What is Base 36, and why did you create it?
Base 36 is an underground gallery and cultural initiative I founded as a counterpoint to the conventional art world. It isn’t about profit or prestige—it’s about creating a decentralized space where art, media, and culture can exist without gatekeepers. We operate outside institutional frameworks, offering exhibitions, micro-grants, and resources directly to artists who might otherwise be overlooked.
The art world is notorious for being insular and elitist. How does Base 36 challenge that system?
Traditional institutions are often overextended, nepotistic, and reliant on market cycles. Base 36 rejects that model by redistributing resources directly to artists and communities, without bureaucracy. Think of it as a cultural commons—where creativity is valued over pedigree, and where refusal of the system itself becomes a form of legitimacy.
You’re known for refusing to sell or align with galleries, yet your work still circulates in the secondary market. How does that contradiction play into Base 36?
Refusal is part of the strategy. By not participating in traditional sales or representation, I’m forcing collectors, institutions, and the market to contend with my terms. Base 36 extends that refusal into a platform: we’re not waiting for permission, and we’re not compromising to be absorbed by the old guard.