culture porn 12/15
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
bad surgeon (netflix)
after watching LOVE HAS WON, i thought my brain had officially exploded in terms of 2023's stranger-than-fiction docuseries. enter: BAD SURGEON. this story of a surgeon run amok blends medical fraud, romantic fraud....all of the fraud! as if george santos was in an operating room. i was horrified watching it, on behalf of the patients-turned- victims, and it made me quite dubious of operating rooms in general (which is not at all fair to all the wonderful surgeons out there, but hey, i spiraled!) so, watch with caution especially if you have any medical procedures in the near-future.
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priscilla (a24)
i love sofia coppola's oeuvre of women imprisoned by privilege (LOST IN TRANSLATION, MARIE ANTOINETTE, SOMEWHERE), and priscilla presley is a ripe target for the auteur. while this is a quieter, more somber exploration of the director's signature themes, newcomer cailee spaeny brings light to new spaces in the story of the only woman elvis ever married.
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how to waste time (from the podcast how to keep time)
THE ATLANTIC's podcast, HOW TO KEEP TIME, had a recent episode on HOW TO WASTE TIME that i highly recommend (after having it recommended to me via an excellent newsletter, LINKS I WOULD GCHAT YOU IF WE WERE FRIENDS). wasting time is somewhat taboo - there's always something we could be doing in our finite lifespans. even mindfulness is its own form of a task - there's many apps for it. i loved the concept of engaging with time in a less intentional way - allowing boredom to seep in, with no agenda. it's a foreign concept in a digital world.
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the disappearance of shere hite (ifc films / youtube)
i have to admit, i too discounted shere hite back in the day, when she published the controversial HITE REPORT. but framed against current views of feminism, sexuality, and bodily autonomy, it's outrageous to see how systematically she was marginalized for pushing back against misogynistic and patriarchal times.
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emperor of rome (liveright)
if someone in your life got caught up in the roman history trend this year, consider the gift of mary beard's latest. instead of taking the chronological approach to the numerous caesars and agusti, she looks at the cultural commonalities across them – how they lived, loved, lusted, and led – to better understand how we evaluate at leaders in modern times.
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windham hill christmas (apple music / spotify)
for the uninitiated, WINDHAM HILL was an instrumental label that no longer exists, and their albums that are especially nostalgic to me are the winter ones (think CELTIC CHRISTMAS, WINTER SOLSTICE). for when holiday carols get to be too much, this is the perfect background music that's soothing, ethereal, and cozy.
insights & inspo
rajiv menon contemporary: ITEM NUMBER
last month, CULTIQUE'S very own rajiv menon celebrated his inaugural exhibition at RAJIV MENON CONTEMPORARY in los angeles titled ITEM NUMBER. we were lucky enough to have rajiv guide us through work of these groundbreaking south asian artists and how the concept of ITEM NUMBER is illustrated throughout each artist's work.
more insights here
how millennials learned to dread motherhood
many millennials are sharing the reasons they’re hesitating to become mothers. in this complex world of shifting societal expectations, political tensions, and the constant pressure on social media to promote one’s personal aspirations, the dialogue around rethinking parenthood is trending and the narrative is shifting to support the less traditional journey towards becoming a mom - or not becoming a mom.
more insights here
the sphere and our “immersion” complex
considering the state of the world, it’s no wonder modern culture craves immersive experiences. from high-tech venues like THE SPHERE in las vegas to the vastness of michael keizer’s CITY, immersive art is literally reshaping the cultural landscape. the allure of full on escapism and the thirst for authenticity in every encounter we seek is set to revolutionize the way we consume.
more insights here
make sure to check out MIDWEEK with CULTIQUE every wednesday
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
the 4-DAY WEEK is now driving one of the fastest companies on the planet to do more with less – LAMBORGHINI is cutting back the workweek to turbocharge productivity, retention and the overall happiness of its workers. CULTIQUE welcomes them to the club!
the decade isn’t even at its halfway point and already folks are sticking labels on it, according to kyle chayka, one of my fave culture writers. what would you call it?
i took a trip through time talking about linear cable’s rocky road with NYT writer and author john koblin, who came up with a new name i love: ZOMBIE TV. you can read the full story here.
more insights here