The Employee by joshua schwebel
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Another contender

Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com> To: Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ >

Hi Lauren, 
I just discovered this text
https://www.academia.edu/30395274/Almost_nothing_Observations_on_precarious_practices_in_contemporary_art?email_work_card=view-paper, and it leads me to wonder if Anna Dezeuze might be a further option for a potential writer. I hope there is still the option before reaching out to ███████ ███████.
What do you think?
x

Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ >

Hi Josh, I’m excited to read this!

I little note on what is up with me: I was meant to fly to DC this morning (Chris and I were going to visit their family there after 2 years of covid separation), but last night our beloved cat leapt off the balcony in a fit of Spring fever and broke her hip. She is in surgery now and the prognosis is very good. I have stayed back to take care of her. 

So, all the work I was planning to do on the plane (drafting the email to ███████, etc.) has evaporated, and today and tomorrow will be a wash. 

Maybe it is for the best, though, as it allows us time to consider this other text and then think about how to proceed. 

I will read this and respond to all your recent notes on Saturday or Sunday. I am happy to have exciting work things to focus on at this time.

Hug your pup close, 

Lauren x




Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com>

dear Lauren,
how terrifying! good that you are able to stay home and nurse her back to health. But I understand as well how anticlimactic a cancelled travel plan can be. I also always do, or plan to do, a lot of work in transit. There is something about being nowhere and between time zones that yields an unparalleled focus for me. But on the scale of essentials, pets over work! I hope so much that she recovers.
And don't feel any pressure on my side. This new option seems, to me, extremely promising. Let me know what you think and we will go from there.
sending good thoughts to you and your cat.
x

Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ >

Thank you dear Josh.
You will hear from me soon,
L x


Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ > To: Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com>

Hi Josh,

I've read this with great interest. There are so many affinities with The Employee, and her text is excellently written - assured and accessible.

Anna does a lot of work to bring an art historical context to the issue. This perspective will be essential. How to you feel about situating your work in this particular art historical pantheon? I wonder if, in writing a new text, she would make the same references. (I wonder what cast of characters ███████ would bring to bear.)

Other than the first section ("Precarious/Ephemeral") there is a scope to this introduction that I think would prevent it from working as a re-publication. Unless it would make sense to present some kind of abridged version that includes that first section, then "Precariousness, precarity and the 'human condition'". That said, I have only read the introduction - do you have a full version pdf? 

Ideally, we can convince her to write a new text! I would be really interested to see the arguments she makes here updated with developments since 2016, particularly focusing on very contemporary issues your work brings up. 

Do you know her at all or know someone who does? I see that she has Canadian nationality, which could be good for our cause (not to mention she might understand the context). I can ask around , but I doubt we have sufficient connection for me to play on. Might have to be a cold call, which is not a problem.

Have you found any very recent texts by her? I'm struggling to find anything closer to us than 2017/18.

If Anna does not agree to write for us, I will certainly be quoting her extensively in my introduction! I was particularly struck by the observation that precarious has its root in "that which is attainable through prayer". It is interesting to me to think about grant writing as prayer-making - a catalogue full of applications as a "book of common prayer". (Why am I always returning to Christian themes when I think about your work - it is very strange!!)

Anyhow, all this is to say that this feels like a really important thread to follow before we think about approaching any others. Its exciting!

xLauren



Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com>

dear Lauren,
I agree entirely. I was just bursting with excitement when I read her text, but I didn’t want to be too demanding for your time, in case things with your cat were uncertain — how is she?

I think Anna’s references are spot on for art historical contextualizing of my work, and since I was hoping for a more “art” reading of the work, the idea of framing the work through what she terms a precarious aesthetic would be beyond perfect. I also read the text to see if it would make sense to republish, but I also found it too specific to work, and I would generally prefer that the text is commissioned.
I agree that she writes in a really easy way! I am so excited about this option, honestly, it is so much more line with what I hoped for, and bonus that she is not even a white man.

I do not have any direct contact to her, but I can poke around a bit more and see if anything comes through in my networks in France.

I also only have the introduction. Maybe check on aaaaarg.org? I am in Canada now, so the server is blocked here, but it works in Germany, not sure if it works in Belgium? As for more recent work, nothing comes up. Do you think that is a cause for concern?

I love the link you thought of to grants as prayers :) it also connects to Marina VIshmidt’s amazingly brilliant book on speculation and contemporary art, the uncertainness of the whole scheme.

I am super hopeful that we can figure out a way to contact and convince Anna to write for us. If it works it could be a mega-strong lineup.

I also re-read Marina’s paper on the flight yesterday and added some more notes (mostly for myself) for unpacking the paper in the next round…

All my warmest jetlaggiest greetings from Gatineau…
x

Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ >

Hi Josh,
Responding directly below.
xL


Thank you for asking after her! The surgery was a success, which is a huge relief. So now it is cage rest (which she hates) and healing (which is very painful for me to watch). But she is eating, affectionate, grooming and using the litter. So, really it is as good as it can be. We take it one day at a time!

I agree with all of that - ██████████ ████ ████ ███ █████ █ █████ ████


Ok, I will do some sleuthing of my own. This CV is very comprehensive and maybe will show up some links for one of us.


Aaarg  wasn’t working for me, but I found it straight away on https://z-lib.org/ See attached! I will work through this slowly this week. Let me know what jumps out to you.


Its not a cause for concern. It could go either way for us: 1) She hasn’t had many invitations recently, so she has time and may want exposure, 2) Something is up personally/professionally which has led to her writing less. We shall see!


Glad that resonates with you as well!


I’m sure we will get in contact with her and make a strong case. 


Have a lovely time in Gatineau.


Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ > To: Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com>

The book was too big to email so I am sending it via wetransfer now.
x
 


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