- A short but highly edifying film about pioneering artist Hilma af Klint, who had an an amazing show at the Guggenheim a few years back, and who would likely have been known—had she not kept her work secret— as the mother of abstract art.
- Seven great new audiobooks to enjoy right now.
- And relatedly, here is Barack Obama’s summer reading list.
- Lame. (The Cut)
- May I suggest that, if you haven’t already, you tune in to this week’s episode of Everything is Fine, in which Jenn and I shoot the shit about our being “oldfluencers”; MTV reality stars turned shamen; how your ambition changes when you get older, and so very much more. Listen in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- I adore this footage of PJ Harvey and Bjork performing “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” at an awards show in 1994.
- And I really really dig this gorgeous new animated video for the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young song “Our House” by artist Jeff Scher. (YouTube)
- 25 intriguing ways to make NYC a better place, post-pandemic. (Curbed)
- A deep dive into 60s psychedelic elevator music, which who even knew existed? (Dangerous Minds)
- I enjoyed the Fug Girls weighing in on the outfits in the Sex and the City reboot that’s been shooting around Manhattan. (Go Fug Yourself)
- “Are You A Bezos?” This hilarious piece was written by Nora Ephron’s son, and you can really hear her voice in it. (NY Times)
So, I haven’t yet aquired the podcast habit – I listened once and I enjoyed it, and I may again – so, maybe I’m not supposed to say anything? (If only that sort of thing stopped me. If only?) Still, I find myself oddly rankled a bit by this concept of “oldfluencer,” in the sense that I wonder if someone would say that if the person were male. (I have no data either way.) And then, it all just reminds me of footwear, and why women wear the shoes they wear. (In my defense, this is a general thing – I hardly ever watch any types of online videos either – I read transcripts whenever possible. I guess now that I’ve said all this, I’ll have to make more of an effort to change my habits and listen this week.) But, don’t we ourselves have a role in what we allow to be important about someone? Maybe you-all already hashed it all out in the podcast and I’ll feel silly when I listen.
I agree with Cedar about their performance. With the other music link, as a young person, I liked to imagine Neil Young as the personification of the letter Y: sometimes he was a vowel/with Crosby, Stills & Nash, sometimes he was not.
Do people want Sex In The City now? I don’t. It felt cringey when they went to the Middle East. Also it’s not SITC w/o Samantha.
I highly recommend the Kermode review of SITC 2 –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHeQeHstrsc
so funny, best thing to come out of that venture.
I had no interest in watching the movies (and haven’t) but will totally watch the show. I love a dumb 30-minute show the way other people love comic book movies. I may be the only person here who actually enjoyed the super dumb Emily in Paris.
Nope – I like EiP too! So what if it’s light? Is that a crime now? Outfits + female friendship issues = a winner in my book.
So I’m a SJP geek and posted a comment on Insta about her gray hair in the new show and she actually commented back that she wishes they let her go gray but they are very white blond highlights. My day was made…
LOVED that Hilma af Klint documentary, her story and work are amazing!
I watched the Hilma af Klimt video last night. My son lives in Sydney and saw the exhibit before they got locked down (again). He sent the link to me. I love her art. Thanks for sharing this on your blog. (Love your podcast too…never miss an episode)
The Bezos piece in the NYT is not to be missed! It’s genius and yes, Nora Ephron lives on in her son’s writing.
Plus who doesn’t want to mock a guy who has a penis rocket? I don’t know if he has a place here in SoCal but he would really fit in and he could befriend a squad of Beta Bezos!
The best online thing i’ve seen about Bezos was this comment: “Sure flying into space is cool, but paying income tax is way cooler.”
great Friday listing! I will admit that at the moment I am watching the live show of the Summer Olympics (this is NOT something I normally do, but we are so far off normal watching the Olympics early in the morning seems like not a weird activity). All to say, I think the Fug Girls should probably comment on the designs of Olympic uniforms as many (from countries with loads of money and super famous talented designers) are, shall we say, head scratching.
I love seeing other countries but WHY does Ralph Lauren continue to get the US contract year after year? His Olympics uniforms are simultaneously boring and clownily hideous, and I didn’t even know that was possible. Like the only American aesthetic is to ape country club wear of the past millennium? Also I am personally offended by the giant, hideous pony logo he plastered on the athletes’ opening ceremony jackets. They aren’t there to advertise for Ralph. There has to be a story somewhere about why this continues. It’s a scandal. Surely other designers are available!
The Liberian uniforms by Telfar are so much more 2021!
There are some HILARIOUS Twitter posts about this! (One of my favorites: https://twitter.com/joeali/status/1418632167102558209?s=21)
SUCH a good question, Margaret. Those uniforms are what my grandmother Gelta would have called a shonda.
For the goyim!
Here’s a Friday link about a podcast, inspired by a book, made timely this summer in the shadow of the pandemic and floods, fires and pestilence. Bonus: Lucky magazine played a role.
https://anddocoolstuff.wordpress.com/tag/in-the-dust-of-this-planet/
The Bjork and PJ Harvey performance is fantastic. The undercurrents they add to the song are trip.
I looked at this picture on the post and I thought, hey thats my phone case! My 13yo DD, the mister and I visited NYC spring 2019 (a first for both of them, I go frequently for work) and we visited the Guggenheim on that visit when the Klint show was being held. As we were browsing the museum store at the end of our visit my daughter picked out this phone case for me with that exact art above and I immediately loved it. My girl knows me well and seeing Flint’s work makes me smile every time I catch a glimpse. Thanks for the link to the short film.
Just watched the Bjork/PJ Harvey cover and loved it! Now to go have my 15-yo daughter watch it.