Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 156

Samuel Levi Jones at the Dallas Museum of Art

Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Samuel Levi Jones’s 48 Portraits (Underexposed) (2012) by the Dallas Museum of Art, Texas. The work is currently on view in the exhibition When You See Me: Visibility in Contemporary Art/History, co-curated by Dr. Anna Katherine Brodbeck, Dr. Vivian Li, Ade Omotosho, and Veronica Myers, at the museum through April 13, 2025.

This important early work marks Jones’s first use of pulped source material, which has, in the years since, become a core component of the artist’s practice of abstraction as a means of transformation. Inspired by Gerhard Richter’s 1972 work by the same name, and its notable exclusion of women and people of color, Jones printed on pulped encyclopedia paper portraits of prominent African American figures across disciplines—24 women and 24 men—who, despite their achievements, were not formally represented in the 1972 Encyclopedia Britannica. The images are underexposed, inviting viewers to look more closely at these individuals, their accomplishments, and the authoritative volumes that ignored them. In the spring of 2023, 48 Portraits (Underexposed) was included in the solo exhibition Samuel Levi Jones: Conscious Intuition at Galerie Lelong & Co., when it was shown in its entirety for the first time on the East Coast.

Samuel Levi Jones, 48 Portraits (Underexposed) (detail, James Baldwin), 2012.

With this acquisition, Jones’s 48 Portraits (Underexposed) joins Richter’s 48 Portraits in the collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. The works are shown together in dialogue in the exhibition When You See Me: Visibility in Contemporary Art/History, prompting an inquiry into the stakes of visibility and the work that must be done to write an inclusive history.

Of the importance of this work to his practice, Jones says, “during my undergraduate studies, 2010-12, I was considering the relationship between aesthetic visibility and metaphoric visibility (representation). In that, I was doing research on individuals who hadn’t received their due in pedagogy. Their work wasn’t part of any standard curriculum but was evidently part of everyday American—even human—life. Midway through the program, I was introduced to Gerhard Richter’s 48 Portraits and was taken aback by how it so perfectly personified white male patriarchy. I immediately wanted to create my own version which would challenge the status quo by including seminal African American figures in the arts and sciences. The portraits became the impetus for the work I continue to make, and the career I have. This isn’t because I work with figuration, but because I’m exploring innocuous representation. The portraits are barely visible but present, where the encyclopedias are barely legible. Both resources ask, ‘what are we valuing as a society, and who is falling through the cracks of this canon?’”

Samuel Levi Jones, 48 Portraits (Underexposed), 2012. Suite of 48 inkjet prints on recycled Encyclopedia Britannica paper, each: 24.5 x 22 inches (62.2 x 55.9 cm). Dallas Museum of Art, TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Fund, 2024.1.A-VV.

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Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider opens at Tate Modern

In the early 20th century, an international circle of friends came together to transform modern art. Their story is told in a major new exhibition at Tate Modern – Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider – celebrating their radical experimentation with form, colour, sound and performance. The show draws on the world’s richest collection of expressionist masterpieces at the Lenbachhaus in Munich, alongside rare loans from public and private collections, including works never previously seen in the UK. From celebrated artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter, Franz Marc and Paul Klee, to previously overlooked figures like Wladimir Burliuk and Maria Franck-Marc, the exhibition reveals the multicultural and transnational nature of this key moment in early modernist art.

The Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter) was a loosely affiliated and diverse network of artists, connected by their desire to express personal experiences and spiritual ideas. They published their groundbreaking Almanac in 1912, edited by Kandinsky and Marc, and staged two public exhibitions in 1911 and 1912. The collective brought together highly individual creatives from across western and eastern Europe and the USA to form ‘a union of various countries to serve one purpose’. They proclaimed that ‘the whole work, called art, knows no borders or nations, only humanity.’

Tate Modern’s exhibition begins with the collective’s core couple of Kandinsky and Münter and their creative network in pre-First World War Munich. Munich at that time was an artistic hub of experimentation where different cultures and experiences converged. A room of stunning portraits and self-portraits introduce this diasporic creative community, including Marianne Werefkin’s Self-Portrait c. 1910 and Münter’s Listening (Portrait of Jawlensky) 1909. A selection of photographs from the Masterpieces of Muhammadan Art exhibition staged in Munich in 1910 and Erma Bossi’s bold and expressive Circus 1909 demonstrate diverse urban experiences, while themes of sexuality and performance are explored through Werefkin’s collaboration with free-style performer Alexander Sacharoff, including her provocative 1909 portrait reflecting the dancer’s androgynous persona.

The urban centre of Munich is contrasted with rural Murnau, a small sub-Alpine Bavarian town which became home for Münter and Kandinsky from 1909. This space for creative exchange and artistic experimentation inspired a new search for spirituality and an interest in folk art. Encounters with the local landscape and vernacular culture influenced a move to expressive painterly compositions focused on the power of line and colour, leading Kandinsky and Münter to radically new approaches in both abstract and figurative painting such as Improvisation Deluge 1913 and Portrait of Marianne Werefkin 1909. Meanwhile, their friends and collaborators Marc and Franck-Marc explored the animal world and the creativity of children through works such as Tiger 1912 and Girl with Toddler c. 1913.

Some rooms offer visitors experiential environments focused on single works which capture modernism’s fascination with sound, colour and light. These include Kandinsky’s Impression III (Concert) 1911, revealing his interest in the neurodiverse condition known as synaesthesia in which one of the senses is experienced through another, and Franz Marc’s 1911 Deer in the Snow II, whose mysteries are unlocked through an exploration of colour theory and optics.

The exhibition concludes by showing how the Blue Rider artists ensured their lasting legacy in ways we recognise today – publishing manifestos and editorials, curating exhibitions, touring shows, and fostering relationships with museums and galleries. Münter staged a solo show at Berlin’s Der Sturm, Klee’s Legend of the Swamp 1919 nearly perished in the infamous Degenerate Art exhibition of 1937, while Kandinsky’s text On the Spiritual in Art was translated and is still published internationally across the globe. With the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 the collective was dispersed, but their ideas and aspirations for a transnational creative community still resonate powerfully today.

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‘Brigands: The Quest for Gold’ Netflix Series: Villains, Heroines, Injustice, and Adventure in the Italian Revolution Era

Brigands: The Quest for Gold es una serie italiana protagonizada por Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Michela De Rossi, Ivana Lotito y Marlon Joubert.

Netflix’s “Brigands: The Quest for Gold” is an adventure series steeped in the classic spirit of its time, set during the tumultuous period following Giuseppe Garibaldi’s revolution in Italy. This series encapsulates the essence of an era that was still shaping its identity, navigating through a landscape marked by separation, individual struggles, and a collective pursuit of something greater. It’s a narrative rich in injustice, revolution, and the perennial clash between the downtrodden righteous and the unjust powerful, infused with bandits, romance, betrayals, and all the classic elements that make such series irresistibly entertaining and appealing.

Plot

In post-revolutionary Palermo, as Italy was still in the throes of nation-building, the series introduces us to a time when law and order were concepts yet to be uniformly established or accepted. Amidst this backdrop of personal and collective aspirations, miseries, and battles, some choose to live outside the bounds of an unjust and oppressive legal system. It’s against this setting that a woman from a privileged background is forced to ally with a group of bandoleros. Behind their quest lies the hidden gold of the troops, the so-called “red shirts.” What unfolds is a classic adventure story featuring powerful villains and righteous outlaws battling for survival.

About the Series

“Brigands: The Quest for Gold” may not boast Hollywood’s blockbuster production values, but it draws its strength from its core—an engaging story that resonates with the heart and spirit of justice. Leveraging the timeless arguments of classical literature and adventure cinema, the series presents an entertaining spectacle dominated by heroes and villains. Netflix continues its tradition of spotlighting female protagonists; here, Matilda Lutz shines as Michelina, alongside Michela ed Rossi’s Filomena. Their performances anchor the narrative, instilling vigor and dynamism into the series.

Among the male cast, Lorenzo de Moor and Marion Joiubert stand out, with Joiubert captivating audiences with his robust physical presence and nuanced portrayal of Schiavone. However, it’s Nando Paone’s rendition of Ventre that truly embodies the indispensable counterpoint every great story needs.

Technically, the series doesn’t aim for the grandeur of productions like “Game of Thrones,” with its detailed cinematography and visual splendor. Instead, “Brigands: The Quest for Gold” captures the essence of its era through natural, uncertain landscapes and vegetation, crafting believable settings on a modest budget.

With compelling characters and an enthralling adventure plot set against the epic backdrop of a fight for justice, the series manages to entertain and amuse. It’s a reminder not to hold overly high expectations for its camera work, as the series opts to highlight realism in execution rather than in scriptwriting.

“Brigands: The Quest for Gold” offers a curious mix, intentionally avoiding risk to deliver a story where women emerge as the heroines of a classic tale of revolution, justice, and adventure. It entertains without aspiring to any particular visual, aesthetic, or artistic innovation. This series is for those looking to immerse themselves in character-driven narratives rather than the storytelling technique.

Where to Watch “Brigands: The Quest for Gold”

Netflix

Brigands: The Quest for GoldBrigands: The Quest for Gold

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Fight for Paradise: Who Can You Trust? – Netflix’s Reality Show: A Battle Between Fortune and Failure

Last week, we dipped into “Don’t Hate the Player,” another Netflix hit that brought us a reality show formula drenched in conflict, alliances, betrayals, and social maneuvering. The participants will vie for a significant prize, with only one claiming the victory.

This competition, however, has a unique twist. Various challenges will be scored, and contestants themselves will need to select their leaders and determine each other’s fates.

The show is divided into two distinct halves: one group of contestants will endure the harsh realities of camp life, while the other enjoys the comfort of a luxurious house.

Interestingly, the French version of the show offered a €150,000 prize, whereas the German version offers €100,000.

There will be no shortage of reasons for debate and conflict, not even in the prize itself.

About the Reality Show

Netflix has a penchant for reality shows. Despite their quality, this genre requires minimal investment, fills hours of programming, and sparks debate about the show, offering free publicity – what else could a broadcaster ask for?

To achieve this, controversy, confrontation, and plenty of drama are essential. The contestants are specifically chosen for this purpose, appealing and eager to grab attention at any cost. “Fight for Paradise: Who Can You Trust?” ticks all these boxes, basing itself on direct confrontation, ensuring viewers won’t have to wait long before the battle commences.

Rest assured, the clashes will come soon.

This time, the stunning Bonnie Strange hosts the contest.

While the formula might not be groundbreaking, it’s bound to satisfy fans of these types of shows.

As always, if you’re not a fan of reality TV, simply don’t watch. But for those who enjoy it, get ready for a rollercoaster of fights, disputes, and tantrums.

Where to Watch “Fight for Paradise: Who Can You Trust?”

Netflix

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Movie Review: “Immaculate” (2024) – A Terrifying Convent Tale with a Twist

Immaculate is a movie starring Sydney Sweeney with Álvaro Morte and Simona Tabasco. It is directed by Michael Mohan.

“Immaculate” emerges as a commendable horror flick, blending all the timeless elements against a backdrop that almost never fails to chill its audience: a convent. Set in Italy around the mid-20th century (a time devoid of cell phones, where pens and fountain pens were the norm), it provides an atmospheric setting that adds depth to the narrative.

While the plot may tread familiar ground and might not offer many surprises, both lead actress Sydney Sweeney and director Michael Mohan go to great lengths to ensure the film crosses the finish line as both entertaining and, at intervals, genuinely frightening.

Plot Overview

The story introduces us to a novice nun arriving at a new convent. Welcomed by a seemingly kind-hearted priest, she soon plunges into a world of nightmarish visions and sinister thoughts. To her shock, she discovers she’s pregnant, despite vehemently claiming no relations with any man. Could this be considered a miracle?

ImmaculateAbout the Film

The script doesn’t break new ground or transport us to undiscovered realms of horror cinema. Echoing themes remindful of “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), set against the convent setting, the novice’s dreams, and the character of Father Sal Tedeschi, it stitches together a classical horror fabric.

The setting undoubtedly plays its part well, supplemented by Mohan’s directorial precision, ensuring not a single shot nor the pacing falters; it’s a film that perfectly meets its modest ambitions. Though critics have pointed to its reliance on “cheap thrills,” it manages to evoke fear effectively, if not spectacularly.

“Immaculate” serves up scares in moderation, punctuated by the stellar performance of Sydney Sweeney. She seizes her role as the troubled mother-to-be nun with convincing angst and torment – though, admittedly, not offering anything novel in terms of character exploration.

The film flirts with predictability but saves grace with surprising twists towards the end. It might leave audiences wanting more in terms of plot clarity and engagement mid-way, only to pick up pace and deliver an outstanding final act worth the wait.

In films like this, the ambiance takes center stage – think Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro playing out in the rich tradition of Italian baroque, utilized to its fullest to create an immersive cinematic experience, steeped deeply in Italy’s iconic artistic heritage.

Our Verdict

“Immaculate” stands out as a solid film that achieves its aims with efficiency and a commendable level of quality, despite not shining in any particular aspect. It represents those under-the-radar films with modest budgets that, through sheer professionalism and dedication, manage to triumph.

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Experience the Dynamic Fusion of Culture and Dance at the 2024 CrossCurrent Dance Festival by Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and Flushing Town Hall

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company announces its participation in the 11th CrossCurrent Dance Festival, in collaboration with Flushing Town Hall, on Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 2pm at Flushing Town Hall. Tickets are $20 $15 for FTH members, students and seniors and are available at https://www.flushingtownhall.org/event-detail.php?id=608.

2024 is the 11th Anniversary of the CrossCurrent Festival, a time for the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and Flushing Town Hall to reflect on the years’ past and pay tribute to the festival founder, Nai-Ni Chen. The event celebrates the vibrant Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) arts community of Flushing, Queens, and since its inception, the festival has featured many emerging talents. This year, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will present the dances of Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Lenora Lee and the music of New Asia Chamber Music Society alongside Nai-Ni Chen’s work.

Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety. 

Can’t make it in person? Watch this show from anywhere in the world! Get virtual access with a Culture Stream subscription ($5/month – cancel anytime) to get LIVE and ON-DEMAND access to watch whenever you want! 

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company programs made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Keerati Jinakunwiphat, hailing from Chicago, IL., earned her BFA from SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance with the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship. Her training includes stints at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and Springboard Danse Montreal. Notable collaborations include works with artists like Kyle Abraham, Nicole von Arx, Trisha Brown, and Doug Varone. Joining A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham in 2016, Keerati’s freelance choreography has graced stages from the American Dance Guild Festival to Lincoln Center. In 2023, she made history as the first Asian American woman commissioned to choreograph for the New York City Ballet. Awards include the Jadin Wong Fellowship Artist of Exceptional Merit and the 2023 Princess Grace Award in choreography.

Lenora Lee Dance (LLD) has pushed boundaries for 15 years, blending multimedia, dance, film, and music with culture, history, and human rights. Led by San Francisco’s Lenora Lee, an Artist Fellow at the deYoung Museum and a 2019 United States Artists Fellow, LLD’s works span intimate to large-scale, site-responsive performances. Collaborations locally and nationally have expanded their reach, encompassing films, museum installations, and educational programming as vehicles for social change.

New Asia Chamber Music Society (NACMS), founded in 2010 in NYC, features young Asian-American virtuosi. NACMS’s innovative approach melds traditional chamber music with contemporary compositions reflecting Western and Eastern cultures. Performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center showcase their dedication to exceptional chamber music, with tours across Taiwan and collaborations with major art organizations. Their engaging social media presence aims to create interactive chamber music experiences worldwide.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company led by Nai-Ni Chen, a visionary in Asian American dance, emphasizes the immigrant experience through multicultural performances. Founded in the early 1990s, the company’s diverse repertory bridges Asian and American arts, collaborating with musicians like the Ahn Trio and artists such as Myung Hee Cho. Their global presence includes performances in Mexico, Canada, Russia, and China, supported by esteemed institutions and foundations. Recent works like “A Quest for Freedom,” developed with the Ahn Trio, exemplify the Company’s commitment to innovative, cross-cultural productions.

Acknowledgement

Programs of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company have been made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, DanceNYC Dance Advancement Fund, the Hyde and Watson Foundation, E.J. Grassman Trust, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, New Music USA, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, American Dance Abroad, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ Cultural Exchange Fund, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, PSEG, Proskauer, WAC Lighting and the Glow Foundation. WQXR is a media partner of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

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Join Ballet Hispánico in Celebrating 15 Years of Artistic Excellence: The Quinceañera Gala Honoring Oscar Munoz and Eduardo Vilaro’s Milestone Season

Ballet Hispánico announces The Quinceañera Gala, honoring Oscar Munoz, Former CEO & Chairman, United Airlines, with the Nuestra Inspiración Award—presented by Marcos Torres, Senior Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets and Ballet Hispánico Board Member, and Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th season as Artistic Director of Ballet Hispánico, with remarks by Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation.

Ballet Hispánico 2024 Gala Performance (6:30pm) and Dinner

The Ballet Hispánico Gala Dinner is a beloved New York event attended by some 500 leaders in the arts and business communities and is truly a spectacular evening filled with performances by the students from its School of Dance and, of course, live music by three-time Grammy Award Winner, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, that entices guests to take to the dance floor. The critical funds raised at the Gala provide dance training scholarships that change the lives of young people, inspiring performances by the professional Company, and immersive dance programs in communities across the United States and worldwide. Tickets for the April 25 Gala Performance may be paired with a reservation for the Quinceañera Gala at The Plaza Hotel in tribute to Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th anniversary as Artistic Director of Ballet Hispánico. The evening begins at 5:30pm with a red carpet and cocktail hour, followed by a reception and the opening night performance of the Company’s annual season at New York City Center. The festivities continue with a presentation of awards during a seated dinner at The Plaza Hotel.

“Leading this company continues to be the honor of my life. Fifteen years is quite a milestone; I’m humbled,” said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO. “I look forward to celebrating at City Center with several exciting pieces, including the World Premiere of my new work Buscando a Juan, inspired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition Juan de Pareja, Afro-Hispanic Painter.”

Gala Performance Program: Recuerdo de Campo Amor by Talley Beatty; Con Brazos Abiertos (excerpts) by Michelle Manzanales; Doña Perón (excerpt) by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa featuring guest artist Herman Cornejo, American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer; Pas de O’ Farrill, duet by Pedro Ruiz; Buscando a Juan by Eduardo Vilaro.

Gala Chairs:

Jody* & John Arnhold

Richard Feldman

Kate Lear* & Jonathan LaPook

David Pérez* & Milena Alberti-Pérez

Joseph Wayland* & Patricia Verrilli

Gala Committee:

Melissa Alvarez-Downing* & Stuart Downing

Avance Investment Management

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Michelle Caruso-Cabrera* & Stephen Dizard

Judy & Jamie Dimon

Auri Fenouil* & Sebastian Garcia

Ford Foundation

Matthew Ford*

Howard Gilman Foundation

Hiroko Ito*

Robert Kartheiser* & Caroline Walther-Meade

Sara* & Chris Lange

The Frances Lear Foundation

Richard & Juana Maloof*

Meow Wolf

Brett* & Lauren Perlmutter

Popular Bank

Pryor Cashman, LLP

Francisco Ramírez-Valle*

Rita Rodriguez*

Samuel H. Scripps Foundation

Ronald Shechtman* & Lynne Meadow

Scott Tegethoff*

Jose* & Vanesa Tolosa

Marcos Torres*

Sergio Trujillo* and Jack Noseworthy

Danays Vichot*

Charles Wortman* & Laura Baldwin

Committee in formation

Board Member*

The attire for the event is Quinceañera black-tie chic. To purchase tickets, a table, a journal advertisement, or for more information, please contact Ellie Craven at ecraven@ballethispanico.org, or visit https://www.ballethispanico.org/support/events/2024-gala.

Ballet Hispánico is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and by the National Endowment for the Arts.

MetLife Foundation is an Official Tour Sponsor of Ballet Hispánico.

In honor of Eduardo Vilaro’s Quinceañera season as Artistic Director of Ballet Hispánico, the program (Fri evening, Sat evening, Sun matinee) will feature the World Premiere of Buscando a Juan. Vilaro’s new work, inspired by The Met’s exhibition of Juan de Pareja, Afro-Hispanic Painter, is a layered and immersive piece inspired by the life of Juan de Pareja, the Afro-Hispanic painter who was enslaved in Spanish painter Diego Velázquez’s studio for over two decades before becoming an artist in his own right. The work is a thought-provoking homage to the nuanced dance of shared vulnerability and intimate collaboration among artists that redefines the boundaries of individual creativity, beckoning us to question the very essence of artistic identity. In House of Mademoiselle, internationally acclaimed choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa takes us on a wild romp through a campy world that explores iconic female representations found in Latin American culture. From femme fatales to the delicate language of fans, boas and Latin dance, the work highlights how the culture is enamored and obsessed with the iconic high-octane female stars of past and present; and Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s 18+1, a fun romp through some of Pérez Prado’s iconic big band hits with Ramírez’s signature athletic movement vocabulary.

Oscar Munoz served as CEO and Chairman of United Airlines and now presides on the board of directors of Salesforce, CBRE, TelevisaUnivision, and Archer Aviation, a leading Urban Air Mobility company and developer of all-electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft. He serves on the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, is a trustee of the University of Southern California and the Brookings Institution and is an independent trustee for Fidelity. He has served in various financial leadership positions across diverse industries, including U.S. West, AT&T, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo.

In his recent memoir, Turnaround Time, published by Harper’s Business, Oscar recounts the remarkable corporate revival that took place for the iconic airline under his leadership, delivering industry-leading operational reliability, and sustained financial success, with stock value increasing 54 percent during that period. Earning recognition as a Wall Street Journal Best-seller, in the book Oscar credits this rapid success to a focus on putting employees first, and he pays tribute to their sustained faith in him during a heart attack and heart transplant he suffered only a month into his tenure. 

He is co-Chair of the 2023 Blue Ribbon Commission for the National Association of Corporate Directors, the authority on best boardroom practices. Since 2022, the Oscar and Cathy Munoz Pave it Forward Foundation has proudly partnered with the American Heart Association to create the AHA’s Social Impact Fund, providing financial grants and low-interest loans for evidence-based, community-driven work to address heart health inequality.

Previously, Mr. Munoz served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the North American rail-based transportation supplier CSX Corp. A decade of excellent financial performance, including a boost in operating income of nearly 600 percent, earned CSX recognition on the list of Most Honored Companies by Institutional Investor magazine.

Mr. Munoz earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and an MBA from Pepperdine’s Graziadio Business School.

Hispanic Business magazine twice named Mr. Munoz one of its ‘100 Most Influential Hispanics’, honoring his journey as an immigrant who, to this date, remains the only person of Hispanic heritage to run a U.S. airline.

Eduardo Vilaro is the Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico (BH). He was named BH’s Artistic Director in 2009, becoming only the second person to head the company since its founding in 1970, and in 2015 was also named Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape.

Mr. Vilaro’s philosophy of dance stems from a basic belief in the power of the arts to change lives, reflect and impact culture, and strengthen community. He considers dance to be a liberating, non-verbal language through which students, dancers, and audiences of all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, can initiate ongoing conversations about the arts, expression, identity, and the meaning of community.

Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of six, Mr. Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the Latin American experience in its totality and diversity, and through its intersectionality with other diasporas. His works are catalysts for new dialogues about what it means to be an American. He has created more than 40 ballets with commissions that include the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Grant Park Festival, the Lexington Ballet and the Chicago Symphony.

A Ballet Hispánico dancer and educator from 1988 to 1996, he left New York, earned a master’s in interdisciplinary arts at Columbia College Chicago and then embarked on his own act of advocacy with a ten-year record of achievement as Founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago.

The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Mr. Vilaro received the Ruth Page Award for choreography in 2001; was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016; and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Trailblazer of the Year. In 2019, he received the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts and was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In August 2020, City & State Magazine included Mr. Vilaro in the inaugural Power of Diversity: Latin 100 list. In January 2021, Mr. Vilaro was recognized with a Compassionate Leaders Award, given to leaders who are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. In May 2022, he was honored to serve as a Grand Marshall of 2022 Dance Parade. Mr. Vilaro is a well-respected speaker on such topics as diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts, as well as on the merits of the intersectionality of cultures and the importance of nurturing and building Latinx leaders.

Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latine/x/Hispanic cultural organization in the United States and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico’s three main programs, the Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships, bring communities together to celebrate the multifaceted Hispanic diasporas. Ballet Hispánico’s New York City headquarters provide the physical home and cultural heart for Latinx dance in the United States. It is a space that initiates new inclusive cultural conversations and explores the intersectionality of Latine cultures. The Ballet Hispánico mission opens a platform for new social dialogue, and nurtures and sees a community in its fullness. Through its exemplary artistry, distinguished training program, and deep-rooted community engagement, Ballet Hispánico champions and amplifies Latine voices in the field. For over fifty years Ballet Hispánico has provided a place of honor for the omitted, overlooked, and othered. As it looks to the future, Ballet Hispánico is pushing the culture forward on issues of dance and Latine creative expression.

NEW YORK CITY CENTER (Michael S. Rosenberg, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. The distinctive Neo-Moorish building was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as Manhattan’s first performing arts center with the mission of making the best in theater, dance, and music accessible to all audiences. This commitment continues today through celebrated dance and musical theater series like the Fall for Dance Festival and the Tony-honored Encores! series; the annual season by Principal Dance Company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and new dance series Artists at the Center. City Center welcomes audiences to experience internationally acclaimed artists including Kyle Abraham, Matthew Bourne, Ayodele Casel, Manhattan Theatre Club, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Twyla Tharp, on the same stage where legends made their mark. Dedicated to a culture built on the values of curiosity, collaboration, accessibility, and inclusivity, City Center’s dynamic programming, art exhibitions, and studio events are complemented by education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to thousands of New York City students, teachers, and families every year. NYCityCenter.org

About MetLife Foundation

At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to driving inclusive economic mobility for underserved and underrepresented communities around the world. We collaborate with nonprofit organizations and provide grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic inclusion, financial health and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since its inception, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $1 billion to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit www.MetLife.org. 

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Step into a New Era of Time Travel with Yogscast Games and Perfectly Paranormal’s The Holy Gosh Darn, Coming to PC and Consoles This Summer

Bristol,  United Kingdom — April 18, 2024 | Time travel has taken many forms over the years, a blue box, a DeLorean, and even a hot tub. But now a golden stopwatch has taken up the torch as the master of time, space and so much more, as players will discover in Yogscast Games and Perfectly Paranormal’s The Holy Gosh Darn, releasing for PC and consoles this Summer. 

The Holy Gosh Darn – which is set on the same Tuesday as Perfectly Paranormal’s previous games Manual Samuel and Helheim Hassle – is a truly laugh-out-loud adventure, spanning realms way beyond the imagination, where time is more of an idea than a hard and fast rule. Along the way, players will meet a cast of ridiculous characters as they insult heavenly elders, travel to hell, meet exactly 4,250 dogs, and discover the very meaning of life, the universe and… well, everything – and no, it’s not 42.

Perfectly Paranormal will be celebrating their release window announcement by attending WASD, hosting a talk at 12PM on Friday 26th of April where they’ll be revealing more about the game, their inspiration and what creating a utopia with swearing angels is really like.

Speaking of angels, players will be taking on the role of Cassiel, an angel with one task: saving Heaven from total annihilation in – checks watch – six hours. Good thing that time doesn’t mean a lot to them. Travel back to save the future, meet winged bird men, solve intricate puzzles and use the power of an ordained stopwatch to replay conversations and use one timeline’s events to influence another.

Are the dogs pettable? Can Heaven be saved? Is skipping dialogue actually a good thing? Head over to Steam to find out and be sure to wishlist this hilarious, time-bending adventure today, tomorrow or yesterday!

The post Step into a New Era of Time Travel with Yogscast Games and Perfectly Paranormal’s The Holy Gosh Darn, Coming to PC and Consoles This Summer appeared first on Martin Cid Magazine.

Hope Brew: A Solo Exhibition of New Works by Hiromitsu Kuroo at Morton Fine Art, Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C. – Morton Fine Art is pleased to announce Hope Brew, a solo exhibition of new works from Japanese collage painter Hiromitsu Kuroo’s Bleach Painting series. Requiring few materials while allowing for complex structures and intense sensitivity, the series’ simplicity, feasibility and rigor appeal to Kuroo, who first devised the Bleach Paintings series during COVID-19 pandemic’s long period of uncertainty and scarcity. Using everyday items for creation, the artworks are created on linen canvas using a bleach-based collage technique. The artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and first in Washington D.C, Hope Brew, will be on view from April 19 – May 18, 2024 at Morton Fine Art’s D.C. space (52 O St NW #302). An opening reception will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, 2-4pm.

Hiromitsu Kuroo
Hope Brew, 2023
16 x12 in.
Ink and bleach on canvas
Courtesy Morton Fine Art and the artist

Thinned and sharpened by his use of bleach, the color and forms in Kuroo’s works evince a state of long endurance and erosion. Alongside pandemic necessity, inspiration for the bleach paintings sprung from a memorable 2014 camping trip Kuroo took through Utah and Colorado in the western United States. Viewing many Native American murals, Kuroo was struck both by their artistry and the weathering the works endured outdoors. Explaining his bleach painting process, Kuroo has underscored the importance of restraint and minimal use of paint: “I make the works primarily with bleach, using as little paint as possible. The ability to create beauty out of limited expression is a characteristic of Japanese culture expressed through many art forms, and as a painter working in the manner of the Origami tradition of paper folding, I wanted to carry that feature into my practice.” The canvas serves like paper where the gentle manipulation of its surface conveys intricate textural landscapes.

Moving from New York City in 2021 (where the artist lived for 18 years) to Saitama, Japan, Kuroo has continued his Bleach Paintings. Hope Brew collects work from the Japan-based period of the series. Building upon his early works, which tended to be smaller works on canvas, Kuroo now incorporates three-dimensional forms in his paintings, adding an expression of light and shadow, as in Bleach C (2024). Seemingly monochromatic, save for some gray smudges and faded blue lines resembling painter’s tape, the work reveals brilliant and unexpected color, shade and texture within its folds and panels. Consisting of a grid-like vertical base overlaid with a pinwheel arrangement of attached panels, Bleach C’s collaged forms and layers of battered paint give way to glimpses of green, yellow, sky-blue, gray and faded white, bruise-like smears and sheets of color. The expression of the soft bleached linen canvas and the sharp contrast of colors and shadows mix well together to create the large (34 x22 in.) work.

The Bleach Paintings command a sense of enduring brilliance and charged resilience, evoking the wan, but indelible-seeming colors and relics of industry while also gesturing to natural forms of entropy and decay. Suggesting a battery of actions, time and rigor, the works in Hope Brew exude an atmosphere of time and story.

Hiromitsu Kuroo
Bleach B, 2024
22 x 20 in.
Ink and bleach on canvas

Hiromitsu Kuroo (Japan & New York, b. Japan)

Hiromitsu Kuroo is a Japanese collage painter working in the tradition of origami. In his work, the canvas serves as the paper, and the gentle manipulation of its surface conveys intricate textural landscapes. The multiple layers of colors in his folded canvases are revealed by sanding the canvas surface. Interested in the juxtaposition and vitality of collaged pieces of canvas, he uses them to accentuate other emerging shapes in his compositions.

Hiromitsu Kuroo earned both a BFA and MFA from Tohoku University of Art & Design and has had solo exhibitions at the New York-based Tenri Cultural Institute, Gloria Kennedy Gallery, MIKIMOTO NY, Makari and Bronx Community College, as well as the Tokyo-based Gallery Yamaguchi and G-Art Gallery. He was awarded Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants in 2010 and 2019, Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation Grant in 2022, and the artist residency program for The Golden Foundation in 2019. In 2020, he was interviewed for Forbes Magazine. He has been represented by Morton Fine Art since 2022.

My childhood in Kaminagaya exposed me to the scarf dyeing factories on the Ooka River, and the beauty and joy of color–you can find clear nods to my youth in the repeating patterns within my works. The recurrent shapes and colors in my works are sourced from everyday life–natural landscapes, the scenery of the city, conversation with strangers, good books and music all help me materialize my pieces.

Hiromitsu Kuroo headshot
Courtesy Morton Fine Art and the artistMorton Fine Art

Founded in 2010 in Washington D.C. by curator Amy Morton, Morton Fine Art (MFA) is a fine art gallery and curatorial group that collaborates with art collectors and visual artists to inspire fresh ways of acquiring contemporary art. Firmly committed to the belief that art collecting can be cultivated through an educational stance, MFA’s mission is to provide accessibility to museum-quality contemporary art through a combination of substantive exhibitions and a welcoming platform for dialogue and exchange of original voice. Morton Fine Art specializes in a stellar roster of nationally and internationally renowned artists as well as has an additional focus on artwork of the African and Global Diaspora.

Hiromitsu Kuroo
Bleach C, 2024
34 x 22 in.
Ink and bleach on canvas
Courtesy Morton Fine Art and the artist

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Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen (2024) Comedy on Netflix: Fern Brady in all her self-irony and naturalness

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen is a stand-up comedy special starring Fern Brady and directed by Phoebe Bourke.

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen

Netflix brings to us this Monday a special stand-up featuring a lady who started as a journalist and then plunged into the world of stand-up, achieving great success. Fern Brady is a Scot, and as she tells us, also has Irish blood and has been diagnosed as autistic.

People tell her that being autistic is like having a superpower: a comic who drops monologues about Sylvia Plath without realizing that the audience isn’t interested at all. “Autistic Bikini Queen” is a collection of reflections about herself, age, and her times as a stripper at a strip club (she says), which were the best times of her life.

Fern Brady begins to accept her age, realizing she will never attend an Eyes Wide Shut style orgy and that the times ahead are going to be… less glamorous.

Dressed in black, simple and very down-to-earth, Fern Brady offers a casual monologue that exudes approachability and naturalness, always achieving a rapport with the audience to whom she seems to say: Hey, I’m not perfect either!

“Autistic Bikini Queen” is a hilarious monologue by this woman who humorously takes her diagnosis in stride, and moreover, has done a lot in discussing autism and dissipating the negative stigma it still carries with humor and much naturalness.

So you know, if you’re in the mood for some fun, you can tune in to “Autistic Bikini Queen” from Monday, April 22nd on the network known as Netflix which, every Monday, introduces us to a new comic.

Enjoy it.

Where to Watch “Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen”

Netflix

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