Aesthetic Arrest Podcast: Ruth Wilson, Fatback Band, Mick Harvey & Roasted Cinnamon Chicken with Pommes Boulangère!

“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!

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This Week’s Apéritif: Martini Fiero & Tonic!

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

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Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:

Reading: Complete Poems by Claude McKay (September 15, 1890 – May 22, 1948)

Purchase here.

I Know My Soul
by Claude McKay

I plucked my soul out of its secret place,
And held it to the mirror of my eye,
To see it like a star against the sky,
A twitching body quivering in space,
A spark of passion shining on my face.
And I explored it to determine why
This awful key to my infinity
Conspires to rob me of sweet joy and grace.
And if the sign may not be fully read,
If I can comprehend but not control,
I need not gloom my days with futile dread,
Because I see a part and not the whole.
Contemplating the strange, I’m comforted
By this narcotic thought: I know my soul.

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Listening: Yum Yum by the Fatback Band 

Purchase via Ace Records

• Official Site of the Fatback Band

• Funk legends Fatback Band: ‘The US has cultural amnesia. Britain keeps our music alive’ (via The Guardian)

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Looking: The Art of Yasuo Kuniyoshi (September 1, 1889 – May 14, 1953)

From L to R: 1) Girl on a Sofa; 2) Dream; 3) Child; 4) Island of Happiness; 5) Little Joe with the Cow; 6) Girl Reading in a Window; 7) Waitresses from the Sparhawk; 8) Strong Woman and Child; 9) Woman of the Circus in Rest [All images Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons]

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Viewing: Arrête Avec Tes Mensonges (Lie with Me) — directed by Olivier Peyon, based on the 2017 novel by Philippe Besson

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Tasting: Roasted Cinnamon Chicken & Pommes Boulangère by Ryan Wildstar

Pommes boulangère before cooking [Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

Pommes boulangère after cooking [Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

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Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:

Reading: Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom

Purchase here.

• Official Site of Kai Cheng Thom / Instagram / Linktree

• Listen to Kai Cheng Thom reading the introduction to Fallling Back in Love with Feeling Human here!

• Kai Cheng Thom’s new book uses heartfelt letters to build bridges in a broken world (via Broadview)

• Kai Cheng Thom’s ‘Falling Back in Love with Being Human’ is an ode to the love letter (via Xtra)

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Listening: Phantasmagoria in Blue by Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo

Purchase or Stream (multiple platforms)

• Official Site of Mick Harvey / Amanda Acevedo on Instagram

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Looking: The Art of Gustav Vigeland: The Vigeland Sculpture Installation in Frogner Park (Oslo, Norway)

[All images above are sculptural works by Gustav Vigeland from the Vigeland Sculpture Installation in Frogner Park (Oslo, Norway). Photos are from the following photographers via Wikimedia Commons: 1) dalbera from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0; 2) Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0; 3) Ahmedghn, CC BY-SA 4.0; 4) dalbera from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0; 5) Ignaz Wiradi, CC BY-SA 3.0 NO; 6) Hans A. Rosbach, CC BY-SA 3.0; 7) Michal Gorski, CC BY-SA 3.0; 8) G.Lanting, CC BY 3.0; 9) Arnonb16, CC BY-SA 4.0.]

• Official Site of Vigeland Park (Oslo, Norway) / Instagram

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Viewing: The Woman in the Wall (BBC & Showtime/Paramount+) — a six-part mystery drama created by Joe Murtagh, starring Ruth Wilson & Daryl McCormack, inspired by the horrific history of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries

• The Woman in the Wall review – Ruth Wilson is mesmerising in this beautifully made gothic mystery (via The Guardian)

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Tasting: Roasted Cinnamon Chicken & Pommes Boulangère by Ryan Wildstar

Roasted Cinnamon Chicken [Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

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That’s it for this week! But we want the dinner party to continue! So each week we are asking a “dinner party” question for everyone joining us here at our table. Last week, we asked: “What’s one of YOUR favorite plays?” Here are some of the great responses from the comments:

• Ryan Wildstar chose Landscape by Harold Pinter!

• Ryan Elston chose Seven Guitars by August Wilson!

• kde ALSO chose Seven Guitars by August Wilson!

• Cheryl chose Fences by August Wilson!

Cheers to August Wilson!

Thank you everyone for your wonderful responses! That was last week . . . but we don't want this week's dinner party to end either!

So here is this week's question for the table:

This week, we talked about a great new album, Phantasmagoria in Blue, by Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo. The album features a series of beautiful duets, including several songs that aren’t normally sung as duets.

So, our question for the table this week is:

What’s one of YOUR favorite duets?

Is it Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers? Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell? Sonny & Cher? Brandy & Monica? What’s one of your favorites?

Tell us your choice in the comments and we’ll share some of your responses on next week’s podcast!

Also, don't forget to stop by The Epicurean Vagabonds Substack on Wednesdays, to check out our revamped Mid-Week Libations! Now with audio segments featuring Ryan & Ryan!

And thank you for joining us for Season Two of Aesthetic Arrest!

Cheers to that!

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