I'm speaking with Laura Perez Harris, one of the founding members of Throat, a Brooklyn based art collective comprised of recent grads from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). I invited Throat to explore the Library as a public art space, and they gathered over 20 + artists to contribute pieces in a variety of mediums — drawing, painting, sculpture, fabric, even glass and plastic. Their works will be on view throughout the Mulberry Street Library through February 29, 2012. The modern ways we interact with information, particularly through technology, formed the basis of "Decoding."

Alexi Brown-Schmidt, Triptych: Foot Reflections (Oil on paper)How did Throat come together?

Throat was formed when a bunch of us graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2010. I was feeling frustrated, and found myself complaining a lot about the price of artist spaces and resources in NYC. I felt that if it bothered me, then I had to do something about it, and try and start something I felt would be a good evolution of what was already out there. I didn't want to change the formula, but make it something that is more accessible to everyone who wants to be involved.

What shows have you put on in the past?

We have organized five events so far, including concerts and exhibitions. Our first concert was a fundraiser called Throat-Razor at the venue Death by Audio in Williamsburg. We also had other concerts at Silent Barn and El Dirt. Our first exhibition was The Dino Show at Outpost Artists Resources, which is a residency program for postproduction video, located in Ridgewood. Our last exhibition, Truck Show, was a mobile un-juried show. We allowed anyone to submit work, we hung it up in the bed of a moving truck, and drove around the city and parked in different locations.

What excites you about libraries?

What excites us about libraries is that they are an unbiased space where everyone has the equal opportunity to gain information. They provide free services to the public regardless of age or income. This idea is something we want to see happen more with art spaces.

What are your thoughts about art in public spaces (as opposed to galleries)?

Art in public spaces is completely inclusive and provides an experience for people who do not usually go to galleries. It creates new conversations and hopefully gets more people to think critically about what is around them.

Emet Sosna, Living Room (Oil, Acrylic, Ink, Gold Leaf, on papers glued to canvas)

What would you like to see happen in the future with Throat?

We would like to continue putting together exhibitions, concerts, and other projects. The pipe dream is to have a space of our own for artist studios, practice spaces, cheap classes, food, and an art supply trading post. We want it all!

How do you recruit your artists?

People find us through our blog (throat-art.tumblr.com), call for submissions, and word of mouth.