Link About It: This Week’s Picks
An ever-growing list of Black-owned restaurants, Palm Springs’ virtual Modernism Week, Cheech Marin’s museum and more from the week
Farewell to Iconic Photographer Ricky Powell
Ricky Powell—often referred to as “the fourth Beastie Boy”—passed away in NYC yesterday, aged 59. Best known for capturing images of the city’s downtown music and arts scenes (and for his quick wit), Powell had an instinctual approach that resulted in artistic, sharp and adept images. Born and raised in NYC, Powell began shooting in the mid-’80s and since photographed the likes of Basquiat, Madonna, A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC and others. He was most prolific as an unofficial Beastie Boy—first traveling with them on the 1987 Licensed To Ill tour. He was the subject of a 2020 documentary called The Individualist and was paid homage in the Beastie Boys song “Car Thief,” but most of all, Ricky Powell was a beloved, idiosyncratic character who embodied the city of New York. Read more at The Guardian.
Image courtesy of Johnny Nunez/WireImage
A Growing List of 200+ Black-Owned Restaurants in NYC
The Infatuation has created one of the most comprehensive lists of Black-owned eateries we’ve come across and, as is their nature, they selected spots known for their high quality. The food-focused publication shouts-out several other sites that have been spotlighting Black-owned businesses for years (like EatOkra, Black-Owned Brooklyn, Travel Noire, I Got Your Black and Brunchnista) and they suggest donating to organizations that strive for racial justice. Organized by borough (and neighborhoods within), the list covers a diverse range of restaurants and cafes with safe dining-in options, delivery and takeout. Some of our favorites include Sisters, Ital Kitchen, Bed Stuy Fish Fry and Secret Garden. Check out the ever-growing list at The Infatuation.
Image courtesy of Sisters
Cheech Marin’s Collection of Chicano Art Finds a New Home in Riverside, California
Best known as one half of comedy duo Cheech & Chong, 74-year-old Cheech Marin is also a writer, activist and avid art enthusiast—specifically Chicano art, which he began collecting in the ’80s. A third-generation Mexican American, Marin has shared his impressive 700-piece collection through touring exhibitions in the past, but will be donating almost all of it to the city of Riverside, California for The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry, which will open this fall. Consisting of paintings, photographs, sculptures and more, the collection includes work by Carlos Almaraz, Gronk, Gilbert “Magu” Luján and others. “My motto has always been that you can’t love or hate Chicano art unless you see it in person,” Marin tells The New York Times. “And now people will have a place to always see it.” Read more at The New York Times.
Image courtesy of Monica Ameida + The New York Times
Black-Owned Apps + Platforms Offering Thoughtful Digital Spaces
“This list of six Black-owned technology platforms showcases the strength, grit, and energy that exists within Black culture. It’s admirable that even amidst all the chaos—including racist internet trolls, a racial awakening, the shenanigans of the former president, and a crippling pandemic—these creators kept pushing through with a common goal: creating space for Black communities online,” Okayplayer’s Robyn Mowatt writes in her guide to Black-owned apps and platforms. Her list spans sonic databases (Breakr) and digital marketplaces (Black Fashion Fair), design collectives (dsgnrswrkshp), corporate advice sites (Black In Corporate) and beyond. Further, she offers insight into the founding of each, the talented individuals behind them and the communities they service. Read the full article at Okayplayer.
Image courtesy of @popephoenix for Okayplayer
Palm Springs Modernism Week’s Virtual Programming for 2021
Palm Springs Modernism Week celebrates the mid-century architecture and design of the Californian oasis every February. For 2021, the desert town has planned two experiences: an online iteration running now through 28 February and an in-person series from 8-18 April. Currently underway, the virtual program includes “driving tours,” documentary screenings and exclusive video home tours. Tickets start at $10. Last February was the biggest Modernism Week to date, and in the time since, the team behind the cultural festival began to accumulate a library of content for the event (and for the archives of institution itself). Read more at The Spaces.
Image by Lance Gerber courtesy of TTK Represents
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image: “The Arrest of the Paleteros” (1996), by Frank Romero, courtesy of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry
