GRADIENT FERVOR

“More than anything I would like to be an artist. Alas, I seem to have found tremendous success in the law. I will probably serve the world better as a lawyer.” —Ari J. Diaconis

Chinatown Soup is pleased to present Gradient Fervor, an exhibition celebrating the life and art of Ari Diaconis. Please join us for a reception on Tuesday, October 15 from 6-9pm. This exhibition is curated by Ari’s sister, Alix Diaconis, and on view through October 20, 2019.

And now, a message from the curator…

Ari Diaconis was born on October 15, 1984 and graduated from the The University of Vermont. He studied economics, philosophy and Afro-Cuban percussion. During and after college, Ari performed at Blue Note Jazz Club and on NPR in addition to producing three internationally distributed albums. Music critics recognized that one of those albums – “Beyond Human Aid” – showed “the rhythmic prowess of Diaconis” and “achieved its promise of capturing an energetic group in a way only conceivable live.”

With increasing interest in the law as a vehicle for service and expression, Ari went on to graduate magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from Cornell Law School. During this time, he tutored prison inmates, serving as their mentor and advocate and maintaining long-term relationships with many of them. Cornell awarded him the Fraser Prize for “most fully evincing high qualities of mind and character by superior achievements in scholarship and by attributes that earn the commendation of teachers and fellow students.” Cited by scholars and jurists, Ari’s legal writing touched on spiritual, religious, and moral issues. His essay on love was published in The New York Times and received praise for its honesty and mode of expression.

In Ari’s early artwork, he used words as brushstrokes. In one untitled piece from 2008, Ari recorded his thoughts on a 15-foot long scroll. Later, he experimented with various painting techniques, including the use of window washing squeegees to create rivers of color. The same method was later applied to holographic surfaces and reimagined as digital imagery. These works were named “Gradient Fervor,” reflecting his belief that color affects mood and energy to inspire doing from thinking.

“Manifest Destiny has Progressed Blessedly” was Ari’s response to Carl Andre’s “Manifest Destiny.” His homage includes eight precariously stacked “Pray” bricks found in rural Vermont over the course of an eight-year search. Completed shortly after the 2016 Presidential election, this piece demonstrates his concern for the fragility of our government. In an opinion piece, he wrote, “many citizens will be horrified to learn that this system is more fragile than they know.”

Ari died at age 33 as a result of diseases which alluded diagnosis by the medical community. Ironically, one of those included a brain mass that distorted his perception of visual images.

Alix Diaconis lives in New York City, where she directs videos for The Verge and rides her bicycle. As a film student at Bard College, Alix was mentored by Kelly Reichardt, Peter Hutton, and Ben Coonley while also working as a film projectionist for 35mm and 16mm screenings. Her love of film — specifically editing, writing, and directing — started in middle school when she produced a weekly show that ran for over five years. Alix hasn’t stopped hustling since.