Weekly Newsletter The artist and NYC first lady in an exclusive interview, LACMA's stunning new building, Trump plays Christ, and much more. April 18, 2026 — 5 min read Last week, I visited Gracie Mansion in Manhattan for a conversation with artist and New York First Lady Rama Duwaji. It was her first interview with a journalist since her husband, Zohran Mamdani, took office on January 1.  I didn't know what to expect as I had never met Duwaji before or heard her speak in public. In what became a standard studio visit, I discovered a humble and thoughtful artist who refuses to use her celebrity for easy career gains. Though we spoke primarily about her practice, the interview got picked up by dozens of publications worldwide because of Duwaji's apology for foolish teenage tweets that a far-right rag dug up from the depths of the internet in an attempt to hurt her skyrocketing popularity. I hope this interview will help you get a better sense of who she truly is as a person and artist.…