all or nothing #24 - what are you avoiding?
table of contents
1.events 2.words 3.missed connections 4.horoscope 5.listen
»looking forward
nature of being artist talk
if you’re anything like us, you haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. you have questions about the nature of your being and the only way to get the answers is to the come through for a enlightening discussion on wednesday, july 10, from 6-8 pm at our chinatown location (119 hester street, new york, ny, 10002).
~current~
notes on contentment
whether you’re ready or not, the void is coming for all of us and there’s no avoiding it. so, you might as well get ready for it. enter the darkness at notes on contentment, the solo exhibition by Freddie L. Rankin III, on view through july 10 at our east village location (77 east third street, new york, ny, 10003).
«looking back
community dinner no. 5
egos were stroked, hands shaken, and tastebuds titillated. at the long table, there’s nowhere to hide, but there’s everything to eat. keep your eyes peeled for the next invite because when you least expect it, the hunger for human connection will touch you in a way you never knew you needed.
words
+question everything, ask nothing+
After an extremely laborious day of standing and staring into the distance between long periods of sitting and doing nothing as strangers took pictures of me in the bustling entertainment hub of Philadelphia, I got on an early evening bus back to New York City. I had a travel reimbursement of up to $250, but rather than splurging on an Amtrak ticket, I found the cheapest bus possible. No wifi, no outlets; I didn’t check the bathroom on board, but I’m sure it was atrocious. But, hey, an additional $200 on top of my already silly day rate wasn’t anything I was going to balk at. I had a bag full of Crafty snacks and a trashy romance novel to get me through the bus ride back, though, so I was chilling. That is, until a man walked on board wearing that bright red hat we’ve all become familiar with, and a big old Iron Cross chain swinging around his neck, as well as an Iron Cross pendant ring. I’m from New York, like actually from New York City, so I’ve been conditioned to not stare at things that could potentially spell danger, but I was openly gawking at this man. I’ve seen my fair share of MAGA hats and the red definitely catches my eye from afar, but it’s nothing too crazy. I live in America. I know the vibes. The Iron Cross, though, for me, takes things to another level. I’ve frequently debated the Iron Cross’s place in style and its symbolism of hate with my friends. For those unaware, the Iron Cross was a symbol used by the German military from 1933 through 1945, – so, you know, the bad years – which eventually found its way into the lexicon of symbolism used by American biker gangs in the 1960s and, subsequently, British punk and rock musicians in the 80s. As expected, it’s also consistently used by skinheads, neo-Nazis, fascists, and all the like in everything from tattoos to bumper stickers to t-shirts. I totally understand the desire to be subversive and lean into shock value; I am an artist and former middle schooler, after all. However, symbols that are contextualized by a very well-documented history hold an extreme amount of power that intention can’t really overcome. Theoretically, oppressed groups coopting the symbols of their oppressors can remove or undermine a symbol’s power; inversely, it can also further amplify the symbol’s ability to spread fear and stoke division. The key difference is really just prior knowledge. If you don’t know the symbol’s history, then the way you’re introduced to the symbol is how you’ll recognize it in the future. As black man that unwisely went to college in the neo-Nazi capital of America (the Pacific Northwest), I came to make some very rigid associations with the Iron Cross. Any time I see the Iron Cross, warning bells ring off in my head and I think that has served me pretty well in avoiding potentially dangerous situations. As I sat on this unmarked bus back to the city, I had two thoughts: (1) neo-Nazis must not like being around non-white people, right? So why would this potentially hateful man endure spending two hours on a very crowded and ethnic bus? Either he had nefarious plans, or was wearing the Iron Cross strictly for the vibes, which brings me to my second thought; (2) I don't think this man, coming from Philadelphia, a city whose population is about 40% black (which is rare in the United States), was actually a neo-Nazi, or like a legitimate danger. Maybe I was judging him for his outward appearance and style choices in the same prejudiced way a racist would profile me. Nazi regalia isn’t in my wardrobe, though, so maybe it’s a bit different. Anyway, later that weekend, I’m sitting at the gallery watching a reception happen around me. Someone walks in, but due to my fugue state, they remain out of focus until they're standing directly in front of me. They start speaking. The haze over my eyes clears and I slowly start looking up from the captivating task of counting the wrinkles on my knuckles when I see an Iron Cross necklace dangling over the worn out text on the surely thrifted t-shirt a stranger had previously worn in for them. They weren’t white. I don’t know what they were, but I know the Iron Cross does not connote safety for this person. They’re smiling. I smile and say, “Sorry, what’s up?” They repeat their innocuous question and we engage in a perfectly pleasant and inconsequential conversation. They compliment the show and shuffle off, never to be seen again. I had the desire to ask them about their necklace and what it represented to them, but just like I know that sometimes it’s best to avoid making eye contact with strangers on the subway, sometimes it’s best not to have certain conversations.
missed connections
+6.25 community dinner no. 5
You: like to take things slow
Me: ready to wait till hell freezes over
Description:
ya know, life goes in cycles and everything that comes around goes around, so before it goes down, will you help me get some icicles?
+6.20 nature of being reception
You: avoid the moon
Me: a beast when the light hits
Description:
if the cover of night allows our innermost being to be released, then who were we that night? better yet, who will we become tomorrow?
horoscopes
+Aries+
there’s been a life-changing decision looming over you the past couple of weeks, which you’ve been desperately trying to ignore. and that’s smart because once you make a decision, your life will never be the same again.
+Taurus+
keep running. even if the road seems like it’s coming to an end, just remember, you can always make a right, a left, or just turn back around and keep running in the direction you already came from.
+Gemini+
the first step is always the hardest, so rather than stepping, start hopping. leap right over that initial discomfort like michael jordan in space jam jumping out of the gym. why step on stones when you can skip them over into the astrometaphorical lake that lurks behind your eyes, containing the fermented liquids of emotion that are produced from the ducts straddling your eyeballs, which the masses know as tears? that’s right, you guessed it: this week is all about the internal. so, turn up that new lil yachty album, throw on your darkest pair of bottega shades, and look within. consider this newsletter to be a container of depravation, closing you off from all worldly distractions and allowing true and honest detachment from all those you seek to slurp up your time, and suck out your soul. there will be many bridges to cross on your journey, but at some point, you have to stop walking and start swimming. let your mind flood with everything you’ve been hiding from, open the gates and let yourself drown in the musty juices of your shameful procrastination. once your inner shell is slick with regret, it’s time to flush out all that gunk that’s been building up between your ears over the eons of workshopping new personas for your next reincarnation. as long as you have the memories of a slug, you’ll never be able to soar like an eagle, so let go by opening your mouth and producing the loudest sound at the highest pitch you can for as long as you can. for the next two days, only make this sound. any time anyone asks you a question, you must respond with this sound. once the two days pass, you will only be able to speak the truth and your mind will ascend to the highest plane of being, where you will finally become who you were always meant to be.
+Cancer+
people are conditioned to seek out signs yet oddly most signs tell us what to do, but not why you should do it. well, consider this your sign.
+Leo+
when you come face to face with you own reflection, even turning the other cheek won’t shield you from a drawn out battle of internal turmoil because behindsight is 20/20.
+Virgo+
everything is a theory until proven otherwise, so let go of feelings and hold on to proof.
+Libra+
there is a void in all of us that we spend our lives avoiding, until one day it swallows us whole. so the question is: do you want to go down easy, go down fighting, go down in a bunch of tiny little pieces, or go down in one big gulp?
+Scorpio+
a famous Canadian once said, “so much legal action i'm like michael jackson; luckily, I'm great at avoidin' distraction,” which, honestly, now sounds very concerning. some rumors can be ignored, but others must be addressed.
+Sagittarius+
holding on too tight won’t just make your fingers go numb, it will crush whatever you’re holding on to, too.
+Capricorn+
those unanswered text messages aren’t going anywhere unless you answer them. but do you know what’s easier than answering texts? deleting them.
+Aquarius+
*sorry, the author was feeling overwhelmed this week, so you’re going to have to wait till next time for a proper horoscope. but look on the bright side, that’s just one less thing you have to think about.*
+Pisces+
denial ain't just a river in Egypt, it’s you thinking anyone will ever actually care about you.
playlist
+Send us your writing, ideas, notes, observations or anything you want to gallery@allstnyc.com to be considered for future editions of all or nothing+
image credits
Artworks by Ruth Jeyaveeran, Nia Imani Winslow, and Lin Qiqing; on view in Nature of Being at our Chinatown location (119 Hester Street, New York, NY, 10002) through July 21, 2024.
Curated by Hayley Ferber. In collaboration with Residency Unlimited.