There is a Brazillian rainforest re-creation complete with real live Amazon Indians for our gawking pleasure down at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport from now until sometime in July.
The press release states, “The Amazon Jungle Comes Alive in the Concrete Jungle.When diverse cultures meet…In this 13,000-square-foot re-creation of the Amazon, visitors can experience firsthand the sights, sounds and wonders of life in the Brazilian Amazon, including its biodiversity, people, villages and cities. Visitors will be able to interact directly with communities living in the heart of the forest via the Internet, and meet shamans and artisans from the region in person.”

Sounds fun, no? Not only do you get to interact with the real live Indian shamen/artisans you also get to cyber-chat with their friends and family back in their rainforest home! I mean, holy shit who knew they hand internet access in the Amazon? Well, actually the National Museum of the American Indian recently hosted a video series created by and about the indigenous people of the Amazon. So clearly, they are tech saavy, but I’m curious to see how this rainforest and it’s inhabitants are presented outside of their natural context, and in a touristy area of Lower Manhattan, no less. The idea of shamen/artisans on display for the tourist masses (because that’s about all that hang down at the Seaport) in what amounts to a 3-D interactive museum-style exhibition harkens directly to James Luna’s “Artifact Piece” recently re-enacted by Erica Lord, also at the NMAI. This warrants a what the fuck!?, fo sho! Because no matter which way you spin it it still exoticizes not only the people of the rainforest, but the environment itself, and consequently, re-enforces the notion of native people, their homes, and lifeways as anthro-archaelogical curiosities. But let’s not be too hasty nor cynical. Perhaps nuances were added to challenge my assumptions? Of course, I will go down to investigate! This Sunday, in fact, though it will cost me $16.00, but I would have spent that on less enligtening situations-like happy hour.
More to come!

In light of the ridiculous “Native” inspired cultural detritus I have found lately, and because there are too many instances in daily life to exclaim, “What the Fuck!?” I have created a new category appropriately titled: What the Fuck!?

Our first entrant in this category was the jury panel for Tribeca’s All Access program. You may recall it included Adam Beach and some lesser known non-movie involved types like Damon Dash. Anyway, let’s add this old battleaxe of a blonde, photograher Doris Kloster. Evidently her “sexy” ourvre is popular in Japan. Figures….a sampling of her “work” can be found here, Shit.

The more interesting photos on the site, specfically because they are so ill-conceived and executed, are the self-portraits which claim to reference the, “iconic presence of women in visual interpretations of current world events.” Really? How does a be-feathered Indian girl figure into current world events? Had Doris attended the Miss Indian World pageant at GON this year, and thus obtained her inspiration? Because the last time I hung out with Indian chicks, which was, like, three weeks ago, none of them were wearing feathered head-dresses or wielding corn-of the cob variety.

Perhaps Doris is being ironic? Perhaps that cob is representative of her preferred dildo size and texture? It’s probably organic, the corn, maybe even the feathers, are of the eagle variety. Nothing is more organic than Native Americans and corn. Anyway, she is known for her fetish photography and naughty “video art” so none of this is too far-fetched. It is possible to fetishize anything, right? Her suggestive proffering of the cob (in the none too subtle “Land O Lakes” manner), to you the viewer/voyeur, intimates her fantasy: it will be shoved firmly up her rather large ass where her work gurgitates then rush releases into the artworld, shit that it is. And, the feathers? Why to tickle her with, silly! I mean duh! She is the first lady of sexy fetish photography!

For more of Doris’ dumb-assisms: www.doriskloster.com

We dare you to pop a boner!

As in last year’s Spring collections, which featured “bohemian and Native” inspired fashions (see above photo), we see a re-hashing of the same this year, however less in clothing lines, and moreso in accessories such as bags, jewelery, and shoes. So it seems, every goddamn spring, an inspiration deprived “fashion” designer – from Euro-trash haute couture to a Brooklyn wannabe haute couture – re-hashes the same tired ass “Native American/Tribal” theme replete with feathers, braids, fringe, bead-work, silver, more feathers, and in none too inspirational ways.

Questions of identity, co-optation and exploitation, also cyclically, and just as redundantly as the collections themselves, arise:

Why do they perennially use the Native theme for their Spring collections?

Why do they use quasi-Native looking models who are not Native? Or maybe they are, and in which case, why do these models tolerate such onerous stereotyping?
Why do they conflate all North American Indigenous tribes with one homogenous feather-festooned aesthetic?

Why do they think they have the right to do so?

and, why does this shit cost so damned much money?

Take our friend-o’s at Brooklyn’s “LoveBrigade” a one stop shop for all things Billy-burg hispter. Their Spring collection titled “Namehato” from 2007 featured native inspired silk screened prints on earth toned fabrics. Not too disimilar from our good lady Vivienne Westwood, who in 2007 used native inspired silk screened prints on earth toned fabrics and Leonard Peltier as her Indian mascot. Of course, her models were Native inspired as well (see image above). I tried contacting the publicist for Ms. Westwood’s Anglomania line to ask her about the Leonard connection, but no avail.
Honestly, I am curious to know why this theme, “Native/Tribal”, is trotted out almost every spring in one form or another. I’m just so curious, really, from their perspective, a non-Native design perpsective, why these time-worn tropes in fashion and film are used over and over again, and in similar, if not exactly, the same way season after spring season. But, not so much in music right? I mean when’s the last time you heard some “Indian chant,” and I don’t mean “Om Shanti” type shit either, in a rock or pop song? Well actually, there was that time in 2005 when Andre from OutKast infamously conflated all kinds of contrasting and stereotypical “slightly Native” cultural accoutrements for his Grammy performance of his powwow song “Hey Ya!”.

Anyway, it behooves a questioning agent to go to the source and that is the designer.
Perhaps the kids at LoveBrigade might be more amenable to answering our (my) questions?

Doubtful, but we shall see.

Post-Note:

Love Brigade’s “Namehato” spring collection does have some cute shit I’d love to buy if it were not so fucking expensive. However, the written prologue to their lookbook is just plain stupid. I get what they are going for: ironic self-aware racism. However, I know the owners of LoveBrigade are not Native nor do they know anything about contemporary indigenous concerns, nor do they give a fuck to engage in anything having to do with indigenous concerns-cultural, political, or artistic. And, I am certain they are aware that the use of the sterotypes they employed in this prologue are racist and perpetuating. Their use of the word “squaw” is disheartening because I know they are well educated culturally saavy kids.

Shame on them for willfull insensitivity and for being 25 year old hispter fuck assholes who live, uninspiredly, in Williamsberg. For shame!

Brought to you by a “slightly” Native American looking Asian style editor at Lucky magazine. I bet she has dressed up as a “slightly sexy” Pocahontas on Halloween, and I bet she wore that bracelet too!

Frankly the only time I want to feel “slightly Native American” is when I have a long night of drinking ahead of me. Those Indians sure do know how to pace themselves! I envy them.

“Dances with Wolves Sequel Goes Into Production”

That’s right kids! More movie-making magic coming your way soon! Now, on top of remaking The Lone Ranger, some clever people in Hollywood are cooking up a tasty sequel to Dances with Wolves. YESSS.

“A sequel to Dances With Wolves entitled The Holy Road has just gone into pre-production with Simon Wincer at the helm. According to Variety, the film will be produced by Moonstone, Amicus Entertainment and Double Eagle Films.

The plot picks up eleven years after Wolves left off. The Comanche tribe is in steady decline, and the threat of white settlers looms on the horizon. The Holy Road refers to the transcontinental railroad. The Indian population saw it as a symbol of evil.“[Source]

A note for the ladies: Sadly, Kevin Costner will not be reprising his monotonical “role”, BUUUT none other than Viggo Mortensen is in talks to be filling Kevin’s shoes. And honestly, I think he’s perfect for it. I can’t think of a better guy to befriend Indians with his shirt off. Maybe there will be a naked shower fighting scene too??

xoxo

Spring is a time for new loves-real and imagined-and sexy bears awoke from their wintery slumbers.
Read all about them in our new online edition: SPRING 2008

photo courtesy: Jenny Frasier-Curator

VT2 is the title of a new exhibition that presents vibrant, innovative screen-based and photo-media works from international and Indigenous Australian new-media artists, building on 2007’s Vernacular Terrain exhibition.

photo courtesy: Jenny Frasier-Curator

For the first time a group of Aboriginal New Media Artists are included in the annual tour of International Digital Arts courtesy of Artist / Curator Jenny Fraser (QLD), also including work from: r e a (NSW), Jason Davidson (NT) and Andrew Hill (QLD) and a collaboration by Christine Peacock, John Graham & Rebekah Pitt (QLD) with Djon Mundine (NSW) offering the Curatorial Essay for the tour.Founded by Stephen Danzig in 1999, IDAprojects was the first nexus of its kind providing a platform for academia, research technologies and professional art practices in building a new discourse. For the past eight years the IDA program has grown to feature a national and international touring exhibition with an aim to present leading artists from around the world who engage in new media arts and research technologies.Launched in Brisbane on May 1, this year’s project reflects a global commitment to exploring cultural identity through leading professional arts practice in digital media from Curators Stephen Danzig, Lubi Thomas, Xu Da Wei, Matthew Perkins and Pauline Doutreluingne.QUT, in partnership with IDAprojects and the Beijing Film Academy has developed this international touring exhibition which will also be presented throughout Asia – including the Beijing Olympics Cultural Festival – and will later include a tour of regional Australia.

VT2

New York, NY [May 1, 2008] – The seventh annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by American Express, announced the winners of its competition categories tonight at the Target-Tribeca Filmmaker Lounge in New York City. Highlights from the Awards Ceremony can be seen on WNBC-TV’s “Tribeca Presents: Best of the Festival” on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., as well as on the Festival website, www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

This year’s Festival included 121 features and 79 short films from 41 countries. The world competition winners were chosen from 12 narrative and 12 documentary features from 18 countries. Two awards were also given to honor New York films, which were chosen from seven narrative and nine documentary features. Awards were also given for the best narrative, best documentary and student visionary films in the Shorts competition. The winner of the Cadillac Award, best film in the festival as determined by audience vote, will be announced during the WNBC-TV program on Saturday, May 3rd.

“We are extremely proud of these directors’ accomplishments and we are honored to have had these films as part of the Festival,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

“It’s especially gratifying and exciting to see that the members of our juries selected an extremely diverse group of films – in terms of both their themes and their countries of production – and that the majority of the prizes are going to filmmakers and performers who are all at an early stage of their careers,” said Peter Scarlet, Artistic Director of the Festival.

Screenings of all winning films will take place at AMC Village VII on Sunday, May 4. Specific times and ticketing information is available on the Festival website, www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including American Express, Apple, Cadillac, Delta Air Lines, Edelman Studios, The New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, The New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by 13 acclaimed artists.

Following are the awards and their winners:

· The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – “Let the Right One In” (Lat den rätte komma in) directed by Tomas Alfredson (Sweden). Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Maternal Nocture: Clearing Storm” created by Stephen Hannock.

Jury Comments: “For its mesmerizing exploration of loneliness and alienation through masterful reexamination of the vampire myth.”

· Best New Narrative Filmmaker – “My Marlon and Brando” (Gitmek) directed by Hüseyin Karabey (Turkey, Netherlands, UK). Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Bonfire,” created by Ross Bleckner.

Jury Comments: “For its skillful blending of documentary style with a classic love story and ultimate creation of a truly modern and unlikely international heroine.”

· Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello in “Somers Town” directed by Shane Meadows (UK). Sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Each winner receives a business elite ticket voucher for anywhere Delta travels.

Jury Comments: “For an extraordinary and exhilarating rendering of a friendship found, the Narrative Feature Jury is awarding the Best Actor prize to this magical team.”

· Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Eileen Walsh in “Eden” directed by Declan Recks (Ireland). Sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Winner receives two business elite ticket vouchers for anywhere Delta travels.

Jury Comments: “For her exquisite rendering of a lonely wife aching to be seen and heard.”

· Best Documentary Feature – “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” directed by Gini Reticker (USA). Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Liza Minnelli,” created by Timothy White.

Jury Comments: “In a relentless pursuit of peace, the women of Liberia show us how community, motherly love and perseverance can change the fate of a society. Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a reminder that we have the power to say “Enough!” to the atrocities of our world.”

· Best New Documentary Filmmaker – “Old Man Bebo” directed by Carlos Carcas (Spain). Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Maquette for Primary Compass,” created by Don Gummer.

Jury Comments: “We the jury feel that Carlos Carcas showed us that if you truly have art in your body and soul it will find its way out into the world. We applaud the filmmaker for bringing Old Man Bebo into our consciousness.”

· “New York LOVES Film” – “Zoned In” directed by Daniela Zanzotto (USA,

UK). Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, and the art award “Table Odeon,” created by Donna Ferrato.

Special Mention: “Hotel Gramercy Park” directed by Douglas Keeve (USA).

Jury Comments: “This was a challenging and spirited discussion with two clear favorites: both films are very different and the jury felt that both should get equal mention even though only one gets the prize. We thought Hotel Gramercy Park was a highly entertaining and moving story about a New York family and a New York institution coming to terms with a changing city, but in the end we felt Zoned In deserved the prize for having the bravery to tell a seemingly typical story that ends up revealing bold and difficult truths.”

· “Made In NY” – Narrative – “The Caller” directed by Richard Ledes (USA). Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by The City of New York Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, and the art award “Nude on Guitar” created by Ralph Gibson.

Jury Comments: “The Caller superbly uses its New York locations – from the sleek mid-town high-rises to the desolate Brooklyn Bridge piers – to create a chilling and finally stirring suspense movie; an unusual thriller whose mysterious plot finally exposes the mysteries of the heart.”

· Best Narrative Short – “New Boy” directed by Steph Green. Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “Air” created by Francesco Clemente.

Jury Comments: “New Boy took us on a complete emotional journey. It was moving, funny and powerful.”

· Best Documentary Short – “Mandatory Service” directed by Jessica Habie. Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “The Screamer,” created by John Alexander.

Jury Comments: “Mandatory Service, a perspective of war and conflict from participants themselves. The Israeli’s empathy for the Palestinians is not a perspective we glimpse too often in Western Media.”

· Student Visionary Award – “Elephant Garden” directed by Sasie Sealy. Sponsored by Apple. Winner receives an Apple Mac Pro Desktop with a 15″ Display and Final Cut Studio 2 and the art award “Harmonium” created by Clifford Ross.

Jury Comments: “Elephant Garden captured the “inner-life” of a beautiful young girl; her confusion as she becomes a young adult. Wonderful visual story telling and the performance of Kelley Mack is stellar.”

· Cadillac Award – Winner to be chosen by the Audience and will be announced on WNBC-TV on Saturday, May 3rd. Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Peripheral Drift Illusion,” created by Ryan McGinness, as well as a trophy created by Cadillac.