Monthly Archives: February 2020

I’m Curious About Something

Posted on February 29, 2020 by JMN

The president makes decisions that affect our lives, our physical safety and that of the planet, and the durability of our democracy. It follows that we should know all that we can about that person’s intelligence, temperament, knowledge, curiosity, stability, … Continue reading →

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Not a Paean to Peons

Posted on February 27, 2020 by JMN

For many traditional liberals, respect for difference is understood as a sacred duty. Consider, for example, Joe Biden’s warm words for his Republican colleagues, or the left’s many peons to the virtues of empathy. (Tim Wu, “Quantifying Liberal ‘Suckerdom,’” NYTimes, … Continue reading →

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Crooked Finger, Vodka, and Other Shebangs

Posted on February 26, 2020 by JMN

Mr. Huang said the intent of his show was to explore the beauty in body parts that we don’t appreciate — a thesis that stemmed from his feeling of embarrassment about his crooked finger, which he said he always hides … Continue reading →

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Lifting Skirt

Posted on February 22, 2020 by JMN

This article is about Catherine Blackledge, author of “The Story of V” (2003), which “explores the vagina from a scientific and historical perspective.” It introduces me to the word and the tradition of anasyrma — “the centuries-old gesture of lifting … Continue reading →

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Treading Fashion Pastures

Posted on February 21, 2020 by JMN

It might be nice if schools of fashion were insulated from the culture so as to indulge in questionable tomfoolery on the runway with impunity, but it isn’t so. Every so often a mess is stepped in. Someone in charge … Continue reading →

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Matthew Wong

Posted on February 20, 2020 by JMN

Matthew Wong took his life on October 2, 2019, in Edmonton, Alberta. He was 35. His obituary in the NYTimes described him as “a promising self-taught painter whose vibrant landscapes, forest scenes and still lifes were just beginning to command … Continue reading →

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Sallies and Japes of the Day

Posted on February 20, 2020 by JMN

“Leave It All Behind Ya.” (Slogan printed on photos of himself sitting on the toilet that Louis Armstrong would send to his fans.) Some days everything I read tastes good and I succumb to a shameful quotation binge. “This wasn’t … Continue reading →

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Only Femicide

Posted on February 20, 2020 by JMN

“The woman, Ingrid Escamilla, 25, was stabbed, skinned and disemboweled…” “Look, I don’t want the topic to be only femicide… This issue has been manipulated a lot in the media… I ask feminists, with all due respect, not to paint … Continue reading →

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Acronymity

Posted on February 19, 2020 by JMN

Acronyms lend dignity and swagger to the entities or concepts they miniaturize. They attach like decals or tattoos to virtually every American institution, whether it be political, medical, corporate, military, legal, educationist or digital. It’s no accident that names are … Continue reading →

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“The Pencil Is a Key”

Posted on February 18, 2020 by JMN

This is an article about drawings made by persons who were in prison. They were featured in an exhibition at the Drawing Center that ran through January 5, 2020. Author Jillian Steinhauer quotes cartoonist Lynda Barry, who sounds the familiar … Continue reading →

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