A very good and very special issue of "Living History" on luxury, is now on sale. In 18 articles, the publication gives a historical overview on the subject since the 16th century to the present day. As the history of luxury blends with the history of power? As the luxury binds to the history of art? How social differences marked by the consumption of high standard fostered revolutions? Where is based the current concept of luxury and exclusivity? Luxury has to be always on the rich and famous?
The magazine, which brings Coco Chanel on the cover, is dedicated to reporting marks "luxury" famous, such as Gucci, Vuitton andBerlutti, but also lesser-known ones that weave the basis of haute couture, as the house Lesage, the embroiderer. Luxury is also analyzed in other areas, such as furniture, jewelry, glassware and clocks, among others, and features an interview with ElisabethPonsolle des Portes, general delegate of the Colbert Committee, an organization that groups the so-called "luxury homes" French.
Bon Iver is the name that the American singer-songwriter Justin Vernon gives to one of his "band". And here's band in quotes because, depending on the disc, he plays everything himself-and the same goes for the shows. The name is a play on the French phrase "bon hiver" . Vernon heard the expression in a TV series ("Northern Exposure") in which the inhabitants of a village in Alaska wish "bon hiver" each other on the day the first snow falls of the season. At the time, living in the interior of Wisconsin, where the winter can reach 48 degrees Celsius, Vernon thought the name would be appropriate for the musiche was producing.
In 2007 came the first album "For Emma, Forever Ago," a collection of introspective folk songs and delicate, a sadness that could be said of contemplation, because it has impulsiveness or drama. All recorded by Vernon alone. In June this year, came the seconddisc. This time with a proper band. "Bon Iver", the disc brings atmosphere denser than "For Emma ..." but still is ultradelicado. Do not repeat out of my iPod. Type of winter track ...
And if you like, will also Boxharp ago, which is also folk, though less winter. And for the record, Bon Iver is one of the bands currentfavorite Peter Gabriel (he re-recorded "Flume", the first disc), and Boxharp Bowie is the favorite, if anyone still cares about these names.
A month has passed or so and I cannot get the prize for best writer of the Year by GQ magazine (the British) given to Keith Richards out of my head.
As a fan I found it fun. But that bothered me, although the award itself has not much importance.
Perhaps because it is more an example of the cynicism and opportunism flourish so easily in the cultural (and other means).
What should be, after all, the role of an award? First, encourage new talent, who need that kind of exposure to be known. Second, recognize the excellence of a work, whether a veteran or a beginner. Any other reason seems dishonest.
"Life," Keith's autobiography, is legal, an adjective meaning cool and equally legitimate. But it's far from literature, good or bad. A further irony is that it may not have even written a line, since there are a journalist partner in the project, which would have done exhaustive research on all his life.
Keith should look at the award on his shelf and laugh alone. Further he says that reader and has cited James Joyce in interviews.
It is evident that the magazine wanted to reward herself, calling the public's attention, seeking easy visibility from the shock. Just look at who gave the award for best musician to Renaissance Hugh Laurie, House (which also happens to write books). And he is good, in fact, but the best? Hardly.
Using the famous quotes of Tony Randall, "Awards are only a publicity gimmick."
We live daily media buried by the avalanche, which sometimes do not realize how values are often exchanged for interests.
Even the Nobel and the Tortoise on a smaller scale, turns and moves come with questionable choices - for the Nobel was never cynical or financial reasons, but political (or "humanistic"), which also does not fit the cultural debate honest. The fact that Bennett has backed the bloody dictatorship argentina - unfortunate fact in itself - does not make it ceases to be the Latin American writer of the 20th century's most influential and therefore deserving of the Nobel, which never received (as Joyce, Kafka, Proust ... the list goes on).
I remember that (more than just) Roberto Bolaño cult spoke of how the awards were important to his career. For a time, the awards that were held. He came to sign up, using pseudonyms, in two or three contests of literature at the same time. And win big.
If the British GQ wanted to do a showcase for the award itself, could at least create categories most appropriate to their purpose, original, funny, funny. In their place, I would, for example, the premium actually more important than ordinary year for the photos of the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. For three days, the naked body of Muse stole the headlines for all the world and still moved the FBI. After all, we just do not want food, we want your butt and breasts of Scarlett.
Long live pa and Keith Scarlett, but also long life to the authentic awards, especially the literary ones - who has written a book, you know how difficult, lonely and poorly paid activity of Thomas Mann and the Patativa Bakewell.
