Anna Rathkopf, Tom Kotik, Maria Harsaniova
A popular online mini-series presenting three-minute videos of Czech and Slovak artists and professionals based in New York and their reflections on how the challenging Covid reality affected their work and projects. This third, special Covid edition will feature three accomplished creative New Yorkers: Anna Rathkopf, Tom Kotik, and Maria Harsaniova. Moderated by Christopher Harwood and Suzanna Halsey.
Live Q&A will follow the screening.
The event will be presented on ZOOM. RSVP through Eventbrite to receive a Zoom link. Free and open to the public. Donations welcome.
Maria Harsaniova, a writer under the pseudonym Maya Reyes, comes from the small town of Modrá in Slovakia. She earned her Master of Social Work at St. Elizabeth College in Bratislava. Maria is currently finishing her second MA degree at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College to obtain her SW license in the USA. She enjoys psychology and is interning as a group facilitator and therapist. Before settling in New York in 2016, she lived in England, Spain, Holland, and Cuba. Maria's novel Exit Havana was published in 2016 by the Motyl publishing house in Slovakia. Its story is based on her experience as a breast cancer patient. She is finishing two new manuscripts. Maria also writes articles for oncology magazines and journals, such as Coping with Cancer, and volunteers for the American Cancer Society, helping and supporting women diagnosed with breast cancer. Maria also enjoys photography and blogging.
Tom Kotik, born in Prague to an artistic family, is a Brooklyn-based artist, curator, and musician. He has exhibited at Lesley Heller Workspace (NYC), Fundacio Juan Miro (Barcelona), Kostka Gallery (Prague), and The House of Arts (Brno). Since 2013, Tom has been a Curator at Large for Arts Brookfield in New York, organizing exhibitions of emerging artists in New York and Los Angeles. He received his MFA from Hunter College in 2004 and has been a resident artist at Meet Factory (Prague), Art OMI, Yaddo, LMCC Workspace Program, and the AIM Program at the Bronx Museum of Art. He uses silence as the starting position of his artworks. Many of his works deal with both the physical aspects of silence and the materials from which non-functional replicas of audio equipment generate, as well as socio-political implications of silence itself. Both a practicing sculptor and (rock!) musician, he prefers making silent works that allow the viewer to compose as they observe. In this way, sound, silence, and form can find true harmony.
Anna Rathkopf lived in Prague until 2005 when she met her American husband and moved to New York City. She received her MA in Jewish Studies from Charles University in Prague. Her love for reading and photography led her to blogging. In her Czech blog Máma za vodou, she wittingly describes her expat life in her Brooklyn bilingual household. With her photographer husband, she formed a photography company. When Anna, at age 37, was diagnosed with breast cancer, they decided to create a photo project called HER2 to raise awareness about the possibility of cancer in people under 40 and the importance of relationships and love during adversity. The photos documenting Anna's journey to her recovery were published in several publications and are part of the Susan G. Komen rebranding campaign. In 2020, the Covid 19 pandemics became a new subject for the team and a new photography project. Community Heroes captures the quiet heroes, mostly women, who volunteer to run food distribution centers in their neighborhood for people in need. The photos appeared in several articles and will be part of an exhibition. Anna is also proud of her new role as a home teacher to her 1st grader, thus mastering songs about months or days and refreshing her addition/ subtraction skills.
This event is organized by the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU), New York Chapter, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Slovakia in New York, with the support of the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA).