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Interview With Artist, Gallerist, Entrepreneur
Indira Cesarine
Owner Founder of The Untitled Space
"ONLY YOU, No 2”
Photography by Indira Cesarine, featured in ONLY YOU Exhibition, The Untitled Space
Photography by Indira Cesarine, featured in ONLY YOU Exhibition, The Untitled Space
Indira,
I met you several times at exhibitions at your gallery that you had invited me 2.
Thank you for thinking of me.
Going in - i'm pure, like a child like, letting things wash over me the way you might let a
Great work of art wash over you. Impressions reflections ideas in the way people move respond and act are always a great source of interest to me. They can tell you something about a person.
Im careful in my judgements or perceptions - it’s a time consuming process at times but usually leads me in the right direction.
When I met you I was impressed and slightly frightened. Your larger than life but also flow like water in an object your give and take led me in - right in - to where you wanted me to be even if it was 5 seconds in that moment we spent together.
So we discussed an interview and I contemplated the outcomes - as you are without fear and your controversial themes might disturb those who like to live in their own little worlds undisturbed. There is a loud voice inside me wanting and needing to speak the truth but as Jack Nicholson says in that famous play / movie - you can’t handle the truth’
and many people prefer not to.
And I can dig that as I - 2 - straddle the lines between fantasy and reality and lean towards the pleasant more often than not.
The Reality is that there is work to be done and this work may not be for the faint of heart
And that’s where you come in. And here is where my love and appreciation for you begins.
You confront the issues and place a call to artists to answer our questions and issues with grace skill and talents that are sometimes beyond the diligent and monotonous work of learning how to incorporate light into a flat surface through the use of color, in an effort to ease our minds or spark our souls to strive for more and become more. So this is my way of saying thanks. Thank you for being a young intelligent female with a powerful approach and hold on reality or reality within the fantasy that is the possibility of what is real and what is not.
TNYO: Your bio like your in person - persona is very impressive a multimedia artist, a gallerist, An impresario a world traveler, photographer and the list of achievements continues. And achievements are positive and should be a source of inspiration not fear amongst your peers and fellow human beings (For Indira’s Bio Click Here) http://untitled-magazine.com/about-the-editor-indira-cesarine/ Tell us about your childhood to start with as this is where it all begins’
Indira Cesarine: It may come as a surprise to some, but I was born and raised in Iowa. I lived in the midwest, mainly in Des Moines, Iowa until I was 14 years old. I was the youngest of 5 children and both of my parents worked a lot so we didn’t see them much.
I became very independent at an extremely young age. My parents threw us into loads of after school programs, for art, dance, music, foreign language etc, to keep us busy while they were working and I was always instinctively drawn to the more creative choices. I used to play the piano for hours every day, and loved all the art and dance classes. I was massively inquisitive and by the time I was in my early teens I was ready to discover the world. My dad took me on a business trip to Tokyo when I was 13 and that totally inspired me to discover other cultures.
The same year I did a summer exchange program in France, where I stayed with a French family for a few months to learn the language. That was an amazing experience and I became even more driven to broaden my horizons from the suburban sensibility that pervades the midwest. I was inspired to apply to boarding school upon my return from France and ended up getting accepted to Choate Rosemary Hall, where I studied throughout high school. Every summer I stayed in NYC and went to Parson’s School of Design summer program for high school students, and stayed in the dorm in Union Square. I studied painting and photography at Parson’s and ended up meeting a ton of incredibly creative kids who were also studying there.
I’m still friends with several of them in fact! We used to roam the streets of the village where all the punks hung out and die our hair crazy colors and hit all the nightclubs. I ended up hanging out with all the trendy club kids of the era and a lot of my early photography actually features shoots from that scene.
I met you several times at exhibitions at your gallery that you had invited me 2.
Thank you for thinking of me.
Going in - i'm pure, like a child like, letting things wash over me the way you might let a
Great work of art wash over you. Impressions reflections ideas in the way people move respond and act are always a great source of interest to me. They can tell you something about a person.
Im careful in my judgements or perceptions - it’s a time consuming process at times but usually leads me in the right direction.
When I met you I was impressed and slightly frightened. Your larger than life but also flow like water in an object your give and take led me in - right in - to where you wanted me to be even if it was 5 seconds in that moment we spent together.
So we discussed an interview and I contemplated the outcomes - as you are without fear and your controversial themes might disturb those who like to live in their own little worlds undisturbed. There is a loud voice inside me wanting and needing to speak the truth but as Jack Nicholson says in that famous play / movie - you can’t handle the truth’
and many people prefer not to.
And I can dig that as I - 2 - straddle the lines between fantasy and reality and lean towards the pleasant more often than not.
The Reality is that there is work to be done and this work may not be for the faint of heart
And that’s where you come in. And here is where my love and appreciation for you begins.
You confront the issues and place a call to artists to answer our questions and issues with grace skill and talents that are sometimes beyond the diligent and monotonous work of learning how to incorporate light into a flat surface through the use of color, in an effort to ease our minds or spark our souls to strive for more and become more. So this is my way of saying thanks. Thank you for being a young intelligent female with a powerful approach and hold on reality or reality within the fantasy that is the possibility of what is real and what is not.
TNYO: Your bio like your in person - persona is very impressive a multimedia artist, a gallerist, An impresario a world traveler, photographer and the list of achievements continues. And achievements are positive and should be a source of inspiration not fear amongst your peers and fellow human beings (For Indira’s Bio Click Here) http://untitled-magazine.com/about-the-editor-indira-cesarine/ Tell us about your childhood to start with as this is where it all begins’
Indira Cesarine: It may come as a surprise to some, but I was born and raised in Iowa. I lived in the midwest, mainly in Des Moines, Iowa until I was 14 years old. I was the youngest of 5 children and both of my parents worked a lot so we didn’t see them much.
I became very independent at an extremely young age. My parents threw us into loads of after school programs, for art, dance, music, foreign language etc, to keep us busy while they were working and I was always instinctively drawn to the more creative choices. I used to play the piano for hours every day, and loved all the art and dance classes. I was massively inquisitive and by the time I was in my early teens I was ready to discover the world. My dad took me on a business trip to Tokyo when I was 13 and that totally inspired me to discover other cultures.
The same year I did a summer exchange program in France, where I stayed with a French family for a few months to learn the language. That was an amazing experience and I became even more driven to broaden my horizons from the suburban sensibility that pervades the midwest. I was inspired to apply to boarding school upon my return from France and ended up getting accepted to Choate Rosemary Hall, where I studied throughout high school. Every summer I stayed in NYC and went to Parson’s School of Design summer program for high school students, and stayed in the dorm in Union Square. I studied painting and photography at Parson’s and ended up meeting a ton of incredibly creative kids who were also studying there.
I’m still friends with several of them in fact! We used to roam the streets of the village where all the punks hung out and die our hair crazy colors and hit all the nightclubs. I ended up hanging out with all the trendy club kids of the era and a lot of my early photography actually features shoots from that scene.
"ONLY YOU, No 176”
Photography by Indira Cesarine, featured in ONLY YOU Exhibition, The Untitled Space
Photography by Indira Cesarine, featured in ONLY YOU Exhibition, The Untitled Space
TNYO: Im sure your upbringing has helped to lead you here or at least help lead you to where you are now. Can I assume that you are a product of your previous and present environments or are you a child of the environment that you create at that moment you are experiencing.
Indira Cesarine: Honestly I think I’m a bit of both - I grew up with a very independent, curious sensibility. I wanted to experience everything and see the world. I think growing up in the midwest I felt like I was missing out, and once I moved to NYC I threw myself into it. I was very inspired by art from an early age, and I used to spend hours every day painting or in the darkroom working on experimental photography. My parents were the exact opposite though, very business oriented.
My mother is a lawyer and my dad had his own company, and although they were always really supportive of my interest in art, that wasn’t something that was really emphasized in our home growing up. I always had to create my own environment in order to thrive and pursue my interests, and was never really that interested in doing what everyone else was doing - I wanted to do my own thing.
TNYO: Your last show was politically influenced and your current show lends itself to a certain peace and tranquility. With exhibitions titled, Secret Garden, She Inspires, Self Reflection, Cardiac Insomniac, In The Raw The Female Gaze on The Nude, The F Word Feminism In Art, Eyes Open Eyes Closed, Human Nature.
Can you tell us a little about these exhibitions or high lights from your favorite exhibitions.
Indira Cesarine: One of my favorite shows to date was my exhibit this past January, UPRISE / ANGRY WOMEN, as it was a very instinctive curatorial and powerfully emotional show, in response to the political situation. I was planning a group exhibition of around 20 or so artists in response to the Presidental election to take place during the inauguration this past January.
I got an incredible outpour of interest from artists regarding the exhibit concept, I ended up featuring 80 artists. Almost every bit of wall in the gallery was covered in art! We literally had thousands of works of art submitted for the show from all over the world, it was very difficult to make the final selections, but I was also very driven to curate something that could have an impact. I feel like that exhibit was really a turning point for me, to follow my heart and focus on artwork that has social impact. I’m not really interested in art that is purely decorative.
I believe in supporting art that has cultural significance and that will resonate with us for years to come as being influential in some way, with a place in history. I’m working now on curating a new exhibition, ONE YEAR OF RESISTANCE, which will take place January 2018. I think the name really says it all!
TNYO: I am getting the feeling that your shows are curated and arranged to hold up a mirror to how people see the world and each other as well as how you may see or feel about the world, yourself the female and her position in this world, am I close to correct on this?
Indira Cesarine: Yes of course. My work is definitely very reflective of my own personality and my views on the world. I see myself first and foremost as an artist, and secondly as a curator and gallerist.
I founded The Untitled Space to create a platform for likeminded individuals, as I felt that there was a large gap missing in the art world for female artists to have visibility and to be able to express their work from that context.
Feminist art in general was really not of much interest to the art world until very recently. I think the impact of the Women’s March and the support for women’s interests since the election has dramatically grown, and finally female artists are being emphasized as an important part of our culture and history.
Indira Cesarine: Honestly I think I’m a bit of both - I grew up with a very independent, curious sensibility. I wanted to experience everything and see the world. I think growing up in the midwest I felt like I was missing out, and once I moved to NYC I threw myself into it. I was very inspired by art from an early age, and I used to spend hours every day painting or in the darkroom working on experimental photography. My parents were the exact opposite though, very business oriented.
My mother is a lawyer and my dad had his own company, and although they were always really supportive of my interest in art, that wasn’t something that was really emphasized in our home growing up. I always had to create my own environment in order to thrive and pursue my interests, and was never really that interested in doing what everyone else was doing - I wanted to do my own thing.
TNYO: Your last show was politically influenced and your current show lends itself to a certain peace and tranquility. With exhibitions titled, Secret Garden, She Inspires, Self Reflection, Cardiac Insomniac, In The Raw The Female Gaze on The Nude, The F Word Feminism In Art, Eyes Open Eyes Closed, Human Nature.
Can you tell us a little about these exhibitions or high lights from your favorite exhibitions.
Indira Cesarine: One of my favorite shows to date was my exhibit this past January, UPRISE / ANGRY WOMEN, as it was a very instinctive curatorial and powerfully emotional show, in response to the political situation. I was planning a group exhibition of around 20 or so artists in response to the Presidental election to take place during the inauguration this past January.
I got an incredible outpour of interest from artists regarding the exhibit concept, I ended up featuring 80 artists. Almost every bit of wall in the gallery was covered in art! We literally had thousands of works of art submitted for the show from all over the world, it was very difficult to make the final selections, but I was also very driven to curate something that could have an impact. I feel like that exhibit was really a turning point for me, to follow my heart and focus on artwork that has social impact. I’m not really interested in art that is purely decorative.
I believe in supporting art that has cultural significance and that will resonate with us for years to come as being influential in some way, with a place in history. I’m working now on curating a new exhibition, ONE YEAR OF RESISTANCE, which will take place January 2018. I think the name really says it all!
TNYO: I am getting the feeling that your shows are curated and arranged to hold up a mirror to how people see the world and each other as well as how you may see or feel about the world, yourself the female and her position in this world, am I close to correct on this?
Indira Cesarine: Yes of course. My work is definitely very reflective of my own personality and my views on the world. I see myself first and foremost as an artist, and secondly as a curator and gallerist.
I founded The Untitled Space to create a platform for likeminded individuals, as I felt that there was a large gap missing in the art world for female artists to have visibility and to be able to express their work from that context.
Feminist art in general was really not of much interest to the art world until very recently. I think the impact of the Women’s March and the support for women’s interests since the election has dramatically grown, and finally female artists are being emphasized as an important part of our culture and history.
Indira Cesarine in front of her oil on canvas painting, “Arrested for Equality, An Ode to the Suffragettes”, 2017
TNYO: What makes you most angry, happy, sad and inspired?
Indira Cesarine: I am definitely the most inspired when I am creating. I love learning and I am constantly pushing myself to explore new mediums as an artist. Over the past few months I have been working on welding sculpture in steel, and I have to say working with a metal and welding is massively empowering! I love it. One of my steel sculptures is featured in my exhibit on at the moment at The Untitled Space, titled "ONLY YOU".
It was a rather last minute show. We had an exhibition that had to be moved to next year and a gap in our program so I decided to exhibit some of my own artwork that I had been working on for an exhibition at CICA Museum in South Korea next January. I ended up collaborating with a dance company, Bryn Cohn + Artists, who saw the series and was inspired to choreograph an original performance based on the artwork.
The series is very narrative, and tells the story of a traumatic break up I had, a relationship that ended lies, deception and betrayal. That is one thing that really makes me sad, and angry - people who are dishonest, who lie and deceive others. I believe in being honest about who you are. It’s important to have some integrity in this crazy world we live in. I also believe it is important to have compassion and understand how your actions or words can impact others. I also get very angry when I feel like a situation is not fair… I find it unbelievable that basics such as equal rights for women, which seem so obvious, are unfortunately not a reality yet in this country.
Indira Cesarine: I am definitely the most inspired when I am creating. I love learning and I am constantly pushing myself to explore new mediums as an artist. Over the past few months I have been working on welding sculpture in steel, and I have to say working with a metal and welding is massively empowering! I love it. One of my steel sculptures is featured in my exhibit on at the moment at The Untitled Space, titled "ONLY YOU".
It was a rather last minute show. We had an exhibition that had to be moved to next year and a gap in our program so I decided to exhibit some of my own artwork that I had been working on for an exhibition at CICA Museum in South Korea next January. I ended up collaborating with a dance company, Bryn Cohn + Artists, who saw the series and was inspired to choreograph an original performance based on the artwork.
The series is very narrative, and tells the story of a traumatic break up I had, a relationship that ended lies, deception and betrayal. That is one thing that really makes me sad, and angry - people who are dishonest, who lie and deceive others. I believe in being honest about who you are. It’s important to have some integrity in this crazy world we live in. I also believe it is important to have compassion and understand how your actions or words can impact others. I also get very angry when I feel like a situation is not fair… I find it unbelievable that basics such as equal rights for women, which seem so obvious, are unfortunately not a reality yet in this country.
“Protest”,
2017 Oil on Canvas by Indira Cesarine
2017 Oil on Canvas by Indira Cesarine
TNYO: I really Love your art work that you make personally.
Does this interfere with curating hundreds of other artists work?
Indira Cesarine: Thank you! That’s a good question actually as it’s a very hard to find balance between curating and being an artist myself. It’s honestly a constant challenge. These days, I usually work on my own artwork in the evenings and on weekends, which is a huge shift from when I was working full time as a photographer. I go out to Brooklyn at least once a week to work on making neon sculptures at a workshop out there and hit the welding studio at least once a week for my steel pieces.
I end up having to squeeze in time between curating shows and running the gallery to work on my painting and photography. It also gets a bit complicated, as some people are very old school with the theory that you can’t include your own artwork in shows you curate. The Untitled Space was actually my own private photo studio space before I transitioned it into a gallery.
When I launched the gallery I wanted to create a platform for my own artwork as well as other artists. Female artist have been so marginalized in the art world, I wanted to be able to create a space that could support and promote not just my own work but that of other artists I appreciate. I feel like these old school rules about exhibiting your own artwork just don't apply when it comes to trying to change the system, and create a place for feminist art. I could just operate the space as my private studio, but instead I decided to open it up to support the work of other artists as well. You have to break the rules to enact change.
You need to be a self starter and part of that is not having a fear of promoting your own work or believing in yourself as much as others. I encourage artists all the time to stage their own exhibits or open their own galleries. It’s a huge waste of time to sit around and wait to be “discovered”.
We live in a world of bloggers posting selfies and musicians launching their own record labels, as well as countless creatives launching their own magazines. I get very inspired collaborating with and curating other artists, but at the end of the day, I have to also prioritize my own artwork somewhere in that equation.
I think its important not to negate your own value and do whatever you need to do to feel creatively inspired and make your dreams come true. I feel very lucky to be able to go to work every day feeling that in some way shape or form my gallery is also helping other artists get their work out there.
Does this interfere with curating hundreds of other artists work?
Indira Cesarine: Thank you! That’s a good question actually as it’s a very hard to find balance between curating and being an artist myself. It’s honestly a constant challenge. These days, I usually work on my own artwork in the evenings and on weekends, which is a huge shift from when I was working full time as a photographer. I go out to Brooklyn at least once a week to work on making neon sculptures at a workshop out there and hit the welding studio at least once a week for my steel pieces.
I end up having to squeeze in time between curating shows and running the gallery to work on my painting and photography. It also gets a bit complicated, as some people are very old school with the theory that you can’t include your own artwork in shows you curate. The Untitled Space was actually my own private photo studio space before I transitioned it into a gallery.
When I launched the gallery I wanted to create a platform for my own artwork as well as other artists. Female artist have been so marginalized in the art world, I wanted to be able to create a space that could support and promote not just my own work but that of other artists I appreciate. I feel like these old school rules about exhibiting your own artwork just don't apply when it comes to trying to change the system, and create a place for feminist art. I could just operate the space as my private studio, but instead I decided to open it up to support the work of other artists as well. You have to break the rules to enact change.
You need to be a self starter and part of that is not having a fear of promoting your own work or believing in yourself as much as others. I encourage artists all the time to stage their own exhibits or open their own galleries. It’s a huge waste of time to sit around and wait to be “discovered”.
We live in a world of bloggers posting selfies and musicians launching their own record labels, as well as countless creatives launching their own magazines. I get very inspired collaborating with and curating other artists, but at the end of the day, I have to also prioritize my own artwork somewhere in that equation.
I think its important not to negate your own value and do whatever you need to do to feel creatively inspired and make your dreams come true. I feel very lucky to be able to go to work every day feeling that in some way shape or form my gallery is also helping other artists get their work out there.
TNYO: Your audience is diverse and expansive the people at your exhibitions are many times very flamboyant interesting and for the most part intelligent and talented. This is my kind of environment where I am most comfortable and I enjoy your shows very much. When your selecting an invitation list what is your process?
Indira Cesarine: I am happy for whoever has an interest in the artwork to attend the exhibits. You can just sign up for our mailing list on our website and I keep all the exhibits open to the public. The themes of the shows perhaps draw in that kind of crowd just by nature of the subject matter and artwork the gallery presents.
TNYO: What did you do you before you were an artist ;-)
Indira Cesarine: I have been an artist my entire life. The only other job I had before launching The Untitled Magazine and The Untitled Space was working as a photographer. I started shooting photography when I was 15. Throughout college (I went to Columbia University in the city) I worked for a lot of modeling agencies as a photographer.
After I graduated, I lived between New York, London and Paris, working full time as a photographer until 2009. I launched Untitled in 2009 and shifted my focus back to art, which is my true love.
Indira Cesarine: I am happy for whoever has an interest in the artwork to attend the exhibits. You can just sign up for our mailing list on our website and I keep all the exhibits open to the public. The themes of the shows perhaps draw in that kind of crowd just by nature of the subject matter and artwork the gallery presents.
TNYO: What did you do you before you were an artist ;-)
Indira Cesarine: I have been an artist my entire life. The only other job I had before launching The Untitled Magazine and The Untitled Space was working as a photographer. I started shooting photography when I was 15. Throughout college (I went to Columbia University in the city) I worked for a lot of modeling agencies as a photographer.
After I graduated, I lived between New York, London and Paris, working full time as a photographer until 2009. I launched Untitled in 2009 and shifted my focus back to art, which is my true love.
Photography by Indira Cesarine
TNYO: What do you like to do with your free time?
Indira Cesarine: Make art! It’s not a job it’s a lifestyle. Aside from that, I spend a lot of weekends out of the city, reconnecting with nature :)
TNYO: What’s your favorite color?
Indira Cesarine: Lavender
Indira Cesarine: Make art! It’s not a job it’s a lifestyle. Aside from that, I spend a lot of weekends out of the city, reconnecting with nature :)
TNYO: What’s your favorite color?
Indira Cesarine: Lavender
Photography by Indira Cesarine
TNYO: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience in the modelling, fashion, and film and media industries and how this ties into the gallery life ?
Indira Cesarine: After many years working as a photographer, I ended up launching my own magazine… which covers art, fashion, film, music… we feature a lot of interviews with creatives.
The magazine keeps me in the loop with all of the above. Theres also a lot of cross over these days at most art events etc between the art and media industries and I love experiencing a bit of everything. After working in the fashion industry for many years I guess that will also always be a part of my life, although it’s definitely less of an emphasis now that I am focusing on the gallery and my own artwork.
Indira Cesarine: After many years working as a photographer, I ended up launching my own magazine… which covers art, fashion, film, music… we feature a lot of interviews with creatives.
The magazine keeps me in the loop with all of the above. Theres also a lot of cross over these days at most art events etc between the art and media industries and I love experiencing a bit of everything. After working in the fashion industry for many years I guess that will also always be a part of my life, although it’s definitely less of an emphasis now that I am focusing on the gallery and my own artwork.
Photography by Indira Cesarine
“Girl In Red”
2017 Intaglio Etching on Arches Cotton Paper by Indira Cesarine
2017 Intaglio Etching on Arches Cotton Paper by Indira Cesarine
"I Believe in Free Love (Victoria Woodhull)"
2017 Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
2017 Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
"Act Now”
2017 Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
2017 Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
"fuckoff"
2017 Pink Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
2017 Pink Neon Light Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
TNYO: Your beautiful, and I love what you are doing Indira, I look forward to all of your upcoming projects and exhibitions - I could continue to ask you questions all night but maybe it’s better to leave a little mystery in the mix as the world turns around us the tides ebb and flow
And the universe has its way with us. One final question can you pick a favorite song for us to listen to, one which you may like to work to ;-)
Indira Cesarine: One of my favorite songs of all times is “La Vie en Rose” - originally by Edith Piaf and the remake by Grace Jones is brilliant.
And the universe has its way with us. One final question can you pick a favorite song for us to listen to, one which you may like to work to ;-)
Indira Cesarine: One of my favorite songs of all times is “La Vie en Rose” - originally by Edith Piaf and the remake by Grace Jones is brilliant.
“Only You, No. 1000”
Steel Welded Sculpture by Indira Cesarine
Steel Welded Sculpture by Indira Cesarine