“Hi Jennifer,
I popped into your show today because the Friedman Benda show about Ettore Sottsass wasn't open. I met you as I was leaving and said that your show was "interesting." Blah.
In the spirit of my experience of your work, I'm writing you before I google your work to thank you for your show. By "chance," I entered into your space and your art and thoughts and I'm struck by the freshness of it all. Fresh in that it reminded me of something I didn't know I remembered--NYC (and other rich cities) before it became over-corportized, over-prescribed, over-polished, over-predictable. At first, I thought it must be a non-profit space--the person who opened the door was welcoming. On my ride home, I realized that I immediately started assigning labels to your work to make sense of what I was reading and seeing. But something so wonderful about your show is that it covers a lot of ground in that enormous, gorgeous space. And that gave me the opportunity to stop pigeonholing and to start taking it in. Unlike most young artists, you've been working for decades and have access to a huge space...so the show has a depth and emotion and history that most young artists don't, but without losing something I guess that I associate more with youth. Every word I come up with sounds cliched and loaded with unintended meaning--raw, unfiltered, dada, spontaneity, immediacy, authenticity, surprise--I don't know. And the despair and humor made me feel less alone on an existential level...dare I say, hopeful, even.
So thank you for sharing your work and space with me and provoking in me so many ideas and emotions and a sense of longing for being in the world differently from the usual. And a hopeless romantic hope for changing the course of our collective future instead of accepting this late-capitalist spectacle of shit.
I know that there is a lot more to say about your work and I know that this is sappy and naive and embarrassing, but fuck it. I'm hitting send and then I'll sign up for your newsletter.
Take care!”
— Dara Kiese
Me and Lisa
“When I was kid I would write scenes (always wrote) and direct my friends in plays. I would come up with characters and dress us up and we’d go into the real world and play them. I’m an only child, so through my life I have always had one best friend who I would be really close to, and only a few other friends otherwise, and we would have a blast. I loved my friends.
This is Lisa ❤️. We once randomly found a huge pair of men’s pants. She went in one pant leg and I went in the other and we laughed so hard we both peed in our pants inside our pant leg —so much fun!
Lisa had four older brothers and every Saturday round 7 am I would call for Lisa to come out and play —which was knocking on her door and waking up all of her brothers (they loved me 😂).
What? I wanted to play right away!!
Sharing my styling and design pieces from my early career reminds me of this early time when I was exploring my imagination. In many ways, in terms of what I do, little has changed.
Special shout out to anyone who remembers rainbow suspenders!
Have a great day!
I want to go out and play!” Jennifer
I’ve seen some shit in my days, but this shit is a whole different kind of shit.
My obsession with writing and photography began in my early childhood. Writing was and has been a necessity to get through. Film came as soon as I was cognitive it was an option. I wish to submerge myself in bringing forward my bodies of work I have hoarded. This is this chapter of my life. I want an empty shore.
Came across this photo from back when I used to print my photographs in a dark room at school.
All this time in this same city.
Hope y’all are taking good care of yourselves and doing okay. Sign up for the RRS feed to receive future writings.
Robert H. Foote in The Garden of Artifacts
New treasures have been unveiled in The Garden of Artifacts at The Development Gallery. I am honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Robert Foote, who is a subject in my upcoming film series …In the Woods (and Elsewhere). On view now is his powerful story, which captures his groundbreaking contributions to reproductive biology and animal cloning. After he passed, his wife sent me their cherished lei: a memory from their honeymoon in Hawaii. Since, it’s fallen apart, but still beautiful (below).
Dr. Robert H. Foote (June 21, 1922 – June 12, 2013) was a pioneering American scientist known for his groundbreaking work in animal cloning and reproductive biology. He was a key figure in the development of cloning techniques, particularly with cattle, contributing significantly to advancements in artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Dr. Foote's research laid the foundation for later breakthroughs in cloning, including the creation of Dolly the sheep. He served as a professor at Cornell University for over four decades. Dr. Foote was married to Jean Foote, with whom he shared a lifelong commitment to scientific exploration and family.
Dr. Foote’s visionary work at Cornell reshaped the world of biotechnology, opening pathways in genetic engineering that transformed agriculture and medicine. From pioneering animal cloning to laying the foundations of in vitro fertilization, his research has left an indelible mark.
In Memory of David Lynch
January 29th. My birthday. Here images I took of Lynch’s artwork at his last exhibition in NYC in 2022, Big Bongo Night! I mentioned to him on YT that I would post the images back in 2022, so I will share a gallery of those images and a few words soon. Always soon. Everything takes me time. Sometimes we don’t have time.
Now’s about a good time.
January 30, 2025
So it was his exhibition in New York in 2022. I don’t go out much, but I made sure to go. I got there late and the security guard let me in to wander around, alone. Felt right. I loved the exhibition, as I have loved all things created by Lynch.
Aside from him being a brilliant artist who illuminated our minds with his magnificent imagination, David Lynch was a giver. I didn’t know him personally, aside from a few interactions, but always felt his kindheartedness.
Sorry for those who did know him. It’s a profound loss for the world and for art. In my mind I felt if there was anyone to see my exhibit, he would be my first choice in patron. His curiosity for discovery.
He was marvelous!
Goodbye David Lynch. Hope you’re having a Big Bongo time! You most certainly deserve it.
Over these last years, the only artist I have been compared to with my film work has been Lynch. Of course an honor, but I didn’t really think it was actually so (and I am sure he wouldn’t think so either) —outside of the fact that I made a few intense, and perhaps to other people, out there film experiences like In the Woods Pathway, so easy to equate me with him because there aren’t artists to equate me with. I just watched ItW Pathway. Soon I will screen and debut further paths from ItW Pathway in the gallery. Recently, in tribute to Lynch, I’ve been playing his music in the space.
Over the years, upon further observation, I felt a certain kinship to his kindness and for his concern for people, and in that way I did feel similar. I had never meditated per se, so upon his passing I started meditating. He wanted that for everyone and I now understand why. So if you are one of the few humans on the planet who haven’t tried meditating, maybe you too should check it out. I don’t do any type of meditation ”practice” rather just sit and be.
I felt your heart David. You are one of the very few people I miss and did not know personally — and I think I share that feeling with many.
What a life!
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