Interviews by Brainard Carey

Amy Stober (b. 1994, New Jersey) lives and works in New York.

Recent solo exhibitions include PAGE (NYC), New York (2024); A.D. NYC, New York (2022); and Springsteen Gallery, Baltimore (2021). Recent group exhibitions include Hesse Flatow, New York (2024); ensemble, New York (2024); Brunette Coleman, London (2023); Mickey, Chicago (2023); Chapter NY, New York (2022); T293, Rome (2022); Mickey, Chicago (2022); and Chris Andrews, Montreal (2022).

Amy Stober, Good Luck Charm, 2024 Cast polyurethane and metallic pigments, 8.5 x 8.5 x 17 inches 21.6 x 21.6 x 43.2 cm. Courtesy of the artist and PAGE (NYC).

Amy Stober, I <3 NY, 2024, Cast polyurethane, acrylic and metallic pigments, 4.5 x 6.5 x 4 inches, 11.4 x 16.5 x 10.2 cm. Courtesy of the artist and PAGE (NYC).

Amy Stober, Girl, 2024, Cast polyurethane and acrylic, 24 x 13 x 5 inches 61 x 33 x 12.7 cm. Courtesy of the artist and PAGE (NYC).

Irina Lotarevich’s (*1991, lives and works in Vienna, Austria) sculptural practice is shaped by the intersection of her own subjective experience with larger systems. The minimal yet complex and specific forms of her sculptures reference architecture, bureaucracy, labor, language, and parts of her body, as well as the production and circulation conditions of the material itself.

Lotarevich was born in Rybinsk, Russia in 1991 and immigrated to New York City as a child. She studied at Cornell University, Hunter College, and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She currently teaches metalworking at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.

Solo and duo exhibitions include: Settings, Silke Lindner, New York City (2025); Modular Woman, SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna (2023), Refinery, SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna (2020); Galvanic Couple, FUTURA Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague, Pensive State a two-person show with Anna Schachinger, SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna (2019); Schemas, Kevin Space, Vienna (2017).

Recently, her work has been included in group shows held at N/A, organised by Ginny on Frederick, Seoul; Scherben, hosted by Good Weather, Chicago (2024), Belvedere 21, Vienna; Silke Lindner, New York City; Centre d’art contemporain / Passages, Troyes (2023), HALLE FÜR KUNST, Graz; Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg; Kunstverein Bielefeld, Bielefeld; MUMOK, Vienna (2022), Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna (2021), among others.

Lotarevich’s work is in the permanent collections of mumok (Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig), Vienna, the Museum der Moderne, Salzburg, and the Vienna Museum.

Compressed Structure, 2025 Brass, patinated steel 8 x 65 1/2 x 2 1/2 in | 20.5 x 166.5 x 6.5 cm

Housing (Lottery), 2025 Galvanized steel, cast brass, cast aluminum, found chains 64 x 37 1/2 x 6 1/2 in | 163 x 95.5 x 16.5 cm

Stuffed Cell, 2025 Patinated steel 2 3/4 x 10 11/16 x 7 1/8 in | 7 x 27.5 x 18 cm

Tess Bilhartz grew up in Dallas, Texas and currently lives and works in New York City where she teaches art at Borough of Manhattan Community College - CUNY.

Recent solo exhibitions include  ‘What on Earth’ at Below Grand (2020) and ‘Follow Me Down’ at Rubber Factory (2022), which was reviewed in the Brooklyn Rail and BOMB magazine.

Her work has also been exhibited at Embajada, San Juan, PR, Primary, Miami, FL, and Island, New York, NY. Residencies include the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (2017), and the Sharpe Walentas Space Program (2013).

Tess Bilhartz, Green, 2024 Oil on canvas 30 x 52 in 76.2 x 132.1 cm

Tess Bilhartz, Pink Flash, 2024 Oil on canvas 30 x 52 in 76.2 x 132.1 cm

Tess Bilhartz, Spin, 2024 Oil on canvas 30 x 52 in 76.2 x 132.1 cm

Taher Asad Bakhtiari (Iranian, b. 1982)  Tribal Weave Project offers a contemporary distillation of the kilim flatweaves and densely-knotted gabbeh rugs that have long defined Iran’s cultural traditions. Asad-Bakhtiari’s tapestries are often built around large-scale triangular patterning and crossed by striated bars and lines—minimalist forms which interrupt the logic of warp and weft with jagged diagonals and vivid abstractions. They recall shimmering landforms, lines of motion, and the iconography of nomadic handicrafts, while also nodding to the simple geometries of mid-century avant-garde design and craft movement like those at Black Mountain College. Woven from hand-spun and naturally-dyed wool with the occasional inclusion of contemporary materials, these lace-like works seek to spur new creative wrinkles within a craft tradition dating back centuries.

While Asad-Bakhtiari’s textiles honor his namesake heritage in the nomadic Bakhtiari Lur tribe and are realized in concert with today’s artisan weavers, he is especially noted for his innovations in fiber techniques and weaving methods. Many of his tapestries seem to breathe of their own accord, composed of airy weaves with almost translucent sections of exposed warps. Rippling and glimmering as light and air pass through their open network of threads, they uncover patterns within the fundamental crossbeams of the weaving process, making use of the empty space between the overlay of threads. Combining exposed warps, lace weaves, flatweaves, and dense pile carpet techniques, Asad-Bakhtiari composes tapestries that are at once formally straightforward, yet elegantly layered, graphic, and evocative.

Asad-Bakhtiari is a self-taught artist whose practice revolves around three-dimensional objects, textiles, and experiences. His work is known for raising questions around utility within the trajectories of traditional artisan handcrafts. In addition to his Tribal Weaves, his resin-glazed series of Reclaimed Barrels transforms the ubiquitous aluminum oil barrel found around Tehran’s construction sites into functional works of art. Asad-Bakhtiari studied in Canada and Switzerland and resides between Tehran, Dubai, and New York.

TAHER ASAD-BAKHTIARI, Tribal Weave, 2024, Gabbeh woven wool with exposed warp 118" L x 98.5” W

TAHER ASAD-BAKHTIARI, Tribal Weave, 2024, Gabbeh woven wool with exposed warp 94.5" L x 66.25 “ W

TAHER ASAD-BAKHTIARI, Tribal Weave, 2024, Gabbeh woven wool with exposed warp 86.5" L x 59” W

Marcelle Reinecke in the studio, 2024

Marcelle Reinecke (b. 1989, New Orleans, LA) received an MFA from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Philadelphia, PA and a BFA from Marywood University, Scranton, PA. Reinecke also completed studies at the Studio Arts College International, Florence, Italy and was a Resident Artist at the Royal Drawing School, Dumfries House Trust, Cumnock, Scotland, U.K.

Recent exhibitions include Monya Rowe Gallery, NY; Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, NY; Margot Samel, NY; and Ruffed Grouse Gallery, Narrowsburg, NY.

Reinecke lives and works in Philadelphia, PA, and is represented by Monya Rowe Gallery, NY.

MARCELLE REINECKE,  Offset Hook, 2024 acrylic and flashe on panel,  30 by 24 inches Courtesy of Monya Rowe Gallery, NY

MARCELLE REINECKE,  Meet In The Kitchen, 2024 acrylic and flashe on panel, 36 by 48 inches Courtesy of Monya Rowe Gallery, NY

MARCELLE REINECKE,  In The Pines, 2024 acrylic and flashe on panel 24 by 30 inches Courtesy of Monya Rowe Gallery, NY

Leo Frontini , Photo by Scott MacDonough

Leo Frontini (b. 2000, Cleveland, OH) has found painting to be an escape from reality while also bringing him closer to the world, relationships, and himself. His practice combines his complicated exploration of the subconscious mind and emotional tumult with an exhaustive knowledge of human anatomy, oil painting techniques, and draftsmanship that is unique in its range of influence. Exploring his work is like embarking on a journey that engages both the senses and intellect. His paintings are often accompanied by evocative poetry, an instrumental part of his practice in exploring the hidden allegories of his work. Frontinis’ compositions hold the viewer in captivation and contemplation—a kindling of transcendence.

Leo Frontini received a BFA from Otis College of Art and Design (2023), studying great masters of the past in between frequent Life Drawing sessions. Frontini was raised in a creative household. In the solitariness of quarantine, Frontini began an intensive study of painting the figure. His visual intermingling of the past, present, and unknown provide a balance of harmony and tension. Launching his career upon graduation, Frontini had a solo exhibition with albertz benda Los Angeles in 2024, followed by a project exhibition with 1969 Gallery in New York. He will continue this trajectory with his first comprehensive solo exhibition at albertz benda New York in 2025.

Leo Frontini, Source of Anguish, 2024, Oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches 91.5 x 122 cm

Leo Frontini, Soliloquy of a sleepless night, 2025,  Oil on canvas 72 x 60 inches 183 x 152.5 cm

Leo Frontini, Cadence of Disruption, 2024, Oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches 91.4 x 121.9 cm

Antonia Caicedo Holguín photographed by Imogen Forte.

Antonia Caicedo Holguín (b. 1997 in Colombia) is deeply influenced by her hometown of Cali, Colombia, from the people who inhabit the city to the vibrant salsa music and dance culture of the region. By exploring everyday life, memory, and imagination, Caicedo Holguín chronicles her life, friends, and family. “A key component of my practice is the playfulness of writing narratives. The characters I build hold the charm, depth, and presence of literary protagonists.” Drawing inspiration from contemporary painters like Paula Rego and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, as well as old masters like Degas and Manet, her work often depicts fleeting moments of intimacy and moments of solitude. Often the subjects of Caicedo Holguín’s paintings seem to be in a state of introspection, or lost in reverie. She works with a variety of materials, including oil paint and unconventional materials like coffee grounds, coffee dyes, natural Latin American pigments, and found objects.

Caicedo Holguín received her Master of Arts in 2023 from the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, at University College London in London, England. She has exhibited internationally, and has received the following awards and grants: The Olive Award, in recognition of art process experimentation, The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, 2023, The Sarabande Foundation, Emerging Artist Fund, 2023, The Chelsea Arts Club Trust MA Materials and Research Award, 2022, and The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, 2021. She was a featured guest on the 250th episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast, The Week in Art, hosted by Ben Luke in 2023. She was featured in The Art Newspaper, in an article titled “Art stars of tomorrow? Four of my favourite artists from the Slade School degree show in London” by Dr. Chibundu Onuzo in 2023, and again in 2024 in the article “I commissioned an artist for the first time: here's what it taught me about what it really means to be a ‘collector’.” The artist lives and works in London, England.

Antonia Caicedo Holguín, My Friend Hannah Uzor - Portrait in the Studio 2024 Oil and oil pastels on canvas 47 x 43 in (119.38 x 109.22 cm)

Antonia Caicedo Holguín, Her Heart Sets the Beat, 2024 Acrylic, oil, and pastels on canvas 67.25 x 66.50 in (170.82 x 168.91 cm)

Antonia Caicedo Holguín, Sunkissed 2024, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 47 x 43 in (119.38 x 109.22 cm)

Ana Gonzalez, Photo byJuan Moore

Ana González’s artistic practice celebrates the landscapes of her native Colombia and her partnerships with the indigenous communities dedicated to their preservation. Her work serves as a vibrant tribute to the sensory richness and cultural significance of these environments whilst highlighting their crucial role in historic ecosystems. Her oeuvre bridges multiple disciplines, including painting, photography, and sculpture.

In her work González references to the 18th-century naturalist Alexander von Humboldt and his exploration of the interconnectedness of all living systems. Her Devastations series features textiles onto which the artist prints photographs of Colombia’s vulnerable environments which she then partially unravels by hand. The works preserve these spaces as sites of power, abundance, and renewal while referencing the slow disappearance of ancient ecologies.

González has worked closely with Colombian Indigenous communities, leading social and humanitarian initiatives with the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta communities, the Nukak people of Guaviare, and Misak women in Cauca. In collaboration with Cartier and the Amazon Conservation Team, González founded a health and social project in the Colombian Amazon. In November 2024 they completed a healthcare center in Murui Muina, Umancia, an indigenous settlement positioned at the intersection of three key regions: Putumayo, Caquetá, and Amazonas.

Ana González is a graduate in architecture from Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. She pursued advanced studies in Art and Gender at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and completed a master’s in arts and media, focusing on Photography, Printing, and Publishing, at both the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris in France. Her work is part of significant private and public collections, including the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, the Havremagasinet Länskonsthall Museum in Sweden, the National Museum of Colombia, the Bogotá Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO), the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, CA, the JP Morgan Chase Art Collection, NY, the Bancolombia Art Collection and the Museo de la Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. She currently lives and works in Bogotá.

Ana González, PALMAS DE CERA (WAX PALM TREES), 2024 sublimation printing on roughened tarp 58 1/4 x 58 11/16 inches. © Ana González Courtesy Sean Kelly, New York/Los Angeles.

Ana González, RÍO VAUPÉS (RIVER IN THE AMAZON FOREST), 2024, sublimation printing on roughened tarp, 21 5/8 x 27 9/16 inches. © Ana González Courtesy Sean Kelly, New York/Los Angeles.

Ana González, KYBA (DREAM), 2024, diptych graphite and acrylic on canvas. canvas: 63 x 47 1/4 inches (160 x 120 cm) each. © Ana González Courtesy Sean Kelly, New York/Los Angeles.

Benjamin Bertocci has been living and working in N.Y.C. since 2005. He was raised in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, attended Bard College at Simon’s Rock, UMASS Amherst, and Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.

He now works out of his studio in Long Island City Queens, and lives with his small family in nearby Astoria.

 

Philosopher VII; Abomination Parent Transfixed Between Planes, Frozen, Destroyed (Fiscally Appreciative Parasitoid) 14”x11” Oil on Panel.

The Last Beasts in the Sky Still Need to Play, Oil on Panel, 16”x20”.

Promession III, oil on plastic entombed canvas 12” x 12” 2022.

Matthew Leifheit, Photo by Shala Miller

Matthew Leifheit is an American photographer, magazine editor, and professor based in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and the Yale School of Art, Leifheit is Editor-in-Chief of MATTE Magazine, the journal of emerging photography he has published since 2010. Leifheit's photographs have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, Aperture, TIME, and Artforum, and have been exhibited internationally. His work has been supported by residencies at the Corporation of Yaddo and The Watermill Center, receiving grants from the New York State Cultural Council and the Fund for Lesbian and Gay Studies at Yale, where he was awarded the Richard Benson Prize in 2017. He is currently full-time faculty at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.

Gay Archive was presented at Union College Crowell and West Galleries and at Massachusetts College of Art and Design's Brant Gallery in the fall of 2024. "Matthew Leifheit: Gay Chorus" will be on view at REVERB Gallery in Tampa, Florida through February 14th. Selections from Leifheit's Gay Archive work will also be included in the Griffin Museum of Photography's upcoming exhibition "Nuclear Family," on view January 17th—March 30th 2025.

Installation View of Matthew Leifheit: Queer Archive at Massachusetts College of Art and Design's Brant Gallery, November 2025

John Pfleiderer Body Hair Collection* (undated, collected prior to Pfleiderer’s death in 1982) GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, 2023 40x30” dye sublimation print with footnote.

Harvey Milk Underwear, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, 2023 40x30” dye sublimation print on aluminum

Pedro Zamora Gift Image, 2024 22.75’’ x 32.75’’ offset lithography on newsprint, edition of 1000 copies.