To you, our collaborators

"Mond" in process _
saline solution, hot plate, heat resistant tape, generous helping hands_
october 5, 2007_zürich

To you, our collaborators, friends and companions of many a path:
Thank you.
Thank you for your emails. It is heart warming to receive them!

I’m sorry this “change of path” for ArtSEEN journal came as a shock to some of you.
ArtSEEN journal, if you wish to see it this way, is but a name, given to a project: a project that is based on the creative process.
If the name disappears, the process does not!
And this is the most beautiful, most sublime aspect of the creative process!

I wish to present here a few phrases I wrote for the presentation of ArtSEEN journal, in 2005.

The phrase that talks about the space it was meant to be, and has therefore achieved (call us stubborn!): offered to artists, to the creative process.

The aim of ArtSEEN journal is to offer a space for communication, to promote art and artists who share the freedom of thought that the creative process promotes.

The paragraph that reflects on our inheritance, as artists. In choosing to be an artist, we have to reflect on this inheritance, the creative tradition, not only found in Florence, but that which every individual, town, city, thought, word, blade of grass - left to us. How do we continue working with it? Without abusing of it, and yet, contributing to it?

ArtSEEN journal is based in Florence, a city world known for it's contribution to Western art history. As the Renaissance shaped Florence 500 years ago, so have the numerous travellers, migrants, artists, creative minds and free thinkers who have been attracted to this city, and who have, because of it's history, shaped it's present, in all eras. Florence is the city where we chose to study and live and work, because of it’s potent creative energy, because of the legacy left to us by our artist forefathers and mothers.

And the paragraph that promises to look at our present – which we have more than achieved.

ArtSEEN journal aims not simply to echo the buzz of the streets of art world centres but as well create a space for artists, for our ideas, for our beliefs to be exposed/exhibited in. We wish and work towards making ArtSEEN a work of art in itself, as all of us working on it are artists. As artists, we have a freedom that allows us not to follow set structures: to question, to change, to enhance. We aim to treat ArtSEEN as we'd treat a canvas, a paper, a room. Let it be flexible like a drawing, a painting in execution, an installation in the making, a lump of clay in our hands. It is a challenge, it is a lot of work, yet this is what we believe in, and a labour of love.

These phrases have accompanied ArtSEEN journal through the two years. With all the grammatical errors, and all the sincere thoughts, they have been sent to the North, South, East and West, far and wide. And fulfilled. :)

What we have achieved together with ArtSEEN journal, is immense and intense. As long as this energy, this desire, and the right motivation are alive, (which they will always be, even when we die!) there can be no stopping. To be part of this process is both humbling and strengthening.


With ArtSEEN, the Editorial Team has proved that with little funds, but working together, we can make the most “impossible” venture a reality!

With ArtSEEN, together with you, we have proved that the “Art world” is a mere pedestal – yet still has sincere people working within it!
With ArtSEEN, we have shown the many facets of a diamond. We have written what we think, offered our views to both comprehension and criticism.
Creative people all over this globe: artists, scientists, curators, linguists, poets, have contributed, not only to ArtSEEN, but to a process, and I am sure, will continue contributing to this process.

ArtSEEN is and was just one platform for this process. Rest assured then, there are many more!

What ArtSEEN gave me, cannot disappear, and will continue growing.

Even though one platform stops existing, we’re celebrating, and we’re celebrating the continuation of the creative process!

Thank You! Here's to "omega alpha"!!! (email me if you want the full spiel behind this "subversion"!)

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We're moving!

This team proves yet again that come hell or high water, we maintain our promise!

This is our last edition of ArtSEEN journal.
Precisely because it is our last SEEN, we felt it necessary to work even harder to bring it out to you, bearing with courage difficult moments and taking our time in order to make sure this last issue arrives complete!

As always a small surprise, all I anticipate is the format: 16 x 11 cm.

With thanks to Sandra Miranda and her work for the financial side of the publications, we are able to end ArtSEEN journal and ArtSEEN PLUS without any debts to our generous printer, Alessandro Reni of Art and Pixel.

Sandra Miranda, currently working for the Florence Biennial, will be curating publications for the Florence Biennial, as well as further curating exhibitions in Italy and abroad and pursuing her own art career.

Andrew J Smaldone, while teaching and exhibiting and living through parties (for in truth, he is a party boy!), is looking forward to have that extra minute in an hour for his beautiful paintings, and in addition, will be busy with a new art project next year.

After 14 years of living in Florence, I am moving to Zurich, Switzerland, where I will pursue the natural growth of ideas that has arisen through my work with ArtSEEN journal.
I am happy to say that I look forward to continue collaborating with the many wonderful people I have had the occasion to meet through ArtSEEN! And, yes, I will have the much desired time for my own art work too – which only living in Zurich seems to provide me (Florence is notorious for it’s parties!)

Thus we find that our collaboration as the Editorial Team needs end, to make necessary space for all the new ventures that have come to be thanks to our working together.

ArtSEEN journal will official come to a close on January 1, 2008, (say, round midnight! Worldwide), amongst joy and champagne toasts, for it has been a wonderful adventure, a learning experience, and has brought together many amazing people, their art, and their writing!

Thank you, to each individual, who has contributed to both the publications, for making this "art project in print" possible!