the art issue, no. 6

IN 2010, I VISITED THE MOMA in New York City to see performance artist Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is Present. As I walked through the exhibition, I was filled with awe, curiosity, and a rare feeling of excitement and inspiration. I recall leaving her show quietly, unable to express my emotions. I sate in complete silence on the subway heading home. All I could do that day was mentally unravel the significance her performance had for me. It took me a long while to understand the impact that day. Only recently did I realize what had happened. I had stepped out of the MoMa a new person, transformed, and with a new perspective and a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

Great artists often express ideas that are transformative; ideas that are ahead of us and not yet easily put into words. Sometimes, it takes a painting, a performance, some visual analogy, to enlighten us, fill a void, or guide us to a place of discovery. It’s no surprise then, that the many artists who have discovered the upstate region have irrevocably transformed the cultural landscape. This issue is dedicated to them and their ability to construct new paradigms.

Nhi Mundy, Editor in Chief