#new orleans visual artist

[oddphotos362]

[nr1-logo-design-inspiration]

Creative "S + G" monogram ☆☆☆

[evan-collins90]

The first Torrid store - Brea Mall - Brea, CA (Opened April 18, 2001)

Designed by JGA, Inc. 

From the book: “The retailer, Hot Topic, based in City of Industry, CA, started a short 12 years ago with a concept and a target market; cutting edge apparel, accessories and novelty items--all inspired by alternative music, oriented towards a hip and trendy, teenage market. Hot Topic changed the look of their retail settings, which are usually located in mainstream malls, and the company has recently taken aim at another special market. The new focus is on plus-size teens; an area that the fashion market seems to have neglected. 

Up until this time the 15-30 year old hip and trendy young women who wear sizes 14-26 had no other choice but to shop in the larger size women's shops where the fashions were tailored to the more matronly and conservative tastes. That is how Torrid was born! 

Torrid was introduced in a new, hot and fun retail setting designed by JGA, Inc. of Southfield, MI which has designed the various prototypes for the Hot Topic stores as well. To be sure of the need for such a niche to be filled, the company opened five Torrid shops almost simultaneously; the first in Brea, CA, followed by stores in malls in Mission Viejo, CA, Annapolis, MD, Omaha, NE, N. Attleboro, MA, and Littleton, CO. The merchandise offerings are clustered as "Streetwear," "Clubwear," Rockabilly Wear," and Renaissance Wear" and the stores average about 2,750 SF. Besides the "everyday" slacks and novelty T-shirts, these larger size young women can find black vinyl pants and mini-skirts, black corsets, dog-collar chokers and platform shoes as well as retro-inspired clothing and accessories. In addition to the gothic and prom dresses, Torrid also carries a full line of lingerie for this particular market. Listening to the target market, Hot Topic's Torrid offers teenagers and up the opportunity to look "girly yet fierce." 

The design objective for the prototype store that was designed by JGA, Inc. was to create "a celebration of abundance" and make the setting as unique, unconventional and spirited as the plus-size young women who will be shopping here. Inspired by a "mythological, after-hours club in New Orleans," the atmosphere is romantic, dark and filled with a sense of "unbridled passion." "From the signature flaming heart icon to the curving voluptuous lines throughout the store, excessive materials and scale mirror the zest of the Torrid woman." It starts out front with the shopper-stopping facade which serves as a dramatic gateway to the store. 

The curvaceous and sensuous "hourglass" figures of the Torrid customer is expressed in the hand-crafted metalwork and the backlit translucent glass glowing red. A "drippy" red chandelier and the hand blown flaming heart torcheres add to the store's distinctive sense of place and being. The mosaic porcelain tile floor sets the color palette of jewel tones and metallics. "Visually complex, layers of finishes and architectural pieces evoke a one-of-a-kind artistic flavor." The eclectic mix of fixtures, furniture and furnishings-even the armoires--add to the New Orleans flavor. The hand painted, whimsical and overscaled armoires or cabinets are used to anchor the various zones within the store and at the center of the space a large bronze metallic drape further divides the departments.

The designers added special touches to each area to create that unique, one-of-a-kind feeling to the design. Specially designed, oversized red sculptured chairs with slatted backs are featured in the shoe area. Shoes and accessories are displayed on the slatted backs. The lingerie area takes on a more intimate and exotic--almost Moroccan--feeling with the hand blown glass chandeliers suspended down from large plaster domes. Seen behind this area--beyond a hand painted wall and arc--are the individual, oversized dressing rooms which are equipped with flattering uplights and decorative chandeliers that are visible from other parts of the store. The cash wrap becomes a "focal fantasy" in the total design and it resembles a giant canopy bed topped with twisting shapes and forms.

The space is filled with a pulsating excitement that is so appropriate for the merchandise and the young clientele. In addition to the shimmering palette of rich, deep colors, the warm colored downlights not only enrich the ambient colors and textures but they enhance the merchandise display. The traditional long and narrow mall space is broken up into more personal and individual zones by the variations in ceiling heights, the tin ceilings, finials and the assorted wall coverings. The use of brocades, metallics, and jewel tones on the walls also help to differentiate areas in the store. The metal fixture system--tortoise shell like in appearance--was customized to accommodate the products unique size and length requirements.

If all goes as well as anticipated we can expect to see more and more Torrid shops opening up across the USA- maybe even as many as 700 outlets!”

Images and text were scanned from the book, Stores of the Year 14 by Martin Pegler (2003)

[kolajmag]

SUMMER COLLAGE READING

The Awakening

Set in New Orleans, Kate Chopin’s 1899 novel, The Awakening, touches on 19th century feminism, identity, and societal themes. Under the art direction and creative leadership of Nancy Bernardo and Christopher Kurts, a dozen international collage artists collaborated to illustrate the book. Working as a group, the artists analyzed the story, discussed themes, uncovered symbols, and asked questions to visually interpret this seminal feminist text for a 21st century audience. Read More

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Kolaj Magazine, a full color, print magazine, exists to show how the world of collage is rich, layered, and thick with complexity. By remixing history and culture, collage artists forge new thinking. To understand collage is to reshape one's thinking of art history and redefine the canon of visual culture that informs the present.

SUBSCRIBE | CURRENT ISSUE | GET A COPY

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[aheathen-conceivably]

If I remember correctly, you said before that you didn’t choose Zelda’s gender, but had written or had plans for her life that would work either way, and then just refined them when you knew what you were working with. And that’s why Josephine and Antoine are a brother-sister duo; if Zelda were born a boy, he’d be with Josephine. And of course you mention pretty frequently that Giorgio has become SO much more than he was ever intended to be.

Can you tell us a little about what would be different? Who would Antoine be with?? And Josephine with a baby.. I can hardly imagine 🫢

AHHH friend!! This is such a delicious question, and so timely at that 😉

So yes, that’s correct. I didn’t change any of the birth sex or genetics for our first generations of Darlington babies. I was still in a phase of writing/planning where I was functioning more on general ideas than deadset plans. So before our heir was born all I really knew was that they would end up in New Orleans by 1920, and that the decade was going to explore the artistic scene in that era. I also knew that if they were born female, they were going to be a jazz singer while if they were born male, they were going to be a writer who documented the whole era almost like from an “outsider’s perspective.”

In both of these scenarios the heir’s personality would have been very similiar, in that they would get pulled into this world by the Duplanchiers and kind of be swept up in it beyond themselves. I had a very vague sort of F. Scott/Zelda Fitzgerald vibe visualized for our potential 1920s male heir and Josephine, and I think a lot of the tempestuous conflict between her and Giorgio was originally born from that vision.

Beyond that, I didn’t really have much planned. More that the characters were envisioned and waiting there for us. So I couldn’t tell you the route Antoine would have taken if our male heir had ended up with Josephine, mostly because their actual arcs and plot points came after Zelda was born, and even much of it when she was already in New Orleans.

Josephine especially, who’s character I had visualized since before Zelda was born, didn’t actually come to life until they met. Still one of the first things I knew about her (plotwise) is that one of her partners was our impetuous to move out west. So the figure of Giorgio the first time we see him, was meant to be one of her partners, and a different one to who we eventually met in Strangerville. Only over time in the 1920s, they just kind of…became soulmates? Like I know they are absolutely fucked, but simultaneously the more I wrote them together the more it was like a puzzle piece that was missing from Jo’s character, and perhaps left there by my original idea of who she would have been if Zelda had been born male. So gradually the Giorgio we knew in New Orleans and the faceless partner out west became one in the same, and I bridged the gap between the two of them into one character.

And Josephine with a baby you say??? 👀👀👀

[the-girl-who-didnt-smile]

Ranting about portrayal of Alastor’s ethnicity

This is basically Part 2 to a previous rant… I just need to get this bitch moaning out of my system. 

As previously mentioned, I think we might get the first glimpse of Alastor’s human life in Season 2 of Hazbin Hotel. As also previously mentioned, I don’t think Vivienne retconned Alastor’s heritage from white to mixed race. Given that she is herself a white-passing mixed race person, I think she originally envisioned him as a white-passing Creole.

Due to the controversy, I think there is a decent chance she is going to retcon his skin tone to make him more visibly mixed race. I feel ambivalent towards this. On the one hand, I much prefer Alastor’s character design if he accurately looks like a mixed race person from the 1930s (not that fanon Alastor is a bad design… this is a personal preference). But if his entire backstory has not been retconned, this could fall into the trap of: “Alastor became the first radio host of color in America without any issue, because the Deep South was a colorblind society where racism did not exist!” 

That being said, this is a very light-hearted show. THIS IS GONNA BLOW YOUR MIND but people (of all races, at that!) don’t want to think about the harrowing realities of racism in America while watching Hazbin Hotel. The lack of skin tone diversity in the main cast is worthy of criticism, so I’m not going to be complaining too bad if they pull an Adventure Time Marceline and retcon his skin tone.

But if they do retcon his skin tone, I hope his human design isn’t just Italian-passing Alastor. 

You’ve seen him. 

…What I’m referring to is the variation of fanon human Alastor, where artists just take fanon Alastor and shift his skin tone a bit without changing anything else about him. 

(I’m not going to insert an example image because I think a lot of these artists are well-intentioned but very young, and yeah… I don’t want to be a dick!)

Granted, “Italian passing Alastor” is not an entirely bad character design. In a place like New Orleans, there is such a wide range of phenotypes that it is not inconceivable that a mixed race Creole could have this phenotype. Not to mention, the whole mukokuseki effect - racial features are generally diminished due to the built-in limitations of animation as a medium (faces cannot be rendered in the same level of detail as live action or comics/manga). For these reasons, I won’t be complaining too much if this is his final design. Actually, I probably won’t be complaining at all, as I’ll just be excited to see his human form! It really isn't a bad design... I'm already simping for him!!

But to bitch moan anyways, here is my critique of this fandom trend: All of the visual data that went into fanon human Alastor is this: https://www.google.com/search?q=white+boys 

If you just shift his skin tone without changing anything else, the visual data that went into him is still this: https://www.google.com/search?q=white+boys 

If you’re going to retcon his skin tone (really, his ethnic makeup / family tree) you actually need to start from the ground up and use this as reference material: https://www.google.com/search?q=creole+men+1930s 

As you can see, there is a wide range of phenotypes, and many did pass for white. But this is a necessary step, not just for human Alastor fan designs, but in designing POC in general - including mixed race POC. The visual data / reference material behind the design needs to be people of color - not white people. You can always immediately tell who took this step and who didn’t; the former category always looks WAY better than the latter!

It’s not just white artists who do this. Many non-white artists fall into this trap, because they were only trained on how to draw white people. For this reason, I don’t really fault the individual artists - it’s more of a systemic problem in how schools etc. teach upcoming artists how to draw.

So yeah… thanks for coming to my TEDx Talk!

[storytelling-2075]

Introducing Olivia Zhang, the artist behind “Over the Years.”

"Over the Years" is a multimedia artwork that bridges imaginative storytelling and climate data science. Inspired by the role of location: how people interact with each other, with our histories, and with our environment, this artwork features a timelapse of satellite imagery, overlaid and blended with a personal portrait. Accompanying these visuals is a poignant poem that delves into the artist’s personal fears and hopes regarding the escalating climate crisis. Through this fusion of data visualization and intimate self-expression, the artwork seeks to humanize the often impersonal nature of climate science, making the pressing issues of environmental change more relatable and emotionally resonant. By visually and lyrically intertwining the stark realities of climate data with the deeply human response to our uncertain future, "Over the Years" transforms abstract visuals of “change for the worse” into a narrative that speaks to both urgency and our shared humanity.

Olivia Zhang is from New Orleans, LA and grew up in South Florida, where she discovered her passion for climate action and environmental justice. As a geography and data science student at the University of Florida, she is passionate about supporting community-centered initiatives through research and data storytelling. Art and storytelling are interwoven through everything she does.

[antboom]

Download Wolfenstein 2009 for PC from Mediafire

Download Now

Wolfenstein, released in 2009, is one of the most prominent first-person shooter (FPS) video game titles. Developed by Raven Software and published by Activision, the game is part of the popular Wolfenstein series that dates back to the early 1990s. This game follows the story of Benedict "BJ" Blaskowitz, a soldier fighting against Nazi forces in an alternate world filled with science fiction and supernatural elements.

Game background and series history The Wolfenstein series was founded in 1981 with Castle Wolfenstein, which was one of the first shooter games in history. But the most famous part is Wolfenstein 3D, which was released in 1992 and greatly influenced the development of FPS video games. The following games in the series follow the Nazi combat style and are based on the events of World War II, but with a fantasy touch.

In 2009, Wolfenstein was looking to revive the series by offering a new story and advanced gameplay. The game featured a mix of action and science fiction, giving the game a new feel and bringing back fond memories of previous installments.

Story and Characters Wolfenstein takes place in an alternate world during World War II, where the player plays the role of Benedict "BJ" Blaskowitz, who is considered one of the best soldiers in the war. BJ begins his journey in New Orleans, where he seeks to discover the secrets of Nazi magical technology. As the story progresses, BJ discovers that the Nazis are using magical powers to enhance their military strength.

Main Characters: Benedict "BJ" Blaskowitz: The main character of the game, a brave soldier who is characterized by courage and intelligence. BJ seeks to combat the Nazi forces and prevent them from taking over the world.

Helga von Schabbs: One of the evil characters in the game, a Nazi scientist who seeks to use magical powers to enhance the capabilities of her army.

Supporting Characters: BJ meets a number of supporting characters along the way, including allies who help him fight the Nazis.

Gameplay Wolfenstein features a diverse gameplay that combines intense combat with exploration of different environments. Here are some of the key features:

Combat Mechanics The game offers a variety of weapons, ranging from traditional rifles to advanced weapons. Players are able to use weapons strategically, allowing them to choose the style that suits them in combat. The game also features a weapon upgrade system, giving players the opportunity to improve the capabilities of their weapons.

Magical Boosts One of the unique features of Wolfenstein is the use of magical items. BJ uses special powers known as “Pockets,” which allow him to move quickly, see enemies through walls, and use magical abilities during battles. These elements add extra depth to the gameplay experience.

Environment Exploration The game is rich in detail, as players can explore a variety of environments, ranging from abandoned villages to secret laboratories. The game contains many secrets and challenges that players can discover as they go.

Enemy AI The game features advanced AI, with Nazi forces dynamically responding to player actions. Enemies act strategically, creating a combat experience that requires thinking and planning.

Graphics and Artistic Design Wolfenstein benefits from the id Tech 4 engine, which provides high-quality graphics. Environments and characters are meticulously designed, contributing to a realistic gameplay experience. The graphics reflect the details of World War II, in terms of weapons, clothing, and architecture.

Visual Effects The game features stunning visual effects, such as explosions, shots, and shadows, which enhance players' interaction with events. Magical effects are also an important part of the art design, showing the imaginary dimensions used in combat.

Music and Sound The soundtrack is one of the essential elements of Wolfenstein, fitting in with the warlike and suspenseful atmosphere. The sounds have been carefully chosen to enhance the gaming experience, giving players a sense of immersion in the game's events.

Interactive Sounds Sound effects, such as the sounds of weapons and explosions, add an exciting touch to battles. Players can also hear the dialogue of different characters, which helps enhance the story and interact with the events.

Critics' opinions Wolfenstein 2009 received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the innovative gameplay and exciting story. Some critics described it as a successful revival of a popular series, with further development in the gameplay.

Criticisms However, the game faced some criticism, especially regarding the artificial intelligence of enemies at times. Some players also felt that the story could be predictable, and lacked the required depth. However, the experience was generally satisfactory for many players.

Impact of the game on the gaming industry Wolfenstein 2009 made an impact on the shooting game industry, as it proved that there was room to develop games with complex stories and fantasy elements. The game contributed to motivating other studios to develop similar games that combine action and fantasy.

Future of the Series After the success of Wolfenstein 2009, the series continued to evolve with other releases such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.

[onenakedfarmer]

Daily Painting

Norman Rockwell THE PROBLEM WE ALL LIVE WITH (1963)

-

From The Kennedy Center website:

This is what actually happened to Ruby Bridges on her first day at William Franz Elementary School in New Orleans on November 14, 1960. Ruby was the first African American child to attend the school after a federal court ordered the New Orleans school system to integrate. The public outcry was so great that white parents withdrew their children from school so they would not have to sit with a Black girl. Ruby spent an entire year in a classroom by herself.

Artist and magazine illustrator Norman Rockwell is known for his idyllic images of American life in the twentieth century. But his work had a new sense of purpose in 1960s when he was hired by LOOK magazine. There, he produced his famous painting The Problem We All Live With, a visual commentary on segregation and the problem of racism in America. The painting depicts Ruby’s courageous walk to school on that November day. She dutifully follows faceless men—the yellow armbands reveal them to be federal marshals—past a wall smeared with racist graffiti and the juice of a thrown tomato. The canvas is arranged so that the viewer is at Ruby’s height, seeing the scene from her perspective.

Rockwell’s painting, created a few years after Ruby made her fateful entrance at school, was produced at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. It is now considered a symbol of that struggle. Bridges never met Rockwell, but as an adult, she came to admire his decision to tell her story: “Here was a man that had been doing lots of work, painting family images, and all of a sudden decided this is what I’m going to do…it’s wrong, and I’m going to say that it’s wrong…the mere fact that [Norman Rockwell] had enough courage to step up to the plate and say I’m going to make a statement, and he did it in a very powerful way…even though I had not had an opportunity to meet him, I commend him for that.”

[thevisualvamp]

Picture this: New Orleans in the 1910s. Sex workers are legal. They inhabit a small neighborhood adjacent to the French quarter called Storyville. Tango and ragtime are the tunes of the era. Tango brought to the port of New Orleans from Havana via Spain. The women draped themselves in doorways enticing men to enter these houses of the rising sun. The ladies were called tango fiends, such was the powerful spell they cast. Creole French murmured, “Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir.” This tango fiend sports a mask in the spirit of carnival. One eye peers out of the dim light. She’s languid, a vertical odalisque. She opens and closes her kimono depending on who passes her door. She’s neither happy or unhappy. It’s just another evening, and she is indeed that certain lady. A photographer captures her pose. She doesn’t smile... When I model I always have a back story in my mind. This was mine when I posed for photographer Roy Guste when he was creating The Bellocq Project, his 21st century homage to E.J. Bellocq and the mysterious few images Bellocq captured at the beginning of the 20th century in New Orleans. The first image is what French artist Jean Francois Caudry created with Roy’s photo. In the JFC image the model’s gaze and story shifts to an earlier time, transported to renaissance Europe, perhaps Venice or Paris. Why do I model? Why do I make auto portraits? It’s my way of creating and telling visual stories. It’s a guise of romanticism. It’s personal and shared. It’s make believe where no one is hurt.

[mybeingthere]

Lynda Benglis (b 1941) is an American sculptor and visual artist known especially for her wax paintings and poured latex sculptures. She currently lives between New York City; Santa Fe; Kastelorizo, Greece; and Ahmedabad, India.

Benglis was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana on October 25, 1941. She is Greek-American. Growing up her father Michael ran a building-materials business. Her mother was from Mississippi and was a preacher's daughter. She is the eldest of five children. Benglis attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She earned a BFA in 1964 from Newcomb College in New Orleans, which was then the women's college of Tulane University, where she studied ceramics and painting. Following graduation, she taught third grade at Jefferson Parish, in Louisiana.

[justapillowpetpanda]

Fantasia Announces First Wave of Titles for Its 28th Edition

The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.

Poster art by Donald Caron The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but in the meantime, Fantasia has revealed a select first wave of premiere titles, along with a first look at its 2024 poster art. The festival’s 2024 poster art, created by Montreal visual artist Donald Caron, brings back two of the festival’s most beloved characters from earlier editions, returning by popular demand. The cinema-loving cat and pug, barreling into the future on a sidecar motorcycle, embody the excitement, playfulness, and absurdity that Fantasia has championed since its inception in 1996.

28th Fantasia International Film Festival

CHUCK RUSSELL RETURNS TO HORROR WITH WITCHBOARD, A WILD RE-IMAGINING OF THE CLASSIC 80'S FRANCHISE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr0d00hy1h8 From A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS and the beloved1988 remake of THE BLOB to THE MASK, ERASER, and THE SCORPION KING, director Chuck Russell has no shortage of imaginative fantasy/horror classics under his belt. Now he returns to the genre he’s marked so brilliantly with a radical reinvention of Kevin S. Tenney’s 1986 Canadian cult favorite WITCHBOARD. Emily (Madison Iseman, ANNABELLE COMES HOME) and her fiancé Christian (Aaron Dominguez, Hulu's Only Murderers in the Building) discover an ancient Wiccan artifact, a pendulum board, as they prepare to open a bistro in New Orleans' French Quarter. Emily becomes obsessed with the board's powers, exposing her to the ancient spirit of the Queen of Witches. Desperate to help his fiancé, Christian seeks the advice of occult expert Alexander Babtiste (Jamie Campbell Bower, Netflix's Stranger Things, the TWILIGHT saga), but Babtiste has dark secrets of his own. Shot in Montreal by cinematographer Yaron Levy (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING). Also starring David La Haye (TRUE NORTH), Charlie Tahan (Netflix's Ozark), Antonia Desplat (AppleTV+'s Shantaram), and Mel Jarnson (MORTAL KOMBAT).

PRESENTED BY MIKE FLANAGAN, CHRIS STUCKMANN’S SHELBY OAKS IS HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4u3Z72KhN8 A woman's desperate search for her long-lost sister, a famous YouTuber who investigated paranormal happenings, falls into obsession upon realizing that the imaginary demon from their childhood may have been real. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that broke records across the platform, the highly anticipated feature debut feature from YouTube creator Chris Stuckmann is finally here and ready to scare the pants off the world. SHELBY OAKS delivers in all departments. Starring Camille Sullivan (HUNTER HUNTER), Brendan Sexton III (DON’T BREATHE 2), Sarah Durn (RENFIELD), Keith David (THE THING, NOPE), and Michael Beach (AQUAMAN). Produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead, and Executive Produced by Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy, among others.

MIGUEL LLANSÓ’S INFINITE SUMMER IS A TRIPPY, TRANSHUMANIST FEAT OF FILMMAKING Estonia-based Miguel Llansó (CRUMBS, JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY) is a singular gift to cinema. Fantasia is proud to be bringing the visionary iconoclast back to Montreal for the World Premiere of what may be his most compelling creation yet: INFINITE SUMMER, a trippy transhumanist sci-fi exploration vibrant with humor, poignancy, and gonzo invention. On a summer break, Mia and her friends try a meditation app that that’s somehow related to the operating system of the Tallinn Zoo, changing in the body chemistry of its users into something between pollen and cosmic dust. Mia will need to choose between saving her friends or joining them.  An astonishing film, produced by legendary US producing partners Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, AMERICAN HONEY), Rain Rannu (CHASING UNICORNS, THE INVISIBLE FIGHT), and Tõnu Hiielaid (KRATT), and Llansó himself, starring Hannah Gross (Netflix’s Mindhunter), Johanna Rosin, and Teele Kaljuvee-O'Brock.

TRUTH BE TOLD, CONFESSION IS A MASTERFULLY CRAFTED SINGLE-LOCATION THRILLER Every Winter since Sayuri’s tragic disappearance sixteen years ago, Asai and Jiyong climb the mountain where it happened to honor her memory. However, an intense blizzard and a catastrophic injury convince Jiyong he’s done for and, before forcing Asai to leave him to die, he shares a devastating revelation. Asai returns, however, after finding a nearby cabin and now, isolated for the night, the two have to deal with Jiyong’s not-so-last words... the hard way. Two award-winning Fantasia legends, director Nobuhiro Yamashita (LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM) and actor/writer/director Yang Ik-june (BREATHLESS), along with superstar Toma Ikuta (THE MOLE SONG trilogy), team up to adapt a beloved manga into a narrative and technical achievement, one of the best single-location thrillers ever created. With stellar performances and masterful direction using every inch of his set to generate maximum tension, CONFESSION flirts with perfection at every level - and must be experienced in a theatre.

JAYRO BUSTAMANTE’S RITA WILL HAUNT YOUR MEMORY AND BREAK YOUR HEART Following up on the international success of his brilliant LA LLORONA (2019), director Jayro Bustamante’s RITA fuses mythical fantasy and whimsical imagery with themes of childhood innocence and the potent emotional register of a story based on a harrowing real-life event, wherein 41 young women needlessly burned to death inside a Guatemalan orphanage in the midst of a protest about inhumane conditions. At its core is the powerful performance of Guiliana Santa Cruz, who speaks for all the young women who suffered. As a result, the story speaks much to the power of female anger, and yet, not once does the director lose sense of the fact that at its heart, Rita’s tale is one of girlhood, of dreams, of an innocence lost, and regained within the bosom of female solidarity.

THIS MAN BLENDS WESTERN INSPIRATIONS WITH J-HORROR TROPES IN A PERFECT MELTING POT OF TERROR An inexplicable wave of tragic deaths plunges two investigators into the heart of a fateful whirlwind, where logic and facts have no value as a far-fetched urban legend seems to come true. A mother plagued by terrifying dreams, seeing her friends and colleagues disappear one after the other, and her family witness the horror unfold. Director and screenwriter Tomojiro Amano (TRAPPED IN MAKYO) skillfully fuses the styles of Eastern and Western classics, referencing RINGU, IT FOLLOWS, and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET among others, to create an intimate, oppressive work that constantly keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as it slowly and subtly unveils the pandemic-like slaughter outside. At the crest of the international horror-film harvest of 2024, already a banner year, THIS MAN is sure to lodge itself in viewers' memories. With such potential, a Hollywood remake wouldn’t be surprising.

LOWELL DEAN’S DARK MATCH CONJURES SIX-TIME CHAMP CHRIS JERICHO AS A CULT LEADER! After his success with the WOLF COP films, Canadian filmmaker Lowell Dean switches it up and takes horror to the ring! When small-time wrestlers get a big payday for a private gig, they jump at the chance for fame and fortune, but the event, run by a mysterious leader who calls himself “The Prophet,” demands plenty of blood on the mats and involves a sinister, demonic deal! Set in the wrestling heyday of the 80s, DARK MATCH is an action-packed rumble on the ropes shot by acclaimed cinematographer Karim Hussain (INFINITY POOL, POSSESSOR). Starring wrestling legend Chris Jericho as the charismatic leader of its bloodthirsty cult, Ayisha Issa (TRANSPLANT), and Steven Ogg (AMC’s The Walking Dead), you’ll get more than your share of intrigue, action, and gore inside this ring! Septentrion Shadows section.

A SAMURAI IN TIME IS WORTH THE TIME AND TRAVEL TO SEE An Edo-period swordsman is flung into the future, arriving in modern Kyoto to confront utter confusion—and an acting career. The medieval warrior transported to modern times is a variant of the time-travel subgenre that has been explored many times around the world. Award-winning writer/director Junichi Yasuda (GOHAN), however, offers a take on the theme that’s not only clever, funny, and distinctly Japanese, but remarkably poignant. Shot on location at Toei Studios Kyoto, A SAMURAI IN TIME is held together by the subtle and convincing performance of lead actor Makiya Yamaguchi. More than just a fun fish-out-of-water fantasy, it’s an homage to samurai cinema as it wanes as surely as the shogunate once did.

SWIPE RIGHT ON ELRIC KANE’S DATING APP CHILLER THE DEAD THING A young woman, lost in a series of meaningless connections through dating apps, falls in love with a charismatic man who is hiding a dark secret that turns her affair into a dangerous obsession. Smart, tragic and unsettling, Pure Cinema host Elric Kane’s first solo-directed feature is a character-driven supernatural nightmare that explores the demons of modern dating in ways that are both horrific and disturbingly relatable.  Swipe right on this profound piece of genre cinema that is destined to become a horror classic. Staring Blu Hunt (Netflix’s Another Life), Ben Smith-Petersen (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD), Katherine Hughes (ECHO 3), and John Karna (SCREAM). Co-Written by Webb Wilcoxen (The Frontier). Produced by Monte Yazzie, Matt Mercer (BLISS), and Rebekah McKendry (GLORIOUS).

MASHING UP GENRES, MASH VILLE IS A KOREAN CULT CLASSIC IN THE MAKING Someone has died after drinking the bootleg liquor brewed by Se-jong and his two younger brothers. While on a mission to retrieve their deadly booze before another person perishes from it, they come across two homicidal cultists who are terrorizing the villagers. The love that director Hwang Wook (LIVE HARD, DOG EAT DOG) harbors for the Western, action, and comedy genres shines through from start to finish with stylish cinematography, quirky characters, and an incredibly entertaining screenplay. Most importantly, pitch-black humor abounds. Hwang and company commit to their absurdity, and it’s an absolute blast, a genre-mashing crowd-pleaser sure to be a Korean cult classic as time goes on.

LUCÍA PUENZO’S ELECTROPHILIA CASTS A SUBVERSIVE NEW VISION A woman wakes up from a coma six weeks after being struck by lightning and finds herself compulsively drawn to electric currents as her body’s workings begin to change. She soon joins an underground support group of strike survivors led by a dangerously charismatic doctor, opening a doorway into unexpected new explorations. A gripping, sensorial experience with a visceral emotional core, ELECTROPHILIA is the latest creation from Cannes-award-winning Argentinian filmmaker and novelist Lucía Puenzo (THE FISH CHILD, XXY). Reminiscent of CRASH-era Cronenberg, it is a subversive and beautiful genre work, a different kind of self-discovery tale, and a new breed of dramatic thriller. Starring Mariana Di Girolamo (Pablo Larrain’s EMA), German Palacios (EL RAPTO), and Guillermo Pfening (THE GERMAN DOCTOR).

A MORALLY CHALLENGING TALE OF REVENGE, PENALTY LOOP TAKES A FAMILIAR THEME ON A DEVILISHLY TWISTED PATH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-uwF0-__uY Left bereft by the wanton and inexplicable murder of his girlfriend, Jun chooses his own justice, carefully planning the perfect murder of the man who led him to become what he wants to eliminate. Once the vengeance is consummated, he wakes up with a confirmed sense of déjà-vu and his target alive and well, repeating the same routine as the day before. Offering a breathless, dark, and innovative variation on the time-loop concept, writer/director Shinji Araki (THE TOWN OF HEADCOUNTS) establishes himself as a sure thing in contemporary Japanese genre cinema with this unpredictable, shocking narrative that constantly twists and turns toward a conclusion that’s as satisfying as it is devastating. Carried by a convincing duo of actors in perfect sync, PENALTY LOOP is an accomplishment condemning Araki to return to the forefront with each of his future projects.

THE ADAMS FAMILY BIRTH CREATURES AT A SERBIAN FRACKING SITE IN HELL HOLE A road trip through Canadian oil fields conjured up fantasies of secrets deep in the dirt for the Adams family, and inspired them to create HELL HOLE, an indie rock-n-roll monster movie set at a far-away fracking site. Known for their DIY ethos, John and Lulu Adams and Toby Poser, partnering with Shudder, have joined the team behind The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and FX legend Todd Masters to shoot their latest in Serbia with a local cast and crew. Absurd, mutinous, and transgressively comical, Hell Hole is old-school sci-fi horror, yet in typical family fashion, they subvert the genre with textures of biological and environmental horror in tandem with questions of gender and bodily autonomy. This will be the fourth time that Fantasia World Premieres work from the gifted filmmaking family, following launches of THE DEEPER YOU DIG, HELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS.

DEAD DEAD FULL DEAD MUTATES THE WHODUNIT GENRE Junior police officers Balraam and Zubeida make a cute couple, but not the most diligent detectives. Called to a posh apartment tower to investigate a reported murder, the seemingly straightforward case quickly becomes a conundrum that would confuse even Sherlock Holmes. When the victim herself returns from the afterlife, matters become even more muddled, and soon enough the question isn’t who killed her... but who didn’t?! With the deadpan delirium of his debut feature, Mumbai-based editor and filmmaker Pratul Gaikwad offers a very odd, otherworldly mutation on the much-loved mystery-comedy genre. Featuring paranormal powers and multiple manias, cosmic wonders and covert class warfare, celestial bureaucracy and dysfunctional love, and even a supernaturally transformed goat, Gaikwad’s surreal whodunit offers a bit of everything... except perhaps proper law-enforcement procedure.

VOIVOD: WE ARE CONNECTED OFFERS A THUNDERING TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY PROG METAL PIONEERS From the moment they exploded out of Jonquière in the early ‘80s, Voivod have been widely hailed as one of the most original and influential metal bands in the world. Years in the making and produced with full access to the band’s archives, Felipe Belalcazar’s illuminating VOIVOD: WE ARE CONNECTED brings the story of a groundbreaking 40+ year career to the screen with energy, insight, and a palpable sense of love. The long-awaited doc will be launched in the very province that birthed the band and Fantasia couldn’t be prouder. With appearances by Tobias Forge (Ghost), Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth), Jason Newsted (Metallica – and brief Voivod member), Zach Blair (Rise Against, GWAR), Tom G Warrior (Celtic Frost, Triptykon), and Ivan Doroschuk (Men Without Hats), among many others. Docs from the Edge section.

A FANTASTICAL JAPAN RETURNS IN FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA: FROM BIWA LAKE WITH LOVE After stealing hearts at Fantasia 2019, where FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA won the Audience Award for Best Asian Feature, director Hideki Takeuchi returns to a fantastical version of Japan—“definitely not a portrayal of any actual place”—with a completely original story independent from the ’80s manga from which it takes its name. Read the full article

[kolajmag]

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

Crafting Costumes with Recyclables

Thursday, September 26, 2024, 6-8PM | Kolaj institute Gallery | $30 fee

In New Orleans, we love our costumes. Madera E. Rogers-Henry of The Recycle Challenge will lead a workshop during which participants will repurpose trash to make wearable items.The Recycle Challenge is "a multinational initiative that celebrates the richness of diversity and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects and values individuals of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Locally based in New Orleans, we reach global partners from Nigeria to the Congo." The organization offers hands-on experiences that fuse cultural art with upcycling. Their crafting sessions foster creativity, teach collaboration, and leave participants with a sense of accomplishment. Working as a team, participants fold, layer paper, infuse cardboard and shape each hat, they showcase their creativity and learn new crafting techniques. The end result is a display of individual and collective craftsmanship. This session promotes inclusivity, enhances communication, and problem-solving skills, and instills a sense of pride and unity among participants. "Take the green journey step to celebrate effective and fun solutions to reducing the trash that would ultimately go to landfills." Read More

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Kolaj Magazine, a full color, print magazine, exists to show how the world of collage is rich, layered, and thick with complexity. By remixing history and culture, collage artists forge new thinking. To understand collage is to reshape one's thinking of art history and redefine the canon of visual culture that informs the present.

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[gravalicious]

So here we have cultural manifestations that transcend food, that transcend dance, that transcend visual art, that transcend music all coming from the same place. From the outside you may see these as different things, but to somebody born to the culture like me, the connectedness is taken for granted. When I listen to Ms. Chase [a Creole chef in New Orleans] talk about the preparations of her food—her concerns about how it’s going to look; commenting on the different colors or textures of the ingredients—there is a direct parallel to how we can talk about music. New Orleans music is melodic, easy not only to listen to but to dance to as well. It should feel good and talk to you, otherwise most people won’t participate in it. Connections are everywhere; all you have to do is open your window and look and listen. Just look at the way we dress! These cultural manifestations are in the lifestyle and express who we are collectively. The problem in American culture is that we tend to put labels on everything: music, culture, art. We tend to characterize and departmentalize everything, attempting to distance it from whatever has come before or will come after. But that’s not the artist’s or musician’s concern. Our role is to define and participate in the moment that we live in, and that means that the new generation of New Orleans musicians is going to look at hip-hop, for example, and take from it what they feel fits into who they are and make it their own and build on it. In the same way, my generation is going to have to learn to speak to it, or move out to the side.(p. 191)

Willie Birch 

Source:: Matt Sakakeeny - Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans (2016)

[jonathanferraragallery]

TONY DAGRADI is an internationally recognized jazz performer, artist, composer, author, and educator. For over three decades he has made his home in New Orleans, performing on tenor and soprano saxophone with many of the Crescent City’s celebrated artists.   He is most well-known for his work with Astral Project, an adventurous quartet of top New Orleans players dedicated to playing cutting-edge improvisational music.  His performing past also includes five years as a member of the internationally acclaimed Carla Bley and appearances and recordings with Bobby McFerrin, Mose Allison, and Nat Adderley.

Since 2015, Tony has been exploring the visual possibilities of altered books. Choosing vintage and antiquarian texts, he carefully cuts through one page at a time utilizing existing images to create a three-dimensional collage or sculpture. The results allow the contents and imagery of long outdated material to be viewed in a manner that is both exciting and thought-provoking.

[scholarlyhobbit]

About Me:

I'm a forty something PhD student, working on the German Catholic immigrant community of 19th century New Orleans and how they used religion to cope with yellow fever. I've earned multiple MAs -- American studies, religion and art -- and an MFA in visual/studio art and ballet. I'm also a writer, poet, artist, and sometimes dancer, even still, and achieved my dream of getting en pointe as an adult in September 2020. I live with my spouse and our two spoilt, adorable cats.

I'm disabled and chronically ill, and I'm a bisexual trans man. (Gender is complicated.) I'm mixed, Latiné and Ukrainian/Eastern European mutt with bits from MENA and India thrown in the genetic and cultural blender, and I'm a Sephardic Jew. I also do witchcraft and practice polytheisms. It's also complicated.

I'm a huge dork. I love New Orleans (obviously), The Locked Tomb series, ballet, cemeteries, period dramas, dark academia, whimsigoth, coffee, history, art, Tolkien (yes, including Rings of Power), Age of Sail, ghosts, cats, Broadway musicals, tarot cards, witchcraft, architecture, and all other sorts of things that strike my fancy. There's no theme here except what makes me happy, frankly. It's my little place of joy.

DNI:

Nazis, TERFs/GCs, racists, transphobes, homophobes, antisemites, white supremacists, incels, MAGA ... Look, if any part of my identity makes you angry or want to change me, just fuck off. Get in your Honda Civic, fuck off to that horizon, and keep driving past the point of all fucks possible.

I don't cater to minors and I don't censor things. If you want to follow me, that's on you. But I don't knowingly follow back anyone under 18.

If I repost something from someone gross, I probably don't know! Please DM me and let me know. If I'm interacting with someone under 18, I also probably don't know, so have the decency not to initiate conversation with me if you're under age. Seriously.

Trigger Warnings

If you need a trigger warning, drop me a message. I try to accommodate as many as I can, though I'm imperfect and forget.