“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: Brouwerij Bosteels’ Pauwel Kwak, Strong Amber Ale from Belgium & L’Oulivo Picholine Green Olives!
Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:
Reading: The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood (introduction by Armistead Maupin)
Listening: Bauhaus Staircase by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Looking: The Art of Dörte Helm (1898–1941)
Also, check out the 2019 German TV series, Bauhaus - A New Era, starring Anna Maria Mühe as Dörte Helm!
Viewing: Three Little Birds, TV series written & directed by Lenny Henry (ITV & ITVX)
Also check out the great new documentary, Lenny Henry: One of a Kind! (Sky & ITVX)
Tasting: Tarte aux Mirabelles (Mirabelle Plum Tarts) and Choux à la Crème (Cream Puffs) from Pâtisserie Dinger in Bellegarde, France
Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:
Reading: Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue by Leslie Feinberg
“Yes, trans liberation is shaking up old patterns of thoughts or beliefs. Good! Because most of those thoughts and beliefs that we are challenging were imposed on us from above, were rotten to the core and were backed up by bigoted laws. But We’re not taking away your identity. No one’s sex reassignment or fluidity of gender threatens your right to self-identity and self-expression. On the contrary, our struggle bolsters your right to your identity. My right to be me is tied with a thousand threads to your right to be you.
We’re not trying to barricade the road you travel; We’re trying to open up more avenues to self-definition, and identity and love and sexuality. That’s a wonderful development for everybody.” — Leslie Feinberg, from Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue
Listening: Double You by Catrin Finch and Aoife Ní Bhriain
Looking: The Art of Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011)
Official Site of the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation / Instagram / Works for Sale (via Artsy)
Toshiko Takaezu Is Receiving Overdue Recognition for Her Nature-Inspired Ceramics (via Artsy)
Takaezu & Tawney: An Artist is a Poet Exhibition at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (on display until March 25, 2024!)
Toshiko Takaezu: Shaping Abstraction Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (on display until September 29, 2024!)
Viewing: Native America: Season 2 — docuseries narrated by Joy Harjo (PBS)
Watch for free on PBS.org and the PBS app!
Tasting: Tarte aux Mirabelles (Mirabelle Plum Tarts) and Choux à la Crème (Cream Puffs) from Pâtisserie Dinger in Bellegarde, France
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 places to take a relaxing walk?” Here are some of the great responses from the comments:
Ryan Wildstar chose Lisbon, Portugal!
Ryan Elston chose Zagreb, Croatia!
Lauren Greenwald chose Paris, France, followed by Charleston, SC!
kde likes walking the beach on the Oregon coast!
Del Mar chose a specific place that you can find almost anywhere: the cemetery!
Andrea Engstrom likes a mossy sun-dappled nature trail, whether it’s in the Pacific Northwest, L.A.’s Griffith Park, or Muir Woods outside San Francisco!
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:
Our looking recommendations for visual art this week highlighted the art of Dörte Helm and Toshiko Takaezu, two trailblazing women artists who both deserve a place in art history books.
So, our question for the table this week is:
Who's one of YOUR favorite women artists?
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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