Interviewer Paul Holdengräber spoke with distinguished painter Julie Mehretu in Choi Auditorium Feb. 21 as a part of Oxy Live!, a series of discussions with thought-provoking leaders in the arts. According to the Oxy Live! event website, Mehretu was named to Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people, is the top-selling African artist of all time at Sotheby’s and is the recipient of the US Department of State Medal of Arts and the MacArthur Fellowship. Mehretu’s work — featured in world-renowned museums such as The Broad, The Guggenheim and The Met — combines several 20th century art movements including Italian Futurism, Suprematism and Abstract Expressionism, according to the Sotheby’s website.
During the Oxy Live! event, Mehretu said that the artistic process is a zone of getting lost, improvising and inventing. According to Mehretu, art allows for radical invention, which is a space where revolution occurs.
“I think we are lost and I think that so much of the effort of making is a way of trying to find something,” Mehretu said. “So much of painting has been this exploration of trying to make sense of the world that I’m in. Inventing a new space is when I feel like I have really done something; when the ground moves beneath me.”
Mehretu said that it is the abstraction that moves people.
“Whenever I experience a work that moves me it is not something I shake off but something that haunts me,” Mehretu said. “It is not something you can give a definition to, but you can really feel.”
According to the director of Oxy Arts and co-founder of Oxy Live!, Meldia Yesayan, Mehretu’s art and vision align with the mission of Oxy Live!.
“Mehretu is a world-class artist whose practice touches on our current contemporary social-political condition,” Yesayan said via email. “Her work explores power, history, the built environment and the intersection of humanity with all of it.”
Yesayan said the series was launched Fall 2023 with the goal of creating a space that nurtures meaningful conversations about the arts. Oxy Live! events are free, open to the public and scheduled in the evening to provide an opportunity for all community members to engage in these events, Yesayan said.
According to Yesayan, Oxy Live! has had three events this inaugural year. These speakers included Alok Menon, Ruha Benjamin and Rebecca Solnit. The next Oxy Live! event will feature Laurie Anderson and take place April 10, according to the Oxy Live! website.
“The speakers we’ve featured come from diverse disciplines and, although they bring a variety of perspectives on the arts, the underlying message is the crucial importance of the arts in our society,” Yesayan said via email.
Frankie Fleming, who works at Oxy Arts and manages outreach for Oxy Live! said that she believes in the relevance of creativity and art in people’s lives. According to Fleming, art is central to political and cultural change.
“I hope [students] take away that art is an access point to many disciplines and ideas,” said Fleming via email. “Learning about art and artists is a way to be curious about the world and learn about history, theory, social justice and so much more.”
Fleming said that she is personally inspired by the series as well.
“It fascinates me to hear how different artists envision the role of art and artists and their own work through a philosophical lens,” said Fleming via email. “I find it very inspiring and I hope that Oxy students and people of all ages can find inspiration on how to live a curious and creative life through their answers.”
According to Lisa Coscino, an Occidental trustee and alumna who funds Oxy Live!, the series provides a place to engage in dialogue that revolves around the arts. She said that artistic dialogue has the power to open peoples’ minds and change the world.
“The arts force you to think differently,” said Coscino. “One of the ways they get you into a different mindset is because they really touch you emotionally.”
In relation to Mehretu’s work, Coscino said that she is fascinated by the layered depth that accompanies the paintings along with the global impact it has had.
According to Coscino, “You have to really spend some time with [Mehretu’s art] to understand what it’s about.”
Occidental College’s President, Harry Elam, began the event by introducing Mehretu’s art. He said that her layered work calls upon viewers to analyze the deep-rooted concepts, influences and perspectives that are present in her art.
According to Elam, “Mehretu is celebrated for her thought-provoking explorations of space, time and identity. Her innovative use of abstraction and layered compositions invites viewers to consider the complex interplay of physical, cultural, historical and personal narratives embedded within her work.”
President Elam said that Mehretu’s groundbreaking contemporary art transcends normative perspectives.
“Julie Mehretu is a force of nature in the art world,” Elam said. “Her large-scale paintings, often described as dynamic and immersive, challenge traditional notions and redefine the boundaries of contemporary art.”
Contact Eliza Bodden at bodden@oxy.edu
