear of what may happen take away the kindness we all have to offer one another.
Thank you for all of the support and feedback during the run of the exhibition.
May we all be in good health, and in good spirits in the coming months.
- Sterling
One year ago the closing reception to Future Tense was cancelled due to COVID-19. In the spirit of giving the exhibit another chance to be seen and celebrated, please join the virtual closing reception for Future Tense on March 30th, 2021 at Noon PST. All of the artwork as it was presented in the exhibition will be minted as NFTs and made available via Open Sea. Anyone collecting an NFT from the exhibition will also receive the physical corresponding artwork.
Below is a draft of an announcement that was written this time last year, which has not been distributed until now. I think it still captures the spirit of this moment, and yet is a reflection of how much has changed in the last year.
March 30th 2020
You’re invited to a closing reception for my first solo show, Future Tense, but of course the reception has been canceled. Living through a global pandemic while exhibiting art about our uncertain future and the end of the world has been especially surreal for me.
All of the artwork in the show is about time, existential threats and opportunities, my anxieties around our conflicting narratives of the future, and the inner light of hope we can cultivate to burn through the darkness of despair. We’re somehow collectively racing towards both technological salvation and utter destruction.
But these concerns have been thrown off the table, time has been distorted. Next week feels like a month from now, next year feels like a decade from now, and every day I just want the world to wake up from this bad dream.
We seem to only speculate about the future in extreme dualities. In the next 40 years either we merge with AI and become gods that explore the cosmos, or the ecosystem collapses and we all go extinct. The president wants to re-open the country by Easter and epidemiologists expect millions of fatalities. The truth may be the middle path, somewhere between unbounded optimism and the worst case scenario.
It’s important we find that middle path and get balanced. We should “beware” in the sense of “being aware”, get prepared but don’t panic, take this seriously but don’t let it break your spirit. The future is tense and uncertain, but we can’t let the fear of what may happen take away the kindness we all have to offer one another.
Thank you for all of the support and feedback during the run of the exhibition.
May we all be in good health, and in good spirits in the coming months.
- Sterling