Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Richard A. Destito

To the administration of The Warehouse Gallery

I've been to many of Astria's installations and was writing to show my support for her. The Warehouse Gallery is needed space for "contemporary" art. However like any building or business it's the personality of the people working and visiting in that location that make a place what it is. I think Astria has been doing an incredible job with it. She has brought a lot of life to that part of the town. Many of the installations I've liked very much, some I haven't necessarily liked. Either way though my god, it's nice to feel a heart beating out of one of the few galleries in the area!! If her work has made a variety of people actually "think" or "feel" instead of quickly scooting through the place she has done her job and done it well.

I'm impressed with the quality of her work, you can tell she cares. I believe Astria is very progressive and has that big city feel to her work. More than ever that's what this city needs right now to grow is some progressive thought and for citizens minds to be stretched.

Last, I very much appreciate the sense of feeling an actual pulse in the area!! I believe that has a lot to do with Astria. This pulse I speak of has been the objective of many different people and organizations in the area for city wide revitalization. Once accomplishing that, why would you then kill it? This is about what's best for the Warehouse Gallery, SU, and the City of Syracuse. Lets cut out the politics, people are tired of them. For the city to become all it can be we have to think in terms of not me, not you, but us as a whole, what's good for the group.

I think it would be much more beneficial to embrace Astria's progressive work than to squash it.

Thank you,

Rick

Richard A. Destito
Vibrant Syracuse Spaces, LLC
"Making the Best of What's Around"
http://www.vibrantsyracusespaces.com/
http://www.myspace.com/rickvss
E-mail: Rickdks@earthlink.net

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BACKGROUND

Syracuse has lost one its greatest assets. Astria Suparak, Inaugural Director of The Warehouse Gallery of Syracuse University, was removed from her position as of Sept. 30th, 2007, despite widespread support from community members, students, faculty, and the international art community. This decision was made unilaterally by Jeffrey Hoone, Executive Director of the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers (CMAC).

At the time of Suparak's dismissal, Hoone also canceled her forthcoming exhibitions, including "Keep It Slick: Infiltrating Capitalism with The Yes Men," due to open in November 2007.