Aesthetic Arrest: Weekly Cultural Highlights 5/13/22
“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: Agent Running in the Field by John Le Carré, the last novel published before his death, is a masterfully crafted glimpse into the underbelly of the Trump/Brexit era subterfuge of espionage. True to form, the main character Nat is a middle-aged MI6 agent who has been put out to pasture when he meets Ed, an unlikely young man who pursues him as a weekly badminton partner at his gym. And the rest is pure secret agent genius.
Listening: Since his untimely death this year, I’ve been doing a deep dive on the eclectic work of Mark Lanegan, one of rock-n-roll’s most intense and sincere voices/lyricists. He was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorite singers and rightly so (Lanegan and Josh Homme created the theme song for Parts Unknown). His final offering, Straight Songs of Sorrow (released in 2020), has been in constant rotation on my queue. Check out “Stockholm City Blues,” “Ketamine” and “Ballad of a Dying Rover” if you want some beauty poured into your ears.
Looking: I recently discovered the incredible work of British/French surrealist and magical realist painter and fashion editor, Bridget Bate Tichenor (1917-1990). She was a modernist who was born in Paris and later relocated to New York City and then Mexico. Her work is haunting and completely unique and I can’t believe she isn’t better known. For more about her fascinating life (she started modeling for Coco Chanel at 16) and a sampling of her works, check this out. Or this video here.
Viewing: Loved the new series from legendary fiction author and show creator, Walter Mosley, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey starring Samuel L. Jackson. This is by far the best acting role that Jackson has played in years. The story involves a murder mystery centering around a 91-year-old man with dementia, living in squalor, who meets an incredible young girl named Robyn, played brilliantly by Dominique Fishback (keep your eye on her, she’s sensational).
Tasting: On the menu tonight is my Albanian variation of Julia Child’s classic coq au vin made with a free-range, yellow-skinned capon from one of my local butcher shops in Tirana, fresh carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, smoked lardons and herbs from the produce stand around the corner. I’ve just drowned the whole pot in a bottle and a half of Barbera and it’s simmering for the next 3 to 4 hours. We’ll eat it over some creamy whipped mashed potatoes and a bottle of Aglianico.
And speaking of Julia Child . . . the new TV series Julia (brilliantly portrayed by Sarah Lancashire) is completely captivating. For anyone who grew up with Julia Child in their living rooms, beguiling us with her sing-song voice and infectious joie-de-vivre for the culinary arts, this series is mandatory viewing.
Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:
Reading: Just finished Phoenix Extravagant, an engrossing sci-fi/fantasy novel by Yoon Ha Lee. The book’s protagonist is a non-binary painter named Jebi and the story is told in the third person from their perspective. The author’s skillful use of they/them singular pronouns is quite elegant and satisfying. The setting is a lush, fully-realized world involving magic pigments, automatons, and a charming, pacifist robot dragon (who was designed to be a war machine). The fictional setting itself appears to be directly inspired by the Japanese occupation of Korea (which we are currently viewing in an entirely different, realistic form via the TV series Pachinko – see below), but can also be enjoyed without any prior knowledge of that historical period. This book would also make a great film or miniseries! Couldn’t put this one down.
Listening: This week, we’ve both been utterly enthralled by the song “Golden Air” by Sun’s Signature, the long-awaited new project by angelic chanteuse Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil) and her partner Damon Reece (Massive Attack, Echo & the Bunnymen). This is the first new music showcasing Fraser’s heavenly vocals in over 13 years!!! And wow. So worth the wait. Both versions of the song are achingly beautiful, and we’ve already made a new playlist beginning with each. (Listen to our playlists here and here.) Can’t wait for the full EP’s release on June 18th for Record Store Day. A perfect reason to get out there and support your local music stores!
Looking: I am continually fascinated by the landscapes of Chinese painter Zhang Daqian [Chang Dai-chien] (sometimes known as “the Chinese Picasso,” though I far prefer Zhang Daqian!). This week I also stumbled across the work of Albanian photographer Gjon Mili (who is coincidentally most famous for his portraits of Picasso for Life magazine). Of particular interest are his important photographs documenting the jazz scene of the 1940s and 1950s. His captivating shots of live performances by legends like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie, Lester Young, Gene Krupa and James P. Johnson can be seen here.
Viewing: Wildhood (2021) is a gorgeous, queer coming-of-age film by Canadian director and screenwriter Bretten Hannam, who is a Two-Spirit, non-binary Mi'kmaq person. The beautiful love story of Link (Phillip Lewitski) and Pasmay (Joshua Odjick) features a powerful script, stunning cinematography, and star-worthy performances from both leads as well as the supporting cast. The role of wise woman Elsapet, in particular, played by lifelong activist, author, artist, linguistics scholar, cultural advocate, residential school survivor, and Mi’kmaq elder Becky Julian, is especially wonderful to see. One of my favorite queer films in ages.
Pachinko. This new TV series on Apple TV+, created (and co-written) by Soo Hugh and directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, is based on the bestselling novel by Min Jin Lee (purchase novel here). The show features three generations of a Zainichi Korean family, documenting their experiences from 1915 (during the Japanese occupation of Korea) until 1989. One of the primary characters in each generation is Sunja, masterfully played at different ages by amazing actresses Yu-na (one of the best child actors I’ve ever seen), Kim Min-ha (whose heart-wrenching performance should win all of the awards), and Youn Yuh-jung (the Oscar-winning star of Minari, who likewise deserves all of the awards). In addition to being a powerful and insightful historical drama, Pachinko also features ones of the most joyous opening title sequences in recent memory:
Tasting: Wildstar’s coq au vin (see above) was my personal decadent culinary highlight of the week. We also just finished watching season 4 of The Migrant Kitchen on PBS, a docuseries about chefs and restaurateurs from a wide variety of immigrant backgrounds. The first three seasons were focused on food scenes in Los Angeles and San Francisco. This season starts with Taiwanese food in L.A., but then branches out to include episodes on Korean food in Brooklyn, Russian food in Portland, food sovereignty in Puerto Rico, and African-American foodways in Houston. The chefs are extremely passionate about their respective culinary traditions and each restaurant has a great story behind it. The cinematography compares well with shows like Netflix’s Chef’s Table and Street Food. Every episode is a 26 minute feast of the senses. All four seasons are highly recommended. Watch on PBS.org.
That’s it for this week! What are your reading, listening, looking, viewing and/or tasting recommendations?
A pleasant Friday the 13th morning as I sip my morning coffee and read the latest Aesthetic Arrest. Always inspiring. Always a new discovery.
I love Walter Mosley and had not heard about this show. Adding to my list. Apple is knocking it out of the park.