In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art & Public Space with IRVIN WEATHERSBY JR.

In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art & Public Space with IRVIN WEATHERSBY JR.

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A Conversation with Author IRVIN WEATHERSBY JR.

One of the biggest symbols of America is Mount Rushmore. This monument, right? But I think most people fail to realize where it's located and why it's located there. Even more importantly, who did it? It's on a sacred Native American mountain, a place that was central to their creation stories. But then you think about who did it, and it was a Klansman. The guy who sculpted Mount Rushmore was a Klansman. People were like, "Wait, really?" Like, how is that a thing? But it seeps into our understanding and our embrace of white supremacy. This whole notion of us using Mount Rushmore as a metric of excellence is really sad. We are honoring slave owners and people who viciously killed natives, and those who pillage other lands in the name of capitalism. That's what America is, I guess.

I think there's such a disinterest in education in America that it is sickening. We can't even agree on facts. It's up to states' rights to decide. Really? States can say that this is true in one state, but it's not true in another? Although these states are united, it's very bizarre. I'm hopeful for revolution. I'm optimistic. I want radical change. I think we are repeating history. We are going through a cycle of fascism and greed, and I think we're going to see a lot of states collapse. As a result of that, I think people are going to be forced back to their primal needs and concerns, but I think they're going to be forced to think about what makes us human. How do we become more human? Because we've lost that. We've given it up to technology. How can we figure out what makes us a really powerful species again?

An Actor Prepares - SHARON LAWRENCE on Crafting Complex Characters - Highlights

An Actor Prepares - SHARON LAWRENCE on Crafting Complex Characters - Highlights

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A Conversation with SHARON LAWRENCE

That transformation was key to my next step as an artist, to knowing that's what acting is. It isn't just posing; it isn't just being a version of yourself in a way that was free. Performing wasn't just performing; it was transforming. I think that artists find that in many different ways, and as actors, there are many ways into that.

SHARON LAWRENCE on Acting, Activism & The Art of Transformation

SHARON LAWRENCE on Acting, Activism & The Art of Transformation

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A Conversation with SHARON LAWRENCE

That transformation was key to my next step as an artist, to knowing that's what acting is. It isn't just posing; it isn't just being a version of yourself in a way that was free. Performing wasn't just performing; it was transforming. I think that artists find that in many different ways, and as actors, there are many ways into that.

"We're connected to the lives of every creature on the planet" EIREN CAFFALL - Highlights

"We're connected to the lives of every creature on the planet" EIREN CAFFALL - Highlights

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We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.

All the Water in the World with Writer & Musician EIREN CAFFALL

All the Water in the World with Writer & Musician EIREN CAFFALL

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A Conversation with Writer & Musician EIREN CAFFALL

We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.

Building Bridges, Breaking Cycles: Personal Stories of Healing, Social Justice & Activism

Building Bridges, Breaking Cycles: Personal Stories of Healing, Social Justice & Activism

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How do our personal relationships affect political movements and activism? What can we learn from Native American tradition to restore ecological balance? How can transforming capitalism help address global inequality and the environmental crisis? Dean Spade, Jericho Brown, Alexi Hawley, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, and Paul Shrivastava share their stories.

KATIE KITAMURA on Language, Identity & the Search for Agency - Highlights

KATIE KITAMURA on Language, Identity & the Search for Agency - Highlights

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Author of Audition · Intimacies · A Separation

I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.

Art, Performance & the Illusion of Agency - KATIE KITAMURA on her new novel AUDITION

Art, Performance & the Illusion of Agency - KATIE KITAMURA on her new novel AUDITION

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Author of Audition · Intimacies · A Separation

I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.

Feminism in the 21st Century

Feminism in the 21st Century

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Artists, Writers, Filmmakers Share their Stories

Marilyn Minter ·  Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ·  Dean Spade ·  Laura Eason ·  Intan Paramaditha ·  Tey Meadow ·  Sara Ahmed ·  Ellen Rapoport ·  Dian Hanson ·  Kate Mueth on the importance of agency, owning the narrative, and the joy of creation.

A Life in Climbing: ALAIN ROBERT Climbs with No Fear, No Ropes, No Safety Net - Highlights

A Life in Climbing: ALAIN ROBERT Climbs with No Fear, No Ropes, No Safety Net - Highlights

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Famous Rock & Urban Climber ALAIN ROBERT
Known for Free Solo Climbing 200+ of the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers using no Climbing Equipment

you are fighting to stay alive. You are fully in the present moment; you don't have time to think about being afraid. You are focused on what you are doing. You struggle to pass another window, then another, and you don't have time to think about your problems. The only thing you are concerned about deep down in the back of your mind is that you need to stay alive, and for that, you need to remain calm and focused.

Overcoming Your Fears to Achieve the Impossible w/ Free Solo Climber ALAIN ROBERT on Climbing 200+ World’s Tallest Skyscrapers

Overcoming Your Fears to Achieve the Impossible w/ Free Solo Climber ALAIN ROBERT on Climbing 200+ World’s Tallest Skyscrapers

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Famous Rock & Urban Climber ALAIN ROBERT
Known for Free Solo Climbing 200+ of the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers using no Climbing Equipment

you are fighting to stay alive. You are fully in the present moment; you don't have time to think about being afraid. You are focused on what you are doing. You struggle to pass another window, then another, and you don't have time to think about your problems. The only thing you are concerned about deep down in the back of your mind is that you need to stay alive, and for that, you need to remain calm and focused.

The Creative Process w/ JULIE ANDREWS, PAUL SCHRADER, JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, ETGAR KERET, JOY GORMAN WETTELS, CHAYSE IRVIN, MANUEL BILLETER

The Creative Process w/ JULIE ANDREWS, PAUL SCHRADER, JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, ETGAR KERET, JOY GORMAN WETTELS, CHAYSE IRVIN, MANUEL BILLETER

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JULIE ANDREWS · PAUL SCHRADER · JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY · ETGAR KERET · JOY GORMAN WETTELS · CHAYSE IRVIN · MANUEL BILLETER
Share their Stories

Relationships, Writing, Dyselxia & The Creative Process w/ Director SOPHIE BROOKS

Relationships, Writing, Dyselxia & The Creative Process w/ Director SOPHIE BROOKS

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Writer Director
Oh, Hi! · The Boy Downstairs

In reality, we're all complex people with feelings and our own sets of baggage. I do think we are very good at self-sabotage, all of us. It's a very easy road to go down. It's safe because it's comfortable, and we know it. When you can find the ways you self-sabotage and try to stop that, it will hopefully lead to a happier life and things that are meaningful. When I was in my late twenties, I got out of a serious relationship and kind of reentered the dating scene. I was shocked by the simplification of a lot of complicated feelings around dating and how women are so easily labeled crazy, and men are so easily labeled assholes.

Modern Love - Writer, Director SOPHIE BROOKS on her new film OH, HI!

Modern Love - Writer, Director SOPHIE BROOKS on her new film OH, HI!

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Writer Director
Oh, Hi! · The Boy Downstairs

In reality, we're all complex people with feelings and our own sets of baggage. I do think we are very good at self-sabotage, all of us. It's a very easy road to go down. It's safe because it's comfortable, and we know it. When you can find the ways you self-sabotage and try to stop that, it will hopefully lead to a happier life and things that are meaningful. When I was in my late twenties, I got out of a serious relationship and kind of reentered the dating scene. I was shocked by the simplification of a lot of complicated feelings around dating and how women are so easily labeled crazy, and men are so easily labeled assholes.

From Spy Thrillers to Police Dramas w/ Writer, Creator, Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY

From Spy Thrillers to Police Dramas w/ Writer, Creator, Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY

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Showrunner · Writer · Creator
The Rookie · The Recruit

There used to be a time when leading men were okay with falling down as a character. Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones is a prime example of that. Even going back to the fifties, they understood that failure and falling down, but getting back up, is an endearing quality. It's a universal human quality. We have gotten to a point in the last 10 or 15 years, or maybe longer, where leading men often want to win every fight. It’s in their contract: "I have to win every fight" or "I can't fail" or "I can't fall down." It's just such a mistake because the audience roots for you more if they see you fail and then get back up again. Noah is totally comfortable playing that character who's just trying to figure it out on the fly. Sometimes, he gets it wrong, but he's never going to give up. You can really feel that coming off the screen.

Behind the Scenes of The Rookie & The Recruit w/ Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY

Behind the Scenes of The Rookie & The Recruit w/ Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY

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Showrunner · Writer · Creator
The Rookie · The Recruit

There used to be a time when leading men were okay with falling down as a character. Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones is a prime example of that. Even going back to the fifties, they understood that failure and falling down, but getting back up, is an endearing quality. It's a universal human quality. We have gotten to a point in the last 10 or 15 years, or maybe longer, where leading men often want to win every fight. It’s in their contract: "I have to win every fight" or "I can't fail" or "I can't fall down." It's just such a mistake because the audience roots for you more if they see you fail and then get back up again. Noah is totally comfortable playing that character who's just trying to figure it out on the fly. Sometimes, he gets it wrong, but he's never going to give up. You can really feel that coming off the screen.

How Art Helps Us Understand the World - Filmmakers, Writers & Artists Share their Stories

How Art Helps Us Understand the World - Filmmakers, Writers & Artists Share their Stories

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Filmmakers, Writers & Artists Share their Stories

How do the arts help us understand the world? How do our personal lives influence the art we make? Benoît Delhomme, John Patrick Shanley, Jim Shepard, Anthony White, Laura Eason, Mark Gottlieb & Michael Begler explore their creative process.

How Does Art Shape Our Lives? Musicians, Writers, Filmmakers & Actors Share Their Stories

How Does Art Shape Our Lives? Musicians, Writers, Filmmakers & Actors Share Their Stories

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Musicians, Writers, Filmmakers & Actors Share Their Stories

How do the arts help us find purpose and meaning? What role do stories play in helping us preserve memories, connect us to each other, and answer life’s big questions? Max Richter, Etgar Keret, Athony Joseph, Claudia Forestieri, Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz Johnjoe McFadden, Sheehan Karunatilaka, Catherine Curtin, Kate Mueth explore the importance of creativity and the arts.

Elon Musk, Putin's Russia, Murdoch's Fox News: How Billionaires Shape Our World with DARRYL CUNNINGHAM

Elon Musk, Putin's Russia, Murdoch's Fox News: How Billionaires Shape Our World with DARRYL CUNNINGHAM

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The Lives of Billionaires Comic Artist & Author DARRYL CUNNINGHAM on Making Complex Subjects Simple

No one should be a billionaire because it's damaging. There's a certain level of wealth that's damaging to a country. Billionaires have so much wealth that they have enormous political power, which is undemocratic. There should be a ceiling on wealth. I have nothing against people becoming millionaires or even multi-millionaires. But multi-billionaires are incredibly bad for all of us. If you have so much money that you can buy an entire political party, that's a thing that shouldn't exist.

Art & Empathy: Filmmakers, Writers & Artists on Connecting through Creativity

Art & Empathy: Filmmakers, Writers & Artists on Connecting through Creativity

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Filmmakers, Writers & Artists on Connecting through Creativity

How does art change the way we see and experience the world? Art has the power to offer transformative experiences, but what about the lives of artists who give so much of themselves? How can we balance creativity and personal well-being while still making work that is true and meaningful?