Year after year, our May group shows are fraught with stress. Yes, the physical and creative labor of making new work, but also the emotional strain of putting that work out on a limb for the world to see. Since our first exhibition 11 years ago, the nights and weeks leading up to the opening are always spent in an unhealthy realm where adrenaline and sleep deprivation weigh equally, pushing us over the finish line. I thought that after more than a decade, this process would become less arduous, but in fact, it may be even more so.
This is the dichotomy; the beauty and the pain—the intense pride and crushing self doubt—the rush of exhilaration and impossible exhaustion of putting work that is solely your own into the world. This is both the reality of the independent practitioner and the heart of this year’s show.
This year, our 11th in business, we asked our current designers, a select group of alumni, and graduates of our residency program to articulate their "why" through the work. We asked our designers—past, present and future: Why did you choose this path paved with unending challenge? What drives you to keep going?
The resulting exhibit will be a love letter to the spirit of the independent designer, and the meaning behind the work. THE INDEPENDENTS encapsulates my very own "why." My belief in the independent spirit is limitless, and so is my awe.
Please join me on May 8 to celebrate together.
In shared community,
Jean Lin
The Independents
Thursday, May 8
6:00 -9:00 PM
196 West Broadway
Entrance on Varick
