7 Minutes in Heaven with Grace Hwang

Grace Hwang has a passion for art -- good art. About a year ago, she opened SALT artspace, a gallery that focuses on building community by uniting the visual -- oftentimes conceptual -- arts with social projects. Goodmeet, for example, was a full day of pondering the theme "sanctuary" -- how artists can find and create sanctuary in NYC and what art history has to say about the role of sanctuary, rituals, and religion within great works -- at SALT. The artspace's blog, staying SALTy, features information on the gallery's lineup, as well as other arts events that its participants are involved. with.

Grace, who just so happens to be one of the cutest, most upbeat, and well-informed women in the arts world, took time out of her busy schedule, running SALT and working at MoMA, to participate in our 7 Minutes in Heaven series.

[photo of Grace Hwang via staying SALTy]

Asphalt Eden: Who would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with?
Grace Hwang: I hope I never get stranded... - maybe that guy on TV that is always getting dumped somewhere and has to use survival skills to get back to civilization - although he's really intense...

Asphalt Eden: If you had to have a portrait of yourself made, what artist would commission?

Grace Hwang: I dunno that I care for a representational portrait of myself, but I'd love Janet Cardiff to create a walk for me...

Asphalt Eden: What is your favorite time of day?
Grace Hwang: The sky at dusk right after the sun has hit the sides of buildings in NY.

Asphalt Eden: Where in New York is the closest place to your own personal Garden of Eden?

Grace Hwang: Well there's the James Turrell installation at P.S.1, the Brooklyn Bridge, and then there's always the great tree outside my window.

Asphalt Eden: What's on repeat on your iPod?

Grace Hwang: The Cure, Pink Martini, Erik Satie, M.I.A., the Shout out Louds...

Asphalt Eden: If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

Grace Hwang: I wonder if He has a name for me that He calls me by... and what that sounds like!

Asphalt Eden: What message do you want people to take away from your art?

Grace Hwang: If I can create a space or facilitate an experience that leaves people curious, connected to some forgotten part of their self or wanting to leave and go create something of their own, that would be my humble contribution to the world.