TNM Studios September 2022 Newsletter
Hey Folks!
Fall is all up in here. I finished writing this one from my studio. I have no idea why it was so hard to write this one, but I’ve been so busy with my hands that I’ve been sending voice notes to my peers and loved ones to get through language to them. I’m deep in this final exhibition prep, and my hands have been jammed up working on the most comprehensive chainmaille piece I’ve ever embarked on.
I’ve been out in the streets also – in the art way, lol. I took a quick trip to LA to check in with dear friends and meet some babies who can now walk and say, “Aunt T”, which blew my mind. Babies are beautiful beings. LA was a blur. Meetings galore and also the first time I think I’ve felt truly heard in that city. I was also able to catch my work in the ICA LA exhibit. I got a few projects in play and working towards my first feature, and just trying to check out the landscape. When I left the film industry in 2012, I was so done with the business, and quite frankly, the structure of working just did not align with my ability. My sensory issues simply could not handle the chaos; the travel from city to city for festivals had worn me out.
One thing, in particular, was my disinterest in the forced perspective of the theater. I was so tired of sitting in a room with people watching staked images on top of each other. I wanted to allow the audience to move, and I wanted to take things apart. So I left the field and created my first installation-based work, Be Alarmed: The Black Americana Epic – Movement I – The Visions, with my dear friend actress Danielle Deadwyler. And oddly, now I am inching my way back as I embark on this feature-length work.
While there, I visited the venue 2220 Arts for a few events. I witnessed Jamael Dean play the music that Mingus enjoyed alongside his own music. I was then invited by my friend, poet Harmony Holiday to attend a private gathering with Jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding who let me play her bass before leading the small group in an exercise by Pauline Oliveros. It was a stunning moment for me that allowed for an opening of the mind in ways I have not experienced outside of my own spiritual practice. This is a very special venue, and I look forward to visiting again later this year and maybe doing a thing or two in the space next year.
I was also able to have a photoshoot with my dear friend Texas Isaiah who has photographed me over the years for almost a decade. Always so lovely to spend time with him. I left very hopeful and confident in my work and will be back to follow up on somethings end of Nov. where I will travel extensively to LA, San Francisco, London, Paris, Toronto and my hometown.
I’ve just arrived at a place where I can actually see art outside of what I’ve been managing. I was in NY this past weekend and endured the trifecta that was Fashion Week x Art Fair x Art Opening chaos and was able to catch a glimpse of the Christina Quarles exhibit, Gideon Appah, and witness a work by poet + artist Rhea Dillon that blew my mind off kilter in the best way possible - she’s definitely the one to watch.
I just had the second dance program with Michael J. Love which was stunning. The number of people who showed up for Michael was beyond either of our imaginations. (we had 700 registrations!) Thank you to all that joined us on Saturday. Truly
I’ve been working with Leslie Diuguid of Du-good Press to get my edition for MASK/CONCEALS/CARRY at 52 Walker ready. This process has been so eye-opening as I have worked through several tests to get the desired result. Leslie has done some AMAZING work for fellow artists and has her own work up for acquisition as well - check it out.
Announcements + Exhibitions + Events + and all else...
I am moving into my second year as a Princeton Arts Fellow, and instead of teaching this semester, I will be presenting a series of informal lectures/workshops about each show that I am exhibiting this Fall in New York. Though the lectures are exclusively for Princeton students, ALL are welcome to attend NYC exhibition visits with us.
September 21-22nd, my works TNM [The Brad Johnson Tape], 2016 - 2018 + The Labyrinth 1.0, 2017 will exhibit at The Gleaners Film Festival in Lancaster, PA, in a short run. Never shown these works together, so excited to pair them in the same space.
My exhibition, The Trace of An Implied Presence [On View: Aug 3 – Dec 11, 2022] exhibition will be off view September 16 – 27th. Upcoming Performances to consider;
October 22nd, Leslie Cuyjet will perform live + November 12th Rod Rodgers Dance Company will perform live.
On Fri, Sept 23rd Unfinished Live, I will do something I refuse to do these days – a panel. This one is the exception because it’s with my sister mec. Come check us out - Interview Conversations with Hans Ulrich Obrist ft. Frank McCourt, mec., Tiona Nekkia McClodden, Benjamin Labatut, Hans Ulrich Obrist (moderator)
Press…
The amount of press that I’ve done in support of these exhibits is unlike anything I’ve ever participated in. I’m sharing in gratitude to those folks who took the time to give this work some shine.
A thorough review + Critic Pick of MASK/CONCEAL/CARRY by critic Roberta Smith for the NY Times - Her Art Comes Without Trigger Warnings - Aug 18, 2022
Artforum – STEP BY STEP Tiona Nekkia McClodden’s living archive of Black dance - Aug 23, 2022
Artnet - Artist Tiona Nekkia McClodden Has Three Big Concurrent Shows in New York. Here’s What’s Captivating About How She Sees the World - Aug 27, 2022
Andscape - The Philly Bop gets new life in New York - Aug 30, 2022
The Brooklyn Rail - ArtSeen: Tiona Nekkia McClodden: The Trace of An Implied Presence - Sept 2022
Whitewall Magazine - Tiona Nekkia McClodden Frames Black Joy with Dance at The Shed - Sept 7, 2022
The New Yorker – Goings on About Town - Art - Sept
Frieze - The Best Shows to See in New York Right Now – The Trace of An Implied Presence - Sept 12, 2022
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MoMA released part one of my MoMA Magazine feature - Tiona Nekkia McClodden: Conversations through the Archive, Part One + Part Two. The interview that I recorded for the installation audio guide was quite dense, so the interview has been reconfigured to a proper text and made available in this two-part interview. I want to thank the MoMA team for being so supportive in all of this. Lanka Tattersall, Gee Wesley. Arletta, Stuart Comer, and T. Jean Lax. It’s so important to have support in contextualizing this particular body of work.
Conceptual Fade
Vol 2.2 – FATIGUE ***now on view and closing at the end of the month. Make an appt for viewing by emailing tnm@conceptualfade.com
On View July 23 – September 27, 2022
Excited to welcome Laila Islam (@abenilaila), the first CF Gallery Intern to Conceptual Fade! The CF Gallery Intern position is one that allows for a person to research + advance their own practice by engaging the NFS library on off hours while also maintaining the gallery during visitations. Laila will sit the gallery and engage visitors for the last few weeks of our exhibition featuring L’Rain’s - Fatigue.
From Laila – “I’m proud to be the new intern for Conceptual Fade! :) I’m so excited to be in this beautiful space and to study our extensive book collection and our exhibitions. I just recently finished undergrad, but I anticipate that this experience will be an introduction to true scholarship in that I’ll be engaging with works that genuinely feed my brain and my spirit. In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be sharing highlights of the CF NFS Library that are selected to complement the exhibition we currently have on view.”
Readings - I’m currently working through;
or, on being the other woman by Simone White – this woman knocks me over with how she does language. It’s leveling and ruinous in the most necessary of ways. Been a FAN for years and was thrilled to come across this while in LA browsing poetry to acquire for CF.
The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom. Still working my way through this; it’s such a feat and just so generous.
I listened to Jazz read by Toni Morrison for the 20th time because it sounds like a god whispering to you. I mean….
Music, Films, + Videos…
The Bear - FUCK! There is so much to say about this damn show. LOVED it and the characters and the writing. Very strong first season.
-Power Book III: Raising Kanan – this is a really fucking good series.
-Serena’s final match before retirement at The US Open. Stunning.
- Untrapped - The Story of Lil Baby – watching this felt like watching a thriller due to the insane score, but I felt that it was a solid portrait of this guy coming up. Forever I love Atlanta…
- Patti LaBelle On Drink Champs – Phenomenal. I wish they interviewed Black artists cause I’d be in there in a heartbeat. Best interview. Chaotic, and they got Japanese Whiskey…
-Glorilla -Tomorrow – HARDEST OUT. I love her so so much. Just refreshing energy.
-Jaco Pastorius – I’ve been listening to his music for a few weeks every day. Just completely snatched back into his brilliance.
- Cloudeater - Decade – my goodness, a fucking banger.
- Queen Space – Ari Lennox ft Summer Walker
-The Fours – Makaya McCraven – my absolute fave. Just a stunning suite of works/sounds.
- At Peace with Woman – The Jones Girls – been doing a LOT of work with + for Oshun, so this has been a guiding soundscape.
Before I go….my pics from Paris this past Spring came back….this is my fave.
See ya’ll in October.
Stay UP!
xTNM