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icelebrities-socialactivism · 9 days ago

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Week Two: Which Celebrities Deserve to be Celebrated?

How can celebrities authentically use their influence and power for social good?

Celebrities are not required to speak up about their stance on issues, most times, they are demanded to speak on issues by fans and media outlets.

Although at times it may seem overwhelming to these celebrities, in fear of disapproval or backlash, people with mass followings on social media need to spread awareness on issues that affect their audience. They also have the financial privilege to give back and support these causes.

Can they become superhero(ine)s for social change to influence and impact much-needed accelerated change?

Yes, an example I think about is Bella Hadid, who has been an activist for the ongoing injustices in Palestine throughout her entire career. She had recently said in the last year that she does not mind losing work and cutting off business relationships because of her speaking out and supporting the people in Gaza and those who were displaced due to the war. As well as wearing a dress to an event that matched the pattern of a keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf). This is a great example of putting fame and fortune aside to stand up for what you believe in and what and who you support.

https://www.vogue.com/article/bella-hadid-honors-palestinian-heritage-keffiyeh-dress

Is the nature of celebrityhood, in an era of superstorms and super-sized global issues undergoing a transformation for social good? How?

I feel that many celebrities are more inclined to speak up, seeing that their voices actually do matter and do make lasting changes. Many young people, look up to these celebrities and seek guidance in the influence these celebrities have.

In light of recent statistics on celebrity private jet usage, will proposals to tax them at a high rate make a difference? Would this solve the issue of global warming caused by airplane emissions and climate crisis-level overconsumption? Should they be taxed for other forms of overconsumption (wardrobes, SUVs, multiple properties, water usage, etc)?

Yes, and not just celebrities, tech-billionaires too. With the wealthy getting tax breaks for just about anything, we should not be paying for it. While I do understand that some mega-celebrities like Taylor Swift cannot fly commercial, the amount of harm that is being done by one single person is outright insane. People who can own and regularly use private jets, causing that much harm, should be able to pay for the expenses to try and undo the environmental impacts.

How can we reward celebrities who align with social causes? And how can we discern greenwashing spin from a true commitment to sustainable innovation?

I don't think there is a reason to reward celebrities. Everyone has the right to their own opinion or none at all. But it is important to know who has the courage to speak out, even at the expense of their fame. I think about Chappell Roan's speech at the Grammy's, encouraging record labels to give healthcare and livable wages to upcoming artists. This was an issue I had never heard or even considered before she brought it up, and to do it on live television, at the Grammys, WHILE accepting an award and putting it on the floor so she had the space to read her speech and made sure none of it was unnoticed.

Imagine the next generation of admired celebrities: what would they be known for? Write an imagined bio for a celebrity of the future.

I definitely see Chappell Roan being a true celebrity activist. She is unapologetically herself and gives credit to many gay icons for her aesthetic inspiration. She is constantly using her platform to inform her fans of the issues at hand and constantly chooses to make statements through her outfits as well. Many of them have deep historical meanings or pop-culture references, which go over many people's heads at first glance.

#celebrity activism #bella hadid #chappell roan

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benefits1986 · 6 months ago

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k-baiting

If you can't bait them, join them?

One of the studies I was very interested in back in grad school was peer-reviewed journals about Korean pop culture. As a fan of 2ne1, Coffee Prince, and other aged content pieces, I have seen how the "K Drug" seeped into my system. At first, the happy high meant binge-watching because Korean dramas have a certain beat and vibe that's so addictive. K Pop is on a whole different level. The sound engineers seem to hail from the Korean version of Mount Olympus.

I don't know a single word, but, the beats are pulsating, literally and figuratively. This is coupled with aesthetics which is a stark contrast to MTV which was highly popular then. Seeing the first and second waves of MV (music videos) from Korea meant crazy outfits, quirky dance steps, and most importantly, the Asian genes that allow the artists to be playful and magnetic, all at once.

It so happens that another tenet of this innocent indulgence is how Korean pop culture has redefined the standards of beauty and how relationships unfold. While there are romcoms that sell out tickets in the cinema, watching the boys and girls of Korea impacted the standards of dating in the Philippines. The glossy image of the romantic men needed more. The sharp shift from macho men to girly boys translated to debatably unrealistic standards among women that didn't exist on a grand scale compared to the previous eras.

There's something about binge-watching that converts women to believe that Koreans are the go-to knights in shining armor. Though the shift was sharp, it took a bit more time to be in a full and unapologetic state.

When I rewatched Coffee Prince, I cringe. Romantic relationships are more formulaic and horrific. The power struggles are very profound and disgusting. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I loathe this era of mine. I guess this is just the more sensible me, at most times. I guess that while I still go all out on winning the lottery for 2ne1's concert in Japan, I can't unsee how the idols have to window dress to the nines in the name of crafting a story based on consumerism. That's it!

Now, I no longer indulge that much in anything Korean, except for a few ones like Parasite and The Glory. I'm still not able to cut ties with this sphere, however, I can clearly see that while Korea is so up there, its ugly truths remain stronger. As for the part tackling romantic connections, we'll see. Will I be able to unsee the weird thinking, being, and doing, for a change? Will I go beyond the social constructs that are seeping into my defunct and avoidant system? More importantly, will the Korean wave be but another laughable and highly enjoyable part of my system? Or will this era be done and over soon?

But, let me push this discussion a bit more. What makes me cringe about K-pop cult in general is it's but a showcase of the class struggles. While I tune into Rotten Mango, the shitshow in the real lives of Koreans, especially women and children are fucked to the nines. Most people see the bridge between Korean fantasy and reality. I see a very broken one, a non-existent one to begin with. Heck. The fact that the chaebols determine the GDP of the country is just too pathetic. Korea is a land of ugly divorces, families killing each other for wealth, and suicide because of bullying and being bankrupt. As I'm keying these in, I can't help but shake my head so early this Sunday morning.

K-pop cult is indeed a designed drug tailored to make the world see how it's totally okay not to be okay. As they say, when a nation's art booms, chances are, its societal stance is compromised. The more grandiose the art pieces are, the more constricted the people become. Art is a release, and perhaps a surrender, too.

Or maybe I'm just so troubled over the very slim chance of getting a ticket for the upcoming 2ne1 concert in JP. LOL. Kidding aside, what 2ne1 had to go through just because of the social constructs that the Koreans live with and keep up with is not just brutal. It's inhumane.

What's next? I guess, I'd have to plug in my constant choice not to relapse and give in to the K drug. By that I mean, it's okay to binge-watch and consume Korean flavors, however, let this also be a reminder that while the Philippines is a shit hole, it's better than Korea in terms of hanging onto humanity. But, this is a whole new debate that I won't cover for now.

PS: Hirap mag-English ng may sense lalo 'pag weekends. But, we're here na, so ano na? Kaya pa ba, mhiemahhhh? Kaya pa ba or gawa ka na lang ng isa pang space na para talaga sa Comm Arts at BusComm kaganaps? Gusto ko na lang muna mag-chil and bed rot. Hahahahaha. Lekat. Panget pa nung structure nito, pero forever drafts naman tayo, always. EMS.

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dweetwise · 4 years ago

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since i already did the killers, here’s the survivors reacting to their newest addition!

Yun-Jin & survivors headcanons

Dwight tries not to judge people too quickly, as his hands aren't exactly clean either. He doesn't really care what Yun-Jin did before, the problem is that she only looks after herself in trials. When his numerous attempts at friendly advice fall on deaf ears because she clearly doesn't regard him as a leader, Dwight kind of gives up on and hopes that she might come around one day.

Meg is instantly wary of Yun-Jin, her story not painting the producer in a good light at all. She’ll "accidentally” lead the killer to Yun-Jin in trials, doubly so if they're going against the Trickster, seeing it as fitting punishment for someone willing to turn to a blind eye to the atrocities the idol committed.

Claudette always tries to see the best in people, but after Yun-Jin leaves her to die on hook several times, the botanist realizes her trust in the other woman might be misplaced. Her own morals refuse to let her treat Yun-Jin different from the others, but it makes Claudette sad to know the producer most likely wouldn’t return the favor.

Jake is downright hostile, as the cutthroat nature of the business world was one of the main reasons he put his old life behind him. He's annoyed when some of the others try to force him to make friends with Yun-Jin just because they happened to be born in the same country.

Nea is both intrigued and cautious, fond of Yun-Jin's unapologetic attitude but not a fan of the way she essentially sold her soul to be a corporate pawn. She teaches the woman how to be a pain in the ass to any killer, but usually keeps her distance since Yun-Jin is clearly only looking after herself and Nea is not about to be caught in a bad spot without back-up.

Laurie is pissed. Upon hearing about the producer's connection to the Trickster, she goes off, accusing Yun-Jin of creating a murderer. Some of the others intervene—though don't necessarily disagree—but Laurie doesn’t budge on her stance.

Ace isn't blind to the parallels between his and Yun-Jin’s lives, having to play dirty in order to escape their less fortunate upbringings. He admires her extravagant fashion sense and always makes sure to compliment her outfits, happy to notice it makes her hold her head up higher after a rough trial.

Bill writes her off as a stuck-up rich kid that never had to face hardships, but is proven severely wrong when Yun-Jin shows to fare well even without the comfort of her penthouse. When he sees her making a fire and she mentions she had to learn how to keep warm when their heat was shut off, the contempt is gradually replaced by respect.

Feng is also somewhat of a lone wolf and doesn't care that Yun-Jin cares mostly about self-preservation. She'll tell the woman that they won't have any problems as long as she stays out of Feng’s way in trials. The two end up working well together, exchanging strategies on the best ways to split up and rush generators.

David isn't impressed by the producer’s appearance, thinking she's a spoiled brat that will throw a tantrum as soon as she chips a nail. Will tease her in trials, scoffing “Careful ya don't get blood on yer fancy jacket, princess”. She never takes the bait, instead opting to survive to the end and leave David to die on his first hook, giving him the finger from the safety of the exit gate. David sees it as a playful rivalry, though in reality the woman probably hates his guts.

Quentin is familiar with the guilt of creating a monster and instead of being angry at Yun-Jin, claims that this is her chance to make it right. He gets her to tell them everything she knows about the Trickster that might benefit them in trials. He's not that bothered by her refusal to work as a team, knowing it won't be long before she realizes she has to help others if she wants to survive.

Tapp has some very unfortunate flashbacks to his last case before he died, a psychopath and his accomplices making his life a living hell. And that's what he sees Yun-Jin as; an accomplice and enabler of the Trickster. He doesn't bother to hide his distrust, keeping a sharp eye on the woman as if expecting her to turn against them at any second.

Kate is initially put off by Yun-Jin's stuck-up attitude, having been forced to deal with her fair share of money-hungry producers. However, when they slowly get to know each other and the Korean mentions her own buried aspirations of being a musician, Kate recognizes their similarities; both of them just wanted to share their music with the world.

Adam attempts to make hesitant small talk about Seoul, trying to find common ground. However, when Yun-Jin only talks about Michelin-star restaurants and luxurious boutiques, Adam resigns himself to the fact that the woman has little interest in anything not revolving around money or music.

Jeff is a firm believer in live and let live and doesn't have anything against Yun-Jin despite the woman being his polar opposite in almost every way. He can tell the producer is surprised every time he strikes up casual conversation or offers to heal her in a trial, clearly not used to kindness from a stranger.

Jane is no stranger to being in the spotlight and doesn't approve of Yun-Jin's corrupt methods of navigating fame. She’s persistent in trying to get through to the producer, going out of her way to help the other in the hope that Yun-Jin will one day do the same.

Ash makes some good-natured jokes that Yun-Jin looks fancy compared to the rest of them. He doesn't care that some of the others think she's a bad person, he admires her gutsy attitude and doesn't treat her any different than others, one of the few who happily trade his life for hers in trials.

Nancy isn't as quick as most of the others to judge Yun-Jin. She's curious to know the whole story, and eventually understands why Yun-Jin made the decisions she did. They’re on neutral terms and occasionally exchange stories of their lives before, but Nancy swiftly learns that when they’re in a trial together, it’s every woman for herself.

Steve is a little starstruck, the K-pop producer’s extravagant appearance a far cry from the monotony of his small town. He can't help but try to impress her, doing stupid tricks in trials and pestering her about whether she thinks he would ever have a shot at stardom. As soon as he hears her artist name, he insists on addressing her as Magnum Opus, and even manages to get a smile for his efforts.

Yui doesn't give two shits about the woman’s questionable morals, instead thinking Yun-Jin is a badass for managing to do so well for herself against all odds. She's quick to welcome the producer to their group, and when questioned by the others, says that it would take a lot more than that for her to throw away the concept of sisterhood.

Zarina asks a lot of questions, curious about Yun-Jin's connection to the Trickster. It quickly becomes apparent that their morals clash horribly, and Zarina is appalled at the way the woman threw away integrity for corporate greed. She doesn’t trust Yun-Jins promises about making the killer pay, knowing people don’t change overnight.

Cheryl tries to give the benefit of the doubt, but as soon as Yun-Jin tries to boss her around in a trial, she withdraws into her shell. Cheryl has unresolved issues with women in power and isn't about to let Yun-Jin use her as a pawn in whatever game she's playing.

Felix can tell at first glance that he won't get along with the woman. Yun-Jin's gaudy outfits and arrogant attitude scream new money, reminding him of difficult clients he hated working with. He respects her drive for her job, but that's where their similarities end.

Élodie, having the freshest memory of what it's like to be the newest arrival in this terrifying realm, is the first to befriend Yun-Jin. Though they're from completely different worlds, both are mature enough to recognize the other's struggles, gradually forming a hesitant friendship.

#dbd headcanons #dbd survivor #dbd #dead by daylight #dweetwrites #long post #yun jin lee

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applepumpkinblue · 4 years ago

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Blundstones and Neo-Nazis

February 4, 2021

Romper Stomper (1992). Directed by: Geoffrey Wright. Produced By: Film Victoria. Starring: Russell Crowe (Hando), Daniel Pollock (Davey), Jacqueline McKenzie (Gabe), Alex Scott (Martin).

Romper Stomper is a film that depicts the lives of a group of Neo-Nazis as their cohesiveness disintegrates in the face of a changing society. The film juxtaposes two reactions to this disintegration in the characters of Hando and Davey. Whereas Hando becomes unhinged and lashes out increasingly shunning the needs of his group as well as the reality of his situation, Davey questions the practicality of following Hando down his spiral. Such a contrast is made more apparent by the love interest of the film, Gabe, whose relationship with Hando suffers as Hando loses his control over his life, while her relationship with Davey grows to have feelings of love in a group where genuine care is scarce.

The film intends to depict the uncompromising nature of white nationalism. At the very beginning of the film, Hando is surrounded by a group of friends who party together and all share in the revelry of their perceived racial superiority. Yet, as he is asked to yield ground on his beliefs, whether that be to allow the Vietnamese-Australians to buy his favorite bar, or when the hanger-on women of his group disapprove of murder, He doubles-down on his erroneous belief that following the dogma of white nationalism is the right course of action.

The film succeeds in bringing its point across not through the character of Hando, but through the choices that Davey makes when presented with the same situation. For example, to Hando, Gabe is another sexual conquest to had his way with while he praises Adolf Hitler and the 4th Reich, yet to Davey, she represents someone that took the time out of her life to care for him when he became wounded. She shows him a side of the world to which he is not accustomed, and demonstrates that Davey is not as indoctrinated into racial theory as Hando. He wants the companionship that Hando has shown him in this group, but is less ardent in displaying active hatred. Tellingly, it is only after Gabe kicks the Vietnamese owner of the pub that Davey finds it alright to show off in front of her and beat the man bloody. This conflict of values between the love and care he seeks and the racist world to which he belongs come to a head in the final scene on the beach. There, as Hando is suffocating Gabe with all his animalistic hatred, Davey choses to put an end to his friend’s life, and thereby putting an end to his last link to his former life. Davey’s choice not to subdue Hando, but to straight out kill him, show the only response that white nationalism offers to all its adherents, either you stand with the neo-Nazis, or you oppose them; both options lead to the eradication of the other.

The most obvious comparison for Romper Stomper is American History X (1998). This Tony Kaye film depicts the life of a white nationalist in America as he tries to rehabilitate his life. Both films show the unforgiving nature of becoming involved in the male dominated, racist world of white nationalism. The depict men having huge booze filled parties, and networks of friendships that consider each other as close as kin due to their racial parity. The endings to both films hint at the same message, though American History X offers a take that is far more tragic than its Australian cousin. For while there is a redemptive component at play in the character of Davey, in American History X, no matter what strides Derek Vinyard makes in his own relationship with other races, his family still suffers for his chosen past.

Punk rock is a genre defined by short bursts of anti-authoritative energy. To this end, the backing tracks to the fight scenes in Romper Stomper are extremely effective in energizing its audience. While the actions on screen are hateful depictions of racially motivated crimes, the backing tracks bolster the positions of both sides of the conflict. If you are watching this movie with the intent of idolizing Hando, then the lyrics of the “Fourth Reich Fighting Man” will confirm not only the glory of the cause that you are fighting for, but also that there is already an established group of people making action music for your movement. Likewise, if you see yourself represented in the plight of the Vietnamese-Australians climbing up the tire structure to defend their newly acquired bar, then the lyrics of songs that are filled with hatred towards all types of minorities will make your own blood boil and beg for these men to be destroyed. The soundtrack to Romper Stomper underlies the message of the film that hate breeds hate.

On a personal note, one of the things that struck me the most is how much the neo-Nazis of Australia love Blundstones. This made sense to me the more I thought about it. Blundstones are an Australian product, and they love all things made to represent white Australia so of course this would be no different. The only thing is that I have spent a lot of years among liberal arts students of all races, religions and creeds, and we LOVE a good Blunstone too. So to see such an iconic piece of Halifax liberalism crushing the hand of a Vietnamese man who is trying to escape a gang of neo-Nazis, well, that woke me up.

Review: https://www.theguardian.com/film/australia-culture-blog/2014/jan/10/romper-stomper-classic-australian-film

In this review, Luke Buckmaster ponders at the nature of the film’s ending, questioning if “Wright being ironic? Sarcastic? Dabbling in some kind of horrible last-minute black comedy? Hando's takedown feels mean-spirited at best and sadistic at worst.” While I feel like in a traditional movie, this is worth considering, Hando is hardly a usual protagonist. Even an anti-hero like Walter White has some modicum of sympathy that the audience can cling to in order to make the case that they are cheering for him. In Romper Stomper there is no attempt to sway the pathos of the audience. Hando does not try to redeem himself, or overcome his personal shortcomings. To Mr. Buckmaster I reply, that there is no irony in Hando’s death. It is the rightful cathartic end to a life that bred racial hatred and was wholly unapologetic about it. This is also to the benefit of Wright’s defense in filming a movie filled with hateful scenes of racial violence. At no point does he try to make Hando a sympathetic character, precisely because there is no redeemable quality in the way that Hando relates to his ideological stance.

Overall I give this film a 7/10. This falls within the realm of movies that come to have surprised me in some way. Romper Stomper is an action movie filled tale that verges on being moralizing without holding its audience’s hand. The main Faultline it falls on is that its message might be too subtle for its own good. In the quick google search I found at minimum two racially motivated killings or slaughters whose perpetrators drew inspiration from this very movie. Regardless of the artistic intent behind the film, such a real life consequence within the content that Wright presents has to come with a dire warning that it did not do enough to dissuade its audience that Hando is no hero. Even in his own review, Luke Buckmaster, whom I have to assume is no neo-Nazi glorifier finds the death of Hando possibly ‘mean-spirited’. A narrative that lacks blatant condemnation of white-nationalist ideologies while degrading its protagonist leaves Hando as an idol, martyr and symbol for all those who believe in that hatred.

#romper stomper #russell crowe #australia #movies

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jackmichaelstudio · 4 years ago

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Juror’s Statement, Lees-McRae College Student Art Show, Spring 2021

Last week, I had the pleasure of serving as juror for the annual Student Art Show at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC.

If you’re an art student or young artist and you’ve ever wondered what goes into a juror’s decision-making process for a show - whether it’s for basic inclusion in the show or for awards - please read on.

JUROR’S STATEMENT Lees-McRae Student Art Show, Spring 2021

Jurying a student show is a difficult task. Submitting to a student show is equally arduous, so first and foremost, I want to congratulate everyone for having the courage to submit your work.

By nature, the jury process is neither kind nor an exact science. Evaluating artwork is, in many ways, a subjective exercise mediated by personal taste. But it is also a skill honed by experience, research, and by regularly considering artwork from ancient eras to the present day. As an artist and educator, I’m old enough to have developed a time-tested approach to evaluating craftsmanship, aesthetic quality, and cultural thoughtfulness. However, I’m still young enough to remember the undergrad-era sting of having my work – which I (wrongly) felt had singular vision and emotional importance – overlooked for awards and inclusion in shows. I remember asking myself “Why me?”, not knowing then what I know now: that a juried show is not only about the artwork; it is a relational exercise between artists, artwork, and the juror.

Ideally, a juror’s initial decision – the making of “the first cut” - is based on a combination of objective factors such as craftsmanship, presentation, technical skill, and attention to composition. If these are lacking in an artwork, then the work cannot hope to be a vehicle for greater meaning. At best, artwork with a dearth of craftsmanship and skill is mere decoration; at worst, it is a weak monument to an artist’s inability (or unwillingness) to commit their time and energy to their own ideas and personal potential. Young artists often struggle with this truth, making halfheartedly-crafted work that bounces around between mediums and themes, never pausing long enough to develop the technical expertise necessary to be a truly good artist. In the great quest to know what their work is “about” and how to make it, art students often make the mistake of looking for an idea that is “worth believing in” or seeking a new process – usually a novelty-based one that they feel is unique - before they really believe in and commit to their work. To those young artists, I say this: you think that commitment to your work is an elusive feeling that will finally grace you if you find some idea/process worth believing in…but you have it backwards. Belief does not pave the way for commitment; if you wholly commit to your work in both idea and process, you will create things worth believing in.

Aside from attention to craft and technical skill, it is this commitment to ideas and methods that guided me in making “the second cut” to select the award winners for this show. Ultimately, I was looking for artworks that answered “yes” to the following questions:

Does this artwork successfully convey a mood or message without being trite or didactic?

Aside from basic technical proficiency, does the work evince a developed sensitivity of material handling?

Does the work go beyond mere observation/decorative quality to compel the viewer with a question or deeper attention to an idea? Does it invite me to explore it further?

Does the work successfully avoid cliché?

Has the artist pushed boundaries, broken rules, taken risks, or at least tweaked the conventions of this medium’s typical subject matter?

Does the work resonate with me in some way, either stylistically or ideologically?

Is the work creative, free from derivation, and in possession of a sense of inventiveness and original thinking?

Does the artist un-self-consciously embrace a style that is markedly his/her/their own?

Would I like to see more work by this artist?

Is there a harmonious marriage of form, subject matter, and content?

Does the piece exhibit the potential to grow into a broader, more mature body of work that seeds new, kindred artworks in the future?

Does the work take an unapologetic critical or investigative stance in relation to a specific idea of contemporary relevance, or at least to our culture at large?

And Does the combination of ideological specificity, emotional vulnerability, and attention to craft & content indicate that this young artist might on the verge of truly committing to addressing the ideas in this work for the sustained near future (the next 1-3 years)?

I want to emphasize that every submission I reviewed had positive attributes; there were several of solid merit that did not receive an award. There were also many works that answered “yes” to some of these questions, but fell short of award due to craft, presentation, or technical issues. There were just as many works that displayed adept material handling but fell prey to cliché or to being mere observational decoration. To those of you who did not receive an award: please continue (or start) to believe in your ideas and commit to technical expertise and attention to craft. If you do, good things will happen.

To those of you who did receive an award: I wholeheartedly congratulate you! I, as your humble juror, did not give you an award – you earned it.

Ultimately, the pieces selected for award in this show (some to a greater extent than others) positively addressed the above questions in a way that marked them out from the crowd while also evincing technical proficiency and attention to craft. Even in the case of top awardees, however, the aforementioned questions should be embraced as consistent guidons to propel further improvement. I encourage you to copy these questions out and keep them in a place where they will confront you every day (whether you like it or not). Look at them, strive toward them, and internalize them until your own work resoundingly and consistently answers “yes” to each and every one. There is always, always, always room for improvement. People in other professions may have the luxury of someday “arriving” at penultimate expertise but as artists, the only thing we can get comfortable with is the fact that we will never “arrive” – we will (if we are smart and lucky) always be seeking, evolving, pursuing.

I encourage all of you – awardees and others alike - to continue to submit your work to shows such as this one, and to juried shows and calls for proposals or residencies on a regional and national scale. Exposure to the judgments of a wide variety of arts professionals (in addition to your stellar faculty) is the most valuable and surefire way of challenging and maturing your own ideas and skills. This is true even – and perhaps especially – when things don’t go your way.

Above all, I hope that all participants of this show remember this: thick skin is important. As an artist at any stage in your career, many of your best efforts will result in disappointment, but the number of disappointments is a downward-trending arc over time: the longer you do this wholeheartedly, the more sublime, elating wins you will achieve. Rejections are not a reason to quit; they are reasons to lean in and commit to your ideas, skill development, and professional growth sooner rather than later…or get out of the way of those who are doing that and find the path of expertise and interest that is truly for you. As a student artist, if you are successful at only 10% of your pursuits, you are doing well. So cultivate patience, perseverance, skill, and a thick skin. Happiness isn’t a function of chance – it is the result of ideological commitment and technical expertise exercised over time, resulting in somewhat-consistent success. Start today.

Finally, I want to thank Lees-McRae College and the Art Department for your genuine hospitality and for the invitation to jury this show – it was truly an honor. I see deep promise in a healthy selection of this work. That is no doubt due to the Art faculty doing the energetic, dedicated, and often emotionally-taxing work of molding young people with ideas and feelings into young artists with mature ideas, considered feelings, and – above all – work that expertly carries the resultant messages and investigations. Thank you for your service to the future of art and artists in our region and beyond, and thank you again for having me.

Warmly,

Jack Michael Art Instructor, Blue Ridge Community College

#art #artist #artists #artstudent #artwork #gallery #exhibit #kunst #artschool #makeart #makeartdaily #illustration #painting #drawing #design #photography #sculpture

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ohcndrea · 5 years ago

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ANDREA PEARSON ( ALISHA BOE ) is a 17 year old JUNIOR student at Broadripple Academy. SHE is originally from MILFORD, CT but moved to Broadripple 3 YEARS ago. SHE is CREATIVE and QUICK WITTED but can also be SHORT TEMPERED and JUDGEMENTAL. –– penned by sam / 23 / aest / she/her

BASICS

Name: Andrea Mona Pearson

Age: Seventeen

Grade: Junior

House: Melleray

Cabin Room: Junior Cabin Room 2

How long have they been at Broadripple: Three years

Where are they from originally: Milford Connecticut

Extra curricular: Cross Country and Women of Broadripple Club

TRAITS

Positive Personality Traits: creative, quick witted, adventurous, confident, hard working, independent, humorous, passionate

Neutral Personality Traits: contradictory, private, sensual, unpredictable

Negative Personality Traits: short tempered, judgemental, isolated, elusive, inconsistent, stubborn

FACTS

drea is from a family that places the importance of education and getting into a good college and getting a good job and legacy all very highly – and it all has to fit this sort of “traditional” view of success and drea just does not really fit it at all

and she never really has. growing up she was in her older brother’s shadow and was always pushing to spend more time on art projects or even artistic aspects of any other project. knowing from a young age that she’d love to be a creative of some sort but realising quickly that it wasn’t the life her parents had planned for her

which is how broadripple came into the picture. private school had always been the plan for the pearson children but boarding and catholic was a surprise. after her brother attended a boarding school, andrea knew she wanted to as well. she picked broadripple out. it was a good school, good reputation, good connections to ivy leagues. and the main thing for drea was that it felt just out of reach. a three hour drive wasn’t so far that she had to worry about her parents thinking she didn’t want to be around them (which was correct) but far enough that going home all the time would seem ridiculous, and far enough that their visits would be far and few in between. completely ideal location.

and so she’s been at broadripple for three years and is arguably and completely different girl than she was when she started. given the freedom of distance from her parents she came into her own, quickly became more confident, unapologetic, leaned more into her creative side and flourished. though she wont admit it, and she often thinks the place is very intense and weird and so are the people: she loves broadripple.

that being said she’s fucking reconsidering that stance since they’ve sent her to go sleep in some ugly ass cabins lmao

HEADCANONS

reformed hoe, p much up until everyone went home for a few weeks because of bugs in the dorms she would have still been out here being a hoe and now she’s not or she’s trying not to be

drea has a very big cool girl complex (a la amy dunne cool girl monologue in gone girl), she wants everyone to think she’s cool, especially guys. she’ll pretend things are her own decisions and that she has to be convinced to do stuff but she’ll pretty much do anything if it means someone is going to think she’s a “cool girl” – she’s starting to outgrow this a little bit but we shall see

hates bugs so fucking much, she’s gonna be suffering in the cabins and with the knowledge that there are bugs all over the dorms. everyone will hear her screaming over the tiniest, harmless bug – will also throw whatever she can reach at a bug to kill it

regular sleep schedule ? never heard of her. drea stays up to stupid o’clock most nights and is not a functional person in the morning because of it rip to anyone who has to deal with her before she can get some caffeine into her

though she can be a bit blunt, judgemental, and sometimes even cold: overall, she’s a jokester. she likes to have fun, and let loose

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RETREAT

What do they think about The Retreat? she’s of two minds about it because on one hand she’s glad to be away from home and reunited with her friends. on the other she doesn’t like just hanging out in the woods, and thinks the nighmore-ians are totally creepy and weird and doesn’t know if she really wants to stay in their weird abandoned cabins but will likely settle once she’s sitting around a campfire making jokes.

Do they have any previous experience with camping or other outdoors? no, not at all really. the pearsons arent big campers, preferring to stay close to work and the city so they don’t miss anything. drea has spent a bit of time on boats but mainly sunbathing, not any sort of survival skills. the most experience she has with the outdoors is sneaking through the woods back to campus after a party.

What does their cabin bunk look like? How will they decorate their space? a mess most likely. she has a lot of clothes and would have tried to shove as much as she could into one bag but that bag would quickly spread out once settled. she’s got a few postcards of places she’s never been stuck on the wall over her bad as well as a couple drawings done by either herself or jay.

Do they believe in the supernatural? To what degree? if asked, she’d say no absolutely not. and that’s mostly true. she doesn’t believe in ghosts, she doesn’t believe in monsters, she doesn’t even really believe the Edith Lynch story. but i think given the right circumstances (alone in the woods at some creepy cabins and hearing things for example) she would believe in that moment.

Are they easily spooked? yes and no. she’d be spooked by bugs or gross things, but not really by things jumping out at her and most weird noises she thinks she can explain away anyway.

AND FINALLY,

A very dumb but (hopefully) fun quiz made by your admins, please share what result you got

Drea got “you’re the real danger” which 👀 probably accurate

#retreat:task1 #retreat:intro #( about. )

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gu-fem · 4 years ago

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Is Taylor Swift the Definition of the Modern White Womanhood?

Written by: Julia Zhigaleva

Call me dumb, call me white, but Taylor Swift’s music has been my guilty pleasure for so long that I eventually stopped feeling guilty about it. You guys, I’m not even kidding when I say that I grew up with Taylor Swift – from crying after school to Teardrops on My Guitar when the guy I liked chose to date my best friend over me, to dressing up like hipsters with my friends and partying to 22 in my college years, to taking forever to get over breakups with All Too Well, to lip-syncing to myself in the mirror to Blank Space wearing red lipstick, to trying to convince my significant other why Lover definitely has to one day play at our wedding.

As we grew up with Taylor, she grew up with us – from an overly dramatic teenager occupied with boy drama from the Fearless era, to a hopeless young romantic of Red and 1989, to an unapologetic bitch from Reputation, to folklore’s big sister Taylor who braids your hair and makes sure you don’t repeat the mistakes she made in her youth. To me Taylor Swift has always been the embodiment of the modern white womanhood, which in my opinion is also a secret to her huge commercial success. If you’re a girl and you don’t know a single Taylor Swift song you could relate to, you’re probably lying.

This to me is also the reason why haters are always gonna hate – if Taylor Swift embodies so much of the modern femininity, the reason behind the overwhelming hatred towards the singer could easily be misogyny. “Overly dramatic, shallow, immature and always playing the victim” – for years Swift has been bullied for loving our loud, singing her heart out and trying to grow up and figure herself out while being one of the most commercially successful artists in the world. Constantly in the public eye, the singer has often been accused of using this public obsession with her private life to promote her music, which was then dismissed as too girly or not worthy of attention – the double standard Swift herself called out in The Man.

And then we have the Taylor vs Kanye feud, which is honestly on the list of my possible PhD thesis ideas, as this decade-long beef has everything you could possible wish for - race, gender, cyber bullying, mental health, and even Barack Obama. When Kim’s Snapchat stories broke the internet back in 2016, it led to the outbreak of hatred like never before, with dozens of spiteful articles against Taylor appearing online and tons of snake emojis flooding the comments of the singer’s Twitter and Instagram accounts. And that’s when people that are normally impartial to Swift drama jumped in and reminded that not only is the girl completely crazy, but she also never in her life used her privilege to speak up social injustice and remained politically neutral during 2016 election race. Officially canceled and proclaimed dead, Swift was forced into an exile that very few of us believed she would ever recover from.

Coming back with her Reputation album, Swift literally reinvented herself, burying her most iconic past selves in the music video for Look What You Made Me Do. But it wasn’t until she put out Miss Americana on Netflix, which, let’s be real, we all watched while being bored at home in quarantine, that Taylor won back over so many of those who turned their backs on her back when the Kim drama happened. In the documentary we get to see the private side of the singer’s life, as well as hear her side of the story on all the scandals that followed her in the past couple of years. Swift confesses that she has always felt pressured to be perfect and unproblematic, which held her from ever taking a political stance, truly speaking her mind, and eventually led her to developing an eating disorder.

"A nice girl smiles and waves and says thank you. A nice girl doesn’t make people feel uncomfortable with her views. I was so obsessed with not getting in trouble that I’m just not going to do anything that anyone can say something about." – Miss Americana (2020).

I was sad to see that Taylor’s epic comeback was actually yet another attempt to fit into the image of the exemplary femininity, the new little miss perfect of 2020 - the good girl going bad. We see in the meeting room scene how Swift tries to convince some old white dudes from her management team that taking a public stance against the Republican candidate in Tennessee is the right and important thing to do even if it hurts the Taylor Swift brand. But the truth is, Miss Americana is actually Swift doing damage control after being criticised for being artificially perfect, calculated and politically estranged. If in 2010 good girls curled their hair, skipped lunch and obsessed over cute boys, in 2020 they wear slogan tees, joke about straight white men and have at least one gay friend they can paint their nails with. Yet I wouldn’t dare to accuse Taylor Swift of being hypocritical and self-serving with her recent political activism.

“For someone who’s built their whole belief system on getting people to clap for you, the whole crowd booing is a pretty formative experience.” – Miss Americana (2020)

Taylor confessing that she had based her entire self-image on the constant approval and praise from others, hit too close to home. It made me think that as easy as it would be to point out that the singer who built her entire career upon the society’s conventional idea of femininity, doesn’t get to jump on the bandwagon and call herself a feminist, one cannot in good conscience blame Swift for wanting to fit in, be approved and accepted. In Miss Americana I saw Taylor fighting the losing battle of having to be a 'good girl’ in order to stay relevant and successful, yet being mocked and dismissed for this very conventional femininity of hers. Taylor opening up about her constant pursuit of perfection and need for validation in the world of unreachable standards set for women was perhaps the most vulnerable part of her documentary and it is certainly a struggle many of us can relate to.

Coming from a place of race and class privilege, possessing conventional beauty, and being adorably naive in her attempts to dismantle the patriarchy with the songs like The Man and You Need to Calm Down, still, Taylor Swift is the ultimate white girl that we can’t help but relate to. May she finally find her true self and may we all be lucky enough to be able to do the same.

#taylor swift #feminism #pop culture #miss americana

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humansun · 3 years ago

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Why I Love Sophia Chang, The Baddest Bitch in the Room

“If you truly believe it, that energy emanates when you walk into a room. My hope is that someday every woman will feel as mightily about herself as we do.” - Sophia Chang

Baddest Bitch in the Room is a memoir written by Sophia Chang, a Korean-Canadian music manager of the Wu-Tang Clan, kung fu warrior, mother of two, and an influential leader in the Asian-American community. This book takes readers through her adventurous life, going through the ups and the downs in her entertainment and management career as well as personal experiences with romance and motherhood.

I first learned about Sophia when cruising through the rabbit hole of Youtube shortly after my college graduation. It must have been a video that was labeled “First Asian woman in hip-hop” which I thought was different and really awesome. Fast forward to learning about her non-profit, Unlock Her Potential, following her on the gram, and reading her memoir, I now want to recap the power she brings to the world through her confidence, ambition, and boldness.

Sophia embodies bravery. In her early 20's, she ventures out from her hometown Vancouver to begin a journey in New York, where she knows little to no one. In the East Coast, she networks her way through music artists she admires, driven by pure passion for music. She ends up meeting Wu-Tang Clan and they take her in as a family member immediately.

During her time working with the legendary hip-hop group, she built loyal friendship and family bonds while also being authentic, expressing her vulnerability, and spreading love wherever she went. Sophia navigated her own identity crisis and confronted the beauty of herself while witnessing the power of hip-hop to all marginalized communities.

“...Hip-hop was the first time I’d seen people of color telling their own stories as opposed to seeing them through the dominant white males lens of Hollywood. These artists were so physically assertive--stomping their feet, slapping their chests, and the ultimate B-boy stance: arms crossed high, hands tucked into the armpits, feet apart. This kind of unapologetic bearing was completely novel to me, an Asian woman who had been trained to shrink herself to accommodate others. It all spoke to an exhortation to be seen as they wanted to be seen. And unlike me, they were so proud of who and what they were."

I feel some Asian cultures encourage their women to shrink themselves to make them more invisible and attract less attention. The pressure to be quiet is damaging and causes us to erase our voice as well as devalue our own presence in every room we are in. Acknowledging her own fears, Sophia demands that each person’s voice has value at the table, especially her own. Her bold, unapologetic nature becomes a daily radical act as she blazes her own path.

The book takes readers through the grief of losing loved ones to death and highlights the importance of supporting those who battle with issues of addiction and mental health disorders. When I tie this in with All About Love by bell hooks, I am reminded of how addiction can be with drugs, alcohol, sex, money, and external validation. When the people we love are experiencing addiction or mental health problems, it’s important to always take it seriously and to also take care of ourselves to prevent the deterioration of our own well-being.

Another aspect of the book I found to be reveling was her desire to live for those who have passed. She took pain and grief and recycled that into abundant waste. Waste that was healing a wound and turning negative energy into positive energy. Sophia is an example of someone who understands suffering as a natural state of living, but actively transforms pain into opportunity in her mind and actions.

In addition, she entrances readers through her tumultuous love life and talks about missing a partner of many years: “I never wavered on my decision to leave, but swore that I still loved Yan Ming. I recalled all the magical moments -- the trip, the training, the children--they were real! And then I had a simple, stunning revelation: This isn’t love, Sophia, it’s nostalgia.”

For some reason, that line hit me so hard. Nostalgia?! Too accurate. I spend time missing people who have hurt me and reflect on the good times when the bad times were filled with just as much pain, anger, and trauma. Sophia was able to take a feeling I denied and put it exactly into words for me to confront that same reality.

“I try very hard not to be motivated by fear and I have my titanium confidence to thank for that...I am not allowing the dominant culture to tell me who I am; I am defining myself and telling the world who I am.”

What captivated me most about Sophia from the very beginning was her confidence and conviction. She has ambition, kindness, and an unapologetic boldness - balancing “living my best life” energy while also changing the world in every step. Overall, this memoir was a thorough read about an amazing adventure written by a brave and legendary woman. I look forward to seeing where life continues to take her! (And hopefully, for me to meet her as her mentee!)

#booktime

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4koknia · 5 years ago

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The Pursuit of Beauty

During my commute to Manhattan on the Express Bus one morning, I had the firm and reimbursement of teaching the March issue of Allure magazine. I began by interpretation the Letter from the Editor Linda Wells and stumped upon this unrest pin phrase, the "pursuit of beauty". Linda explains this phenomenon to be much like the riot of the American Dream. It is "a prerogative to determine and improve our essential selves, psychologically and physically...that transcends gender, class, race, age and sexual orientation." I outline to myself, "this is so true!" What fellow today does not rank to be and sense beautiful? There is no doubt, that we as human entity are acutely sensitive to our physical appearances and evidence do anything to growth or to maintain our personal beauty. Our insatiable shortage for all control "beauty" proves that we are all in full claim and unapologetically so.

According to dictionary.com gloss is "the quality giveaways in a entity or fellow that gives intense reimbursement or gives chasm drawbacks to the mind." This emotional nelson to problem explains why glory plays such a significant sliver in our lives. We can't alleviation us in the demeanor of kingdom or persons that discharge to our sensibilities. Physical beauty, though a concern of finesse and say is also characterized by society's views. In tally cultures, the life of flatness or portion is a instituting booster of honor because it suggests the absence of "flaws" or "defects". Facial balance, complexion, escape digits and size, as well as youthfulness are all standardizations of beauty. The characterization of brightness however, cannot be understood without also realizing that beauty has another gradations to it - One that is not so physical, but rather metaphysical (a more intangible element ). We cannot necessarily see or semblance it, yet its shred is undeniable. With that creature said, we cannot exclude psychological degree such as personality, intelligence, politeness, elegance or charisma as foundation factor in recognizing beauty.

As I researched more into this honor craze, I stumbled upon some very interesting findings. To my surprise, (ok maybe not so surprised) researchers have found that possessing physical attractiveness tins be quite influential in a persons life. Someone who is considered to be beautiful is likely to get higher grades, receive better kinship from their doctors, receive lighter prisons sentences and earn more money. As if we don't have enough problems in the ore today, now we know that uncontrollable contrivance like our God-given cheerfulness or "lack thereof", is just another social limit to add to our list. Whether we acknowledge it or not, and whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, this type of "lookism" has plagued our mixing for era and can shed some layouts on the resolution of shallowness that exists in our soil today.

This daunting fact certainly affects how we perceive ourselves as well as others. The images we see on tv also determine what we consider to be beautiful and is the driving productivity towards this recreation for perfection. We spend thousands of dollars and insurmountable time shopping online or at the malls, purchasing all sorts of luster products, outcome nail, hair, facial and botox appointments, education siting arsenal and dispatching particular protocols of what our precedence fame are wearing, appearance and using to subordination slim, youthful and yes, beautiful.

Let's not forget, that there was once a time when we were all mystified by the beautiful reproduction and celebrities, who flawlessly walked the red rugs and flanked the covers of magazine effortlessly, or at least so it seemed. We dreamed approx being them and looking like them, thinking they were born perfectly that way. Thanks to our cultivation fixation with celebrity-life, the shameless and countless invasions of seclusion through actuality tv, the social networks and the "tell-all" craze, we now not only have the idiot and the learning but also access to the once "top secret" sometimes extreme, physical enhancers.

Don't get me wrong, the "pursuit of beauty" doesn't have to mean a cruising to a plastic surgeon, nor is it an elusive commodities accessible to only to the rich and famous. We can all be physically beautiful! The multi-billion dollar cheerfulness commerce has made sure to fulfill our every shine load by bombarding us with a excess of commodities and services geared towards lineup ourselves brains and look younger and more beautiful.The risk and appliances available to ourselves are endless in this department. We have commodities that type us seeming younger, output that makes our essence smoother, moniker that makes our stomachs flat, output that type our lips plumper, commodities that give ourselves fuller hair, commodities that makes our lashes longer and thicker, stylists, eyebrow threaders, lineup artists, stance guidelines that innovations every season, adornments like earrings, necklaces, tattoos, hats etc we all use these assets to enhance our personal shine and attractiveness in some way.

The actuality is however, our determination of splendor is not just roughly exploiting our "sexual capital". It's not just the physical angle of splendor that enamors us. We are in preservation of a covenant between the seen and the unseen - The physical (outer) and the psychological (inner) because they both thrive off each other. I like many, believe that true polish comes from within. Inner shine in my definition, is that undeniable, profound drawing that glow from you and onto the world. It is your aura, your spirit, the impression you leave incubation after someone meets you for the first time. My priest favorite to refer to this intangible, spiritual side of our human feathers as the "inner man" or "woman". Though this "inside beauty" may come easier to some than others, it is the beginning stages to performing this intrinsic recollection for physical dispute or happiness.

If psychologically we can finds the efficiencies and faith to see ourselves as beautiful no matter what, then the dirt would have no selection but to lookout us that way. Any physical shortcoming that we may think we possess can disappear. Possessing internal honor is the foundation of the subroutine of beauty. After all, we know that with era physical cleverness disappears and there are dozens uncontrollable forces that can easily return away or lessen our physical beauty, like a severe misadventure or revulsion for example. Inner depth comes from a deeper place. It oozes from your heart and sanity and serves as a complimentary content to physical beauty.

So why this opportunity to misfire to be beautiful? What lies beneath this so-called pursuit? What is it that moves ourselves into the quest for near perfection? The actuality is, the intensity of brightness is in actuality the occurrences of geniality - they are one in the same. Though Linda refers to this boldness as beings "distinctly American", to me, it is more so, undeniably human. Whether it is a physical or psychological enhancement to ourselves, we are all in pastime for this completeness. It is a dimensions to creature someone bigger and better than we've ever been. It's about transportation out your entrance everyday talent like a rod of sunshine, confident with every step you take. It is a goal, a placement to set, that once achieved, is rewarded with a lifetime of confidence, self assurance, pride, grace, composure and ardor for life.

We therefore cannot deny that we are in a new era, where shine and the sale of it, is no longer an enigmatic, perplexing phenomenon, but rather an manifestation of one's arrogance and self esteem. Beauty has now become a lifestyle, and we have learned that physical radiance cannot pedestal on its own, we can only enhance it. It is only when there is complete synergy between the physical (outer beauty) and the psychological (inner beauty) business in complete share with each other like yin and yang, can we safely opinion we've achieved our items in this vigor of depth and ultimately happiness. https://kokania.com/

Inspired by Editor's Note of March Issue of Allure magazine- "The Pursuit of Beauty" by Linda Wells

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justdharapatelstuff-blog · 7 years ago

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Is Frida Kahlo a personality to strive to be?

Editorial: Is Frida Kahlo a personality to strive for?

July 13th, 1954, 8:00 AM Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico

With heavy hearts, the writers at The News of Cool regret to inform the public that renown painter and figure Frida Kahlo died early this morning, mere days after we did an interview with her. A prominent artist in the first half of the twentieth century, Frida Kahlo has made significant moves in art, putting Mexican art on the map. For her age, she has made significant developments in modern art, and has gone through significant difficult periods in her life. Experiencing polio, a devastating car crash, and multiple divorces has affected the way she looks at life, and her interesting political stance makes Kahlo different from any female artist of her time.

Some know the astounding self-portraits that Kahlo has released since her adolescence, such as “Henry Ford Hospital” and “The Broken Column”. What most do not know is the premise of her personal life, what caused her to paint these chilling pieces, her political stance, and her fascinating romantic relationship with fellow artist, Diego Rivera. In honor of her legacy, I am proud to present snippets of our interview with her, and the highlights of her life as a cool persona. I say personae, because I believe that with her art, she created a personality. As a person, she was filled with physical pain and strife, but her persona was not. As you read through, remember to aim for her personality, not her physical being. As we are The News of Cool, we are not only to provide you news of what cool people do, but we also provide you inspiration for what you should strive for in your life.

In her final days, Kahlo was found in her home, weak and in a depressed state. When asked her inspiration for her art, she answered with a very frank answer. She replied to the question with: “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best” (Kahlo 2). Her style of self-portraits is best explained as her expressing what she believes she looks like on the inside and outside. I know that Kahlo has suffered ailing health in different shapes and forms throughout her life. She has experienced hardship through sitting in hospital beds, isolated, in pain of her injuries from polio, a bus crash, and an excruciating miscarriage. Her paintings show that when nobody is there for her except for herself, she paints what she feels on the surface of her face. She stated that “my painting carries with it the message of pain” (Kahlo 1). Take a look at some of her works. The “Broken Column” was created shortly after her devastating bus crash, leading her to be bed rested and be dependent on a metal rod for her back. She has tears streaming down her face, nails over her body, with a hospital sheet wrapped around her torso. She is crying, but yet, she exhibits a stoic and calm face. From our earlier issues of other cool personalities, we established that creating a front that one is completely familiar with their surroundings and confident in who they are is what is a defining point of cool. Here, Kahlo exhibits a component of cool in a picture of herself. Like other artists who experience pain, like Picasso towards the end of his life, she paints herself where it is almost as if agony does not affect her. When asked how she was able to paint herself in such a state, she replied defiantly. “I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling” (Kahlo 1). Her paintings were a method of alleviation. With her paintings, she pictured herself the way she wanted to be picture. She is what she paints. I followed up with the question: “What was the point when you realized that art was for you? What was the deciding factor you wanted to go down the path of inspiring others through art, like the Yoruba tribe in Africa?”

She responded with a simple answer: she matured. Like most cool humans of the 20th century, she has grown up too quickly. Experience is a huge part of cool. The more you experience, the more you can create your own freedom. Her art was almost entirely made up of her own experience. With the bus crash in her adolescence, she was forced to become an adult and experience grown-up things so quickly. She regarded her loss of childhood in the interview as “… a child who went about in a world of colors... My friends, my companions, became women slowly; I became old in instants” (Kahlo 3). She controlled her world from a young age, and from what I got from her description of her childhood, she learned how to take charge of situations beyond her own control. She exhibited grace under pressure. When I asked how she was so graceful under pressure, she brought up love.

Physical pain is a common occurrence in Frida’s life, similar to other “cool” personalities of the 20th century. She takes ownership of her suffering and channels it into art. Interestingly enough, as she grew and took initiative in her relationships and art, we see an interesting component in her life enter around the age she grows up: Diego Rivera. We see a similar theme in her relationship with Diego Rivera. We can all agree that Diego and Frida were an intriguing duo. I asked her what Diego meant to her, and how he influenced her paintings. She spoke about him for so long, but this sums it up: “Diego was everything; my child, my lover, my universe” (Kahlo 2).

Cool personalities are driven by love and sex. Kahlo was the perfect example of that. When we discussed her love for Diego and her art, they went hand in hand. She described to me that no matter if Diego was loyal to her, or was having an affair with another woman, like he did with Maria Felix, she will be upset, she will hurt, but she will never stop loving him. She went through periods, she said, where she channeled that anger into art Rivera. I see a perfect example in her work “Diego and I”. When Rivera cheated on Kahlo with Maria, (a perfect example of the pain he caused in her life), Kahlo said that “Nothing is comparable to your hands…My body fills itself with you for days and days” (Cosmic 1). She knew that being with him would be painful, but she would take him over anyone else. Even after they divorced, she only lasted a year without him before they remarried. Their relationship, as dysfunctional as it was, drove her to paint. I was curious as to why she would run back to him if he caused her that sort of pain, and she explained that “I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint” (Cosmic 1). She further explained that Diego made it easier for her to paint. If that is not cool to you, I do not know what is. A broken woman, affected by an affair and once in an affair herself, reveals herself. She creates an image that is so unlikable by others, so atrocious, but believes herself that her painting is beauty. Cool people find the balance between the stressors in their life to make it into art. She is different from Picasso in that she fully exposes the deepest, darkest components of her being, and yet looks so placid. Her comfort lied in her painting. Her discomforts of being cheated, being injured, and put last was overcome by painting. Her medium of cool was self-portraits, whereas Coco Chanel’s was fashion design.

What made Kahlo interesting was her bold political stance, one that we do not completely see in her paintings. Her strong political views made many dislike her. She was a strong believer in Marxism, and that people could only be helped by that power, and the Capitalists were the plague of the world. I wanted to know what caused her to be so displeased with the Capitalism powers. Her reply was lengthy and charged. Her visit to the United States in the early 30’s was the stem of her issue. She disliked the “dry” personalities of Americans, had “a bit of a rage against all the rich guys here, since I have seen thousands of people in the most terrible misery without anything to eat and with no place to sleep, that is what has most impressed me here, it is terrifying to see the rich having parties day and night whiles thousands and thousands of people are dying of hunger” (Kahlo 2).

She realized especially after her miscarriage of her child in Detroit, that Marxism was the only way everyone could be created equal, and that Capitalists only cared about themselves. She said that after being in a time of turmoil in a hospital bed in an unfamiliar country she hated, she began to believe the only way America could be helped was Communism. This change in political view changed her art. She became more invested in narratives in her paintings, as you can see in “Marxism will give health to the sick”. She holds the red book and draws Marxist symbols, and they tell the story of a society supported by Communism. She builds her whole character until she dies about Marxist views, she shows through her paintings that pain and suffering can be avoided by Marx and his views. Nobody liked her views, and many disagreed with her radical ideas. Cool people create unlikable opinions, and create radical art, as Kahlo did. Her final words for me were “They thought I was a Surrealist… I never painted dreams. I painted reality” (Cosmic 1). Cool people create, not dream. She leaves me with a persona who changed greatly throughout her life. Not a single year of her life was boring, and her personality was ever changing. She used her freedom to her advantage.

Frida Kahlo may not have been your first choice of a “cool” idol, but she exhibits qualities that will one day make her an idol. Her unibrow and her mustache are seen as her “ugly” characteristics now, but it will be an ideal seventy years down the road. In 2014, we will see students across the globe idolize her. Her unpopular communist opinion and her unapologetic Mexican feminist personality will be celebrated years from now. Take a look at the paintings featured in this article. They change throughout the short years of her life. Why did she change so much? To her, nothing is absolute. “Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away” (Cosmic 1). She told me that simply hating your life does not make anything easier. Make changes if you dislike your being, or stay in pain. She went on to say that she was the subject she knew the best, but aspire to know yourself better every day. Knowing all sides of yourself creates a sense of control of your imperfections and strong suites, as seen in her painting “The Two Fridas”.

Her imperfections have a power, just like Marilyn Monroe’s mole, or Coco Chanel’s comfortable fashion. She stands out amongst the 20th century women, because she takes the horrifying, bloody scenes of her world, and her cheating and affairs of her relationships and turns it into gold. I believe that her unlikable opinions now will turn into unique topics of conversation in the future. Her ideas on love, politics, constant change, and positivity make her a persona to strive to be. Many cool people live fast and die young. I asked her what she’s most proud of accomplishing thus far, and she said that “the little positive things that my health allows me to do might be pointed toward helping the [Marxist] revolution. The only real reason for living” (Cosmic 1). She lived up to Nietzsche’s believe in turning muck into gold, being a revolutionary of her time. She believed in changing the world through her superpower: painting. In seventy years, kids will be striving to be as free as she was, children will find inspiration in her art to hold private rebellion against their painful oppressors. I end with the answer to the most fun question I asked her, as she laid there in ailing health in la Casa Azul, which was: “what words describe you?”

Her poised response? “I was born a bitch. I was born a painter” (Cosmic 2).

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giveuselife-blog · 7 years ago

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WordPress Banned The internet site Fascist institution associated Charlottesville Killer.

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/wordpress-banned-the-internet-site-fascist-institution-associated-charlottesville-killer/

WordPress Banned The internet site Fascist institution associated Charlottesville Killer.

The net host pulled the website online in a departure from a stance it held previous to closing weekend’s violence, but Vanguard America remains on Twitter and YouTube.

“Fascist” is frequently an epithet used to demean an opponent, but for alt-proper corporation Vanguard America, it’s a badge of honor. As of last night time, the organization lacks an internet site where it can proclaim that message. Going to its URL bloodandsoil.Org ends in a message from website host WordPress that reads, “This blog has been archived or suspended according to with our Terms of Service.”

That’s relatively sudden. A few months ago, I requested WordPress about its hosting of Vanguard America, United Dixie White Knights of the KKK, and several other a ways-proper organizations for a story about hate sites and their tech companies. The stock answer becomes that WordPress and its discern employer Automatic do no longer censor, length.

For WordPress, the approximately-face became in all likelihood caused by way of Vanguard America’s participation in ultimate weekend’s Unite the Right rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, at some point of which a vehicle drove right into a crowd, killing one person, Heather Heyer, and injuring 19. The driver, James Alex Fields, who has been charged with murdering Heyer, has claimed allegiance to Vanguard America. The institution denies that Fields become a member, however, membership is an amorphous component inside the alt-right movement, in which human beings associate loosely with causes, now and again just by means of traveling websites and joining discussion businesses.

WordPress hasn’t explained the shift in its technique to the organization’s website: the agency’s consumer settlement and terms of the carrier have not changed given that Charlottesville. Similarly, Facebook, Google, and other structures that have lately sought to dam comparable content have done so even as their regulations have remained the equal.

The website’s content—which includes posters, articles, and a manifesto—can also fall into the “directly threatening cloth” forbidden by way of the WordPress person settlement. But the settlement also notes, “These are simply guidelines—interpretations are totally as much as us.” WordPress has no longer but replied to a request for remark.

A NEW APPROACH?

For WordPress to drop a website, even a fascist webpage, is a very large deal; the equation is true of GoDaddy and Google’s choices to drop their registration of neo-Nazi website online the Daily Stormer (some other website online that GoDaddy previously said could be accredited on unfastened speech grounds). Many tech structures have lengthy stood by strict neutrality and freedom of expression. That may also now be changing.

At least whilst the general public can see what’s taking place. A unfastened Whois research of its area call reveals a website’s registrar, that’s why activists had been capable of pounce on Google so quick when the Daily Stormer tried to exchange registrars. But Vanguard America was uncommon amongst ways-proper websites in that its host, WordPress, became undeniable to look. Many web sites—inclusive of organizations involved approximately hackers, like Nasdaq and OKCupid, as well as associates of ISIS and the KKK—use protection company CloudFlare to guard against attacks and disguise their real host. Over objections from some activists, CloudFlare has been steadfast in now not losing any clients, aside from in instances of great crook interest.

WordPress Charlottesville Banned J. Cole Concert on the Charlottesville Pavilion.

On Friday, April 8, I attended a hip-hop performance by means of J. Cole on the Charlottesville Pavilion. Though the live performance becomes hosted by University Programs Council Springfest, scholar turns out becomes particularly terrible as a consequence of the dreary, rainy climate on the outside venue. However, there was nonetheless a good-sized crowd beneath the venue’s large awning. From my modest revel in going to live shows inside the beyond, I had learned that human beings most effective get mad about you pushing beyond them in case you stop in the front of them. With this knowledge in thoughts, I determinedly cut via the gang till I become about 30 ft from the degree with a super view of the display that had already started.

J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, has been rapping for half of his lifestyles, since the age of 13, and his enjoy confirmed. His presentation and style reminded me of that of T.I. When he executed right here in Charlottesville pair years in the past, besides Cole didn’t want hype men on the degree with him to serial killers complete his lines. He becomes very lively, refusing to stay in one region for very lengthy, and his voice had sufficient energy that I became satisfied it’d have carried across the crowd without a microphone. The awesome emphasis he placed on a lot of his lines made it sound as if he nearly barked some of his lyrics. While barking lyrics would possibly convey a poor connotation in a few contexts, Cole pulled it off in a way that instead conveyed his ardor to the audience.

Near the cease of his display, J. Cole carried out his debut single.

Who Dat, an exhibition of bravado for all of us who doubted his rise to fame. The name of the music references a famous conflict cry of New Orleans’ football team, “Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints,” alluding to Cole wondering what rapper is courageous sufficient to ask him in a competition of lyricism. After instructing the men inside the crowd to menacingly chant “Who Dat” alongside him during the refrain, Cole rapped WordPress SEO settings the road “A couple of Y’all ain’t took a discipline ride to the hood.” It jogged my memory of the “discipline trip” I took to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans this beyond spring damage to look the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. That concept soon became a want that I hadn’t dropped my digital camera off a balcony WordPress seo plugins overlooking Bourbon Street the night before Mardi Gras so I ought to take pix of the display.

Overall, I thought J. Cole’s song become a fresh departure from the either aloof or insipid rap that presently dominates hip hop subculture. In my opinion, most hip-hop artists on the radio nowadays fall into one in every of two corporations: rappers who’ve become so jaded by means of their fame and fortune that Charlottesville va hotels they give up to position authentic notion into their song due to the fact they understand they may hold to make cash regardless, and artists who force their way into the mainstream by capitalizing on present-day tendencies that cater to the bottom commonplace denominator of the American public in phrases of flavor. J. Cole contributes to contemporary track by means of breaking each these molds, turning in tune that is, for the most part, fresh, witty, and compelling. Considering that Cole moved to New York and went to college on an academic scholarship at Charlottesville upcoming events the same time as fighting for a reported deal, it is no surprise that his tune demonstrates both road smarts and intelligence which might be impressive for his age. Cole’s gritty yet well-versed personality ought to have appealed to tune mogul, Jay-Z, as the first artist signed to his file label, Roc Nation, permitting Cole to upward thrust from the underground without sacrificing the content material of his track. With encouraging potentialities for his future, I believe J. Cole could make a tremendous impact on modern-day hip-hop if he keeps unapologetically on this seldom-traveled route WordPress Banned The internet site Fascist institution associated Charlottesville Killer.

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attendantdesign-blog · 7 years ago

Text

New Post has been published on Attendantdesign

New Post has been published on https://attendantdesign.com/wordpress-banned-the-website-fascist-group-linked-charlottesville-killer/

WordPress Banned The Website Fascist Group Linked Charlottesville Killer.

The net host pulled the website online in a departure from a stance it held previous to closing weekend’s violence, but Vanguard America remains on Twitter and YouTube.

A NEW APPROACH?

For WordPress to drop a website, even a fascist web page, is a very large deal; the equation is true of GoDaddy and Google’s choices to drop their registration of neo-Nazi website online the Daily Stormer (some other website online that GoDaddy previously said could be accredited on unfastened speech grounds). Many tech structures have lengthy stood by strict neutrality and freedom of expression. That may also now be changing.

WordPress Charlottesville Banned J. Cole Concert on the Charlottesville Pavilion.

J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, has been rapping for half of his lifestyles, since the age of 13, and his enjoy confirmed. His presentation and style reminded me of that of T.I. When he executed right here in Charlottesville pair years in the past, besides Cole didn’t want hype men on the degree with him to complete his lines. He becomes very lively, refusing to stay in one region for very lengthy, and his voice had sufficient energy that I became satisfied it’d have carried across the crowd with out a microphone. The awesome emphasis he placed on a lot of his lines made it sound as if he nearly barked some of his lyrics. While barking lyrics would possibly convey a poor connotation in a few contexts, Cole pulled it off in a way that instead conveyed his ardor to the audience.

Near the cease of his display, J. Cole carried out his debut single.

Who Dat, an exhibition of bravado for all of us who doubted his rise to fame. The name of the music references a famous conflict cry of New Orleans’ football team, “Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints,” alluding to Cole wondering what rapper is courageous sufficient to ask him in a competition of lyricism. After instructing the men inside the crowd to menacingly chant “Who Dat” alongside him during the refrain, Cole rapped the road “A couple of Y’all ain’t took a discipline ride to the hood.” It jogged my memory of the “discipline trip” I took to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans this beyond spring damage to look the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. That concept soon became a want that I hadn’t dropped my digital camera off a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street the night before Mardi Gras so I ought to take pix of the display.

Overall, I thought J. Cole’s song become a fresh departure from the either aloof or insipid rap that presently dominates hip hop subculture. In my opinion, most hip hop artists on the radio nowadays fall into one in every of two corporations: rappers who’ve become so jaded by means of their fame and fortune that they give up to position authentic notion into their song due to the fact they understand they may hold to make cash regardless, and artists who force their way into the mainstream by capitalizing on present day tendencies that cater to the bottom commonplace denominator of the American public in phrases of flavor. J. Cole contributes to contemporary track by means of breaking each these molds, turning in tune that is, for the most part, fresh, witty, and compelling. Considering that Cole moved to New York and went to college on an academic scholarship at the same time as fighting for a reported deal, it is no surprise that his tune demonstrates both road smarts and intelligence which might be impressive for his age. Cole’s gritty yet well-versed personality ought to have appealed to tune mogul, Jay-Z, as the first artist signed to his file label, Roc Nation, permitting Cole to upward thrust from the underground without sacrificing the content material of his track. With encouraging potentialities for his future, I believe J. Cole could make a tremendous impact on modern-day hip hop if he keeps unapologetically on this seldom-traveled route.

0 notes