“I never aimed to be an inspiration. I simply set out to accomplish what I’ve always endeavored to do,” Joan Semmel shared during a recent visit to her studio in Manhattan. At 93, with hundreds of portraits to her name and increasing demand for her artwork, Semmel offers a wealth of insight. Aaron Short provides an in-depth profile of the artist, accompanied by striking photographs taken by Hyperallergic’s Editor-at-Large, Hrag Vartanian.
Following a decisive victory by the Tisza opposition party, which ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year authoritarian grip on Hungary’s cultural and daily life, artists and cultural workers are daring to feel hopeful. Veronika Molnár, a curator based in New York with Hungarian roots, reflects on the lengthy period of silence and censorship in her home country and envisions a way forward in an essential opinion piece today.
Additionally, writer Hadley Suter engages in a conversation with Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury through a series of discussions interrupted by the ongoing US and Israeli bombardment near her home in Beirut. They explore her multisensory artistic practice and life amidst conflict. Don’t miss this week’s unique edition of A View From the Easel, highlighting British painter Celia Paul. “The main thing I cherish about my studio is that it is mine. No one can enter without permission,” she remarks.
—Valentina Di Liscia, senior editor
“You say, ‘Screw you. I’m accomplished and you’re mistaken,'” Semmel told Hyperallergic. “This is my identity, this is my work, and this is my passion.” | Aaron Short
