Sunday NY Times’ reading – “For Japanese Girls, Black is Beautiful” – Japanese obsession of African-American hip-hop culture leads artist Iona Rozeal Brown to explore Japanese art – or, as the article caption puts it, “Iona Rozeal Brown’s works are a cross-cultural hybrid: a black artist using a Japanese style to paint Japanese women who are obsessed with black culture.” There’s irony atop of irony. Even Brown feels that the Japanese enthusiasm has some offensive elements to it, but she in turn doesn’t want to co-opt Japanese art. The article closes with Brown curious to look into China and Korea’s interest in hip-hop. Synergy is good, even if co-option may be negative.
Buddhist sculpture really does reflect Buddhist evolution, as Buddhism navigated from West to East, incorporating elements of India, China, Korea, and Japan. The Washington Post has a most enlightening article on a current Wasington, D.C., exhibit of Buddhist sculpture.
35th anniversary of “Sesame Street” – and somehow the Washington Post has this strange interview with Grover (who confesses that Julianne Moore broke his heart onetime – huh? The little blue guy gets around).
Have a good week.