NARS Foundation (New York Art Residency and Studios)

The director of NARS, Junho, is verbally abusive to his staff and to artists. He micromanages all aspects of the residency and the gallery. Artists are told to ask permission before making even a single hole in their studio walls. Staff were rarely able to answer any questions I had as a resident without first checking with Junho. I have kept in touch with some of the wonderful people I met through NARS, and many have shocking horror stories about how they were treated by Junho. The studios are very noisy and poorly maintained, there is no common space for artists to gather, and very little resources offered to artists. (There are no basic tools available, and artists were asked to purchase their own paint to repaint studio walls before they left, for instance.)

I paid for studio space, and it was worth it. Having regular studio visits with professionals and connecting with artists from different backgrounds helped expand my ideas. Plus, events like visiting museums with fellow residents were amazing experiences too.