If you don’t know Lannan Foundation take a moment to soak it in, or better yet, if you find yourself in Santa Fe go and see the space. It’s beautiful. Open, bright and always loaded with books and art. About Lannan….
This was work copying from their site.
Lannan Foundation is a family foundation dedicated to cultural freedom, diversity and creativity through projects which support exceptional contemporary artists and writers, as well as inspired Native activists in rural indigenous communities.
The Foundation recognizes the profound and often unquantifiable value of the creative process and is willing to take risks and make substantial investments in ambitious and experimental thinking. Understanding that globalization threatens all cultures and ecosystems, the Foundation is particularly interested in projects that encourage freedom of inquiry, imagination, and expression.
The Foundation supports this mission by making grants to nonprofit organizations in the areas of contemporary visual art, literature, indigenous communities, and cultural freedom.
The Foundation also gives awards and fellowships to writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and in the area of cultural freedom. Awards recognize individuals for extraordinary work in their fields. Fellowships provide time and support to continue with or to complete specific projects and also recognize those who show potential for future outstanding work.
I went to see a show titled “Something Fierce.” Something Fierce features eight women artists whose work exemplifies an element of ferocity, whether it be expressed in the subject, process or intent. One of the featured artists is friend and all around cool human Munson Hunt who has what looks like the charred wood shown in the center photograph above. This piece is actually made from glass, just to blow your mind. I thought this show was well done and offered up a good range of image from a diversity of projects. I was particularly interested in the black and white, 29-Palms work covering military training, although every artist had solid work from long-term projects which were all represented by…wait for it….books. The books were a combination of Radius and Aperture, two of the best.
Lannan is one of those places that makes you say “I have to get off my ass and make something profound.” Even if you never do these places are so important in great work seeing the light of day, and great artists getting the support they need to have the freedom and time to produce their best work.