North Fork Arts Projects

(From Christmas 2018) "Ajax" (2018) "Athena" (2019) Eileen (ET): As you know, I thought to commission these works utilizing my dogs’ fur as it’s the same palette that you work in: cream, black or dark, brown… What did you first think of my query or idea? I thought these would make for interesting portraits of Athena and Ajax. Matt (MM): I was really excited by the idea! Once it was pitched, my mind was already flooding with so many thoughts! I haven’t worked with fur before and I thought it was a great opportunity to explore the material with no pressure involved. The colors made it easier to deal with because it fell perfectly into the whole color palette I use in my own work.  ET: What was your reaction when you first received the dog furs? MM: It was a warm feeling. Not only because of how fur is used to insulate from the cold but also because I used to have a German Shepherd named “King” growing up. It broug...

"Mirror, Mirror: Reflection and Decolonization" Melinda Luisa de Jes ú s December 2018 In the Philippines and other developing countries, the skin whitening industry is prolific and expanding among native populations. However, this desire for white skin has dire health repercussions, both physical and psychological. Many researchers in the field of Filipino-American psychology attribute this desire for whiter skin to the American colonial rule of the Philippines, which began in 1898 and lasted for nearly fifty years. Historians often characterize the American occupation as cruel and demeaning, leading to colonial mentality that has continued into the post-colonial era. As a result, in order to ameliorate this dilemma, one must explore how the internalized oppression and psychological state of the Filipino people caused by America’s previous colonial rule of the Philippines contributes to the success of the Filipino skin whitening industry. —from “ Coloniali...