With the support of the Arts Alumni of Antioch College (AAAC), current Antioch students have had the opportunity to co-op at The Kitchen Contemporary Art Center in New York City. Forest Humphrey ’15, Eric Rhodes ’16, Cristian Perez-Lopez ’17, and Todd Ennis ’18 have formed part of The Kitchen’s team in recent years, honing their professional skills in the arts. Cristian reflects that his time at The Kitchen was “an incredible experience. Not only did I gain more experience in the New York art scene, but also received essential knowledge and advice on the political and business side of art.” During his time at The Kitchen, Cristian worked on a range of projects that broadened his understanding of art and the necessity of collaboration. Cristian as well as Eric during his co-op term were part of a massive project that consisted of digitizing hundreds of archives, files and prints from the 1950s to the 21st century, before sending a copy of all the physical archives to the Guggenheim Museum.
The past co-op students have also had the privilege of witnessing innovative moments in art history. An exhibition that Cristian assisted in constructing and curating was Anicka Yi’s “You Can Call Me F,” a forensic site in which the artist gathered living material (fungi, mold, etc) as an allegory to the enduring patriarchal fear of feminism, hygiene, and contagion. There are gaps when art is displayed, though.
During those gaps, interns are given a range of opportunities to explore their interests and use their skills and talents. Such opportunities include assisting in the sound booth during performances, creating files using Adobe Suite for marketing and press purposes, researching forms of archiving, and networking with neighboring galleries and art spaces in NYC.
Working at The Kitchen is not only an amazing way to be integrated in the innovative art world, but it is an eye opening opportunity for artists and admirers of art, where one can begin to think for themselves what has yet to be discovered and accomplished. The Kitchen is not just for art majors, but for people who want to learn to think beyond reason and test the limits society has placed on itself.
*All photos generously provided by The Kitchen
