Check Out Zoë Elena Moldenhauer’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoë Elena Moldenhauer.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

One night, my former undergraduate classmate and I were talking about how much we missed the stimulation of being in art school. We were determined not to get sucked into the negativity that hits young artists after art school, compounded in this case, by the pandemic.

I came across the term “dilettantism” which is defined as being a dabbler or historically taking delight in the arts. The origins of the word date back to 1734, founded by a group of British noblemen and scholars known as “The Society of Dilettanti,” who met to dine and discuss art. The pandemic was an opportunity to create a platform of shared experiences and build community. That is why I borrowed the term for our premier exhibition. The Aerogramme Center (like The Society of Dilettanti) is an online platform that seeks to support artists and writers during the pandemic.

I liked the name aerogramme—a form of airmail that combined the letter and envelope into one. It reminded me of zines that take a single piece of paper and fold it to create a book. The zine movement is outside the mainstream and shows that artists can thrive outside of the conventional gallery/art market. Since its launch in March 2020, The Aerogramme Center has featured 137 artists and writers from around the world through virtual exhibitions, a quarterly fine art and literary magazine, and artist interviews. The Aerogramme Center also produces a podcast entitled “A Guide to Art, Activism, & Culture” that delves into social issues seen in museums and art collections.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?

Everything that was born out of the pandemic was unknown and experimental. I didn’t know what to expect but was overwhelmed by the positive response from artists and writers around the world.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am also a painter. Under the umbrella of an invented alphabet, my paintings and drawings evolve from my transracial adoption, language, and absent heritage. As a Guatemalan-New Yorker who grew up around French, German, Hebrew, Spanish, and the Nahuatl language, my fictional alphabet seeks to challenge Western perceptions of space and communication that explore notions of place, belonging, and history-making.

Following SVA’s 2021 summer residency program, the cohort formed an international collective of 20 members titled Teleportal to support one another and organize exhibitions around the world. Teleportal has organized a 2022 fall exhibition on the theme of ‘movement’ and is in the early stages of organizing a summer exhibition in Munich, Germany.

I recently completed the Smithsonian’s Latino Museum Studies Program Graduate Fellowship where my work supported the National Museum of the American Latino’s digital initiatives. One of the projects I worked on was a Día de Los Muertos event to honor those killed in the Uvalde Robb Elementary mass shooting. The event was hosted by Baltimore’s Peale Museum and sponsored by Johns Hopkins University, where the Latino Museum organized an ofrenda and procession led by muralist Frida Larios, who had been commissioned to create a mural to honor and support healing in the community of Uvalde, Texas.

I am now an artist-in-resident at NYC Crit Club’s hybrid Canopy Program.

Who else deserves credit in your story?

I am particularly grateful to my fellow members of the Hispanic-Latino Student Union, an identity-based organization at Maryland Institute College of Art who awakened my passion for Latino/x activism and identity.

I also owe a debt to Baltimore Corps’ Public Ally program and Code in the Schools, where I gained solidarity with Baltimore and its community of young leaders.

To Melissa Carrillo, Acting Chief Digital Officer; José Ralat-Reyes, Digital Media Manager; Lola Rameriz, Assistant Gallery Manager; and Dr. Audrey Maier, Digital Media Exhibition and Online Outreach Support Services; and my co-fellow, Saskia Lascarez Casanova at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino.

To Isabel Pardo and Juan Esparza, who helped me with The Aerogramme Center in its launch, programs, and outreach.

My ongoing gratitude to artists and writers who continue to support The Aerogramme Center through participation in the open calls.

And no thanks will be complete without acknowledging my parents.

Pricing:

• The Mobile Library is a quarterly magazine that pairs 6 artists and 6 writers together under a theme. Application fees are $15 USD, artists and writers whose work is selected will receive a complimentary issue. The magazine contains your work, a transcript from our podcast, and artist interview/studio visit feature. If you would like a print copy, regardless of whether you’re selected, the fee is $20. Information on how to apply can be found on our website at www.aerogramme.org/magazine-open-call.
• Our Virtual Viewing Room provides a platform for emerging artists to exhibit their artwork. Solo and group artists have the opportunity to be featured in our Behind the Studio event where artists can give a short artist talk, studio tour while answering rapid-fire questions, and Q&A with viewers. Applications fees are $15 USD, and information on how to apply can be found on our website at www.aerogramme.org/exhibition-proposals.
• The Flat Files is a growing virtual archive of artist conversations highlighting the diverse mediums and subject matter often overlooked in the art world. In addition to these conversations, artists have a platform to share their studio space to inspire others in their artistic careers. Applications fees are $15 USD, artists whose work is selected will receive a feature and complimentary issue of The Mobile Library Magazine! The magazine contains submissions by our magazine artists and writers, a transcript from our podcast, and your artist interview/studio visit feature. If you would like a print copy, regardless of whether you’re selected, the fee is $20. Information on how to apply can be found on our website at https://www.aerogramme.org/flat-files-open-call.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aerogramme.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aerogrammearts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aerogrammearts/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/aerogrammearts
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMWdPZsw_WNHQXwMJzUGFY2IM4e8sgQcu
• Other: https://www.aerogramme.org/podcast