ART, WHATEVER IT TAKES
Since the early pandemic in 2020, Rome Art Program has conducted a series of interviews, “Art, Whatever It Takes.”
Artists, Art Critics, and Art Historians living in Italy, the U.S., and U.K., share their insights during these powerful times.
Interview with Erika b Hess
Erika b Hess is a painter, The Sydelle Sonkin and Herb Segull Artistic Director of Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution, and creator of the art podcast- I Like Your Work. Hess’s work has been exhibited internationally, including in New York City, Brooklyn, Detroit, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia and London. Hess has been featured in a range of publications, such as Art New England, ArtScope, AllSHEMakes, Bostonia, and Visionary Art Magazine, among others. She has curated and juried numerous exhibitions, publications, and awards, including those for Cambridge Art Association (Cambridge, MA), Gallery 263 (Cambridge, MA), Riffe Gallery (Columbus, OH), AllSheMakes, Arts to Hearts, Create Magazine, Women’s United Art, and Friend of the Artist. Hess has also participated on panels at SCOPE Artfair (Miami), Cleveland Institute of Art, and Boston University. Additionally, she frequently delivers lectures at various colleges and universities. Hess maintains an active studio practice in Columbus, OH, and in Long Island City – New York, where she keeps a selected inventory of work. She is represented by Contemporary Art Matters in Columbus, OH. Hess received her BFA from Wright State University and her MFA from Boston University.
RAP: What is your definition of "art" today?
Erika b Hess: I don’t believe the fundamental definition of art has changed—it remains a form of communication, a reflection of humanity, and a means of connecting with others. However, the ways in which art manifests have evolved dramatically. In an age where content is abundant and the boundaries between creator, consumer, and critic are increasingly blurred, discernment is more important than ever. We must ask: does the work communicate something meaningful, provoke thought, or connect on a deeper level—or is it merely derivative, repeating what’s been done without adding anything new?
RAP: Art is dynamic and regenerates itself... How does it change and how has it changed us?
Erika b Hess: Art is responsive to the age it exists in and always looks back as it moves forward. It takes what it was and becomes a new form, a reimagining of its ancestors rather than a replication. This is why art, that is, Art, isn’t imitating what was or is in style, rather, it nods its hat to what came before and adds, takes away, or shifts what was there. Art has challenged us. Through this regenerative process, art maintains its vitality, constantly asking new questions and offering fresh interpretations of the world therefore revealing to us new perspectives.
RAP: What role does art play today?
Erika b Hess: Art occupies a dual role, existing both outside and within necessity. It stands outside because it is not required for survival, yet it exists within because the act of creating is an intrinsic human need. Unlike the design that saturates our daily lives —often employed to sell products and shape consumer behavior— art resists this commercial imperative. Instead, it challenges us, standing apart from the transactional nature of most design. In a world where we are bombarded by visual messaging crafted to persuade and sell, art offers something fundamentally different. It does not exist to serve a functional purpose, it exists for its own sake. Art invites reflection, provokes thought, and creates space for emotional and intellectual engagement. It is a counterbalance to the ubiquity of design, reminding us of the value of creation that seeks no external justification beyond the act of being.
RAP: What would you recommend to an 'emerging artist' today?
Erika b Hess: For an emerging artist today, my first recommendation is to examine your motives.
There’s an abundance of advice available, but understanding why you want to be an artist is essential.
Your motivations will shape not only your work but also how you navigate being an artist in today’s world.
RAP: How have new technologies & media culture changed art today?.. made it better or worse...? ...challenges?
Erika b Hess: New technology has smashed, banged up, and rehammered art and yet many artists still use ground-up dirt and stones with oil on fiber. There is a beautiful balance between what is new and why we are still drawn to such earthly materials. New technologies have expanded what’s possible, allowing artists to see more, connect globally, and access new audiences like never before. However, this expanded visibility is a double-edged sword. While it provides unprecedented opportunities for exposure and collaboration, it can also overwhelm and dilute focus.
RAP: Understanding, interpreting, and then possibly judging a work of art; what is the right way to approach a work of art?
Erika b Hess: I would never want to tell someone how to approach a work of art other than to say, be open and don’t critique it too quickly. There is always something to find or learn in a work of art.
RAP: What is the role of Academies and Art schools today? What can artists learn from them today?
Erika b Hess: Art schools and art academies are still vital for ARTISTS. They introduce the history we need to build upon, examine, turn it on its head and respond to. Artists need to learn from the great minds and hands of artists that predated them. Models like the New York Studio School are important as the larger academic world shifts.
RAP: How do Art Galleries and Museums position themselves today, how do you think they should?
Erika b Hess: For better or worse, galleries and museums must have an income to survive and continue exhibiting work. I think many gallerists are trying to balance finding innovative work while also keeping a beat on the larger commercial art world. It is a tough dance to execute. Museums attempt to balance current societal issues and artwork. The problem is that our world has become so incredibly fast-paced, I don’t think programming at these institutions can keep up. It becomes more about fashionable topics or attempting to update an exhibition at the last moment in reaction to an issue that pops up such as how the Phillip Guston exhibition was impacted. I’m not saying that the issue is not important, just that programming can’t pivot succeusfully when it is reactionary.
RAP: ...will Art save us?
Erika b Hess: Yes and no. Art will always be art. I would say it has saved me and many others I know, but in a larger context, no. There aren’t enough people that want to sit and dive deep into it. Maybe if we can pull people back from quick dopamine hits of social media and marketing aesthetics to sit with artt. I do have to say that I have been heartened by young artists who want to be challenged by art. Who are searching themselves in response to it. I think art will save them.
www.erikabhess.com