“The aesthetic experience is a simple beholding of the object . . . you experience a radiance. You are held in aesthetic arrest.” - Joseph Campbell
Aesthetic Arrest is our weekly dip into the Epicurean pleasures we’ve been enjoying lately. Cheers to that!
This Week’s Apéritif: “Mama’s Tired” - Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Scotch, Mandarine Liqueur, Sour Cherry Juice & Greek Honey Simple Syrup with a Gummi Bear Garnish!
Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:
Reading: The Greek Plays: Sixteen Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides (featuring all-new, highly accessible translations of plays including Agamemnon, Prometheus Bound, The Bacchae, Electra, Medea, Antigone & Oedipus the King, with translations by Emily Wilson, Frank Nisetich, Sarah Ruden, Rachel Kitzinger, Mary Lefkowitz & James Romm)
Click here to read Ryan Wildstar's article about seeing a live production of The Bacchae at the ancient Greek amphitheater of Epidaurus!
Listening: Smoke & Fiction by X
X The Band Official Site (With Current Tour Dates!)
X Announce Final Album and Farewell Tour, Share Video for New Song “Big Black X”: Watch (via Pitchfork)
Looking: The Art of Marisol (Escobar) (1930-2016)
Viewing: Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2024) — concert film of the final performance by Ryuichi Sakamoto (January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023), directed by Neo Sora (watch via The Criterion Channel)
After you’ve seen the film, listen to the album version of the concert:
Tasting: Βουνό με Βουνό (Mountain With Mountain) - Malagousia, Rhoditis & Muscat
Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:
Reading: A Last Supper of Queer Apostles: Selected Essays by Pedro Lemebel (edited & translated by Gwendolyn Harper)
A Queer, Carnivalesque Vision of Chile’s Independence Day from Pedro Lemebel (via LitHub)
Lyrical Silicone: Cristóbal Riego Explores the Hybrid Nonfiction Writings of Chilean Author Pedro Lemebel (via L.A. Review of Books)
Listening: Mendelssohn by Isata Kanneh-Mason (works by Felix Mendelssohn & Fanny Mendelssohn)
Isata Kanneh-Mason to Release Fanny Mendelssohn’s Rediscovered ‘Easter’ Sonata (via Decca)
A Sibling Spark Fuels Isata Kanneh-Mason’s 'Mendelssohn' Album (via NPR)
Also, check out Isata Kanneh-Mason’s brilliant performance on the First Night of the Proms for the 2024 BBC Proms! Currently available for a limited time on the BBC iPlayer (U.K. only), BBC Radio 3 (internationally) and at the moment on Youtube.
Looking: The Art of Lee ShinJa (b. 1930)
Lee ShinJa at Tina Kim Gallery / Works for Sale (via Artsy)
Check out the upcoming exhibition, Lee ShinJa: Weaving the Dawn, at the Tina Kim Gallery in New York (on view August 22 - September 28, 2024)
At 94, Trailblazing Fiber Artist Lee ShinJa Is Gaining Overdue Acclaim (via Artsy)
Viewing: Tribute to Gena Rowlands (June 19, 1930 – August 14, 2024), with a focus on A Woman Under the Influence (1974) — written & directed by John Cassavetes, starring Gena Rowlands & Peter Falk (available on The Criterion Channel & Mubi)
Tasting: Bougatsa Krema (Phyllo Custard Pie) on Salamina Island
Click here for the printable recipe! (via Chef Akis Petretzikis)
So that’s it for this week! But we want the dinner party to continue!
So here is this week's question for the table:
For Season 3, we want to know which of our weekly recommendations resonate with YOU, our beloved listeners and readers!
Out of everything we talked about on this week's podcast, which of our recommendations are most interesting to YOU?
What piques your interest? What are you excited to check out? Or maybe we discussed something that you've already read (or seen or heard or tasted) and enjoyed as we much as we do? Tell us about it in the comments!
And thank you for joining us for Season 3 of the Aesthetic Arrest Podcast!
Cheers to that!
Aesthetic Arrest Podcast: Gena Rowlands, X (The Band), Ryuichi Sakamoto, Isata Kanneh-Mason & The Delights of Salamina!