ENT ARTs & DEPEND Culture guideA N I AN
GENDER BENDING FASHION ON FILM
ON
BOST
BUTOH
FESTIVAL
PANDEMIX,
CRISIS ACTORS, CRIMPS, CANCER SEASON, CRAWLER
O
LIVE A Z ER O
Be prepared for an experience like no other. Coming up this Whether it’s Clara Bow’s flapper month, the Boston Butoh chic, Pam Grier’s ‘70s cool, or Festival has a Butoh Solos Alicia Silverstone’s hyper-stylized Boston has always been a long held bastion of punk and performance. Seven acts, eight hardcore. Though you can still catch scene legends like the FU’s valley girl, film and fashion have emerging Butoh artists, all at been symbiotic since the dawn of and the Proletariat ripping it up at the Midway or ONCE, the Green Street Studios in Central energy, authenticity, and power that they captured in the early cinema. And as much as film has Square in Cambridge. Think captured or influenced fashion of 80’s still permeates this city’s underground and the Democof it as a silent performance the moment, it’s also played a role racy Center is one of the flashpoints that provide a safe and where the dancers are painted welcoming space for everyone who calls the punk scene home. in exploring the furthest reaches of white and use imagery or sets what fashion could be, where boundaries bleed and blend and where Like a suddenly ruptured appendix, Boston’s highly political to communicate through their fashion becomes playground, exploration, and experiment: Marlene Pandemix burst onto the scene only a few short years ago. But photo of yuko kaseki bodies. This style emerged from by ben lenhart Dietrich’s tuxedos, Tim Curry’s punk-rock cabaret, and even Mulan’s with a prolific output of releases, the bands lyrics and semi-rare Japan after World War II and pushed suit of armor. In honor of film’s progreslive shows have made them a staple for anyone still intrigued against Western ideas of beauty. Butoh rejects the norsive fashion history and in harmony with by where punk can go nearly 50 years since its birth. Celebratmative, conditioned movements of traditional dance and the museum’s “Gender Bending Fashion” ing the relase of their latest full length LP “In Condemnation” motion. Performances explore taboo topics, from death exhibition, the Museum of Fine Arts will be the band is joined by a slew of bands from across the ever to eroticism. The first performance in 1959 arose from its screening movies that showcase groundexpanding punk spectrum including Crisis Actors who’s faced when: founders, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno and has been breaking and boundaryless fashion. These 4/18 - 5/2 paced, direct approach recalls leader singer Jen McMahon and on the rise since. Though it took hold in the ‘70s, this comgender-bending movies—Liquid Sky, munity now spans the globe. This drummer Chris Stunk’s short lived summer project Baja Blatz. where: Colette, A Simple Favor, Black Panther, Salem’s Crimps bring a pop-driven joy mfa medium isn’t meant to comfort Orlando, and The Man Who Fell to Earth— punk to the mix alongside Cancer you or your senses; it’s actually when: represent a portion of the myriad of ways how much: season, a new project from members the opposite. Performers twist, 4/19 8-10PM that clothing can allow folks to express $13 ($10 for of Dump Him and Bicycle. This will when: turn and embrace the grotesque. themselves outside of conservative traditions also serve as your first chance to members) 4/13 7pm where: Each artist is different and aims to and expectations of style, showcasing how green st. studios catch Crawler, a completely reach the audience in some way. fashion can prove powerfully transformative where: new project featuring Kade The festival is presented by Mofor both the individual and society at large. Democracy how much: Thibby, Jack Kerwin, and bius, a nonprofit with a mission $15 -Nicholas Perry Center Nick Owen who’s sound LI to “generate, shape and test exE F T ES S TYLE WA promises to bring early 80’s perimental art.” Feeling intrigued? how much: Washington DC, to the DC. You’ll be able to hit up Green Street Studios the next day for $7-10 all ages No dogs, no drugs, no cops, no a Butoh workshop with director, choreographer, teacher and ages. Respect the flyer and respect Butoh dancer Yuko Kaseki. You do have to register in advance, the space. -Michael Achille so be ready to explore body awareness and hidden energy. There’s no wrong way to do it, so why not? -Claudia Chick T With Melanie Bernier HOW When I started working towards zero-waste in 2013, only a scant handful of blogs dedicated to the lifestyle existed. Though the concept had been around for a decades, ZW wasn’t widely recognized as a “lifestyle Our Taxes, choice.” Living this way, and sharing tips within a small internet community of dirt-kissing moms, felt radical. Our Choice But here we are in 2019, when you can hardly swing a dick without knocking It’s Neil Horsky here, longtime intermittent BRAIN collaboraover a twee ZW Insta-celeb and her precious collection of glass jars. tor. Been a while since I’ve addressed the Compass readerYes, it’s easier than ever to plug your garbage hole with the apple of ZW ship and I gotta say, I miss it! Some of you may remember knowledge. And though I’m indisputably the most relevant, successmy This Month in Boston Counter-Cultural History articles ful, and fashionable zero-waste columnist of our time (“Bernier is the exploring the role of the arts in creating social change in Carrie Bradshaw of garbage!” raves the New York Times), there are Boston’s past. I’m chiming in now to share a sequel of sorts, Holla!!!!! It’s SPRING TIME! Bear your ankles to the sun, put your many other ZWers waiting to plug your leaky trash hole with their bringing the topic of art for social change to the here and rock hard minds. Here are a few notable locals dedicated to the ZW dang shovels away forEVER and rip that life-saving plastic off your now (or to 2018 at least). windows. But when you are caught up in all that glee, let’s not hustle: The Elma Lewis 2018 Women in Community Arts Collectors forget: the world is still a huge mess. And now that we can reliably Boston Zero Waste, @bostonzerowaste, bostonzerowaste.com. Edition Trading Cards celebrate the oft-unheralded field of go outside for longer than 10 minutes at a time, it’s time to show Where do ZW Bostonians go for basics such as groceries and clothCommunity Art in Boston, and the essential and inspiraup for things that matter! Demonstrations, manifestations, protests, tional leadership role of women in the field. The ten women ing? BZW provides the local roadmap. honored in the set are putting their remarkable and diverse parades, rally, really whatever you feel drawn to as long as it’s not MIT Waste Alliance, mitwastealliance.weebly.com. Curious to know creative talents to the profound task of meeting our city’s “netflix and chill”. LET’S GET ACTIVE. And we don’t just mean going how waste works? The MIT Waste Alliance organizes field trips to most pressing social and emotional needs. An eleventh card for a jog, although that can be rad too. Since we are based down waste management sites and lectures from professionals in the field. Upcoming events include a tour of the Greater Lawrence Wastewa- here in Dorchester, we got 2 stellar recommendations for actions to commemorates Boston Community Arts legend, Elma Lewis. The printed trading cards format is a nostalgic, novel, and be taken in our neck of the woods. The first is on April 17 in Uphams ter Treatment Facility, and a chat with Siddharth Hande, entrepreaffordable way to hold and share this meaningful content. Corner, a Dorchester “TAX DAY” event organized by Dorchester neur working with waste pickers in India. Complete trading card sets are available for only $5 at People for Peace and many other rad organizations. Essentially, this My Sustainable Choices, @mysustainablechoices. But is ZW hard? Dorchester Art Project’s Frugal Art Collective Gallery and Sarah offers insights into the day-to-day realities of zero waste living. event is protesting the fact that over 60% of our taxes are given elsewhere soon. directly to military spending. We say NO. Meet in Uphams corner A launch party and meet-and-greet with some of the honorTIT REMEMBERS THE NEWLY EXTINCT ON EARF DAY, APRIL 22 at 4:30pm. March 5:30 down Columbia Road. And 6:30 meet for a ees will be held at 40 South vintage store, 40 South Street in community dinner at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Jamaica Plain, on Saturday, April 27th from 1:30-6pm. Come Animals Presumed Extinct in 2018: Po'ouli, passerine bird, enSECONDLY, 10 days later on April 27, our friends from Resonant buy a set or two, imbibe, chat, and get your favorite trading demic to Hawaii. Alagoas Foliage-Gleaner/Cryptic Treehunter, cards autographed by the celebrities themselves! Energy down the block in Codman Sq are organizing a “LOVE YOUR passerine bird, endemic to Brazil. Wild Spix's Macaw, endemic Peace. BLOCK: Earth Day Event!”. To showcase, celebrate and support the to Brazil (some still exist, only in captivity). -Neil Horsky green initiatives happening in Dorchester. (And maybe pick up some On Deck for 2019: Vaquita, porfree veggies! And do some green arts & crafts with us :) This event poise, endemic to the northwill be happening 9-2pm in Codman Sq. ern Gulf of California. Northern -Emma Leavitt White Rhino, endemic to East THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT and Central Africa. -Melanie Bernier FROM THE BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL, A LOCAL AGENCY
NOTES FROM THE
CREW
THIS PAPER IS AN ONGOING PROJECT OF BRAIN ARTS ORGANIZATION, INC., A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO, VOLUNTEERING OR OTHERWISE SUPPORTING US: BRAIN-ARTS.ORG
WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS CULTURAL COUNCIL, AS ADMINSTRATED BY THE MAYOR'S