Unlike Facebook, Instagram Provides Major Platform For Frank Talk About Public Breastfeeding

Unlike Facebook, Instagram Provides Major Platform For Frank Talk About Public Breastfeeding

Multiple celebrities like new mom Candice Swanepoel are using Instagram to launch a major discussion around the public shaming of discreet breastfeeding moms in America. And a new image from app from Pics Art comes to the rescue, taking the 'brelfie' to a new level by creating 'tree of life' pictures of mom and child. 

Second Fez International Artists Gathering Explores Art's Role In Times of Crisis

The 2017 gathering from January 12-14 in Fez, Morocco includes a group exhibition and conference panels exploring more typical topics like 'photography and documentary films' or 'art in education' but also a more timely one like 'art, islam, and extremism'. 

Pascual Jordan, of Werkstatt Galerie in Berlin, and photographer Evi Blink, who participated in last year’s edition as a panelist, after undertaking a photographic research project on Moroccan women, will curate the group exhibition. The duo work closely with Omar Chennafi, founder of the event.

The 14 artists come from Morocco, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the US, each of them dealing with themes of political or personal crisis in their work. The curators explain: "We open this exhibition for an existential discourse about identity, poverty, war, freedom, and art." via ArtNet

Trump Honored In China As Gilded, Giant Rooster Statue; Will A Golden Goose Statue Come To Wall Street?

We don't follow Donald Trump on Twitter, so there's no word on whether or not the president-elect believes that the giant rooster sculpture outside a shopping mall in Taiyuan, China accurately captures all his self-perceived grandeur. The 23-ft statue celebrates the upcoming Year of the Rooster in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Everyday Chinese citizens believe that the Trump rooster helps to lighten up tensions between China and America, as expressed at major rallies by Donald Trump throughout the presidential campaign.

The New York Times writes:

Global Times, a state-run tabloid, said on Tuesday that onlookers in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, had praised the statue as a “perfect blend of Chinese and Western cultures.”

“It’s not bad looking,” Zhang Guoqiang, an employee at the Yihui Japanese Restaurant at the North America N1 Art Shopping Center, where the statue is, said by telephone on Thursday.

The always-entrepreneurial Chinese have inflatable 'Trump chicken' replicas on sale at online shaopping website Taobao. The 32-foot version is advertised for $1,725.

Artist Casey Latiolais, based in Seattle, says the response to his artwork has been outstanding. We share another Trump gem from Casey's Behance page.

British Art Scene Will Highlight Gay History in 2017 | NYC Second Ave Subway Unveils First Permanent, Apolitical LGBTQ Mural

David Hockney, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)(1972). Photo: courtesy David Hockney.

Britain Plans A Year of LGBTQ Art Celebrations

ArtNet: British Institutions Will Highlight Gay History in 2017 Read on.

British institutions including  British Museum, the Red House, the Walker in Liverpool, the Russell-Cotes museum and gallery, and more are marking the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, which decriminalized gay relationships between men over 21.

The 1967 act amended the law of England and Wales regarding homosexual activity, with Scotland following suit in 1980, and Northern Ireland in 1982.

One of the largest exhibitions will be the Tate Britain's April 2017 'Queer British Art 1861-1967', featuring a full-length portrait of British icon Oscar Wilde, who was imprisoned for his sexuality.

NYC's First Gay Mural

Artist Vik Muniz told the AP that he chose to include New York married couple Thor Stockman and Patrick Kellogg in his new Second Ave Subway mural project because 'Perfect Strangers' represents "just the people you would expect to see" riding the city's subway.

The new Second Ave subway opens on New Year's Day.

Fredrik Lerneryd Captures Beauty & Ballet Magic Of Mike Wamaya's Kibera Dance School

Fredrik Lerneryd Captures Beauty & Ballet Magic Of Mike Wamaya's Kibera Dance School

"The sun rose in Kibera this morning, and it rose in my world, too, with my rapture over these Fredrik Lerneryd images of ballet dancers in the Kibera neighborhood of Nairobi. They are my best Christmas gift.

Anne of Carversville has a long psychological, emotional and now functional relationship with Kibera. Initially, my lovefest with the largest slum in Africa was triggered by JR's famous 'Women Are Heroes' project, with Kibera being one of the four slums featured in his everyday examination of the beauty and heroic female efforts worldwide. Over time I pieced together collection of intimate and deeply personal connections to Kibera through my muse Dan Eldon.  The functional dimension of AOC's connection to Kibera is GLAMTRIBALE's support of The Kibera School for Girls, with 5% of revenues. Another 5% is earmarked for elephant conservation.

The dancers photographed by Fredrik Lerneryd learn dance through a program run by UK-based charity Anno's Africa, which provides alternative arts education to over 800 children in Kenya. "

Tributes Continue For The Remarkable Editrix Franca Sozzani | Steven Meisel's 2005 'Hollywood Life'

The tributes to Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief Franca Sozzani, who died of lung cancer last Thursday. continue to resonate. W's Stefano Tonchi shares his thoughts on the truly remarkable Sozzani.

Franca was assertive, with a directness that was born of the strength of her convictions. She was loud and clear when she talked; you didn’t second-guess her. She did not tolerate bullshit, but she loved to listen to ideas. She was also very good at managing talented photographers and stylists—which is both an incredible honor and incredibly frustrating—to allow them to do their best work. Italian Vogue had a tradition of working with important photographers like Helmut Newton, but there was always this sense of control. When she got there, she let the photographers take over.

The many admirers of France Sozzani have references her most notorious editorials and issues devoted to a single message. I wrote at length about America's PC fashionistas and self-appointed culture critics who were besides themselves with ire over Meisel's 'Water & Oil' editorial that put fashion within the values context of the BP oil spill. Simply stated, the Americanas couldn't get beyond step one of taking the editorial literally. I imagine France Sozzani took a deep sigh over that fiasco, when the editorial so concretely and without ambiguity was focused on environmentalism and a commentary on the irrelevance of fashion in a world where nature is suffocating in tar sands. .

Related: Remembering Franca Sozzani: A Worldview That Mattered by Vanessa Friedman of New York Times

Another major fashion adventure between Franca Sozzani and Steven Meisel was Linda Evangelista's 'Hollywood Life', published in 2005 as a social commentary on the need to be a woman with a young face in Hollywood. As always Sozzani was daring in her willingness to pursue ugliness (the procedures) in an American-values world that celebrates California girl youth and perfection. Sozzani was far more captivated by personality and presence, than beauty.

Linda Evangelista By Steven Meisel In 'Hollywood Life' For Vogue Italia July 2005 AOC Body Beat

George Michaels' 'Freedom': Christy, Cindy, Linda, Naomi and Tatjana Reflect On Making The Video

Christy, Linda, Naomi, Cindy & Tatjana by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue Australia As 'Supernova'

Last year celebrated the 25th anniversary of George Michael's 1990 music video 'Freedom!', an anthem for women, LGBTQ people, women and men of color, and hundreds of kindred spirits everywhere who were trying to establish their own identities against the patriarchal, monotheistic, global norms confining us in their medicine-bottle vision of appropriate behaviors and self-identiites. 

George Michaels threw a sledge hammer into that power structure metaphorically -- if not actually -- with his 'Freedom' video and lyrics. As The Republican War on Women and many more -- based on its Godly, male-centric vision for America -- rolls into Washington, led by their new God Donald Trump --  we revisit 'Freedom' a day after progressive spirits are crushed by the death of George Michaels at 53.  In a year when we've lost some of our best -- Bowie, and Prince come to mind, and now Michaels, our loss isn't only about talent but rather critical messaging and philosophy. 

Last year, Harper's Bazaar asked the fabulous 5 -- Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz -- who made the 'Freedom' video to reflect back on that day. 

Naomi Campbell

"I came to the set on the first day they were shooting. On my god, it was crazy! It was during the fashion collections, so I came straight from Paris, and I'd done 4 or 5 shows the day before and we finished at 2 o'clock in the morning. They didn't have the Eurostar then, so I took the 6 o'clock train to London and then went to the airport. I didn't sleep -- I went from the plane to the shower to the set. I was up all night working to work all night again! But it was great. I love George Michael, and I love all the girls who were in it, and the director, David Fincher, is a great filmmaker."

Tatjana Patitz

"All the models and I knew George Michael -- I think I had done a photo shoot with him at some point before. His manager contacted my agent to see if I could do the video. George wasn't in it -- he wasn't even on the set when I was there. David Fincher directed it, which was so exciting even then because he had already done one of Madonna's. 

Linda Evangelista

"25 years later, this video -- and not my magazine covers -- is what people mention the most when they approach me on the street. It's pretty incredible."

Christy Turlington

"It was a whirlwind. I flew in from LA and drove straight to the set, so I was pretty delirious. Each of us filmed for a day on our own, except Linda and I overlapped on the last day because we had a scene together. They were long days. I don't recall any specific direction from David Fincher. He was focused on the lighting I recall. George was there the whole time."

Cindy Crawford

"I remember them sending me a Walkman so I could learn the words before I got to set. The studio was huge and dark and smoky. Someone explained to me that my first shot would be in a bathtub. They oiled me up and put me in an empty tub with a smoke machine to look like steam. I had to sit on an apple crate because you couldn't see me over the edge of the tub. My second shot was sitting on a chair with a towel on my head, and I kept thinking my part wasn't going to be that sexy. I watched the video recently, as I wanted to write about the whole supermodel phenomenon in my new book, 'Becoming', and my kids were like, "Hey, we know that song!" I think it stands the test of time and still looks amazing today. I like how David Fincher saw something different in each of us and tried to bring that out in the video."

As Trump Readies Planned Parenthood Rodeo, Half of Trump Voters Support Funding & Expect Him To Stand Down

As Trump Readies Planned Parenthood Rodeo, Half of Trump Voters Support Funding & Expect Him To Stand Down

Planned Parenthood is sending a message to Donald Trump and the Republicans: They will defund us "At Their Peril". 

In a shocking-to-many new study by Harvard's School for Public Health, almost half of Trump supporters are against cutting all federal funds to Planned Parenthood. Add Clinton voters with 70% wanting continued federal funding for PP and it's clear that making defunding Planned Parenthood a top priority could be perilous for Republicans. 

The primarily women's health-care provider followed up on the study results with focus groups this month with Trump voters in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, writes Vogue. Many men had a lot to say. Dawn Laguens, executive vice president and chief brand officer of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund (PPAF) explained the essential nature of Planned Parenthood clinics in rural, medically underserved regions, including those in key Trump-supporting states. 

Tony Gum Creates 'Mercurial Aesthetic' Free of Racial, Cultural Or Sexual Oppression

Tony Gum Creates 'Mercurial Aesthetic' Free of Racial, Cultural Or Sexual Oppression

Women artists were more obvious in this year's Art Basel in Miami, and especially at PULSE Miami Beach.

At Christopher Moller Gallery, young Capetown artist Tony Gum, born Zipho Gum, was such a smash in New York March 2016 and then Art Basel Miami December 2016, that she was just named in ArtNet's 14 Emerging Women Artists to Watch in 2017.

Vogue called Tony Gum "the coolest girl in Cape Town", based on her tightly curated Instagram feed. Her Instagram becomes a gallery to communicate with corporate brands like Coca-Cola and Adidas about issues of race, women, pop culture and art through the lens of her own penetrating, clear-eyed, articulate and sophisticated vision.

Revisiting 'Water & Oil': One of Franca Sozzani & Steven Meisel's Most Provocative Collaborations

Revisiting 'Water & Oil': One of Franca Sozzani & Steven Meisel's Most Provocative Collaborations

The fashion world is grieving the death of Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia. Sozzani created the most activist and in-your-face political statements in Vogue Italia.  Not all fashionistas appreciated her activist voice. Sozzani's infamous Italian Vogue editorial 'Water & Oil', September 2010 photographed by Steven Meisel is among her most controversial. Sozzani was making a political statement about the BP oil spill.

In honor of Franca Sozzani, we republish that editorial featuring Kristen McMenamy in much-expanded image sizes but with the original commentary. In moving AOC from Squarespace V5 to V7 a year ago, none of the comments transferred with the original articles. But I recall that the arguments were fierce! ~ Anne

{Written Aug. 7, 2010}: "Italian Vogue’s Kristen McMenamy oil-spill environmental disaster photos have created a firestorm of controversy about the motives of the magazine and whether or not the fashion shoot is in ‘poor taste’.

I’ve read endless comments from presumably American readers, and they are generally negative about the Italian Vogue Sept 2010 BP oil spill photos.

Comments are that the photos are tasteless, trivialize the events in the gulf to the point of mockery and represent a big-businesses attempt to exploit the tragedy. In the case of Italian Vogue and Kristen McMenamy, the big-business bad guy is Conde Nast, not BP.

From my perspective, I fail to see how these photos glamorize the BP Gulf oil disaster. They are disturbing, provocative and dreadfully ugly." Read on. 

'Influencer' Amy Sall Sees No Place For Silent Mouths On Politics & The American Experience

Unlike many fashion 'infuencers', Amy Sall who has appeared in fashion campaigns for J Crew and Kenzo x H&M, uses her social media cache to promote social justice issues like advocating for African youth and the African diaspora. Sall is also the editor and founder of a journal of African Affairs, SUNU.

"I just think that we are in a time where you cannot be idle," Sall tells Christene Barberich, global editor-in-chief and cofounder of Refinery 29, in the latest episode of UnStyled. "You can't be a bystander. You can't be passive. What I noticed on certain social media accounts is that people tried to address some of the issues that we've been facing, but in a way that was almost performative. That, to me, is almost worse than just not saying anything at all. And you continue to post your vacation... People are being shot and killed in the streets. And to respond in a way that just seems like, I don't know, packaged, it doesn't feel right. It doesn't sit well with me."

Sall's Instagram feed is divine. Rich in beauty and intelligent thinking. One of the best I've seen. ~ Anne