Visionary Projects Finds Comfort in Community

February 28, 2024

Haylee Barsky and Blayne Planit are no strangers to the art industry, finding pleasure in uplifting artists and providing them with a blueprint to flourish through their platform, Visionary Projects. But when previously attending galleries and hosted dinners, the two couldn’t help but feel distant from those sitting at the table next to them.

Inevitably connected by their creative impulses and artistic mindsets, they knew they had more in common with other guests than it appeared on the surface. But, at times, it felt hard to see these soirees or affairs as warm. So when Barsky and Planit joined forces in 2018 to take Barsky’s global art platform, Visionary Projects, to new heights, that’s exactly what they set out to do.

Interview by Kayla Curtis-Evans
Photos courtesy of Visionary Projects

Barsky and Planit’s goal is not to completely alter the art world from the inside out — they recognize how it has molded and shaped them into the people they are today. Rather, they intend to take the art universe and make it a little cozier, inviting artists of all backgrounds and tenures into comfortable spaces where they feel accepted and encouraged to speak — or paint, or sculpt, or collage — from their unique perspectives.

office sat down with the creatives behind the platform to discuss demystifying the art world, how artists can best support each other, and more.

What led you on this journey? Haylee, how did you end up teaming up with Blayne to get where you are now?

Haylee: I initially started this project in January of 2018, so I'm celebrating my sixth anniversary. It was an idea that naturally came about as I had this little gallery space in Italy and I was always trying to figure out how to bring people together. It was right before the pandemic so it was a tough time that I had to figure out how to navigate alone — it's incredibly difficult to run something by yourself. I knew that I always wanted a partner. Then I met Blayne almost a year and a half ago. There are only very few people that you cross paths with in your life that you feel called to. I really believe in the red string theory. We met for the first time and everything that we were talking about just made sense. We didn't wanna say it to each other, but we telepathically knew that we were on the exact same page. It was the weirdest thing in the world. It was almost like we were just meant to happen and it felt supernatural. Now it feels like we're married. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am right now. It's been a wild year.

I know your current work is heavily involved in uplifting artists, but you both have connections to your own creativity. What inspires both of you day to day?

Haylee: I get inspiration from the energy of New York. It may be a stereotypical thing to say, but everybody here is just so driven. I don't think this could be done in any other city personally.

Blayne: I would consider myself a very inspired person. I find inspiration daily and even in the smallest things. I really like mornings. When it comes to furthering our visions and this community, we think about general inspiration and then inspiration concerning this project and what we're focused on growing. I think there's now inspiration that's kind of in motion. Momentum. The inspiration comes from the momentum, in a sense, watching our visions and ideas and people coming together and all the positivity that results from it. It creates this bubble of inspiration. Bringing these artists' dreams together and showcasing them in the ways we have — it's all pretty inspiring to both of us to watch that unfold.

Haylee: There's clearly a need for this in the art space because people are showing up. We also want to focus on the online network because the online platform is so global. New York is just a part of the network that we've cultivated and are actively cultivating. The artists come first and they always will. And that's how history has always been. Then the people who are inspired by them and everybody else just follows. So they're always going to come first in our mindset.

I know that you have hosted and then plan on continuing to host things in these non-traditional spaces. Why is that important to you both?

Blayne: I think ‘non-traditional’ doesn't always have to apply to the space. For us, it's more about taking what we firmly believe in, which is the power of bringing people together, and spotlighting that. I've always been really into public art and art that's more accessible. Art is a form of expression but a lot of people aren't really taught to express themselves in that way. My philosophy is that everyone is inherently creative. For us, this isn't about a trend, but it's just important for us in whatever we do. That's why I said it's not about the space, it's about creating an experience where art feels approachable, accessible, and inclusive. We're giving art different kinds of artists and giving different kinds of talent these opportunities. So I think that's what is at the forefront: creating experiences that aren't stale and that are approachable. Diversity is something we're always proud of within our community as well.

There are so many different kinds of people in New York, which is half of the reason it's so inspiring. At least in the art world, the events I was going to and certain things I was going to, I was seeing a huge lack of diversity. I would go to these events and there would be all these people that kind of looked the same and seemed the same. I'm sure they're all great people; it just, for me, felt a little like it was missing something. When we curate shows, it's super important for us to, bring in people of all different backgrounds.

Haylee: There's definitely a beauty behind demystifying the art world. We truly do not care about any other factors as long as you have the talent, the merit, and the drive. We also want to continue to bring people together — some could be very established in their careers and we connect them with somebody who this may be their very first show. Everybody truly falls under the same realm of existence in our space. So it's really fun to see all of that come together and to curate that. And we also don't come from traditional backgrounds ourselves. I come from a background in fashion and she comes from branding.

Blayne: I agree. I also want to add that we, by no means, are trying to take down the traditional art industry. We fully integrate it into what we do as well. It's just about that more non-traditional approach. We still acknowledge that there is an institution and galleries that exist.

Haylee: Right; I would say we definitely acknowledge, compliment, and celebrate the traditional art world, just through a different approach. Blayne: This non-traditional approach can also be accepted in traditional spaces and that's something we want to see more of.

I think connecting more experienced artists with younger or lesser practiced artists is the beauty of your platform. What are some of the largest barriers to entry in the art realm that you want to combat with your approach?

Haylee: I think there's not one single particular barrier of entry, but a lot of people just don't know where to start and it can be a very overwhelming space to navigate. So having public opportunities and making that as known as we possibly can with our network is important. There's only so much we can do and we have the power of being able to do. As much as everything has grown and changed in such a positive light, there's still so much work to be done. I would say for somebody who doesn't know where to start, just doing your due diligence — research and being on social media and just really understanding the landscape and cultural aspects of the art world — will help.

Blayne: I would add that how we're actually addressing that is through our membership, Tableau. We do an industry insight panel and we've curated it super intentionally. We bring really incredible, established art world professionals from different sectors of the art world in and host them in a conversation — kind of like this one. Our members and people in the community can get insight and access from the minds of people that are running the show, from the director of an art gallery, to an artist-run gallery, to a giant publishing house in Europe. So that's one method that we both felt was a realistic way to demystify.

Haylee: Community is how you get to where you need to be. So that's why we're trying to build this community more intentionally. It's very inclusive and everybody's invited.

Blayne: And even though a lot of it is about who you know, you can create that community for yourself. If you're putting yourself out there, it doesn't matter where in the world you are. There are so many different ways to approach it and we're also trying to teach people how to use those tools as well.

It sounds like the biggest thing that Tableau grants people is access. There are a lot of people who want to go after a creative endeavor and they don't do so because they don't have access to these tools or resources. So fostering these conversations and creating these spaces is powerful. I know that you two have talked a lot about connecting artists to people who can advise them along their path. But how do you think that artists can best support other artists, in a very non-competitive way, and foster a more inclusive industry?

Blayne: I see that all the time within our community. It's so cool, especially as someone who's an artist myself. Everyone has different philosophies, so I don't necessarily see other artists as competition because we're different people making different things. And if a gallery is not a fit for me, maybe it would be a fit for you. I think it comes down to mindset. I think an artist who doesn't want anything to do with other artists and sees them as competitive wouldn't be attracted to our community, perhaps. Hayley and I recognize that community isn't for everyone and it's not what everyone's looking for. But we see the power of connection.

I'm curious about some of the artists that VP works with — what really stands out to you when you see someone's work? I loved everything that was in the last exhibition, but I thought the beauty of it was that everything was so different.

Haylee: One of the bigger philosophies behind the platform is celebrating the idea of storytelling. There's so much power in what somebody has to say, not just about themselves, but about the world that we live in. Blayne and I have a very similar visual eye. We literally look at the same piece of art and have the exact same feeling.

Blayne: We've never disagreed [laughs].

Haylee: When curating, I'm personally a big fan lately of the abstract figurative movement just because I see myself in it. But a lot of people really love expressionism because it's more timeless.

What are your hopes for the platform as it grows?

Blayne: We both have agreed that we want to amplify our mission. We want to expand the community very intentionally. And we're also thinking about what events we can host to support people even more. I think there's so much opportunity to support artists and give them resources so that's what we're currently thinking about. How can we take what we've built and expand upon it? We want to help more people get started in the art world. And even artists, by the way, that are doing the thing, don't know what they're doing. I'm not saying that they're not intentional. I'm just saying there are a lot of people whom things are just happening for. And, of course, you can point to why it's happening for them, but a lot of them are figuring it out as they go. We want to host more exhibitions as well. Partnerships are going to be a really big theme in the upcoming year — so there's a lot of opportunity on the horizon.

Visionary Projects’ next event is a supper series in honor of their 2nd-year anniversary, hosting live artists who will create pieces for sale that evening, on February 24th.

Art

Pamela Sneed’s Speaking Tongue opens at Dashwood Projects

November 15, 2024

Pamela Sneed’s latest exhibition, Speaking Tongue, will be on view at Dashwood Projects from November 20 to December 21. The show features twenty watercolor and ink paintings inspired by her recent trip to Kenya, where she was deeply moved by the elegance of giraffes, the landscapes, and the energy of Nairobi.

Blending her background as a poet and visual artist, Sneed’s work reflects on themes of identity, nature, and connection. Her paintings capture the beauty and spirit of the animals she encountered, alongside reflections on her own experiences as part of the African diaspora.

This exhibition marks Sneed’s first solo show with Dashwood Projects and will be accompanied by a new book, also titled Speaking Tongue, to be released in December.

By Enzo Holdt
Artworks by Pamela Sneed

Art

Tiebreaker - Alvin Armstrong

November 15, 2024

There is a moment of silence right before the play. Just before the racket strikes the ball as it hangs weightless in the air, breathless and charged. It’s the fleeting yet decisive instant that can alter the course of the match, determining who wins and who loses.

Alvin Armstrong depicts this crucial moment in his new exhibition Tiebreaker, symbolizing the risks and rewards of competition. It’s an implication of something else at stake, where athletes push not only their bodies, but their spirits to the absolute limit.

The dynamic figures embody the strength, grace, and agility juxtaposed by the vibrant color palette evoking not just the joy of competition but the charged energy of the court.

Tiebreaker is opening Thursday, November 16th at Anna Zorina Gallery.

By Rea Brayshaw
Artworks by Alvin Armstrong

Art

The Things People Are Ashamed To Take Photos Of: The Photography and Films of Yuhan Cheng

Yuhan’s latest exhibition of photo and video work titled 窗子外 Outside the Window, Inside the Tank 鱼缸里 takes its namesake from what could’ve been a mundane encounter. A month after moving to New York City from Chengdu, China, they stumbled across an abandoned fish tank left curbside. It reminded them of “the rotating fish in a tank that faded into the background of their mother’s home in Chengdu”, a thread connecting childhood familiarity that transformed into a symbol of greater significance in adulthood. A tank is a world within a world; a microcosm secluded from the broader chaos of the outside. Since then Yuhan has captured the other kinds of “fish tanks” closest to them in their photography and short films. Not literal ones necessarily– but intimate confined spaces in Chengdu and NYC where time stands still.

In the midst of taking snapshots of loved ones, Yuhan decided to turn their tender but examining lens on themselves. They realized shooting self-portraits unraveled a deeper understanding of their own nonbinary gender and queer sexuality. Yuhan admits in one of their short films “I hide from looking at my own body.” Yet, in the seclusion of their room which doubles as a dark room, Yuhan began to develop their first nude photos chronicling the subtle wounds; bitten cuticles, bruises, and scrapes they’ve accumulated involuntarily, once again documenting the things people choose to hide.

窗子外 Outside the Window, Inside the Tank 鱼缸里, debuted at FAR-NEAR Studio Hours a gallery in Chinatown focused on expanding the art world's view of Asia and Asian artists curated by Lulu Yao Gioiello. The event merged Yuhan’s works from the past three years, including 70 photographs, three short documentaries, and one installation. There was something uncanny about the gallery’s atmosphere – from the dollar store teal green curtains obscuring every window to the clusters of framed photos mimicking how photos of relatives are displayed in one’s childhood home, to the darkened lighting that was both disorienting and cozy. All these details were meticulously chosen to imitate the rooms depicted in Yuhan’s films and photography. In other words, the audience was invited to Yuhan’s “fishtank”, to share the odd balance of comfort and unease of being known intimately. We talked to Yuhan at Cafe Reggio to understand how their latest body of work came into being.

Initially, I was exploring my friends’ identities through the lens, but slowly, it became a tool to confront and understand my own queerness and gender identity.

Ora Margolis— Were any memories/childhood experiences you had in Chengdu important to how you've developed as an artist?

Yuhan Cheng— Growing up in Chengdu, especially in a military household, shaped and gave me a source of contention how I understood my identity. There was always a sense of conflict when it came to my body and feeling like I didn’t quite fit the expectations around me. This tension has been a driving force in my practice, pushing me to explore identity and belonging in my work.

Tell us a bit about your latest exhibition Outside the Window, Inside the Tank at Far. What headspace were you in when taking these photos?

YC— Outside the Window, Inside the Tank is about the fluidity of self; our bodies, our environments, and our identities. The idea of water as both a symbol of confinement and freedom is central to the photos and film that comprise the exhibit. This fluidity much like how I see my experience moving between Chengdu and New York, where similar feelings follow me no matter where I am. Water mirrors the body, the frame, and the room, which are all containers of the self.

Previously, you’ve said you wanted the exhibition space to look "like your room". How did you make that happen and why is your NYC room important to you?

YC— My room in NYC is an extension of my identity. It’s where I feel vulnerable and where I explore myself most openly. It’s a manifestation of my sense of self. I recreated certain elements in the exhibition—the green sheer curtains, the dollar store shower curtain with bubbles, and the center installation depicted a self-portrait deteriorating in water, reminiscent of a fish in a tank. This room, like any other room or container, magnifies the tension of self-exploration.

Has your idea or comfort with your gender identity and /sexuality changed since you’ve delved into photography?

YC— Yes. The process of photography and filming has been a mirror to my own understanding of self. Initially, I was exploring my friends’ identities through the lens, but slowly, it became a tool to confront and understand my own queerness and gender identity. The process of photographing my queer friends and then myself allowed me to come to terms with who I am.

How did you and Lulu Yao of FAR-NEAR Studio meet, and what makes her a good collaborator?

YC— We first connected when I reached out with my series Princess of Funan River. Lulu understood the struggles and complexities in the work and she invited me to expand on those ideas with her. Our collaboration has worked because Lulu truly resonates with the themes I’m drawn to, like fluidity, transformation, and the intimacy of navigating belonging.

After completing Fish Tank and Remnants of an Amateur Film, what kind of movie do you want to make next?

YC— Right now, I’m more focused on writing. I need to understand what I want to say before making another film. Writing helps me find clarity;it’s a crucial part of my process.

What kind of camera do you use and why?

YC— I use a Canon AE-1. I started with it and I still love it. It's small, spontaneous, easy to use, and light. It allows me to capture moments naturally without overthinking.

What's your biggest fear?

YC— Being disconnected from my sense of self, from others, and from the things I love.

When do you feel most like yourself?

YC— It’s during those fleeting moments when I complete a project. That feeling fades quickly, leaving me searching for the next project to reconnect with that sense of fulfillment.

How do you want people to feel when they interact with your art?

YC— I want them to feel whatever resonates with them. I don’t want to prescribe the experience; it should feel right for each person.

Your work focuses on the close knit communities that surround you or various metaphorical “fish tanks”. What communities do you feel closest to?
YC— The queer artist community, both in Chengdu and NYC, has been a source of comfort and understanding for me. There’s something about shared struggles and shared creative language that feels like home.

What's the biggest difference between living life as a queer artist in NYC and in Chengdu?

YC— In both NYC and Chengdu, I’m learning more about myself. NYC offers a sense of freedom, while Chengdu is home, a place of comfort and history. Neither place defines me but both are significant parts of my path.

What are your next moves/goals?

YC— I want to continue exploring both film and photography, expanding my narrative style and experimenting across mediums. During my show, I found new ways of seeing my photographs such as by adding a window screen between frames or letting a self-portrait fade and grow mold in water. These approaches allowed me to see my work not just as 2D images but as 3D objects.

I want to keep pushing the boundaries of how photo and film can interact, and I’m also interested in trying photojournalism. My focus remains on collaborating across mediums and continuing to accumulate experiences that I can translate into sincere honest work.