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Or rather a relief entitled "Danaïdes", the building is raised on the designs of Hugó Gregersen (1889-1975), a Hugarian archiect of Norwegian origins (his grandfather moved to Hungary as a renowned bridge constructor of his time). Since he, Hugó and his second wife, the sculptor Alice Lux (1906-1988) were frequently working in tandem, this mythological ornament comes from her, from the year when this residential building was raised in 1936.
If you are curious about the complicated role the Danaïdes played in the extended Greek and Roman mythology, consult this article:
Mural entitled "Su Vida Es Nuestra Vida" by Octavio Alegria and Esther del Prado collectively known as Alegria del Prado aka @alegriadelprado, for the Sea Walls project of the Pangea Seed Foundation, seen at 50 Avenida Sur 959, Independencia, 77664 San Miguel de Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico
The artists state: "Our mural is an allegory of the importance of the ocean; that make possible, life on Earth. The dwarf coati, a species endemic to the island of Cozumel is in danger of extinction; they are displaced from their habitat due to human presence. It is placed at the center of our mural, made up of plants, symbolizing nature at threat. The coati is surrounded by marine animals as a representation of the sea, in an interdependent, infinite embrace. One does not survive without the other; the ocean’s health is the earth’s health. As symbols of danger, there are small details not visible to every eye, just like the lack of awareness; hybrid cruiseship-mosquitoes pestering the coati and a skull-shaped earth mover deforesting the island."
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Lady of Deep Waters" by Art of Subtle Codes aka @subtlecodes, seen at 3620 NW 3rd Avenue in Miami, Florida.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Dug out of the archive to contribute to a photo club theme entitled "Hands and Feet". Taken on July 12th, 2008 at my home when I lived in the Charente, France. The adult finger is my left index finger and the tiny hand clutching it is my grand-daughter Hermione's. Dicey shot: I had to hold the camera in the other hand to take the shot.
Type 'l' to view in flickr's 'Lightbox". Repeat to return.
Personal ref: 20080712-DSC_4569-SmallForWebBWversion.
Mural entitled "Mother" by Sef aka @sef.01, seen at 414 North Carpenter Street in the West Town area of Chicago, Illinois.
The artist states: "Today my wall talks about the most selfless love in the world, the love of a mother. That is why I chose this wall, because just as the bridge protects against rain or any inclement weather, so is the love of a mother for her children, an infinite love whose desire is always to protect and love their children above all things. Happy Mother's Day to all those women who every day lavish the most sincere and beautiful love that exists. I dedicate this mural to them."
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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This remarkable sculpture, entitled 'Iron-Bowl' (the famous Alabama Vs. Auburn annual matchup) stands on the campus of the United States Sports Academy in nearby Daphne, Alabama...it is one of several sports sculptures on campus by Alabama artist Bruce Larsen who transforms discarded scrap into powerful, compelling works of art...he has received world-wide recognition for his work and is also a prominent special effects artist for major motion pictures...
This year's Alabama versus Auburn Iron Bowl game takes place this afternoon at 2:30...all I can say is...ROLL TIDE!!!
I have self-published my second book entitled 88. It features an afterword by the British photographer Paul Russell, and the launch in Portugal took place on October 26, 2025.
This new book, 88 (88 images), is the second volume in a duology that began with my 2020 publication of 99 (99 images). The newly published book (88) measures 330 mm x 225 mm (hardcover), with 184 pages.
This photographic collection in “88” features images captured primarily in my home region in Portugal, which includes Caldas da Rainha, Foz do Arelho, and Óbidos. This body of work is considered unique because these locations have been largely unexplored by other street photographers.
My shadow appears as the guiding thread throughout the sequence of photographs, thus connecting my presence from behind the camera to my presence in front of it while participating in the composition. Adopting the philosophy of street photography, I embarked on a journey to find the extraordinary within the ordinary routines of daily life. This was a personal pursuit of serendipitous moments, brought to life by the grace of light. While the photos feature color and the interplay of light and shadow, you’ll find frames embedded with wit, humor, and subtle enigmas containing deeper elements of hidden stories, puzzles, and mystery.
Interested individuals can contact me via message. vasco.trancoso@gmail.com
Thank you.
A work entitled "Remembering Seletar, The Sound of Nature, Memories" 2012, by the Singaporean sculptor Lim Leong Seng, outside the Greenwich V shopping mall at the southeast corner of Yio Chu Kang Road and Seletar Road, Singapore. The vintage pilot in his flying leathers references Seletar Airport (XSP), which lies some 3 km to the north. Built in 1928 for the British Royal Air Force, today it is a civil general aviation airport. Rubber plantations once graced the area, providing ample opportunity for children to chase butterflies. The work evokes memories of those times.
In this series entitled “Birth of a Night”, I invite you to plunge into the magical moment when day slowly fades to make way for night.
Through my lens, I've captured these fleeting moments at dusk, when the sun, barely visible on the horizon, lights up the sky with its characteristic shades of color. Each image bears witness to the ephemeral beauty of this transition, where the light dances over the landscape, creating an atmosphere both peaceful and enchanting.
My wish is to share with you this unique alchemy between day and night, a visual dialogue that reminds us of the poetry of simple but precious moments.
Mural entitled "Sweet Baby" by Cara To aka @caratoes seen on the wall of the Peabody Hotel at 149 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.
The artist states: "This wall is dedicated to the origins of blues music. Transforming pain into something beautiful. You can see the cotton plants transform into the notes in the sky."
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
This was part of the spectacular show of light entitled ‘Science’, created and produced by Luxmuralis Artistic Collaboration.
Visitors were able to walk through the History of Science in the stunning interior of Winchester Cathedral. Almost every inch of the Cathedral was bathed in light and full of beautiful original compositions.
The display saw the almost 1000-year-old building become the canvas for an exploration of the way in which scientists have shaped the past and will influence the future. This unforgettable multi-sensory experience transports visitors through elements, molecules, DNA, and the greatest discoveries of humanity, as we contemplate the wonders that make up the world around us.
The installation was the creation of the award-winning collaboration of artists known as Luxmuralis, a collaborative team of artists from different backgrounds and artistic disciplines who create works across multiple media and presentation formats. Core to their work is the opportunity to explore the development of fine art tradition through new media, placing the medium in an art historical context.
In this part of the cathedral the choir stalls are earliest nearly complete set in England dating from about 1308. The back wall has a blind arcade of pairs of trefoiled arches with encircled cinquefoils above and exuberant foliage in the spandrels. In front of the panels are thin shafts supporting cinquefoiled arches and encircled cinquefoils.
The scrolling list of chemical compound here was being projected onto the Great Screen. This was built in 1455-75, of fine-grained limestone, behind the high altar. The present statues are 19th century, which explains the presence of Queen Victoria among the Saxon monarchs. The original statuary was broken up at the time of the Reformation but much was recovered and is displayed in the Triforium Gallery. The whole restoration of the Great Screen was overseen by Dean Kitchin.
www.hampshireattractions.co.uk/events/science-sound-and-l...
Mural entitled "The Arrival" by Mandy Caskey aka @miss.birdy, seen at 909 Mary Street in Louisville, Kentucky.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Genesis" by SHOK-1 aka @shok_1, seen at the Wynwood Walls Outdoor Museum at 2520 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Mural entitled "Save the Youth" by M*Code aka @martiancodeart, seen at 1926 Dunlap Street in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Tidal View" by ER. aka @everydayresearch for Mural Mania 2024, seen at 701 South Main Street in South Bend, Indiana.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
i bring you my first image taken in new orleans with the rolleicord, after waking up to a hotel room bathed in morning light. which, to put it mildly, may or may not have been just a little too bright after our night out on bourbon street the evening before...
in other news, there are three things that i have recently fallen in love with: my rolleicord, max; the bright, loud, vibrant, slowly drawling city of new orleans; and a beautiful book of poems by natasha trethewey entitled 'bellocq's ophelia", which is set in new orleans and inspired by a collection of photographs bellocq took of women from the red light district a hundred years ago. just, buy it.
Attention Gallery presents our December Exhibit for 2020 entitled "Winterscapes and Snowy Stills"
For this exhibit we invited 60 SL artists to share a landscape photo with us. Some are already seasoned landscape photographers and a few had never taken a landscape photo. It was requested that the photo be a winterscape or a still life in a winter setting. 44 artists accepted the challenge and the results are wonderful.
This exhibits opens on Saturday, December 5 at Noon SLT (12 PM). DJ Irish will be providing her special brand of musical magic and we know you will enjoy yourself.
Please join us in celebrating the last month of 2020.
Here is the list of the artists:
Nams Piers
Malinda Aeon (Lin Talbot)
Helka Alchemi
Karole Batista
Michiel Bechir
Bellisima Benelli
Sandi Benelli
Ben John (BenJohn9)
Morgaine Warblood
Kit Boyd
David Daniels (DavidDaniel999)
Lizabeth Demonia
Hayley Dixon
Doc Mercury
Doddy Meiler
Hazel Foxtrot
Cari Franizzi
Melodie Heartsong
Josephine Hotshot
Jenny Inglewood (JennyLover)
Charly Keeley-Keating
Alsatian Kidd
Tobi Larroane
Sparklebottom Lasertits
Elaine Lectar
Rachel Magic
Loegan Magic
Dusty Pedroia
Justice Pedroia
Tresore Prada Hawkins
Heidi Rewell
Ed Rhode
Metukah Rhode (metukah.lenroy)
Persephone Smythe (leriadraven resident)
Sam Steele
Pavel Stransky
Morgan Talbot
Nino Ventura
Lotje Winkler
Liz Winterstorm-V
Jon Wyck
Val xox
Vrir
ZanyaSL
We look forward to seeing you there. LM below.
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HaStArA/57/239/3503
Mural entitled "Truth Seeker" by HIERO aka @hieroveiga, seen in the 1300 Block of 5th Way in the Rosemary District of Sarasota, Florida.
Mural entitled "Li'l Gal" by Isamar Medina aka @kawaii.sugar for Mural Mania, seen in the Racine Avenue viaduct north of 16th Street in the Pilsen area of Chicago, Illinois.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
As promised !It appears to be about 10 years since it was 'Cropped' !!! There is a further selection of photos of it in my album entitled 'That Tree '
These cattle were lolling with perfect nonchalance in the middle of the street. It took two passengers several minutes to gently persuade them to rise so we could pass. One encounters cattle often on streets and sidewalks. The females tend to be very sweet natured. Some people touch them seeking a blessing.
Despite my recent photo entitled "Last one until 2021", I have to bring you one more post featuring the partial lunar eclipse on Wednesday, July 17.
This collage is made up of nine single photos that were shot over 90 minutes, starting during the penumbral phase of the eclipse. The partial eclipse proper–the "umbral" phase–commenced at 6:01 am where I was viewing and shooting from at Sandringham, Sydney, Australia. You can see the earth's shadow consuming more of the Moon's disk as between the first and last images. The Moon's colour changes throughout the photo, due to the effects of atmospheric refraction near the horizon.
I used my Canon EOS 6D Mk II camera and a Sigma 50-500 mm lens to capture the source photos for this collage. The shutter speed and aperture were varied depending on the Moon's brightness against the background sky, which changed as sunrise came closer.
A few years ago I published a shot which I entitled Finally - the Gherkin - it had taken me ages to get a shot that I really liked. The building is wonderful its shape so curvaceous - but its this very shape that made it so difficult to shoot. The shot was straight up to the top with the clouds whizzing over head. I was really pleased to get the shot. But over time I've looked at it and grown to think that the shot really didn't do the building justice - it didn't show off the beauty. So since then I've hunted all over the city for that view - and I'd pretty much given up it just didn't exist. That was until recently (well earlier this year) when a view opened up as the ever changing cityscape devoured another nondescript 60s building to be replaced - well by another probably nondescript office block. I've no idea how long this view will last below and the right the construction is well under way (one of the reasons for the long exposure) - but for now its there - I feel this shows off why I like the building so much.
I'd also like to say a big hello to all those photographers (and their friends and partners) I met on Monday at the opening night of Landscape Photographer of the Year - it was great meeting and chatting to you all. I have to say this years show is fabulous - some really fantastic photography on show - and well worth a visit - its free to enter and pretty much open all of the time - there's also loads of other fantastic exhibitions in london at the moment too - have a look here Must see Exhibitions
Technical Details
Nikon D700
Nikon 28mm - 200mm @ 80mm
f8.0
62 seconds
ND110
ISO 200
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Yes, I am indeed about to marry the richest man in the world, Le Duc de D’Or Baleine. So I have been practicing my full range of haughty, snooty, superior, and unattainable “rich bitch” looks and expressions! Very amusing too, if you consider just how easily attainable I really am through my chosen profession – to those who meet my exacting social standards, and are willing and able to pay!
More pieces of the jigsaw around my wedding are now falling into place. Some odd events are also starting to occur, which appear to have been provoked by my impending nuptials. Guerrotti the Scottie called me the other day to announce that – at long last!!! – he is going to receive a title in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. He will become Lord Gorbals, and will sit as a Tory in the House of Lords – and very excited he is about it…!
Then there is the new mystery man in our lives, Monsieur Pierre Collager. Collager works for my honeybunch Le Duc in some unspecified capacity. He has dropped in to see us at The Salon several times, and expressed a keen interest in the names and identities of the girls who work for me – as well as other seemingly unrelated financial matters. My honeybunch has mentioned that Pierre will be co-ordinating the security at our wedding, and needs to know as much as possible about all of our guests….
I mentioned Collager’s name to Guerrotti, Superintendent Jack Curry at Scotland Yard, and Lord Belcher. All three men described him as a well-known French gangster and former nightclub singer – sometimes referred to as “the Gallic Sinatra”. Lord Belcher advised me to give him a wide berth. But as he is a business associate of my honeybunch, this isn’t really possible. BTW, you know how French gangsters in the movies always come from Marseille…? Well, Collager hails from the city of Charleville-Mézières, near the Belgian border, notable in history only as the birthplace of the poet Arthur Rimbaud….
Toodle Pip!
Love and Kisses to all my Friends and Fans!
xxxxx
Lady Rebecca Georgina Arabella Lyndon
Duchess of Basingstoke
In an article entitled 'The Loon Lake Colony 1922-2012' by Bob Blatchford, David Oborne and Jim Oborne ice houses were described:
"Up until 1953 when Hydro arrived, cottage life was rustic and basic. You were lucky to have running water via a hand pump. Wood stoves were your oven and heat in the early mornings. Most people had ice houses and ice boxes. Leo and Elburn Meeks Sr. cut the ice on the lake and using a horse drawn sleigh, took the blocks to the cottage ice house each winter. They spread sawdust on the ice to help it survive the summer heat. The ice box in the cottage was zinc lined and made of oak. The ice was put on the top level, food inside. They was a tray on the bottom to collect water. The ice had to be replaced every 2 days."
More history of the Loon Lake Colony can be seen here: (reprinted from the 2012 SDRA Newsletter, written by Bob Blatchford, David Oborne and edited by Jim Oborne) pioneer.mazinaw.on.ca/Loon%20Lake%20Colony%20July%201%201...
Part of the Bill Machan Album
Note: Commercial use of this image is prohibited without CDHS permission. All CDHS Flickr content is available for personal use providing our Rights Statement is followed:
Mural entitled "Deluge Of Abundance" by Steven Teller aka @steventellerarts for BBX Capital Fund for the Arts, seen on the wall of Hoffman’s Chocolates store, 601 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
It was almost time for the weekend again. Ahead of me lay the novel experience of my first ever flu jab. Everyone in Britain aged over 50 is entitled to a flu jab this winter, and it seemed rude to refuse my turn when it came along. A local clinic was being held in the village hall where we queued up patiently outside, waiting for our two minute window to arrive. I felt like the new boy at the office, a mere stripling compared to most of my fellow patients as we loitered and smiled politely at one another, announcing ourselves to one another not by name, but by the time of our appointment. I was Mr 9:38. So while Mrs 9:40, who'd arrived before me gracefully stood aside to allow me to pass, I in turn made way for Mrs 9:35 and Mrs 9:36. At 9:37 I timidly entered the hall and announced my presence, where I was directed to one of the four "jabbing stations." By 9:39 I was on my way back to the car. My left shoulder is throbbing very gently, but apart from that I'm fine, and presumably less likely to succumb to a dose of the flu this winter. Thanks for asking.
Later in the day I met my children for a long overdue lunch at the legendary Smokey Joe's. For the uninitiated, Smokey's is just off the A30, within 15 minutes' walk of home for me. Thought of by many as a truck stop, it is more often than not full of locals from Redruth and the surrounding area. The portions are generous to say the least.
Order the Hungryman's all day breakfast and unless you have the most enormous appetite in the universe, you won't need to eat again for the rest of the day. In fact you might still be trying to finish it at closing time. You probably won't feel the need to order dessert afterwards.
All of this excitement meant that getting outside with the camera on Saturday was looking unlikely. I'd resigned myself to this fact despite the sunshine, which was bringing conditions as pleasant as you're likely to see here in the middle of December. At this time of year, even on a good day the light is facing rapidly by 4pm. So it was fortunate that I'd already inspected the weekend weather forecast and decided Sunday was the day for me. Yes, I'd chosen driving rain, black clouds and high winds over benign sunshine and fluffy clouds.
Dave announced he had decided he's a fair weather photographer and wasn't coming. Lee was waiting for his wife to come home so that he could use the car. He said he might join me if he was able to a bit later. In truth I suspected I'd be alone. All morning today I looked doubtfully through the window at a world of terminally grey skies and drizzle, yet I remained confident that a gap in the clouds might come later - and when you want to watch the weather properly, there's no better place to go to than Wheal Coates.
The big waves that I'd hoped the incoming tide might deliver didn't happen on the grand scale I'd hoped for, so I had to resort to a hastily devised backup plan. I have something very specific in mind for this location, but I haven't quite had the right conditions yet. Of course what makes me happy about that is it means my business isn't done here yet. As I arrived though, the light had started to filter through those brooding clouds, throwing shafts of yellow onto the sea. This one was taken right at the beginning of the two hours I spent here today - a reminder that in winter you don't just wait for sunset because you can shoot throughout the day and the best light often comes early. The rest of the visit was spent battling the drifting rain and trying to keep the tripod steady in the wind. These challenges are always fun, and each time I encounter them I feel I've come away with a tiny bit more experience in dealing with them. I also now know exactly what's needed for the conditions I'm waiting for here. Hopefully they'll arrive soon enough. Hopefully I'll be ready to grab the moment when it comes.
Mural entitled "Luchando por mi Patria" by Victor Quinonez aka @marka_27 and Don Rimx aka @donrimx, seen at 2214 NW 1st Place in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.
The artist, Quinonez, states: "Luchando Por Mi Patria translates to Fighting For My Homeland. This print represents two Latino artists who currently reside in the U.S. Both artists call the United States home and are heavily influenced by American cultures like graffiti and hip-hop, but have never forgotten their roots from Puerto Rico and Mexico. We continue to blend traditions while paying homage to our respective heritage and bring legendary Luchadores to this collaborative mural. Hailing from Puerto Rico is José Huertas González aka 'El Invader' and heavy hitter Alejandro Muñoz Moreno aka 'Blue Demon' from Mexico. We chose Luchadores because similar to graffiti artists they have alter egos and fight to be the best in the game! They also represent their homelands of Puerto Rico and Mexico."
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Soprano Viorica CORTEZ' critical biography is accompanied by Quotations, Iconography and a substantial bibliography which are presented in a new Anthology entitled;
"Blouse Roumaine - the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women"
Presented and Selected by Constantin ROMAN
Anthology E-BOOK (11BM)
DISTRIBUTION: Online with credit card
COST: $ 54.99, £34.99 (ca Euros 35.50)
LINK: www.blouseroumaine.com/orderthebook_p1.html
CONTENTS:
2,250,000 words,
over 1,000 pages,
ca 160 illustrations in text
160 critical biographies,
58 social categories/professions,
600 quotations (mostly translated into English for the first time),
circa 3,000 bibliographical references (including URLs and credits)
6 Indexes (alphabetical, by profession, timeline, quotation Index, place
index and name index)
AUTHOR: Constantin Roman is a Scholar with a Doctorate from Cambridge and a Member of the Society of Authors (London). He is an International Adviser, Guest Speaker, Professor Honoris Causa and Commander of the Order of Merit.
INDEX BY PROSFESSION: 58 CATEGORIES by Call, Profession or Social Status
Academics (22), Actresses (9), Anti-Communist Fighters (14), Architects/Interior Designers (2), Art Critics (9), Artist Book Binders (1), Ballerinas (6), Charity Workers/Benefactors (20), Communist Public Figures (2), Courtesans (3), Designers (2), Diplomats (4), Essayists (11), Ethnographers (6), Exiles & First-generation Romanians born abroad (87), Explorers (1), Feminists (12), Folk Singers (1), Gymnasts, Dressage Riders (2), Historians (5), Honorary Romanian Women (15), Illustrators (3), Journalists (13), Lawyers (4), Librarians (3), Linguists (2), Literary Critics (1), Media (15), Medical Doctors/Nurses (5), Memoir Writers (16), Missionaries and Nuns (4), Mountainéers (2), Museographers (1), Musical Instruments Makers (1), Novelists (24), Opera Singers (16), Painters (14), Peasant Farmers (6), Philosophers and Philosophy Graduates (4), Pianists (6), Pilots (4), Playwrights (5), Poets (29), Political Prisoners (30), Politicians (5), Revolutionaries (2), Royals and Aristocrats (34), Scientists (8), Sculptors (4), Slave (1), Socialites/Hostesses (20), Spouses/Relations of Public Figures (51), Spies (2), Tapestry Weavers (4), Translators (25), Unknown Illustrious (6), Violinists (4), Workers (3)
NOTE:
Most of the above 160 Romanian women, in the best tradition of versatility, are true polymaths and therefore nearly each one of them falls in more than just one category, often three or more. This explains why adding the numbers of the 57 individual categories bears no relation to the actual total of the above 160 women included in Blouse Roumaine.
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LIST OF 160 CRITICAL BIOGRAPHIES (each supported by Quotations and Bibliography)
AA *Gabriela Adamesteanu *Florenta Albu *Nina Arbore *Elena Arnàutoiu *Ioana Raluca Voicu-Arnàutoiu, *Laurentia Arnàutoiu *Mariea Plop - Arnàutoiu *Ana Aslan *Lady Elizabeth Asquith Bibescu
BB *Lauren Bacall *Lady Florence Baker *Zoe Bàlàceanu *Ecaterina Bàlàcioiu-Lovinescu *Victorine de Bellio *Pss. Marta Bibescu *Adriana Bittel *Maria Prodan Bjørnson *Ana Blandiana *Yvonne Blondel *Lola Bobescu *Smaranda Bràescu *Elena Bràtianu *Élise Bràtianu *Ioana Bràtianu *Elena Bràtianu- Racottà *Letitzia Bucur
CC *Anne-Marie Callimachi *Georgeta Cancicov *Madeleine Cancicov *Pss. Alexandra Cantacuzino *Pss.Maria Cantacuzino (Madame Puvis de Chavannes) *Pss. Maruca Cantacuzino-Enesco* Pss. Catherine Caradja *Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu *Marta Caraion-Blanc, *Nina Cassian, *Otilia Cazimir *Elena Ceausescu *Maria Cebotari *Ioana Celibidache *Hélène Chrissoveloni (Mme Paul Morand)*Alice Cocea *Irina Codreanu *Lizica Codreanu *Alina Cojocaru *Nadia Comàneci *Denisa Comànescu *Lena Constante *Silvia Constantinescu *Doina Cornea *Hortense Cornu *Viorica Cortez*Otilia Cosmutzà *Sandra Cotovu *Ileana Cotrubas *Carmen-Daniela Cràsnaru *Mioara Cremene *Florica Cristoforeanu *Pss. Elena Cuza
DD *Hariclea Darclée *Cella Delavrancea *Alina Diaconú *Varinca Diaconú *Anca Diamandy *Marie Ana Dràgescu *Rodica Dràghincescu *Bucura Dumbravà *Natalia Dumitrescu
EE *Micaela Eleutheriade *Queen Elisabeth of Romania (‘Carmen Sylva’) *Alexandra Enescu *Mica Ertegün
FF *Lizi Florescu, *Maria Forescu *Nicoleta Franck *Aurora Fúlgida
GG *Angela Gheorghiu *Pss Grigore Ghica *Pss. Georges Ghika (Liane de Pougy) *Veturia Goga *Maria Golescu *Nadia Gray *Olga Greceanu *Pss. Helen of Greece *Nicole Valéry-Grossu *Carmen Groza
HH *Virginia Andreescu Haret *Clara Haskil *Lucia Hossu-Longin
II *Pss. Ileana of Romania *Ana Ipàtescu *Marie-France Ionesco *Dora d’Istria *Rodica Iulian
JJ *Doina Jela *Lucretia Jurj
KK *Mite Kremnitz
LL *Marie-Jeanne Lecca *Madeleine Lipatti *Monica Lovinescu *Elena Lupescu
MM *Maria Mailat *Ileana Màlàncioiu *Ionela Manolesco *Lilly Marcou *Silvia Marcovici *Queen Marie of Romania *Ioana A. Marin *Ioana Meitani *Gabriela Melinescu *Veronica Micle *Nelly Miricioiu *Herta Müller *Alina Mungiu-Pippidi *Agnes Kelly Murgoci
NN *Mabel Nandris *Anita Nandris-Cudla *Lucia Negoità *Mariana Nicolesco *Countess Anna de Noailles *Ana Novac
OO *Helen O’Brien *Oana Orlea
PP *Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu *Milita Pàtrascu *Ana Pauker *Marta Petreu *Cornelia Pillat *Magdalena Popa *Elvira Popescu
RR *Ruxandra Racovitzà *Elisabeta Rizea *Eugenia Roman *Stella Roman *Queen Ana de România, *Pss. Margarita de România *Maria Rosetti *Elisabeth Roudinesco
SS *Annie Samuelli *Sylvia Sidney *Henriette-Yvonne Stahl *Countess Leopold Starszensky *Elena Stefoi *Pss. Marina Stirbey *Sanda Stolojan *Cecilia Cutzescu-Storck
TT *Maria Tànase *Aretia Tàtàrescu *Monica Theodorescu *Elena Theodorini
UU *Viorica Ursuleac
VV *Elena Vàcàrescu *Leontina Vàduva *Ana Velescu *Marioara Ventura *Anca Visdei *Wanda Sachelarie Vladimirescu *Alice Steriade Voinescu
WW *Sabina Wurmbrand
ZZ *Virginia Zeani
Mural entitled "Voltron" by Kenji Chai aka @mr_kenjichai and Michael Roy aka @birdcap for Paint Memphis, seen at 1719 Evelyn Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Remix22 - European Youth Music Festival - Musikschule Hünstetten Taunusstein (DEU)
14th edition of the European Youth Music Festival, organized by EMU, in association with Esch-sur-Alzette, Differdange, Pétange, Käerjeng, ..., as part of ESCH2022, the European Capital of Culture 2022.
The 14th edition of the European Youth Music Festival, entitled REMIX22 took place from 26 to 28 May 2022.
The European Music School Union (EMU) is the European umbrella organisation of national music school associations in Europe.
Remix22: www.remix22.lu/
EMU (European Music School Union): www.musicschoolunion.eu/
Fond-de-Gras: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_and_Railway_Park_Fond-de-Gras
Fond-de-Gras: minettpark.lu/
Army Invasion and teargassing of Kahnawake, a Canadian Mohawk reserve in Quebec. Sept.18,1990.
Teargassing of the Bridge. I had to change film at this point, opening the back, and my subsequent negatives were affected strangely by the chemicals- almost unprintable at the time and when I last checked 10 years later, in steady decline. Thank you Photoshop for your magic wand- I've managed to clean up some impossible damage and present some photos in this set which I've never shown before. I was one of two non-Natives present on the Bridge, and was at one point surrounded by a group of frantic and angry women, who shouted at me,
"YOU GO BACK TO YOUR PEOPLE AND YOU SHOW THEM, YOU TELL THEM WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO US!!!"
I have rarely felt so acutely "Other" and must admit, I would not have readily identified many of the people I saw there on the bridge with me as being of Native origin, but it was evident to them that I was NOT. I looked across the water towards the Island at what were allegedly "MY people"- more resembling an invading mass of locusts with guns, advancing through a cloud of smoke- (the gas masks made them appear decidedly insect-like), and I shouted back in all sincerity,
"They're NOT MY PEOPLE! MY people wouldn't do something like this!"
I thought, it doesn't matter what you stand for, what you believe in, what you strive towards all of your life. Racism erases all of that and reduces you to the colour of your skin or assumed heritage and so you are judged. We all are. I wondered it THEY (the army) thought of me at that moment as one of THEIR people. Not likely they saw a difference. I had just been targeted by the Montreal police that same summer for my role as the photographer in the SexGarage incident (see my other set), been beaten twice, threatened and arrested in a demo against police violence, so was not feeling particularly aligned with the military at that moment.
Photo © Linda Dawn Hammond / IndyFoto.com '90
Photographs and text by Linda Dawn Hammond
Behind The Barricades: OKA
BOOKS
2015 "HerStory 2015", (Coteau Books, Saskatoon Women’s Calendar Collective). Photo of Jenny Jacks, First Nations activist at Oka, from “Behind the Barricades” series.
2010 "Incident at Oka" (D&M Publishers), 1 photograph from Behind the Barricades: OKA " Jenny Jacks", Author: Harry Swain
2001 The Women's Daybook 2002, 'Women and Food' (Sumach Press), 1 Photograph and text by Linda Dawn Hammond: Behind The Barricades: OKA
1994 Semiotext(e) canadas (Columbia University Press)
Back cover Photograph and 3 within by Linda Dawn Hammond: Behind The Barricades: OKA
1991 The Possessed Individual: Technology and the French
Postmodern (New World Perspectives)
Author: Arthur Kroker
Photography by Linda Dawn Hammond: 2 from Three Part Bodyseries , 4 photographs from Behind the Barricades: OKA
www.scribd.com/doc/7426491/The-Possessed-Individual
EXHIBITIONS
May, 2017
Collège La Cite à Toronto
Exhibit and auction for MSF
Photos Sans Frontières
Solo exhibit entitled,
Derrière les barricades: OKA- Behind the Barricades: OKA,
6 photographs on exhibit, 3 additional in auction for MSF
June - Aug 2005
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UK
Group exhibit entitled, The American West
Behind the Barricades: OKA, 6 photographs,
REVIEW
www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/find-things-to-do/a-pio...
Oct 2004
Photopolis, Halifax Festival of Photography
Group exhibit entitled, Documents and Dreams: A Group Exhibit of Canadian Documentary Photography
Organized by Narrative 360 At ViewPoint Gallery, Oct.7, 04 - Oct. 31, 04, "Mohawk Child at West Gate Barricade" Giclee print (dim. 36" by 56")
Nov 2003
Bfly Atelier, Vancouver
Group exhibit entitled, Documents and Dreams: A Group Exhibit of Canadian Documentary Photography
Organized by Narrative 360 At Bfly Atelier, Nov.13, 03 - Nov. 25, 03, "Mohawk Child at West Gate Barricade" Giclee print (dim. 36" by 56")
2000
Les Vivres, Montreal
Solo exhibit entitled, "Hot July: Oka and Sexgarage"
Behind the Barricades: OKA, and Sexgarage: Serve and Protect - Silver prints, (dim. 8" by 10", 11" by 14"),
Quickprint/ Mylars (dim. 3' by 5'),
Nov 90
Union Francaise, Montréal
Benefit for the Mohawk Defense Fund, Solo exhibit entitled,Behind the Barricades- Oka:
28 B&W documentary photographs (dim. 11" by14")
Oct 90
Le Festival du Nouveau Cinema et de
la Video, Montréal
Solo exhibit entitled,Behind the Barricades- Oka:
28 B&W documentary photographs (dim. 11" by14")
bridgeSM
Mural entitled "Future Positive" by Kevin Ledo aka @kevinledo and @findac, curated by @therawproject_, seen at the Cheltenham Elementary School at 1580 Julien Street in Denver, Colorado.
The artist (Kevin Ledo) states: "On the right is Rihelle, a student that goes to the school that I photographed for this piece. On and the left is one of Fin’s muses, @christel_lakhdar who shares a resemblance which creates a beautiful narrative."
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
The Krazy Katalogers have entitled this "Semaphore of Haulbowline lighthouse, Irish Lights Department flag displayed, Co. Down"! That means that there are two conundrums therein. There are at least three signalling systems on display, the Semaphore Flags, the Signalling Flags and the light for Morse Code Signalling. The other conundrum, at least for Morning Mary, is Haulbowline and Co. Down being listed together? The only Haulbowline we are familiar with is down in Cork Harbour but perhaps that one has a twin up North like the recent shot of St. John's Lighthouse?
Photographer: Ball, Robert S. (Robert Stawell), 1840-1913
Collection: Commissioners of Irish Lights Photographic Collection
Date: Circa 1890 - 1909
NLI Ref: NPA CIL195
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
www.visitblackpool.com/things-to-do/illuminations/
Autumn just wouldn’t be the same without a trip to Blackpool’s world-famous northern lights – the Blackpool Illuminations. More than three million visitors a year can’t be wrong!
This year, the World’s Biggest 3D Holographic Experience Comes To Blackpool Illuminations. See 7 foot tall 3D holograms of Pirates, Zombies, Mermaids and much more, directly on your phone! In-app purchases support the Blackpool Illuminations and the NSPCC's 'Turning The Tide For Children Appeal' and will also entitle you a FREE Blackpool Pleasure Beach Pass worth £6.00! Click here for details on The Blackpool Experience app and how to download it.
The magical Blackpool Illuminations will keep the resort aglow for 73 nights from Friday 30 August to Sunday 10 November 2013.
Once described as ‘Artificial Sunshine’, the Illuminations have been a major part of Blackpool’s attraction since 1879 and have been a guiding light for visitors to the resort ever since.
And to ensure this year’s event is the most spectacular yet, there’s a whole host of new and revamped displays including Theatre D’Amour, Venus Reborn, Talbot Square and Brilliance, which are designed to dazzle and delight the crowds with new programmes, sounds and shows. Not forgetting the magnificent jewel in the crown, Blackpool Tower will also help showcase just why the Illuminations are regarded as a truly world class lighting attraction.
However visitors choose to enjoy Blackpool’s award-winning Illuminations, they’re guaranteed a sparkling night, whatever the weather. And with even more exciting projects yet to be announced, including plans for a ¼ mile gallery of illuminated street art by some of the UK’s top rated Urban artists, 2013 is set to be a year to remember.
Going Greener
Blackpool’s Illuminations evoke a sense of nostalgia, and to this day retain the magic and excitement which every visitor experiences on their first trip through the Lights. The styles and technology however are constantly adapting to address the green issues of conservation and energy efficiency.
“Everyone's entitled to their point of view but that's seriously a weird one.” ~Kevin Rudd (ex-Prime Minister of Australia)
"But the verdict of his colleagues, and the polls, was that changing Kevin Rudd was not a possibility. The problems were deep and personal. The brutal conclusion was he had to go." Brisbane Times
Today, Australia welcomes its first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Former Prime Minister, better known as K-Rudd had been quite popular with the public. Due to recent dropping polls however, he has been forced to resign, pressured to step down by his party members.
On election day, Australian voters vote for the political party they want to lead, but ultimately the party within itself decides whether the leader is still fit to keep their post. If not, they hold a vote only within the party, to oust the current leader to be succeeded by a new one. And the public has no say. It's pretty quick. My very simplistic understanding of Parliamentary politics... All I know is that today, we have a new leader for the country and the people didn't have a say in the matter, it feels strange.
Politicians are pretty infamous, not many people trust them because of broken promises; ineffective leadership, debates on environmental/animal/civil/religious/moral rights increasing taxes, poor health care, education just to mention a few. But a life trying "lead" so many citizens and get the country in working order, must be pretty difficult to say the least.
Today marks a clean slate for Australian Politics, or so we are led to believe.
"With great power comes great responsibility" ~Stan Lee
Mural entitled "Chosen Family" by Koni aka @konicheewaa for Mural Mania, seen in the Racine Avenue viaduct north of 16th Street in the Pilsen area of Chicago, Illinois.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
In my adjacent photograph entitled "Bapaume and forgotten", I told the story of the Pikedale Soldiers Settlements and Amiens railway branch line on the Granite Belt in Queensland. This included the naming of localities along the railway after battles in France during WWI.
The nearby Stanthorpe Museum has the railway station (really sidings) name boards from along the line which closed in 1974. It also has a number of other railway relics from the area. Quite appropriately, red poppies are "planted" at the base of these signs. Except for Amiens at the end of the line, all of the other names define general localities, no towns as such. When you drive to Amiens today, these localities are still identified with green tourist signs beside the road, usually in front of a forest!
If you are interested, here is a small Wiki article on the history of the old railway.
Mural entitled "Band of Brotherhood" by Michael Vasquez aka @michaelvasquez_, seen at the Wynwood Walls Outdoor Museum at 2516 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Blue for You" by DFACE aka @defaceofficial, seen at 121 South Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, California.
Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
“Makli was entitled as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1981”
#Architecture #Shape #Closeup #Line #Detail #texture #Architectural #Pattern #Ancient #Art #Carved #Carving #Culture #Decorated #Design #Detail #Heritage #History #Human #Ornamental #Ruin #Sandstone #Sculpture #Textured #Wall #Artwork #Makli #Sindh #Pakistan #Nikon #KK #Kashi #Klicks #KKlicks #KashiKlicks
Kindly click on the FOLLOW link, and stay tuned!!!
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Mural entitled “Girl with a D Earring" by @sydneygjames, @maxsansing, @bakpakdurden @birdcap and @ijania seen at 2937 East Grand Boulevard in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan.
This mural was inspired by "Girl with a Pearl Earring," an oil painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer, dated c. 1665.
Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
I read 255 books last year and I tried to be as diverse as possible in what I read. Many of these books were not released in 2018 (some were) but just reflect what I did read in the past year. So far, I have read three books this year and hope to read 300 by the end of the year. The photograph of the above sculpture was taken by myself yesterday at The Cultural Center in Chicago and is entitled In the Center There Were Librarians and other Gestures. The artist for this photograph is Susan Giles. I worked on the following list for the last week so sorry I haven’t been as active lately. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s!
1.Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi
I saw this Iranian American Author speak at Printer’s Row this year and talk about her journey writing this novel, a really strong sense of the beauty and power of words along with the loss of human life in this one. It has reminiscences of the honoring of literature that often come about in Rabih Alameddine and Salman Rushdie’s work.
www.azareenvandervlietoloomi.com/about/
2.Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life by Yiyun Li
This has been classified as an autobiographical nonfiction memoir but it is so much more than this. It is endlessly philosophical about depression and suicide and an examination of life fully lived as well. It is very different than her fiction and not for casual readers who don’t want to feel deeply. Still, she has given us a gift of insight not just into herself but into the nature of humanity and that cannot be taken for granted. In the few months that have followed, I have thought back on this book and what a strong presence it made on my psyche. Yiyun Li is a Chinese American and I’m so grateful for immigrants like her adding to the canon of books we have available in this country to help make us better Americans and, more importantly, better humans.
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/59088/yiyun-li
3.We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I read all of Adichie’s books this year and they are all very worthwhile to read. So many tackle issues of racism within American as well as in Africa (you have to remember, what is mass marketed overseas to Africans are shows like COPS that reinforce racism against African Americans). There seems to be so many strong Nigerian authors emerging at the moment and Adichie is the best of the best. Though some might not consider this text to be a full nonfiction work, I still consider it the most important one I read. Adichie explores in such insightful ways how sexism hurts not only women but men also in our current world. It’s something I would recommend for everyone (male, female, or gender neutral) to read or watch the lecture of.
www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_we_should_all_...
4.Born Bright: A Young Girl's Journey from Nothing to Something in America by Nicole C. Mason
Ta-Nehisi Coates has so much to offer American in terms of understanding racism in all facets and the insights of someone who is an extremely intelligent man trying to raise a family in America. Nicole C. Mason does one thing better, though, which is to say she offers more solutions. As an African American woman, she has had to deal with her own challenges in terms of extreme poverty and racism and has overcome this to become a professor at Georgetown University and Executive Director of the Center for Research and Policy in the Public Interest at the New York Women's Foundation. Her insights into our current institutionalized racism and classism are something everyone should be educated on.
5. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
I only read five graphic novels this year, which is somewhat surprising considering I read about ten the year before that. Although I am not opposed to the classic superhero type of graphic novels, I’d really rather read more autobiographical type of novels or those that explore the human psyche more than anything else. My favorite graphic novel of all time is by David B. called Epileptic (French). I tend to enjoy the really creepy Tim Lane, Daniel Clowes, or Black Hole by Charles Burns. Anyway, this is also somewhat creepy but, even more so, richly artistic. The way that the drawings match the words in terms of both content and quality is truly a wondrous experience. This is a book you’ll delve into and have a hard time putting down and it is thick and fulfilling. It also takes place in the 1960s in the north side neighborhood of Uptown, Chicago, which is really interesting to see depicted. I love the scenes from the streets and the Art Institute especially. Within the book, the protagonist grapples with disease, murder, racism, sexual identity, and even the Holocaust. Apparently, this is only Book One and there might possibly be Book Two to look forward to later on this year. In any case, a really rich delight.
6.Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
I read many books by Nnedi Okorafor this year but this one was by far my favorite…fantastical Nigerian Science Fiction at it’s finest. This book is intensely creative and extremely well written. It will make you wonder why Okorafor isn’t celebrated in every household in America but I think it’s well acknowledged that racism and sexism within the science fiction genre go hand in hand. Those who really pride themselves on appreciating the genre, however, better start getting woke fast. Reading this one might be a good place to begin.
7.We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates
It isn’t enough to really consider yourself to be aware of racism in America and its history because, in order to be truly understanding of this, you have to know how racism has truly pervaded every aspect of America in an institutionalized way both historically and in modern times. I am pro-reparations and what I mean by that is that white people have stolen and oppressed people of color for so long that they are owed by us in so many ways. That is one reason why I don’t vote for white people any longer or donate to their campaigns. In any case, the racism that James Baldwin wrote about so eloquently in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s is still happening today and explored thoroughly and with in depth research by Coates. If you think racism is obsolete in America, you will have much to learn from this book of essays.
8.Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Octavia is another African American science fiction author that should be a cherished household name. She passed away when she was only in her 50s but she gave the world some of the most imaginative texts. I read quite a few of her novels this year but I liked both Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents best. It takes place in an apocalyptic America and, in the second of the series is a “leader” who takes over who literally screams “Make America Great Again” as his mantra, which is super creepy in its prophetic warning. I also love this concept she explores as a “sharer” who feels extreme and even physical empathy and a development of a new religion. Also really interesting to note is that Octavia was diagnosed with Dyslexia as a child….what a strong author she became despite it!
www.cnn.com/2018/06/22/culture/octavia-e-butler/index.html
9.Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada/ Rudolf Wilhelm Friedrich Ditzen
I hate to put a white male author’s book on my list. I really do and, unfortunately, this is the first of three. But, in any case, Rabih Alameddine recommended this when I saw him at Printer’s Row Book Festival in Chicago and, as I love his novels, I felt I had to give it a chance. I admit, I didn’t regret it. This story is loosely based on the true story during the Holocaust of a man and a woman who decide they are going to write anti-fascism postcards against the Nazis. It was originally published in 1947 and takes place in Berlin. Fallada himself was not Jewish but led a really difficult life where quite early on, he was meant to die in a supposed duel, a suicide pact made with his male lover. His male lover died and he obviously did not. In any case, mainly this book is about the idea of resistance in any small or large way, even if it seems small, silly, or gets you killed. To resist fascism is to reaffirm your own humanity and the protagonists the Hampels can’t exist any other way. I have to admit, I found myself crying several times while reading this book, especially considering the relevance to modern day times. Alameddine commented on how silly and stupid it was for this couple in real life and in this book to do this…they knew they would be caught….but they managed to distribute hundreds of postcards that put in mind inklings of doubt into the German population about what Hitler was doing and that is extremely important. These days, we just tweet about how much we hate Trump but, back then, there were some who assumed the vast majority of the population approved of the human rights violations the Nazis were committing….which makes me wonder if perhaps social media could prevent another Holocaust.
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/books/review/Schillinger-t.html
10.Confessions by Kinae Minato
This is some grueling psychological craziness that you will go through but man is it ever worth it. Kinae Minato was an actual teacher in Japan before she decided to write the kind of horror that will haunt you. This one is mainly about the evil that children can commit and the parents that condone and/or encourage it…and, it’s about a society that subconsciously promotes it too or, as in American society, gives attention/press to those who harm and confuse others into thinking this is the best way to get noticed. It’s so much more than that, though, and it will mess you up for days. I read Haruki Murakami’s Killing Commendatore this year as well and this was far more effective in my opinion but this is also about vengeance and made me think of the Chan Wook Park series on the subject (though, he’s Korean vs. Japanese which is an important distinction).
www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-kanae-minato-20...
11. Jesse Ball: Census
There is no one who can write quite like Jesse Ball. It is almost as if it has been removed from time and space completely and exists in its own strange universe. And yet, it is not science fiction…it’s more like humanistic fiction…like a deep feeling realistic fiction. Though Census isn’t my favorite of his novels (my favorite is actually The Curfew followed by Silence Once Begun as a close second), it is as always well worth reading. There’s such a beautiful sense of this relationship of a father and son as they collect information about strangers…an almost fairy tale esque sort of feeling at times but not quite. It’s difficult to explain except to say that each moment of the story seems one in your life you’d cherish and therefore each word is a pleasure, which is odd considering that some categorize it as Dystopian Fiction. I guess one person’s Dystopia is another’s Utopia.
11.Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead
Such a beautiful poetic and still realistic ode to a city that is always teeming with lives and energy. I’m originally from upstate NY (Rochester) and have visited NYC a few times…what exists there has changed over time but some things to remain more constant. Whitehead captures the essence in a way that is true and in a way that so many others have failed to. I’ve read quite a few of his books this year and have enjoyed all of them but none quite as much as this one. Although, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention he wrote an awesome zombie book, Zone One, that was excellent to read around Halloween.
13. Alice Walker
It’s very difficult to talk about Alice Walker at this time when there are so many accusations of anti-semitism. This is nothing new, in fact, as she’s supported Palestine and traveled there to learn about what has been happening to its people for a very long time. She has witnessed suffering and she has written poetry and accounts where she separates the beliefs of what she sees as radical Zionists and those who are Jewish who don’t advocate for suffering. Still, I don’t think it’s ok that she’s defending David Icke’s work and I am very concerned about that. Earlier this year, before all of the controversy surfaced, I had the chance to see Alice Walker as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival and so I read just about everything I possibly could beforehand from novels to poetry to essays. Alice Walker married a Jewish man and had a child with him in 1967…that’s probably important for people to consider. She has also done a ton of work to stop the practice of female genital mutilation in Africa. Her message is solidly one of peace and equality in the Middle East and I hope nothing has changed in that regard.
In any case, I am not going to devote multiple entries to Alice Walker but if you are interested in reading her work and deciding for yourself, your local library should have many selections without you needing to look any further. I greatly enjoyed the novels Meridian, By the Light of My Father’s Smile and the essay collections Cushion in the Road and Anything We Love Can Be Saved as my favorites. I’ll also remind people to realize that reading something objectively will not make you a harmful or hateful person. Be ready to learn from all perspectives, to reject some and consider others. That’s what being an intelligent human being is all about. Still, I don’t support anti-semitism or any other discrimination against humans and I hope the world continues to become a more accepting and loving place.
14.We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled: A collection of the voices of Syrian Immigrants by Wendy Pearlman
Now more than ever it is very important to read about what is happening to this group of persecuted people and understand their perspectives…it is easy to see the anger and desperation, the sadness and sometimes bitterness in these lives but, at the same time, you connect with them on some small level. I can’t begin to imagine how it feels or how badly the US has messed up in this situation. I only know I care and am so very saddened and helpless by it all. Reading their thoughts and about their life experiences is the very least one can do.
www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/12/we-crossed-a-bridge...
15.Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
Such an interesting book about hard working immigrants who are doubly affected by the economic crash in 2008 and who go to such great lengths to stay in America, a country which is basically ruining their very lives. This book really shows a strong sense of the immigrant struggle and the cluelessness of the white people around them in NYC but it has a strong storyline and sense of characters besides that which makes it all the more compelling.
16. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
This one is so much more than a coming of age story. It combines culture and criticism of contemporary society and has such a witty writing style and takes place in Chicago, which made it an even better read for me. I think there’s an interesting exploration of what is expected of immigrants and their children and also what immigrants are expected to like and the conflict that comes from when those aren’t in sync. Very interesting read and also a very engaging writing style.
17.Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
This book is really something…it’s a little about politics and family but it’s a great deal about love in this modern world, in all its messed up ways. It’s hard for me to talk about this book without giving away the ending, which has still stayed with me after many months but let’s just say it’s very effective and leaving a lasting image with you. Technically, this book is a reworking of Sophocles’ Antigone (it’s been too long since I read this actually) but with a modern retelling that includes the current political climate and ISIS. She won the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year for this book.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/06/kamila-shamsie-wins...
18. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
This science fiction novel combines a little bit of everything-class struggle, race struggle, and sexual identity struggle along within the overarching power struggle of what is written as postmodern space based slavery with an incredibly strong female protagonist leading the revolution. Well written and a fantastic addition to the genre.
www.npr.org/2017/10/06/548665897/unkindness-of-ghosts-tra...
19. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
This is an autobiographical novel based around Chung’s experience being adopted by a white family living in Oregon and explores both the nature of adoption and all of the difficulty that comes from that as well as racism and racial identity. It’s really interesting to see both an evolution of her thoughts and the way she interacts with her biological and adopted families. It’s possible that no one who was not adopted could understand how it feels just like it’s possible that a white person could never truly understand what it is like to be of another race. However, this book is quite honest, revealing, and a perspective that should be learned from.
20.Mischling by Affinity Konar
Affinity comes from a Jewish perspective with a Polish ancestry. This novel is based on some of the texts and non fictions surrounding the Holocaust based on twin studies and experiments. I’ve read quite a few books about the Holocaust but I didn’t realize myself the extend of these twin studies and ended up looking up a couple of the names of the most heinous individuals in this book. Affinity rightfully so pulls you into the characters, these two female twins in particular, and their unique bond as well as the overall bond of their family. Because the Nazis wanted to do scientific experiments on identical twins, parents were encouraged to give them up so that they wouldn’t be killed. However, the torture they endured (sometimes also leading to death) was worse than death in some instances. The worst of humanity can be found within these pages…it’s a harrowing read but I also learned from it and feel texts like this are important to remind us that we can never repeat this history.
21. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Divakaruni
I loved the concept of a group of people trapped in a situation where, though they are total strangers and come from very different backgrounds, must trust each other with their life stories. And, what really comes through is the richness of a life and of diverse experiences and the nature of their memories. This is so far the only thing I have read by Divajaruni but I look forward to reading more of her work this year!
22.Reality is Not What it Seems by Carlo Rovelli
Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist and this book is a great deal about the history of the science evolving as well as about time and black holes. I have to admit, there was quite a bit I learned but also quite a bit I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. What the book left me feeling is oddly calm, however. Because, since Trump became president, I’ve had a real strong sense that we are all trapped in a black hole of some sort and this basically confirmed some of my suspicions. Now, if I could just get to a different alternative reality where someone like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is president….perhaps, we’re at least headed in the correct direction, though.
23.Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing
It was such an honor to see Ewing speak as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival this year and such a wonderful thing for Chicago that this extremely talented poet, graphic novelist, and nonfiction writer resides here. This collection of poetry really speaks to growing up on Chicago’s south side in the 1990s but it’s so much more than that. It’s an important collection of poetry not just because of Eve L. Ewing’s voice but because of the strength of her words and imagery. My only disappointment with this is that it wasn’t longer so I could keep reading.
Eve L. Ewing also just published a nonfiction work, Ghosts in the Schoolyard, covering the closure of 50 public schools that Rahm Emanuel imposed as one of his very first acts as mayor. This is probably one of the most important books that was written this year but I haven’t read it yet (which is horrible, I know). It’s a little too close to home for me as I remember with horror all of the striking and the aftermath from this from the fake community meetings (literally set up by Charter school profiteers to gather information) I attended to all of the marches in the streets. In one of the most horrible things, the “welcoming schools” that were taking in students from the closing schools had no information on the students with disabilities showing up. Working with students who are nonverbal and have severe autism, some of these students couldn’t even tell us their names and so we couldn’t look them up in the system to even know their allergies and medical precautions. Most people are familiar with making children cross gang lines, I realize, which is also horrific, but this was something that also haunts me still today. In any case, people need to realize how damaging to a community it is when public schools are not supported and kids are placed in danger.
24.Feel Free by Zadie Smith
I am really impressed by the range of topics these essays address, though I would have loved more political essays. Zadie Smith does have an insightful essay on Brexit but she also talks a great deal about her parents, Italy, and such a huge variety of art between paintings and films as well as meeting famous actors and musicians. Never before did I think I would come across a selection of essays about Anomalisa and Get Out for example and also she wrote an essay on Christian Marclay’s The Clock. There’s something here for everyone, basically.
25.Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada
I felt haunted and a dream like state reading this book written from the perspective of a polar bear. Between zoos and circuses and effortless wandering, it seems we are all, in some ways, polar bears, meditating on existence itself. I felt like I could be a human being and a polar bear at the same time.
www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/books/review/memoirs-of-a-pola...
26. Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
This novel is a thrilling mix of the personal and the political by this Turkish author. It really looks at the ideas behind religion and class struggle in an insightful way with a riveting plot that goes back and forth between present day and when the main protagonist was going to college.
27 .God Loves Haiti by Dimitry Elias Léger
I really hope we get more from Léger as this is story telling at its finest….an earthquake, a love story, a hideout, and a sense o heavy life choices with different protagonists each strong affected by the earthquake that occurs here. It’s interesting to use the earthquake that happens at the very beginning as the stimulus to drive the rest of the plot but it works well here. One senses that, earthquake or no, each life choice matters greatly.
observer.com/2015/01/on-the-page-god-loves-haiti-is-a-stu...
28.Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
This novel does such a good job of exploring white hypocrisy as well as highlighting the difficulties of being an immigrant in America and being gay in a culture that is homophobic. The male protagonist in this story is forced to go back to Nigeria in order to be freed from his homosexual “affliction” but has to deal with his own troubles back in America in terms of racial profiling and police brutality. This is a story that could happen today easily and we should all make sure it doesn’t.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/20/speak-no-evil-uzodi...
29. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
This affected me more than I thought it would. I am vegan, sure, but I’ve never really been all that fascinated by marine life (nor have I ever wanted to eat any kind of seafood) and I really felt the strong sense of empathy between Sy and the octopuses she writes about as well as the journey she takes overall in terms of understanding them. The empathy she feels and the strong sense of personality and intelligence she senses should not be ignored. I found myself by the end of this wondering aloud how I often do when it comes to many animals…how could anyone eat such a lovely living creature?
symontgomery.com/soul-of-an-octopus/
30. The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
All of Umrigar’s books are fantastic and this isn’t even my favorite of hers to be honest-The World We Found is the one I like best. But, this is still a fantastic story set in India this time about making unlikely friends and survival, it’s about living under a rigid caste system as well and hints at some changes taking place slowly but surely with time and access to higher education. It’s also about apologies and redemption. Btw, Thrity is a wonderful speaker to see if you get the chance.
Honorable Mentions:
Short story collections I loved this year include Ted Chiang’s Stories of Your Life and Others, N.K. Jemisin’s How Long ‘TIL Black Future Month? Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, and Revenge by Yoko Ogawa. I also liked most of Carmen Maria Muchado’s Her Body and Other Parties. I also found Valeria Luiselli’s Tell Me How it Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions informative and valuable but I thought it needed to be much longer. Hanif Abdurraqib’s They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us essays on music was also really well written and offered interesting insights into music and culture and W. Kamau Bell’s Awkward Thoughts had me thinking about race in a different way AND had me, at times laughing with his very geeky but cool sense of humor. I also really loved the graphic novel, Saga.
Debut album entitled Horizon Line Test, a collaboration with Tim who also gets credit for the lovely cover art seen here.
Check it out over here: