An afternoon conversation with Yon Mi Kim and Ariel Mercado two of the founding members of The Salon a New York City based cooperative.

Join us on Sunday February 19th for an afternoon conversation with Yon Mi Kim and Ariel Mercado two of the founding members of The Salon a New York City based cooperative comprised of working class artists of color. Together they will discuss the content of their featured work within the “The Voice of Many, The Voice of One: Collective Actions for Resistance and Mutual Aid” show and the urgency of The Salon’s “The Autonomous Artist Manifesto” co-written together. 

The afternoon discussion will answer “what role does arts criticism play in creating a more equitable art world?”, “in what ways does collectivizing support the survival of working class artists of color?” and “What effect does ontological warfare have on continued cultural production? How does contemporary artists combat it?”

Ariel Mercado is a Queer Black Nuyorican conceptual artist from the Bronx who explores the intersections of poetry and visual arts. Their work centers around the domestic space, transcendental psychology, consciousness, the diaspora and ontology. They utilize ritual/performance work to highlight the responsibilities of audiences to artists, consent, and trust. 

Their work as a program designer & arts administrator is an extension of their arts practice. 

Yon Mi Kim is a first-generation Korean-American artist, writer, and educator from Queens, NY. She uses photography, sculpture, poetry, and installation to explore ideas around domesticity, family, memory, and trauma – weaving together the chasm between intimacy and alienation; love and grief.

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