Selfies are usually accompanied by an automatic groan. Dismissed as superficial and vapid, selfie-taking is often seen as too close to Narcissus staring adoringly at his reflection for comfort. However, for marginalized people, selfies can be a way to create visibility where there is none in dominant, mainstream culture. Ryan McGinley’s current show Mirror, Mirror … Continue reading
“…desire is a product of lacking knowledge,” writes Thomas Mann in his sensual novella Death In Venice. Mann’s description of desire not only details the allure of the unknown and unknowable, but it also defines desire in terms of production, lending a perhaps unintentional mechanized overtone to lust and longing. Two current painting exhibitions–Andreas Schulze’s … Continue reading
“I believe in the power of love,” croons Lady Miss Kier in Deee-lite’s infectiously joyful song “Power of Love.” And in our dark times, when waking up with near crippling existential dread and terror is apparently the new normal, a musing on artistic representations of love seems like a welcome form of escapism and a … Continue reading