Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: Custo Barcelona Spring / Summer 2022

Fashion Designer: Custo Dalmau

via FF Channel

Jules Pascin

Art Appreciation

Best known as a Parisian painter, Pascin's frequent subjects were nude or partly dressed women in casual poses. 

Born Julius Mordecai Pincas on March 31, 1885, Pascin started making first drawings in a local brothel at the age of fifteen. After receiving training in Vienna and Munich, he began drawing to a satirical magazine called Simplicissimus. 

As many artists of the early 20th Century, Pascin moved to Paris. He soon held his first solo exhibition at Paul Cassirer Gallery in Berlin. He then exhibited his work in commercial galleries, Salon d'Automne, the Salon des Independants, the Berlin Secession, and the Sonderbund-Ausstellung in Cologne.

In 1913, Pascin exhibited in the United States twelve of his works at the Armory Show in New York.

To escape servicing in the Bulgarian army, Pascin moved to the United States. There he married French painter Hermine Lionette Cartan David in 1918. 

Although Pascin became a naturalized United States citizen, he returned to Paris and began a relationship with model Lucy Vidil Krohg. 

He became a symbol of Montparnasse artistic community. During the 20s, Pascin painted petites filles, prostitutes waiting for clients, which were popular. 

Portrait of Lucy Krohg (c. 1925)

Seated Girl (ca. 1905)

Naked on a Couch

Source: Wikipedia, Wikimedia, Artsy

Update: Will Smith's Slap Seen Around the World

Pardon the Interruption

The Oscars is a time to celebrate the actors and movies that entertain us. This year's was more special with the event returning "back to normal" after two years of COVID. 

However, the night --with so many ground breaking moments -- is being overshadowed by the actions of Will Smith, who went on to win an Oscar for Best Actor. 

So, What happened?

If you haven't heard, after comedian Chris Rock poked fun of Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head, Will Smith walked on stage and slapped the comedian across the face, then walked back to his seat and berated Chris Rock. 

"Keep my wife's name out your fucking mouth," yelled Will Smith.

"Wow, dude. It was a 'G.I. Jane' joke," Chris Rock retorted. 

I grew up listening to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Like many kids my age at the time I related to Parent's Just Don't Understand, the hit song that introduced Will Smith to the world. 

I idolized him. I wanted to be like the Fresh Prince. My childhood friend and I would make up album songs and covers that mimic DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. 

When NBC advertised a new show starring Will Smith, The Fresh Price of Bel-Air, I was ecstatic. His career skyrocketed as he began starring in movies and releasing albums under his name, Will Smith. 

Recently, I started reading his memoir, Will. The first few chapters I've read touch on family and his relationship with his father. 

Soon after the event unfolded last night, I reflected on what I had read in the first few chapters of his memoir. He protects his family. 

Then I realized that this event occurred on live TV in front of America, the world. Oh no. The kids. 

Chris Rock is a comedian who is known to make jokes at others expense. Of course, this is the Oscars, and it's expected by actors to be the butt of jokes; and this night there were many jokes from the females hosts, Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes.

Earlier in the night, Regina Hall indirectly joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's "entanglement" with rapper August Alsina. "Will Smith... you're married but you know what, you're on the list and it looks like Jada approved you so get on up here."

Let's remember, during the 2016 Academy Awards ceremony, Chris Rock made fun of Jada Pinkett Smith's "boycott of the Oscars due to its lack of diversity, "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited."

Chris Rock then said of Will Smith, "It's not fair that Will was this good and didn't get nominated. It's also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for Wild Wild West!"

But this evening was different. It became personal for Will Smith because Jada Pinkett Smith decision to go bald is due to her having alopecia.  

Again, I want to defend Will Smith. I went on Twitter and sought explanation. I saw tweets that included video of Will Smith surrounded by Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry during a commercial break. Then Will and Jada's publicists talking to them. When the ceremony returned and cameras showed the Smiths, they were smiling and laughing.

During the commercial break, Will Smith is pulled aside and comforted by Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry, who motion for him to brush it off. Will appears to wipe tears from his eyes as he sits back down with Jada, with Denzel comforting Jada and Will’s rep by his side. pic.twitter.com/uDGVnWrSS2

— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) March 28, 2022

When Will Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor, like many, I was expecting him to address his actions. Although, he did apologize to the Academy, there was no apology to Chris Rock. And to be honest, I don't think the apology to the Academy was but half sincere and rather self-absorbed--wanting to find validation for his own actions. 

"Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family," Smith said, "I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people."

"I know to do what we do, you gotta be able to take abuse, and you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you and you gotta smile and you gotta pretend like that's OK."

"I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees... Love will make you do crazy things."

Soon after the Oscars ended, Chris Rock was reported not pressing charges against Will Smith. Although, this doesn't necessarily mean Will Smith is out of the woods. The Academy can press charges or take some other action to reprimand Smith. And to be honest, I think they should.

I'm a Will Smith fan and I want the best for him, but like I said in the beginning of the post, kids are watching. 

What message do we want our kids to learn from Smith's action? It's okay slap a man for making jokes then berate with vulgarity? 

A day after the incident, Will Smith did make a public apology to Chris Rock on his Instagram account. In the apology, he said, "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

Dance: Olivia Rodrigo - Happier

 Choreography: Loriane Cateloy-Rose

via Loriane Cateloy-Rose

SXSW 2022 Favorites

SXSW 2022 was extremely special. For one: two years ago, the City of Austin and Travis County canceled the event because of the unknown COVID-19 pandemic. This devastated not only music artists and fans, but also the local economy. 

So, this year, it was somewhat of a renaissance. An emergence of new sound and fashion. A revival.

I got to see Jackie Venson play at Central Machine Works in East Austin. It was freaking cold to the point, during the performance, the soul singer said, "I can't feel my fingers." She then accepted the challenge and continued to play an amazing show.

Jackie Venson (@jackievenson)

via Jackie Venson

The cool think about SXSW week is that artists will play a condensed show featuring their hottest songs. This gives audience a snapshot of their work in 45 minute sets. 

Hotel Vegas and Volstead Lounge in East Austin provides perhaps the best venue to watch three sets at the same time. In other words, if you get tired of a sound, you can move and listen to a different band at another stage.

There were a couple of bands where I stayed listening through the whole set. One of those bands was Annabelle Chairlegs. Singer Lindsey Mackin's strong voice and guitar riffs along with the rest of the band made the show enjoyable.

Annabelle Chairlegs (@annabellechairlegs)

via Annabelle Chairlegs

Another great venue to listen to live music during SXSW week is at the South By San Jose, which is held at the San Jose Hotel parking lot in South Austin. 

Mini Trees, a band out of California, caught my attention. Described on their Facebook page as "living room pop," the voice of Lexi Vega filled with the sound from the band is nostalgic. I quickly added Mini Trees to my audio playlist. 

Mini Trees (@minitreesband)

via Mini Trees

Perhaps one of the most entertaining show I experienced during SXSW week was held at Central Machine Works in East Austin with drag queens, LGBTQ+ artists. Austin pop artist Kady Rain was one I absolutely loved watch perform from the very start of her set. Her song "Crooked," which is about an ex-boyfriend's crooked penis, had me laughing and then singing along. 

Kady Rain (@kadyrain)

via Kady Rain Official

There were so many other bands I enjoyed during SXSW week from the indie soul sound of Kendra Sells and BluMoon, folk pop sound from singer-songwriter Marta Casanova and MAVICA, indie rocker Matthew Logan Vasquez, queer southern rock band Thelma & The Sleaze lead by badass Lauren "LG" Gilbert, soul and rock sound of S.G. Goodman, and the punk industrial sound of Jonathan Horstmann and Urban Heat to the fun sound of Benjamin Violet and Pelvis Wrestley.

BluMoon (@blumoontx)

via BluMoon TX

MAVICA (@iammavica)

via MAVICA

Matthew Logan Vasquez (@matthewloganvasquez)

via Matthew Logan Vasquez

Thelma & The Sleaze (@thelmaandthesleaze)

via Thelma Sleaze

S.G. Goodman (@s.g.goodman)

via S.G. Goodman

Urban Heat (@urbanheatmusic)

via Urban Heat

Pelvis Wresley (@pelvis_wrestley)

via Pelvis Wrestley

Others: 

Billy Glitter

Fake Fruit Band

AntennaTheEnd

Strawberry Guy

Nuevo Musica

Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: On Aura Tout Vu Couture Spring/Summer 2022

Designers: Livia Stoianova and Yassen Samouilov

via Fashion Feed

Harry Houdini

Acting Appreciation

At some point in our lives, the name "Houdini" has come up in conversation.  Usually following some sort of unexplained escape, "Who do you think you are, Houdini?"

Born on March 24, 1874, Harry Houdini, born Erik Weisz, was known as an escape artist, illusionist, stunt performer, and actor. He took the pseudonym Harry Houdini after his spiritual master, French magician Robert-Houdin. 

Houdini was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary to a Jewish family. At age 4, he and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. 

At nine years old, Houdini made his public début as a trapeze artist, Ehrich, the Prince of the Air."

As a teenager, Houdini was coached by magician Joseph Rinn, before beginning his magic career in 1891. He performed in dime museums--entertainment centers targeted for the working class--sideshows, and circuses. His act was at first card tricks and close-up magic but then moved to escape acts.

In 1894, he and his brother, Dash, performed at Coney Island as The Brothers Houdini. Dash was then replaced by Wilhelmina Beatrice "Bess" Rahner, who became Houdini's wife. Bess would work as Houdini's assistant throughout his career.

In 1899, his escape acts were recognized and he was booked on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville is a French theatre variety show. 

The next couple of decades, Houdini would trill spectators with performances where he freed himself from jails, handcuffs, chains, ropes, straitjackets, and buried alive. I'm sure I left some performances out.

English comedian Alan Davies explores Harry Houdini in a short documentary for Timeline.

via Timeline

Source: Wikipedia, Youtube