IRRADICANT
Arts Writing Collaborative &
Learning Space
IRRADICANT
is an arts writing collaborative and learning space based in Brooklyn, New York. IRRADICANT prioritizes access and community building by generating conversations around art and arts experience outside of the institution. IRRADICANT will feature monthly exhibition reviews, articles, artist interviews, and article/book/essay reviews written by our team.MILLY CAI
Founder, Publisher
Milly Cai (she/her) is an art historian and curator based in Brooklyn, New York.
She is currently an MA candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU. Cai’s research focuses on the intersection of contemporary surveillance technologies, methods of policing, and photography.
Cai is the former Associate Director of Ippodo Gallery, NY and has curated exhibitions for Spring Break NYC, Art Basel, and Design Miami.
GEMMA CIRIGNANO
Editor
Gemma Cirignano (she/her) is an art historian based in Brooklyn, New York.
She is currently an MA candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University with a research focus on the history of neon art. She is particularly interested in the intersection of craft and art and issues of classism, misogyny, and politics that arise when using a historically commercial material in fine art.
In addition to her studies, Cirignano is conducting curatorial research in collaboration with the Dia Art Foundation for their upcoming exhibition on Chryssa.
BARBIE KIM
Editor
Barbie Kim (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and art historian.
She is currently an MA candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Her research emphasizes the sociopolitical art history of the twentieth century and the development of global art history. Kim is interested in the complex relationship between cultural imperialism, globalization, and national identity reflected through writing, arts, and urban planning.
Kim works in various mediums as an artist including glass, metal, neon, charcoal, and oil paint. Her work explores materiality by portraying metamorphosis figuration and abstraction.
SOFIA MARIA OHMER
Editor
Sofia Maria Ohmer (she/her) is an art historian and curator based in Harlem, NY.
She is currently an MA candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Particularly interested in how art can evoke democratic processes and in the challenges contemporary political art faces today, her ongoing research revolves around how political art is made, exhibited, and perceived in non-democratic countries.
In addition to her studies, she curated the hybrid exhibitions SILENT APOCALYPSE at Zeppelin University and Retro/Intro at New York University.
MADI SHENK
Editor
Madi Shenk (she/her) is an art historian, curator, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY.
She is currently an MA candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU. Shenk’s scholarship revolves around queer and feminist perspectives of 20th century and contemporary art and material theory. Her current research focuses on photomontage figuration as a means of dismantling binary understandings of gender.
She has held positions at the Kohl Gallery (Chestertown, MD), the National Portrait Gallery (Washington D.C.), the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia, PA), and is currently a gallery writer at Morgan Walker Fine Art.
RIN KIM
Designer
Rin Kim Johnstone (she/they) is a mixed Korean and Scottish (+ other) non-binary graphic designer, writer, and film maker based in Katonah, New York
Their design philosophy is committed to the principles of all design is collaborative - even individual personal work is informed by the community and experiences others have generously offered. To work quietly is a gift. All work is worthy when done with care and intention no matter how big or small. All process is precious. Their work focused around apotheosis, folk storytelling, the dematerialization of the body, deep fantasy, personal mythologies, the revolution of crisis, creating demi-god through the written word and the embracing de-weaponizing our identities and alchemizing intimacy.
They're currently a full time designer at THINX while co-running the publishing group OTHER PUBLISHING.
GRAE BOWEN
Photographer
Grae Bowen (they/them) is a photographer and theorist based in Brooklyn, New York.
They are currently an MA candidate in the department of Media, Culture and Communications at NYU. Grae’s studies focus on the metaphysics of photography, advancing methods in data visualization, and an ethnographic inquiry into how communities mourn land lost due to climate change and resource extraction.
Grae has been a member of MINT Collective in Columbus, Ohio where they curated exhibitions, displayed sculptural works, and coordinated community outreach through contemporary art making events. While in school they are working in a freelance capacity while making their own experimental photography work rooted in philosophy and grief.