The Art of Hugging

by Brainard Carey

Do you want a hug? It’s free! The Free Hug movement has been taking the world by storm since it first started over a decade ago. Conceptual artists and husbandand- wife team Delia and Brainard Carey have exhibited all over the world—now they’re ready to break down one of the world’s simplest and most powerful gestures. From the story of the hugging saint and a history of hugging’s viral video movement to advice on how to use your own hug movement to support charitable causes, The Art of Hugging is your complete guide to health, happiness, and changing the world.

Genres: Relationships

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Brainard Carey lectures on art and art education. He is an artist that collaborates with his wife Delia Carey. Their collaborative, Praxis was included in the Whitney Biennial and they continue to make art, exhibit in biennials as well as conduct workshops and shows for their current project, The Museum of Non-Visible Art.

He is the host of -Lives of the Artists- a podcast on Yale University radio on the art and artists and has interviewed over 1,400 artists,


The interviews on this page are from his public affairs show on Yale radio, WYBC.

Brainard Carey was born in Manhattan, New York, and grew up in Yonkers. After attending undergraduate art school at SUNY Purchase, he moved to Rhode Island and opened a gallery and began publishing a literary magazine. Carey then moved back to New York City, where he met Delia Bajo, and cofounded Praxis, which was invited to be in the Whitney Biennial in 2002 and to be in a solo show there in 2007, as well as other venues around the world. Carey also has an educational business that helps artists to write grants, exhibit, and advance their careers.

He splits his time between New York City and a studio in New Haven, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Sean Goh · Rating 3 out of 5]

TIL: While a couple is hugging or cuddling, they are also talking and communicating their emotions. During sex, that is not always the case.
Twenty seconds is the minimum duration of a hug to stimulate release of oxytocin.

Short, warm & fuzzy read.

[Delia Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it, why wouldn't i?

[Roland Curit · Rating 4 out of 5]

. I am a hugger. Not the kind that leans in with one arm and taps you on the back. I pull you in with both arms, maximize the surface area, and absorb whatever positive energy you are willing to offer. I have friends with similar approaches, and we have found it necessary to count down the embrace, as neither is willing to let go first. The pandemic has put a dent in my hug routine. “The Art of Hugging” gave me a few hours respite from that void. The colorful pictures show people hugging each other, animals hugging their young, and people hugging their pets. It’s such a simple gesture, but one that can change your mood for a day- even if all you do is see it in print. The chapters are short and usually preceded by a quote or piece of advice. I found myself nodding in agreement at the beginning of every chapter. “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” – Virginia Satir. “A hug is like a boomerang – you get it back right away” – Bil Keane. “A hug is the shortest distance between friends” – Anonymous. I can’t wait for the pandemic to pass. I have a lot of positive energy stored up and I am eager to share it with friends, coworkers, and the unsuspecting person on the street.

[Brainard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book, if you have any questions, just ask me through my author page. Thanks for reading :)