Around Town for Some --- Day 7/243

Walk: Marin Driving Day, PGCC Book Group (Red Power)

Distance: Small yoga, 1 mile

Ciwt thought these outfits from the de Young Museum's Contemporary Muslim Fashion show were fresh, cute, stylish (and probably frightfully expensive). 

Sumptuous Modesty --- Day 7/242

Walk: de Young Museum (Contemporary Muslim Fashion Show)
Distance: 6 Miles, Yoga Stretch

If you love textiles,

Jewels,

            

Exquisite fabrics and fabrication, 

the de Young's current show, Contemporary Muslim Fashion, is a feast for your eyes. But even as the show dazzles, it also provokes many questions about the ways the sumptuous garments on view fit into the contemporary world.  Unfortunately, not many of those are answered. 

For openers, the show does not mention that all of the fashion on display could only be afforded and worn by exceedingly wealthy women.  Then there is the matter of why some mannequins have covered heads and others don't when they only thing most Americans think they know for sure is that Muslim women are obliged by their faith to wear a veil.* You might also wonder what occasions the fashions are worn, in what Muslim countries, whether the fashions are also worn by non-Muslims, and many other things.   

Those answers are skimpy.   But, oh those lush fabrics and colors!! 


* Since she didn't find any signage that explained this, Ciwt consulted Professor Internet and found that wearing the hijab or veil Muslim is a complex and debated issue with some/many thinkers on the side of women having free choice about whether to veil themselves.

Okay, Enough Nice --- Day 7/241

Walk: Union Square
Distance: 3.5 Miles

The other day Ciwt was talking long distance to a friend who said she considered going out but it looked like it might snow so she stayed inside, lit a fire and curled up with a book.  As San Francisco's annual and glorious Indian summer goes on and on with Thanksgiving on the horizon, a part of Ciwt envies her friend.

Ciwt doesn't feel like playing golf, or running, or biking or hiking all day, or doing anything summer! Or feeling guilty because she's not doing those things.  It is fall. She wants to wear her cashmere and other yummy fall fabrics and colors.  Her cats' coats are thick; they are ready for the cold.  So at our house we're saying Bring It On.

Yes --- Day 7/240

Walk: AMC Kabuki (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Distance: 2.5 miles, small yoga, small pedal

In real life the celebrity biographer Lee Israel was caustic, cruel, a filthy slob, alcoholic, self-absorbed, loved only by her cat (if he did).  In other words thoroughly unpleasant and unlikeable.

The wonder of Can You Ever Forgive Me? is that the screenwriters and Melissa McCarthy have made Lee so watchable.  Still not particularly likeable but sympathetic and interesting as she survives her life with the fewest of people skills coupled with desperate and witty creativity.

Forgive Me showcases McCarthy's considerable serious acting talent.  But she refuses to play it cute or winking or apologetic in any way and continues to be a role model for body positivity by looking and comporting herself exactly as herself in her own skin. 

Family Portrait --- Day 7/239

Walk: Cinema Club, Japantown
Distance: 2.5 miles, Pedal

Shoplifters, written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda

So, Ciwt has another movie to recommend.  If you are more than an occasional CIWT reader, you probably know that many of her recommended movies are of the quiet, thoughtful, well acted and directed type.  That is, indie and arty.  And here she goes again with Shoplifters which won the (usually arty) Cannes Palme D'Or for Best Picture.  The director/writer/editor, Hirokazu Koreeda, is fast becoming a national treasure in Japan for his filmmaking, and the acting is uniformly superb.  

People whose cinema tastes run to action, you should probably know Shoplifters is a quiet, masterful drama about a ragtag family that runs a bit over 2 hours; ie, probably not for you.  Don't despair though, Ciwt Loves good fast paced (sometimes incomprehensible), rough tough (sometimes violent), gripping, suspenseful movies too.  (As well as documentaries, animated longs and shorts, musicals, the works)!

Say It With Visuals (And Music) --- Day 7/238

Walk:  Vogue Theater (20th Annual Animation Show of Shows)
Distance: 2 Miles (weirdly the glorious warmth slows Ciwt down)

Luckily a small, old-timey neighborhood theater near Ciwt is one of the venues for the Annual Animation Show of Shows.  This compliation of animated shorts is the love child of this man:

 Ron Diamond who has curated, produced, promoted and accompanied his baby to each college campus, theater, basement theater and everywhere his Show of Shows is shown.  He was there today talking about watching 1,200 shorts and culling them to the 16 in this year's group.  During the past 20 years, 38 of his choices have been nominated for Academy Awards and something like 13 have won Oscars.  But winning awards is not what Diamond is all about; his mission is bringing the labor, love, and talent of the intensive art of animation to people's awareness and doing whatever he can to encourage young people dreaming of being in the field themselves - or making just one short.

It is always a bittersweet adventure for Ciwt.  Sweet because it is such a treat to see animation from all over the world - particularly at such a high level.  But bitter because each film takes innumerable hours - for one film this year, the director hand drew each frame for ten years before having enough to make the short he had in mind.  Then it is over and maybe, very possibly, only a handful of people will see the final product or hear the original music written for it.  Soul work kind of .

Monlight Becomes the River --- Day 7/237

Walk: SFMOMA, PGCC
Distance: 4 miles

George Ault, The Hudson River from Riverside Drive, 1920-21, oil on linen*

Ciwt is not a particular fan of Modernist art, but she loves this little gem.

It is filled with moonglow which lights the entire gallery it hangs in.  Thank you, Wayne

Thiebaud for bringing it to our attention in his, ahem, illuminating "Artist's Choices"

show at SFMOMA.

* No, it isn't your eyes, Ciwt's photo is off kilter.

Oh, Am I Drawing? Didn't Notice ---- Day 7/236

Walk: Marin Driving Day
Distance: Kind of 0

    Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920), Notebook Drawings, felt tip pen and graphite on paper, no date

Like many artists, Wayne Thiebaud carries a notebook and pen with him at all times and draws nearly continually.  Ciwt loves how the cat and the female nude echo each other - and of course that dog.