Gino Boccasile

Art Appreciation

Gino Boccasile was an Italian illustrator who work captured the imagination of people around the world. His work encompassed a wide range of subjects, including advertising, fashion, and propaganda.

Born on July 14, 1901, in Bari, Italy, Gino Boccasile displayed an early aptitude to design and completed studies at the fine arts school of his home town. After the death of his father, he moved to Milan, and eventually gained a post at the Mauzan-Morzenti Agency producing posters and illustrating fashion magazines. 

In his 30s, he participated in the Salon des Indépendants, art exhibition in Paris, and opened a publicity agency called ACTA, in Galleria del Corso. He illustrated for several Italian periodicals and designs book covers for publishers Mondadori and Rizzoli. A supporter of Benito Mussolini, Boccasile produced propaganda material for his government.

His involvement in propaganda during World War II propelled Boccasile into he spotlight on an international scale. His artistic skills were sought after by the Italian Fascist regime, and he became one of the leadings propagandists of the time. While controversial, Boccasile's propaganda art undeniably showcased his technical prowess and ability to convey powerful messages through visual means.

As expected, Boccasile faced scrutiny after the war for his involvement with the Fascist regime. In fact, he was imprisoned. Although acquitted, he struggled to find work. He briefly supported himself by doing pornographic sketches. 

He managed to rebuild his career by starting his own agency in Milan where he created memorable illustrations for magazines, publishers, and advertisement agencies.

Anti-American Fascist propaganda poster (1943)

Lugano Suisse Southern Switzerland Schweiz (1939)

Paris Tabou: Revue Mensuelle (1952)

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gino_Boccasile

http://spartacus-educational.com/2WWboccasile.htm

https://conchigliadivenere.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/gino-boccasile-1901-1952-italian/

http://www.posterclassics.com/boccasile-posters1.html

http://www.internationalposter.com/artist-detail.aspx?id=461

http://www.callihan.com/art/vintage/gino-boccasile.html

http://www.pierangelo-boog.com/2013/05/gino-boccasile-great-italian-illustrator.html

http://galleria.thule-italia.com/tag/boccasile/?lang=en#!prettyPhoto

https://www.fondazionepirelli.org/en/activities/stories-from-world-of-pirelli/gino-boccasile-a-great-artist-for-pirelli/

https://www.germannauktionen.ch/en/items/20886-gino-boccasile

"Sex and How to Get It" by Cynthia Heimel

Literature Appreciation

While flipping through an old PLAYBOY magazine, I came across an article by columnist Cynthia Heimel. Actually, I'll be honest, the title "Sex and How to Get It" was what caught my attention. 

The American feminist and humorist writer was known as being the first to have a column in PLAYBOY that focused on women. Heimel's main focus was sexual self-confidence for women and the idea that women enjoy sex.

Born on July 13, 1947, Heimel started writing for an alternative magazine in the late 1960s called Distant Drummer. She then worked for numerous publications including Penthouse Magazine, New York Daily News, The Village Voice, Vogue, and then PLAYBOY.

In her column, "Sex and How to Get It," she shares a conversation with the Editorial Director of Playboy, where she mentions her active sex life. The editorial director suggested Cynthia write about it, but she is hesitant due to potential negative reactions from certain readers, and expresses frustration that woman's magazines, at the time, frowns upon such openness in using explicit language when discussing sex.

"I want to just casually call it fucking, but I can't bring myself to. I would have no problem using it in a women's magazine, but none of those prissy women's magazines would let me."

Cynthia digresses to describe a disappointing experience at a male strip show they attended with a friend. Although she appreciated the male performers for their physique, she found the women's reactions to be off-putting and not genuinely arousing.   

"It was the women who were hideous. Shrieking. No, more like keening. If they had been one decibel higher only a dog could have heard them, but no. It was like being at a Beatles concert in 1965, only louder. Loud enough to split my head open, maybe. But were they turned on? Nope. They were letting off steam... If a stripper touched her on any part of her body, she shied away, which is quite the paradox. Women supposedly screaming in lust were still loath to let strange men grope them." 

She adds how men who go to strip clubs sit quietly with hard-ons, different from women. She explains that men are turned-on easily without knowing who the woman is. She adds that woman, like herself, are turned on more when a man fits their interest.

"The men who go to strip clubs are pretty quiet, sitting there with hard-ons. They really are turned on. They want some lap dancing. They don't much care who the woman is, because those auxiliary sex glands in their eyes take over. Women have to know a guy."

Cynthia anticipates receiving negative letters from readers due to her use of explicit language in her column, recalling a past incident where she received verbal abuse from hostile readers after Playboy Men Columnist Asa Baber shared a fantasy. 

"Once Asa Baber wrote about how I gave him a blow job at a restaurant. I remember reading his column and getting dizzy with shock. At the end he confessed it was a fantasy, but by then it was too late. Many dumb hostile guys didn't read to the end."

Despite concerns, Cynthia reveals her strong sexual desire for her current partner, Andrew. They cherish the intense moments of passion they share, emphasizing that nothing compares to the feeling of being sexually intimate, and she hopes Andrew will be supportive and not say anything hurtful or foolish regarding her openness about their sex life.

Source: 

Wikipedia

Heimel, Cynthia. "Sex and How to Get It." PLAYBOY, vol. 43, no. 1, January 1996, p. 33.

Andrew Wyeth

Art Appreciation

Considered one of the most significant American artists of the 20th century, Andrew Wyeth is known for his realistic and expressive depiction of rural American life. 

Born on July 12, 1917, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Wyeth was the youngest of five children of illustrator and artist Newell Covers Wyeth and Carolyn Bockius Wyeth. He began drawing and was a draftsman before he could read. Andrew began painting at a young age and studied under America's popular illustrator Howard Pyle. 

Like his father, Andrew appreciated intellectuals such poet Robert Frost and writer Henry David Thoreau -- two who would have influence in his paintings. Additionally, silent-films with orchestra added to his artistic sensitivity, such as King Vidor's The Big Parade (1925). 

One of Wyeth's most famous works is Christina's World, painted in 1948. The painting features a young woman, Christina Olson, who he met through his wife, Betsey James, gazing out over a field towards a weathered farmhouse. It depicts Christina's isolation and struggle navigating the landscape, making it an iconic representation of American rural life.

Wyeth continued to paint throughout his life, often returning to the same subjects and landscapes for inspiration. His works are known for their emotional depth and evocative power, and his attention to detail and mastery of the medium have made him a celebrated figure in the world of art.

In 1963, Wyeth received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President John F. Kennedy, the first artist to ever receive such honor. President George W. Bush honored Wyeth with the National Medal of Arts in 2007.

Christina's World (1948)

Winter Carnival (1985), Chadd Fords, Pennsylvania

Day Dream (1980)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.wikiart.org/en/andrew-wyeth

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/04/28/betsy-wyeth-wife-and-collaborator-to-andrew-wyeth-has-died-aged-98

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/jan/19/andrew-wyeth-obituary

Boris Grigoriev

Art Appreciation

Boris Grigoriev, was a prominent painter, graphic artist, and writer, born on July 11, 1886 in Rybinsk, 166 miles north northeast of Moscow, known for his stunning portrayals of the poverty and strength of rural Russia. His works provide a glimpse into the lives of ordinary Russians, revealing their struggles, joys, and the essence of their collective spirits.

Grigoriev began his artistic journey in 1906 at the Stroganov School of Art and Industry in Moscow, studying under the artist Dmitry Shcherbinovsky. A few years later, he held his first exhibition at the Union of Impressionists, citing Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh, and André Derain as his influences.

In 1913, Grigoriev continued his studies at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, where he learned from painters Alexander Kiselyov, Dmitry Kardovsky, and Abram Arkhipov. Immersed in the bohemian scene, he mingled with other artists and intellectuals of the time, including Sergey Sudeykin, Velimir Khlebnikov, Anna Akhmatova, Sergei Diaghilev, Konstantin Somov, and Leon Bakst.

Grigoriev gained recognition for his series of paintings and graphic works depicting rural Russia before the revolutionary upheaval of 1917. Despite his art having no political motivations, his Russia series was misunderstood as a denouncement of Russia, prompting him to emigrate to France. His artwork remained locked away until 1989 when the Pskov National Museum of History, Architecture & Art exhibited his work.

Throughout his life, Grigoriev traveled and lived in various countries, including France, Finland, Germany, Central and South Americas, and the United States. During his time in Chile, he taught at the Academy of Arts in Santiago and his artwork had a profound influence on Chilean avant-garde art.

Grigoriev's artistic style is characterized by vivid colors, dynamic brushstrokes, and a deep sense of empathy for his subjects. His paintings often depicted peasants, workers, and villagers, capturing their raw emotions and the harsh realities they faced. Through keen observation and masterful technique, Grigoriev infused his works with a profound humanistic quality that resonated with viewers worldwide.

Self-portrait, 1916

Peasants in the Field, 1920

Motherhood, c. 1926

Russian Peasant Girl, 1924

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.russianartandculture.com/roseberys-london-an-early-gouache-by-boris-grigoriev-discovered/

https://artvee.com/dl/russian-peasant-girl/

https://www.christies.com/features/An-introduction-to-Russian-artist-Boris-Grigoriev-9919-1.aspx

Giorgio de Chirico

Art Appreciation 

Giorgio de Chirico was an Italian artist who played a major role in the development of the scuola metafisica art movement, which profoundly influenced surrealists. He is known for his unique style of painting, which combined classical architecture with mysterious, dreamlike imagery.

Born on July 10, 1888 in Volos, Greece, de Chirico studied drawing and painting at Athens Polytechnic. After his father Evaristo de Chirico's death in 1905, the family relocated to Germany. There de Chirico entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.

It was in Munich that de Chirico first became interested in the classical architecture that would later become a central element of his work. In 1909, he moved to Florence, where he began experimenting with a new style of painting that would later be called scuola metafisica, "metaphysical art."

Many of his paintings featured empty cityscapes or abandoned interiors, with shadows and light creating a mysterious, dreamlike atmosphere. His metaphysical paintings resonated with Surrealists who wanted to tap into the irrational and the mysterious.  

Nude Self-Portrait (1945)

The Song of Love (1914)

The Disquieting Muse (1925)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/ab-art-base/giorgio-de-chirico-metaphysical-painting-life-works

Riley Reid

Acting Appreciation

It's probably her 5'4" natural petite and green eyes that initially caught my attention. A mix of Dutch, Irish, Welsh, German, and Puerto Rican probably helps too. But its really Riley Reid's incredible personality on and off the screen; check out her YouTube channel (@RileyReidx3) and interviews with Manuel Ferrara and No Jumper podcast and you'll agree.

Born in Miami, Florida on July 9, 1991, Riley Reid (real name Ashley Mathews) entered the adult entertainment industry at the age of 19. She did, however, attend Florida International University, but financial troubles took her on a different path. She briefly worked as an exotic dancer.

Since entering the industry, she has landed high-profile roles. Her first performance was in 2012 in Vivid Entertainment's Brand New Faces 36. She would then win XBIZ awards for Best New Scarlet and Female Performer of the Year. In 2014, she won her first AVN Award for her first interracial performance in Mandingo Massacre 6.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.pornhub.com/pornstar/riley-reid

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4764491/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.instagram.com/letrileylive/

https://www.hometownnudes.com/atk-galleria/riley-reid-by-bmbwanton-photography-86121.html 

https://www.biographydiary.com/riley-reid/

Album Cover: The Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat

Album Cover

Album: The Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat

Released: July 8, 1981

Art Direction: Ginger Canzoneri, Mike Doud, Mick Haggerty, Vartan

Photographer: George DuBose, Mick Haggerty, Cindy Marsh

Models: Belinda Carlisle, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock, Kathy Valentine, Jane Wiedlin

Source: 

Wikipedia

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-100-greatest-album-covers/