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Artist Creates Sculptures So Tiny They Can't Be Seen By The Human Eye

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Sculptures come in all shapes and sizes, but these are really, really small.

London-based artist Jonty Hurwitz created a collection of teeny tiny sculptures that can't be seen with the naked eye. His works are 80 by 100 by 20 microns and can only be detected on the screen of an extremely powerful scanning electron microscope.

In the photos below, Hurwitz has placed his nano sculptures on various objects, one being a human hair. The point of this, he told The Huffington Post, is to demonstrate just how small they really are.

"The challenge is that these works exist beyond the limits of our perceptual capabilities, and as a consequence beyond the realms of what we can visualize," Hurwitz said. "The thickness of a single hair is something that every person has pondered at some point in their childhood."

In one image, he even shows the sculpture compared to a human sperm.

He said the sculptures, which were created with new 3D printing technology, are being reviewed by the Guinness Book of World Records. They may be the smallest creations of the human form or the smallest human portraits ever created.

Hurwitz got an engineering degree in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he "discovered the fine line between art and science." All of his pieces take physics into account and use over 1 billion calculations and algorithms.

Check out the photos of Hurwitz's nano sculptures below:


Hear the artist talk about his work in the video below:


When Is A Good But Challenging Drama Too Dark?

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Sam Adams wrote a smart piece recently about why he likes "Jane the Virgin," the best new broadcast network program of the fall. In particular, Adams praised the title character for being a nice, grounded, thoughtful person who tries very hard to tell the truth.

As played by the extraordinary Gina Rodriguez and characterized by the show's deft writers, Jane's a good person, and watching the show (which is available free online) is a very pleasurable experience. What's especially impressive is the fact that "Jane the Virgin," for all its vivid flourishes, takes the significant challenges that its characters face very seriously. The light isn't there to blot out the darkness: The light is there to expose things that can be painful and to help the characters find a way out of tough situations.

When I have some precious free time, I find myself seeking out this kind of fare more and more. Or I turn to intelligent genre fare that allows the characters to have some faith in each other and even crack the occasional joke (i.e., "Supernatural," "Penny Dreadful," "The 100," "Arrow," etc.).

Like most TV critics, I've also praised dozens of dramas that incorporate crime, violence and death into their storytelling. But the fact is, in this line of work, we come across a lot of that kind of thing. The medium is evolving -- especially as it migrates online -- but for many in the industry, ambition still often involves dead bodies and kids in danger. The sheer tonnage of programs that feature these elements makes the existence of a show like "Jane the Virgin" all the more welcome.

All of that is a long way of saying, I watched five hours of the new Starz drama "The Missing," and I liked it enough to want to know how it ends (there are eight hours total). I'll likely watch the whole thing, but it's one of those shows that has elements that are tough to take, and I'd understand if some potential audience members gave it a miss.

James Poniewozik wrote a great defense of both the quality of "The Missing," which tells the story of the abduction of a child, and the decision to opt out of watching it. "Every once in a while, I have to decide that my own nightmares are enough without borrowing someone else’s," he noted, and I sympathize deeply with that point of view.

As Poniewozik wrote, the pluses of the drama mainly revolve around its mood of impassioned restraint and excellent lead performances. James Nesbitt is terrific as the father of the boy who goes missing; Nesbitt can shift from disoriented to volcanic without missing a beat, and it's entirely plausible that this driven, even obsessive man would never, ever let go of the case. Frances O'Connor is similarly affecting as the child's mother, whose face offers windows on the waking nightmare that she is living through. O'Connor subtly indicates how hard her character is working to simply get through the day and mimic normal human behavior.

"The Missing" isn't exploitative in how it depicts this particular crime or how it connects that act to other untoward elements and unsavory types in an unremarkable French town. But if you have a kid -- or you're just not able to take another trip to the dark side via your television -- it can be hard to watch at times, in part because the performers make the distress of parents so real.

"Top of the Lake," "True Detective," "Broadchurch," "Rectify," "The Fall," "Happy Valley," "The Bletchley Circle" -- all of these shows, to one extent or another, expand on an important theme, one that gets often gets lost or gleefully bulldozed in more commercially-minded crime-oriented dramas.

This recent wave of cable and streaming programs posit that women and children are often systematically targeted and brutalized, and that the structures of authority and governance put into place to allegedly protect members of the public often conspire, through inaction, indifference or the use of influence, to keep powerful and connected wrongdoers from being brought to any kind of true justice. These shows are, as I put it once, the spiritual descendants of "Prime Suspect," and it's a thematic trend that in a way, I'm glad to see all over the place. Even rollicking genre fare like "Orphan Black," when it's not literally losing the plot, attacks similar themes of autonomy, exploitation and oppression with verve and justified anger.

But is "The Missing" on the level of the exceptional "Broadchurch," "Happy Valley" or "Top of the Lake"? Not quite; its somewhat opaque characters never quite moved me on that level. Though it's well made and respectful of its subject matter, something about this show keeps it not at the surface but more or less reliably near it. I truly do respect the drama's crisp pace and sober tone, but did a story that veers into pedophilia, drug addiction, violence and child abduction absolutely need a few scenes set at a dying man's hospice bedside? Maybe not.

"The Missing" does a credible job, as do many of the programs listed above, of investigating how acts of violence and criminality in the past ripple out into the present (the drama alternates between 2006, the year the child goes missing, and the present day). It examines the idea of "moving on" with clear eyes: The two parents of the missing Oliver Hughes take very different paths after that awful day, and the way their choices rebound on them -- and reflect on their mindsets -- is depicted in a calm and thoughtful manner.

You may chose to watch "The Missing," or you may not; after a tough-to-watch first hour, I found myself slowly but surely drawn in to the story. That said, I respect the choice to avoid fare that delves into abusive power dynamics that you can read about on any credible news site. These kinds of stories are, sadly, everywhere.

Either way, given the state the world is generally in, you might still need "Jane the Virgin" as an antidote of sorts. I can recommend that show without any reservations at all.

Dave Grohl Doesn't 'F--king Care' About Taylor Swift Vs. Spotify

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The ever eloquent Dave Grohl has weighed in on Taylor Swift's decision to pull her music from Spotify. The Foo Fighters frontman explained his position while speaking to Digital Spy.

"Me personally? I don't fucking care," he said. "I want people to hear our music, I don't care if you pay $1 or fucking $20 for it, just listen to the fucking song. But I can understand how other people would object to that."

After removing all her music from the streaming service last week, Swift told Yahoo! Music it was a financial decision.

"All I can say is that music is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment," she said. "And I'm not willing to contribute my life's work to an experiment that I don't feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists and creators of this music. And I just don't agree with perpetuating the perception that music has no value and should be free."

Music distribution modes have indeed undergone changes in recent years. But for Grohl, the way it worked when he was coming up is still best:

"You want people to fucking listen to your music? Give them your music," he said. "And then go play a show. They like hearing your music? They'll go see a show. To me it's that simple, and I think it used to work that way."

For more, head over to Digital Spy.

Hilary Swank Is Still 'Flabbergasted' By Hollywood, Even After 2 Oscars

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Hilary Swank made her film debut in 1992 with “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and followed two years later with “The Next Karate Kid." She has made a career out of playing badass women in unconventional roles. Since, she has won two Oscars -- for playing a paralyzed boxer in "Million Dollar Baby" and a transgender man in "Boys Don't Cry" -- and started her own production company. And yet, Swank, now age 40, is not the first to speak out about inequality in Hollywood. “It’s not like I’m angry. I’m just flabbergasted,” she told HuffPost Entertainment at a press junket in Los Angeles for her upcoming film “The Homesman.”

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Swank was referring to the fact that men in Hollywood can sometimes make up to 10 times more money than a female costar. “It’s the world I’ve been living in for so long, there’s no anger about it anymore. But I can’t really be angry when I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to play some of the strongest female roles in the last 15 years.”

And “The Homesman” is no deviation from that pattern. Swank hasn’t been in a film in more than three years but returns to the screen in the Tommy Lee Jones film about a strong-headed woman who transports three other women across the frontier to safety.

“There’s no Western with a woman like this,” Swank said, sitting on a couch in an empty hotel room at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Her voice was horse from countless interviews and she drank a green juice, apologizing for being sick. Her rescue dog sat patiently near her lap as she spoke about the Western genre. “It’s all men who have a vengeance; something to finish. And the women are either prostitutes on the side or keeping house.”

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Swank’s character in the film, Mary Bee Cuddy, is described as “too bossy and too plain.” She wears no makeup. She is unmarried. But she has her own homestead and is a rarely independent woman on the frontier. Too independent. She asks two different men to marry her in the film and both say no.

She describes “The Homesman” most simply as a feminist movie. It’s why she wanted to make it. In fact, the muted (and beautifully shot) frontier setting disguises issues that we still face today in 2014 -- things like the objectification and trivialization of women, Swank said.

“Wanting to be independent. Wanting to have a life we see fit for ourselves while also walking shoulder-to-shoulder with a man who sees us and respects us. A man who doesn’t put titles on us like ‘bossy.’”

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Swank loves that Jones, who also co-wrote the film and co-stars, was the one to tell this story -- citing him as somewhat unexpected. “People try and stereotype him all the time. And it just goes to show, we are so much more than people see,” she said, smiling.

“We can never know all the facets someone has inside them. Because we are, ourselves, still trying to figure all of them out,” she said -- perhaps reflecting on herself as much as she was Jones.

“We should never pigeonhole someone. I think we actually start to believe what we hear. And we are all so much more than any of that, you know?”

“The Homesman” opens in limited cities on November 14, 2014.

'Mockingjay' Director Refused To Use 'Digital Trickery' To Recreate Philip Seymour Hoffman

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Philip Seymour Hoffman had just a few scenes left to film for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” when he was found dead in his New York City apartment in February.

While the cast and crew took a short break following Hoffman’s untimely death, upon returning, director Francis Lawrence had some critical choices to make regarding how to proceed with the film. As he explained in a HuffPost Live interview on Friday, the filmmaker eventually decided against using computer-generated imagery to finish out Hoffman's remaining scenes.

“He had two scenes with dialogue that were left and we decided we didn't want to try any digital trickery with him, so we rewrote his scenes and gave the dialogue to other actors,” he said.

The choice to forgo CGI was an easy one, Lawrence continued.

“I just think to try to fake a Philip Seymour Hoffman performance would have been catastrophic and I would never want to do that,” he told host Ricky Camilleri.



Lawrence also recalled the actor’s meticulous acting style, which took in-depth rehearsal time to perfect.

“He was constantly sort of grinding away at a scene and was able to dig down and down and down, deeper and really find the dynamics of the relationships that he’s in,” he said. “And then once you’ve done that process then you don't really need many takes at all with him.”

The director juxtaposed Hoffman’s style to his co-star Jennifer Lawrence’s improvisational acting chops. Despite the differences, he said they surprisingly worked well together.

“And Jen is the exact opposite -- where you orient her into a scene, so she knows exactly where in her arc she is emotionally and psychologically -- and she just lands herself there and goes with it," he said.

Check out the clips above to learn more about Philip Seymour Hoffman's final "Hunger Games" performance and watch the full HuffPost Live interview with director Francis Lawrence here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

Bill Cosby's 'Late Show With David Letterman' Appearance Canceled

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According to Newsday, Bill Cosby's Nov. 19 appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" has been canceled. No reason was given for the schedule change, but Regis Philbin will replace Cosby on the broadcast.

A representative for CBS declined to comment when contacted by The Huffington Post (the network does not publicly discuss its booking process). Cosby's representatives did not return repeated requests for comment; this post will be updated if and when a response is received.

This marks Cosby's second canceled booking in the last two weeks, as he dropped out of "The Queen Latifah Show" on Oct. 30. That move came a week after stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress called Cosby "a rapist" on stage in a bit that soon went viral. A spokesperson for "The Queen Latifah Show" told The Hollywood Reporter, "Mr. Cosby’s scheduled appearance on The Queen Latifah Show was postponed at his request and was in no way related to any of our recent or upcoming scheduled guests."

This week, the Internet turned its attention back to Cosby after his team posted a meme generator on his website. The widget was taken down after users uploaded messages that highlighted allegations of rape and sexual abuse brought against the comedian over the last decade.

In addition, Barbara Bowman, one of the women who has alleged Cosby sexually assaulted her, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post on Thursday recounting encounters with the now 77-year-old comic. She told HuffPost Live in a separate interview that her experiences with Cosby were "sexual encounters that were not consensual on any level."

Cosby was never criminally charged in Bowman's case or any other. In 2006, he settled a civil suit with one of the women.

Brutally Honest Mini-Documentary Will Make You Want To Become A 'Stuffmaker'

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Mac Premo primarily makes collages -- layered works made of resin and paper and glue and sound and images and film and, in his words, "whatever." Most would call a person devoted to this sort of life's work an artist. Premo prefers the term "stuffmaker."

Mac Premo from Bas Berkhout on Vimeo.



It's this unpretentious attitude and extreme candor that runs thick throughout the above gem of a mini-documentary, a brief and raw glimpse into the studio and mind of a creative soul who just wants to make things (and sometimes make money from them). If you've ever felt detached from lofty artist statements, pretentious press releases or the art world's endless ability to spout "isms," Premo is a much appreciated breath of fresh air.

In under four minutes he touches on issues from death to making a living, from family to why he continues to make against all odds. It's definitely worth a watch.

Scars That Reveal History and Beauty

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This story originally appeared on Slate.
By David Rosenberg

Some images in this post depict serious bodily injuries.


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As a child growing up in Madrid, Sandra Franco loved looking at family photos with her grandmother. “For me, the images were little treasures. I always liked the idea of tracing your past through photography,” she said.

Franco ended up studying photography in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she was given access to some quality gear, including a Hasselblad film camera. The opportunity to work with the camera, combined with her continued interest in learning about other people’s histories, motivated her to take an intimate look at physical scars in her aptly titled series “Scars.”

So far, Franco has completed about 30 interviews and portraits. She met with the people willing to have their scars photographed twice: once to have a discussion about their history, and then, a second time, to take the portraits. She found that getting to know her subjects while not being tied to a time constraint helped create a level of comfort and a feeling of collaboration. The titles of the images refer to the year when the event that created the scar happened; it’s the only information Franco chooses to share with the viewer about the subjects.

Film is especially important in this series because, for Franco, it mimics human skin.

“Both film and skin hold memories,” she said. “Our goal of taking pictures to keep memories is similar to how our skin also keeps memories and probably the most dramatic way of holding a memory is a scar because it is something that breaks the skin.”

Many of the people she met said that they were unable to speak about their scars with their friends and family because bringing up the past was too painful, but they found it therapeutic to discuss the past with a stranger.

“I think for some of them, scars are a reminder that life continues and gets better.”

See more photos on Slate.

A Brief But Stunning Visual History Of Burlesque In The 1950s

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Today, burlesque is nothing short of an art form. Performers both male and female combine the most explosive aspects of costumery, dance, comedy and theater in a type of live entertainment that, of course, places nudity on a pedestal. Dita Von Tesse and World Famous BOB have turned the tassel-friendly genre of performance into an evolving practice that challenges everything conventional -- from gender politics to sexuality and the public's perception of the naked body.

Burlesque has historic roots in America's minstrel culture, dating as far back as the 1840s. However, the version we know today -- a marriage of vaudevillian humor and striptease -- became popular in the early 1900s, when (mostly women) performers took to clubs and Broadway venues with their own brand of music, dance and provocative nudity. The era of Prohibition took a toll on the burlesque industry, as teetotaling politicians and authority figures took issue with both the performers and club owners that made burlesque possible. Thankfully, the genre bit back in the 1950s, as women like Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm, Lili St. Cyr, and Blaze Starr emerged as boundary-pushing icons.

We dove into the photographic archives to showcase a visual taste of burlesque in the 1950s. Below is a short, but effortlessly stunning look into a decade of body love on stage. Behold:

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Bikini-clad burlesque dancer Brenda Conde shows some moves backstage at the Tivoli Theatre, Mexico City circa 1950. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images)


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Burlesque dancer Gloria Knight in a two-piece stage outfit, circa 1950. (Photo by Diaz & Rogers/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


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Burlesque dancer Lonnie Young in a bikini decorated with flowers, circa 1950. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


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Burlesque dancer Mary Mack reclining on a chaise longue, circa 1950. (Photo by Bruno/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


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American actress and burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee (1914-1970), circa 1950. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images)


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Striptease artist Lili St. Cyr is seen during her nightclub act at Club Samoa in New York on August 10, 1952. (AP Photo/Ed Ford)


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Bikini-clad chorus girls circa 1952 in a burlesque show relaxing backstage at the Tivoli Theatre in Mexico City. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images)


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Burlesque artist Lili St. Cyr pulls on stockings during a rehearsal of her interpretive dance for the three-dimensional short film "Carmenesque" on January 23, 1953 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ellis R. Bosworth)

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Members of a civic group opposed to burlesque shows picket the Reade Paramount Theater on June 28, 1953 in Long Branch, N.J., to protest the opening of the theater for burlesque entertainment. The opening show went on as scheduled. (AP Photo)


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Left to Right in this split photo, actresses and burlesque entertainers Margie Hart, Lili St. Cyr, and Gypsy Rose Lee were all were showcased at Boston's Old Howard Theater on November 25, 1953. (AP Photo)


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American burlesque stripper Tempest Storm removes her bra while performing on stage in 1954. (Photo by Grahic House/Getty Images)


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American burlesque stripper Tempest Storm wears a sheer bra with strategically-placed sequins while performing on stage in 1954. (Photo by Grahic House/Getty Images)


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Portrait of American burlesque performer Blaze Starr circa 1955, wearing a bikini and high heels, sitting on a patio and holding up a beach ball to her lips. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


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Burlesque dancer Lilly Christine keeps herself cool with a fan as she waits for her cue to go on and perform her famous voodoo inspired "Cat Dance" circa 1955. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images)


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A burlesque dancer in an exotic horned headdress and bikini, circa 1955. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)


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Striptease artist Lili St. Cyr appears in a scene from Howard Hughes' "Son of Sinbad" in June of 1955. (AP Photo)


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General view of Stage Show at Columbia Burlesque Theatre in New York City on December 26, 1956. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)


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View from the wings as girls go through their dance number at Columbia Burlesque Theatre, New York City on December 26, 1956. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)


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American burlesque performer and author Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick) (1911-1970) laughs during an appearance on the TV show "Person to Person," on February 6, 1957. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)


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Molly Dexter on stage at the Lido in Paris with the Bluebell Girls in 1957. (Photo by Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)


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Chorus line at the Columbia Burlesque Theater in 1957. (Photo by Ed Clarity/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)


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Strip tease girls take a breather and a cup of tea between appearances at the Nell Gwynn Club, Dean Street, SOHO on August 13, 1959. (AP Photo)


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British actress Joan Collins, right, rehearses a provocative dance for her role in the film, "Seven Thieves", with technical advisor and real-life burlesque queen Candy Barr in Hollywood, California on August 20, 1959. (AP Photo)


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Outdoor portrait of American stripper, dancer and burlesque performer Blaze Starr as she dances in the shade of a tree in 1959. (Photo by Pictoral Parade/Getty Images)


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Burlesque dancers on December 15, 1959. (Photo by Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)

Breathe Into Your Chakra And Enjoy These Delicate Artworks Of The Occult

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1. Breathe in through your base chakra to your solar (666) chakra.

2. Hold your breath as long as you can, comfortably, and focus on your 6th chakra/pineal gland. You should feel a bit of pressure on the 6th chakra.

3. Exhale, and repeat for as many rounds as is comfortable.


It's certainly not your average artist statement. But supernaturally inclined artist Joseph McVetty has always tended towards an outsider's point of view. "I believe my interest in the occult was born out of a curiosity in the narratives of cultural outsiders," McVetty explained to The Huffington Post. "I have always had a mysterious attraction to the worlds these groups built around secrets, rules and symbols as a way to exist outside of the mainstream."

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McVetty creates delicate paintings on paper using latex paint, gauche and pencil, depicting seances, meditations and other unearthly rituals. Rendered with fine lines and colors so muted they threaten to fade from view, McVetty's subjects play with crystals, masks, energy fields and skulls in various permutations -- often donning only their underwear. The Portland, Oregon-based artist conjures an image of communal magic in the contemporary age, and like so many things in Portland, that magic is very much DIY.

The artist's interest in communal rituals stems from the mundane yet just as logically strange routines manifested throughout daily life. "The uniforms, rituals, nicknames and guidelines -- where does that urge come from?" McVetty asks. "And why are people so willing to join up? Some people join mainstream cults like the military and the police force that are certainly cruel in the end, I find those groups repellent. Other individuals find a group of yo-yo’s in matching sweats that are waiting for a comet to come scoop them up and I think, yeah, these are my people."

McVetty's canvases appear somewhere between the bewitched drawings of "witch woman" Cameron and the balaclava-clad strangers of Carrie Yury. Although there's a sense of darkness to the unknown rites taking place on the page, the ominous aftertaste is subdued by the incredible lightness of the artworks themselves.

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"The reason I work with such a muted palette has to do with emotional tone," McVetty explained. "These are calm drawings. My intention is to be inviting, to create a space for the viewer to invest some time without being overwhelmed by the noise of color. The focus is always on the direct subject matter, you won’t see a background in this work. The focus of this work is the figure and interactions happening between these figures. For me the material world outside of their bodies is unimportant in the context of these drawings."

Although McVetty does see some parallels between art making and a more spiritual ritual, he views the two embodied experiences as entirely different. "The relationship between art and the supernatural for me stems from the notion of conjuring or making the unseen seen or the unheard heard. But that would be as far as it goes for me. I have found that art and art making is very far from supernatural in fact it is very workman-like. Any maker will tell you, you have to put in the work; bang away at those keys and write, pick up that guitar and practice. It’s long, boring, tedious work that requires focus, sacrifice and discipline, nothing supernatural there."

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Although McVetty's whispered images primarily depict scenarios you'd find in a dream, a Stanley Kubrick film or a Marina Abramovic performance, he argues the spirit of such communal rites can extend to more everyday practices. "My work right now depicts communities working together in order to conjure up the supernatural. Because of my attraction to the occult tradition and folklore, I began use the existing imagery in order to invoke a sense of magic, and cosmic collaboration. The occurrences happening in my work are much more connected to the outside world than my own personal experience. A perfect example is the recent wave of civil resistance movements from Ferguson to Hong Kong. These sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches and rallies are exactly the kind of energy gathering rituals that I hope to invoke with my work."

"As far as my spiritual beliefs go," McVetty concluded, "I believe in Love, no god, but maybe Satan. My rituals at this point are purely domestic magic; hugs, kisses, making coffee, getting everyone to school, changing diapers, cleaning the house and making love." Breathe deep into your chakras and enjoy a sample of his work below.

'BROTHERS,' Web Series Documenting The Lives Of Trans Masculine Men, Releases Fourth Episode

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"Brothers," an intimate queer web series about the lives of trans masculine friends, just premiered its emotional fourth episode -- and it just keeps getting better.

This series follows Jack, Davyn, Aiden and Max, four transgender and trans masculine men with complicated, intersecting lives, living in Brooklyn, New York. In this latest episode, one character is dealing with the aftermaths of a breakup. Another is hit with the harsh reality that his health insurance won't cover his gender confirmation surgery -- a lived reality that a heartbreakingly high number of transgender individuals still face.

Check out the new episode above. Want to learn more about "Brothers"? Head here to read an interview HuffPost Gay Voices conducted with the creators earlier this year.

Did you miss the first three episodes in this incredible web series? You can watch them here.

This Is What The 'Steel Magnolias' Premieres Looked Like In 1989

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"I'm not crazy, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years," Ouiser Boudreaux (Shirley MacLaine) hollers in "Steel Magnolias," a movie that has put us in a weepy mood for more than two decades. We've loved every tear. Directed by Herbert Ross ("Funny Lady," "Footloose") and based on a play written by Robert Harling, "Steel Magnolias" opened 25 years ago this week. A force of female friendship, the cast traveled the world to promote the film in 1989. Take a look at the premieres:

Johnny Depp Slurs Words In Bizarre Awards Show Speech

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Johnny Depp's awkward speech during at the Hollywood Film Awards on Friday has caught fire online. The "Into the Woods" actor took to the stage to honor Shep Gordon, storied talent manager and the subject of Mike Myers' documentary "Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon," and proceeded to slur his speech, swear and wobble around.

"I'm not very good at this kind of thing," Depp said at the start, after commenting on the "weird microphone." Maybe he was just being modest: Depp has presented at numerous awards shows in the past without a hitch, including the 2009 Golden Globes Awards. Perhaps, like Depp said, it was "just one of those nights." Watch the speech above and decide for yourself.

7 Times Lupita Nyong'o Challenged Us To Think Bigger

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She's an Oscar winner. She's Glamour's Woman Of The Year. She's the face of Lancome and the muse for Miu Miu. But the reason Lupita Nyong'o has become such a beloved superstar is her wit, wisdom and worldview on identity and self worth. Even though she's only been in the spotlight for a relatively short time, Nyong'o has a lifetime's worth of experiences and achievements. Here are 7 quotes from Lupita Nyong'o that will challenge everyone to think bigger.

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'The World According to Homophobes' Engaged In Indiegogo Campaign

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What exactly is it like inside the mind of a homophobe?

"The World According To Homophobes" from Director Schick Garcia is attempting to find out. Currently engaged in an Indiegogo campaign, this film, as noted in a press release sent to The Huffington Post, "is filmed in four countries, exploring the perceived gender roles, superstitions, and sexual experiences of a variety of homophobes seeking to uncover the role shame plays in shaping a homophobic view of sex."

"Coming out of the closet was a long process for me," Garcia said in a statement. "And as many homosexuals know, the experience is complicated and emotionally draining. Sometimes you don't have any energy left to confront homophobia outside of the family circle. As a filmmaker, I feel that part of my job is to spark discussions on issues that are considered taboo."

Check out the video above to hear more about "The World According To Homophobes" or head here to visit the Indiegogo campaign.

After Dark: Meet La'Fem Ladosha, Performer And Nightlife Personality

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This is the twenty-seventh installment in HuffPost Gay Voices Associate Editor James Nichols' ongoing series "After Dark: NYC Nightlife Today And Days Past" that examines the state of New York nightlife in the modern day, as well as the development and production of nightlife over the past several decades. Each featured individual in this series currently serves as a prominent person in the New York nightlife community or has made important contributions in the past that have sustained long-lasting impacts.

HuffPost Gay Voices believes that it is important and valuable to elevate the work, both today and in the past, of those engaged in the New York nightlife community, especially in an age where queer history seems to be increasingly forgotten. Nightlife not only creates spaces for queers and other marginalized groups to be artistically and authentically celebrated, but the work of those involved in nightlife creates and shapes the future of our culture as a whole. Visit Gay Voices regularly to learn not only about individuals currently making an impact in nightlife, but those whose legacy has previously contributed to the ways we understand queerness, art, identity and human experience today.


The Huffington Post: Talk to me about the evolution of La'Fem Ladosha -- how did you get to the point that you're at today?
La"Fem is the evolution of Dosha Devestation. She is the grown woman that girl grew up to be. She is everything that I am. We are the same person. Dosha Devastation was a mask. A costume. Once I accepted that she was my soulmate it made things a bit clearer.

Tell me about the House of Ladosha -- what is it? Who is involved? How has it grown over the years?
House of Ladosha is simply my family here in New York. It's my close friends and peers. The House is a collection of creative individuals and bad bitches -- most of whom I've known for ten years. It's started off as a ki ki and grew into something major, real and legit. I always knew it would be legend. My whole house eats!

How has collaboration factored into your work with House of Ladosha? Why is this important?
I honestly have never been a fan of the collab because I'm such a control freak, but I like working with my friends. I performed, of course, with my boo Adam Radakovich in the musical aspect of House of Ladosha and we were super in sync. If we're close, if we speak the same language and we're from the same planet then we could probably make some hot shit. I need to feel that kind of energy to really go ham and be comfortable. I'm so weird about what I do and don't do. I'm an artist and I'm sensitive about my shit just like everybody else. I'm not #OUTHERE jumping on shit because it's cute or I've been backed into a corner. I only do what I want to do with whom I want to do it with -- no shade.

What informs your music? Where do you derive inspiration? How would you describe your aesthetic?
My music is serious cunt. It's empowered, strong and hard as hell. It's served soft and dark. I'm inspired by any bitch that's ever done it big: Naomi Campbell, Aaliyah, Cruella de Vil, Pocahontas, Lil' Kim, Rick Ross, kim K, Remy Ma.

House of Ladosha also designs (or has designed?) clothing -- talk to me about your designs and where you draw inspiration from.
The T-shirts were a way to expand the brand of House of Ladosha -- the brainchild of my gay father Michael Magnan. He really ran that shit. I wasn't really involved in it like that. I was very Lady Eloise about the whole thing. I was the face! That really made shit legit. People still message me and ask where they can cop some House of Ladosha.

What have your experiences been like in the New York Nightlife community? How has it helped you grow as an artist?
The freaks come out at night and I come alive in the night time. Nightlife has been super important to my rage because I made a lot of connections and I was #OUTHERE going hard. I've performed at every party and work for everybody like Frankie Sharp, Ladyfag, Susanne Bartsch and a gang of other people too. I never fit in anywhere back in Nashville and it wasn't until I discovered NYC nightlife that I finally found a space to be myself. At the end of the day its fun and fatasy and people want to rage.

The Internet and technology have re-shaped the way artists brand, promote and market themselves. How has the Internet intersected with the evolution of La'Fem Ladosha?
Well, people get information so fast now. One day I was Dosha Devestation and the next I was La'Fem Ladosha. No explanation. No questions. I just became her... and everybody was like, OK. The Internet is the greatest invention of all time in my mind. I'm legit never offline. I can't imagine a world without it -- it would be awful. It has allowed me to reach people all over the world. I've been able to create this persona and express myself with a level of comfort that I probably wouldn't do in real life. People see photos and videos and they feel like they know me.

How have you seen nightlife in NYC shape the careers and work of your collaborators and friends? What opportunities does it afford?
Everybody wants to catch their life and get up in that sunset, so nightlife provides a space for you to scream "look at me!"

You see everybody out. Everybody is at the function. I've met some of my best friends out and I've met some of my idols out. Different parties offer different things. Some parties provide a stage for you to shine and some are more low key. You have to start somewhere and nightlife/the club is always a good launching pad. It's definitely where I started and I bet some of your favorite artists all had their first show at some club or party. It's exciting to see new girls pop out and pop off. It's really beautiful watching someone bloom as a performer and artist. It's one of my favorite aspects of working in nightlife.

Where do you see yourself in the context of the music industry? What does the La'Fem Ladosha brand embody?
I don't see myself in the music industry at all. Music is everything to me and making music came very naturally to me. I never had any intention of trying to be a mainstream artist. I'm not into the touring rage or having that as my job. I think of myself as more of a professional personality/artist/whatever.

What gigs are you currently engaged in? Upcoming shows?
Well you can always catch ya girl at Frankie Sharp's Westgay and GIRLS at LoveGun. Also, every month at Ladyfag's Holy Mountain and sometimes her 11:11. KUNSTGIVING with Susanne Bartsch, and also Kunst in L.A. in December. I'm going to do a little show out in L.A. and a major surprise pop out for Christmas.

What does the future hold for La'Fem Ladosha?
I want so much more. I want me name to be a household product. I want everybody to look at me and say, "there goes La'Fem Ladosha."

Who is La'Fem Ladosha as an artist?
As an artist I consider myself versatile and flexible. I wish I could be a superhero or supervillian. I celebrate fantasy and beauty through both sides of myself -- as La'Fem and as Antonio. I like to explore the dark and gross. I'm a performer and crafter. I built myself -- I'm my own creation.

Who in the NYC nightlife community has been most influential to the evolution of La'Fem Ladosha as an artist?
I have always lived for the beautiful black girls from the '90s, like Connie Fleming, Mona Foot, Princess Diandra and Lina Bradford. They were and are all so legendary and I always looked at their experiences and wanted it for myself. They were just so perfect to me.

Kendrick Lamar Busts Out His Dance Moves During 'SNL' Performance Of 'i'

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Making his second appearance on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, Kendrick Lamar delivered an energetic rendition of his most recent single, "i." Wearing all-black contact lenses that made the MC look possessed, Lamar nailed every bar, showing off some of the groovy moves he debuted in the song's music video, ending the song with some spoken word. For his second track, Lamar brought out his fellow TDE labelmate, Jay Rock, to perform their collaborative release, "Pay For It," off of Jay Rock's as of yet untitled upcoming album. You can watch Lamar perform "i" below.

Christopher Nolan Knows You Have Issues With The Sound In 'Interstellar'

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If you're one of the people who complained about the sound quality in "Interstellar," the big guy upstairs -- a.k.a. Christopher Nolan -- has heard you. He makes no apologies.

For the first time, the director addressed moviegoers' critiques that sound effects drown out certain bits of dialogue, citing a scene where Coop (Matthew McConaughey) drives through a cornfield as an example. It was uncertain whether the grievances stemmed from certain theaters' sound systems or the actual movie, but Nolan says it's all intentional.

“We made carefully considered creative decisions,” Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter. “There are particular moments in this film where I decided to use dialogue as a sound effect, so sometimes it’s mixed slightly underneath the other sound effects or in the other sound effects to emphasize how loud the surrounding noise is. It’s not that nobody has ever done these things before, but it's a little unconventional for a Hollywood movie.”

Nolan described the film's sound as "impressionistic" and “adventurous and creative," which he said was the "right approach for this experiential film."

Read more of Nolan's comments on the "Interstellar" sound, including decisions that went into specific scenes, on The Hollywood Reporter.

Allison Williams Doesn't Want To Grow Up In New 'Peter Pan Live!' Promo

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The latest promo for NBC's upcoming "Peter Pan Live!" has arrived. Allison Williams sings as Peter with Wendy, John and Michael; Captain Hook (Christopher Walken) steers his ship full of singing and dancing pirates, and Peter sings about never wanting to grow up with the Lost Boys. Sadly, Walken's killer dance moves aren't on display just yet, but that's something to look forward to when "Peter Pan Live!" airs Dec. 4.

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Band Aid 30's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Features Sam Smith, One Direction And Bono

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The latest version of Band Aid 30's classic holiday charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" debuted on "The X Factor" on Sunday night. This year the sales will be donated to aid the Ebola crisis in West Africa. On the show, Bob Geldof, who wrote the original version in 1984 with Midge Ure, said, "[Ebola] is the most anti-human disease, but we can stop it, and we will stop it."

The song was recorded in 24 hours in Sarm Studios, the same place where Geldof and Ure recorded the first version, which featured George Michael, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Jody Watley and Boy George. All proceeds were donated to help fight the Ethiopian famine.

Now, it's time to play Name That Famous British Artist. Try to find Bono, Sam Smith, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Rita Ora, Paloma Faith, Emeli Sande, Jessie Ware, Guy Carvey, Bastille, Angelique Kidjo, Seal, Sinead O'Connor, Olly Murs, Joe Sugg, Alfie Deyes and Zoella in the video below.

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