No. 42—curated by a guest visitor
No. 42—curated by a guest visitor
In praise of wired headphones, a fine peppermint tea, total complex human beings, and 'Water Woman'.
Frequent Visitors is a weekly newsletter created to share a thoughtful selection of our favourite visits—both online and off—curated by friends, not algorithms.
For today’s issue we have a beloved friend of FV sharing their finds!
Recent Visits
by Sophia Johnson
Yelena Yemchuk (at the Ukrainian Museum)
One of my favorite living photographers, Yelena Yemchuk, recently had an exhibition at the Ukrainian Museum and there’s not a day that goes by where it doesn’t cross my mind. While I found myself lost in a daze of irrefutable vulnerability, the only other footsteps to be felt were that of a single guard, functioning almost as a metronome keeping me grounded, while slightly on-edge. Something about her work feels emblematic of Nan Goldin’s notion of gladly letting models tear up the photographs of themselves they dislike. Though I doubt Yelena uses an identical technique, the manner in which she surrenders to the individual’s perspective is similarly remarkable and pure. These are not muses, but total and complex human beings.
A Fine Peppermint Herbal Tea
I live and breathe peppermint tea and consequently, have become annoyingly aware of when one isn’t of the best quality. This tea by Harney & Sons happens to be one I keep close, especially because I know I can get at the bodega or any grocery store really. It’s a perfect alternative to caffeine, a slow burn for the early riser, and provides gentle relief to any trapped physical/emotional tension. Also, smelling the beautifully ornamented tin that reeks of peppermint has become one of my favorite morning rituals.
Vicky Krieps, Actress
Sometimes in life you encounter someone who reveals a more elevated level of being that you didn’t even know was possible, and it almost triggers a cringe to revert back after that. It’s like witnessing Gena Rowlands for the first time. Vicky moves with a radical aura of authenticity that refuses to succumb to the societal projections that are often placed upon actresses (and also just women in general). Whether it’s to look a certain way, maintaining and idealizing a particular standard of beauty, or follow a similar trajectory that is far too concerned with public image, she quite literally puts her middle finger to the patriarchy every single time (See Corsage).
This is one of my favorite little interviews with Vicky at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Headphones with Wires.
In the age of wireless and bluetooth everything, I’m finding myself wanting to go back to wires. At least with headphones. Although they tend to lack the noise canceling quality, the simple act of plugging a Koss headset into my phone makes music listening feel much more intentional. It takes me back to when I was first discovering my own palette of tastes on an iPad Nano. And being able to feel the pulse of NYC while I’m walking really isn’t such a bad thing.
Wangechi Mutu, Water Woman, 2017
The New Museum in Lower Manhattan recently opened a new exhibition (taking over the entire building) centered around Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu. I often wrote about Wangechi when I was in college and have always been quite taken with her, though it is very difficult to see her work in person. Especially all at the same time. This cast bronze specifically, Water Woman, is one that is impossible to forget in all its sensuous, graceful, but still ever-dominant energy. I’m obsessed.
Here are a few other favorites:
Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed your visit! Sophia, thank you for sharing your endlessly inspiring recent visits with us. I will be watching Corsage with a peppermint tea in hand while day dreaming about our next visit.
Until next time,
SV
We love having visitors as much as we love being them, so it would mean the world if you shared this newsletter with someone you think might enjoy it!!