After five years of working alongside, being associated with and thankfully developing friendships with visual artists, and since I avoided art school where perhaps a lot of this comes from, I find myself a bit vexed by a certain impulse I’ve noticed in them from time to time: Many deeply want to commodify their work, desperately want to…
Author: Varg
New Year’s Day Sermon 2013
The Case Against The Case Against Beasts of the Southern Wild
Beast of the Southern Wild review making the rounds in my social networks… The Case Against ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ by Vince Mancini If this is the case against the film, I’m not sure it’s going to get past the grand jury. That reviewer admits the cinematography, score, locations and imagery in the film…
O’ Chicory, My Chicory
Everyone has their voice. It’s always there. It’s processed through five senses into your mind and then assembled into ideas and then deposited out through those same five senses. Think of conveyor belts bringing goods into the factory of your mind through your hands, eyes ears, nose and mouth and a different set of belts bringing repackaged goods out…
Dear Mayor Landrieu and Councilmember Palmer…
Dear Mayor Landrieu and Councilmember Palmer, Please allow me to applaud you on your recent efforts to address the growing health and safety issues on Jackson Square. Our city’s “old square” is a rich symbol of its cultural identity and deserves the critical attention being given to it by city officials. It is as relevant now as…
Varg Gras 2012 Commemorative Drawing!
By the magnificent Katie Lease!
Review of Marigny Brassiere on Halloween Night Or: ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’
My night could have gone either way before stepping into Marigny Brassierre on Oct. 31, 2012. After stepping out, there was no saving it. I couldn’t wash the feel of it from my being. We are all aware of the increasing commodification of Frenchmen Street and the Marigny neighborhood. I loathe what it is becoming….
Smells Like Cultural Commodification
I knew as soon as I saw the ladies with ostrich feathers on their heads along side two Mardi Gras Indians that I was about to witness some cultural commodification…
Romy Kaye Killer Chili
My wife’s Chili recipe up in here, up in HERE… Ingredients: · 3-4 Spanish onions, peeled and finely chopped (about 3 cups) · 1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped, stems included · entire head of garlic, peeled and chopped fine · 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, de-seeded and minced · 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed,…
Continuing The Conversation on Culture, Community and Commodity
UPDATE: Jason Berry has uploaded the Culture or Commodity video which greatly helps put this post in context. The phrase used was “find a way.” I wonder how many artists get lost while “finding a way?” Also, while everyone did a very good job on the panel I want to single out Deb Cotton and…