So Fresh and So Green | Madam Toussaint on Going Green, Art, Hip Hop, and Politics

The first time Gigi Bio showed me her work she said, “See, this is what it looks like in my head”. So what’s in her head are photos from multiple views, images of New York City’s urban landscape, herself, and those she meets in her travels. Each image layered upon each other is unique like the snowflakes that come together to blanket her adopted city in the middle of winter.

The single image formed can show anything from hard angles in architecture softened in a layered, loose, curvilinear composition or a reflection of the ever shifting energy of urban life swirling around a singular figure simply waiting for a walk signal on a street corner.

I told her my first thoughts were of cubism, specifically Marcel Duchamp’s cubist inspired “Nude Descending A Staircase No. 2″ pictured left, which depicts a woman at multiple moments while in motion through still images, abstract lines and planes presented all as one image. Gigi shut down that label with the quickness!

I set out to find out what the stuff in Gigi’s head is, how it got there and what she intends to do with it next. Oh yeah, and why she doesn’t want to be called a cubist! (more…)

Scientists have discovered the gene responsible for curly hair and they are developing a treatment to cure you of those awful curls from the inside out.

Likewise the pill would also make curly hair straight. So maybe it’s human to see the grass as being greener on the other side. On graduation picture day in high school I discovered girls with curly hair wanted straight hair and girls with straight hair wanted curls.

Surely with all the straighteners, relaxers, curling irons, texturizers, sprays and serums there’s a lot of money to be made here for the company that can capitalize on this. Professor Nick Martin, author of the research, will be in talks with a major cosmetics company in January.

“Villain get the money like curls”

Love this beat, nicely varied soundscape.

He claims the findings can also help with forensics investigators to determine the texture of hair of an assailant based on a DNA sample. (more…)

p l a t o o n [#3] by Jesse Wright

During the holidays my attention turns to those in the military among others. And well, art, music and the environment are always on my mind so I decided to ask my former schoolmate, the incredibly passionate artist Marthalicia Matarrita, a few questions about the unique position of an artist in the military.

She is one of the founders M-Squared Art Productions; a collective grounded in the four elements of hip-hop. M-Squared integrates art and music into the party landscape of New York city with Marthalicia’s specialty in live painting. In this interview she explains how she managed to express herself in the military with her boots.

Madam Toussaint: Please state your branch or the military, your rank and your years of service.

Marthalicia Matarrita: Army National Guard, 91 Bravo Combat Medic. I enlisted on October 1999, and received my HONORABLE DISCHARGE papers on 2005, ending rank: e-4 Specialist. (6 years Active Reserve, and then 2 years inactive for emergency purposes, in case of a home war).

Were you ever in war when you were in the military?
I was called for duty while I was in college in New Paltz, on September 11, 2001 and (more…)

“Vectorized” Josh Goldstein by Madam Toussaint

Here’s part 2 of my interview with Josh Goldstein. If you missed the first part you can click on AN INTERVIEW WITH JOSH GOLDSTEIN- ARTIST AND NYC BODEGA ENTHUSIAST PART 1. In this last half of Josh’s interview we learn how the dynamic artist feels about the graffiti scene, Chinese food take out menus and his own “Happy Family”. We also discuss the color purple (not the movie) and how he feels about the color green (the color and the environment).

MT: What kind of gear do you use to take your photos?

JG: Trade secret…ok fine, a Canon Power Shot.

Supermarket Chain (2003), photo on russian baltic birch multi-ply plywood, 48″x8″, private collection, Brooklyn, New York

MT: When I see your work I can see Hip Hop has clearly been an influence on you. Were you ever on the graffiti scene? Who are your favorite graffiti artists? If want to see dope graffiti in NYC where should I visit?

JG: Damn, I wish I could say I was, but the truth is I was too busy collecting baseball cards in Indiana. Favorite graf/street artists – Doze Green, Banksy of course, Swoon, Lee Quinones, Taki 183, and the guy who wrote “gang mafia” on the wall of the bodega on my corner.

Best place to see dope graffiti? 5 Pointz in Long Island City for sure – best seen out of the left side of a Flushing-bound 7 train. Also check out the piece on (more…)