I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (2016)
2016 James Baldwin biopic / documentary
File Under: Documentary, Black Power, Civil Rights, Literary Cinema.
“I Am Not Your Negro" is a fitting meditation on MLK Day. Raoul Peck adapts the novel James Baldwin never completed, “Remember This House", into a film discourse, focusing the lens on the history of race in America via assassinations of key civil rights leaders (Medgar, Malcolm, and Martin), the impact of racist cinematic imagery, and the continuation of the black struggle in the 21st century. The exacting words of James Baldwin narrated by Samuel L. Jackson sit heavily, a vivid reminder that the work is far from over.
"I Am Not Your Negro", Raoul Peck. 2016, USA-France.
Running Time: 93 Minutes. English-French.
Available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube
PAPRIKA (2006)
2006 psychological thriller/ anime
File Under: Psychedelic Anime, Surrealism, Dream Logic, Sci-Fi Masterpiece.
Satoshi Kon’s 2006 anime feature has been described as an acid trip for good reason; when a machine that allows therapists to enter patients’ dreams is stolen, chaos ensues, and the only one capable of finding the culprit is Dr. Atsuko Chiba. When entering dreams Chida is transformed into an alter ego, Paprika. As she pursues the thief with her partners, she is forced into mind bending and terrifying situations, where the line between dream and reality is irrevocably blurred. This flick has been credited for inspiring Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and it’s a worthy take if you’re interested in psychological thrillers exploring complex questions about identity and existence. Available for rent on Prime and Apple TV.
"Paprika", Satoshi Kon. 2006, Japan.
Running Time: 90 Minutes. Japanese.
Available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube.
Shirin Aliabadi
iranian subversion
This week’s art post features the work of Shirin Aliabadi (1973-2018). Aliabadi’s work focused on Iranian women and their unique relationship to Western culture. Not singularly a critique of Western capitalism, the work explores secular transgression, body image and female identity under a repressive religious regime.
“Shirin will always be remembered for her kind soul, the depth of her work and the mark she left on the world. The female protagonists of her best-known series presented themselves as a radical counter-design to the officially propagated image of women, and displayed a young generation’s ways of breaking free from regulations.””
Photo Credit:
Universes Art, Operation Supermarket
Phillips.com, Shirin Aliabadi
Art Fund, Shirin Aliabadi
Aperture, She captured the modern face of Iran
Portrait: The Art Newspaper, Shirin Aliabadi, known for depicting rebellious Iranian women, has died