Culture articles from Cultrface ― Page 3 of 4

CultureSeptember 4, 2020April 8

Sotheby’s will auction off pieces from Keith Haring’s art collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

According to The Spaces, the sale will raise money for The Center in New York, a cornerstone of the city’s LGBTQ community. The auction will open on 24th September and is expected to raise about $1m. If you have that kind of cash, you can view the works online or arrange to see them in person at Sotheby’s Manhattan HQ.

If you’re wondering why Haring’s art collection is being auctioned off at all, it’s a legal thing:

Legal counsel had warned the nonprofit for years that keeping a collection made by artists other than its founder might fail to serve its charitable purpose. So last year the foundation began arranging with Sotheby’s to sell the artworks in an online auction called “Dear Keith,” with all proceeds benefiting the Center, an L.G.B.T.Q. community organization in the West Village.

And the reason for choosing The Center was a personal connection to Haring:

“Keith Haring fostered hope and resilience during difficult times,” said Glennda Testone, executive director of the Center. “He painted his 1989 mural, ‘Once Upon a Time,’ on our walls to celebrate sexual liberation and envision a world without AIDS, in direct opposition to the fear and stigma that fueled that pandemic.”

CultureSeptember 1, 2020February 21

Africa / Ancient Egypt / Gold / Tutankhamun

CultureAugust 31, 2020February 24

Memes / Video / Web Culture / Weird

Culture, LifestyleAugust 21, 2020April 22

Acting / One Tree Hill / Women

CultureAugust 19, 2020August 19

Podcast

CultureAugust 14, 2020February 24

1990s / VHS / Video

Black Cultures, CultureJuly 12, 2020June 17

Black Women / LGBTQ

I wrote about gal-dem in March and now there’s another dedicated platform for Black women and non-binary people to come together in the name of creativity.

It’s called Rememory.

What is Rememory?

Founded by Mia Coleman, a Black illustrator and designer, Rememory brings together the incredible work of Black women and non-binary people of the African Diaspora. The burgeoning directory showcases their narratives and experiences through an array of disciplines including:

Architecture
Graphic design
Illustration
Writing
Filmmaking
Animation

Mia explains that Rememory is for both creatives to “help people boost visibility for black women” and for employers to “consider hiring women into promotions above their current role” and place them in spaces often taken up by men.

Rememory is directory and blog spot of black creatives with beginner to expert experience in various creative roles. This platform aims to help people boost visibility for black women breaking into the creative industry while providing them with insight on creative paths on our #ArtCrush monthly interviews.
Quote from Mia Coleman (source)

Where does the word “rememory” come from?

The term “rememory” was coined by Toni Morrison in her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Beloved. It described a recollection of a forgotten moment by the book’s main character, Sethe, and was chosen by the directory’s founder as a homage to Morrison’s lifelong work in “centering black women and their narratives”.

How to join

You can join Rememory by heading over to the Join Us page and filling out your details. You can select up to 4 professions from a choice of 18 or include any unnamed occupations you may hold.

Rememory is packed full of incredible women and non-binary people with abundances of talent.

How to get in touch

Here are some links to follow Rememory on social media and contact Mia:

Email: info[at]miacoleman.co (replace the [at] for an @)
Instagram: @rememory.directory
Mia Coleman on Twitter: @meeahmia
Mia Coleman on Instagram: @miacolestudio

Black Cultures, CultureJune 30, 2020July 17

Black Women / Interview / LGBTQ / Women

Today’s interviewee is the wonderful Sareta Fontaine. She is a writer and content creator with a creative flair most of us can only dream of having. It was an honour and a pleasure to have Sareta participate so enjoy the interview!

What is your favourite city in the world?

My favourite city in the world is currently Amsterdam. It’s only a 50-minute flight (I hate flying), and everyone is super friendly, super chilled and open-minded. I’d look into having an apartment there if I could. I’d have a little apartment next to the canal, with window boxes full of beautiful flowers. I’d go on weekends with my laptop and write all day like Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and The City)…dreamy!

What’s the most unusual item you take everywhere you go?

Probably crumbs. The bottom of my bag is always covered in crumbs from snacks I’ve had ready for my kids. No matter what I do, crumbs will be there.

Why do you do what you do?

I love to create art, and I love to make people laugh. Whether it’s a video or photography, or something I’ve made with my hands, I love creating! I guess I always enjoyed making things as a child, so a lot of my toys I created myself. I’d make trains and houses out of shoeboxes and mini characters out of Fimo oven-bake clay, and play with those for hours. I suppose I never really grew out of it. I enjoy making things and seeing the finished product.

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?

Five minutes ago, lol! I just said I love you and goodnight to my boys.

Where do you go to relax?

What is relax please? I don’t even know anymore! I’d probably have a glass of wine and chill on my sofa, along with disco lights and incense.

69, 280, or 420?

420 for sure. But what does 280 stand for? I’m out of the loop and feel old now.

How do you say goodbye in your culture?

See you later. Which has always confused me because “later” may mean later on in the day… or week, right? But yeah, my family have always said: “See you later” in a London accent, of course.

Black Cultures, Comics, Culture, GamingJune 14, 2020June 17

Video

Black Cultures, CultureJune 9, 2020June 17

Interview / Video

Today, we have Terrance Pryor as our interviewee. Terrance is a music and gaming writer and radio personality from the East Coast and he answered our not-so-famous round of questions. Enjoy!

What is your favourite city in the world?

My best city in the whole world is New York City. There’s always something to do at any given time. For live shows, I always love attending Irving Plaza and Gramercy Theatre. Mercury Lounge is a great intimate spot as well.

What’s the most unusual item you take everywhere you go?

It’s not really unusual, but I always have a pen with me. It started out as an accident, but I never bothered to take it out of my pocket. I’ll never know if Publishers Clearing House will accost me on the street with a million-dollar check or if I have to sign an autograph because something thinks I’m Jaleel White.

Why do you do what you do?

I love supporting music. I started out as a radio personality because I wanted to play music from local bands. I always went to local shows with a request form for some music. It basically grew from there. It’s always a great feeling to hear new music from a rising artist.

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?

I honestly don’t know. I probably should get better at doing this.

Where do you go to relax?

I don’t really go anywhere physically for relaxation. My idea of relaxing is just watching Twitch, listening to music, or playing video games. Sleeping is great, too. Lately, I’ve been falling asleep with spectator mode running in Unreal Tournament 2004. Best $3 I ever spent.

69, 280, or 420?

I was going to pick either 69 or 420, but 280 stood out to me. No one ever gives this number any love on social media. It’s never “280, blaze it” or no one ever says “Nice” when 280 gets mentioned. I never see 280 trending on Twitter. I’m choosing 280 because I believe in it. 280 can do the thing!

How do you say goodbye in your culture?

I actually don’t say goodbye. I tend to just exit the spot without saying anything. Irish goodbye. I’ll say something on social media after I leave, though.

CultureMay 17, 2020June 30

Dan Larson / Toy Galaxy / Toys / Video

I once had a collection of Pokémon cards donated to me by my cousin. 2 years later, I sold them all for £20. I’ve made worse decisions since but that was a pretty bad one.

However, Dan Larson of Toy Galaxy had a clear mind when he sold his toy collection back in 2018.

Who is Dan Larson?

Dan Larson is a content creator, graphic artist, writer and host of Toy Galaxy, a YouTube channel dedicated to toys, comics, and all related media. (And he is awesome.)

At present, Toy Galaxy boasts over 165,000 subscribers and covers a wide range of topics, mostly in the form of top 10s and historical overviews. (And it is awesome.)

Gone but not forgotten

In a video, titled “Why I Sold My Collection“, Dan discussed his reasons for selling and how a need to “collect everything” got quickly out of hand. In his own words, he sold his toy collection to save it and gave some sage advice on how he managed to take control.

“If I’ve learned one thing from 24 years on the internet, it’s that if a thing exists, someone is out there collecting it.”
Dan Larson making his own variation of Rule 34 and Rule 44

But collecting things can turn into an obsession as Dan mentioned in the video intro:

“[…] part of being a collector – any kind of collector – is knowing when it’s time to step away from the collection, from the neverending pursuit of the next piece, and reassess what you’re doing and why. What are you collecting? Is it even the same thing you set out to collect when you started? How far away from the original idea have you strayed? How far will you go to justify that something should be a part of your collection just to be able to add to your collection?

Dan’s story transcends the collection of toys, or any paraphernalia for that matter. Unless you’re one of those minimalists, you’ll have collected items, consciously or otherwise, and you’ve avoided getting rid of the things you don’t need. Then you’ll continue collecting until you have the “moment of clarity” as Dan put it in the video.

Stream the video below and hopefully, you’ll find your own moment of clarity.

Why I Sold My Collection

Watch this video on YouTube

CultureMay 5, 2020February 24

Caribbean / Jamaica / Lists / Video

For a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica has had a massive impact on the world in a number of ways. But there’s much more to Jamaica than Bob Marley and Cool Runnings and that doesn’t always get represented. That’s why I’ll be giving you 28 facts about Jamaican culture to broaden your scope and show you just how influential the nation has been.

The history of Jamaica

The name ‘Jamaica’ comes from the Arawakan ‘Xaymaca’ meaning ‘Land of Wood and Water’.
Before the island was colonised, a group known as the “Redware people” arrived in Jamaica in 600 AD and then the Arawak–Taíno around 200 years later. Known as Yamaye, some of the natives still remain on the island.
Jamaica gained independence from the British on 6th August 1962 and was the first English-speaking Caribbean island to do so.
Jamaica’s motto is ‘Out of Many, One People’.
Jamaica is a member of CARICOM, the Commonwealth, IMF (International Monetary Fund), the UN, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), and WHO (World Health Organization).
Kingston is capital of Jamaica but it’s in the smallest parish on the island by area (25km^²).
The yellow (or gold), black and green of the Jamaican flag represent the shining sun, the strength and creativity of the people, and the land.

Language

While the official language of Jamaica is ‘Jamaican Standard English’, Jamaican patois is widely used and arguably the most well-known language spoken on the island. There have been many calls for it be classed as an official language.
Jamaica is the third-most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada.

Religion

Christianity is the largest religion on the island and has played a major role in Jamaican culture, as with many Black communities from the diaspora.
The most notable derivative of that is the Rastafari movement, with its strong connections to Africa. Originating in the 1930s, Rastafarians follow teachings from the Old and New Testament but the movement is distinct in its belief that Ethiopia’s former Emperor, Haile Selassie, was the human embodiment of God.
Besides Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism, Jamaica also has a congregation of Baha’i followers. In 2003, the then-Governor General of Jamaica, Sir Howard Cooke, made the 25th July ‘National Bahá’í Day’.

Humanities

Tony-Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
A dance known as Bruckins is performed during Emancipation Day.
Nobel prize laureate Derek Walcott, attended college in Jamaica.
James Bond writer Ian Fleming wrote his Bond novels while living in Jamaica.
2015 Man Booker Prize winner Marlon James was born in Kingston.

Society

Nine-Nights is a funeral tradition practised in Caribbean nations including Jamaica where people take part in an extended wake that lasts for several days. In that time, friends and family share anecdotes, eat food and sing hymns together.
Some Jamaican believe burying the umbilical cord of a newborn under a tree is said to give the child a permanent connection to the island.
In 2019, Jamaica reported its lowest unemployment rate in 50 years.

Sport

Every August, the Pushcart derby takes place, involving races between push carts, similar to American soap box races. The finals take place in the parish of St Elizabeth.
Jamaican has won 78 medals at the Olympics, including 1 bronze medal in the men’s cycling 1 km time trial at Moscow 1980.

Fashion

The Kariba suit is a two-piece suit for men, popularised by former Prime Minister, Michael Manley. Designed in Jamaica in the early 1970s, the suit was made as a form of businesswear to replace standard European suits. When Manley and the People’s National Party came to power in 1972, Parliament passed a law making the Kariba suit the official outfit for formal government functions.
The Quadrille dress is worn in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries but the quadrille dance, for which it is worn, is only danced in Jamaica and Trinidad today.

Nature

Jamaica’s national flower is the lignum vitae while the national bird is the red-billed streamertail or ‘doctor bird‘.
The Jamaican boa is the largest snake on the island but none of the eight species of snakes on the island are venomous.
Jamaica’s exports include sugar, bananas, cocoa, coconut, grapefruit, rum, yams, and Blue Mountain Coffee.
The Jamaican slider is a species of turtle that’s only found in Jamaica and on a few islands in the Bahamas.

Black Cultures, CultureMarch 24, 2020June 17

Black Women / LGBTQ / Video / Women

When I started Cultrface, it was at a time when I was escaping some personal issues. But as time went by, I wanted it to be a place to share the experiences of people of colour and their cultures.

gal-dem is on a similar journey and yesterday, the publication announced the launch of its Patreon membership scheme. According to a tweet posted yesterday, the idea was in the pipeline but given current world events, they felt it emphasised their need to “future-proof the platform” and I couldn’t agree more.

What is gal-dem?

gal-dem is a publication that focuses on the lives and journeys of women and non-binary people of colour. It was founded in 2015 by Liv Little and the magazine is available annually through the printed issue and online through the website.

In 2016, its editorial collective curated an event at the Victoria and Albert Museum and in 2018, the team guest-edited an issue of The Guardian’s Weekend magazine. gal-dem also released an anthology called “I Will Not Be Erased”: Our Stories About Growing Up As People of Colour in 2019.

Through the print magazine and online platform, gal-dem addresses the constant misrepresentation of women and non-binary POCs in the media by challenging the industry. This is done through a gamut of essays, editorials, and news from the community, covering the arts, music, politics and horoscopes.

Perks of being a gal-dem member

There are plenty of Patreon memberships out there for all kinds of content creators. For gal-dem, your contributions can help towards a lot of things:

Shifting the imbalance away from the 94% white and 55% male media population
Bring different cultural conversations from marginalised groups to the table
Membership can also help them work with other members of the community and create more breathtaking and important work

There are three membership plans to choose from, with monthly or yearly subscriptions (the annual fee works out cheaper per month). If you’re able to contribute and you want to switch the media narrative, become a gal-dem member today.

And follow gal-dem on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

BECOME A GAL-DEM MEMBER!

Watch this video on YouTube

CultureMarch 1, 2020July 29

Colours

CultureFebruary 1, 2020July 29

Pop Culture

Have you ever looked at an online store and wanted everything on the site?

That was how I felt when I first saw Super Team Deluxe. As a geek, seeing all those pop culture references in pin and sticker form excited me. But how did STD come about? And how awkward is that abbreviation?

A super team indeed

The team behind Super Team Deluxe like to call themselves “a collaborative funhouse” and it certainly seems that way. The products they create are unique, quirky, and geeky as hell.

The company is the brainchild of designers Rogie King and Justin Mezzell. The “official” team also includes Hannah Mezzell, Drew Melton and Alicja Colon. With a creative bunch like that, it’s no wonder their products and designs are so vibrant and nerdy.

What does Super Team Deluxe create?

They say they “haven’t thought too much about the future” but right now STD sell lapel pins, patches, and stickers.

A while back, they released a series called Sci-Fidelity: A Gallery of Miniature Proportions, perfect for fans of Star Wars, Total Recall, and Stranger Things. Most of the range is sold out as I write this, but there are still some left, including a “cute” Face Hugger pin and a Gremlin patch.

There are plenty of other niches if sci-fi isn’t your bag.

The Ghosts of Shows Past – A collection of limited edition products centred on computer games, movies and more
BFGS – Loads of video game pins and stickers, basically
A Gallery Far, Far Away – Star Wars pins

They even sell hats. Their Internet Dad baseball cap is quintessentially 90s, harking back to the days when Apple struggled and came back.

Internet Dad hat by Super Team Deluxe. The internet is not a fad – it's here to stay!

Prices that aren’t out of this world

I wish I could buy every pin, sticker, patch, print, and hat they have. I love it all. And it’s affordable, with most items priced at $10. Shipping to the UK comes in at $15, which is more reasonable than some vendors I’ve bought from in the US.

If you need to spruce up a jacket or bag, Super Team Deluxe have you covered with essential accessories for gamers, programmers, designers, and every geekazoid in between. Huzzah!

What is Rememory?

Where does the word “rememory” come from?

How to join

How to get in touch

What is your favourite city in the world?

What’s the most unusual item you take everywhere you go?

Why do you do what you do?

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?

Where do you go to relax?

69, 280, or 420?

How do you say goodbye in your culture?

Building and bringing the nerd community together

Content creation

Events

Talks and panels

Where to find The Nerd Council

What is your favourite city in the world?

What’s the most unusual item you take everywhere you go?

Why do you do what you do?

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?

Where do you go to relax?

69, 280, or 420?

How do you say goodbye in your culture?

Who is Dan Larson?

Gone but not forgotten

The history of Jamaica

Language

Religion

Humanities

Society

Sport

Fashion

Nature

What is gal-dem?

Perks of being a gal-dem member

Some facts about the colour pink

A visually pink experience

A super team indeed

What does Super Team Deluxe create?

Prices that aren’t out of this world