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Anni Albers, Design for ‘Smyrna’ rug, 1925

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Study on QXXI by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy 2019 Max Mariano Viana

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My room a year ago vs my room now. I’m slowly transforming the space into a place I feel comfortable in, and that I can relax in.  I built a desk last weekend to fit the space. Loving the new desk, and so grateful for it and my whole room.  

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recently I have been using shopping as a coping mechanism to deal with stress and anxiety. I am frustrated with the impulsive purchases of things that I don’t need. I am starting a no-buy period until Christmas of this year (not including groceries, takeout, and presents for others). I have told friends about this pledge in order to have people around me that will hold me accountable. 

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Photography by Peter Solarz

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Photography by Peter Solarz

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Book Review The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy

I listened to this book during my 8 hour drive from NYC to NC. It was a powerful and enlightening listen. The information was digestible, and the authors managed to keep a potentially depressing book rather uplifting. 

The thesis of the book is that politics is an industry, and it is run by a powerful duopoly. Written by an important economist and an experienced political non-profit activist, this book presents a clear vision of our political infrastructure. 

While there have been many books written about the problems with our system, and the policies that could fix it, few books manage to get into the finer details of how policies are passed, and the mechanics and incentives that influence legislators. The book thoroughly disects the factors that control how politicians make decisions, and how our current voting system is creating incentives to become more polarized, disinscentivising problem-solving or bipartisan legislation, and putting reasonable or moderate politicians at a disadvantage. 

The authors also manage to present a compelling vision for fixing the system. The book made me realize that the voting system we have now is not set in stone. We have chaged it in the past, and we can change it going forward. The founders of our government did not have the research and knowledge we do today, and could only conceive of a Plurality voting system (what we have now). I also found it fascinating to learn that partisan pramaries have not always been the norm. This is another aspect of our voting process that I took for granted. The book does a wonderful job at giving historical context that helped me to reinvision our system of voting. 

The most inspiring part of this book is the authors’ assertion that the relatively small changes they propose (non-partisan final-5 primaries, ranked choice voting, and ending partisan gerrymandering) are somewhat doable. They don’t require a massive overhaul of the system. In fact, a pin-pointed coordinated effort to enact these three changes would make it infinitely easier for all other policies to be passed. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in “fixing the system”,  passing broad sweeping reforms to our government, “draining the swamp”, or otherwise ensuring that our representatives are held accountable. 

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Painting by Peter Solarz

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Minimal | Grasses on a Wetlands Pond

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I am practicing satisfaction with what I have. Very happy with my room and what it provides me: a relaxing place to think, unwind, and be by myself. I’m grateful for the large window, and room for plants on the window sill. I’m also grateful for the sizeable (for NY) closet, that allows me to store things out of view, and keep the room peaceful and neat in appearance.

Recently it has become a bit more overrun with signature gathering supplies, so I plan to do a minimizing session soon to return it to a less cluttered state.

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From ‘Utopia for Realists and How We Can Get There’ by Rutger Bregman

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Joseph Yoakum, Mt. Calvalery Near Jeruselam in So. East Asia, 1961–1971

Blue ballpoint pen and colored pencils, with graphite and blue and orange chalks with smudging, on ivory card

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Purev and Buyantogtokh, two members of a Tsaatan family, sit near a fire in the Altai mountains, Mongolia. Tsaatans are a nomadic community who herd reindeer year-round. December 2016. Joel Santos

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Victo Ngai

https://victo-ngai.com

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International Year of Astronomy #7

Printed on museum-quality, 100% cotton rag, Canson Rag Photographique 310 GSM paper with Epson UltraChrome HDR inks.

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Actual Dynamics - 004, Ji Keun-Wook, 2017

colored pencil on canvas