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Artist's Photos Of Braided Hairstyles Show The Beauty Of Black Hair

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Chicago-based artist Shani Crowe’s photo exhibit “Braids” is a love letter to the beauty of black hairstyles. 


The exhibit, which was on display at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts from April to July, included 10 black and white photographs of models adorning different braided hairstyles, all of which Crowe took and styled herself. 


While black natural hair has a fraught history in the United States, often facing inordinate scrutiny or deemed outwardly political, Crowe’s photos aimed to showcase the beauty of braids. In a new HuffPost Rise video, she said she drew inspiration from various cultures when deciding on the hairstyles, one of which took 12 hours to complete. 


“Some of them are inspired by gods and goddesses or presentations of divine people or divine beings,” she said. “Some of my inspiration is from Ethiopia, Eritrea, of course you have Ghana and Nigeria, [countries that] have very, very beautiful unique hairstyles.”




Crowe added that it’s important to represent the black narrative of these hairstyles, which are unique to the black community, so the history behind them can be preserved and the story is told in the right way.


“When it’s in the hands of other people sometimes it’s not necessarily accurate,” she said. “And also it gives you something to be proud of when you take the time to study where you come from and really celebrate the qualities that you have.” 


Crowe, who was wearing braids herself in the video, said that “physical presentation” is a big part of some African cultures, and creating the exhibit gave her the opportunity to explore her own identity. 


“I’m creating myself according to my own image of myself. It gives me control and it gives me freedom,” she said.


Watch Shani Crowe discuss her beautiful exhibit in the video above. 


This video was produced by Choyce Miller, shot by Daniel Fox and Ian Macinnes and edited by Alfred Marroquin. 

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A Timeline Of 'Bachelor' Ben Higgins' Short-Lived Political Career

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On Thursday July 21, the Associated Press confirmed that all-American nice guy reality TV star Ben Higgins would be running for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican. On Friday, July 22, that beautiful dream/nightmare all came crashing to the ground due to what Higgins described in a statement as “unforeseen circumstances.” So ... how did we get here?


Below is a comprehensive timeline of Mr. Higgins’ political rise and fall:


Jan. 21, 2016: Juliet Litman tells Higgins he should run for office on “The Ringer” podcast. Here is a transcript (via Jezebel) of the moment Litman set Higgins’ political aspirations in motion:



Litman: When you’re ready, I think that you should run for public office in the state of Indiana, or Colorado. I just think that you would win. I’m fairly certain you would win.


Higgins: Do you really think that?


Litman: Yeah I do. I really think that you have the composure to be a politician.


Higgins: All right. Well, when I do, can we make the announcement ― well I should say, if I do, I haven’t really ever thought about that ― but if I do, can we make the announcement on your podcast?


Litman: 100%. I can’t wait.



May 27, 2016: The Colorado Statesman reports that Higgins is weighing a run after the paper obtains an email from Willie Pinkston, then the Republican candidate for the seat Higgins had his eye on: 



Pinkston, Denver Republicans say, plans to step aside and let the HD 4 vacancy committee nominate Higgins to challenge Pabon.


“I am very impressed with Ben,” Pinkston wrote in an email obtained by The Colorado Statesman. “Super great guy. I think he would be a very strong HD 4 candidate and will support him.”



June 21, 2016: Higgins sends a letter to Colorado GOP leaders announcing his new reality show on Freeform with his fiancée, Lauren Bushnell. In said letter, he talks about the show and how it “represents a unique opportunity for spreading our message of less government and more personal freedom to even more people.”


July 21, 2016: Ben Higgins files the paperwork for his campaign.


July 22, 2016: Ben Higgins releases a statement saying, Whoops, never mind. He can’t run ― due to “UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.” His statement reads:



I regret that I must withdraw my candidacy. Despite my best efforts to pursue this opportunity in good faith, I recently received information that has made such a pursuit unworkable. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to move forward as a candidate. I find solace in knowing that our intentions and actions have been fair and sincere. I entered into this endeavor wanting to bring positive change to my community, and it is with that same spirit that I will move forward, albeit on a different path.



A few working theories on what could have possibly gone so wrong (or so right, if you’re a Democrat who enjoys “The Bachelor”):




  • Election night conflicted with fiancée Lauren Bushnell’s meticulously planned wedding timeline.




  • Higgins and his “Bachelor” beloved are expecting a bundle of premarital joy.




  • He just feels really unelectable.




  • “Bachelorette” JoJo Fletcher is blackmailing him to stay out of the spotlight, perhaps using a secret sex tape or nude photos obtained during their fantasy suite date.




  • He finally checked with Freeform and found out it wouldn’t really be chill to campaign for office and star on a reality show about his wedding simultaneously.




  • He got sleepy.




  • Officials reviewing his campaign paperwork found he had plagiarized several paragraphs from a Michelle Obama speech.




Or perhaps ABC threw its considerable weight against Higgins’ attempt to enter the political arena less than a year after his season of “The Bachelor.” Reports suggest this is the most likely circumstance at play: 














Huh, you don’t say.


Maybe a political career just isn’t in the stars for our dear Benny Boy. Maybe his true calling as an American hero is to broadcast the mundane details of his everyday life to the masses for their critique and consumption. And isn’t that about as American as apple pie?





For more on Ben Higgins’ political career and other reality TV gossip, check out this following episode of HuffPost’s “Here to Make Friends” podcast:






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Megyn Kelly Wore Spaghetti Straps And People Lost It

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If you’re a woman on national television reporting on a political event from hot, humid Cleveland, wearing a weather-appropriate outfit makes you the target of an endless stream of sexist commentary.  


Twitter denizens had a lot to say about Fox News correspondent Megyn Kelly and her spaghetti strap top as she reported on the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. One classy tweet implied that she was dressed as a “whore,” while another Twitter user said that Kelly should dress more professionally and less like she’s “trolling for a drink at the hotel bar.” 


























One user went far enough to associate the outfit with Kelly’s involvement in the Roger Ailes sexual harassment case ― earlier this week, sources confirmed that Kelly had told investigators about Ailes making unwanted sexual advances toward her earlier in her Fox News career. Apparently, accusing a powerful man of sexual harassment means you can’t ever again reveal your shoulders.






(Reminder: The above statement is complete and utter bullshit.) 


It seems that the women of Fox News just can’t win when it comes to their appearances. On one end is their (now former) CEO encouraging them to show more skin and using “leg cams,” and on the other end are angry, slut-shaming viewers. 


Moral of the story? Megyn Kelly should wear whatever the hell she wants to. 


H/T Slate

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Muslim Teenagers Use Slam Poetry To Educate Others About Their Faith

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“September 11, 2001, wake up America the enemy is here.”


This is how a group of four Muslim American teenagers, who hope to change the culture of discrimination toward Muslims through the art of slam poetry, start their poem, “Wake Up America.”


This year there have been at least 200 acts of Islamophobia in the United States. And if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had his way, Muslims wouldn’t even be allowed to enter the country.


“I think people like Donald Trump want Muslims banned out of fear. They are scared of the unknown and they are scared of change,” Kiran Waqar, a 16-year-old poet from Vermont, told The Huffington Post.


Waqar is a member of the slam poetry quartet, Muslim Girls Making Change, which recently participated in the international youth poetry festival Brave New Voices. She, along with members Balkisa Abdikadir, Hawa Adam and Lena Ginawi, formed MGMC after getting involved with the Young Writers Project, a Vermont-based nonprofit that helps young artists develop their crafts and find avenues for creative expression.


“Hawa, Lena, Balkisa and Kiran are radiant, powerful young women. They each bring such unique characteristics to the table,” YWP outreach coordinator Sarah Gliech told HuffPost.



For the four young women, slam poetry is a vehicle for discussing the issues and events in their lives ― many of which center around their Muslim American identity.


In their co-written poem, “Chameleon,” Waqar and Adam discuss the difficulty of navigating their racial, religious, ethnic and national identities, which sometimes feel at odds.


“We will never be white, only pretend to be. We hide behind fake mirrors and lies, unsure of who we really are,” the poem reads. “Am I African American or the other way around?” Adam says.  


“Pakistani first? American?” Waqar says in the poem. 


“In middle school, especially, I wanted to be an average girl so bad. I didn’t want anyone asking me questions or even acknowledging the fact that I am different from them,” Waqar told HuffPost. “This wanting to be ‘normal’ stayed strong until the beginning of 10th grade when I put on the hijab. Now I am a little more comfortable with the stares, the questions and the disapproval prompting me to start to learn more about my culture.”


The girls say they hope their poetry will educate people about the experiences of Muslims Americans and dispel any misplaced fears non-Muslims have about the faith.


“Whenever you hear the word terrorism I don’t want the first thing you think about is Islam, because Islam, to me, is a religion of peace,” Ginawi told the Associated Press. “Anything that these terrorists do has nothing to do with Islam.”


Watch the performance of their thought-provoking poem, “Wake Up America” above.

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Harry Potter And Ginny Weasley Reunited At Daniel Radcliffe's New Play And It Was Pure Magic

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It’s been five years since we left Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley on Platform 9 3/4 waving goodbye to a gaggle of children digitally aged beyond belief.


In this cruel world without the promise of any future “Harry Potter” films, fans have to rely on morsels of “Potter” goodness to sustain themselves. Luckily, Potterheads everywhere got a dose Hinny nostalgia when actress Bonnie Wright (Ginny) took in Daniel Radcliffe’s (Harry) new play “Privacy” on Thursday in New York City. 


“Reunion! Congrats Dan on another stellar performance,” she captioned the photo. “Google is terrifying and I’m now scared to use my phone. Can say no more. Go see Privacy!”




Radcliffe’s new play takes inspiration from Edward Snowden’s NSA leak, tackling our culture’s complex connection to the devices that rule our lives. Unlike most productions, “Privacy” actually encourages audience members to keep their phone on, posting to Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram through the show. 


The man in the enviable position between Radcliffe and Wright is none other than Chris Columbus, who directed the first two installments of the film series. The director shared a snap of his own, captioning the photo, “Chamber Of Secrets reunion ... The future Mr and Mrs. Harry Potter ...”


Wright, who has picked up a few credits since her “Harry Potter” years, has also been exciting fans lately with a limited edition T-shirt for FilmAid, an organization that uses film to aid refugees around the world. She’s even recruited her “Potter” family to help get the word out, sharing photos of actors like Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) and author J.K. Rowling wearing the tee on social media. 


Take a look below: 









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50 Years After His Death, Architect’s Buildings Are Still Shaping History

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Le Corbusier, the pioneering modernist architect who is lionized for his ideas as much as his buildings, got another boost this week when his body of work joined the ranks of cultural landmarks like the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China.


The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, announced Sunday that 17 projects designed by the Swiss-born architect had been added to the World Heritage List. Le Corbusier, born as Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris in Switzerland, died in 1965 at the age of 77.


His career lasted more than half a century, and the UNESCO sites, spread throughout seven countries on three continents, represent only a fraction of his output. 



“Le Corbusier was perhaps one of the first modern global architects,” Francesco Bandarin, UNESCO’s assistant director general for culture, told The Huffington Post.


The buildings selected by UNESCO represent the breadth of Le Corbusier’s architectural work, including, among others, a convent, a large apartment building, a hosiery factory and the city of Chandigarh, India.


Le Corbusier was a bit of a Renaissance man, also painting, designing furniture and writing prolifically. Some of his writing is as famous as his buildings, like “Five Points Towards a New Architecture.” The short essay uses technical but plain-spoken language to break down the essential characteristics of modernist architecture ― such as using roof gardens and using supports to elevate buildings above the ground ― and became a foundational text in the field.



“[He] changed the face of modern architecture: its nature; its scope; its form,” Bandarin said. “He really created the new language and the new role for architecture in modern society.”


Long before the UNESCO designation, some critics found plenty to dislike about Le Corbusier and the way he influenced architecture.


As John Lichfield explains in the Independent in 2006:



Le Corbusier was, among other things, the apostle of concrete, the artist of high-rise. To his critics, he is the father, or grandfather, of a million charmless tower blocks, sink estates, shopping centers and multi-story car parks.




In more recent years, several authors have written books detailing the architect’s connection to fascism and far-right political leaders when he lived in France ― which his defenders argue was just a way to secure commissions from people in power, according to the New York Times, and others say challenges his glowing legacy.


“Le Corbusier was guilty, say his critics, of a form of architectural totalitarianism,” Lichfield writes in the Independent article. “His humanist vision, like other would-be humanist visions of the 20th century, became inhuman. It tried to impose too uniform and clean a mold on the complexity and irregularity of human nature.”


But no matter what worldview drove Le Corbusier’s work, there’s no denying its major impact. There are a little over 1,000 World Heritage sites, chosen for their cultural and natural significance, that span thousands of years of human history. This latest addition to the list is a milestone for architecture ― while other buildings and architectural achievements are recognized, and a few modern architects are called out by name (including Auguste Perret, Antoni Gaudí and Victor Horta), none have as many buildings or locations recognized as Le Corbusier.


Asked his personal favorite among the 17 new heritage sites, Bandarin chose the Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France, an example of sculptural architecture.



Yet his reasoning the reason shows how Le Corbusier’s work transcends the design sphere and can resonates personally.


“[Being in] this place is extremely emotional,” he said. “You realize that behind this work, there was a genius.”


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Comic Con Cosplayers Reveal What Goes Into Their Amazing Costumes

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Movie studios and TV networks use the San Diego Comic-Con to promote new products, but attendees like Bethany Jones use the four-day event to truly be themselves ― and that often means dressing up in costume.





“I wish I could dress up all the time,” Jones, 21, told HuffPost. “There’s something freeing about it.”


Jones has a collection of 15 costumes, and is wearing a different one each day during the Con. 





On Friday, she dressed up as a twi’lek Jedi, an obscure Star Wars character with green skin and long horns. On Saturday, she plans to dress up as Black Panther.


The Jedi costume has long been a dream of hers, one that took a year to put together. The payoff is seeing other people’s reaction.


“One woman clapped at me and said, ‘You have dedication,’” Jones said. “The woman at 7-11 wanted to take my photo.” 



Some costumed Con attendees purchase their costumes. Others, like Liz Edwards, a registered nurse from Rancho Cucamonga, make them from scratch.


Edwards made a stormtrooper outfit using armor she commissioned from a professional.


“There’s bragging rights,” she explained. “You have to make adjustments though. The armor is made for a man and the crotch rides a little low.”


A choice of costume is a very personal thing and some attendees worry others won’t know who they are.



Steve and Pat, a cosplaying couple from Dallas, were afraid that dressing up as Fred and Wilma Flintstone might confuse millennials who don’t remember the series.


“We are shocked,” Pat said. “The younger ones think of the movie, and the really little ones think of the vitamins.”


Dressing up as the Flintstones wasn’t Steve’s first choice.


“I wanted to be a dragon, but it would have taken a year to put that costume together,” he said. “I wanted my wife to be the mother of dragons from ‘Game of Thrones.’”


Pat said no.


“I told him I’m a little old for that,” she said. “That’s a job for a 21-year-old, not a 55-year-old.”



As you might expect, Pokemon costumes are more popular than recent years, but dressing up as one had unintended consequences for a cosplayer from Carson, California, who called herself Julia Pikachu.


“People are throwing plastic balls at me,” she laughed.


Check out other costumed cosplayers at the Con below.


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Henry Cavill Goes Undercover To Prank Will Smith At Comic-Con

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It’s 1-0 to the “Justice League” after Henry Cavill hilariously punked Will Smith at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday.


The star of the latest round of Superman movies donned a Guy Fawkes “V for Vendetta” mask and visited the “Suicide Squad” meet-and-greet for an autograph.


Cavill crouched alongside Smith for a photograph and removed his disguise. Deadshot himself soon realized the fan’s true identity, and burst out laughing.


Watch the clip here:




Cavill posted footage of the prank to Instagram on Saturday night. The clip is now going viral.


“Best Comic Con yet,” the actor wrote. “I got to be here for Justice League but couldn’t miss Suicide Squad.”


The video also showed the clandestine Cavill going completely undetected by unsuspecting fans as he walked around the convention floor and posed for pictures.

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74 Baby Name Ideas For Parents Who Love 'Friends'

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“Friends” has been off the air for over a decade, but the fandom lives on thanks to Netflix binge-watching, new revelations and endless merch.


For parents and parents-to-be who love the show, “Friends” mania can also continue in other ways... like baby names. We examined the TV show for some baby naming inspiration. 


Here are over 70 baby name ideas from “Friends” characters ― from the main six to recurring parts to one-time appearances.


 


Girls


Rachel


Monica


Phoebe


Emma


Carol


Susan


Janice


Erica


Judy


Nora


Ursula


Emily


Jill


Amy


Julie


Charlie


Sandra


Alice


Estelle


Mona


Frances


Bonnie


Janine


Sophie


Johanna


Mackenzie


Kim


Gloria


Dina


Helena


Kathy


Amanda


Missy


Cecilia


Cassie


Chloe


Elizabeth


 


Boys


Ross


Chandler


Joey


Richard


Ben


Gunther


Mike


Jack


Frank


Barry


Paolo


Tag


David


Leonard


Mark


Pete


Doug


Joshua


Gary


Steve


Will


Eric


Tommy


Duncan


Roy


Marcel


Chip


Stuart


Parker


Gavin


Ryan


Charlton


Terry


Bobby


Charles


Marshall


Eddie

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Should We Stop Using The Term 'Outsider Art'?

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“I am not an outsider artist,” Kevin Sampson said.


He was speaking on a panel at the American Folk Art Museum in New York last week about sculptor Ronald Lockett alongside artist Michael Berube and Cara Zimmerman, a specialist in folk and outsider art at Christie’s. No one had explicitly labelled Sampson as such, but because he was invited to participate on the panel, it was surely implied. 


“I have been represented by Cavin Morris Gallery for years,” Sampson continued. “My work showed in the Venice Biennale. It’s hard enough to be an African-American artist. Now we have to be ‘outsiders’”?


The conversation had shifted from discussing Lockett’s work to discussing the politics of how such work is categorized. Lockett was a black, self-taught artist living and working in Bessemer, Alabama. His work, made from tin, wire and found metals, explored resilience of the human spirit in times of political oppression and physical constraint. He died at just 33 years old from AIDS-related pneumonia. 



In the strictest sense, Zimmerman explained, Lockett’s work belongs to the Birmingham-Bessemer School, along with his mentor and cousin Thornton Dial. But more often, perhaps when we get a little lazy, it’s described as “outsider” ― as in, outside the mainstream artistic institution. 


Often, artists designated that way cannot personally respond to their opinion of the distinction. Frequently their work is discovered only after they’ve died, their artistic drive an obsessive secret they never expected would gain recognition. Or, oftentimes such artists live with developmental disabilities that limit their ability to discuss the way their work is referenced and catalogued. They make the work and leave its classification to curators, writers, dealers, etc. 


But Kevin Sampson, a New-Jersey-based sculptor who makes enchanting molten ships and structures from found objects, memories, bones, wax and hair, is able and willing to speak on the subject. “The term ‘outsider’ is offensive,” he explained in a phone interview with The Huffington Post following the panel. “I just don’t even understand what it means.”



Originally, the term designated an artist making work outside the context of art history, removed from the artistic institution, apart from the dialogue and marketplace of contemporary art. Basically, outsider artists were isolated, working in basements, prison cells, psychiatric wards or rural towns ― places where art was, at least in theory, born purely of the individual imagination. 


“The term was great 50 years ago,” Sampson said. “But there is no more making art in isolation.” Thanks to globalization and the internet, Sampson argues, it’s virtually impossible to make art outside of some sort of dialogue. “Outsider artists made art outside of the art world and outside of a community. But me, making art outside of the community? That’s nonsense.”


Sampson’s father was a civil rights leader in Newark, New Jersey, so he grew up immersed in a household full of political dialogue and community engagement. Although he was interested in art from a young age, at his parents’ insistence, Sampson opted for a traditional college education at Lincoln University, where he majored in history. He dropped out after two years.



Sampson’s father was friends with the mayor, who told him the city was looking to recruit more African American cops. His parents urged him to take the test to join the police force. “The rest is history,” Sampson said. At his mother’s recommendation, he used his drawing skills to become a composite sketch artist. He made over 1,000 drawings on the job over the course of 10 years, eventually serving as an expert witness in identifying suspects. 


Suddenly, Sampson’s life was uprooted. His wife Pam was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Their son Kyle, born prematurely, died at 4 months old. Sampson’s cousin Carol Oliver contracted HIV/AIDS and died three months later. “When I started losing people, drawing didn’t work anymore,” he explained. “I had to use my hands.” 


For Sampson’s first artwork, he went into his backyard, grabbed a log and started to carve it, not knowing at all what he was doing. His cousin had turned to the Afro-Caribbean religion Santeria shortly before she died in the hope it would help provide a cure. Her mother gifted Sampson a variety of objects culled from her altars. They were tangible memories, everyday talismans, found objects imbued with intimacy.



Sampson’s first piece was a ship, representing his cousin’s journey to the afterlife. He soon found himself creating a second, and then a third. “It was the late 80s. Everybody around me was dropping from either AIDS or crack,” he said. “I started doing these memorials for all the people dying around me. My wife thought they were from hell, there was so much darkness in them, but it was a way of working through the pain.”


After his wife died, Sampson quit the police force after 18 years to devote his life to art. He began teaching art at local community centers and making sculptures that he’d often donate to family members of people he’d loved and lost. The sculptures, more often exhibited in Newark homes than in public, incorporate elements including chili peppers, wax, pork ribs and old jewelry, archeological relics that melt together to form otherworldly vessels, instruments and steeples. 


Initially, the art-making was a way to heal. “Your focus becomes so intense you enter this liminal space,” Sampson explained. “It’s good for the soul.” But eventually, the work transcended the tragic circumstances from which it was born. As Sampson described his journey: “First you look at yourself. Then you look at your neighborhood. Then you look at God.” 



These days, Sampson describes his work as political above all else. “I live in Newark, New Jersey, a very poor city with all kinds of problems,” he said. “Problems with poverty and crime and education. And with Trump running for president...” he trailed off. “My father branded me so civil rights is in my blood.”


Sampson’s contemporary sculptures incorporate American flags and allusions to figures like George W. Bush and Sarah Palin. He physically melds together public icons and personal artifacts, the residue of his loved ones and symbols of the nation, melting the boundaries between them in the process. In Sampson’s sculptural world, the boundaries between public and private, outside and inside, do not hold. 


Perhaps the “outsider” label strikes Sampson as so ridiculous because of how important community is to his work. “I’m a community-based artist, an artist advocate,” he said. “I go out into the community. I talk, I read. I read 10 to 15 newspapers a day. I wind up building the pieces in my head, so when I start actually making the piece it’s already kind of built.”



Sampson doesn’t particularly mind the term “self-taught artist,” but feels most affiliated with the more general title of contemporary artist. African-American contemporary artist works, too. He sees his work in conversation with an artist like Ronald Lockett, who also makes what Sampson referred to as “death-driven work.” He discussed Lockett’s work with fellow self-taught African-American artist Lonnie Holley, also often described as an outsider. And yet, the two artists found themselves exhibiting together in 2011 at the Venice Biennale, the most insider of art world affairs, discussing their relationship to Lockett’s work, an artist they both understood as speaking in their visual vernacular. 


“He’s 10 years younger than me, but we work alike,” Sampson said. “We both came out of the darkness to create out work. Lonnie and I were talking about his work one time; we noticed he used a lot of metal. We came to the conclusion that metal is flesh. All the metal pieces he did, I looked at it immediately and I thought this is flesh, this is skin.” 


During his lifetime, Lockett lived in isolation. To posthumously categorize his work as “outsider” seems like a cruel joke. In this moment, it becomes overwhelming just how preposterous a label like “outsider” can be, and perhaps has always been. 


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Watch 30 Years Of Disney Magic In 3 Minutes

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Disney fans, get ready to reminisce. 


A new fan-created mashup video shows 30 years of Disney magic in just three minutes, and has already become an instant classic. The video features scenes from almost every animated film released since 1989, including favorites like “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Mulan” and “The Little Mermaid,” all played against the track “Pop Culture” by Madeon. 


The video was shared on YouTube Saturday and already has almost 1 million views. 


What’s not to love? 

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Parody Video Nails Reggaeton's Big A** Problem

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Brace yourselves for what could be the reggaeton song of the every summer, featuring: women being objectified. 


In a Flama video that was posted July 20, comedians Joanna Hausmann and Lee Chin show viewers what reggaeton songs would sound like if they were honest in a satirical music video titled “Ass, Ass, Ass.”


Reggaeton songs, not unlike other genres of music, often rely on using women as sexual props in music videos and lyrics. We’re talking close-up shots of women’s butts, violent metaphors, and the glamorization of the “player” lifestyle. 


“See a little shorty, I give a wink with my eye because she’s the kind of mami I wanna objectify,” Chin sings in the video.


Hausmann, who is featured in the video, also shows how reggaeton music tends to focus on a woman’s sexuality and nothing more. 


“Moan, moan, this part I moan ― make other sex sounds but mostly moan,” Hausmann sings. “Every gesture I make is sexual, don’t worry I won’t be intellectual.”


Oh and let’s not forget about the “mime thing”...





Watch the full video above. 

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Here's The One Upside To Not Getting The New Han Solo Role

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In January, Variety reported that Ansel Elgort had made the shortlist for the upcoming “Star Wars” movie spinoff centered around the character Han Solo. The part ended up going to Alden Ehrenreich in May, presumably causing a collective disappointment from the other actors in that reported list. 


But this apparently wasn’t the case for Elgort, who told The Huffington Post he was actually nervous about getting the role. “Yeah, I was pretty worried, honestly,” said Elgort. “I was pretty worried that if I got it, I’d have to change my DJ name. So I’m relieved.”


Since 2013, the young actor (known for “The Fault in Our Stars” and the “Divergent” series) has performed and released music as Ansolo, a play on the famous “Star Wars” name and his own. Elgort’s Ansolo releases on Soundcloud have gotten hundreds of thousands of plays. In 2015, he signed with the major label Island Records, home of artists such as Avicii and Demi Lovato.


Right now, Elgort is attempting to make a more concerted effort to be known as a musician and just released his first single under his own name last Friday (now on iTunes). E! has already declared “Home Alone” ― which Elgort wrote himself ― as a possible song of the summer contender.





In talking with Elgort, he stressed that he doesn’t want to use his acting fame as a crutch. Elgort apparently spent over two years tinkering with just this first single to make sure he was actually proud of the release. “When people have tried to shove their foot in the door by using [pre-existing acting fame] too hard, usually they don’t end up successful anyway because the music’s no good,” said Elgort.


The actor doesn’t want to be type of artist who’d say, as he put it, “Hey, I’m going to be a pop star now ... Hey, Island, get me a bunch of records that are already written and produced and let me sing them.” Elgort added, “That would make me sick, and it makes me sick whenever I see people doing it in any industry.”


Besides being a talented actor, singer and songwriter, Elgort is also a skilled dancer, stemming from the ballet lessons he took while growing up. His plan is to try and blend all of these skills into his new music career.


“I want to do a show, and I want it to be super theatrical, and I want it to be really special and different,” said Elgort. “Hopefully, when I do my show it won’t be like a typical pop kind of show. It’ll be, hopefully, more eclectic and artistic and there’ll be really dark moments.”


“There’ll be moments with me at a piano and moments where there is a lot of dancing and, like, explosions and all that kind of fun stuff,” he said, talking about the elements he hopes to incorporate into a show. “Maybe I’ll try to tell a story throughout the whole thing too. I’m hoping to do something really theatrical and almost make an album into a musical. Something really crazy like that.”


At the moment, it is unclear whether Elgort will be releasing a full-length album, a string of singles or an EP. “I’m doing this because I love to do it and I really don’t want to be pressured into any dates or deadlines,” said Elgort. “I just want to make music, and if it all comes together, then I’ll put it out.” 

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Dr. Seuss' Secret Art Collection Finally Goes On View

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Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, passed away in 1991, having written and illustrated over 60 children’s tales of enchanted animals in foreign lands, embarking on adventures, learning lessons, and improbably rhyming all the while. What few people knew, however, was that after dark, Seuss switched gears a bit, shifting from his storybook illustrations to what he dubbed “Midnight Paintings,” fine artworks made in secret, purely for pleasure. 


The images, rendered in the artist’s beloved legible, cartoonish style, depict Seussian planets packed with turtles, squirrels, fish and cats, each anthropomorphized and frozen in motion. In one drawing, a fancy bird sips a martini while in another, a pair of squirrels play patty-cake atop a bending branch. This is Seuss’ world, detached from any singular story or narrative trajectory. 



Throughout his life, Seuss kept his nighttime paintings hidden away at his Dr. Seuss Estate. He asked his wife Audrey to show them to the public only after he was gone. As she wrote in the preface to The Cat Behind The Hat, a coffee table book chronicling Seuss’ artwork: “I’m gratified to carry out Ted’s wishes and have these works revealed to the world.”


In an interview with Reading Rockets, Mrs. Geisel spoke of her husband’s lasting impact on people both young and old. “I just know that what he left as a legacy is the fun of learning when you don’t know you’re learning,” she said. “I think the legacy is that he pleased children. He pleased the parents of children. And he’s here for all time.” Whether you were a Seuss-a-holic growing up, or are simply interested in seeing the (honestly not so) dark side of one of the most iconic children’s storytellers of all time, Seuss’ secret art stash will not disappoint. 


The “Art of Dr. Seuss Exhibition,” hosted by Liss Gallery, will be on view until July 30, 2016, at Pendulum Gallery in Vancouver, BC. 








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This Proposed Lego Set Honors Women In NASA

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More than 40 American women have flown in space, and many others have worked at NASA as cosmonauts, analysts, researchers and engineers. Yet when most people think about the U.S. space program, it’s the names of men that tend to first come to mind: Buzz and Neil, Carl and Alan, Gus and Jim.


But one female science writer is trying to change that ― with the help of a handful of figurines.


Maia Weinstock, deputy editor of MIT News and a self-described “Lego tinkerer,” has proposed a new Lego set celebrating the women of NASA.


The set would come with five figurines representing five notable NASA pioneers: Margaret Hamilton, Katherine Johnson, Nancy Grace Roman, Mae Jemison and Sally Ride. 






Hamilton was a computer scientist who developed onboard flight software for the Apollo mission, and Johnson was a mathematician who worked on the Mercury and Apollo programs. According to NASA, Johnson’s calculations were “critical” to the success of the Apollo moon landing program.  







Roman was an astronomer and one of the first female executives at NASA. Known as the “Mother of Hubble,” she was one of the masterminds behind the Hubble Space Telescope. 


Ride and Jemison were both astronauts. Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983. About a decade later, Jemison became the first African-American woman in space.


“I think it’s so vitally important that all people in this world are involved in the process of discovery,” Jemison once said.



“Women have played critical roles throughout the history of the U.S. space program … yet in many cases, their contributions are unknown or under-appreciated — especially as women have historically struggled to gain acceptance in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),” Weinstock wrote in her Lego Ideas proposal.


Lego Ideas encourages people to suggest new Lego sets to the company. If a project hits 10,000 supporters, the proposed set is sent for official review.


Weinstock’s proposal had garnered about 3,000 supporters as of Monday morning. NASA itself has shown its support:






In recent years, Lego has been adding more female characters in scientific fields to its collection. In 2013, for instance, it released its first female lab scientist minifigure. Last year, new spaceport sets included female aerospace engineers and female astronauts. 


Still, based on Lego Ideas proposals, it seems consumer interest in female STEM figurines remains high. In addition to the Women in NASA set, there are currently also proposals for an Amelia Earhart set, a Girls in STEM set and a number of other science-related sets featuring female characters.

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HONY Posts Heartwrenching Story About The Aftermath Of Nonconsensual Sex

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On Sunday, Humans of New York posted a young woman’s powerful words about consent on Facebook. 


“We were in his basement late one night, getting drunk, and he kept asking me if I wanted to do it,” she said, about an incident with her “make out buddy” when she was in high school.


“I kept saying: ‘maybe,’ ‘maybe,’ ‘maybe.’ Then he said: ‘No more maybes. Let’s flip a coin.’ My stomach sank.”


In the post, the young woman discusses how she struggled with feelings of self-doubt and self-blame after the incident. 


In the post’s conclusion, she explains how she ultimately came to terms with the true meaning of consent: “For the longest time I felt like it was my fault for feeling hurt. Like I was being overly sensitive. It took five years for me to realize that consent is not a coin flip.





The post inspired many people to reply and comment about the issue of affirmative consent. One person wrote, “This is so important. Even if a yes is the answer. It’s not consent if you’re made to be afraid of saying no.” Many of the commenters also shared their own stories of sexual assault in solidarity with the woman photographed. 


The post is a much-needed reminder that only yes means yes. Anything else is a no.

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Nothing Is Off Limits At Sao Paulo Tattoo Week

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From tattooed faces to artists getting up close and personal with their subjects’ backsides, you’d be hard pressed to find body space not being treated as a canvas at the 2016 Tattoo Week in Sao Paulo, Brazil.


Some folks were happy to model the creative — and occasionally frightening — ways that they’ve transformed themselves into walking art. 


Take a look at all the inked action in the images below:


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Ben Vereen On His Decision To Promote Arts Education At The DNC

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“Life, itself, is an art form,” according to actor Ben Vereen.


This belief is why the legendary entertainer wants to help preserve the country’s artistic legacy by promoting creative thinking in business and politics.


During the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 26 Vereen plans to advocate for arts education in schools by speaking on behalf of the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing arts education, American’s for the Arts.


Vereen told The Huffington Post in an interview that the next generation of world leaders can benefit greatly from the intersection of the arts and politics. 


“In order to do what we do in society, [it’s] gotta come from the creative aspect of art,” Vereen told HuffPost. “The politicians need it in order to move society or civilization into a forum which is supposed to be better for the people. Everyone has their own agenda, but an agenda comes from a breath of creativity. My want is that they [politicians] will consider putting [the] arts back into school[s] full force for our children who can make a better difference in our world if we give them the tools that they need.”


The Tony Award winner went on to say that this “creative aspect” for children can be achieved by having access to key tools, such as: art supplies and music instruments, which can provide them with the chance to explore career opportunities.


“I’m not saying everybody’s got to be a song and dance man or an artist, or whatever aspect that we separate ourselves from,” he said. “We need our creative thinking people in politics, in corporations to think on the up, rather than the down.”


A 2002 report by the Arts Education Partnership found that students who were exposed to drama, music and dance may have a better chance at mastering reading, writing and math. But there have been other reports which have suggested that arts programs tend to be the first thing cut from school’s facing budget issues.


As a solution, Vereen said he wants to urge Americans to empower themselves by working in conjunction with the government in order to see an effective change in schools nationwide. 


“We turn to the government, a lot, and expect them to do things, but we must do the things that need to be done,” he said. “We are the thinkers that make things happen. My want is that they [politicians] go back into the communities and say, ‘we must become a force for the arts.’ We need government funding in order to keep the arts alive, yes. But the funding comes from us. So we need to reallocate where that funding goes.”


For more info on American’s for the Arts click here.

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'Key & Peele' Star Says Duo Couldn't Have Made Donald Trump Any Funnier

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Last September, comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele ended their beloved sketch series “Key & Peele” after five seasons. Since then, Donald Trump has become the Republican Party’s nominee for president, giving the world a strong case for setting a new course straight into the sun.


As “Key & Peele” so masterfully tackled issues of politics and race over its half-decade on Comedy Central, the duo’s absence has been tragic.


So, with the opportunity to talk to Key in anticipation of the upcoming release of his “Key & Peele: Complete Series” DVD set, The Huffington Post asked how his show would have satirized the issues of 2016.


“We’ve almost reached the point of the sublime,” said Key. “It’s so ridiculous we’ve almost reached the point of the sublime ― in regards to the political landscape right now. I’m not sure Jordan and I could make what’s happening any funnier.”


Key added, laughing, “I don’t think we could make it any more outrageous than it is.”


The comedian went on to explain that due to the evergreen nature of their approach to sketches with “Key & Peele,” they wouldn’t tackle Donald Trump directly, instead naming a character with a similar, but sillier, name. 


“We would have had to write a sketch about a guy who was a narcissistic billionaire blowhard who felt that he deserved whatever he wanted just because he wanted it,” said Key. “And was a trust fund baby.”



Arguably the most famous character from “Key & Peele” was Key’s “Luther,” aka President Barack Obama’s anger translator. In Luther sketches, Peele would play Obama, imitating the president’s typical calm demeanor, while Key would “translate” his words into what the president was actually thinking.


The popularity of the sketch led to Key performing the character with the real Obama during the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.


If “Key & Peele” were to parody the Republican nominee, Key suggested he might create an “anti-Luther” to translate Trump’s angry screeds into calm rationale. 


Key finished the interview by saying he never imagined Trump would get this far.


“I mean, I had no idea [comedians would] get a bigger gift than George W. Bush,” he said. “I had no idea!”




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In Novel Coincidence, Hemingway Wins Hemingway Look-Alike Contest

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The 36th Annual Ernest “Papa” Hemingway Look-Alike Contest ended in a way that can only be described as novel.


For the first time ever, the winning “Papa” wannabe was actually a real Hemingway.


Dave Hemingway of Macon, North Carolina, beat out 139 competitors to win the contest in Key West, Florida, on Saturday night, according to the Florida Sun Sentinel. 


The 65-year-old isn’t related to Ernest Hemingway and he doesn’t write, but he shares other traits with the legendary artist besides his beard and last name. 


“I do feel like Ernest because I’m in the same town that he lived in for so many years,” he said, CBS Miami reported. “I like to fish, I like to drink a little bit, I like women and I just like having a good fun time.” 



While it’s the first time a man named Hemingway has won the contest, it’s not Dave Hemingway’s first time in the competition. He’s competed seven times before.


He believes he won this year not because of his name, but because of his sweater: a wool, cream-colored fisherman’s sweater like the kind favored by the writer himself.


“Even though this sweater is really hot, it was part of my strategy,” he said, according to the New York Daily News. “And I think it worked really well.”


The look-alike contest is a part of the annual Hemingway Days festival that celebrates the author’s legacy, including his time in Key West during the 1930s.


The event is held at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, where the author frequently drank, according to the Sun Sentinel.

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