Third round of Amazing! the blog series in which I ask members of Justseeds to make a top 5 list of things that have been inspiring them as of late. This time we get a list from Mary Tremonte (Toronto).
Amazing! top 5 from Mary
I’ve had a lot of amazing lately, it’s hard to pick just 5:
1. Le1f “Spa Day” off his Fly Zone album. One of my favorite jams and music videos too.
“I’m feeling totally rejuvenated.”
There are a heap of rad queer/gay rappers at the moment, others I love include Angel Haze, Nicky da B, and Mykki Blanco.
You can download all of Le1f’s albums for free on his website.
2. Killjoy’s Kastle: A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House, a maximalist collaborative artwork by homo genius Allyson Mitchell, intended to put to rest a few of the ghosts of second wave feminism, the killjoys that continue to haunt us. I contributed by painting a few signs and silkscreen printed t-shirts and totes (“lesbian purses”) for the gift shop. If you make it to Toronto before the end of the month don’t miss it! This is an art historical event! Check out some of the online reviews, including this one from Bitch Magazine.
Allyson’s work is also in…
3. Alien She, curated by Astria Superak and Ceci Moss. Epically researched, crowdsourced and thoughtful exhibit critically examining Riot Grrrl and its lasting impact through primary artifacts of the movement (zines, show and meeting flyers, music) and also the work of contemporary artists who participated in Riot Grrrl, such as Ginger Brooks Takahashi, Miranda July, and Faythe Levine. The exhibit is free to the public at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University until mid-February, and it will travel to Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco and more in the future. A really exciting show!
4. Anne Cvetkovich’s Depression: A Public Feeling, which takes an alternative look at mental health and examines the social conditions that can lead to depression, thus politicizing it, such as racism and activist burnout. She examines how artists (including Allyson Mitchell for the win!) work through such feelings, and really compelling for me was her autobiographical accounts of her own battles with being stuck, in her academic career (as a current graduate student, something I can heavily relate to right now). I got to see Anne speak as part of an affect reading group at the University of Toronto, and also processed with her at the LFHH, and she is so smart and passionate and aware.
5. Lido Pimienta! Colombia-born Toronto-based artist and musician, fusing so many influences into a radical future beat, the description of a Latina Bjork is not too far off the mark with her soaring otherworldly vocals, but Lido infuses her political lyrics and dazzling aesthetics with her own style. Lido also DJ’s under the moniker Glitclit, and organizes the Bridges series at the Lula Lounge. Here is a recent interview.
