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Artist's Nude Self-Portraits Explore Former Sites Of Slavery Throughout New York

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Warning: This article contains nudity and may not be suitable for work.

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"From My Body I Will Make Monuments In Your Honor", Pre-revolutionary Cemetery, Brooklyn





Slavery was introduced to Manhattan (then New Amsterdam) in 1626 and, for two centuries, remained a significant part of New York life. In fact, the New York City Common Council declared Wall Street the city's first official slave market on December 13, 1711, deeming it a space where human beings could be enslaved for the day or for the week. The slave market took the shape of a wooden structure with open sides, and held approximately 50 people at a time. It operated as such, on the corner of Wall Street and Pearl Street in the heart of the Financial District, until 1762. Slavery was legally abolished in New York in 1827.

Wall Street's odious history has since been covered up, while New York's reputation as a space of diversity and inclusion continues to blossom. But what remains of this 200-year period of discrimination, oppression and hate? What residue remains caked to the skeleton of the place, beneath the sky-high buildings and engorged American flags?

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"They Tagged the Land With Trophies and Institutions From Their Conquests", New York City Hall


Through her photography, artist Nona Faustine investigates such convoluted spaces, with pasts and presents that don't quite line up. Her photo series, titled "White Shoes," revisits many of the New York locations once plagued by slavery -- from City Hall to the Supreme Court -- capturing the traces that may or may not have been left behind.

"Standing at Wall Street at the exact spot where they sold Native and African men, women, and children 150 years ago, I wasn’t able to feel any of the horrific sorrow and pain of the activities that once went on there," Faustine explained to The Huffington Post. "Perhaps it was a defense mechanism that wouldn’t allow me to tap into that for fear of crumbling. What I did feel was the energy of New York City, an incredible force. There I found myself at the curtain of time between two eras, past and present. I went into a deep reflection."

Visiting these sites, Faustine added, does feel spiritual at times. "My eyes are wide open, and still I’m there and not there. My body is pumping with adrenaline. My anxiety is extremely high. During all that, you filter out as much abstractions as possible so that you can maintain some sort of composure for the camera as people, cars and buses go by. My senses are elevated. Sounds in particular I hone into. I have this feeling of being watched, by something or someone not actually there at times. I’m extremely aware of my presence in these places."

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"Even The Comfort of a Stone Would Be A Gain", Atlantic Coast, Brooklyn


Faustine grew up in Brooklyn, specifically Crown Heights and Flatbush. She received her first camera as a child, a gift from her uncle, and referred to the object as a "magic box" for its otherworldly power over her. "The thing that really pulled me to photography was my family album." Faustine's father was the family photographer. "It tied me to my past so strongly. Looking at those pictures over and over, as new ones were created, the faces and places reinforced who I was."

Faustine was inspired to embark on the "White Shoes" series after encountering a daguerrotype of a seminude, enslaved woman named Delia. The photograph was taken by J.T. Zealy and commissioned by the naturalist Louis Agazzi in 1850 in South Carolina.

"I came across Delia's image in Carrie Mae Weems' piece 'From Here I Saw and I Cried' in the '90s," Faustine explained. "Over the years, Delia's image came in and out of my consciousness in various ways. She reached out across the centuries, and left me to imagine her life: the indignity of the moment her picture was taken and the activities before the shutter clicked. Whether there are actual tears in her eyes or a slight blur from movement, what photography can’t tell us is the actual horror, or the miserable details of her life. You are only left with the beauty of her features and a haunting gaze contrasted with her nakedness."

Faustine was also struck by the story of Saartjie "Sarah" Baartman, known as Venus Hottentot throughout London and Paris; a Khoikhoi woman exhibited in freak shows throughout the 19th century due to her large buttocks. Faustine came upon her while perusing the gift shop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Instantly I was struck by the circus spectacle of her enslavement. Her captured existence was merely for the entertainment of a European audience that sought to strip her humanity literally and figuratively, thus removing the ability to see this woman as a living, breathing, feeling human being with intellect, instead being treated like an animal."

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"I Was Brought Here To Stay," installation, free standing images on acrylic painted wall


Revisiting the spaces haunted by such atrocious tales, Faustine drapes her body across the implicated grounds like a bold protestor or a spiritual medium. Her bare flesh recalls the stories of so many strangers that went untold, simultaneously raising questions about why bodies matter and, more specifically, which bodies matter.

Faustine cited artists including Zanele Muholi, Lorna Simpson, Wangechi Mutu, Kara Walker and Grace Jones as inspirations, encompassing themes including resistance, hybridity and intimacy between women. The works also recall Carrie Mae Weems' "The Museum Series," a collection of self-portraits, in which the artist visits the world's most renowned artistic establishments that, despite her widespread success as an artist, continue to treat her as an outsider.

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"From Her Body Came Their Greatest Wealth", Wall Street, New York


"The images are my truth," Faustine concluded. "My work is situated inside a photographic tradition, while questioning the culture that bred that tradition ... I often feel like an ethnographer or anthropologist. Ours is a haunted, incomplete history, one that contradicts what we are taught about this country and its people. We must acknowledge and pay tribute to those that founded and built this country. Not just some of them, but all of them. Like the thousands of Africans buried under lower Manhattan, there are others in long forgotten places."

In the end, Faustine series lays bare the complex and often horrific layers of history that comprise the pristine images we encounter today. Past and present can never quite be untangled, and Faustine's photos illuminate the hushed voices and invisible bodies too often pushed away as part of an ugly history that yearns to be forgotten. "I do believe as human beings we have a responsibility to improve the course of life in whatever way that we can, and artists have a unique role in that. Artists serve as the world’s conscience."




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Meet Alicia Vikander, This Year's Breakout Star

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You may not know her name yet, but we assure you Alicia Vikander will be well-known by the time award season rolls around. The 26-year-old Swedish actress is in six films this year, a handful of which are likely to be Oscar contenders.
With her previous credits, which include "Anna Karenina" and "A Royal Affair," along with her fantastic performance in this year's World War I drama "Testament of Youth," it feels like Vikander is our next Keira Knightley -- after all, she stars in the upcoming "Tulip Fever," which Knightley was once attached to. But Vikander, who is only just emerging in America, will have an even more diverse breakout year than most young actresses.

On top of her period dramas, Vikander is also showing her range in the sci-fi, action and comedy genres. She already impressed critics as A.I. robot Ava in "Ex Machina" earlier this year, and will appear in Derek Cianfrance's "The Light Between Two Oceans" alongside boyfriend Michael Fassbender, in comedy "Adam Jones" with Bradley Cooper, in Guy Ritchie's "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and alongside Eddie Redmayne in "The Danish Girl."

The Huffington Post sat down with the actress in New York on Tuesday to discuss her big moment in Hollywood and working with "Game of Thrones star Kit Harington in James Kent's "Testament of Youth." In the film, based on Vera Brittain's book of the same name, Vikander portrays pacifist and writer Brittain. The story follows the young woman through WWI, as she falls in love with Harington's Roland Leighton before he goes off to battle. Harington told The Huffington Post that "Testament" was a film he fought to be in. "I needed to do this for me, I needed creatively to do this. It was getting to do some real fucking acting," he said with a laugh. Vikander and Harington have great chemistry in the film, which Kent said he noticed the first time he watched them together. "This felt great," Kent told HuffPost of the pair's screen test during a recent AOL Build series. "I was completely convinced that the romance side of the film would completely deliver."




Here's what Vikander told us about the film, youth and feminism, and her successful year:

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Vera begins as a young, privileged woman, but grows after working as a nurse and seeing the tragedies of war. What was it like to play those two sides of her?
I didn’t want to make her too much of a saint, because she became this great, wonderful pacifist and feminist and that’s what we know. But I thought it was amazing to kind of see the rawness I felt that she had. Because she’s a rebel. The modern woman that she had inside of her in her youth, myself, still after I’ve gone back and tried to [figure out], 'Where did she get it from? She’s grown up in the middle class home and she said, ‘I want to have an education, I want to learn, I want to travel, I want to be active politically.’ That was not the life of a woman at that time, and that’s just a hundred years ago.

Partly why I wanted to make this film was [so that] a young audience would hopefully, like me, do the same and read her words. It’s quite amazing with the kind of feminist revolution we’ve seen that’s going on still, how modern she is and her thoughts.

You have a lot of emotionally heavy scenes in this. How did you prepare for those?
I’m trying to get better at not preparing. I think preparing just comes out of being really nervous because you have read a scene on the page and you want it to be as effective up on the screen as what was your instinct when you read the script. So the best thing is to not, which is very hard.

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This is such a big year for you. Everyone’s calling you the breakout of 2015. Does it feel like that?
Trying to watch it from the outside, it feels a bit surreal, but also wonderful that the films are finally out. I’ve been quite locked in my little world and just been on my film sets. So now doing the press is something very different. I think I’ve been quite nervous because that’s very different from being in front of a film camera.

You’re also in “The Danish Girl." Can you speak to how that film will approach transgender storytelling authentically?
I can’t really talk about the film yet, but I think it’s a subject that is -- like we’ve seen with Caitlyn [Jenner], how she came out -- very much in the moment and I’m so happy that it gets the attention that it should have. I hope that our film is going to raise that in the best of ways. We've had a lot of people from that community who have been with us preparing for us to make this film. So I’m excited for it to come out.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

"Testament of Youth" is now playing.

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10 Stunning Photos From The 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

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The 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest inspires a wanderlust within us like nothing else. The photos submitted from all over the world capture the beauty of natural wonder and cultures so different from our own.

If you're a photographer that would like to see your work featured in the series, submissions for the photo contest are open until June 30. The winner of the contest will receive an eight-day National Geographic Expedition to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal for two.

For the rest of us, we'll just take a tour of the world via our screens. Scroll through the photos below for some awe-inspiring action and click here to see some of the other featured shots:

1. Höfn, Iceland
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"This is taken at the volcanic beach at Stokksnes in southeastern Iceland in February 2015. I used a two-second exposure to capture the water trails as the waves receded over rocks at the edge of the beach, just as the sun was setting behind me, illuminating the mighty Vesturhorn mountain and some peaks in the far distance."
(Photo and caption by Sophie Carr/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

2. Taichung City, Taiwan
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"Matsu, the Goddess of the sea. Every year on Matsu’s birthday, the believers place a great amount of firecrackers under Matsu’s palanquin, they surround it and ignite the firecrackers causing a cinematic blast scene. The believers believe that the stronger the blast is, the more luck Matsu will bring, hence everything will be prosperous for you in the coming year!"
(Photo and caption by 泓愷 陳/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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"I took this photo while the Brazilian football team was playing for the World Cup, the beaches and the streets were all deserted, everyone was watching the game. It was kind of surreal to see this usually crowded beach at sunset completely empty except this kid who was playing in the waves. Maybe he couldn't have access to a TV or maybe he just didn't care, anyway he was really enjoying the beach for himself and so did I!"
(Photo and caption by Zoe Fidji/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

4. Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
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"Very friendly and curious lionfish in the Red Sea."
(Photo and caption by Christian Schlamann/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

5. Alanganallur, India
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"South India hosts the New Year's festival of Pongal. They like to do makeup and dressing for livestock, including cows and goats. I met this colorful goat who standing at a shabby pink wall. It seems like an oil painting."
(Photo and caption by 재우 설/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

6. Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands
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"I waited all day in the kelp for this shot and after many failed attempts to catch the air time that these little guys were getting, this one finally got skyrocketed high enough. He or she proceeded to do an epic face plant, which I found was the standard style of penguin landing. They are the most entertaining creatures to photograph and kept a smile on my face throughout the course of my two-week excursion to the Falkland Islands."
(Photo and caption by Ashley Neuhof/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

7. Tokuchinoura, Japan
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"I photographed the woman who finished shellfish fishing in the evening of the day of the flood tide."
(Photo and caption by Sunao Chiba/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

8. Puerto Varas, Chile
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"On a trip photographing southern Chile, recently landed in Puerto Varas, I meet this strong show... Incredible, amazing and terrifying in the same way."
(Photo and caption by Cote Baeza/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

9. Cienfuegos, Cuba
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"Cuba is changing. There is no doubt about that. And change is usually for better right? American dollars will start flowing, the tourism industry will develop along with countless of other great changes. The younger generation can not wait, I'm sure. But what about the older generation left behind?"
(Photo and caption by Oded Wagenstein/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

10. Niagara Falls, Canada
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"40 below zero with the windchill. Everything frozen. Beautiful sight."
(Photo and caption by Mark Duffy/ National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

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Fifth-Grader Sings Whitney Houston Classic For School Talent Show, Crushes It

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Eleven-year-old My'Kel Lewis looks nothing like Whitney Houston.

But if you close your eyes and listen to Lewis' cover of "I Will Always Love You," performed for his school's talent show last Wednesday, you'd be forgiven for confusing the two.

Talent Show!

Posted by University Heights Intermediate on Wednesday, May 27, 2015


Local ABC/NBC affiliate KAIT reports the crowd at University Heights Intermediate in Jonesboro, Arkansas, was floored by the fifth-grader's performance -- even crews working at the building stopped to cheer him on.

"He received a standing ovation halfway through the song," added Stephanie Andrews, a behavior specialist at the school, who shared a video of Lewis' performance on Ellen DeGeneres' video-sharing website. "This child has overcome lots of challenges, and watching him in a positive light was breathtaking ... We are so proud of him."

H/T Mashable

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16 Women Share Their 'Perfect Imperfections' In Mom's Stunning Photo Series

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Photographer Neely Ker-Fox knows what it's like to struggle with body image issues during and after pregnancy. After giving birth to her second child, she had stretch marks and extra skin, as well as back problems that required physical therapy. "I no longer recognized my own body," she told The Huffington Post.

Inspired by empowering photo projects like Ashlee Wells Jackson's "4th Trimester Bodies", Jade Beall's "A Beautiful Body" and January Harshe's #takebackpostpartum campaign, Ker-Fox decided to join in the dialogue that was taking place about women's postpartum bodies.

"I was compelled to bring the same opportunities for women in my own community to have access to a chance to embrace their bodies, address their insecurities and hopefully feel empowered." Ker-Fox created "Perfect Imperfections" -- a photo series that featured friends and neighbors posing in a stripped down state and in many cases, with their children.

Ker-Fox said she wanted "to make these women see how beautiful they were, to truly do something empowering with their vulnerability and bravery." She wrote a blog post about her hopes and goals for the project and then posted a callout on social media. The response was "overwhelming" and she received messages from about 30 women, 16 of whom she was able to photograph in the studio.

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To help her subjects feel empowered through the project, the photographer took some similarly raw photos of herself first. "I wanted to know how these women would feel on the other side of my camera," she said. "I felt I couldn't truly understand the feeling of being stripped down to such a vulnerable position without myself standing in their place."

Believing that art and photography have the ability to heal, Ker-Fox was proud to help women of different ages and from different backgrounds work through their various struggles, from physical and emotional pain to fertility issues to postpartum challenges. She even photographed a little girl with spina bifida, whose mother wanted to give her a moment to truly shine. "This project is so much more than photos of stretch marks, or cellulite," the photographer said. "It's about women coming out of the shadows and discussing their everyday struggles in an effort to normalize, to empower, and to educate."

Ultimately, she hopes that sharing these images will inspire future generations -- especially her own children. "The more society is exposed to these real people, the more women will feel empowered to talk about postpartum, fertility issues, postpartum depression, bullying, and the more others can find peace in knowing they are not alone in their struggles," she said. "At our core we simply need to know that we are not alone."

For the photographer, creating this series has been a personal healing experience as well. "These lines, these battle scars of life, I will carry them with me until the day I die," she said.

In the future, Ker-Fox would like to broaden "Perfect Imperfections" to include more women and girls of various backgrounds and experiences and eventually, even male subjects. "Obviously women are more apt to be the victim of body shaming, or the seemingly rampant epidemic of mommy wars. But we as humans all have insecurities and we are all scarred, imperfect and flawed in some way physically and emotionally," she said.

Keep scrolling and visit Neely Ker-Fox's website to see her images and learn more about the project.



H/T The Stir



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Photographer Documents C-Section To Show 'There Is No Right Or Wrong Way' To Give Birth

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New Zealand-based photographer and mom of three Keri-Anne Dilworth has been taking pictures of births for four years, and during that time, she's had the opportunity to document three C-section deliveries.

The photographer was particularly moved by the C-section birth of mom Sara Bacica-Hutchison. "This beautiful mother got in touch with me as she was seeking some healing and beautiful images of her birth after a previous traumatic birth experience," Dilworth told The Huffington Post.

As the gorgeous photos indicate, this experience was much better, and baby Silas safely entered the world. "This birth was beautiful, peaceful and respected by everyone in the room, the anticipation and excitement of this wee man's arrival was just as you would feel in a natural birthing environment and there was a sense of calm and joy the entire time," Dilworth said.

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With New Zealand's strong midwifery system, vaginal childbirth is strongly encouraged and supported, Dilworth explained. "In general I think that there is an attitude that a C-section is simply a medical procedure and that the beauty and emotion of birth is no longer there," she said. "Woman still struggle with why and how their birth ended in C-section."

The photographer hopes her images can help break down some of the stigma and sense of failure surrounding this method of childbirth. "I hope that people will see that ALL manners of birth are beautiful, that no matter how your child is birthed into the world that the moment deserves respect and is special," she said.

Dilworth also hopes other mothers who have had C-sections can see the images and get an idea of how their baby was born so that they can "put a visual to what they were unable to see." "C-sections can be peaceful, positive experiences," she continued, "there is no 'right or wrong' way to give birth."

Over time, the photographer has noticed a slight change in the C-section process as it now involves more opportunities for skin-to-skin contact in the operating room. "There are now many caring medical professionals who are acknowledging this and wanting to provide as natural and nurturing experience as possible."

Through documenting C-sections, Dilworth also aims to broaden the opportunities for parents to have birth photographers in the room during the procedure. It's often not permitted at hospitals, she explained. "I hope this would allow others to also see that professionals can capture these moments discreetly without disturbing or compromising the operating environment."

Keep scrolling and visit Dilworth's Facebook page and website to watch the beautiful birth story unfold.



H/T BabyCenter



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Happiness Is This Toddler Rocking Out To Bon Jovi

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She's only 2 years old, but this adorable toddler knows a good jam when she hears it.

She may not know all the lyrics to Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" (or even most of them, really). But the ones she does know, she sings loud and proud -- with an enthusiastic dance to boot.

Who gives love a bad name? Not her.

Shred it, girl!

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'Mattress Performance' Artist Emma Sulkowicz's Newest Work Is A Video Of Violent Sex

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Emma Sulkowicz, the former Columbia University student behind the now iconic performance "Carry That Weight," also known as "Mattress Performance," has released her newest artwork, a website titled "Ceci N’est Pas Un Viol" -- this is not a rape -- comprised of a written introduction and a graphic sexual video, which you can view here.

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Still from "Ceci N’est Pas Un Viol"


The eight-minute video, which was made in December of 2014, depicts Sulkowicz and a male actor -- his face blurred -- engaging in what appears to be consensual sex that turns aggressive, violent and alarming. Presented in split-screen, with cameras positioned around the room, the video shows the male actor choke and slap Sulkowicz, remove his condom, and penetrate her despite her cries of pain.

The video, directed by Ted Lawson, is introduced by a trigger warning, written by Sulkowicz, that ensures the actions on film were entirely consensual, though they resemble rape.

"'Ceci N'est Pas Un Viol' is not about one night in August, 2012," the intro reads. "It's about your decisions, starting now. It's only a reenactment if you disregard my words. It's about you, not him." The August night the artist refers to references the night Sulkowicz claims she was raped by a fellow Columbia student, the impetus for "Carry That Weight."

Sulkowicz goes on to explicitly clarify that the video is not about her rape, challenging the viewer to think critically about how they are digesting and interpreting the content.

"You might be wondering why I've made myself this vulnerable. Look -- I want to change the world, and that begins with you, seeing yourself. If you watch this video without my consent, then I hope you reflect on your reasons for objectifying me and participating in my rape, for, in that case, you were the one who couldn't resist the urge to make 'Ceci N'est Pas Un Viol' about what you wanted to make it about: rape. Please, don't participate in my rape. Watch kindly."




The artist then raises a number of questions worth considering when reflecting upon the piece, including "Do you desire pleasure? Do you desire revulsion? Is this to counteract your unconscious enjoyment? What do you want from this experience?" and "Are you searching for proof? Proof of what? Are you searching for ways to either hurt or help me?"

"It was a super risky piece and I thought very courageous," director Lawson told artnet News. According to Lawson, he was introduced to Sulkowicz by none other than Marina Abramovic, who Emma described as "a hoot."

Sulkowicz further insisted to artnet News that "Ceci N'est Pas Un Viol" is fully independent of her previous work, "Carry That Weight." She added: "They’re two separate performance art pieces, but I’m trying to make them both as good as I can. And I think that with performance art, that’s part of what makes it good… making yourself vulnerable."

In September 2014, Sulkowicz embarked on the endurance performance "Carry That Weight," lugging a 50-pound mattress, the standard in Columbia dorms, around campus wherever she went. The work is a protest against sexual assault, specifically addressing the assault Sulkowicz says she suffered in her own dorm room in August 2012. Sulkowicz has previously described how a fellow student she'd had consensual sex with twice before anally raped her, and was subsequently deemed not responsible for the act by the university.

The artwork sparked mattress-centric protests against sexual assault at universities around the world. Sulkowicz promised to continue the performance until the man accused of attacking her was no longer on campus. The performance culminated when the two both graduated in May.

Among many of the unexpected reactions to Sulkowicz's piece was a hugely supportive review from art critic Roberta Smith, which concluded: "It seems certain that the piece has set a very high standard for any future work she’ll do as an artist and will also earn her a niche in the history of intensely personal yet aggressively political performance art."

Now, Sulkowicz's first post-grad piece is simple yet stinging, providing imagery that lingers like a nightmare, never quite comprehensible but impossible to forget.

We reached out to Sulkowicz for comment, but had yet to hear back at time of publication.



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This V. Wise Cat Understands How Hard It Is To Be An Artist Today

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"Sometimes people ask me, is it harder to be a director because you're a cat? I mean, sure, sometimes it's hard to get a director to take you seriously when you have paws instead of hands or whatever. But most of the people I meet are honestly really great."

This is Emily. She's a cat; a lady cat, to be specific. And an aspiring filmmaker. And she gets it.

She knows what it's like to compare yourself to your peers and hate yourself for it. She understands having big ideas but no cash or time to make it happen. She gets it when you spend hours stalking success stories on Twitter and IMDB and dive headfirst into a shame spiral. She's a smart kitty.

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YouTube


This wise feline is the brainchild of Los Angeles-based filmmaker Yulin Kuang. If Marcel the Shell and Paw Paw from The Future had a very creative offspring, she'd be it.

cat
YouTube


If she's not already taken, we'd really like her to be our mentor. Preach, girl.

H/T Buzzfeed

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Beautiful Satellite Photos Show Our Fragile World From Above

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Since the dawn of space travel, astronauts have tried to put into words the profound experience of viewing the globe as a tiny blue dot in a vast universe -- dubbed the Overview Effect.

“When we look down at the Earth from space we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet -- it looks like a living, breathing organism," NASA astronaut Ron Garan said in the short film Overview. "But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile."

Artist Benjamin Grant was inspired by descriptions of the Overview Effect to try and bring this vantage point to the rest of us non-astronauts. He created the photography project Daily Overview, which posts a satellite image each day that shows how human activity has impacted our planet, for better or worse.

“What I’m really trying to get across here is that we’ve entered an important time in human history where our home has been significantly altered,” Grant told Wired magazine. “When people see the images, they want to know more."

See below for a selection of the Daily Overview's images, and visit the project's website and Instagram page for more.

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Specially Trained Clowns Are Helping Treat Kids At Argentinian Hospitals

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Tapping into the healing power of laughter, specially trained clowns are being hired by public hospitals in Argentina's largest province thanks to a new law that requires they be available to help treat child patients.

erika veliz
Clowns Romina Amato, left, and Erika Veliz, right, hug children in a waiting room of a pediatric hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Andres Kogan, a pediatrician who oversees a hospital program with clowns, said Friday that the law passed last month would be implemented over the next several months.

Kogan says clowns don't just make children and their families feel better about being in a hospital. He says they also help doctors get information from children who are shy or have been abused.

The province of Buenos Aires is home to about 15 million people and has more than 70 public hospitals. It borders the separate city of Buenos Aires.

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First Edition Of 'The Hobbit' Sets Record Price For J.R.R. Tolkien's Novel

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It didn't come from the mines of Erebor, but it's definitely worth a fortune.

A first edition copy of "The Hobbit" sold for £137,000 (nearly $210,000) at a Sotheby's auction in London earlier this week, more than doubling the previous record for a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's first novel.

The book had been given to one of his former students, Katherine Kilbride, in 1937. The Guardian notes that Tolkien inscribed it with a poem in Old English, which roughly translates to:

“There is many a thing in the West-regions unknown to me, marvels and strange beings, a land fair and lovely, the homeland of the Elves, and the bliss of the Gods ...”


Tolkien inscribed very few copies of the novel upon publication, Sotheby's said. Other lucky recipients included close friend C.S. Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia series. Take a look at the book below.

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Vatican Splendors To Go On Display In Philadelphia's Franklin Institute Museum During Pope's Visit

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Visitors coming to Philadelphia to see the pope this September will also be able to view treasured art from the Vatican.

"Vatican Splendors" opens Sept. 19 at the Franklin Institute. It will include artwork by Michelangelo, embroidered silk vestments, religious relics and bone fragments of Saints Peter and Paul, and a touchable cast of Pope John Paul II's hand. The exhibit traces the evolution of the Roman Catholic Church over 2,000 years through 11 galleries that include objects such as mosaics, frescoes, maps and documents. Galleries aim to recreate environments such as catacombs and the papal chambers. Organizers say they want the exhibits to be a multisensory experience.

Pope Francis plans to visit Philadelphia in September for the World Meeting of Families, an international gathering for Catholics aimed at strengthening family bonds.

Larry Dubinski, the Franklin Institute's chief executive, said being able to have the exhibit in Philadelphia during the World Meeting of Families and the pope's visit will give it additional impact.

"Vatican Splendors" has traveled to other U.S. cities in recent years, but organizers said 40 percent of the items are new to this tour, and it has grown in size. About 200 items will be on display.

Organizers have already begun planning lectures, tours and interactive programming.

"It is such a gift to Philadelphia. So many people who otherwise would have to travel to another continent get to experience firsthand the culture and art of the Vatican," said Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director of World Meeting of Families.

The Franklin Institute, a science museum named after Benjamin Franklin, is the exhibition's first stop on a two-city North American tour and the only stop on the East Coast, the institute said. The other stop has not yet been announced.

The museum is just a few blocks from where the pope will celebrate an outdoor Mass on Sept. 27.

The exhibit will remain in Philadelphia through Feb. 15.

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Photographer Carolyn L. Sherer Documents 'Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South'

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Carolyn L. Sherer began photographing lesbians and their families in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2011.

Still one year before President Barack Obama even announced his support for same-sex marriage, the risks for these queers in the south — which could (and still can) range from intimidation to physical violence — were high. In fact, many of the subjects chose not to reveal their faces in Sherer's photos.

Now, "Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South" has become an important historical document that shows the public LGBT families exist and thrive in all parts of America -- even its most conservative pockets.

The Huffington Post spoke with Sherer this week about the legacy of the project and what she was trying to accomplish by bringing visibility to these experiences. Check out photos from "Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South" along with Sherer's interview below.

anonymous
Anonymous

What was your overarching vision for this "Lesbians Living In The Deep South"?
In terms of content, my work is about authenticity and a search for common humanity in marginalized groups. I am interested in exploring issues of identity and always work in series to document individual stories to create a composite portrait of a community.

In this case, a specific incident inspired me to put a face on my previously invisible lesbian community in Birmingham, Alabama. When my friend was keeping vigil by her partner’s hospital deathbed, the brother of her beloved locked Kay out of their home. The police had to let her into the house to get a change of clothes to wear to the funeral. Worse, at the memorial service their close heterosexual friends said they did not know the couple was gay -- or that gay people could be treated that way in Alabama. I realized that the distinctly southern “don’t’ ask, don’t tell” culture had to end.

ilian andrienne
Ileana and Adrienne

Conceptually, I fretted about how to make the work in a way that the participants could feel safe. I departed from my tradition of environmental portraits to make studio shots. Yes, the format provides the viewer the opportunity to focus on intimacy and relationships, but it was also a practical decision in terms of protecting participant privacy. It’s important to understand that this work was created in 2011 in a deeply conservative southern state. I did not know the potential for consequences, and at the time it felt quite risky to many of the women I approached. Each family decided to face the camera or not, and whether to include any children in the family. They were given complete control of their environment, choosing what to wear and how to stand. While being photographed, participants were asked to focus on their feelings about three words delivered in series: Lesbian, Pride and Prejudice.

lesbians
Anonymous

kate claire
Katie and Claire

Who are the individuals featured in these photographs?
40 lesbian families with diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds -- all with roots in the Birmingham, Alabama area. The act of participation in most cases was a decision to come out of the closet -- at least in more public circles.

It was my coming out story too.

kay barbara
Kay and Barbara

kc diedra
KC, Deidra and Christian-Taylor

Did these families have any hesitation or worries about taking part in this series?
Initially, yes, many of my friends refused to participate due to fear of consequences. After the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) agreed to show the work and I got public endorsements from the Birmingham Museum of Art and Southern Poverty Law Center, things loosened up considerably. The value of the early support of BCRI can’t be underestimated. Remarkably, this work was already on the walls in 2012 when President Obama and the NAACP endorsed gay marriage. It attracted nearly 17,000 visitors in a two-month run and prompted much private and public dialogue about who is entitled to equality.

marge shirley
Marge and Shirley

mary polly
Mary and Polly

Why is visibility such as this important for LGBT people living in the south?
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is hosting travel of "Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South" as part of its mission to advocate for human and civil rights. In spite of the fact that they live in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, the LGBTQ community in Alabama lacks a single law protecting them from discrimination. People do still lose jobs and child custody because of their sexual or gender identity. I hope that individuals living in liberal areas of the country can remain aware of the implications of making equality a state’s rights issue.

I want the viewer to feel a quiet intimacy, and wonder about the reality of the lives of the people they see.

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Mary and Rebecca

hassan
Hassan, Cadesia, Lee, Joette and Tony

Want to see more from Carolyn L. Sherer and her series "Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South"? Head here.

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Meet The People Ensuring Black Lives Matter Isn't Just A Hashtag

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WASHINGTON -- Facilitating meaningful conversations about race isn’t an easy feat, but a local collaborative effort is up to the challenge.

Black Lives/White Light and TABLETRIBES, a D.C.-based tech startup, are coupling art and technology to create The Radius Project, which aims to take conversations surrounding Black Lives Matter beyond newsfeeds and comment sections.

The collaborative is setting up three panel discussions in the Washington, D.C., area in hopes of turning online interactions into more meaningful face-to-face conversations .

“A meaningful face-to-face conversation is a singular point of contact that has the power to activate a ripple effect in our communities,” Hosan Lee, the founder and CEO of TABLETRIBES, told The Huffington Post. “If we all work together, how far outwards can we extend the radius of progress?”

Pretty far, it seems. The Radius Project grew from a series of four discussion panels following Black Lives/White Light’s April exhibition showcasing the artwork of eight white artists. Sheldon Scott and Deirdre Darden, two D.C. artists who curated the exhibit, hoped the show would introduce an alternative perspective to the conversation surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement.

“For me, Black Lives Matter -- way before it became this social media movement, before it became a hashtag -- it’s always been a part of my work,” Scott said. “We’ve been saying these things for years about … mistreatment and injustices."

Black Lives Matter has achieved global reach, he added. This influence inspired Scott to seek out white artists who may not have been aware of racialized police brutality before seeing the hashtag and see how they would respond to the movement artistically.

It worked. Powerful, conflicting reactions to the April exhibit encouraged Scott and Darden to set up the panels to continue delving into how America confronts race and justice and its relationship with violence.

“We need to be able to have this conversation about race on many different levels simultaneously. We have to be able to talk to people who have a lower understanding of race at the same time we should be able to communicate to people who have a heightened [understanding],” Scott said.

The success of Black Lives/White Light provoked Lee to reach out to Scott and ask if he was interested in letting the conversation continue using TABLETRIBES, a digital platform that brings online conversations into the real world. Their goal is to globally scale empathy development by developing opportunities for users to exchange ideas and information in person.

The Radius Project hopes its efforts will get a better reception than Starbucks'f did. The coffee chain launched Race Together Initiative earlier this year to encourage customers to discuss racial matters, a move that was quickly written off as a marketing ploy and called off by the company.

“Starbucks’ intentions with [Race Together] around trying to start civic conversations felt like they were in the right place, but the execution wasn’t designed to facilitate deeper engagement in a way that was productive or appropriate. For us, it reaffirmed our approach and the need for what we’re building at TABLETRIBES,” Lee said.

TABLETRIBES is a social networking app that allows users interested in similar topics to connect with each other offline. People who RSVP for this month’s events will be helping the startup test the app, which is currently in beta. Lee said the app will help users find others in the room to discuss specific topics relevant to each evening’s civic-minded theme during the event itself.

“We’re gathering people because they want to talk these issues, but what we want to do with the app is allow these conversations to happen beyond the room itself,” she said.

Panels are scheduled for June 9, 16 and 23. Interested parties can RSVP here.

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Photographer Roger Erickson Presents 'OUTspoken: Portraits of LGBTQ Luminaries'

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Celebrity fashion photographer Roger Erickson will open his new solo show next week featuring protraits of the queer movers and shakers of our time.

Called "OUTspoken: Portraits of LGBTQ Luminaries," the San Francisco-based exhibition will feature over 80 promiment faces, including Wanda Sykes, Greg Louganis, Rachel Maddow, Edward Albee, Chris Colfer and Lady Bunny, among others.

Erickson noted that "OUTspoken: Portraits of LGBTQ Luminaries" focuses on the evolving relationship between the individual and the larger queer community -- and the way that this intersects with modern day popular culture in America. It will run from June 9-Oct. 16 at San Francisco City Hall.

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"What I wish viewers to take away from this project is self-empowerment," Erickson said in an artist's statement sent to The Huffington Post. "That compassion, curiosity (about each other) and self awareness deepen a sense of interconnectedness between the individual and the LGBTQ community that transverse racial, cultural and geographical boundaries. We are not so different. We share a commonality where by identifying with our sexuality can be a meaningful step towards self acceptance and, by embracing it, we may gain greater strength and confidence."

Check out more images from "OUTspoken: Portraits of LGBTQ Luminaries" below or head here for more information.

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Helen Mirren Looks Glamorous As Always At The Tony Awards

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Helen Mirren was a vision as she walked the red carpet at the 2015 Tony Awards in New York on Sunday.

The 69-year-old stunned in a white gown with a plunging neckline while her husband Taylor Hackford looked dapper by her side.

Mirren is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for "The Audience." She is honored among a talented list of actresses, including Carey Mulligan, Elisabeth Moss, Ruth Wilson and Geneva Carr.

helen mirren

helen mirren

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A Complete List Of The 2015 Tony Award Winners

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Prepare your champagne flutes and tuxedos, thespians. The 2015 Tony Awards have officially arrived, bringing all your favorite stage actors under the same roof in New York City's Radio City Music Hall.

The 69th edition of the annual award show, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming, will feature performances from some of the most popular and critically acclaimed Broadway shows of the year, as well as a hefty dose of Hollywood cameos from nominees and presenters like Jennifer Lopez, Jim Parsons, Amanda Seyfried, Bryan Cranston, Phylicia Rashad and -- of course -- Neil Patrick Harris.



Frontrunners of the night include Best Musical nominees “An American in Paris” and “Fun Home,” both packing a punch with a dozen nods each. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," Simon Stephens' stage adaption of the 2003 mystery novel, remains the favorite for Best Play. And poised to nab an award for her performance in "The Audience" is the crowd favorite, Dame Helen Mirren.

The show starts at 8 p.m. EST on CBS, and we'll be updating you with every win and upset. In the meantime, check out a full list of the nominations.

Best Musical: "Fun Home"

fun home musical

Best Play: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Simon Stephens

the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Best Revival of a Musical: "The King and I"

the king and i

Best Revival of a Play: "Skylight"

skylight tony

Leading Actress in a Play: Helen Mirren, "The Audience"

helen mirren the audience

Leading Actor in a Play: Alexander Sharp, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

alexander sharp

Leading Actress in a Musical: Kelli O'Hara, "The King and I"

kelli ohara

Leading Actor in a Musical: Michael Cerveris, "Fun Home"

michael cerveris

Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Ruthie Ann Miles, "The King and I"

ruthie ann miles

Best Featured Actor in a Musical: 
Christian Borle, "Something Rotten!"

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Best Featured Actress in a Play: Annaleigh Ashford, "You Can’t Take It With You"

annaleigh

Best Featured Actor in a Play: Richard McCabe, "The Audience"

richard mccabe the audience

Best Director of a Musical: Sam Gold, "Fun Home"

fun home theater

Best Director of a Play: Marianne Elliott, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha Katz, "An American in Paris"

an american in paris musical

Best Lighting Design of a Play: Paule Constable, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Best Book of a Musical: Lisa Kron, "Fun Home"

fun home musical

Best Original Score: Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, "Fun Home"

fun home

Best Orchestrations: Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky and Bill Elliott, "An American in Paris"

an american in paris musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play: Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, "An American in Paris"

an american in paris musical

Best Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon, "An American in Paris"

an american in paris musical

Best Costume Design of a Play: Christopher Oram, "Wolf Hall"

wolf hall nathaniel parker

Best Costume Design of a Musical: Catherine Zuber, "The King and I"

the king and i

Lifetime Achievement Award: Tommy Tune

tommy tune

Special Tony Award: John Cameron Mitchell



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Bolshoi Ballerina Dances 'The Dying Swan' At 61, Slays It

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The ballet performance below would be considered exceptional in any circumstances, with otherworldly bodily movements that resemble that of an ailing, alien bird more than a dancer carrying out choreography.

What really blows us away, however, is that this heart-wrenching rendition of "The Dying Swan" was performed by Bolshoi ballerina Maya Plisetskaya at 61 years old.

maya plisetskaya

Born in 1925 in Moscow, Plisetskaya was the daughter of a silent film actress and a diplomat. She began dancing at nine years old, performed at the Bolshoi for the first time at 11, and joined the company at 18. In 1960 she was crowned prima ballerina, and continued to dance in the company until the 1980s, well into her 60s. In the words of Vadim Gayevsky, a dance historian and critic, the dancer "began by creating her own style and ended up creating her own theater."

After suffering a heart attack, Plisetskaya passed away May 2, 2015, at the age of 89. Yet her talent and creative spirit live on through her enchanting performances, such as this 1986 role in "The Dying Swan" in Tokyo during the Soviet Stars tour.

As Elisa Wouk Almino wrote in Hyperallergic: "Her rubbery arms ripple out like waves, as if boneless. Her legs sharply pick up off the floor, her neck gracefully elongating in place, as the light, nimble creature she’s embodied finds its way in the dark. Tchaikovsky’s wavering low notes build gracefully and painfully to a shrill before gradually descending again."

H/T Hyperallergic

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A Bizarre Feminist Music Video Experiment That's Pretty Much Rocking Our World

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kitt




Raise your hand if you've seen a bunch of women dancing together in a music video. (Everyone raises hand.) Now, raise your hand if you've ever witnessed a swarm of lady strangers from different locations and backgrounds, of all different ages and body types, join together for one epic day of avant-garde costumes, weird improvised dancing and a whole lot of femme positivity. (Anybody?)

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Allow us to introduce you to "The Weird Girls Project," an ongoing experiment celebrating feminism, creativity and, obviously, being super weird. The brainchild of artist Kitty Von-Sometime, the project subverts the music video format, transforming the badass ladies who take part from backup dancers to alien super-vixens, at least for the day.

Von-Sometime was inspired to launch the project after moving from the UK to Iceland, finding herself in an all-female social circle for the first time. "When I started hanging out with more women I became much more aware of the 'does-my-bum-look-big-in-this?' scenario. I noticed many women... when we were out in public, they seemed much more self-conscious about how they looked. The more I got to know them, the more I realized many of them had suffered with severe body issues, or had had extreme confidence problems."



The aforementioned issues are nothing new, and are often wildly exacerbated by mainstream music videos and its restrictive visions of female beauty. But, for Von-Sometime, the music video format offered a space of possibility.

"I was raised in a very non-artistic family," she explained. "The way I got exposure to visual references was basically '80s videos and the beginning of MTV. Now it's become such a massive machine, but when it first came about, people were really trying to translate music into the visual realm. And that was really interesting to me."

"The Weird Girls Project" got its start almost by accident, when Von-Sometime turned the tail end of a casual party into a sort of video experiment. "Everyone [at the party] seemed in a really good mood about themselves after," she explained simply. Over time, the ventures became more organized, as well as far more popular. What started out as an activity among friends, morphed into a happening for women from all over the world, lined up to participate in Von-Sometime's unconventional feminist performances.

"There's quite a long wait list now," Von-Sometimes said.



Those who do get the chance to participate in a work sign up for a set date with absolutely no idea what's in store for them. Von-Sometime carefully concocts a concept, costumes, makeup and set -- in secret. For example, in Episode 15, titled "Beauty is only skin deep," the women converged in an old fishmeal factory, where they donned white body paint, monstrous contact lenses and lots of fake blood to transform into a tribe of "self-mutilating female creatures." The narrative, riffing on the widespread obsession with plastic surgery, featured the tribe capturing a young girl and attempting to recruit her into their ruinous lifestyle.

Once the women arrive on set, they're challenged to adjust to the carefully fabricated environment that awaits them. "Basically, I am a total control freak," Von-Sometime explained. "I spend a very long time planning. I try and provide a very structured environment, and within it, I try to encourage women to move in their own way and do what they're comfortable with... One woman described it as having a chance to express herself, but without having to take full responsibility. I put her in this set-up and then she's free to improvise."

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"The Weird Girls Project" videos include a Renaissance disco rave at a ruined monastery, an apocalyptic meltdown at an abandoned fake Disneyland theme park in China, and a witchy ritual to awaken a dark spirit. Part Cindy Sherman, part Kenny Scharf, part Spencer Tunick, it's the best feminist costume-party-turned-avant-garde-masterpiece you never knew you needed.

And Von-Sometime's newest video is her most body-centric yet. "It's about the women literally loving themselves," she explained. "In this one we covered them from top to toe in gold to represent their self worth. It was very interesting to hear the women's commentary on how they felt. Everyone felt glorious, even though I think it was physically uncomfortable to have glitter literally everywhere."

The day-long happening provided participants with a wholly unconventional and empowering experience, intended to combat conventions far after the last speck of glitter washed off. "The overwhelming push behind this project is to highlight how women are very different and yet the same. We're showing that everybody is as equally striking or stunning or beautiful or magical."

See Episode 16 of "The Weird Girls Project," titled "Embrace Yourself" and head to the website to learn more.







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