Amadou & Mariam

The musicians known as the 'blind couple from Mali' were one of the first bands away from the mainstream that I really got into, almost all of the other African musicians I know now have stemmed from discovering Amadou and Mariam. Due to this, I always get a sense of nostalgia when I hear their older songs and although they sing in either French or Bambara, I often think music is more about the overall sound, with lyrics and song meaning sometimes taking a back seat, enjoying it none the less. This is especially true with Amadou and Mariam, as many of their songs are a declaration of love for each other, which could get tedious. Though Mariam Doumbia's voice isn't always as easy on the ear as that of other famous female Malian vocalists like Rokia Traoré or Oumou Sangaré, it is occasionally endearingly eerie but always highly emotive. The first video I have posted is one of my favourites from their most recent album 'Welcome to Mali', it is by far the most electronic sounding with a distinctive beat and sound effects that aren't too dissimilar to what Crystal Castles may use. Below that is the song 'La Paix', another example of a Mariam based track where she sings about African solidarity and is from their album 'Dimanche à Bamako', featuring and produced by Manu Chao. 'Les Temps Ont Changé' is the name of the third song below, from 'Wati' which was the last album before the previously mentioned Manu Chao brought them to a much wider audience throughout the world, with Amadou providing lead vocals. Finally, I posted a live version of 'Sebeke', another song from their latest album and includes some great backup dancers.

Black and WTF

This is the name of a tumblr blog that I've come across recently, featuring unusual black and white images that are usually posted for their humorous content. However, I find them quite interesting and in particular those that include animals, as they are quite a good indicator of past Britain and the desire for domination over the natural world. In several cases you can see attempts at domesticating animals that have clearly failed as well as the height of taxidermy. In most cases though, these are examples of the least malicious forms of past relationships with the natural world and are usually showcasing curiosity of the time, however when compared with what is widely excepted in Britain today the content is rather questionable. In particular the menagerie layout of Victorian zoos and the keeping of inappropriate pets. 

Scales

Work by Katie MccGwire and a Pangolin

56 Ethnicities of China

 

A full list of minorities and accompanying images can be found here.

A Delicate Delicacy

Wearable Foods by Yeonju Sung

Bianca & Sierra Casady

 

Better known as Cocorosie, the occasionally controversial duet are usually categorized under labels such as 'experimental' and 'freak folk'. They are quite well known for the frequent use of children's toys throughout their music, with one of the sisters a trained operatic singer and the other some kind of bohemian rapper. Despite this band remaining amongst my favourites, it is their outfits and appearance that cements my interest. They certainly call on the Native American, Cherokee to be specific, part of their background, often donning traditional headdresses in their press photography or performances. The blurring of gender boundaries is another recurring aspect of this bands potrayal, Bianca in particular often dresses in drag and both of them are frequently found to be wearing fake beards or moustaches, becoming something to associate with the performers. One image in particular reminds me of 'The Two Fridas' by Frida Kahlo, who I've mentioned in a previous post, as their facial features aren't too disimiliar. I've posted them below for comparison.

 In their most recent music video, to the song 'Lemonade', you are introduced to two very Miss Havisham like eldery women. They supposedly are intended to be the sisters in a withered form and can be seen with the facial hair synonymous with Cocorosie. Though I do love the style of outfit, what strikes me the most is the similarity between these two eldery women and that from the music video 'Seven' by Fever Ray. In any case, both videos are suitably eerie for my taste. I've also added the video to 'Lemonade' and following that an assortment of other Cocorosie images.

The Curious Realm of Kahn & Selesnick

Though generally all imagery tells a story, the photo-novellas of Richard Selesnick and Nicholas Kahn are particularly intricate. Strange new worlds are depicted in their highly staged photography but fictional text also accompanies this work, adding another layer to their imagined world. Pagan rituals, lost cities and interplanetary travel are amongst the many channels of influence that Kahn and Selesnick have explored. A much more detailed description of their works can be found on their website.

Saved by Science?

Justine Cooper was allowed the privilege of a in depth look behind the scenes at the American Museum of Natural History, something quite rare indeed. I find the volume of specimens of various species quite unsettling, not fully realising how many other creatures are stored away from public eye. Though it's true these animals have been preserved for so long, and I'm sure much has been learnt from them, but I began to wonder why such an amount has remained hidden from the majority of the public. Cooper does mention the fact that with these scientific sets of specimens, you begin to notice the individuality of each creature. She also reveals the 'Trophy Cage' of the museum, where trophy deer are kept which are of little help to scientific research but are conserved anyway. I have posted several photos from the collection below but the full series, and a rather interesting commentary by Justine Cooper, can be found here. 

The Mask of Tradition

Alan Hughan &Yang Yankang

Stephen Dupont

Edward Curtis

 Charles Barrett & Werner Rohde