BRAZIL = THE HOME OF JOY.. + PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK.

                                      

SAMBA ! Brazil is a colorful, developing and intriguing country with basically the most ecstatic people on earth. Eventful, adventurous, and intricate, there was definately no "Master plan" involved in putting together this country, it all came together as ART. 
Basically, what inspired this post was finding out about Brazilian roots here in Nigeria, Africa. I found out that some brazilian descent occur here,appearing after they were freed from slavery in Brazil, many decades ago, prevalently in the Yoruba tribe and vice-versa, that is, there are little yoruba-speaking sects in Brazil. 
  The simplicity, enthusiasm, joy, radiating from their spirits, even through pictures, is captivating. Obviously, its not filled with thousands of infrastructural structures and dynamics, but the contentment and light this country radiates is massive. 

                                               

                                         
                                              
                                  
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           


    Meanwhile, while putting together these outstanding pictures, I decided to create a music playlist,kind of, that probably fits the mood, or not, but, this is my music playlist of the week below...

More- 

                                                    PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK....

X..   SOLANGE-  LOSING YOU- This song is an effortless beauty. The video was shot in South Africa by one of my fav directors Melina Matsoukas, on a limited budget, and the result was Epic ! Listen Below...

X..BLOOD ORANGE- CHAMAKAY - Dev Hynes is a musical genius. I love the groove of this song, easy going. Listen Below..

X..BEATLES - LET IT BE-- I had never really gotten into Beatles until now. I struggled to pick this over "Hey Jude".Both are amazing. Listen Below...

  

X..CHRIS BROWN FT NAS- MIRAGE-- Chris Brown does make good music. And Nas is just something else. Smooth RnB feel, with pop influences..JAM !! Listen Below..

X..TEMI DOLLFACE- PATA PATA--Only Nigerian song on my playlist, deservedly so. I haven't heard a better one in months. I love her artistry. Listen Below--

X. MICHAEL BOLTON- WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN--Soul at it's peak, Emotion at it's peak, Michael Bolton !!! Expresses love to its peak ! And that voice carries so much emotion, and strength. Listen Below..

X...MAYER FT KATY PERRY- WHO YOU LOVE- Ultimate Love Song. John Mayer is a country king. Listen Below..

X..COLDLAY- YELLOW--One of the most beautiful songs ever, Yellow makes you want to be at a festival/stadium concert  and just sing your heart out, kinda.. Listen Below..

X... BEYONCE- NO ANGEL-- Masterpiece!  I was excited when I heard she worked with Caroline Polachek, from the group Chairlift,on this track, I felt Chairlift had been underground for way too long, and BOOM ! Listen Below...

J.COLE- LOST ONES- Exquisite story-telling. I didn't used to listen to J.cole that much, but of recent, I listen to his music a lot! I love how he takes different sides and just expresses himself. Listen Below..

ARTIST FEATURE - Carrie Mae Weems.

   Discovering Carrie Mae Weems was no accident. Doing research about Visual Arts, I ran across her name on a number of occasions,and watching the BET Honors televised programme, she was a honoree, and it rang a bell, I definitely had to find out more, and after my journey into her work, I was propelled to do a special feature on this moving piece of ART. 
   Carrie was born on the 20th of April, 1953,in Portland, Oregon. One notable quote she made recently, further endearing me to her was,"Black experience is not really the main point, rather, complex,dimensional, human experience and social inclusion..is the real point. Another notable one,"The ideas I'm working with are ideas I'm committed to.I don't know how to soft-shoe them. I don't know how to make them more palpable".  I went through most of Carrie's works and I'll just show the  very one that inspired me most, which is one of Carrie's most prominent, The Kitchen Table Series, 1990. Kitchen table series is a photographic investigation of a single domestic space, where there were staged scenes of "battle around the family" between different levels of family. Racist themes and sexist labels debunked, Carrie examines the relationship between power and aesthetics, and uses personal biography to articulate broader truths. I could relate to Kitchen table series, in a simple way. We all have family, and there are different activities, and emotions running at all times.So, in the simplicity of a family, there is borderline complexity that makes it function. The battle between sexes for Power and beyond into further dynamics. These were depicted in form of ART. You can see the emotions running through every picture in the very basic unit of Life. Here are some images from Kitchen Table Series Below.
                 
                     

   

                               
                              
                            
                            
                           
                             
                            
                           
                           
                          
                         
 

                  X        VIDEO- KITCHEN TABLE SERIES    X

 Carrie used Photography as her tool of expression in this body of work. The fact that they can stand alone, and pass their message without any analysis is what inspired me. In a society where we hardly recognize Artists like Carrie, it was paramount to celebrate her work. "Weems positions herself as history's ghost''-- Nancy Princethal, Art in America.