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Critical Writing

Critical Writing is a year-long program for writers to practice the art of cultural criticism and textual media in a small cohort setting. The program began in 2011 to facilitate meaningful exchanges between writers and artists, wherein writers pursued the underlying themes and ideas that inform Session projects toward the mutual production of new works.

Art writing at Recess is playful, responsive, and experimental, with an emphasis on storytelling that champions the subjective voice. Although texts are typically developed in essay format, there is an open invitation to bend the genre and twist the form in order to build a narrative world that is fitting for the development of new writing.

The program is open to writers at any stage of their writing practice. Participants will publish two web-based texts on Recess's website throughout the course of the program within a 8 to 10 week editorial timeline. Writers are supported through monthly cohort engagements and one-to-one editorial workshops.

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July 2026

Garden Possibilities

Jessica Lynne

Cultural theorist and critic, Jessica Lynn, pens an intimate letter to Session artist Zeelie Brown in reflection of their Recess project.

January 2026

Freedom Time Meditation: Cartographies of Release

Neta Bomani

Artist and educator Neta Bomani offers a guided meditation on FREEDOM TIME: Undanced Dances Through Prison Walls

December 2025

The INSTITUTE FOR TRANSHUMANIST CEPHALOPOD EVOLUTION and Learning from Octopuses

Barbara London

Barbara London reflect's of Miriam SImun's INSTITUTE FOR TRANSHUMANIST CEPHALOPOD EVOLUTION