Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/749295
258 culturedmag.com STEWART UOO, 31 @stewart.uoo Stewart Uoo's dystopian sculptures and videos offer a humorous take on contemporary issues. His breakout moment came in 2013 with a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. This year, the artist received more institutional recognition with appearances in MoMA PS1's "Greater New York" and "Human Interest: Portraits of the Whitney's Collection." What more could a Post-Internet provocateur want? How do you know a work you've made is good? Laughter. What teacher did you learn the most from in school? I just organized an exhibition on the work of a former teacher, Franklin Williams. He has an exquisite, expansive body of work spanning as far back as the 1960s, much of it overlooked. He's an amazing artist and educator who has been teaching in the Bay Area for generations. Do you have any unrealized projects? A stack of exploded vehicles for a public site. Compressing street traffic in a masculine mise-en-scène of a post-apocalyptic future. It would be perfect for a film or fashion editorial. How did you fund your first works? Organizing Xtapussy parties with Marie Karlberg and Hayley Pisaturo. When you aren't in the studio, where are you? I'm in my 'corner-phase' right now so I'm really hermetic in my brain. Yoga, gym and acupuncture... I know. SAM MOYER, 33 @sammemoyer Sam Moyer is comfortable dealing with heavy materials. A Brooklyn-based artist who works with marble, canvas and metal, Moyer and her unwieldy sculptures conjure images of a Frank Stella/Michael Heizer hybrid. This fall, she joined Sean Kelly gallery, where we imagine monumental moves are already in the works. How did you fund your first works? I always had to work, but I remember calling my mom in college to see if she would lend me $200 for Bondo and pink insulation foam. I had to present a full proposal, but I got the grant. What is the best piece of advice you've received? Be a good listener, and move to New York. What are you working toward? I'm currently working on a couple of group shows, and I have to start chipping away at my next New York show at Sean Kelly. What teacher did you learn the most from in school? I have been lucky with teachers. I have had great ones in and out of the confines of school. It feels like a collection of experiences, some momentary, some expanded. From single studio visits to years of support, here is the short list: Ivan Witenstein, Jessica Stockholder, Andy Grundberg, Jim Hodges, Pam Lins, Jan Avgikos, Lynda Benglis, Michael Smith, Michel Auder. NEW YORK Juliano-Villani produced work that stood out for its humor at the Whitney's "Flatlands" show. "I always had to work, but I remember calling my mom in college to see if she would lend me $200 for Bondo and pink insulation foam." JAMIAN JULIANO-VILLANI, 29 @psychojonkanoo Jamian Juliano-Villani's biting wit and imagination sit on the surface of her seamless compositions. Deemed a "semi-skilled painter" by The New Yorker's Peter Schjeldahl, Juliano- Villani produced work that stood out for its humor at the Whitney's "Flatlands" show. During Frieze London, she unleashed her latest paintings at Studio Voltaire—the results were equally pleasurable. How do you know a work you've made is good? When I'm slightly embarrassed by it. What teacher did you learn the most from in school? John Yau, who told me to take 24 hours to literally get out of bed. I tried for 20 minutes, and it made me realize that is the opposite of how my brain wants to work and not to force it. If you could trade with anyone, who would it be? Tetsumi Kudo, Grant Wood, Patrick Caulfield or Mike Kelley. Do you live with your own work? No. Well, actually I made a piece for my bathroom because that's where you put all the work you don't really like. Also, it doesn't look like my work, it's actually subtle and—I'll say it— decorative. Someone having their own work in their living space is like having a phone or computer background with a selfie—gross. When you aren't in the studio, where are you? My friend Brian Belott's studio or running around the block looking for junk or books. Interviews by Kat Herriman FRANçOIS DISCHINGER; AubREy mAyER; CHARlIE RubIN