If you’ve takÂen a good art hisÂtoÂry course on the ImpresÂsionÂists and Post-ImpresÂsionÂists, you’ve inevitably encounÂtered VinÂcent van Gogh’s 1889 masÂterÂpiece “StarÂry Night,” which now hangs in the MoMA in New York City. The paintÂing, the museÂum writes on its web site, “is a symÂbolÂic landÂscape full of moveÂment, enerÂgy, and light. The quietÂness of the vilÂlage conÂtrasts with the swirling enerÂgy of the sky.… Van Gogh’s impasÂto techÂnique, or thickÂly applied colÂors, creÂates a rhythÂmic effect—the picÂture seems to conÂstantÂly move in its frame.” ArtisÂtiÂcalÂly, van Gogh manÂaged to capÂture moveÂment in a way that no artist had ever quite done it before. SciÂenÂtifÂiÂcalÂly, it turns out, he was on to someÂthing too. Just watch the new TED-ED lesÂson above, The UnexÂpectÂed Math Behind Van Gogh’s “StarÂry Night.”
CreÂatÂed by math artist/teacher Natalya St. Clair and aniÂmaÂtor Avi Ofer, the video explores how “Van Gogh capÂtured [the] deep mysÂtery of moveÂment, fluÂid and light in his work,” and parÂticÂuÂlarÂly manÂaged to depict the eluÂsive pheÂnomÂeÂnon known as turÂbuÂlence. In StarÂry Night, the video observes, van Gogh depictÂed turÂbuÂlence with a degree of sophisÂtiÂcaÂtion and accuÂraÂcy that rivals the way physiÂcists and mathÂeÂmatiÂcians have best explained turÂbuÂlence in their own sciÂenÂtifÂic papers. And, it all hapÂpened, perÂhaps by coinÂciÂdence (?), durÂing the turÂbuÂlent last years of van Gogh’s life.
As a couÂple of genÂerÂaÂtions of film stuÂdents have shown us, you shouldÂn’t try to imiÂtate David Lynch. You should, howÂevÂer, learn from David Lynch. At his best, the direcÂtor of EraserÂhead, Blue VelÂvet, and MulÂholÂland DriÂve has manÂaged, in the words of David FosÂter WalÂlace, to “sinÂgle-handÂedÂly broÂker a new marÂriage between art and comÂmerce in U.S. movies, openÂing forÂmuÂla-frozen HolÂlyÂwood to some of the eccenÂtricÂiÂty and vigÂor of art film.” How has Lynch brought his endurÂingÂly strange and richÂly evocaÂtive visions to the screen, and to a surÂprisÂing extent into the mainÂstream, withÂout much apparÂent comÂproÂmise?
You can get an idea of his method in Room to Dream: David Lynch and the IndeÂpenÂdent FilmÂmakÂer, the twenÂty-minute docÂuÂmenÂtary above. Since Lynch hasÂn’t released a feaÂture film since 2006’s Inland Empire — an espeÂcialÂly uncomÂproÂmisÂing work, admitÂtedÂly — some fans have wonÂdered whether he’s put the movies, per se, behind him.
But Room to Dream shows the direcÂtor in recent years, very much engaged in both the theÂoÂry and process of filmÂmakÂing — or rather, his disÂtincÂtive interÂpreÂtaÂtions of the theÂoÂry and process of filmÂmakÂing.
This touchÂes on his childÂhood obsesÂsion with drawÂing weapons, his disÂcovÂery of “movÂing paintÂings,” his endorseÂment of learnÂing by doing, how he uses digÂiÂtal video, his enjoyÂment of 40-minute takes, why peoÂple fear the “very dark,” conÂveyÂing meanÂing withÂout explainÂing meanÂing (espeÂcialÂly to actors), the process of “rehearsÂing-and-talkÂing, rehearsÂing-and-talkÂing,” how Avid (the shortÂ’s sponÂsor, as it would hapÂpen) facilÂiÂtates the “heavy liftÂing” of editÂing his footage, how he finessÂes “hapÂpy acciÂdents,” how he comÂposÂes difÂferÂentÂly for difÂferÂent screens, and the way that “someÂtimes things take strange routes that end up being corÂrect.” Take Lynch’s words to heart, and you, too, can enjoy his expeÂriÂence of craftÂing what he calls “sound and picÂture movÂing along in time” — with or withÂout an Avid of your own.
HenÂdrix was already a highÂly seaÂsoned perÂformer by this time, havÂing blown minds all over the South while tourÂing with, among othÂers, the Isley BrothÂers, LitÂtle Richard, and King CurÂtis in the earÂly sixÂties. He had been highÂly in demand as a backÂing and sesÂsion playÂer, but he grew tired of standÂing in the back and wantÂed to go solo. He met manÂagÂer ChanÂdler, then bassist for the AniÂmals, while fronting his own band in New York. ChanÂdler, writes PRI, “knew just what to do with the young guiÂtarist” upon their arrival in EngÂland.
Six days after the short tour through France, the band played its first offiÂcial show in the UK, at the Scotch of St. James, where the BeaÂtÂles had a priÂvate booth. HenÂdrix proÂceedÂed to blow minds all over EngÂland, includÂing, of course, those of all the British guiÂtar greats: “Everyone’s eyes were glued to him,” rememÂbers then girlÂfriend Kathy EtchÂingÂham, “He looked difÂferÂent. His guiÂtar playÂing was superb. PeoÂple in EngÂland hadn’t seen anyÂthing like it before. It was quite… out of this world.”
PeoÂple in the U.S. hadn’t seen anyÂthing like it either. While HenÂdrix had honed many of his sigÂnaÂture stage tricks on the soul cirÂcuit, by the time he appeared at the MonÂterey Pop FesÂtiÂval in 1967, he had fulÂly come into his own as a charisÂmatÂic singer as well as a “near miracÂuÂlous” guiÂtarist. But in his move from R&B to rock and roll, he nevÂer lost his blues roots. “HenÂdrix wasn’t a typÂiÂcal pop or rock musiÂcian,” says HenÂdrix scholÂar and EngÂlish proÂfesÂsor Joel BratÂtin. He “was an improÂvisÂer. So, if there are 100 difÂferÂent recordÂed verÂsions of PurÂple Haze, it’s realÂly worth lisÂtenÂing to all 100 because he does someÂthing difÂferÂent each time.” The same can be said of the songs he covÂered, and made his own. Just above, see them play “Hey Joe” at The MarÂquee for GerÂman TV show Beat Club just months before the release of their 1967 debut album. And below, HenÂdrix exhorts the crowd to sing along before launchÂing into “Wild Thing,” in a Paris appearÂance one full year after the recordÂing above at the Olympia. ComÂpare, conÂtrast, get your mind blown.
In 590 AD, Pope GreÂgoÂry I unveiled a list of the SevÂen DeadÂly Sins – lust, glutÂtony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride – as a way to keep the flock from strayÂing into the thorny fields of ungodÂliÂness. These days though, for all but the most devout, Pope Gregory’s list seems less like a means to moral behavÂior than a descripÂtion of cable TV proÂgramÂming.
So instead, let’s look to one of the saints of the 20th CenÂtuÂry — MahatÂma GandÂhi. On OctoÂber 22, 1925, GandÂhi pubÂlished a list he called the SevÂen Social Sins in his weekÂly newsÂpaÂper Young India.
PolÂiÂtics withÂout prinÂciÂples.
Wealth withÂout work.
PleaÂsure withÂout conÂscience.
KnowlÂedge withÂout charÂacÂter.
ComÂmerce withÂout moralÂiÂty.
SciÂence withÂout humanÂiÂty.
WorÂship withÂout sacÂriÂfice.
The list sprung from a corÂreÂsponÂdence that GandÂhi had with someÂone only idenÂtiÂfied as a “fair friend.” He pubÂlished the list withÂout comÂmenÂtary save for the folÂlowÂing line: “NatÂuÂralÂly, the friend does not want the readÂers to know these things mereÂly through the intelÂlect but to know them through the heart so as to avoid them.”
Unlike the Catholic Church’s list, Gandhi’s list is expressÂly focused on the conÂduct of the indiÂvidÂual in sociÂety. GandÂhi preached non-vioÂlence and interÂdeÂpenÂdence and every sinÂgle one of these sins are examÂples of selfÂishÂness winÂning out over the comÂmon good.
It’s also a list that, if fulÂly absorbed, will make the folks over at the US ChamÂber of ComÂmerce and Ayn Rand InstiÂtute itch. After all, “Wealth withÂout work,” is a pretÂty accuÂrate descripÂtion of America’s 1%. (InvestÂments ain’t work. Ask Thomas PiketÂty.) “ComÂmerce withÂout moralÂiÂty” sounds a lot like every sinÂgle oil comÂpaÂny out there and “knowlÂedge withÂout charÂacÂter” describes half the hacks on cable news. “PolÂiÂtics withÂout prinÂciÂples” describes the othÂer half.
In 1947, GandÂhi gave his fifth grandÂson, Arun GandÂhi, a slip of paper with this same list on it, sayÂing that it conÂtained “the sevÂen blunÂders that human sociÂety comÂmits, and that cause all the vioÂlence.” The next day, Arun returned to his home in South Africa. Three months latÂer, GandÂhi was shot to death by a HinÂdu extremÂist.
Jonathan Crow is a Los AngeÂles-based writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow him at @jonccrow. And check out his blog VeepÂtoÂpus, feaÂturÂing lots of picÂtures of vice presÂiÂdents with octoÂpusÂes on their heads. The VeepÂtoÂpus store is here.
We are, it appears, in the midst of a “podÂcastÂing renaisÂsance,” as ColÂin MarÂshall has recentÂly pointÂed out. And yet, like him, I too was unaware that “podÂcastÂing had gone into a dark age.” NevÂerÂtheÂless, its curÂrent popularity—in an age of ubiqÂuiÂtous screen techÂnolÂoÂgy and perÂpetÂuÂal visuÂal spectacle—speaks to someÂthing deep withÂin us, I think. Oral stoÂryÂtelling, as old as human speech, will nevÂer go out of style. Only the mediÂum changes, and even then, seemÂingÂly not all that much.
But the difÂferÂences between this goldÂen age of podÂcastÂing and the goldÂen age of radio are still sigÂnifÂiÂcant. Where the podÂcast is often off-the-cuff, and often very intiÂmate and personal—sometimes seen as “too perÂsonÂal,” as ColÂin writes—radio proÂgrams were almost always careÂfulÂly scriptÂed and feaÂtured proÂfesÂsionÂal talÂent. Even those proÂgrams with man-on-the street feaÂtures or interÂviews with ordiÂnary folks were careÂfulÂly orchesÂtratÂed and mediÂatÂed by proÂducÂers, actors, and preÂsenÂters. And the busiÂness of scorÂing music and sound effects for radio proÂgrams was a very seriÂous one indeed. All of these formalities—in addiÂtion to the limÂitÂed freÂquenÂcy range of old anaÂlog recordÂing technology—contribute to what we immeÂdiÂateÂly recÂogÂnize as the sound of “old time radio.” It is a quaint sound, but also one with a cerÂtain gravÂiÂtas, an echo of a bygone age.
HuxÂley returned in proÂgram #12, with a stoÂry called “Jacob’s Hands,” writÂten in colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion with and read by ChristoÂpher IshÂerÂwood. The great Ray BradÂbury made an appearÂance, in proÂgram #4, introÂducÂing his stoÂries “SeaÂson of DisÂbeÂlief” and “Hail and Farewell,” read by John DehnÂer and StaÂcy HarÂris, and scored by future film and TV comÂposÂer JerÂry GoldÂsmith. OthÂer proÂgrams, like #10, “The ExurÂbanÂites,” narÂratÂed by famous war corÂreÂsponÂdent Eric Sevareid, conÂductÂed probÂing invesÂtiÂgaÂtions of modÂern life—in this case the growth of subÂurÂbia and its relaÂtionÂship to the adverÂtisÂing indusÂtry. The above is but a tiny samÂpling of the wealth of qualÂiÂty proÂgramÂming the CBS Radio WorkÂshop proÂduced, and you can hear all of it—all 86 episodes—courtesy of the InterÂnet Archive.
SamÂple streamÂing episodes in the playÂer above, or downÂload indiÂvidÂual proÂgrams as MP3s and enjoy them at your leisure, almost like, well, a podÂcast. See DigÂiÂtal Deli for a comÂplete runÂdown of each program’s conÂtent and cast, as well as an extenÂsive hisÂtoÂry of the series. This is the swan song of goldÂen age radio, which, it seems, maybe nevÂer realÂly left, givÂen the incredÂiÂble numÂber of lisÂtenÂing expeÂriÂences we still have at our disÂposÂal. Yes, someÂday our podÂcasts will sound quaint and curiÂous to the ears of more advanced lisÂtenÂers, but even then, I’d bet, peoÂple will still be telling and recordÂing stoÂries, and the sound of human voicÂes will conÂtinÂue to capÂtiÂvate us as it always has.
For many peoÂple, the arguÂments and analyÂsis of Karl Marx’s three-volÂume Das KapÂiÂtal (or CapÂiÂtal: A CriÂtique of PolitÂiÂcal EconÂoÂmy) are as relÂeÂvant as ever. For many othÂers, the work is a hisÂtorÂiÂcal curiosÂiÂty, datÂed relÂic, or worse. Before formÂing an opinÂion either way, it’s probÂaÂbly best to read the thing—or as much of the huge set of tomes as you can manÂage. (Vol. 1, Vol. 2. and Vol. 3.) Few thinkers have been as freÂquentÂly misÂquotÂed or misÂunÂderÂstood, even, or espeÂcialÂly, by their own adherÂents. And as with any dense philoÂsophÂiÂcal text, when embarkÂing on a study of Marx, it’s best to have a guide. One could hardÂly do betÂter than David HarÂvey, DisÂtinÂguished ProÂfesÂsor of AnthroÂpolÂoÂgy and GeogÂraÂphy at the City UniÂverÂsiÂty of New York’s GradÂuÂate CenÂter.
Harvey’s work as a geoÂgÂraÂphÂer focusÂes on cities, the increasÂingÂly preÂdomÂiÂnant mode of human habiÂtaÂtion, and he is the author of the highÂly popÂuÂlar, two-volÂume ComÂpanÂion to Marx’s CapÂiÂtal. The books grow out of lecÂtures HarÂvey has delivÂered in a popÂuÂlar course at the City UniÂverÂsiÂty. They’re very readÂable (check them out here and here), but you don’t have to read them—or attend CUNY—to hear HarÂvey himÂself delivÂer the goods. We’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured his CapÂiÂtal: VolÂume 1 lecÂtures (at top, preÂcedÂed by an interÂview with a colÂleague). Now HarÂvey has made his lecÂtures on CapÂiÂtal, VolÂume II and some of VolÂume III availÂable. Watch all twelve classÂes above or view them indiÂvidÂuÂalÂly here. As HarÂvey admits in an interÂview before the first lecÂture, the neglectÂed secÂond volÂume of Marx’s masÂterÂwork is “a very difÂfiÂcult volÂume to get through,” due to its style, strucÂture, and subÂject matÂter. With Harvey’s patient, enthuÂsiÂasÂtic guidÂance, it’s worth the trouÂble.
You can view the lecÂtures from HarÂvey’s course on mulÂtiÂple platÂforms. Below we proÂvide an easy-to-access list. You can also see all lecÂtures on David HarÂvey’s webÂsite, where you can also downÂload class notes.
Last year, we feaÂtured “How CookÂing Can Change Your Life,” an aniÂmatÂed short based on the work of In Defense of Food, The OmniÂvore’s DilemÂma, and Food Rules author Michael PolÂlan. If you want more — and the culiÂnarÂiÂly inclined fans of PolÂlan, a self-described “libÂerÂal foodÂie intelÂlecÂtuÂal,” often can’t get enough — have a look at his extendÂed preÂsenÂtaÂtion on the same subÂject above. (If you preÂfer an audio podÂcast, you can get an MP3 with audiÂence Q&A and all here.) The talk came as part of an event held at the RoyÂal SociÂety for the EncourÂageÂment of Arts, ManÂuÂfacÂtures and ComÂmerce (RSA), which conÂfronts the dauntÂing quesÂtion of how peoÂple can “improve their family’s health and well-being, build comÂmuÂniÂties, help fix our broÂken food sysÂtem, and break our growÂing depenÂdence on corÂpoÂraÂtions.” PolÂlan’s recÂomÂmenÂdaÂtion, it may or may not surÂprise you to hear, comes down to one simÂple act: cookÂing.
Of course, anyÂone who decides to jump into cookÂing in the 21st cenÂtuÂry realÂizes how simÂple it isn’t, or at least how comÂpliÂcatÂed we’ve made it. PolÂlan, as luck would have it, realÂizes this, so today we’ve roundÂed up some of his resources that can help you learn to cook betÂter, or indeed cook at all. SurÂprisÂingÂly, the man himÂself has nevÂer writÂten a cookÂbook. “While I enjoy cookÂing, I’ll leave the art of perÂfectÂing and disÂsemÂiÂnatÂing recipes to the pros,” he writes. “That said, I believe that if you can read, you can cook, and I have a few cookÂbooks that I use regÂuÂlarÂly and recÂomÂmend to those of you wantÂiÂng good, healthy and basic recipes” — from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook EveryÂthing and How to Cook EveryÂthing VegÂeÂtarÂiÂan to Chez Panisse chef Alice Waters’ The Art of SimÂple Food, and even (“when I have an ingreÂdiÂent I want to use but don’t know what to do with it”) epicurious.com.
SanÂdor Katz, he of The Art of FerÂmenÂtaÂtion, has videos on just that, startÂing with basic ferÂmenÂtaÂtion and movÂing on to speÂcifÂic dishÂes like sauerÂkraut and kimÂchi.
New York Times MagÂaÂzine recipe tester Jill SanÂtopiÂetro has done her own “series of videos filmed in her tiny New York kitchen.”
PolÂlan’s secÂtion on cookÂing classÂes and othÂer ways to learn to cook, aside from a variÂety of sugÂgesÂtions of regionÂal instiÂtuÂtions, includes these useÂful options:
A “free, beauÂtiÂful book full of recipes that fit a food stamp budÂget” called Good and Cheap.
SkillÂShare, whose “innoÂvÂaÂtive platÂform allows almost anyÂone, anyÂwhere to teach a project-based class either online to a globÂal comÂmuÂniÂty or offline in their local comÂmuÂniÂty. You can search for cookÂing, brewÂing or bread bakÂing classÂes in your region.”
LifeÂHackÂer and its “cookÂing advice, recipes and how to’s.”
And if you missed it, don’t forÂget to take PolÂlan’s own course “EdiÂble EduÂcaÂtion,” free from UC BerkeÂley. I like to think he’d secÂond my own advice on the matÂter: just cook someÂthing that sounds good, anyÂthing that sounds good, right now. Not that I dare inflict the result on friends and famÂiÂly until I’ve learned a litÂtle more — which is when all those links above come in handy.
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