Photo Flash: Civil Rights Battles, in Black and White

Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, Ala. May, 3 1963
photo by: Charles Moore

“Some of the most gripping images in ‘Road to Freedom‘ went unseen for decades. Pictures showing a mob attacking and setting fire to a bus carrying Freedom Riders in Anniston, Ala., are chilling in their step-by-step precision. Yet they were locked away in the files of a law firm.

“They’re seeing the light of day again as part of ‘Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956-1968,’ an exhibit of 150 images organized by the High Museum of Art. The pictures capture the unforgettable moments and forgotten heroes of the struggle for equal rights. They will be on display from March 28 through Aug. 11 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.” (source: NY Times-Lens Blog)

See a slideshow with other photos from this collection here

posted by: Brent Carter

Artist Shout Out: Katy Horan

“Seer”, gouache on paper, 15.5″ x 19.5″ 2009

“Lesser Nobles 3 & 4″, gouache on paper, 5″ x 7″ (ea.) 2009

“In my current work, I create fantastical characters rooted in traditional ideas of femininity. To create these characters, I combine subconscious imagery with external references that include archetypes from folklore and history, storybook illustration, Renaissance portraiture and decorative elements of historical dress. The image is familiar, but mysterious. This invites both the viewer’s imagination and knowledge of feminine imagery and narrative to inform the work.

“Mythical and historical archetypes exist in many visual, cultural and narrative interpretations. Our understanding of figures like the witch, the fair maiden, the queen and the lady in waiting differ according to our previous experiences. My work investigates the unlimited images and narratives created when variations of these figures intersect, and the mythical and historical overlap. As an example, my piece “Grandmother” merges features of the folkloric crone or witch with a number of other references. I intend this image to offer moments of recognition, but to challenge the viewer to decipher the identity and narrative of the character for themselves.

“Historical female dress has long inspired my work. My characters are made of hand painted lace patterns that mimic decorative elements and structural forms of Elizabethan and Victorian costume. The lace is intricately detailed and painted in soft pastel shades to represent both my attraction to ornamentation and conventions of feminine beauty. There is conflict, however, between the lacy frills and the inhuman nature of the characters themselves. This contrast illustrates my internal dialogue about the traditional display of woman as mere decorative object. My characters exist only as decoration to communicate this idea. Their bodies are nothing but lace, and their faces and hands are more creature than human. They are monsters of decoration. The final image is both beautiful and grotesque to reflect my opposing feelings.” (source: Katy Horan via Domy Books)

“Laundress”, gouache on paper, 19″ x 15″ 2009

“Grandmother”, gouache on paper, 25.5″ x 40″ 2009

These and other new works by Horan are currently on display at Domy Books in Austin, TX until April 22,  for more info about the show click here.

See more of Horan’s work here

Music Archive: Kleenex/LiLiPUT “Die Matrosen”

From Kill Rock Stars:
“To celebrate the release of Kleenex/LiLiPUT’s Live Recordings, TV-Clips & Roadmovie CD/DVD on Kill Rock Stars, Pitchfork.com is premiering “Die Matrosen” from the film Roadmovie. The CD features two full live sets: Kleenex live in Biel in 1979 and Liliput live in Zurich in 1983, and they include some never before released songs. This is the sound of a world-class band in their prime. The DVD includes the much rumored about document of their European tour in 1982, Roadmovie, as well as live performances of the band on Swiss TV. Live Recordings, TV-Clips & Roadmovie contains previously unreleased tracks (Lust, Take A Taste of My Mind, Geierwally, Pink Hit, Where Do You Find the Time) and previously unreleased video footage including television studio quality sound and video, and a super-8 film created during Liliput tour, 1982.”

Purchase here
Learn more about Kleenex/LiLiPUT here

posted by: Tricia Rock

New Music Video: Jamie Lidell “The Ring”

“Jamie Lidell and fellow musicians including Chilly Gonzales and Dan Rossen (Grizzly Bear) lift their hammers to make some Anvil blues, whose lyrics describe a bedraggled beachcomber as he is seen desperately searching for his lost gold. The video, shot by Lindsey Rome in double vision through the barrel of a dusty camera’s sights captures Jamie returning to the songs birthplace, the beaches of Western Australia, to shout it out from the sands.” (source: Warp Records)

The single will be available on 7″ and digitally May 4 in the US or May 10 elsewhere, and features a new unreleased B-side. In addition Lidell is touring with an all-new band from the end of April, landing in London the week of the album’s release and playing right through into the summer.

The full album is available May 20, 2010 on Warp Records.

Tour Dates:
April 27 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom)
April 29 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
May 7 – Koln, DE – Burgerhaus Stollwerck
May 8 – Hamburg, DE – Knust
May 9 – Berlin, DE – Festssall Kreuzberg
May 13 – Zurich, CH – Kaufleuten
May 14 – Lyon, FR – Nuits Sonores Festival
May 17 – Brussels, BE – Nuits Botaniques Festival
May 18 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
May 19 – London, UK – 229
May 21 – Paris, FR – Alhambra
May 22 – Roma, IT – Dissonanze Festival @ Palazzo dei Congressi
May 29 – Antalya, TR – SunSplash Antalya Festival
June 9 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe
June 12 – Toronto, ON – The Mod Club
June 14 – Vancouver, BC – Venue
June 16 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
June 31 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival

posted by: Harold Johns III

Take a Virtual Tour of the Sistine Chapel Online

Given the Vatican’s most recent run of child molesting priests there is no doubt the Catholic Church is looking for some better press. Their solution, create a virtual tour of Catholicism’s greatest landmark, the Sistine Chapel, viewable online for free. Ok….we don’t actually know that’s the reasoning behind the online tour but the awe-inspiring beauty of the frescoes painted by Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini and Botticelli along with the angelic choir music that plays in the background are almost enough to make you forget about The Vatican’s ongoing abuse scandals. Almost….

Take the tour here (be patient, it takes a bit to load)

posted by: Harold Johns III