Dear Reader,

I was going to start this letter with a Happy New Year! I should, right? It will be 2021 when this January/February issue comes out. We will have brought in the New Year, albeit with less fanfare than usual—it doesn’t take a soothsayer to predict that last year’s malaise will follow us into the New Year.

Yes, we have a new president and VP. I’m very happy about that, but they have their work cut out for them. The art world has its work cut out for itself too. In this issue, which we call Brave New Art World, we present a determined and adaptable art world with a relentless drive to seek answers and make new discoveries. Galleries closed? That hasn’t slowed down artists from making art; quite the contrary. This is the bravery that these working artists are displaying—they can’t be stopped.

There’s nothing like a tragedy to get the creative juices flowing. In these catastrophic times, the art world couldn’t be more alive. Artists are adapting to all the changes by utilizing social media and mobile art, or just holing up in their studios, away from the chaos, attempting to maintain their perspective, but still producing work. Artists naturally respond to their environments, whether it’s domestic strife or global mayhem.

Boldness, honesty and perseverance are the key ingredients of the Brave New Art World. Our cover artist Math Bass paints in a bold, vibrant way—familiar yet strikingly original. LA performer Dynasty Handbag defines bold in her idiosyncratic way. Her performances have been canceled, but she creates new opportunities for herself continually. Honesty and integrity are in abundance in contributor Kelly Rappleye’s story on Mara McCarthy of The Box gallery and Skid Row’s performing arts organization Los Angeles Poverty Department. Legal art columnist Stephen Goldberg addresses the machinations within museums that are struggling with ethical issues and responsibilities to their communities. Museums must strive for equality in their collections and employment, but not at the expense of ill-considered deaccession.

Clayton Campbell checks in with Monument Lab addressing the current trend of long overdue statue-removal. And when our columnist Zak Smith just wants to visit a museum, even a courtyard will do. There’s plenty more in this issue, proving once again the enduring vitality of the art world.

It’s been a tough year indeed; millions of people have died, millions are unemployed. (That’s millions, people!) We who read this letter are the lucky ones. I’m surprised Artillery has even survived throughout all this. In many ways we should look back on 2020 and be grateful for what we have now. Maybe I can squeeze in a Happy New Year after all, and let’s make the best of it, learn some valuable lessons and move on to a better, braver New Art World.