Juxtapoz Art and Culture-Spring_2019

JULIE CURTISS JUXTAPOZ.COM 97

is really rolling well with a great roster of
contemporary artists?
Mmm, just a little? Ha! A lot of excitement and also
a little bit of anxiety? Some of my favorite artists,
people I have been looking up to, are represented
by Anton. The bar is definitely set high. I guess
I just will just try to keep my head cool and work
as best as I can. Anton and his team, especially
Brigitte who is director there, are very supportive.
Besides, my show will be paired with David
Shrigley’s solo presentation on the first and
second floor. I am a huge fan of his work. He really
cracks me up.

In terms of advice you would give to another
artist, what is the best thing to think of when
you are about to have a show at such an
esteemed gallery and you are now repped by
them? What did you look for yourself?
My career picked up relatively recently so
I wouldn't say I am very seasoned with business
related things. I learned as things kept coming.
Sometimes it's hard to dispense advice because
everybody is in a different situation, and I have
been, for a long time, in a situation where there
is just nothing coming my way and I couldn’t be

picky. The thing I often try to keep in mind is that

when offered a show or anything art related, there

is always the option to say: “Thank you so much

and let me think about it”. I found, so far, that

giving yourself a little bit of time to think goes a

long way. Think of all the angles, about timeline.

Do some research; ask around about people’s

experience... An informed decision always pays

off. It’s better to know what you are getting

yourself into!

If you had your Midnight in Paris moment, where

would your "era" be?

That's a tough question! My husband and I often

play this game: "Where would you go if you

could travel anywhere in time?” So many places!

Medieval Europe, Japanese Edo Era, ancient

Greece, and ancient Egypt, of course.

However, because of my origins, I think that

I would go back to France and Europe, maybe

a bit before Woody Allen's character, mid-

nineteenth century, at the moment when modern

western painting was really taking shape. It's

really fascinating to imagine that people like

Delacroix and Monet co-existed. The century

went from Neoclassicism to post-Impressionism,

even symbolism, worlds apart in the way the

artist engages with the world. The idea of art

for art's sake really started then, a shift of

perception, moving away from religious themes

and traditional canons to focus on nature and

everyday life. Artists like Manet, Caillebotte or

Degas gave me a window into their society and

intimate lives. I think going to the museum as a

little girl, my imagination was impressed by the

power of art to make us travel in places and time.

What was the last thing you painted?

The last thing I painted is a toilet bowl!

Do you think you will sneak a face into your

works anytime soon?

It’s a question I often ask myself. Sometimes

avoiding faces does feel limiting. But the more

I think about it, the more I find that working around

limitations forces you to find creative solutions.

Julie Curtiss has a solo show opening at Anton Kern

Gallery in NYC on April 25, 2019.

juliecurtiss.com

Above: Voyeuse, Gouache and acrylic wash on paper, 20” x 14.25”, 2018