The curious case of the mystery artist and the poop sculpture

On NPR Rachel Treisman told us about how Poop on Pelosi's desk, a neo-Nazi tiki torch: Mysterious statues are popping up in D.C. and we learned that:

An unusual bronze sculpture appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., last week: a replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, topped with her nameplate, a landline phone, Post-it Notes, file folders and a perfectly swirled pile of feces, a la poop emoji.

Then Sebastian Smee at the WaPo, told us that it was "great public art, actually."

Then Joe Heim, also at the WaPo added that a new sculpture had appeared: "A neo-Nazi tiki torch statue for Trump.

And yesterday Makea Luzader from DC News Now, and today Heim added that the artist is now distributing mini replicas of the poopsculpture (see how I just invented a new word?). 

(Images courtesy of Civic Crafted)

Luzader adds:

The statue’s permit ended on Oct. 31, but its legacy lives on — Civic Crafted, the organization that held the permit from the National Park Service, placed new poop memorabilia out for grabs.

You can't make this shit poop up!

Why Trump is going to win tomorrow

Before you read my prediction for tomorrow's election, read this 2005 post, where I warned the Democratic Party of the reasoning that I am about to use for the prediction.

This is part of what I wrote almost 20 years ago:

Talking about Mexico and Mexicans... it baffles me that the egg heads in the Democrat Party cannot foresee what every contemporary Latino/Hispanic knows in his or her heart: One day, not too far in the future, as the Hispanic population in the US continues to grow,  and because we are so diverse in thought, culture and perspectives, that one day, a decade or two from now, when Latino numbers make Latinos the largest ethnic minority in the US... the DNC will be shocked to "discover" that Latinos will not be obedient voters for the Democrat ticket only, and Latino/a politicians will run and win under the Republican party, and large percentages of the Latino vote will go to the right.

About tomorrow's election - I will predict that Trump will win, and his victory will be in large part due to the Hispanic vote.  If this doesn't make sense to you, then read the 2005 post again!

What are we going to see?

Florida has a HUGE Hispanic population - everyone knows Cuban-Americans vote in the high 90s for Republicans, and yet Miami's Dade County has been reliably Democratic for decades; Hillary Clinton won the county with 63% of the vote in 2016, and President Biden won it with 53% in 2020 -  that was a warning signal to the Dems that they failed to heed.  I predict that Trump will not only win Dade (and Florida), but also win it easily - around 51 - 55% of the vote.

It will be interesting to see what happens in Osceola County in Florida, as that county has a huge Puerto Rican population. If Trump wins that county, it's another nail in the coffin, a really nasty one, in view of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe stupid jokes at the Madison Square Garden rally held by the Trump campaign.

Texas also has a substantial Mexican-American population, and we're told that the pollsters are seeing a substantial move of the usually reliable Democrat voters towards the GOP. If they're right in Texas, then think all those Southwestern states and Harris is cooked.

Biden won Latino males by a 23 points (59%-36%) in the 2020 elections.  I predict that El Trumpo will not only reverse that, but get between 50-55% of the Latino male vote.

Latina women are a different story, but still a problem for Harris. Biden won Latina women votes by 39 points in 2020! Tall order for Harris (in my opinion). She will still win with Latina women, but will most likely underperform Biden, and win Latina women's vote by 20-25%, thus giving El Trumpo 14-19% more votes from Latinas; it adds up!

Bottom line: If you are one of those doomsayers who has been brainwashed by the press about the world ending if Trump wins, blame it on Latinos/Latinas/Hispanics.

Lo que no mata, engorda.

The curious case of the Dwyane Wade statue

This is just funny - a lot of people saying that the statue looks nothing like Wade (the statue was designed by Timeless Creations’ Omri Amrany and Oscar León, and it sits outside the front doors of the Kaseya Center).:

• Dwyane Wade statue unveiled in Miami as fans contend it looks nothing like him
• ‘Who the hell is this?’: Fans confused by Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade statue
• 'That statue is not it': Dwyane Wade sculpture goes viral following unveiling in Miami

Diane Tuckman, RIP

From Diane Tuckman's family:

It is with a heavy heart we share the peaceful passing of Diane Tuckman March 24,1935 - October 25, 2024 at 89 years old. She is survived by her children Ian Tuckman and Valerie Lynn as well as her grandchildren Danielle and Alexander Lynn, Melanie Robertson and Tatiana Baldyga.   

The current plan (to be confirmed tomorrow morning) is that the funeral will take place Monday October 28th at 12 pm at King David Cemetery in Falls Church, Virginia. We will return to Mishkan Torah for a meal of consolation around 2pm, and a Shiva service at 7pm. All are welcome at any time. If you have any silk painted scarves, or anything else please wear it as a tribute to Diane. We will also have some extras you could borrow. 

If you would like to make a donation in her memory her spiritual home was at Mishkan Torah Synagogue https://www.mishkantorah.org/visitdonatejoin/donate-to-mishkan-torah  or 10 Ridge Road Greenbelt MD  20220   

Alternatively any Jewish organization of your choice would also be meaningful.     

Goodbye Diane... your art footprint will live forever -- read about this remarkable artists here. 

Mark Jenkins' DisCerning Eye

The Washington Post's former Galleries art critic, Mark Jenkins, has a new online publication where he continues to review DMV art shows!

This is great news not only to the DMV art scene, but also to the art history of our area, as Jenkins' reviews will help document for the future the area's art scene.

Visit his site, DisCerning Eye here, and visit often!

Jonell Logan Appointed Executive Director & Curator of Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art

Following a national hiring search, Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) today announced the appointment of Jonell Jaime Logan as the Institute's new Executive Director & Curator. Ms. Logan will start on October 28. 

The appointment comes as the Institute (formerly the Greater Reston Arts Center) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

“Tephra ICA’s mission is not only to promote innovative art and thinking, but to advocate for the arts and artists with curiosity and care. I believe in this mission and am honored to be the next Executive Director to support this work," said Ms. Logan. 

Ms. Logan is a curator, arts advocate, and non-profit leader who believes in "building visionary, mission-driven organizations that support contemporary art and culture."

She has an MFA in Drawing and Painting, Printmaking from Brooklyn College. Originally from New York, Ms. Logan has worked in arts organizations that include The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Whitney Museum of Art; Studio Museum in Harlem; and the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC. 

Ms. Logan served as the Director of Education and Public Programs at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte, NC and, more recently, she served as the Vice President + Creative Director at the McColl Center in Charlotte. 

During her tenure at McColl, she led the implementation of the newly adopted strategic plan, revamped the curatorial and Artist-in-Residence program, implemented a new studio rental and exhibition program in support of local artists, and was instrumental in helping to secure $100,000 in new funding from the Warhol Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

”Jonell is an established and innovative leader, bringing exceptional curatorial, management, and fundraising experience gained at respected institutions in our sector," said Robert Goudie, Tephra ICA Board Chair. “Add to that her national reach, and even amidst a deep and strong candidate pool she stood out. We took the unusual step of entering into a five-year commitment, reflecting our belief in her and her belief in Tephra ICA. That stability will be especially important as we seek during that time to identify and close on our new home in Reston, an American Alliance of Museums-accredited and larger space that will allow us to expand what we can deliver to the region. We are thrilled to have a leader of such accomplishment and vision bring Tephra ICA into the next decade of our evolution.”

DC Art News send a warm welcome to Ms. Logan and welcomes her to the DMV art scene!

Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024

As I've done several times in the past, I attended Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024 yesterday, and as usual, it was a spectacular day in an most unique place where traveling back in time (this time to 1537) was not only worth it, but also easily one of the best and most entertaining and fun-filled events that someone in our neck of the woods can attend.

Let me be clear: On the scale of 1-10 on my recommendation for spending a fun-filled day, the Maryland Renaissance Festival gets 1000!

We picked up our tickets at Will Call, where the pretty elf on duty was efficient and to the point.

Me: "Hi... I was also told to show you my ID to get the military discount..."

Elf: "Can I see your ID card?"

I hand it to her and she examines it closely.

Elf: "Nope... military discount is only for active duty, not retired military" she says firmly as she hands the card back.

I grumble to myself as I walk away disappointed and bummed out and enter the festival, where within a few feet my son and I are transported back to 1537 and immediately greeted by these ladies below... which improved my mood immediately.

Quite possibly one of the best people-watching places on Earth, especially for artists and people watchers like me and most readers of this blog, is the huge medieval world created by the hard-working people who set up this festival year after year for the past few decades.

A couple of decades ago, I actually rented a tent at this fair and sold a lot of artwork - all of it was somewhat related to the theme at hand -- at the time I was doing a lot of drawings about standing stones in Scotland, the saga of The Wallace, and ancient Pictish and Celtic legends - so it fit right in.

This year there must have been a sale on pointed ears, as there were elves by the hundreds at the fair - I suspect that there was a Vulcan or two around, trying to pass for an elf in the crowd, as I saw at least two Klingons, obviously time traveling, and Boba Fett was also seen wandering in the crowd.

Elfin princess at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024

There are multiple stages throughout the festival, and constant performances by highly talented musicians, entertainers, magicians, sword-swallowers, etc.

From the several that we saw, DC ART NEWS awards the Best Act at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024 to juggler Paolo Garbanzo!

Paolo Garbanzo at the 2024 Maryland Renaissance Festival

Garbanzo is not only a superbly talented juggler, but he is also a master comedian, a superbly gifted ad hoc talker (during his act there was a ballerina war, a math war... yeah) but also a finely tuned performer with an almost supernatural link with his audience - he is able to "tune" the act to the audience as the speed of someone who has refined his talents over years of practice and observation.

All through the grounds are crafts people, artists, cooks, sellers, and entertainers which pepper the festival with hundreds of things to see, buy, touch, learn and do.

One of many vendors at the 2024 Maryland Renaissance Festival

There is also a huge diversity of spirits, beers, meads and ales to enjoy! And lots of visitors, both human or elfish were enjoying the offerings, as well as a cat or two!

A gorgeous feline at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024

One of the many taverns and pubs at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024

Two costumed visitors to the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2024

For lunch, the younger Campello wanted a steak on a stake (get it?) and for $7 he got a really nice, full size, grilled steak on a stick, which he wolfed down as we headed to the jousting arena.

We got there a little early, which was good, as the place really packs up as the time for the joust to begin approaches.  We sat next to an elf witch with a small brood of little elves by the side.

The joust began with the lords and ladies introducing the mistress of ceremonies as Princess Luna of the Kingdom of Andalucía -  she was a gorgeous and highly skilled MC!

Lords and ladies at the joust arena

The almost seven million readers of this blog already know that I am a pedantic Virgo, and in 1537 there was no such thing as a Kingdom of Andalucía.  

In the past, the ancient kingdoms of Jaén, Córdoba and Seville were collectively referred to under the name Andalucía, which comes from the way that the Arabic speaking Moors which invaded Iberia in the 700s and were kicked out of Spain by 1492, referred to that southern region of the Iberian peninsula, which had been settled and ruled by the Germanic tribe known as the Vandals.

Thus the Arabic name for (essentially) southern Spain was al-Andalus, which means "Land of the Vandals." As such, al-Andalus evolved to Andalucía.

Sorry Princess Luna.

Joust at the 2024 Maryland Renaissance Festival

The joust was spectacular! All four riders were superb horsemen and performed a variety of "ooooh" "aaaaaah" eliciting riding skills, especially the knight from Ireland and the prince from Portugal - who was easily the most skilled and versatile jouster! 

Prince Miguel from Portugal was amazing!

However, in my pedantic hell I also had issues with the Irish and Portuguese name selections.  If I were in charge, I would have had the Irishman be a Scottish knight - after all King Robert The Bruce of Scotland sent hundreds of Scottish cavalry to Spain to help the Christians defeat the Moors during the Reconquista.

Prince Miguel from Portugal should really be recast as perhaps a member of the Marinid Dynasty, a Berber Muslim dynasty that ruled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and were a powerful presence in other parts of North Africa.

Joust at the 2024 Maryland Renaissance Festival

In summary, one of the funnest, most enjoyable, entertaining ways to spend a day on this planet!  The festival only runs a few weekends a year (yesterday was the last day for 2024), and the tickets sell out fast!  You can visit them online and you have to reserve your tickets early for 2025, as they will sell out fast!

My kudos to every one associated with the hard work and labor of love that it is to present, work, and stage the festival. I am in awe of your love and commitment!

Details here.