Colin Todd

Sep 16, 2007 11:25 AM

To whom it may concern,

It has been brought to my attention that there have been some

administrative upheavals occurring at the Warehouse Gallery. One of

these, I was alarmed to see, was the possible termination of Astria

Suparak as the Gallery Director. Aside from whatever aesthetic tastes

the institution of Syracuse University has, I feel that this is a

horrible blunder for the Administration to do away with such an

energetic and intelligent gallery director that cares for building a

foundation for a community of art to exist in Syracuse.

Considering that the Warehouse Gallery has gained national recognition

within it's first year and has shown the most progressive and

intellectually challenging shows in Central New York, I do not

understand the sudden shift of support for Astria. She is a very well

connected gallery director who has been able to bring in a multitude

of well-known artists into the Syracuse art community. This has

allowed students and community members alike to join in a learning

experience from a variety of influential contemporary artists and

curators. Marisa Olson of the Rhizome.org (who co-curated the Network

Nature Show), Juliet Jacobson, Shih Chieh Huang, Takeshi Murata, Lisa

M. Robinson: just to name a few. The Warehouse Gallery also, in its

first year, has the largest attendance during the TH3 opening nights,

a sure sign of the interest by the students and community.

When I heard the YES Men were coming to Syracuse, I could hardly

believe it. I have been looking forward to the show and the chance to

talk with this very progressive artist group for a long time. I was

disheartened to hear that they were being canceled in the programing

for the gallery. There could have been much to learn and gather

insight from if they were ALLOWED to come.

Personally I have experienced a great deal of care and energy from

Astria concerning my development as an artist that works with the

community. She has somehow managed to find time in her amazingly busy

schedule to help me and other students out one on one, advising on

artist concepts, how to work with a community and group of artists,

how to better prepare to exhibit one's work and she has supplied ample

advise as a curator on how to prepare my portfolio for review. She has

also been very supportive of my work as well as other students across

the board. I feel that I would be losing one of Syracuse Universities

greatest assets for my education.

I see it as an injustice to the artistic community of Syracuse and the

Students of Syracuse University for Astria to leave the Warehouse

Gallery. Not only would the gallery suffer a loss of energy,

excitement, and intellectually stimulating array of Astria's curated

shows, but the community of Syracuse as a whole would suffer the loss

of a strong advocate and influence of progressive art. Astria is a

wonderful source for outside artists and curators to be brought in to

Syracuse. This gives the practicing artists in the area a chance to be

challenged and break out of the incestuous spiral that a closed of

city suffers from.

I challenge the people who are in places of power, who can actually do

something to keep Astria here, to step up and listen to all the good

this curator has done for the community of art in Syracuse. Do not

stamp out the momentum this community has experienced in the last year

toward a better environment of art, community, and education. It would

be a great loss to moral and the rhythm that artists and students need

to maintain a good creative-learning environment.

Sincerely,

Colin Todd

Graduate Student/Adjunct Professor

Dept. Photography-Transmedia VPA

Syracuse University.