[This is a podcast created by Aksarben Creative. It premiered September 22nd, 2023.]
Reid invites Casey Callahan to discuss the necessity of art and experience. Starting at 12:05, Casey tells us she got her start trying all the crafts (from painting to ceramics) before tending towards installation work. As she rotates through a carousel of making (writing, editing, always something), Casey found a common inspiration: nature all around her, particularly these past couple of years.
She says, “I don’t make a lot of work that’s directly about myself. I make work that I think benefits my experience or reflects my experience but isn’t directly about myself.” After having to work harder explaining works about herself, she transitioned to works about experiences. Those installations help recreate experiences for others to participate in.
Art should be experienced in person. You not only miss the scale but the craft that goes into a piece. On a phone or desktop, an eight foot tall or 18″x18″ both appear the same size to the viewer. You must immerse yourself in the artist’s intent.
