This March our studio was visited by artist Tanoa Sasraku, where we had the opportunity to engage in discussions about one another’s artistic practices. Prior to the studio visit we collectively agreed that around 3 associates would present work to Tanoa, which were myself (Amarachi Ogwo), Gem Bryant, and Beth Seeboo. The evening was structured to be a casual crit where we focused on a singular piece or small collection of work.
Tanoa was attentive in her approach, inquiring if there was anything we specifically wanted the group to address in feedback, or any general insight we wished to gain from her visit. She was kind enough to also answer questions we had pertaining to her experiences in the art industry, such as exhibiting her work, networking, and working with galleries. She shared how she has navigated throughout her career, talking about her successes, some of the obstacles she’s had to overcome, things she wishes she knew earlier, and things she would’ve done differently.
Conversation was guided by Tanoa, where she suggested we gave first impression feedback, making observations and asking questions about the presented work in advance of being provided context about what we were being shown. This approach provided new insights, prompting us to consider how seemingly benign visual and physical elements shaped the language and interpretations of our work. Additionally, as we are still unfamiliar with each other’s practices, it was interesting to learn about the motivations and influences behind one another’s creativity, different processes used, as well as hear new and unconsidered perspectives. Amarachi Ogwo
