Archive | Art Reviews RSS for this section
April 24, 2012 

VIDEO VIBES: ‘QueenS’ x THEESatisfaction

“Whatever you do/Don’t funk with my groove…”

One of my favourite writers and Twitter-folks is the incomparable dream hampton. I’ve been following her work for a long time, and haven’t been disappointed by following her on Twitter too! Without sounding like too much of a stalker, let’s just say I love dream. You know she works hard at everything she does (writer/filmmaker/pilot/mother/etc) but she makes it look so effortless. As I mentioned to her on Twitter the other day, she seems live the “entire height, width, and depth of life” – a tweet inspired by her latest job description, music video director. I tell you…this woman does it all, and then some.

Dream made her debut as a video director with an earthy, eclectic video for THEESatisfaction‘s single, “QueenS“. THEESatisfaction is a funky/psychedelic/hip-hop/RnB/jazz fusion duo made up of Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White, based out of Seattle. Their sound has been compared to Digable Planets, Ursula Rucker, Q-Tip and Erykah Badu, with cultural inspirations like Octavia Butler, Solid Gold, and Outkast. To be honest, I haven’t heard anything that really sounds like what THEESatisfaction is bringing, but I’m feeling it. QueenS is the lead single off of their debut full-length album awE naturalE, and has instantly become my new theme song. I play this track in the morning. I play it when I’m getting ready to go out with the girls. I play it when I’ve been in a sh!tty mood and need a pick-me-up. I’m digging what these ladies are doing, and can’t wait to hear more from awE naturalE!

Now, the video. I fell in love with the visuals that dream concocted. Did you catch that young Whitney pic at 1:30? And those sheer polka-dot gloves at 2:03? With fashion, I’ve been really getting into colour and texture and prints, and this video was giving me everything I needed. Plus, this video (like the Jesse Boykins iii vid I featured recently) makes me wish that someone with a dope apartment would throw a dope houseparty and invite me…hint hint.

YouTube Preview Image

What do you think of THEESatisfaction’s QueenS? Are you feeling the sound? Did you like the visuals? What is your theme song these days?

 

April 12, 2012 

Artsy Fartsy: Discovering Miguel Covarrubias

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve been feeling very creative and right-brained and out-of-the-box lately. Independent films are where it’s at for me right now, and I’ve been finding myself reminiscing about my favourite class in elementary school, art history. It was almost coincidence (if I believed in such things) then, that the other morning as I was lying in bed, I happened to stumble on some great art.

I was doing my usual, first-thing-in-the-morning smartphone routine. Checking over the number of texts and emails that had come in through my sleeping hours, I logged on to my Facebook and was greeted with this image posted by Vintage Black Glamour:

Haile Selassie I vs. Joe Louis

I HAD to know what this was, who did it, why, and where have they been my whole life? The vibrant colour and caricature of Haile Selassie I and the boxer Joe Louis was so striking…so I laid in bed and did a bit of Google research.

Miguel Covarrubias (1904-57) was a Mexican artist, specifically a painter and caricaturist. His talents took him from Mexico City to New York City at the age of 19, and this is where his story became really interesting to me. The age of the Harlem Renaissance has always been a mystifying, magical time in history for me, and everytime I find someone else who came up in that era, I uncover a bit more of its richness.

Friends with Frida Kahlo, Zora Neale Hurston (he created the artwork for the cover of Mules and Men) and Langston Hughes, designing sets and costumes for Josephine Baker in La Revue Negre, creating art for The New Yorker and Vanity Fair (where he consistently featured drawings and paintings of Black entertainers) – he did all that and more. He was a world traveler who immersed himself in the cultures of the various places he visited, like Bali, India, and the Caribbean, and these travels heavily influenced his art. Miguel Covarrubias was an integral part of the artistic movement of the time, and I’m just sad that I didn’t learn about him earlier…

I found Covarrubias’ Impossible Interviews artwork for Vanity Fair to be some of my favourites of his. Putting two unlikely subjects together for a fake interview, Covarrubias’ caricatures undoubtedly had Vanity Fair readers talking:

Marie of Romania vs. Mae West

Freud vs. Jean Harlow

Fritz Kreisler vs. Louis Armstrong

His art inspired by living in Harlem and visiting Bali were gorgeous:

'Bali Beauty'

'Lindy Hop'

'Sunday In Harlem'

I need the Haile Selassie I vs. Joe Louis and ‘Sunday In Harlem’ pieces on my wall RAHT NAH!

Forgive my little diversion from the usual hair, wellness, and introspective posts, but I’ve been feeling very artsy these days, and Miguel Covarrubias is giving me what I need. What do you think of his art? Is anyone out there just as intrigued by the Harlem Renaissance era as I am?

March 16, 2012 

Artsy Fartsy: VAWK/VAWKKIN Show At Toronto Fashion Week

The tents - and a big screen that flashed fashion world sexiness on King St. West

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 will go down in history as one of my favourite days of life. We all have goals, dreams, things we woulda/coulda/shoulda done, and aspirations that hold value for us even if they mean nothing to anyone else. This past Wednesday, I was able to fulfill one of those aspirations when I hit the runway for the VAWKKIN show at Toronto Fashion Week!

I’ll give y’all a little background. When I was young, I was obsessed with all things beautiful, glamorous, and luxurious (a typical Taurus). While my classmates were spending weeknights at Girl Guides and weekends at gymnastics tournaments, I watched Jeanne Beker every Sunday on Fashion Television and spent afternoons perfecting my model walk. First, my mom got me involved in weekend acting classes, then she started researching modeling schools and agencies on our hometown. I can’t even begin to tell you how many Saturdays we spent at mass casting calls and sitting in agency waiting rooms…my parents paid a lot of money, we learned a wealth of information, and I was fed a ton of empty promises. Getting caught up in scams and dead ends discouraged me from my dream of modeling, and while I didn’t give up, I set it aside for a bit.

With a move to Toronto, I figured I’d have a much easier time breaking into the industry. I met a few agencies, did a few photo shoots and shows, then life got in the way and modeling took another backseat. So, how did I go from that to strutting my stuff for the movers and shakers at Toronto Fashion Week? Well, check here for my initial post. And now I’ll tell you how the day went! Consider this your backstage pass!

Call time was 1pm – I headed out of work and down to King St. West to David Pecault Square, where the Fashion Week tent was erected. The fashionista in me was drooling at the runway show happening outside the tent – everyone came dressed to impress, and I realized this wasn’t a damn game.

World MasterCard Fashion Week Toronto

I headed inside, checked in, and found my other VAWKKIN ladies ready and waiting for hair and makeup. As Fashion Week staff dashed left and right, I was constantly stopped and asked, “Are you a real model or a real woman?” I didn’t even know how to answer that. Turns out that for the sake of clarity, the staff had designated the VAWK show models (who were the agency pros) as the “real models”, and us VAWKKIN show models as the “real women.”  A million thoughts went through my head. First: They think I’m a real model! Then: Are real models not also real women? Followed by: Sheeeit. I may not be with an agency, but today I’m a real model, dammit! Anyways, I obliged and told them I was a “real woman” and was carted off to my designated area to prep for hair. Here’s where it got funny.

We were instructed to show up with blowdried hair sans product, and zero makeup. When the head stylist (hair was sponsored by Redken) asked me to take my hair out of its loose bun, it pretty much exploded off my head. His facial expression pretty much said, “Yeeeeeah. Not sure what we’re doing with YOU.” The look for the hair was pretty simple – side part and slicked back into a low bun, but I could tell my lioness mane was a bit overwhelming. I saw a few of the other Black models getting done up with varying success, and I just hoped and prayed I’d get someone who could handle my ‘do without damaging it. Enter Kiki from Koi Salon in Brampton.

Bee: before the glam squad

Kiki took my hair and handled it like a pro! She said to me “Girl, I’ve gotta make the curly girls look just as good as everyone else!” and that she did. Kiki and her hubby brushed and sprayed and gelled and pinned my hair into the required style, and I thanked all possible deities that she was my hair stylist.

While I was getting my hurr did, I heard a voice to my left say “Hello, pretty lady!” I turned and saw a CTV microphone, cameraman, and Andria Case right in my face! I was a bit star struck, then had to pull it together for an impromptu interview. I love Andria Case – it’s a good feeling to see representation of someone who looks like me on the nightly news, so it was an honour to have her pick me of all people to interview!

Kiki and her hubby working their magic

Andria Case from CTV and I - this woman is a TRUE professional

Once hair was done, it was time for makeup – Vanessa from Maybelline (who reminded me of a darker haired Taylor Swift) beat my face to the GAWDS, hunty! She had me slaying effortlessly with my smoky eye, flushed cheek, and nude lip. We had a laugh when she came at my eye with the eyelash curler, and I was like – “whatchu gon’ do with that?” I loves the makeups but I keep my tools to a minimum…like, I use my fingers to apply eyeshadow. That’s how minimum. Lol.

Hair snatched. Face beat. Slaying heaux.

Hair was finished, makeup was done. I had gotten a manicure from a sweet girl who was running around backstage with bottles of polish in a fanny pack, and I took a minute to take it all in while the paint dried. I felt exhilarated to be a part of all the madness! So many creative people in one area gave me an energy jolt, and yet so many contrived people reminded me to always walk with sincerity. Luckily, I have to say that most folk I encountered were friendly and funny, which made me enjoy the day even more. A big part of me felt totally in my element, and I could just imagine the younger me being thoroughly in love with the entire moment.

Backstage madness

Next thing I know, it was almost show time! We met the show producers, had a quick run through of our walk, then met with our stylists to get dressed. Let me just say I loved ALL of the pieces in the VAWWKIN collection – clean cuts, smooth fabrics, and accomplishes Sunny Fong’s goal of creating a line that can go from the office to the happy hour spot. Getting dressed was the first time I laid my eyes on my outfit – a sexy fitted black trench and pencil skirt, with black tights, heels, and hot teal leather gloves to finish the look. I was ready for the runway!

As I mentioned before, Sunny Fong showed two lines: VAWK, which is a high-end, super sexy line, and VAWKKIN, the more accessible and versatile line. For the VAWK line, Sunny hired professional models who did the damn thing. We all watched backstage on a flat screen as they went out and started the show…and realized this was really real. The house was PACKED. And we were up next. In the blink of an eye, the VAWK session was over, and we were treated to a short video that showed Sunny introducing the VAWKKIN line. Next thing I know, Liz the backstage producer said, “Ok Bee…GO!”

Rockin' VAWKKIN

And go I did! I remembered all of the key runway tips: stay centred, shoulders back, don’t swing arms too much, look dead straight, smile with the eyes, give a lil sexiness with the hips, don’t be too posy, stay at the end long enough for a good shot but not too long, don’t slide, don’t trip, don’t fall…then it was over. Next thing I know, I was backstage getting ready for the finale walk. I wanted to go again! I wanted another outfit! I wanted more of the limelight! I don’t know what happened while I was out on that stage, but I felt GREAT. Not one person could tell me a damn thing – in that moment, I was the ultimate sh*t. No room for discussion or contradiction. Lol! It was such a rush, and I loved it.

It felt amazing to put myself out there and live my modeling dream for a day. I loved adding to the diversity of the event, and shaking things up a bit by being a “regular woman” (even though I never feel regular) out on the runway! Many, many, many thanks to Sunny Fong, Jentzen and the whole VAWK/VAWKKIN crew – Ben Barry and Liis Windischmann of Ben Barry Agency - stylist extraordinaire Tricia Campbell Hall - Kiki, Vanessa, Jen (the best dresser ever), Liz, the 2 photog sistas backstage, and all of the other VAWKKIN models. I was a happy girl :)

Before I end this hella-long post (thanks for making it this far!), I’ll leave y’all with the video clip of my chat with Andria Case – you’ll get to see me with absolutely no makeup, me on the catwalk, and a couple of the other awesome VAWKKIN models!

And here is the full show!

YouTube Preview Image

 

So, that was my experience! Have any of you been to Fashion Week (Toronto or elsewhere) or modeled before? I’m keeping my fingers crossed and phone close waiting for the call to be shipped off to Europe for a Maison Martin Margiela show or something…I’m about to blowuptuate (word to Jamie Foxx)!

 

February 26, 2012 

Artsy Fartsy: ‘Diary of Black Men’ Review

Photo source

On Friday night, the Hubs and I headed out to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto to catch Diary of Black Men, hosted in part by Toronto’s newest radio station, G98.7 FM. A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win free tickets to the show through the radio station, and I’ll be honest: if it wasn’t for the fact that I won tickets AND that Thomas Mikal Ford and Carl Payne (Tommy and Cole from Martin) were part of the cast, I would not have gone. I’ll explain why in a minute.

If you’re not familiar with the play, Diary of Black Men was written by Thomas Meloncon in the late 70′s. The play was first featured off-Broadway in 1982, then hit the mainstream after an appearance on the Phil Donahue show in 1989. Directed by Russell Andrews, the play speaks to the experience of Black men in America and focuses on the relationship between Black men and women. Featuring five main characters – The Militant, The Playa, The Black Muslim, The Blue-Collar, and The Intellectual – they interact with each other and the audience to disseminate the role of the Black man in society, how they view Black women, and how to balance the associated struggles and strengths.

Diary of Black Men played in Toronto a few years back, and I made sure to hit it up with a few girlfriends. The anticipation of supporting a Black play in Toronto faded as I became more and more disillusioned with the production. The opening musical act was sloppy and rushed. The actors (especially The Playa) seemed unprepared, forgetting lines and cues. But even more so, I just couldn’t relate to the story. The ads hyped up the fact that this was the longest running Black play in North America, and it was painfully obvious. The roles, the script, and the scenarios were very dated, and I felt like I was watching more of a historical recount of being Black in America than anything else. I left disappointed to say the least.

Within the last month or so, I started hearing that voice on my radio: “How do you lahhhhhhhhhh-ve a Black woman? How do you LAHHHHHHHHH-VE a Black Woman?” Diary of Black Men was coming back to Toronto, and frankly, I didn’t care. However, the one caveat that made me think twice was the fact that Thomas Mikal Ford and Carl Payne would be part of the cast. If you know me at all, you KNOW I live for Martin. I’ve found a way to incorporate “Git tha drawls!” and “Rent ‘em spoons!” into my regular lexicon, so when I heard ‘Tommy’ and ‘Cole’ would be in the house, my icy demeanor started to melt. While I sat at work one day listening to G98.7 FM, I heard a call to send a photo of your Black man to their Twitter account. I did, and I won. Two tickets to the play were in my hands, and I thought, ‘I get to see Tommy and Cole, and have a free date night? I’m in!’ I hoped that my love for Tommy and Cole would help me to enjoy the play more than I did in the past, and I was (somewhat) right.

The Good:

  • Thomas Mikal Ford and Carl Payne were AWESOME. They breathed new life into the roles of The Militant and The Blue-Collar, and showed their acting range for folks who only know them from Martin. Their skill really added to the quality of the play, which in turn surely inspired the other cast members to bring their A-game. Which leads to my next bullet:
  • All of the actors were on point. Compared to my last viewing, the actors remembered their lines and cues, (which is really a non-negotiable in theatre), and delivered well. They were all able to hold their own and brought great energy to their roles.
  • The play seemed to be a bit more updated. I didn’t feel transported back to 1990 this time. While I could still tell this was a play written long ago, it seemed that more effort was made to bring the storylines up to today’s audience. References to President Obama, Twitter, and Facebook, etc. made it a bit more relevant for current times.
  • I laughed, I “Mmmhmmm”-ed, and I pondered. Because the quality of the play was heightened, I was able to pay more attention to the embedded messages, and gained a lot that I missed the first time around.

The Bad:

  • It was STILL too dated. After over 20 years of performance, I think Diary of Black Men in its current state has run its course. Black men and women (and their surrounding environments) have changed, and this play would be even harder-hitting if it reflected that change. What other representations of Black men can we have in the cast? What other scenarios can we play out and deconstruct?
  • The lone representation of Black women. She was represented by one female character, who did interpretive dance in lieu of a speaking role. Do I think that a speaking role was necessary for the representation of the Black woman? Perhaps, but then this may be a completely different play. The Black woman seemed to be monolithic, so I think that even if in a non-speaking sense, there should have been more variation with the Black woman as there was for the Black man.
  • Discussions on homosexuality amongst Black men. I’ve developed a more critical eye when it comes to the intersectionalities of race, gender, and sexuality, so I was looking forward to seeing this scenario again. I won’t give it away, but one of the characters reveals that he is gay – I couldn’t remember exactly how it played out, but when it did, I was disappointed. It was handled superficially and was more of a comedic point than a teachable moment. Homosexuality and homophobia are huge discussion points in the Black community, and the way this scenario played out reminded me of how dated the play was.

The Verdict:

  • It was MUCH improved, but we wanted and needed MORE. Everyone I spoke to after the play agreed the play was good, but was lacking something. In my personal opinion, I think it made us think about things and want to get deeper into uncovering various perspectives and truths. However, the play was limited in its scope (due largely to being written so long ago), and that left us hungry for more. Perhaps original audiences used this play as a jumping off point for discussions about race and relationships, but today’s audience is already having these discussions, and needs our art forms to enrich us. That’s the next step for Diary of Black Men – find a new way to relate to today’s audience and give us that enrichment that we need.

Did you see Diary of Black Men? What did you think? I’d especially love to hear from people who saw it for the first time. I’m glad we have a vehicle through G98.7 FM to promote and support events like this. We often are reminded to support Black art – do you feel obligated to do so even if you don’t think the quality is up to par? I had a few people give me the side-eye because I vehemently refused to see the play initially. What say you?

February 8, 2012 

Artsy-Fartsy: ‘Better Mus Come’ Gala & Screening Review

Photo Credit – BizBash

Have you ever been so inspired by something that you almost didn’t know what to do with yourself? Like, you got filled with this bubbling energy that you just had to pour somewhere, but you didn’t have the right vessel? This past Saturday, I made sure to clear my afternoon schedule for something special, and ended up with that exact feeling when I left.

Saturday was the premiere of Better Mus Come - a film written and directed by Storm Saulter, an up and coming Jamaican filmmaker. TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Bell Lightbox, in conjunction with Caribbean Tales put the event together, which included a Caribbean brunch, awards ceremony, and film screening.

I arrived at the amazing TIFF Bell Lightbox venue in time for the awards ceremony, which I’m SO glad I didn’t miss. Honoured were Ian Harnarine – Trinidadian-Canadian filmmaker, and Denham Jolly – media entrepreneur and philanthropist responsible for the creation of FLOW 93.5 – Toronto’s 1st urban radio station. Mr. Harnarine’s story truly impressed me. Born in Canada to Trini parents, he obtained a degree in Physics and Astronomy from U of T, then travelled to Chicago to complete his Masters in Nuclear Physics. Yes, I said a Masters in Nuclear Physics. Then, he seemingly got bored and decided to pick up filmmaking – he enrolled at NYU’s Graduate Film School, and now sits on the faculty for both NYU’s Physics department and the Graduate Film School. Mr. Harnarine was being honoured for his multi-award-winning short film, Doubles With Slight Pepper, which won Best Canadian Short Film at TIFF 2011. I was floored not only by his obvious intellect, but also by his determination to follow through with his passion for filmmaking. It reminded me of my thoughts on ’83 To Infinity: “…the fact that you’re NEVER too old to learn something new, do something new, or be someone new.”

Denham Jolly (L) and Ian Harnarine (R)

Photo Credit – Livewithculture.ca/Roys Creative Photography

Denham Jolly’s story also educated me on some Canadian history that I was not previously aware of. Born in Negril, Jamaica, Mr. Jolly moved to Canada and began building his legacy. Property owner, teacher, publisher, entrepreneur, and founder of the Black Business and Professional Association – Mr. Jolly had his hands in many different areas of Toronto. His battle for the creation of an urban radio station in Toronto lasted over a decade and was consistently wrought with obstacle, but her persevered. He finally succeeded in his quest when FLOW 93.5 was born in 2000, and Mr. Jolly became known as the first Black Canadian to receive a radio license. Mr. Jolly accepted his award on Saturday from the Hon. Jean Augustine, and solidified his lifetime achievement with a poignant quote: “It’s amazing how lucky you get when you work hard.” Ain’t that the truth?

Finally, we settled into our seats to watch Better Mus Come. Both the writer/director Storm Saulter, and the lead actor Sheldon Shepherd were in the house – after a short intro by Storm, the movie began and I was instantly transported back to a time that I wasn’t even alive for – Kingston, Jamaica, 1978.

Credit: Photo by Sarita Louis, Ryan Singh Enterprises Better Mus Come Gala Brunch and Screening, Hosted by Caribbean Tales Youth Film Festival. Storm Saulter, Writer, Director

If you’re unaware of the history of this time, the long and short of it is that Jamaica was in political turmoil. The JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) and the PNP (People’s National Party) were both clamouring for power of the country, and as Malcolm said, they would do it by any means necessary. Jamaicans were extremely invested in the political process as it stood, but both political parties sought the assistance of street gangs to really drive their campaigns home. The infamous Green Bay Massacre of 1978 was a crucial element of Better Mus Come, but the film was well-rounded with influences of Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come, and the documentary Rockers. Throw in a little Romeo & Juliet action, and you have the makings of an amazing film.

Better Mus Come centres on the life of Ricky (Sheldon Shepherd), head of the JLP’s security, and also the don of the local JLP-supporting gang. Raising a young son on his own (his child’s mother was killed by PNP gangs), Ricky faces the struggle of doing dirty work in the immediate future in order to secure a better future for him and his son. Ambushing political rallies, shoot-outs at polling stations, and blatant murders of key figures in the community were all part of the game, and Ricky and his crew did what they needed to do to survive. Once he meets Kemala, a “country girl” who is a PNP supporter, things are turned upside down in more ways than one. Love, allegiance to family, dedication to community, and fierce protection of political interests all come together in the tapestry of Ricky’s life and the lives of those around him.

So – what did I think of the film? I. Was. In. Awe. The cinematography, the musical score, the authenticity of the wardrobe, slang, and mannerisms, the talent of the actors (most of whom had never acted in a movie before) – it was all too much for me. Maybe I’m just a Jamaicaphile who loves anything to do with ‘Yard’, but I tried to put that bias aside while watching the film. Even doing so, it STILL came out on top for me. Storm Saulter has an innate mastery with the camera. The way he was able to combine image, light, and sound (or the lack thereof ) totally brought about the emotions that I think we, the viewers, were intended to feel. The raw and rugged acting style from the cast really brought out the history of the time – I could hear older viewers laughing at some of the ol’ time slang and commenting on some of the 70′s style fashions that they used to wear. At times, the film seemed so authentic that I felt I was watching a documentary of days gone by in the country of my parentage. I couldn’t help but feel pride when watching it – yes, much of the history depicted was despicable, but everything from the passion to defend one’s rights to the passion of the actors who portrayed these characters spoke to an undeniable Caribbean energy that I love. I think that feeling was amplified (for me, at least) by knowing that Bob Marley’s birthday was just around the corner, so it was a timely screening.

Credit: Photo by Sarita Louis, Ryan Singh Enterprises Better Mus Come Gala Brunch and Screening, Hosted by Caribbean Tales Youth Film Festival. Storm Saulter, Writer, Director Sheldon Shepherd, Actor. www.no-maddz.com

After the film, we had a great Q&A session with Storm and Sheldon (who played Ricky). Let me tell you…I had a mini-crush on Sheldon, and I’m not scared to admit it. Charisma was on TEN, and both men had the audience fascinated with the discussion. Sheldon even buss out a quick spoken-word poem that he performed for his audition…and I’ll just say this: keep an eye out for Sheldon Shepherd. Remember you heard it from Bee first! Keep an eye out for Storm Saulter as well – this film is CLEARLY the beginning of something huge, not only for him, but for the Caribbean film industry as a whole. We’ve come a long way from Dancehall Queen, y’all. Storm Saulter is paving the way for a new breed of Caribbean storytellers, and I’m excited to see what’s next!

Here is the Better Mus Come trailer:

YouTube Preview Image

Special thanks to Ryan Singh Enterprises.

Did you see Better Mus Come? If so, what did you think? What’s your favourite Caribbean (or other international) film? Keep up to date with TIFF’s schedule for the month of February – Cameron Bailey, co-director of TIFF, mentioned that they’ll have some big things on tap for Black History Month! Make sure to check them out!

January 14, 2012 

Get Your Life Here: Vintage Black Glamour

Black History Month is a few weeks away, and while I have mixed feelings on the whole thing, I will not deny that I love learning about Black History (I just don’t wait until February 1st to do it).

I also love vintage anything, so imagine my glee when I found Vintage Black Glamour on Tumblr?! Last night I spent hours pouring over the pages and pages of history. Some folks well-known (like Miss Diana Ross) and others a bit more obscure (Acquanetta, Donyale Luna), but all fabulous. I thought I’d share some of my favourite finds from the site, and hopefully open your eyes to new corners of Black history.

Mable Lee, "Queen of the Soundies" (1947)

Bill Cosby for Life Magazine (1969)

Unknown woman in riding habits (late 1880s)

Model Donyale Luna (1966)

Actress/model Acquanetta on the cover of JET (1952)

Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte at the March on Washington, (1963)

Josephine Baker gettin' her toes did (1950)

Vintage Celia Cruz

Dancer/choreographer Alvin Ailey (1955)

Model/actress Daphne Maxwell-Reid (aka Aunt Viv #2 on Fresh Prince of Belair!) (1969)

Ashford & Simpson

Roxie Roker and her son, Lenny Kravitz

Marvin Gaye looking dapper

Malcolm X and Maya Angelou in Ghana (1964)

This is just a sampling of photos from Vintage Black Glamour – check the site to get even more life from the 40+ pages of photos, videos, and historical information on amazing Black folk from days gone by. The site’s creator, Nichelle Gainer, has a book version of Vintage Black Glamour coming out soon, so keep an eye out for that!

Aren’t these pictures delicious? Something to think about: last night, I saw a tweet from Kimberly N. Foster: “In 1939, Hattie McDaniel won an Oscar for playing a mammy. In 2012, Viola Davis will win an Oscar for playing a mammy. Awesome.” In your perspective, what does this say in regards to racial progress?

January 8, 2012 

Black Web Love: The Couple

Photo via brownstonezine.blogspot.com

I keep finding some online gems, y’all! While we await the January 12th season finale of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, and wait for episode 3 of milk + honey (if you liked what you saw here and here, go to their site to help with a donation), I have a new Black web series for you to take note of!

The creators of Black & Sexy TV have come together to create a fresh new web series called The Couple. Clutch Magazine had an opportunity to speak with two of the creators/stars of the web series, Numa Perrier and Dennis Dortch:

They explained: “It was a natural progression from the film A Good Day to be Black and Sexy.  Being online extended the Black&Sexy brand and reaches the audience directly and immediately which we really like. We had these fun ideas that we thought would work well on the web.  We also use the web as an incubator/testing ground for our ideas to grow into other mediums.  We are cross platform (Web TV and Film) and we want to continue along that path.  It’s a new creative beast to conquer the web and we really enjoy it.”

Although the web is booming with shows geared toward black audiences, networks continue to ignore us, especially when it comes to images of black folks in love. Because of this, Numa Perrier says they decided to tackle this issue.

“Dennis, myself, and our other creative partner, Jeanine Daniels all gravitate towards this type of content based on personal experience. The Couple was Jeanine’s inspiration based on her previous relationships and it has now expanded into some of the day-to-day situations Dennis and I experience as a real life couple. We all experience relationships so not only is it relatable but it drives us as human beings.”

~ quotes via Clutch Magazine

The web series launches on Valentine’s Day, but until then you can get a taste with three minisodes:

YouTube Preview Image

YouTube Preview Image

YouTube Preview Image

Let me just say, I know ALL about that food run struggle in minisode #3….not as bad as doughnuts and beer, but still.

Check Black & Sexy TV’s YouTube channel to catch the first full episode when it drops on February 14th!

December 13, 2011 

Weekend Fun: I Heart My Hair + Brooklyn Boheme Event Recap

So, I’ll just pretend that my weekend started on Thursday evening, for the sake of the post title :) I kicked off what turned out to be an amazingly busy yet fun weekend with the I ♥ My Hair meet up on Thursday evening.

Photo via iHEARTmyhair.com

This is just a portion of the lovely, intelligent, and HILARIOUS women that came to the meet up. In the span of just a few hours, we networked, laughed, chatted, shared tips, swapped products, and had some great discussions.

The product swap selection made me salty that I didn’t stop home first and grab something to bring – Jane Carter? Kinky Curly? My favourite conditioner – Herbal Essences’ Hello Hydration? Maaaan…I couldn’t believe that this was all up for grabs! I was able to chat with a few of the ladies who picked up some of the products I’ve used before and give them some (hopefully) helpful tips.

We got into some great discussion on various topics surrounding loving our hair. Do men approach natural haired women differently from relaxed haired women? Is this natural hair thing a “fad”? How knowledgeable are Toronto hair salons in handling natural hair? The conversation was lively to say the LEAST.

The best thing about the meet up? Vibing with so many cool women, 99% of whom I had NEVER met nor seen before in Toronto (a refreshing thing)! Being able to discuss certain experiences or thoughts that I had, and see a room full of women nodding back in agreement was great. Being able to disagree respectfully and share opposing opinions in a grown-up way was even better. Update: I also was fortunate to meet the lovely Kim from Canadian Curlies - I’ve been loving her blog, and she posted her own review of the event here – complete with an awesome picture of her, Añya and I (better than the ones I had :) ).

I’m very big on supporting other women over and above hair type, so I was so happy to support Añya’s amazing initiative and interact with these awesome chicas. Hit up I ♥ My Hair to keep on top of future events!

Let’s talk about Friday night:

Photo via kalamu.posterous.com

This man is dope.

That’s Nelson George, if you weren’t aware. Google him for all the details, but I just want to let you know how AMAZING his documentary, Brooklyn Boheme was on Friday!

Let’s start from the beginning. I found a jewel of a venue on Friday night. The Toronto Underground Cinema on Spadina at Queen is incredible. It just has such personality and is deliciously vintage, from the old-school movie posters lining the walls to the red and white striped popcorn bags. I don’t know about y’all, but as soon as I enter a movie theatre, I must buy popcorn. So after the Mister grabbed me a bag, we kicked back to start the show.

Before the main event, we were treated to a visual slideshow of Mark ‘Kurupt’ Stoddart’s art. If you’re not familiar with Kurupt, you need to get familiar. I’ve never seen someone combine a passion for art with a passion for supporting their community more effortlessly than him. His artwork is crazy (I WILL be buying a piece to grace my first home next year). His T-shirts are hot. His positivity and motivation is infectious. Trust me, this last point is truth. Do yourself a favour and hit up his website www.liwi68.com on a hard day. See if you don’t feel infused by the words and quotes he shares there, not to mention the art.

by Mark 'Kurupt' Stoddart

After we were mesmerized by Kurupt’s work, we settled into Nelson George’s documentary (go here to see my earlier post, complete with trailer). I. Was. So. Inspired. The history of Brooklyn (specifically Fort Greene/Clinton Hill) told by the people who lived and breathed it since the 1970s was priceless. Rosie Perez, who still lives in the neighbourhood, had me cracking up with her stories of Spike Lee and Wesley Snipes’ legendary house parties. I learned about the Rodeo Caldonia, a performing arts/feminist troupe of women like Lisa Jones (author of Bulletproof Diva) and Lorna Simpson (photographer/visual artist). I got schooled about where the spoken word tradition of snapping fingers came from – the Brooklyn Moon Cafe. I saw how all of these ambitious young people of colour put their heads together to embrace various art forms and make a name for themselves, on their own terms. Sadly, the documentary also covered the changes to the integrity of the neighbourhood and the Black arts scene once gentrification took over.

This was a top-notch production, and I know I was made better by watching it. I love history, art, and seeing people of colour doing amazing things, so Brooklyn Boheme had it all. I left there wanting to start a Rodeo Caldonia of my own…

To finish off the night, we had a Q&A session with Nelson George himself. It’s no secret that this man is highly intelligent. However, he was able to connect so well with the multi-generational, multi-racial audience and answer our questions genuinely. He made no secret about his disdain for Drake (lol), but seemed appreciative and humbled by our acceptance of his work.

We ended off the night with an impromptu message from the owner of the Toronto Underground Cinema. It was a bit of a sobering message, because he basically let us know that he was in financial straits, and told us how vital it is to support our small businesses and community initiatives. It tore my heart to hear him say that the Cinema may close in as soon as 2 weeks, but he vowed to not allow that to happen. People, we NEED to support our community! Please hit up www.torontoundergroundcinema.com to keep this amazing venue in business. Check the event and film listings to see if anything tickles your fancy, and make sure you tell a friend to tell a friend!

How was your weekend? Did you get into anything fun? Did you happen to be at the I ♥ My Hair event or the Brooklyn Boheme documentary? If so, let me know what you thought!

November 22, 2011 

Black Web Love: Milk + Honey (Ep. 2)

Episode #2 of the Milk + Honey web series is here! Only 8 minutes long, so sneak a peek on your lunch break or whenever the boss ain’t lookin’ ;)

YouTube Preview Image

My favourite parts:

  • yummy, YUMMY Bryce Wilson! A crush of mine since Groove Theory days
  • the introduction of Farrah – I think she’ll be a trouble maker…
  • Nia and Will’s too-cute kissing scene
  • Harper spelling out her resume and then getting put in her place…I think she needed that
  • the “Why Are You The Ish?” exercise in Eva Monroe’s acting class – this scene really hit me!

I wish we got a bit more of Farrah’s story and what she’ll bring to the group. Also, some of the scenes are a bit disjointed for me – like, when did Harper and Jonathan start swapping spit? Was that real life or Harper’s imagination running wild? Didn’t make sense to me. However, I’m loving the look and feel of the series…the opening credit montage with the girls…and Nia is still my fave character!

What did you think of Episode 2? If you missed Episode 1, click here and get caught up! Will you keep watching?

November 19, 2011 

Short Film Alert: The Strange Thing About The Johnsons – Updated w/ New Link!

Photo via http://strangethingaboutthejohnsonsmovie.com/

Yesterday as I travelled home from work, I saw nearly everyone on my Twitter timeline talking about a film. My interest was piqued, because the tweets were a mixture of shock, disgust, and praise for the film and its actors. As soon as I got home, I fired up the computer and began watching The Strange Thing About The Johnsons.

What’s the film about? As per the website’s film synopsis:

“The Johnsons are an attractive, well-to-do, upper middle class family. Sidney, husband and father, is a famous poet, known and adored for his kindness and sensitivity. Joan, wife and mother, is a dutiful housewife, an obsessive homemaker, and the life of every party. Their son, Isaiah, is a charismatic young man who has just gotten married to an equally appealing young woman. In fact, there is only one thing that separates the Johnsons from their charming friends and neighbors: Isaiah, the son, has been molesting Sidney, the father, since he was fifteen years old. And what’s more, Sidney has written a memoir that chronicles, in great detail, the ins-and-outs of this unseemly father-son relationship. Will the manuscript ever see the light of day, or will young Isaiah have a thing or two to say about it? THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONS is a dark satire of the domestic melodrama, which asks “What if…?” and then, or some reason, comes up with an answer.”

Thank me for putting that synopsis up before you watch the film – I pressed PLAY and went in, completely blind as to what the film was about.

After watching the film, one thing I could not believe (due to the amazing cinematography and direction of the film) was that this film is not a professional feat at all. This was a recent thesis assignment for the AFI (American Film Institute)! The director/screenwriter, Ari Aster, has a great future ahead of him if this is the work he is producing while studying at the AFI.

Now. The film. I’m not fully going to review it here. I will give the link to the video at the bottom of this post, and then we can discuss in the comments section. However, I will tell you how I felt while I watched it.

While there is no nudity, explicit sexuality, or gratuitous violence shown, this film is definitely not for the kids. That’s the genius of the film – you are not force-fed the gory details, but you are given just enough so that your own mind can run wild and fill in the rest. The acting was incredible, especially by Billy Mayo, the actor who played Sidney. I’m not sure where he drew his inspiration to play a man who goes from kind and happy to withdrawn, distant, and full of fear – but he was amazing. I felt shock, disbelief, and confusion – does this type of  reverse Oedipal complex really exist? How did this begin for Isaiah and Sidney? At some points, I felt I didn’t even have the words needed to formulate the questions in my mind.

The film is not without its controversies and criticisms. I’ve seen a number of people feel enraged that Aster used an African-American family to tell this story, even going so far as to call Aster “racist” for “using us”. To this I say, SHUT UP. You’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t. Stories of abuse are prevalent across all races – Blacks are not exempt, no matter how far-fetched one considers the topic. Also, we complain about seeing the same Black actors all the time – here we have a group of relative unknowns, who will hopefully go on to even more great work after this film. Call me naïve, but a racist thought never crossed my mind while watching this. I was too caught up in the richness of the actors’ skills, the amazing cinematography and the suspense of wondering what would happen next.

Also, some people took offense to Aster calling this a “dark comedy” in a recent interview:

YouTube Preview Image

I personally couldn’t find the “comedy” in this film, so I’m not sure where he was drawing that from. The film seems to have been inspired from an almost ridiculous request to come up with the most unconscionable film topic possible – maybe some people laughed at Aster’s choice thinking it’s TOO ridiculous, but the film itself has not a lick of comedy in it. Very serious, very full given the 29 minute length, and will very much stay with you after you’ve watched it.

Here is the link to The Strange Thing About The Johnsons: http://vimeo.com/27221118 ***NOTE: this link is now password protected. See this new link: http://vimeo.com/19546535 with password: alejo - thanks to Browntown80!***

Did you watch the film? How do you think it will do on the short-film circuit? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section…

Older Entries »