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person of contact Nate Abramowski
design + layout Nate Abramowski
assistant editor Jason Rutter
email na@nateabramowski.com
binding Tatum Book Binding
special thanks Chris Apap and Tatum Book Binding
Inquiries and future submissions will be accepted from June 1st through August 1st. All types of work are applicable as long as it is able to be represented within this medium. This Journal is printed on Inkpress Media Print Plus Matte 80, 215gsm set in Times New Roman. 10 is published / printed by Nate Abramowski and is an extension of those artists involved. View expressed by the artists are not necessary those of everyone compiled here. Copyright is reserved, which means, without written consent, nothing in this journal can be reproduced, via scan or any other means available. Reproduction is strictly prohibited. Š 2014 Email addresses are published for professional correspondence only. Inquiries: info@nateabramowski.com
This is the first journal of 10. As the world races, this forum will give an observer a chance to pause, absorb, and reflect on a small part of a lager intent by creatives. With the inaugural journal, the following artists are working, thinking, and engaging the world around them. Here, they have found a place to share a small portion of their vision. Without the distraction of the screen. With the simplicity of the page. 10 Journal seeks to present the artist, idea, and individual. With that said, this journal will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. 10 Journal, the idea of — Nate Abramowski
Rana Edgar
Micah Cash
Cory VanderZwaag
Rosa MarĂa
Kendel Goonis
Mark Andrus
Ashley Craig
A. E. Chilton Model
Rana Edgar artist, art historian, & writer detroit, mi
The Role of Museums A Conversation with Contemporary Art Curator Erin Dziedzic
Museums play vital a part in the communities they serve. The purpose of the museum, at its inception, was to collect and preserve works of the visual arts, as well as, artifacts of historical importance. Through permanent collection and temporary exhibitions the institution would create the opportunity for the public to encounter rare and valuable works, which hold the history and mysteries of the world. Therefore, the museum’s primary function was to operate as a space where the public could experience various forms of art, an important mission, yet an objective that is expanding in the twentyfirst century. Today a thriving museum utilizes its collection and traveling exhibitions to broaden the public’s awareness, to create an opportunity for individuals to think differently about works of art, to serve as educational facilities, and to meet the needs of the community to which the museum serves. In the ever-changing role of the museum to better serve the public it is the curator of the institution whom is tasked with the challenge of breaking down preconceived notions of the museum’s function and to create a space which allows diverse audiences to realize the essential role a museum serves to the community. In your position as a curator what do you feel currently is the most important role a museum can offer to its community? Erin Dziedzic: The museum offers itself up as space for discovery, research, enjoyment, learning, wonderment, and much more. I think that the primary role of the museum is that it acts as a space to have and make these experiences. Each museum is different, and many share a unique collection of art with the world and have the capacity to show it differently each time. Others, although they don’t have a permanent collection, exhibit contemporary art in a changing gallery. A majority of institutions do both. Therefore, whether you frequent the museum or it’s your first time there, the changed experience is one that happens each time you enter the space.
the third space in people’s lives alongside home and work or school so it should reflect the wants/needs of the community it serves. In terms of the role of the curator there has been a greater interest in having this role also be in conjunction with museum programming, including: lectures, artist talks, performances, and more. Many curators have been doing this already (it really is a role with many branches) at their respective institutions but it has transitioned recently into an official dual role in some places. It makes sense since these are the people who are deeply involved with all aspects of the exhibitions, artists, and works, as well as interaction with audiences. Curators are already in a prime position to also be arranging the details of accompanying programs, or at least working very closely with someone who does. Many curators have supported the idea of curating as a mode of artistic production – and believe that the act of curating is an expression of creativity. Do you feel that is true in your practice? How does that benefit the community? ED: For me, curatorial practice is just that, a practice of exhibition making using space as a medium. I don’t see myself as an artist but I do regard curatorial practice as a creative and critical one. I think that being creative and critical in curatorial practice benefits the community because much of what artists are responding to, and therefore curators, are things that are happening in the world. Whether personal or political, economic or social, there are always entry points that a curator can create in an exhibition or exhibitions that engage community. I think I prefer to use the term engage, rather than benefit. I don’t ever want to imply that what I am doing benefits everyone because sometimes it doesn’t but I would like to aspire to at least providing a level of engagement.
In the past ten years how have you seen the role of the museum in your profession expand?
Erin Dziedzic is Curator and Head of Adult Programs at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
ED: I’ve seen both the community expectations of the museum and the role of curator expand over the past ten years. The community shares the museum with the city. Museum members and patrons are the community that keeps the institution alive. Therefore, it is important to learn from them what their expectations are, and what kind of experiences they want to have; more interaction with the artists, more photography, more major events. Essentially, the museum has, in some instances; stepped up to be
She has produced exhibitions with Liza Lou, James Casebere, Nicholas Hlobo, Hung Liu, Angelo Filomeno, Damian Ortega and more. She edited the May/June issue of ART PAPERS Magazine and is the founder/editor of artcore journal, an online contemporary art journal. Dziedzic lives and works in Kansas City, Missouri.
Cory VanderZwaag artist, sculptor grand rapids, mi
This work arises from a perpetual interest in digital distortion as a conceptual framework. Infused with contradictory characteristics and expression, my work is at the same time abstract and representational, elegant yet grotesque, and premeditated yet riddled with spontaneous action. I often find myself thinking about the incredible complexities of the French decorative arts in comparison to modernism. In Leg Without a Chair, digital malfunction is used to distort a fragment of a chair and reinstate the complexities that is absent in much of modern design.
Kendel Goonis writer detroit, mi
Kendel is a Detroit-based copywriter. This piece is the result of friendship with Rosamaria, Sam, Sasha and Danica, and her family. kendelgoonis.wordpress.com/toofulldetroit.com
We met; he was sweet. Rosamaria and I walked into his storefront off Woodward, near the DIA, not thinking we would meet a cute, nice guy. A brisk Detroit Sunday, our stomachs full from what seemed like four or four hundred crepes at the crepesexclusive restaurant next door. Bundled up and shielding our faces from crisp, polar vortex winds, we practically threw ourselves into the small shop next door. He was at the counter, looked at us, and offered a friendly, “Hello.” I immediately thought, “Cool face, guy.” It was a single curated room—a 1920s/2014s resale and artisan store—immaculately organized, clean and dusted. Rosa and I poked fun at the fancy, cheap things, handpainted decks of cards and cigarette holders with peacocks on them; he offered a few comments here and there. He seemed fine. I inquired about a trunk alongside the left long wall, hiding underneath shelves of homemade soaps, art books and puppets of Diego Rivera, if it was for sale. “Oh, definitely,” he said, and walked over to investigate. He quickly knelt down and slid it from position, a beautiful brown leather and wood and burlap thing. Nervous about it’s fragility, I said, “You don’t have to do that! I was just wondering…” “It is for sale, though, I’m sure…” he murmured, confidently, opened and combed the interior for a price tag. Anything more than mere acknowledgement is too much customer service for me—I fought off what I thought were “feelings”. This cute, nice guy was just being…well, nice. Though a match in some forgotten, interior crevice of my being forced its way and struck, and I was subtly ashamed of it. None of this, now—brush, brush, brush that away, girl. “Please, please,” I knelt and guided him away from the trunk with the pads of my fingertips. “I’m sorry, I can’t find it,” he said. “If it’s more than $50, I don’t want it,” I half-joked. “Oh, it’s probably more than that,” he said, chuckling as he slid the trunk back. He rose and slowly walked backwards, Rosamaria following. She began conversation with him, things about Detroit and being young or something; I joined, reticent. She loves to play matchmaker. The three of us talked for nearly an hour in that store, Emerald, it’s called. Dan— his name is Dan, that’s my dad’s name. He’s half-Cuban and half-Romanian and allJewish. He studied transportation design in art school; y’know, cars and transit. His dad is an immigration lawyer. You don’t pronounce his last name how it looks. His Hebrew name is Haim, like the band; the masculine of “Hannah.” He got both of our numbers so we could “invite him to a food review at some point in the future” (we do food reviews) and validated our parking. He only texted me a few hours later. Walking toward the structure, Rosamaria said, “I think he really likes you.” I said, “I think my stomach hurts.” As a celibate, “romantic feelings” for “nonCatholics” aren’t “fun” for me. --We texted a lot that week, mostly after work, we’d type about music, our days, things we’d picked up here and there, to and fro. Then I’d ask something too meta for text, probably about religion. “To be honest, I’d rather talk about this in person...speaking of which…” Smooth. The day of our first date, he texted me earlier in the day to confirm, “Hi Kendel! Just wanted to confirm that we’re still on for tonight.” A guy considerate enough to confirm the day of? A first.
The date: we talked about those bigger things I stupidly asked over text, about plans and what we liked and what we didn’t, about our families and where we’ve traveled— he, everywhere; me, barely west of Lake Michigan. He smiled and jokingly invited me to Israel for his cousin’s wedding. My stomachache returned, I wanted to put him into a choke-hold. Stop being nice. I wanted him to ask me terrible questions and move too fast. I wanted him to be emotionally unavailable, to avoid truth, to be handsome and shrug off decency like wisps of snow on shoulders, to expect porn instead of a person. So I’d be right. To be right about young men: those terrible, terrible, juvenile, ugly things. But that night, and the date after, he was perfectly agreeable and certainly handsome the entire time, paid for the bill and walked me to my car. He thought I was interesting on my own, without lording some absolute, sexual requirement over my head like a ransom. Jewish guys can be sweet like that, I think. --Our second date: “Why are you out with me? Why don’t you date Jewish girls?” “Well, Jewish girls have such high standards.” And: “I told myself that the next person I’d go out with would be Catholic.” “Well, I can be a little mistake…” I have an hour-long drive from my place of work back home. Every day, for two hours, I’m on the road. For this reflection-obsessed gal, it’s a party. 45 miles an hour on this particular trek of Long Lake Road between Orchard Lake and Telegraph, I avoided potholes, properly used my turn signals, and sang along with The Idler Wheel…, intermittently pausing to think about Dan. And I thought about his life, and his future, and wandered into what we’d become. Let’s say I did let my guard down; let’s say we did fall in love. And we met each other’s families and found the perfect burrito place together and figured out our favorite seasons for walking outside—fall, because we hold hands even with mittens on—let’s say all of that. We’d begin to wrap our lives together in pure vanity, for no other reason than for the “experience.” On our second date, he told me he’d eventually marry Jewish, rolling his eyes saying, “to keep the tribe together.” And when I got home from that particular drive, I cut our future short via text.
Ashley Elizabeth Craig photographer miami, fl
ashleyecraig.com
Micah Cash painter, photographer, and writer charlotte, nc
micahcash.com
Kentucky, Downstream, 2013
Fort Loudoun, oil on canvas, 36 x 66 inches, 2014
Chickamauga, Downstream, 2014
Barkley, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 inches, 2014
Pickwick Landing, Switchyard, 2014
Rosamaria Zamarron photographer detroit, mi
rosamariazamarron.com
Mark Andrus photographer grand rapids, mi
The Lost Art of Looking The photographic medium is unique in that it has the ability to convey a sense of existential truth. Since a traditional photograph mechanically captures a slice of time and space, the resultant imagery is exceptionally representative of scenes from the external world that we collectively comprehend. When viewing a photographic image, we often have no choice but to make sense of the composition of objects, and perhaps further analyze our judgments and preconceptions about these objects as they exist in reality. By working with the photographic medium, I am attempting to offer viewers this phenomenological experience to become mindful of the reality that we so often take for granted. This idea stems directly from my photographic process. I photograph people, objects, and compositions in order to more thoroughly notice, evaluate, and understand them. By looking closely and attentively at things that are often ignored, I begin to see them more clearly and objectively. Without looking, we settle for our default judgments and preconceptions that, without further analysis, seem commonplace. If we take time to assess even the most mundane objects in the world, we may begin to pay more attention to the remainder.
markandrusphotography.com
The South Wall, 2013
A/Symmetry, 2013
Flowers Behind a Cage, 2013
Austine Model poet washington dc
Watermelon Prophecy
I carved Cassandra’s face into the thickskinned watermelon I held her cheeks icebox sweat & dirt pooled between my fine lined palms and she told me everything but nothing I wanted to hear. She lapped up gallons of seawater— waves of courting shorelines: waxing & waning & waltzing— and spoke through glass shards where her teeth used to be. Her words bled pulpy-pink and stained my memory.
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