(UN)LEARN

When does freedom become overwhelming? Artist Jordan Zayas Kelly discusses the pressure of time in an academic year and the paradox of the blank canvas, exploring how we often crave external constraints when true freedom feels like too much. She shares her journey from a rigid, prescriptive artistic approach to creating intuitively, and how this shift allows her work to be more accessible. We discuss the work of unlearning complexity to make space for connection, allowing the viewer to re-ascribe histories and ultimately see themselves in the art.

Jordan Zayas Kelly is an interdisciplinary artist working between New York and London. Her experimental practice harnesses histories that resist traditional documentation, transforming historically exploited materials into aesthetic interventions. https://jordanzayaskelly.com/

Guest Curator: Xavier Leopold https://xavierleopoldstudio.com

Art as a universal language. Deep and Angie open the conversation reflecting on the profound, similar impact of the Journey of the Mind exhibition on audiences in both London and New York, underscoring how a mind "out of control" connects us all through shared pain and the search for purpose. The conversation then pivots to Sally Tallant, President and Executive Director of the Queens Museum, who discusses her "Year of Uncertainty" and the assurance that personal resilience can bring. We explore the powerful challenge of leading a deeply diverse institution where communities are often disparate, and how art can be a truly welcoming, genuinely inclusive place for connection. We conclude by redefining "community"—moving away from external identity markers to focus on the boundaryless mind.

Sally Tallant is a leading cultural figure committed to transforming institutional barriers. Her leadership has successfully positioned the Queens Museum as a vital public space—a model for how museums can be genuinely inclusive and dedicated to social justice

Can we find peace in chaos? Artist Anais Öst shares the profound inspiration behind her work: witnessing an Icelandic volcanic eruption. She reflects on how nature’s displacement, despite its power, is never rooted in greed, and how fire creates fertile ground for rebirth. The conversation explores interconnectedness, using the powerful analogy of the mind as a water droplet seeking to merge with the Ocean—the true source. We discuss the essential work of self-reflection, asking: are we living authentically, and how can a spirit of genuine curiosity guide us back to our deepest values?
Anais Öst is a Peruvian-Swedish interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of light, sound, and time. Her immersive installations blur the lines between human and environment, inviting reflection on transformation and the passage of elemental force. https://www.anaisost.com/
Guest Curator: Xavier Leopold https://xavierleopoldstudio.com

What happens when the career you were told to pursue leaves you empty? Artist Ed Vince, who held senior roles at companies like Apple and Facebook, shares his candid journey from the peak of the tech bubble to a profound personal 'breakthrough'. We explore the unsustainable chase for external validation and the desperate attempts to find internal consistency through intense wellness practices. Ed discusses how art became his path to true purpose and flow, allowing him to create with the joy of a child by taking discarded materials and transforming them with care, reflecting on how we must also care for ourselves and others.
Ed Vince is a London-based sculptor and artist. Responding to his extensive background as an advertising Creative Director, his work critically examines consumer culture and proposes that discarded elements can be reimagined with renewed significance and purpose. https://www.edwardvince.com

Guest Curator: Xavier Leopold https://xavierleopoldstudio.com

How does the search for Truth lead you back to your true Self? Artist Ramone 'K' Anderson opens up about the internal wrestling match he experienced when following rigid paths led him to neglect his inherent artistic purpose. He shares how restrictive views blocked his creative flow, only for his art to ultimately bring him back to his deepest sense of Self. We explore the essential work of unlearning dogma to find creative freedom, discussing how internal stillness and deep listening are needed to access genuine purpose.
Ramone 'K' Anderson, a recent RCA Contemporary Art Practice graduate, is a Hackney, North London-based artist and visual storyteller who resists the pressure for his work to be easily consumable. His multi-layered practice explores the issue of ownership of one's story and illuminates issues around equity of cultural capital.https://www.ramonekanderson.com
Guest Curator: Xavier Leopold ⁠https://xavierleopoldstudio.com