The Gardens Between Gay
- Letters from Two Gardens by Ross Gay and Aimee Nezhukumatathil IN THE LATE JULY swelter and dragonfly buzz of summer, poets Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Ross Gay began a correspondence of poems — sent the old-fashioned way, through the mail.
- Directed by Clint Eastwood. With John Cusack, Kevin Spacey, Jack Thompson, Irma P. A visiting city reporter's assignment suddenly revolves around the murder trial of a local millionaire, whom he befriends.
My 14 year old son and I were shopping for new clothes last week at a Marshall's store. He hates to shop for clothes but I dragged him along. When we were in the underwear department, I had mentioned to him that he might want to pick out some new undies.
Brandy McDonnellWhether she is painting on canvas or handcrafting one of her new embroidery portraits, Suzanne Thomas prefers to work in layers.
'I love the idea of layering ... of blending together, putting things on top of this and that, and you create a picture, layering so there's a structure to it. It's a foundation, so it feels like everybody's building on everything. It helps create the whole picture,' Thomas said. 'It helps to create a visual interest. It's not just interested in telling the narrative, but to draw people in to really look at it.'
Inspired by memories of her grandmother and great-aunt, who adorned the tops of coffee tables and the backs of sofas with delicate doilies, the Oklahoma City artist's embroidery and lace works are a new way of presenting the historical images of beautiful Black women she has depicted throughout her career.
'There was something very refined about (those doilies), in my opinion. They're so delicate. So, I love linens and I love lace, and I just love the idea of these spiral intricate stitch works. And I'm one of those people who's like, 'I can do something with that,' Thomas said.
'Whatever my work is, when I'm painting or this, I think anyone will say that my main imagery is Black women. It's always going to be Black women, but always these Black women of great beauty and great strength, just because that's the only way I know Black women — and I say that as a Black woman who was raised by Black women.'
Thomas is among about a dozen Black artists featured in the new interdisciplinary art exhibition 'Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience,' on view through March 2 in the Myriad Botanical Gardens' Crystal Bridge Conservatory.
'Cosmology, I would say you can think of it like a blueprint, so like the blueprint for resilience. So, in each of these pieces, you see stories. You may look at it for a second, and you just see something beautiful. But then, you sit in front of it and take it in, and you see, there's a lot of information that the artist is trying to share with you. ... Everyone has their own unique spin on what Black resilience means to them,' said Ebony Iman Dallas, one of the artists in and curators for the exhibit.
Visual and performance art
- Related to this story
- Video:'Still Here': Eclectic art exhibit celebrates Black resilience
On view in the Crystal Bridge's Visitor Center Lobby, 'Still Here' was organized by two Black cultural organizations — Dallas' Afrikanation Artists Organization and Marie Casimir's Djaspora Productions — that are working to connect people through the arts. The idea for the exhibit developed last summer after the death of George Floyd while in police custody sparked nationwide protests about racial equality.
'(Ebony) had been offered this show at Myriad Gardens and really was seeking to bring somebody else into the process. ... It was COVID time, so we were hanging out in the driveway and decided it would just be a beautiful collaboration, not only between us, but to bring other Black artists into the process,' Casimir said.
'The 'Still Here' title just came from talking about what was going on in the world, the pandemic, as well as the uprisings and the unrest. We just looked at each other and said, 'You know what, we are still here.' Regardless of what's happening in the world, we are still here, and as Black people, we continue to be resilient and we continue to show up for each other. So, that then spawned the concept of 'how do we look at the ways and the stories that we tell about ourselves, to learn ourselves, who we are as people.' So, that's the idea of the cosmology: the order, the myths and the stories we tell about ourselves as people to understand who we are.'
As a dancer, Casimir wanted 'Still Here' to showcase both visual and performing artists. OKC hip-hop artist and dancer Changing FrEQuencies performed at the virtual exhibit opening, and 'Storytelling in the Gardens' at 1 p.m. Saturday on the Myriad Gardens Water Stage will feature readings by poets, storytellers and artists, including Dallas, Casimir, Tony Brinkley, Grace Franklin, Catherine John and Gay Pasley. The in-person event will be free and open to the public but also live-streamed.
'Opportunities are less for performing artists right now. We can't gather in space with people and that just felt like it was missing. And so then how do we not only like create space for artists to make work, but also pay how like, make sure we're paying performers, because that's lacking,' Casimir said.
Also, a virtual screening is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday of 'We Remember, We Restore,' a dance film choreographed and performed by Casimir and J'aime Griffith in the Crystal Bridge.
'It's always been a dream of mine to create here. This is one of my favorite places in the city, and I come here, like when I just need some respite. ... So, we've been coming in and rehearsing and people have been watching us rehearse in the space and creating work every week,' Casimir said. 'I think people are gonna feel the way we felt making it, which is a sense of peace, a sense of joy, a sense of release.'
Eclectic expression
The visual artworks in the exhibit range from Pasley's striking black-and-white photographs and Ronna Pernell's intricate pen-and-ink drawings to Amena Butler's vibrant mixed-media works and Dallas' colorful portraits that incorporate African textiles, gold leafing and woodcuts.
The Gardens Between Gay Resort
'Myriad Gardens loves showcasing local talent in our rotating art exhibits at the Crystal Bridge Visitor Lobby. This show combines artistry with an inspirational message of resilience that resonates loudly especially in these times,' said Myriad Gardens Foundation President and CEO Maureen Heffernan in an email.
The exhibit also includes vivid murals created by five artists of color ranging in age from 18 to 25. The artists - Anthony Brock, Jasmine Jones, Shakurah Maynard, Jessie Kay Shelton and Verdean Thompson - created the murals for the Opening Night New Year's Eve celebration through a program called FRESH PAINT: OKC NYE. A partnership between the OKC Thunder and Arts Council Oklahoma City, FRESH PAINT gave the aspiring artists the chance to be mentored by Dallas and fellow local professional muralist Dylan Bradway.
'That was a fun project. ... Everyone has their own unique spin on what Black resilience means to them,' Dallas said. 'Art is accessible. You can basically share a lot of information very quickly with a wide audience. Not everyone is at the protests, not everyone is ready to listen sometimes to what the stories are behind the protests. So art, it's an invitation. It's very welcoming. It's like, 'Hey, come on in, and sit with us and try to understand where we're coming from.' And we can start to have a conversation.'
For Thomas, that conversation will incorporate her lifelong love of fashion design, her affinity of vintage images of Black women and her memories of her grandmother's lacy doilies.
'I think resiliency is beauty and strength,' Thomas said. 'We've always been beautiful, we've always had a glamorous edge, a style, we've just always been there. ... And we're still here, and we ain't going nowhere. ... And we're just going to get better as we keep going on.'
ON VIEW
'Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience'
When: Through March 2.
Where: Myriad Gardens' Crystal Bridge Conservatory Visitor Center Lobby, 301 W Reno.
Admission: Free during lobby hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Information: www.myriadgardens.com.
Streaming and information: https://www.facebook.com/AAOUSA and https://www.facebook.com/djasporaproductions.
•'We Remember, We Restore' virtual film screening: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
•'Storytelling in the Gardens': 1 p.m. Saturday on the Water Stage or online.
Related PhotosOklahoma artist Ebony Inman Dallas talks about her painting 'The Way You Frame It' on Feb. 12. Dallas is one of the artists in and curators for 'Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience,' an interdisciplinary art exhibit on view through March 2 in the Myriad Gardens Crystal Bridge Visitor...
Brandy McDonnell, also known by her initials BAM, writes stories and reviews on movies, music, the arts and other aspects of entertainment. She is NewsOK’s top blogger: Her 4-year-old entertainment news blog, BAM’s Blog, has notched more than 1... Read more ›
, Korean dramas are famous for their well-written story lines and delightful romances between two beautiful characters! However, with Korea adapting to changes, homosexuality is becoming more openly discussed-- even in dramas. What's more, there are even some dramas that don't shy away from love between all people, including gay couples!Whether the show jokingly pushes a homosexual connection, is one elaborate plan to fool another character or even showcases a real on-screen gay couple, after viewing these 12 dramas that dabble with homosexuality you may have some new ships in the making.
'Life Is Beautiful' has definitely gained attention in mainstream dramas these days for supporting LGBT viewpoints with a modern gay couple. It highlights the struggles between Yeon-joo and Kyung-soo whose parents are expecting them to settle down and marry soon. The two love birds share many awe-inspiring and even trifling moments that occur between any two people who are madly in love.
It may come as news to some, but the many of the 'Reply' series highlighted some real sweetheart romance between two guys more than once! Homosexual relationships are well developed in 'Reply 1994' because it delicately portrays the male characters' blossoming some interesting feelings for each other. Jung Woo and B1A4 Baro's characters really build up a strong romantic atmosphere/tension with their displays of care and affection, but it appears more one-sided as Baro is the only one questioning his orientation.
It gets even more intense as they even share a kiss! It may have been done indirectly through a drinking game, but maybe the feelings were 100% true? In the end the feelings become more affectionate than intimate as Baro ends up with a girl and still looks up to Jung Woo in a brotherly way. Even still their constant 'I'll be there' caring attitude makes them irresistible ship material.
The cute relationship surrounding Yunjae and Junhee will have you shipping the two for days! Throughout the series, a lot of romantic tension builds up between them. The shared glances, the countless 'bromantic' moments, not to mention their awe-worthy bed scene. With so much going on, this confession scene really shows how genuine Junhee's feelings are, but it may sadly remain one-sided.
In episode 5 of 'Cheese In The Trap,' Seol's neighbor Gong Joo Yong and TA Heo Yoon Seob are engaged in a secret love affair, keeping their relationship secret from family and friends. Gong Joo Yong even leaves his home and family behind just to pursue his romantic desires with Heo Yoon. However, despite the problems they face, their gay relationship is openly revealed in later episodes and discussed among Hong Seol and company.
'Secret Garden' had a unique storyline as it also dabbled with the idea of being a Hallyu Wave star. While some were paving their way to fame, the character Sun was dealing with another circumstance. In the end he openly reveals he likes men and is gay, with the main character Osaka making a wise crack of, 'So what? There are many people like that in this industry.' Although there was no strong romantic spark between the two, it is still interesting to see Sun grow as a character and his inevitable coming out.
In 'Personal Taste,' the DAC director and an important investor for Jun Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho), Ryu Seung Ryong, starts developing real feelings for Jun Jin Ho, after mistaking the sexuality of Jung Jin Ho, who does pretend to be gay in order to room with a woman 'Three's Company' style. Throughout the drama they encounter some awkward, but somewhat cute, moments shared together and with such a unique plot, everyone can expect some hysterical moments involving the homosexual impostor.
Believe it or not, 'Seonam Girls High School Investigators' became a little daring as it even portrayed a kissing between two female school students! Sooyeon and Eunbin are worried that their secret relationship will be exposed because of photos getting accidentally leaked of them. Although they want to break up, the couldn't resist kissing and remaining stronger together! Although it garnered huge controversy, the directors later revealed that 'homosexual students that [they] actually met with told [them] that they do receive unfair treatment at school because of their sexual orientation' and that '[they] came to produce this drama in hopes that diversity will become accepted.'
This drama really goes the distance with playfully flirtatious vibes between two guys. The main character Go Mi-nam is actually a girl in disguise posing as her brother who is a leader of a K-Pop band. Turns out band member Jeremy gets THE biggest crush on Go Mi-nam and the skinship that goes on from there is all history. The awkward shyness shared between the two, and not to mention the hilarious fantasies, helps 'You're Beautiful' take a humorous approach on gay relationships.
The most renowned gay plot in K-Dramas, 'Coffee Prince' exhibits the beautiful relationship between Choi Han-kyul and Go Eun-chan. Go Eun-chan pretends to be a boy in order to work in the cafe with Choi Han-kyul and, as the story progresses, Choi Han-kyul begins to fall for Go Eun-chan, questioning his sexual orientation and acceptance in the process. He soon reveals gender is no issue and kisses Go Eun-chan while he still believes him to be a boy.
'Hogu's Love' has a really sweet way of portraying the gay romance between Gangchul and Kang Hogu. Gangchul is left alone after taking Hogyeong home from a blind date. He then is told to picture the face of the prettiest person he's ever met in his life- turns out that person was none other than Kang Hogu!
Although Gangchul isn't actually gay (he does get Do Hee pregnant), he drunkenly admits to being gay and, as the show continues, tries to kiss Hogu while he is sleeping! It is interesting to see this slow but steady display of 'coming out' as it adds to the twists and turns of this drama while Gangchul rediscovers who his high school love is.
The Gardens Between Gay Wedding Cake
Takuya and Junjae are probably one of the biggest anticipation builders when it comes to male x male romance! They don't shy away from intense scenes (like the one above) and heating things up on set and in your mind. Although it can be seen as one big tease, Takuya and Junjae definitely make for one cute ship! Their screen time is limited but each moment after becomes more playfully flirtatious! Plus, it is totally refreshing to see the iconic wrist-grab again when it happens between two guys!