Gregory Meander

A learning, a shift, and a season.


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It has been six months since I wrote my last entry on Philip Guston while in Washington, D.C. A friend recently had asked me how my writing was going and she had asked if she’d missed an entry. It was a thoughtful question and I had not stopped to think about why I had not written. I think I took a break. Unintentionally. Often, things happen that prevent writers from writing. We love to make excuses. Often. Life happens. Life keeps coming at you and things shift in priority.

I fell in love. I lost a job. I lost significant weight. A friend got sick and was in the hospital. I visited my family in the Midwest.I just didn’t write. Life sped up and I want to slow down. One of the things I have learned in the last six months is to stay true yourself whatever that looks like in the moment. This past Tuesday, I attended an event at the New York City Public Library and Douglas Reside introduced his new book, “Fixing The Musical: How technologies Shaped the Broadway Repertory.” "What does it mean to “fix” a piece of creative work? Is it trademark? Is it that it makes it to Broadway and then disappears into an archive? And why don’t people read the libretto of great musicals? James Lapine (one of Stephen Sodheim’s collaborators) famously said that no one goes to a musical for the book, they go for the music. I was by far the youngest member in the Tuesday mid-afternoon audience, which made me question my entire motive to learn more about the business of publishing.

When does the artist say, “I am finished with this one piece of work.” I have been working on my collection of essays for ten years. Am I am making excuses in delaying? Why am I continuously scared to share and put it all out there? It is hard to tell. Like much in life, there is ambiguity that must be faced. I have been so worried about being perfect, being curated, dividing my creative life and my “professional” life. My own uncertainty has brought me to this point. I am faced with a moment of clarity that came on the backcountry trail of a recent trip to our national parks. I am owning all of my professional desires. I can have many dreams. I have zig-zagged in my career from museums, to fundraising for civic art projects, climate tech, supporting individual artists, advertising starts ups, and business consulting. I have always chosen to challenge myself, expand and grow. This is another moment of growth.

In this effort of growth, I am going to be holding my writing accountable with new features that span all my passions from art exhibits, art and culture, theater, nature, and yes, technology. I am going to put new effort behind publishing and sharing more of my essay writing, works in progress, and expand my reader base (share with anyone you think might be interested). And yes, I am looking for a full-time job in New York City that is a bit more purpose driven, working towards efforts that are moving us closer to the needle of good rather bad. This was a more a moment of accountability for me, but also to re-connect with all of you. So, reach out, I want to know how you are all doing. And I look forward to writing more about the big fall season in the big apple - some things that I are of interest that might be dropping in your in-box include a review of The Shark is Broken on Broadway, The Armory Show, Ed Ruscha at MOMA, Ruth Asawa at The Whitney, and a reflection of Barbara Chase - Riboud’s work seen in the past year. All that to say, I am not on strike. I am back at it and looking forward to seeing what mysteries I can uncover.



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Gregory MeanderBy Gregory Meander