Aesthetic Arrest Podcast: The Taste of Things, The Story of Film, Farewell My Concubine & Mapp and Lucia!

“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 Aperitivo: Aperol Bicicletta Cocktails!

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

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Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:

Reading: Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson (from the The Mapp & Lucia Novels - Queen Lucia, Miss Mapp, Lucia in London, Mapp and Lucia, The Worshipful Lucia and Trouble for Lucia)

Purchase Volume 1 - Purchase Volume 2 - Purchase Volume 3

• Mapp and Lucia: the 20 best and bitchiest quotes (via The Telegraph)

• Watch the complete 1985 Channel 4 adaptation of Mapp and Lucia (starring Geraldine McEwan, Prunella Scales & Nigel Hawthorne) on a Youtube playlist here!

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Listening: Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit by Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

Purchase via Bandcamp

• Official Site of Kahil El’Zabar / Upcoming Tour Dates!

• Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Open Me, a Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit – review (via The Guardian)

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Looking: The Art of Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 - 1717)

Paintings from from Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium [Public Domain],

• Maria Sibylla Merian’s Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium (1705) - read more about the book and purchase fine art prints! (via The Public Domain Review)

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Viewing: The Taste of Things [La Passion de Dodin Bouffant] (2023) written & directed by Trần Anh Hùng, starring Juliette Binoche & Benoît Magimel, with culinary director Pierre Gagnaire

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Tasting: The Culinary Art of Pierre Gagnaire

• Official Site of Pierre Gagnaire / Instagram

• Click here for The Taste of Things Cookbook! A free, 10-page PDF written by Pierre Gagnaire and featuring his recipes for seven of the amazing dishes made in the film!

• ‘The Taste of Things’ Consulting Chef Pierre Gagnaire on Why Cooking Is More Than Seduction: ‘It’s Much Deeper Than That’ (via Variety)

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Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:

Reading: The Story of Film by Mark Cousins

Purchase here.

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Listening: A Mis Ancestros by Yeisy Rojas

Purchase or Stream (multiple platforms)

• Official Site of Yeisy Rojas / Instagram

• Yeisy Rojas presents Sizzling Afro-Cuban Rhythms (via World Music Central)

• Yeisy Rojas' pays Homage to Cuban Roots with new album 'A Mis Ancestros' (via The Urban Influencer)

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Looking: The Art of Maria Martinez (c. 1887 – 1980)

Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black jar, c. 1930, 9 x 10 ½ inches. Private Collection. [image from the Heard Museum Press Kit]

All Images from the Heard Museum Press Kit: 1) Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black jar, c. 1940, 17 x 22 inches. Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gift of Clark Field. 1946.46.1; 2) Maria Martinez and Popovi Da. Black-on-black jar, 1964, 15 ¾ x 19 1/2 inches. Private Collection; 3) Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black jar, 1940, 15 1/8 x 21 ¾ inches. Toledo Museum of Art (Toledo, Ohio). Purchased with funds from the Libby Endowment. Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey. 2019.1; 4) Maria Martinez and Popovi Da (1922-1971). Gunmetal finished jars, July 1963-December 1970, Smallest: 2 x 2 ¾ inches. Largest 4 x 6 inches. Collection of Nadine Basha.

• Check out the exhibition, Maria & Modernism, at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona (currently on view until July 28, 2024!)

  “This original exhibition features more than eighty works spanning seven decades by San Ildefonso ceramist Maria Martinez (1887-1980), one of the 20th century's most celebrated and recognizable women whose work continues to influence new generations of artists.” [Source]

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Viewing: Farewell My Concubine (1993) directed by Chen Kaige, starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi & Gong Li

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Tasting: The Culinary Art of Pierre Gagnaire

popcorn.paris

A post shared by @popcorn.paris

• Official Site of Pierre Gagnaire / Instagram

• 8 printable recipes by Pierre Gagnaire (via Elle & Vire)

• 6 printable recipes by Piere Gagnaire (via Food & Wine)

• Soup, But Make it Chocolate: The Sweet Recipe by The Multi-Starred Pierre Gagnaire (via Reporter Gourmet)

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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 music, current OR classic, have YOU been listening to lately?”

Here are some of the great responses from the comments:

• Ryan Wildstar is listening to our newest R&R playlist, which can be found on this week’s Mid-Week Libation!

• Ryan Elston is listening to Florence Price, McCoy Tyner and Ballaké Sissoko!

• kde is listening to Mozart, Chopin and classic rock & roll!

• Del Mar is listening to Fra Lippo Lippi’s Light & Shade album, plus Chicago, Al Stewart, Gang of Four, Todd Rundgren, Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel!

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 The Taste of Things, a cinematic celebration of French cuisine, as well as the culinary art of world-renowned French chef Pierre Gagnaire. So, our question for the table this week is:

What’s YOUR favorite French food?

Omelettes? Croissants? Boeuf Bourguignon? Crêpes Suzette? French Onion Soup?

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, as always, thank you for joining us for Season Two of Aesthetic Arrest!

Cheers to that!