“The aesthetic experience is a simple beholding of the object . . . you experience a radiance. You are held in aesthetic arrest.” - Joseph Campbell
Aesthetic Arrest: Mid-Week Libation
Wildstar’s Wednesday Libation: Mai Tais & Manhattans at Tiki Bar in Athens, Greece!
“The original Tiki Bar in Athens established in 2007. We offer the best exotic cocktails & delicious food inspired by many different cuisines! Our djs spin uplifting music from all decades and during the winter we have a few selected live gigs!” [Source]
Reading: Women and the Piano: A History in 50 Lives by Susan Tomes
“Women are an essential part of the history of the piano—but how many women pianists can you name? … Celebrated pianist and author Susan Tomes traces fifty such women across the piano's history. … From Maria Szymanowska to Nina Simone, and including interviews with women performing today, this is a much-needed corrective to our understanding of the piano—and a timely testament to women's musical lives.” [Source]
Listening: Golden Mirrors - The Uncovered Sessions Vol. 1 by Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo
This week we had the amazing opportunity to see the venerable Mick Harvey and brilliant Amanda Acevedo in concert at Tiki Bar (here in Athens, Greece) performing songs from their new release, Golden Mirrors!
“Golden Mirrors The Uncovered Sessions Vol. 1 is the first in a series of projects by Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo, exploring songwriters who have profoundly influenced them. This volume pays tribute to the haunting and overlooked genius of Jackson C. Frank, the enigmatic American folk artist whose lone 1965 album—produced by Paul Simon—became a quiet touchstone for artists such as Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, and Mark Lanegan. Reimagining 11 of Frank’s songs, Harvey and Acevedo breathe new life into his work, honouring its raw beauty while uncovering fresh depths.” [Source]
Listen to our 2023 podcast raving about Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo’s first album together, Phantasmagoria in Blue, here!
Looking: The Art of Dominique Fung
“Dominique Fung (born 1987, works in New York) is a Canadian artist with ancestry in Hong Kong and Shanghai, whose practice explores the subliminal liminal territory in which tradition, memory and legacy seep through our collective subconsciousness. Through her interest in casting light on overlooked or forgotten stories and her use of specific historical artifacts she infuses with living qualities and complex non-linear narrative paths, she models a new, broader, alternative space of belonging.” [Source]
Dominique Fung at MASSIMODECARLO Gallery / Nicodim Gallery / Instagram / Works for Sale (via Artsy)
Check out the exhibition, Dominique Fung: Beneath the Golden Canopy, at MASSIMODECARLO Gallery in Hong Kong (on view until May 16, 2025)!
In Her Hong Kong Debut, Dominique Fung Reckons With Ancestral History (via Observer)
Artist Dominique Fung on Her Inaugural Show in the City: Beneath the Golden Canopy (via Prestige)
Viewing #1: Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story — directed by Bruce David Klein (PBS American Masters)
“Liza Minnelli was born in the spotlight and has spent her life entertaining audiences with her magnetic charm and formidable talents as an actress, singer and dancer. … Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips and new interviews with Minnelli, LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is an intimate look into her dynamic life, from her complex relationship with her mother to her skyrocketing stardom after her Academy Award-winning role in Cabaret. The film dives into her relationships with her most trusted mentors, like Kay Thompson, Fred Ebb, Charles Aznavour, Halston and Bob Fosse, and their profound influence on Minnelli throughout her decades-long career.” [Source]
Viewing #2: Becoming Led Zeppelin — directed by Bernard MacMahon
“Becoming Led Zeppelin explores the origins of this iconic group and their meteoric rise in just one year against all the odds. Powered by awe-inspiring, psychedelic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, Bernard MacMahon’s experiential cinematic odyssey explores Led Zeppelin’s creative, musical, and personal origin story. The film is told in Led Zeppelin’s own words and is the first officially sanctioned film on the group.” [Source]
Tasting: ΒΕΝΕΤΗ (aka Veneti Bakery) & Venetis Food Hall in Omonoia — our favorite bakery in Greece!
This week we had to highlight some delectable delicacies from our favorite bakery in Greece — ΒΕΝΕΤΗ (aka Veneti Bakery) — which first opened in 1948 and now has over 100 locations across the country. On your next trip to Athens, be sure to check out Venetis Food Hall in Omonoia. It’s the perfect spot to grab a coffee, breakfast or brunch while you enjoy a good book or an afternoon of people-watching in the square!
So that’s it for this week! But in the tradition of our Mid-Week Libations, we’d like to end with this week’s words of wisdom, a quotation from the legendary actor, singer and activist Paul Robeson, who was born today in 1898!
This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Happy Birthday to Paul Robeson! (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976)
Thank you for joining us for Season 3 of Aesthetic Arrest!
Cheers to that!
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