Elgin Park – Remarkable American Town Frozen in Time

Imagine a town as time capsule, where nothing has changed since the 1960s. Certainly, there are examples the world over but for the most part these towns have been abandoned, left to their own devices due to the ravages of war, nuclear pollution or simply changing demographics.  However, there is one town in America that still looks just as it would have in the decade that gave birth to rock and roll.  Welcome to Elgin Park.

The minutia of everyday American life is there to be seen. The Top Toys store is there on the corner, pristine and just how it was all those decades ago.

African American Female Firsts: For International Women's Day

To mark International Women’s Day here are ten African-American women who changed (and continue to do so) lives and perceptions through their deeds, challenging attitudes not only because of their gender but their color too.  The above video gives a very short insight in to their lives but you can read more about them on Kuriositas here.

Sunday Short Movie: A Long Walk

You will probably not see a short film as moving or gripping as this for quite a while. This story is based on true events and focuses on an American neighborhood in the 1970s. It was written, produced and directed by the über talented Chinonye Chukwu.

A father humiliates his son by parading him through the streets in women's clothing in front of all the other kids on a summer day. The impact of that decision ripples through his family and best friend's lives for years to come.  The Long Walk is earnest and very clever film-making at its best with some standout performances, wonderfully evocative period detail and - just so you can't say you weren't warned - heartrendingly sad.

10 African American Female Firsts

Most of the women on this list lived during times when they were not expected to excel but to know their place in society. These African-American women became the first to accomplish a variety of things. Some of these achievements we may take for granted these days but others are still astonishing.

To mark International Women’s Day here are ten African-American women who changed (and continue to do so) lives and perceptions through their deeds, challenging attitudes not only because of their gender but their color too.

Phillis Wheatley: First to Publish a Book

Phillis Wheatley took her first name from the ship that carried her from Africa in bondage at the age of seven.  She was ‘lucky’ enough to be sold to the Wheatleys of Boston who seemed to have been liberal slave owners, if that is not too much of an oxymoron.  They encouraged her, after teaching her literacy skills, to write poetry.  This she took to with fervor and became the first African-American woman to have a book published in 1773.

She underwent a trial to prove that she had in fact written her poems as many refused to believe, because of her race and gender, that she was capable of such work.  Although feted by the rich and famous of the day, Wheatley failed to find a publisher for a second volume and tragically died in childbirth at the age of thirty one.

Eyes on the Stars

Eyes on the Stars may well bring a tear or two to your own.  It tells the story of the day the nine year old Ronald E. McNair was drawn to his local library. Yet his attempts to borrow some books led with disapproval and denial – the library was 'not for coloreds'.

Nevertheless this young boy persevered and was destined to become only the second African-American in space.  McNair was selected as one of thirty-five applicants from a pool of ten thousand for the NASA astronaut program.

On January 28, 1986, the day which was to be McNair’s second journey on the shuttle, the NASA Challenger mission STS-51-L ended in tragedy when it exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. McNair was killed along with the six other astronauts on board.

This story is told by his brother, Carl.  It was created by Story Corps, a truly amazing organisation which provides Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives.

Eyes on the Stars is a wonderful tribute to McNair (left) and, indeed, all those others like him who strive to better themselves and those around them through education and then go on to break new ground.

TrustoCorp – Satirical Upstart Art

Image Credit Flickr User dumbonyc

TrustoCorp. It sounds as if it might be a global organisation bent on domination from a film such as RoboCop or Blade Runner and perhaps they may just as well be. Although the truth is somewhat different very little is known about this mysterious artist (or perhaps collective). One thing is known – TrustoCorp’s work is becoming more and more recognized and popular.

Image Credit Flick User Laughing Squid

Image Credit Flickr User Laughing Squid

There are some for sure who know who TrustoCorp is (or are) they are keeping their lips tight shut. Nothing is quite as enigmatic as an unknown but hugely talented artist(s) but it does have to be said that their number is growing in to a potentially tediously large number.

Image Credit Flickr User Andy Sternberg

Image Credit Flickr User Brandon Shigeta

That aside, there is some information we can impart about the mysterious TrustoCorp. He, she or they are based in New York City and this is where there humorous street signs and product labels first began to appear. They seem to like travel, but not necessarily out of the comfort zone of the US. TrustoCorp work can be found in San Francisco, Miami and San Diego. Nowhere else.

Image Credit Flickr User Keoki Seu

Image Credit Flickr User Brandon Shigeta

Quite what they want is also something of a mystery – however it is perfectly likely that they may not want anything more than to brighten up people’s day albeit in a somewhat mischievous manner. They communicate only via email – one to the American ABC News network stated that they were "dedicated to highlighting the hypocrisy and hilarity of human behavior through sarcasm and satire." We thought they might.

Image Credit Flickr User Brandon Shigeta

Image Credit Flickr User 4rilla

Although the satire is there – and it is sharp – it is directed at humanity in general and not at specific individuals, although you might occasionally recognize yourself as a target in their work. For example, they have placed ‘Fat Zone’ notices up outside of fast food restaurants, with the additional information that dieting is un-American (and therefore should be banned).

Image Credit Flickr User dumbonyc

Image Credit Flickr User dumbonyc

Yet, the fact that TrustoCorp’s arrow is aimed at the broadest of targets – all of us – it still hits its target with surpreme accuracy.

Image Credit Flickr User Brandon Shigeta

Image Credit Flickr User Andy Sternberg

It seems that whenever the fire department in New York spots one of TrustoCorp’s statements they are contractually obliged to take down the offending piece of art. One can only hope that these brave city employees stash the works at home rather than surrendering them for destruction – these pieces may well be worth a small fortune in the future.

Image Credit Flickr User dumbonyc

Image Credit Flickr User Vandalog

Cheeky, irreverent and – quite frankly – upstart, TrustoCorp also place their rebranded goods in to stores under the noses of their unsuspecting proprietors. If you live in the American cities named above, particularly New York, you should really keep an eye out. You might be shopping for artichokes and end up with art instead.

Image Credit Flickr User WallyG

Image Credit Flickr User Brandon Shigeta

Suspended Animation

This is an incredibly and powerfully moving social documentary come drama. A young woman sits down and writes a desperate letter to a friend. What follows is a remarkable talking head style spoken essay on the nature and power of racism, both institutionalized by the media and channeled through the individual in its thrall.

Beautifully composed, produced, directed, and edited by Ada Elechi and shot by Megan Blackburn, this short film has the power to move simply by its grace, eloquence and understated production. There is no anger in this, or indeed judgment but it speaks volumes about the pressures under which minorities live. I was utterly taken aback by the power of this film and the beautiful way in which it was written and presented.

Alechi was born in Nigeria and lived there and in the Netherlands until she studied in the US, at Belmont University in Nashville where she graduated with a BA in Journalism. Since then she has worked for Guernica Magazine and as a publicist for the NY Writers Coalition. With a passion for documenting African stories and histories that would otherwise go unnoticed, Elechi is someone to watch out for if Suspended Animation is anything to go by.

Timescapes: Rapture

Tom Lowe is one talented guy.  The Astronomy Photographer of the Year has been shooting his debut film ocer the summer which is to be calles Timescapes. The video above contains some moments from the film and it looks absolutely astounding. 

Envisaged as a modern portrait of the American Southwest it was shot using Canon and Red MX cameras.  If the above is anything to go by we are in for an amazing treat when the film is released.

The skill and patience it must have taken to create these shots (particularly the time lapse) is immense.  Lowe has a unique vision and very much the artist's eye.  He takes the every day - and potentially mundane -and injects magic in to it.  He has the ability to re-awaken and re-ignite our love affair for this world and a mans imagination to actually capture it.

Epic. Breathtaking. Awe inspiring. Astonishing. Incredible. Beautiful. 

The LightLine of Gotham

Light Lining was recently introduced to the US in an extraordinary fashion. This projection technique maps 3D content. This was part of the 2010 Vimeo Festival and award. The IAC building, designed by Frank Gehry and completed three years ago in 2007 was the ultimate canvas for this amazing exhibition of sight and sound.

You may well have seen and heard of architectural mapping before. Yet, as you will see, this takes it to a whole new level - the combination of sight and sound is simply amazing.

The Chelsea neighborhood of New York had never seen anything quite like this. To view this at its best you mau well want to turn on the full screen option. Go get yourself a drink, sit back and take in this audio visual treat.

The Great Black Hope - The Story of Jack Johnson

The world was a significantly different place for a lot of people only a hundred years ago.  Jack Johnson, the first African-American World Heavyweight Boxing champion was the son of emancipated slaves but still had the forces of racism piled against him.  He was denied the right to compete for the world title for years, allowed only to gain the Colored title instead.

His story, however, is one of vistory against the odds.  He did go on to win the main title and the way in which he gained that fight is surprisingly contemporary.

Yet his later defense of the title would later provoke race riots in over fifty American cities - and all on the fourth of July 1910.

There is an extensive history of the man and his career over at the World in Sport.  An extremely interesting read, it serves as a reminder of an amazing boxing personality and, perhaps, that we should not accept our civil liberties quite as lazily as we do.  After all, this was not so long ago after all.