beautiful wallflower…
20 Jan 2012 2 Comments
in art & design Tags: art, pattern, performance, photography, textile
…becomes deeper in meaning with peruvian artist, cecilia paredes.
being a lover of pattern and texture, i admire paredes’ correlation between them and camouflage. as portrayed in these pictures, she painstakingly recreates the textures in paint on her limbs and body making her secondary to the wallpaper’s vibrant colors.
you can check out her website here: ceciliaparedes.com
gettin’ busy…
17 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in art & design, fashion Tags: design, diy, textiles
…and making new cushions!
these are a gift hence the gold piping whereas the one for production will come plain. feels good to be sewing but i need to get down to making new prints!
i think for the next version of these, i may tuft them with a covered button in the center of the cushion…
only the most amazing deal…
07 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized
…at all saints.
the italus boots are rugged beauties of buttercreme sheepskin topped with surprisingly lux faux fur. available in black and doe, my leanings are towards the doe color as they offer a softer look and come across as more versatile and sophisticated. originally $497.95, they were marked down to $346.00 finally selling out at $247!
happy 2012, everyone!
01 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in music, theatre & performance arts Tags: afrobeat, ahmanson theatre, fela, music, musical
my new years eve did not let me down with the brilliant production of FELA at the ahmanson theatre!
my partner and i have to give ourselves a pat on the back for splurging on such amazing seats. third row was just close enough to catch all of the action and none of the sweat as there was plenty of that to go round with the amazing dancers onstage!
the story of FELA begins with his ’69 tour of america and follows his subsequent political development. like many disenfranchised young africans of the time, he too subscribed to the notion of leaving nigeria and making it large in america, yet he struggled with abandoning the nation of his birth full of the haunting memories of his mother. that struggle being the focal point of the musical, allows the audience a glimpse of the forces that shaped his life and the underlying political messages of his music.
brilliantly portrayed by sahr ngaujah, his rendition exudes the magnetism, intensity and humor that fela was known for while staying true to the stylings of his musicianship. melanie marshall was a stand out as fela’s mother, funmilayo, with a voice that can only be described as mesmerizing. her operatic range would swell and soar causing the hair on my arms to stand up!
the choreography was relentless making it impossible to sit still as lithe young men and women performed hip grinding african influenced moves peppered with american tap. staying true to the flavor of fela’s shows, the dancers did double duty as chorus and solo musicians. i would have wished for more audience participation but most of the peeps within my scope were too self conscious to give any of the performers’ direction a try.
regardless, it was an evening fueled by fast and funky beats as i felt myself transported by the imaginative production value of the stage design and the performance of a truly inexhaustible cast! i strongly urge any music enthusiast with a love of global groove, to go to the ahmanson and check out this show posthaste. this limited engagement runs only through january 22 so don’t miss out!
in keeping with the spirit of the show, barka da sabuwar shekara and all the best of 2012!
pictures courtesy of the centre theatre grouplooking for a way to ring in your new year…
29 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in music, theatre & performance arts Tags: afrobeat, ahmanson, fela, fela kuti, femi, musical, seun, theatre
…look no further than FELA! now playing at the ahmanson!
i missed this show the first time around when it opened on broadway in new york in 2009 and to say my disappointment ran deep was an understatement. this time i’m on the ball and dialed in for what promises to be an amazing event! if you’re not in the know, fela kuti was THE father of afro beat and i’ve been shaking my money maker to his music since being turned onto it as a kid via my parents. hugh masekela, sonny okosun, tony allen, nigeria 70. not familiar? how about antibalas, the daktaris, the pharoahs (who became earth, wind and fire) or david byrne? all touched by fela.
olufela olusegun oludotun ransome-kuti came to the states from nigeria as a young man in ’69 to tour los angeles and record. he toured america for eight months during which he was able to witness firsthand the transformation of african american r&b, soul and funk. not only that, being a political activist in his own right, he received a close up education of our civil rights movement via the black panther party.
upon his return to africa, he was a thorn in the side of a corrupt nigerian government and a hero to the disenfranchised surviving multiple vicious attacks by the military, one of which led to his mothers’ demise after she was tossed from a window. an unabashed polygamist who reportedly married 100+ wives and formed the independent kalakuta republic to circumvent the government, i can only wonder why a movie hasn’t been made of his life as it’s rich in it’s stories of political resistance layered with the deep, funky beats that underline his messages of civil disobedience.
(note: i just found out a fela biopic is in the works as a focus features vehicle with chiwetelu ejiofor playing the lead!)
unfortunately fela passed away in ’97 (on my birthday no less) but we do have his sons femi and seun to carry on the afro beat tradition. seun played in downtown’s california plaza as recently as this past september and femi never fails to impress as he carries on his father’s trademark show of tight musicianship coupled with the most amazing back up singers/dancers i’ve ever seen!
the musical originally opened in 2008 off broadway as a collaborative workshop between antibalas and tony award winner bill t. jones. with subsequent backing from jay-z, will smith and others, it went on to broadway in november 2009 and became a multi tony nominated success.
now playing at los angeles’ ahmanson theatre through 22 january 2012, i strongly suggest you check it out and after which, be sure to give a listen to the artists that were mentioned above as masekela, okosun, allen and the daktaris are not to be missed.
get your tix here at the centre theatre group.
