What’s My Thesis?

Queer Landscapes, Dual Lives, and the Art of Looking Closely with J. Carino Painter J. Carino joins What’s My Thesis? for a candid conversation on the formation of a deeply personal visual language—one that straddles autobiography, queer identity, and reportage practice. Known for his emotionally resonant paintings that combine landscape, figure, and storytelling, Carino reflects on a unique caree...

Strategic Generosity: Collecting, Curating, and Championing Emerging Artists with Leslie Fram In this galvanizing episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by Leslie Fram—collector, curator, marketing strategist, MFA educator, and tireless champion of emerging talent—for a sweeping conversation that summons the urgent need for innovation as well as entrepreneurial literacy among...

Astrology, Embodiment, and the Myth of Power: A Conversation with Alystair Rogers In this episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by artist Alystair Rogers for a searching, radically honest exploration of transformation—personal, political, and astrological. Traversing terrains of gender, spirituality, social critique, and visual language, Rogers shares the deeply embodied traj...

Building Gene’s Dispensary: Community, Curation, and Creating New Art Spaces in Los Angeles with Keith J Varadi In this wide-ranging conversation on What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza welcomes artist, curator, and writer Keith J. Varadi, founder of Gene’s Dispensary, for an illuminating discussion on forging alternative pathways in the contemporary art world. Through candid reflection, Varadi...

In this intimate conversation hosted at Don’t Look Projects for her solo show By the Company They Keep, the Chenhung Chen traces a path from formative memories of classroom murals in Taiwan to a tactile, spiritually inflected sculptural practice rooted in the poetics of material and memory. Drawing on a lifetime of cross-cultural experience—born in Taiwan, educated in New York at the School of Vis...

This week on What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined in-person by multidisciplinary artist Gerald Collins, whose practice illuminates the intersection of architecture, chromotherapy, and community. Based in Detroit, Collins returns to the show for a candid and expansive conversation that moves through memory, material, and meaning with striking clarity. Spanning topics from childhood sket...

In this episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by Liz Hirsch, co-director of 839—an artist-run house gallery in Los Angeles that reimagines what a commercial art space can look and feel like. Located in a 1920's bungalow, 839 is part of a growing network of intimate, artist-centered spaces shaping the future of exhibition-making in L.A. With a background in academia, curatoria...

Queer Spectacle, Polaroid Realities, and the Art of Wrestling with Identity with Christopher Anthony Velasco In this illuminating episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza welcomes artist and educator Christopher Anthony Velasco—a polymath of performative personas, analog photography, and speculative queer mythologies. Known for his immersive character work and deep engagement with the aes...

  In this episode of the podcast, host Javier Proenza is joined by Rhett Baruch, founder of the contemporary art space Rhett Baruch Gallery, for a candid conversation that moves fluidly between car culture and curatorial strategy—touching on everything from VTEC engines and flat-plane V8s to the architecture of gallery identity in Los Angeles. Baruch discusses his unconventional journey from car e...

"Worldbuilding Through Memory and Myth: Elias Hernandez on Storytelling, Surrealism, and the Legacy of Conflict" In this immersive episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza welcomes artist and educator Elias Hernandez, whose deeply narrative visual practice draws from Latin American surrealism, video game aesthetics, and inherited stories of displacement and resilience. A recent MFA gradua...

Episode Title: “Sanctuary in Practice: Art, Advocacy, and Survival with Dalia Palacios” In this luminous and profoundly intimate episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by teaching artist and community advocate Dalia Palacios, whose multidisciplinary practice and lived experience offer a compelling meditation on resilience, displacement, motherhood, and the transformative power...

Art as Infrastructure: A Conversation on Social Practice, Community, and the Evolving Role of Nonprofit Art Spaces in Los Angeles An interview with Pranay Reddy, Director of LA Artcore In this compelling episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with Pranay Reddy, the director of LA Artcore, for a far-reaching conversation that explores the role of nonprofit art spaces as vital c...

Spiritual Kinship, Artist-Run Futures, and Burning the Art World Down (Gently) - Cat Gunn In this episode of What’s My Thesis, Javier Proenza welcomes Cat Gunn—artist, curator, and co-organizer of Other Places Art Fair South (OPAF South)—for a wide-ranging conversation on community, creative identity, and the radical possibilities within artist-run spaces. Rooted in their early relationship to art...

Art Criticism, Political Engagement, and the Role of Discontent with Elwyn Palmerton What’s My Thesis? Podcast | Hosted by Javier Proenza In this incisive and far-ranging episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza welcomes artist and writer Elwyn Palmerton for a wide-reaching dialogue that explores the intersections of contemporary art, cultural criticism, and local political activism. From...

What’s My Thesis? – Live from Orange Coast College: Dakota Noot on Art, Censorship & Community Building Orange Coast College | Frank M. Doyle Pavilion | Southern California Art Scene In this milestone episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with artist, curator, and community-builder Dakota Noot for a special conversation inside an ambitious group exhibition at the Frank M....

The Business of Art: Building a Sustainable Market with Tyler Park Presents In this deep dive episode of What’s My Thesis, we explore the intricate world of contemporary art galleries, artist representation, and the strategies behind building a sustainable market for emerging artists. Our guest, Tyler Park, founder of Tyler Park Presents, shares invaluable insights from his journey navigating the...

What do UFOs, roadside attractions, and outsider art have in common? In this episode, we dive into the world of creative obsession, unconventional artistry, and the mysteries of the universe. Our guest, artist Mary Sabo, takes us on a journey through the cultural quirks of Las Vegas, the surreal nature of desert landscapes, and the fascinating realm of DIY inventors and alchemists. We discuss: 🔹...

Episode Summary: In this episode of What's My Thesis, host Javier Proenza sits down with artist Clarisse Abelarde to discuss her artistic journey, the impact of technology on contemporary culture, and the realities of making a living as an artist. From her immigrant experience moving from the Philippines to the U.S. at 14 to navigating the competitive art world, Clarisse shares her insights on bal...

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with artist, educator, and community builder Zeina Baltagi for an unfiltered discussion on survival, art, and the intersections of mobility—physical, economic, and spiritual. Zeina shares their journey of resilience, from surviving childhood illness and economic instability to navigating the e...

246 Navigating Community Activism and Local Politics with Fernanda Sanchez Episode Summary: In this compelling episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with community activist and neighborhood council member Fernanda Sanchez for a deep dive into the world of grassroots activism, local politics, and the ongoing fight against gentrification in Los Angeles. Fernanda shares candid i...

Photography, Family Archives, and Artistic Entrepreneurship - Hiroshi Clark In this episode, Hiroshi Clark shares his journey as a photographer whose work blends personal history with an exploration of Japanese and American cultural influences. Hiroshi talks about his creative process, the emotional impact of family archives, and the intricacies of his recent art exhibition and publication. We div...

The End of Art School Critiques with Amir Zaki | Episode 244 In this episode, photographer Amir Zaki joins Javier Proenza to explore the dramatic shift in art school critiques and how they've evolved from rigorous technical assessments to something much more complex and subjective. As an artist who’s experienced both sides of the critique system, Amir offers a unique perspective on how the traditi...

Kader Ampka talks about growing up in New York with ties to West Africa, the BRICS economic Alliance, and how different maps inform his art practice.

Artist Brent Holmes breaks down the Las Vegas art scene, and whether peace as an ideal runs counter to human nature.