PORTFOLIO
“'Writing is such a strong impulse. I always take a notebook and pen with me. I often find myself at an opera, writing in the dark. It’s hard to unravel what I’ve written because I’ve written word over word. Inspiration can come from anywhere.'
Patti Smith knows a thing or two about inspiration. The punk-rock queen, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, writer, and artist will return to the Miami Book Fair this year with her latest book, Devotion. Smith is an unmatched figure in American culture, remaining relevant across decades of boundary-pushing artistic pursuits seemingly through sheer, well, devotion to the creative process. But with her new book, the inimitable artist has invited the rest of the world to imitate her, or at least her writing methods."
"If you're a diehard Olympics fan, you know Aly Raisman was the captain of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. women's gymnastics teams. But even if you're not into the sport, there's a good chance Raisman has been on your radar lately. She has become a leading activist for the #MeToo movement and a champion for mental health since coming forward this past November as a victim of abuse by Olympic team physician Larry Nassar."
"It’s a friendly, diverse group of hopefuls, all between the ages of 16 and 28, the enforced age restriction for this reboot of American Idol on ABC after Fox cancelled the show in 2016. A young Brazilian mom with two kids practices her song choice of Amy Winehouse. She recently injured her back while doing CrossFit, she says, but she’s braving the pain for the chance to sing. 'I took a bunch of pills this morning,' she laughs. She admits she considered bringing a little bottle of tequila for liquid courage. A cameraman wielding a canteen comes over to us and asks if we’ll douse ourselves in water for the camera. It seems too close to a wet T-shirt contest, so it’s a no for me — but I was tempted because of the intense heat."
"A woman throws her head back and squeezes a honey-bear bottle until a dollop drops into her mouth. I ask what she’s doing. 'To coat your throat,' say several people in the audition line. I plead ignorance. 'It’s my first time auditioning for a musical,' I say shyly...My truths: I don’t have a background in musical theater. I have never auditioned for a hit Broadway musical, or any musical for that matter. And I have a case of acute stage fright. But I’m not throwing away my shot, I repeat to myself, not only because I need to maintain morale, but also because it’s my audition song."
"On January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the world will solemnly commemorate the millions of Jewish, disabled, gay, and minority people murdered by the Nazi regime during World War II...To honor this year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, actor and activist Ed Asner, a seven-time Emmy Award winner celebrated for his role as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the '70s and as the voice of Carl Frederickson in the 2009 Pixar film Up, will perform in a staged reading of The Soap Myth at the Adrienne Arsht center. "
"The stars of one of the best-reviewed shows on TV landed in Miami for the American Black Film Festival this past weekend. Insecure, created by Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl’s star Issa Rae and former 'senior black correspondent' on The Daily Show Larry Wilmore, was an instant hit when it debuted in 2016. With plots full of relationship troubles, hilarious misunderstandings, and everyday snafus, the series shows the sometimes subtle, always pervasive ways that race affects American society.
At the American Black Film Festival, New Times sat down with Insecure actors Yvonne Orji and Jay Ellis, who play characters Molly Carter and Lawrence, to talk about microaggressions, race in the workplace, and black identity."
"Sunshine & Glitter exploded onto the sunscreen scene in early April, when it was featured on the website Refinery29 and in the magazines Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Allure within a span of two days. Beauty editors were especially interested in the Magic City bling the company puts in its product — yes, this is glitter sunscreen."
“'Do you know kimchi? Do you know bulgogi? Do you know Gangnam Style? Do you know Psy?'
The Korean pop star Psy himself raps those lyrics in a distorted deep voice on the song 'Fact Assault,' a collaboration with G-Dragon. Psy, of course, became a viral phenomenon in 2012 with a music video of his song 'Gangnam Style,' which has since reached nearly 3 billion views. Reducing the Korean experience to four questions, Psy presents a litmus test of one’s familiarity with Korean culture. But in Miami, even this basic understanding seems to be in short supply. And with the population of Korean Miamians at 0.1 percent, there’s a lot of pressure on the few Koreans here to represent."
"#4. Star power. See amazing Asian actors such as Constance Wu, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong crush it in lead roles that shatter Asian stereotypes. They’ll play complex characters other than the token Asian mathlete, computer programmer, prostitute, vapid love interest, foreigner, or best friend who serves only to support a usually white lead. You’ll get the opportunity to see Asian actors not subject to tokenism, parody, or bland character acting.
#5. Be an ally. Support your Asian friends and colleagues. No, buying a movie ticket won't end racism. But watching Crazy Rich Asians and talking about it with us means you care about seeing Asian faces and hearing Asian voices in popular media. And that matters.”
"Wayne's World is being re-released after 25 years for a two-day run February 7 and 8 in select theaters across the nation...
After decades of an active acting and music career, Carrere is planning her next move. 'I’m a mother of an 11-year-old, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a member of the PTA. My focus right now is to have some time and space, but I’m figuring out what I want to do next: continue to make music, film and television, or do a one-woman show and sing some of my music.'
What does Carrere miss most about the '90s? 'Doc Marten boots. I need to go out and get a pair,' she laughs."
"The Sh*t Miami Girls Say characters you know and love are back in a bold departure from their video parodies. Now they're conquering a new medium with El Podcast. Two of the three founders — Michelle Sicars and Aimee Carrero — recently chatted with New Times about their first two episodes, Miami stereotypes, and the healing effects of comedy."
A SHOW OF ART: NICK KORNILOFF EXPLAINS HOW ART MIAMI HAS THRIVED OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
INDULGE (MIAMI HERALD)
"When Nick Korniloff was a fresh graduate of Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the early ’90s, his new boss gave him a specific assignment as a fledgling event manager: 'Overwatch Art Miami.'
'I walked along the terrazzo floors in this building with amazing history,” Korniloff said about his start as an event manager. “I had never seen an art fair in my life. The carpeting was plush and white. There was amazing lighting and beautiful art popping out at me — colorful Picassos, Chagalls and Boteros. It was my first experience of luxury and lifestyle.'"
"If you follow the Miami art scene – or even if you’ve just spent enough time rolling through the city’s streets – then you probably know street artist Ahol Sniffs Glue. His eyeball graffiti murals adorn walls all over Wynwood, South Beach, and downtown Miami. He is well-established in the global fine art landscape: he has been a regular at Art Basel for years and is represented by galleries in South Florida and New York. What sets apart Ahol Sniffs Glue, whose given name is David Anasagasti, besides his punk rock attitude and die-hard love for Miami, is his dual commitment to createboth high-end art and accessible objects for the everyday consumer."
"Neon-feathered polar bears striking a pose. Goldfish ready to take flight from their bowls. Large taxidermic creatures emerging from a pool of coffee beans. Welcome to the world of Paola Pivi, opening her solo show 'Art With a View' at the Bass."
"Though Kentridge’s installation is specific to issues in his home country and larger global conflicts, curator Rina Carvajal believes the lessons are relevant and applicable to cultural tensions in Miami. 'I think his work fits for Miami because of its humanness and how he sees connection between people without any frontiers and any barriers,' she says. 'The history of segregation in South Africa and the divisions in his country are major themes of his work... Miami is a port, [and] within Miami, there are all these different frontiers, and the neighborhoods are very separate from each other.'"
"Dancing for nearly two decades, Patuelli, whose dance nickname is 'LazyLegz,' has developed an idiosyncratic breaking style that incorporates his crutches. Born with the neuromuscular disorder arthrogryposis, Patuelli discovered breakdancing at 15. He loved it so much that he even continued after a serious injury. He says, 'I broke my leg in my first dance competition. I was in a full-body cast after surgery. After I got the cast off, I started dancing again.'"
"Respect. Equality. Inclusion. These are tenets that should be upheld in all facets of life. Karen Peterson, founder and artistic director of Karen Peterson and Dancers, is working for dancers with disabilities to be respected and included in the contemporary dance world. September 26 through 29, the inaugural Forward Motion International Festival and Conference of Physically Integrated Dance, which Peterson founded and organized with Susan Caraballo and Robert Rosenberg, will explore the inclusive dance form and challenge popular conceptions of disability, beauty, and artistry."
OUTSIDE LINKS
A full list of Miami New Times articles can be found here
A full list of The Independent Film Magazine articles can be found here
Books:
Constructing a Cinematic World
The Independent's Guide to Film Distribution, Second Edition