Art creates space for understanding, introspection, and intimacy. These themes are especially at play in the work of artist and writer Larissa Pham. You may recognize Larissa’s work from her bylines in esteemed publications, including The Paris Review Daily, or in the case of this episode, from her brilliant work of creative nonfiction, Pop Song, which is described as “a book about distances, near and far. The miles we travel to get away from ourselves, or those who hurt us, and the impossible gaps that can exist between two people sharing a bed.”
In this vibrant essay collection—at once vulnerable and incisive—Larissa examines modern intimacy through analysis and personal reflection against the backdrop of an increasingly digital-first world. With a critic’s eye and an artist’s heart, Larissa also draws connections between works of art and acts of life as she navigates heartbreak and searches for meaning.
During a time when connection has taken on a whole new level of importance, Larissa’s genre-defying work reminds us to honor the power of art, intimacy, and self. In this interview, she shared more about the role of pace and paying attention in her writing practice, her thoughts on consumption in our digital age, and the distances she’s overcome creatively—and beyond. This episode opens with a reading by poet Devon Walker-Figueroa.
Meredith Westgate — ”Being a writer can often be empathy overload.”
Jen Spyra — ”How much doubt attends every stage of your writing?”
Melissa Febos and Forsyth Harmon — ”Writing is the very solitary room where I practice articulating things that feel unspeakable.”
Jen Batchelor — ”I take it very seriously when a word gets hijacked out of our vocabulary.”
Suzanne Koven — ”Literature opens the conversation.”
Courtney Marie Andrews — ”Poetry is asking you to get beneath the surface.”
Lesley Thornton — ”My self-care is preparation for community care.”
Dina Nur Satti — ”Art is really asking people to listen to the process.”
Jessica Manning — ”Your vision for your future changes.”
Zak Williams — ”You need to be engaged with your environment and the people around you.”
Deja Foxx — ”We should be making statements about who we are.”
Becky Cooper — ”What is the story that I should be the one to write?”
Nicole Caputo — ”I really see design as a lifestyle.”
Elizabeth Walton Egan — ”Where speed can hurt is when you are out of control.”
Mélanie Masarin — ”You never remember the time you spent on the internet.”
Lindsay Adams — ”Slow storytelling means giving yourself the grace and the space to evolve.”
Orion Carloto — ”Slowing down is the most beautiful thing you can do for yourself.”
Makenna Goodman — ”I do think that we want to escape, but I don’t think we want to flee.”
Taylor Sterling — ”I want to be more empathetic to how I can help versus how people can help me.”
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