Meet Orli Swergold | Artist and Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Orli Swergold and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Orli, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I used to think that once you are in balance you stay in balance. What I have come to realize is that balance often looks differently at different times. There are times I am focused solely on the artist co-op gallery I help run, other times I spend virtually all of my available time in my studio. Things aren’t always in a perfect equilibrium and that is okay! It is important to just keep going and working towards a kind of balance over time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I think what sets my practice apart is my commitment to transforming materials in novel ways and willingness to “follow my materials” (i.e. to learn from my materials and allow them to dictate aspects of the content of my work).  In my recent projects, I have been experimenting with combining paper pulp and metal. I am proud of the way I have demonstrated continuity in my work throughout the years while continuing to innovate.

It has taken a lot of dedication, passion, and at times throwing caution to the wind for me to get to where I am today. I don’t think I am a risk taker by nature, but I have enjoyed the process of learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable and embracing the unknown and at times unknowable (both in art and life).

I have learned along the way to be okay with being afraid. Fear of making mistakes can be paralyzing. In my studio I taught myself through practice to trust my instincts and to just try things! The worst thing that can happen is you learn from your choices and make different ones in the future if you aren’t happy with the results. That goes for life as well.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I once asked the artist Faith Ringgold what the secret to success is for an artist. She simply responded by quoting Nike and saying “just do it!” I think that sums up how I feel about being an artist today. It doesn’t take any special qualities, and there are no shortcuts or magic wands. “Just do it!” works really well for me. Just make your work, whenever and however you can, and love making it. That’s all it takes to be an artist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Eat: Dough Vale- it’s a small Italian restaurant around the corner from Soloway Gallery where I spend a lot of my time. It is run single handedly by Giuseppe, who cooks all the food right in front of his customers. It’s all authentic fresh delicious Italian favorites like homemade pasta, woodfire pizza, and seasonal salads. Giuseppe recommends fabulous wine pairings from vineyards in Italy that prioritize sustainability. It has excellent ambiance, fantastic music, but most of all amazing customer service. Giuseppe chats with you as he makes your food and gives you that old school neighborhood experience while you delve into his amazing eats.

Drink: The Commodore- also has great food including fried chicken if that’s your thing. But also it’s an unassuming bar with casual ambiance and good drinks.

Visit: Soloway Gallery! We have rotating exhibitions typically every five or so weeks with openings free and open to the public accompanying each exhibition. We are an artist-run gallery, whose main mission is showing great art without the pressure of the commercial art world. We showcase art by artists working in a diverse range of materials, processes, and mediums with a range of life experiences and backgrounds including emerging artists and artists further along in their careers who have not yet had their due.

Hang out: The Russian and Turkish Baths on the lower east side, where I can take time out of my busy schedule to chill out.

Art-wise I go to a lot of shows in Soho and Tribeca, but often I stay keyed into small shows happening around the city in more off the beaten path and artist run spaces in Brooklyn and Queens. I like places like Gallery Tutu, April April, Tappeto Volante, Stephen Street Gallery, A.D. NYC, Below Grand, and others. I love these small, emerging places, often in people’s apartments or basements. That’s where I find a lot of the more unique and innovative work is being shown.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Shoutout to my partner Mike. He is always there for me, supporting me through my crazy busy times. When I am too tired to get up after weeks of working non stop he makes me dinner and cleans the dishes. When I have little time to spend relaxing with him, he respects that and does everything he can to help me achieve my goals. Having a supporting partner to lean on when things get tough is a huge gift. I couldn’t be more grateful for him!

Shoutout to my family as well. They attend every show I curate and have art in. Thank you to my parents for supporting me through school and always encouraging my creative endeavors and to my sister, brother, and grandmother and their respective partners for coming to my shows! It means the world to me to have my family with me supporting me through it all! I am so grateful to them for always showing up for me, being curious, and generous with their time.

Thank you also to my co-conspirators at Soloway Gallery who help shoulder the burden of running a quirky artist community space and to my recent co-curator Nicole Schonitzer for making curating the best job ever.

Website: https://orliswergold.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orli_s_art/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orli-swergold-2023a6112/

Other: https://solowaygallery.com/

Image Credits
Photo credit front image of Soloway Gallery: Roman Dean