Producing large-scale artwork requires large-scale support, and finding these resources is often a challenge, particularly for emerging creatives. Sculptor and conceptual artist Neil Hamamoto struggled with the task himself, a challenge that led him to founding WORTHLESSSTUDIOS, a Brooklyn-based organization that provides artists with studio space, materials, technical assistance, and more.
This year, the nonprofit expanded to host its first artist-in-residence program, which offers emerging and underrepresented artists the tools and financial assistance necessary to realize their visions, conceived through a 2021 Artists Needs Assessment. The residency, which began in September with five creatives, has now culminated in an inaugural exhibition on view through Dec. 17 at the organization’s space in East Williamsburg.
The show includes works exploring harmony and healing by Montreal-based textile artist Jannick Deslauriers, Lebanese and French video artist Alicia Mersy, New York-based paper artist Karina Sharif, Iraqi-American designer Maryam Turkey, and self-taught sculptor and installation artist Mark Anthony Wilson Jr.
The exhibition’s opening last week coincided with the organization’s annual GOODTIMES GALA, a denim-coated disco with performances by Samora Pinderhughes and The Healing Project Choir, as well a DJ set by Studio 54 alum DJ Nicky Siano.
Here, Hamamoto opens up about the story behind his expanding organization, and why it’s so critical for arts organizations to band together at this moment.
CULTURED: Why did this feel like the right moment to launch an artist-in-residence program?
Neil Hamamoto: There are definitely times when I wish that idea generation and idea realization could happen instantaneously. In the instance of starting this artist-in-residence program, that has not been the case, but I don’t think that timing has much to do with it.
When I had the idea for the residency back in 2018, the hurdles that sculpture and installation-based artists were facing still felt extremely challenging, and opportunities providing this type of support in New York were still few and far between. I’m so grateful that we’ve made it this far and that artists now have a space to make large-scale artwork in New York.
CULTURED: Can you tell me about the process of putting together the inaugural class? Where do you think these artists' practices converge and differ?
Hamamoto: We’ve got an incredible group of artists that came together by way of a jury selection process: a great group of curators, artists, and art world professionals—including Brooke Kamin Rapaport, Eric Fischl, Jasmine Wahi, Kennedy Yanko, and Salome Asega—combed through nearly 600 applications from our open call, ultimately to select five artists.
The convergence sits right at the heart of WORTHLESSSTUDIOS’s mission: these artists all needed large space, tools, materials, and technical assistance to turn their big ideas from a sketch on paper into a three-dimensional object, and we helped them through that process. The artists’ voices, backgrounds, approaches, and purposes are all distinct, but they’re all incredible artists.
CULTURED: How do you hope to see the residency evolve over the next few years?
Hamamoto: We found a very big gap in the New York arts organization landscape, and we intend to continue to fill it. The greatest way we can evolve the residency is through the improvements of our facility. Our roof leaks, we don’t have air conditioning, and I’ve got a long list of tools we’d love to be able to offer to more artists.
CULTURED: How did this initial exhibition come together, and what are you hoping visitors take away from the show?
Hamamoto: I’m so proud of our first class of artists. Only a few of them had previous experience working at this monumental scale, and everyone has a tendency to underestimate the amount of time and effort it takes to realize an artwork of this size. Our artists all showed great dedication to their practice and maximized the resources we were able to provide them to make fantastic new works to expand their portfolios.
Besides spending time with each work and understanding the personal perspectives and voices of each artist, I hope visitors can leave with a greater appreciation for sculpture and installation work and the incredible challenges emerging artists face today.
CULTURED: Do you think working as an artist has given you greater insight into how to support other creatives? The residency seems to be taking a very practical and targeted approach to offering assistance.
Hamamoto: Absolutely! I started WORTHLESSSTUDIOS because of my own personal struggle as a sculptor to find the right space to make large-scale work. With arts and culture funding in a major decline, now arts organizations need to collaborate, not compete, more than ever.
Organizations with broad mission statements drain resources from hyper-focused and targeted organizations. My aim will always remain to focus on targeted support for artists as they design and fabricate new works of art.
"AIR Exhibition" is on view through December 17, 2023 at 7 Knickerbocker Avenue in New York.
