Aesthetic Arrest: Weekly Cultural Highlights 5/20/22
“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. Here we go!
Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:
Reading: As a vagabond, I was thoroughly riveted by Europe: An Intimate Journey by Jan Morris, detailing her 50 years traversing Europe. When it comes to travel writing she is, without question, one of the pioneers. As we are winding down our last few days here in Tirana, I found her passage about her visit here just after the end of Enver Hohxa’s 41-year dictatorship particularly touching [see Ryan’s reading recommendation below for more on the subject]:
“In the evening the entire population of Tirana seemed to emerge for the twilight passeggiata, strolling up and down the main avenue, sitting on the edges of fountains, milling around the funfairs, wandering haphazardly across highways apparently under the impression that there were still only fifty cars in the city. I loved the louche insouciance of it all, ever-ready smiles from the citizenry, inescapable suggestions of roguery, the immense hum over everything, the quirks and surprises. Sometimes I felt a small dry kiss on my arm, and turned to find a Gypsy child irresistibly importuning me for cash.”
Listening: I’m surprisingly enamored with the new Bauhaus track, “Drink the New Wine,” their first release in 14 years. Borrowing from the Surrealist line “Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau” (The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine) from the original collaboration of André Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Yves Tanguy and Jacques Prévert, the band has applied the “exquisite corpse” method and given each member one minute to create their own slice of the song without hearing what came before them. In the last 60 seconds they come together for the finish and I’m loving it.
Looking: This week, I happened upon the striking painting of Truth Coming Out of Her Well by Jean-Léon Gérôme from 1896. The imagery arises from a translation of an aphorism by the philosopher Democritus, "Of truth we know nothing, for truth is in a well".
Viewing: We are absolutely IN LOVE with the new season of Gentleman Jack (on BBC & HBO) starring the phenomenal Suranne Jones as the trailblazing Anne Lister (1791-1840), famously dubbed “the first modern lesbian.”
Tasting: It’s our last week in Tirana so we thought we owed it to our Epicurean Vagabond readers to go have dinner at Salt, one of Tirana’s top restaurants, just so we could write about it for YOU! It did not disappoint. Not only is the restaurant absolutely gorgeous and the service impeccable, the food is beautiful. The executive chef hails from the Philippines and creates some of the best fish dishes we’ve had in this amazing foodie city. We started with a sea bass ceviche with fennel, green olives, capers, diced jalapeños, Szechuan peppers, lime juice and avocado. Divine. With that we had an octopus salad marinated in a house-made vinaigrette with cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Fantastic. The main course was paella with mussels, calamari, shrimp and crab legs. Delicious. And, if that wasn’t enough, the pièce de résistance might have been the macha crème brûlée with pistachio cream and strawberry sorbet. Mind blown. When we’re back in Tirana next we will return to Salt without hesitation!
Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:
Reading: I’m currently reading Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History by Lea Ypi. [There’s an alternate title depending upon your region: Free: Coming of Age at the End of History.] In this riveting memoir, Ypi (now a professor of political theory at the London School of Economics) describes growing up in Albania under the repressive dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. Lea Ypi is almost exactly my age, so it’s both fascinating and disturbing to read the experiences of a fellow child of the 80s living in such a closed and ideologically dogmatic society. This is not only a must-read for anyone interested in Albania, but also for anyone who wants a slice-of-life glimpse at a late 20th-century European dictatorship (as well as the chaotic aftermath that followed) through the eyes of an extremely curious and perceptive child. And who can resist a book with an opening line like this: “I never asked myself about the meaning of freedom until the day I hugged Stalin.”
Listening: Words like “legendary” and “iconic” are not nearly superlative enough to describe Ron Carter (the most recorded jazz bassist of all time), who just turned 85 this month. And this NPR Tiny Desk Concert, recorded for his birthday, proves that this octogenarian genius (who has played with everyone from Miles Davis to Roberta Flack to A Tribe Called Quest) is still going strong. Look at this discography!
Looking: I’m in love with the Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, where generations of African-American women have passed on a tradition of dynamic avant-garde quilt designs that have been hailed as masterpieces of abstract American art. This short video from PBS gives an update (March 2022) on the efforts being made to preserve their creative legacy while offering economic opportunities to the impoverished town:
A full-length documentary, The Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend (also from PBS), can be viewed here. Many of their quilts can be viewed via The Soul’s Grown Deep Foundation’s website. I’m especially wowed by the textile artistry of Loretta Pettway, Lucy T. Pettway and Stella Mae Pettway.
Viewing: If you’ve never seen the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performing Revelations (arguably the most important choreographic masterpiece of the 20th century), then do have a look at this stunning live interpretation (filmed in high-quality HD) at the Lincoln Center in 2015. Pure beauty in motion.
Tasting: A wonderful meal at Rozafa Restaurant here in Tirana. A big bowl of fresh mussels in a savory broth alongside a platter of deep-sea shrimp in the most delicious cognac sauce. Paired with a crisp, refreshing Pecorino. Broth and sauce were sopped up with a basket of house-made bread. Our meal was followed by a short walk to the free outdoor concert at the Tirana Spring Festival in Skanderbeg Square, where it seemed the entire population of the city, from toddlers to great-grandmothers, were enjoying live music and smoked sausages in the raucous beer garden. A perfect evening.
That’s it for this week! What are your reading, listening, looking, viewing and/or tasting recommendations?
I've enjoyed the glimpse into the culture and history of a country (Albania) and specifically a city (Tirana) which I knew little about. Also, love the diversity of your articles--the Gees Bend documentary was so interesting.