Inspired by the light of the sun, and scientific research which proves that a new specific light can safely clean up to 99.9% of the coronavirus, Studio Roosegaarde launches the world’s first Urban Sun.
Daan Roosegaarde and his team of designers, external experts, and scientists challenged themselves to discover how the power of light can be used to combat viruses and therefore, enhance our well-being. Research shows that though traditional 254nm UV light is harmful, the new far-UVC light with a wavelength of 222 nanometers can actually sanitize viruses safely.
Urban Sun, a project in development by Studio Roosegaarde, shines a large circle of this far-UVC light into public spaces, cleaning those spaces of the coronavirus. It acts as an additional layer of protection to current government rules. Urban Sun aims to inspire hope. It combats the negative impact of social isolation by aiming to improve cultural gatherings, sporting events, public squares, and schoolyards.
Urban Sun debuts at Studio Roosegaarde, with the potential for future exhibits. The project is supported by the Dutch Council of the Public Health & Society Board. Urban Sun is created by Roosegaarde’s team, together with external experts and scientists from the Netherlands, the US, Japan, and Italy. The Urban Sun’s far-UVC light source is measured and calibrated by the Dutch National Metrology Institute VSL. Urban Sun meets the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) safety standards.
Professor Karl Linden, award winning innovator in UV technologies and founding board member of the International Ultraviolet Association: “Urban Sun is inspiring. It will make enjoying public spaces safer and I look forward to visiting locations where this far-UVC sun is shining.”
Designer Daan Roosegaarde: “Suddenly our world is filled with plastic barriers, our family reduced to pixels on a computer screen. Let’s be architects of our new normal and create better places to meet.”
The science behind Urban Sun is based on multiple peer-reviewed articles authored by scientists from Columbia University and Hiroshima University. Research shows that 222nm far-UVC light can reduce the presence of viruses, including various strains of coronavirus and influenza, up to 99.9%.
For more information, please visit Studio Roosegaarde’s website.
ACCLAIMED PIANIST WAEL FAROUK SHOWCASED IN UNPRECEDENTED CONCERT PROGRAM OF RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTOS NO. 1, 2 AND 3
Concert to Be Recorded this April on the MAC’s Belushi Performance Hall Stage, Premieres April 17; Available on Demand Through June 15
Internationally acclaimed pianist, Wael Farouk, joins New Philharmonic, the professional orchestra in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) for “Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos.” This unprecedented concert program, conducted by Maestro Kirk Muspratt and recorded at the MAC’s Belushi Performance Hall stage, will premiere at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17, then be available on demand through June 15.
The concert will include Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Concerto No. 2 in C minor and Concerto No. 3 in D minor. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor is respected, even feared, by many pianists. It has been called “daunting” (Wall Street Journal), “a classical war horse” (New York Times) and “one of the most technically challenging concertos in the classical repertoire” (CMUSE). Piano Concerto No. 1, actually Rachmaninoff’s second attempt at a piano concerto, is very different from his later works. Piano Concerto No. 2, one of Rachmaninoff’s most enduring works, has been hailed as “an unassailably epic work of genius” (Classic FM).
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 3 is extremely important to Farouk, who was born with shortened ligaments in his hands. His doctor suggested to his parents that he study the piano to help exercise his fingers. Farouk heard Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 when he was 12 and it fueled his continuing interest in the piano. When he was 13, he mentioned his interest in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 to his piano teacher, who discouraged his interest in the work, citing that even the best of pianists with large hands found it a challenge so with Farouk’s small hands it was impossible. Farouk took it upon himself to prove the teacher wrong and, at age 19, played Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Cairo Symphony, as the first Egyptian to ever perform this concerto.
Farouk’s theme for this concert is “Climbing Beyond Everest: 3 Musical Mountains and 3 Systemic Injustices: Discrimination, Oppression, and Persecution.” Farouk sees the upcoming concert as a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit and ability to overcome what appear to be insurmountable challenges. To prepare for this challenging concert, Farouk will build his stamina by playing the program three times a day leading up to the New Philharmonic concert. Herculean accomplishments are nothing new to Farouk, who was last seen at the MAC performing all five of Beethoven’s concertos in a single program, “Beethoven: Five Piano Concertos | One Pianist” (2018).
Farouk has garnered international acclaim as a concert pianist, performing on five continents in such venues as the White Hall in St. Petersburg, Schumann’s house in Leipzig, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, where his solo debut performance in 2013 was described as “absolutely masterful” (New York Concert Review). Farouk is the Director of the Keyboard Studies Program of Wisconsin’s Carthage College and Piano Faculty at Chicago’s Roosevelt University. Using virtual technology, he instructs students as far away as China and Nigeria, Ukraine and Egypt. He also conducts international virtual lectures seen around the world.
Tickets
New Philharmonic: “Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos” premieres 7:30 p.m., April 17, and is the available on demand through June 15. Tickets are $40 per household. Special $10 tickets available for students with discount code TENTIX. For tickets visit AtTheMAC.org, email themac@cod.edu or call 630.942.4000. The McAninch Box Office is open remotely Monday – Saturday, noon – 5 p.m.
The MAC encourages everyone enjoying New Philharmonic: “Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos” to consider making a donation to support the MAC’s ongoing ability to continue to provide fun, creative and thought-provoking programming. For more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.
About New Philharmonic
New Philharmonic, the only professional orchestra based in DuPage County, Ill., has inspired classical music enthusiasts in Chicago and the suburbs for more than 40 years. It continues to thrive with the goal to give innovative treatment to both classic compositions and modern works while striving to make the music accessible to new audiences and youth through a variety of educational efforts. Today, under the direction of Kirk Muspratt, named 2018 Conductor of the Year (Professional Orchestra) by Illinois Council of Orchestras, New Philharmonic consists of more than 60 professional musicians and performs more than a dozen concerts a year, reaching more than 7,500 from the greater Chicago area annually. New Philharmonic was recently honored with the Illinois Council of Orchestras’ 2020 ICO Award in the category Programming of the Year.
About the MAC
McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355 at 425 Fawell Blvd. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 236-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), an outdoor venue, the Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 2 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.
The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit their website, Facebook or Twitter.
Support for New Philharmonic is provided in part by the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation; Sullivan Taylor, Gumina & Palmer, P.C.; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; WFMT 98.7 FM, WDCB 90.9 FM and the College of DuPage Foundation.
Established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization in 1967, the College of DuPage Foundation raises monetary and in-kind gifts to increase access to education and to enhance cultural opportunities for the surrounding community. For more information about the College of DuPage Foundation, visit foundation.cod.edu or call 630.942.2462.
Programs at the MAC are partially supported through a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
The basketball-inspired capsule collection is the second drop of Pull&Bear’s collaboration with the Fast-Rising Latin Music Star
“Breakout Artist Lunay Showcases How Latinx Music Has Lent New Vision to Fashion”
–WWD (LUNAY Cover Feature)
The Past Week Has Also Seen LUNAY UnveilHis First Single of 2021,
“SIN ROPA” – From His Upcoming El Niño Project And Named As The Premiere Episode Performer For The Second Season Of HBO’s “Tiny Audience” Series
Pull&Bear and the singer Lunay will launch “Lu-Lu Athletics Club”, a basketball-inspired capsule collection, on Friday, March 5th. Continuing the brand’s devotion to the latest trends in music and fashion, this limited edition collection is the second drop of the collaboration with the new generation reggaeton star Lunay.
The first part was introduced in September and showed the brand’s consumers the Puerto Rican singer’s fashion vision.
This time, “Lu-Lu Athletics Club”, on which Lunay has closely collaborated, is the reflection of the archetypal basketball aesthetic of the 2000s.
The collection highlights colours such as lime green and blue and is made up of leading garments like the iconic varsity jacket, dungarees and basketball-inspired total look in blue and mesh fabric. Moreover, the “Lu-Lu” picture prints and graphics cover hoodies, short and long sleeve T-shirts, ombré T-shirt and jogging shorts twin sets and accessories.
As far as accessories go, you can also find classic basketball caps as well as wristbands, socks and trending garments like an ombré-effect lime green and blue bucket hat.
“Pull&Bear pulled out all the stops, collaborating with Reggaeton major player Lunay. The Puerto Rican artist’s stock is rapidly rising…already chock full of a slew of ‘new and breakout’ artist awards.” – Highsnobiety
“Aimed at younger audiences seeking the leading edge on trends… the collection has launched in collaboration with Latin music star Lunay” – HYPEBEAST
ABOUT PULL&BEAR
Pull&Bear was founded in 1991 with a clear international focus and intent to create fashion for young people who are connected to their surroundings, who avoid stereotypes and live and mix in their community. For these young people, Pull&Bear brings together the latest international trends and mixes them with street style and fashionable club influences, reinterpreting them to make comfortable, easy-to-wear garments, incorporating best practices when it comes to sustainability. Pull&Bear has evolved alongside its customers, and is always up-to-date with new technologies, social movements and the latest artistic and musical trends. The brand has a commercial network of more than 940 stores and sells online in more than 140 markets via www.pullandbear.com.
ABOUT THE INDITEX GROUP
Pull&Bear is part of the Inditex Group (Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe), one of the world’s largest fashion retailers with more than 7,300 stores in 96 markets, 50 of them with integrated platforms across physical and online stores, and global online stores reaching over 200 markets.
ABOUT LUNAY
While a large number of new Latin music artists are looking to continue the surge in global success of Reggaeton, Latin Trap and other Rhythmic music styles in Spanish, it has become clearly evident that Puerto Rico’s dynamic, still only 20, musical “wunderkind” (RS), LUNAY is the genre’s undisputed new generation superstar. After bursting into the playlists and video streams of fans across the world with “Soltera” and it’s soon to follow, and widely regarded ‘Song of Summer’ remix with Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny, LUNAY’s credits were quickly boasting two #1 Latin Airplay singles, a rare #1 full album debut with the 14-track ‘ÉPICO,’ and over a Billion views quickly collected on YouTube. With the support of super-producers Chris Jedi, Gaby Music, and their Star Island label, Lunay’s rapid rise has already resulted in a trophy case full of breakthrough artist award recognition including: the 2019 LATIN AMA’S “NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR, 2019 BILLBOARD “ARTIST ON THE RISE” recognition, SPOTIFY TOP 3 “BREAKOUT ARTISTS OF YEAR, 2019 APPLE MUSIC “UP NEXT ARTIST” and FOUR PREMIOS JUVENTUD victories: “ON THE RISE ARTIST” & ”REMIX OF THE YEAR” (2019) and most recently “BREAKING THE INTERNET” & NEW GENERATION – MALE (2020). Following a few quiet months due to the Covid pandemic postponing a series of highly anticipated concert appearances, LUNAY resumed his ascent to the upper reaches of the genre with features alongside Lil Mosey and Jhay Cortez, and the standout single “Relaciones” – which Rolling Stone hailed as the week’s best new Latin music track upon its release. LUNAY’s visibility continued to grow across the Fall of 2020 with a WWD cover profile spotlighting his first fashion collaboration with Pull & Bear,” a nationally broadcast Halloween concert, and selection to Billboard’s prestigious “21 under 21” list of the music industry’s top young artists.
Photos of empty store shelves flooded Facebook and Instagram throughout the pandemic as consumers, desperate to protect themselves and their families, grabbed for any disinfectant in sight.
COVID-19 most commonly spreads person-to-person via respiratory droplets. These same droplets land on surfaces and survive for relatively long periods of time. We, in-turn touch these surfaces, and place personal items such as cell phones, toys, books, and bags on them. One of our greatest weapons in the fight against COVID and other infectious diseases is surface disinfectants.
Most multi-million and multi-billion-dollar chemical companies drive revenue by creating a plethora of cleaning, disinfecting, and air freshening products that are packaged and shipped to the end user.
Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as antimicrobial pesticides, disinfectants are often thought to be wholly beneficial and relatively harmless. There is, however, a dirty little secret in disinfection: it’s rarely done properly. Proper use instructions vary widely and guidance from regulatory agencies surrounding their use is often contradictory.
So the question must be asked, are these products and the way we use them causing more harm than good?
Rayne Guest, founder and CEO of R-Water and a staunch advocate for safe cleaning protocols, shares four important things we need to know about the disinfecting products commonly found under our sinks. Through education, we can collectively adopt safer cleaning and disinfecting practices and avoid potentially life altering health issues from harmful common household disinfectants.
Pretty labels distract from the fine print. Ever notice streaks after cleaning or an allergy season that never seems to end? Consumers are urged to look beyond the pretty packaging and take a deeper dive into the Safety Data Sheet of the products you are reaching for. You will soon learn of ominous warnings you won’t want to ignore, including those related to your skin and lungs. The product Safety Data Sheets often requires that users don personal protective equipment which can include facemasks, gloves, and even “hooded chemical-resistant clothing.” However, slick EPA approved marketing lingo often includes phrases such as “smell the clean,” “controls allergens,” and “for a fresher home.”
Scents do not freshen the product. To give your disinfecting and cleaning products color, suds, and fragrances, companies add a sometimes-toxic slew of chemicals that frequently “fight” with the active ingredients that do the work. These fragrances can be dangerous for the user and have been linked to skin and eye irritations, headaches, and neurologic symptoms.
Spray and wipe is a myth. All disinfectants have a minimum contact time for achieving their claimed efficacy, and for the majority of them, it is 10 minutes – a task that is easier said than done. Most people simply spray and wipe, not realizing that they are not achieving proper disinfection. By not heeding the stated contact time, consumers are spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on disinfecting products every year to improperly disinfect and clean.
Cleaning is often not completed in one simple step. There is a right way, and a wrong way to use disinfectants. After an advised pre-clean step and required wet time, surfaces like kitchen counters and children’s toys generally need to be rinsed thoroughly with water to remove the harmful residues left behind.
Throughout the pandemic, disinfection has received attention like never before. However, extended exposure and incorrect use of common household disinfectants can result in dangerous health risks including eye irritation, headaches, neurologic symptoms, skin problems, and respiratory issues. Tragically, respiratory issues make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19.
As we continue to use disinfectants at a ferocious rate, we need to also focus on their proper use. Doing so ensures that we don’t turn one of the greatest weapons we have against infections disease against ourselves.
Rayne Guest was raised in the mountains of Idaho. She attended five universities while studying various fields including business, marine biology, and nutrition. She has spent time in Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Africa, among many others and is driven to do good by doing good in the world. As founder and CEO of R-Water, Rayne is developing patented cleaning and disinfecting technologies to further this cause, while unapologetically shaking up archaic industries.
People in relationships have different ways of showing their affection. The way someone shows love is often a sign of the way they would like to receive it. For instance, someone who likes writing romantic messages often expects to get the same.
Most people in relationships don’t have the same language. Knowing your love language as well as that of your partner can have many benefits. It helps you to explain what you consider most important for meeting your emotional needs.
Also, by understanding your partner’s language, you are better able to satisfy them emotionally.
What Are the Five Love Languages and What Does Love Language Mean?
The idea of love languages can be traced to the works of Gary Chapman, a professional marriage counselor. Based on his anecdotal research, Chapman discovered there are 5 basic emotional love languages. These are the five different ways through which people communicate and understand affection.
The most important thing is to learn how you can speak the love language preferred by your spouse. This will enhance your communication and strengthen your relationship.
Now that we have considered the love language meaning, let us delve deeper into the issue.
Explaining the Five Love Languages
When two people understand how to show affection according to their partner’s love language, they stand a better chance of enjoying a happier and stronger relationship.
On the contrary, when partners allow each other’s love tank to run dry, misunderstandings are bound to occur. In this case, online therapy can help save your relationship.
Here are the five languages to help you unlock profound levels of love.
Quality Time
As a love language, quality time means that period during which a person receives undivided attention in a way likely to make the relationship stronger. In this sense, quality time relates to being together, not distracted by technology or other people.
Your entire focus should be on your partner.
People who prefer this language of love understand that time spent together is important in making a person feel special and loved. To show affection to them, you need to intentionally set aside some time just to be together with your spouse.
The main challenge is that thanks to technology, spending quality time with those we love is becoming more difficult. Even when we are close to each other, numerous distractions make us be easily carried to somewhere else within cyberspace.
Being nearby without connectedness can leave our partners feeling alone and empty.
Here are some tips on how to show affection using this language of love:
Make eye contact when engaged in a conversation
Make use of active listening skills
Keep technology away when having time together
Take time to enjoy each other’s company, focusing on quality
Plan something to enjoy together
Create a routine of small ways to enjoy each other’s company
Be present
Words of Affirmation
Another category in the five languages of love is words of affirmation. People who prefer this love language want to see through words or text that they are cherished. It will be even better if you tell about the reasons behind your affection, too.
For instance, you can leave random written notes of love or voice messages. You could also create time to talk to the person directly, using sincere words showing kindness and affirmation.
If words of affirmation are not your preferred way to receive love but it’s your partner’s preferred love language, follow these steps to keep their love tank full:
Be empathetic and encouraging during conversations, consistently sharing sentiments
Express your admiration using words
Leave notes and written reminders expressing your affection
Send texts regularly when not together
Create and share a custom playlist, reminding your partner of your feelings
Tell your partner how good they make you feel
Receiving Gifts
Of the 5 love languages in relationships, receiving gifts remains one of the most misunderstood. Often, and unfairly, people who speak this language are considered frivolous, materialistic, or shallow.
However, this is not always the case since what matters to these people is the thought and care that goes towards selecting the gift, rather than the price tag.
Such a person feels appreciated, understood, and loved thought presenting the gifts. So, don’t rush to purchase a fancy dress just because it comes with a hefty price tag. The truly valuable gift is not prized because of the cost, but rather because of what it symbolizes.
Therefore, the secret lies in choosing something that your partner will interpret as signifying your affection. Consider gifting something that your partner has been asking for or would find useful.
Acts of Service
When it comes to intimate relationships, the language of acts of service means doing things that you know your spouse will enjoy. This could be as simple as feeding the dog, filling up their gas, preparing dinner for them, or watering their plants.
Acts of service as a love language mean that you give up your time and put effort, which can be demanding. However, if it is what is needed to spice up your relationship, the returns will be worth it.
Consider anything that you can do, which will ease the burden of responsibility on your partner. You can also ask them for ideas for those things they would like you to do for them to make their life easier.
If you have determined that your spouse prefers acts of service, then there are tips that you can use to make them feel loved.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Focus on those small things and details like what the person likes. How much sugar is in their coffee? What are their favorite programs?
Consider those routine tasks that your partner doesn’t like doing and help them
Pay attention to those acts that can be easily accommodated in your schedule
Choose acts that work to your strengths
Physical Touch
Although sex is an important aspect of romantic relationships, physical touch as a love language goes way beyond it.
Given the physical nature of this language, many people assume that it’s only intended for the satisfaction of sexual desires. In truth, physical touch is more related to making your partner feel seen and safe.
This love language can include hugs, holding hands, or even a pat on the back from time to time. Cuddling up when watching a movie can be a great way to show affection to someone who likes physical touch.
Yes, for certain couples, physical touch may not be possible because of distance. Maybe your partner traveled on a business trip or to study abroad. Or, you’re practicing a long distance relationship because of the lockdown.
In such a case, video chats can help you to remain close. You can also share personal items or synchronized experiences.
Important Takeaways
Here, we have presented information to help you discover your love language. Knowing the differences can have a great impact on how you relate with your partner, enhancing empathy and attention.
However, some challenges in relationships may not be solved just by understanding your partner’s love language alone.
If you are having some emotional problems in the relationship, consider getting counseling help. As an example, you may consider starting therapy on Calmerry. It’s a teletherapy platform that offers affordable and convenient access to licensed therapists and the support you need.
Take care of your partner, yourself, and your relationships. Give love and feel loved!
Team launches first Aston Martin Grand Prix car in 61 years, in high-tech virtual live event watched by fans all over the world
The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team has today revealed to the world its 2021 Formula One World Championship competitor, the new AMR21, in a virtual live event.
One of the most anticipated Formula One car launches in recent years took place in The Vault, an immersive virtual experience that played host to the historic moment when Aston Martin unveiled its first Grand Prix car since the DBR5 which was raced by Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant in the 1960 British Grand Prix.
The AMR21 was revealed in a striking green livery in recognition of the brand’s traditional racing colours, carrying prominent branding from title partner, Cognizant, the IT giant helping lead the team’s digital transformation journey towards future success.
The recent influx of new partners ensured that the AMR21 was presented with logos from a host of global brands alongside Cognizant, including Peroni, Crypto.com, SentinelOne, EPOS, NetApp, Girard-Perregaux and Replay. The long-standing support of BWT continues with the addition of a delicate magenta stripe down each side of the chassis. Ravenol, JCB, Bombardier and Pirelli all continue their partnerships into the new era.
Aston Martin Lagonda’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, opened today’s event and welcomed fans, media, colleagues and partners who were enjoying the show virtually from all around the world. He was joined by Tobias Moers, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda; Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team; and, by video link, Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant, who all spoke of the great significance of seeing the Aston Martin name back on the Formula One grid.
The new driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were also prominent in the presentation, as well as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team Technical Director, Andrew Green.
Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman, Aston Martin, commented:
“I have dreamed about this day for a very long time. I have always been a car guy, since I was a child. I have always loved racing, too. My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. So, as I say, today is all about dreams, and it shows that dreams really can come true, in the shape of our new AMR21.”
Sebastian Vettel, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, said:
“Even though I have raced for four Formula One teams and for many years, starting a new season with a new team still gives me a sense of excitement.
“As a driver, I have always kept my eye on the competition and this team has consistently impressed me with what they have been able to do without the biggest of budgets. So, when Lawrence [Stroll] and Otmar [Szafnauer] approached me last year, and explained what their ambitions were, I was immediately very motivated to join the team.”
Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, added:
“This is such an exciting time of the year. The car launch is when everything starts to feel real again, especially this year with our new identity as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team. The new name is exciting for everyone and there is a massive buzz around the factory.”
Now that the new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team car has been revealed to the world, tomorrow marks the exciting and much anticipated track debut of the AMR21, before it makes its journey to Bahrain for testing next week (March 12th-14th) ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28th.
First Anti-Trans Bill of 2021 Heads to Mississippi Governor’s Desk
Bill is the first specifically anti-transgender piece of legislation to pass a legislature this session, and the second anti-LGBTQ piece of legislation to do so
Mississippi passed SB 2536, an anti-transgender sports bill. This bill marks the first piece of specifically anti-transgender legislation this year to be sent to a governor’s desk and comes on the same day the first piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation, SB 124 — a broad sweeping religious refusal bill — passed the second chamber in South Dakota. The legislative fight to pass discriminatory anti-transgender legislation has been fast and furious, led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states. There are so far 131 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country. Of those, 71 directly target transgender people and about half of those would, like SB 2536, ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David issued the following statement in response to the passage of SB 2536 in Mississippi:
“As thousands die each day of COVID-19 and millions of Americans are out of work, some state legislatures have chosen to attack, demean and dehumanize their constituents rather than focus on delivering relief and assistance. These dangerous bills are designed to make the lives of transgender kids more difficult while they try to navigate their adolescence. Anti-transgender legislation being heard and voted on across the country are legislating against problems that simply do not exist – as even their proponents admit. This is just the latest iteration of their losing fight against equality and a shameful attempt to throw a wrench in the progress we’re making with a pro-equality President and Congress.
“Today, in sending SB 2536 to Governor Reeves, Mississippi became the first state to take the plunge by passing legislation specifically attacking transgender children. Mississippi is so determined to be on the wrong side of history that it is defying the evidence in favor of discrimination. There is simply no justification for banning transgender girls and women from participating in athletics other than discrimination. Like all girls, transgender girls just want to play and be part of a team with their friends. History will not look kindly on this moment in Mississippi.”
These bills are not addressing any real problem, and they’re not being requested by constituents. Rather, this effort is being driven by national far-right organizations attempting to score political points by sowing fear and hate. What they don’t understand is opposing equality is highly unpopular — even among Trump voters — and states that pass legislation that attacks our community will face severe economic, legal, and reputational harm. In many cases, these legislative pushes are being prioritized above COVID-19 response and relief. This push comes as equality measures gain not only popular support but legislative momentum on the federal level, with the Biden Administration championing equality in early Executive Actions and Congress considering the Equality Act within the first 100 days of the new Administration.
A fight driven by national anti-LGBTQ groups, not local legislators or public concern
These bills come from the same forces that drove previous anti-equality fights by pushing copycat bills across state houses — hateful anti-LGBTQ organizations like the Heritage Foundation, Alliance Defending Freedom (designated by Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group), and Eagle Forum among others.
For example, Montana’s HB 112, the first anti-transgender sports bill to be passed through a legislative chamber in any state, was worked on by the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Trans equality is popular: Anti-transgender legislation is a low priority, even among Trump voters
In a 10-swing-state poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group last fall:
At least 60% of Trump voters across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should be able to live freely and openly.
At least 87% of respondents across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should have equal access to medical care, with many states breaking 90% support
When respondents were asked about how they prioritized the importance of banning transgender people from participating in sports as compared to other policy issues, the issue came in dead last, with between 1% and 3% prioritizing the issue.
States that pass anti-transgender legislation suffer economic, legal, reputational harm
Analyses conducted in the aftermath of previous divisive anti-transgender bills across the country, like the bathroom bills introduced in Texas and North Carolina and an anti-transgender sports ban in Idaho, show that there would be or has been devastating fallout.
Idaho is the only state to have passed an anti-trans sports ban to date, and that law was swiftly suspended by a federal district court. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) came out against the Idaho bill and others like it and subsequently moved planned tournament games out of Idaho.
The Associated Press projected that the North Carolina bathroom bill could have cost the state $3.76 billion over 10 years.
During a fight over an anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, the Texas Association of Business estimated $8.5 billion in economic losses, risking 185,000 jobs in the process due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sporting event cancellations, a ban on taxpayer funded travel to those states, cancellation of movie productions, and businesses moving projects out of state.
TOMORROW: HRC To Hold Emergency Press Conference To Discuss Passage Of First Anti-Transgender & Anti-LGBTQ Bills of 2021
Thursday, March 4th, the Human Rights Campaign will be hosting an emergency virtual press conference to discuss the passage of SB 2536, an anti-transgender sports ban bill in Mississippi, marking the first time in 2021 that a specifically anti-transgender bill will be sent to a governor’s desk, and SB 124, a religious refusal bill in South Dakota that marked the first anti-LGBTQ bill sent to a governor’s desk. Today’s press call will include reaction from Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David, expert analysis from State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel, affected voices from the states and perspective from in-state advocates who will detail the bills and offer context for other anti-transgender bills making its way through state legislatures across the country.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
Legislative Update: Anti-LGBTQ Bills Moving In 6 States
The legislative fight to pass discriminatory anti-transgender legislation has been fast and furious, led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states. The Human Rights Campaign is currently tracking 147 anti-LGBTQ bills across the country, including 73 explicitly anti-transgender bills. Three of these bills have already been passed and could soon be signed into law, and more are coming. We are tracking 37 bills aimed at banning transgender kids from playing sports, 25 bills aimed at limiting medical care for transgender people, and 22 bills to allow discrimination under the guise of religious freedom.
In Mississippi and South Dakota, state legislators have already passed bills targeting LGBTQ people, sending three pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation to the governor for signature or veto. Both states passed bills to ban transgender girls from playing sports. South Dakota legislators also passed a religious refusal bill granting a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Yesterday, an anti-transgender sports bill in Arkansas, SB 354, was also considered by a Senate committee and recommended for passage. Today, three more anti-LGBTQ bills will be heard in committees in state legislatures across the country.
Arkansas’ HB 1570, an anti-transgender medical bill, is expected to have a hearing in House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.
New Hampshire’s HB 198, an anti-transgender sports bill, will be heard in the House Education Committee.
Tennessee’s HB 1233 is scheduled for a hearing in the K-12 Subcommittee. It is known locally as the “student bathroom bill 2.0” because it would deny transgender Tennesseans access to the bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
Tomorrow, seven anti-equality bills will be heard, five of which explicitly target the transgender community.
Alabama’s HB 1/SB 10, which would make it a felony to provide gender-affirming care to transgender kids, will be heard in the state’s House Health Committee.
In Arkansas, a hearing is expected in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for the anti-transgender sports bill SB 450.
In Missouri, a hearing is expected on HB 33, which would ban gender affirming care for transgender kids.
In Montana, a hearing is expected at 3 PM MST on SB 99, which would require school districts to obtain written consent from a parent in order to teach their child sex ed and ban organizations like Planned Parenthood from offering any instructional materials.
In New Hampshire, HB 440 would allow discrimination against LGBTQ people under the guise of religious liberty. A hearing is scheduled for 9 AM on Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee’s executive session.
In Tennessee, two more anti-LGBTQ bills are slated for hearings on Wednesday. HB 578 is an anti-transgender healthcare bill, and SB 1224 is an anti-transgender bathroom bill.
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES AWARDS $1.3 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR LOCAL COVID-19 RELIEF
Newest Distributions Address Urgent Physical and Mental Healthcare Needs, Part of Institution’s Comprehensive $8 Million-Plus Pandemic Giving Effort
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) today announced that it has awarded $1.3 million in grants to five local organizations principally to address urgent physical and mental healthcare needs in the community resulting from COVID-19. The grants also include support to sustain small-business owners financially impacted by the pandemic.
These latest distributions are part of the previously announced COVID-19 Response Grants, the multi-stage initiative through which The Foundation has committed more than $8 million in giving, the largest amount ever earmarked by the institution to a single cause.
The five new recipients are Jewish Family Service LA (JFS), Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA), Los Angeles Jewish Home (LAJH), Martin Luther King Community Hospital (MLKCH) and Venice Family Clinic (VFC). The total number of awards including these latest grants is 46. Prior COVID-19 relief grants were directed to address immediate, vital needs across the local community and in Israel, as well as to sustain local, mission-critical Jewish nonprofits which have been impacted by the pandemic.
Through its ongoing outreach with local nonprofits and other funders, The Foundation identified unmet needs, including many more people requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19, according to President and Chief Executive Officer Marvin I. Schotland. He said the ongoing pandemic also has resulted in greater isolation of many seniors who lack the technology or knowledge to access essential care. It also continues to have a devastating financial impact on small business owners from the protracted crisis, Schotland said.
Schotland stated: “This a global health crisis of a magnitude never experienced in our lifetimes. Vast needs continue to emerge that require support. Because The Foundation is in regular contact with nonprofits, we are able to respond quickly as critical needs are identified, including funding for urgent physical and mental healthcare disparities and businesses that are struggling. With these significant grants to five organizations, our dollars will favorably impact thousands of individuals in need in the Jewish and larger community.”
The five grants are being directed to:
Jewish Family Service LA(JFS) for Video Services for Older Adults: The grant will expand a successful pilot program with frail older adults connecting them to vital services and a support lifeline through technology. Funding will support staffing and provide Chromebooks and internet so elderly clients can access services.
Jewish Free Loan Association(JFLA) for the Small Business Loan Fund: Due to the pandemic, JFLA has been receiving a significantly higher number of applications for interest-free loans, which average $20,000, for struggling businesses and for launching new enterprises. This grant will help grow the loan fund and allow JFLA to continue making loans without reducing the amounts or turning applicants away.
The Brandman Centers for Senior Care—Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): PACE provides a complete range of health, social and nutritional services for nursing home-eligible seniors who wish to live safely in their own homes or with family members. Over 250 frail elderly seniors are enrolled in PACE. This grant will enable staff to take resources to these seniors who, due to COVID, are unable to come into the facility for services.
The Factor Building Skilled Nursing Facility: This grant will help support staffing needs in the Factor Building, which now houses all residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. The facility requires a separate staff to provide the usual high-quality, long-term medical and rehabilitative therapies to these residents, as well as treating them for COVID.
Space Conversion: Hitting the Black and Latino communities served by MLKCH hardest, the hospital is addressing new critical needs to ensure its COVID patients – whose positivity rate runs double L.A. County’s average – receive proper care. With capacity stretched, MLKCH converted an entire floor into an intensive care unit to meet the unanticipated level of critical care needed for COVID patients. As well, it is using every other space possible to house patients.
Post-Discharge COVID ICU Clinic: The facility supports patients who continue to experience symptoms or require additional care. Given the increased level of critical care needed, the post-COVID clinic has also seen a surge. MLKCH converted an existing space into a clinic where patients receive comprehensive services including pulmonary appointments, respiratory therapy services, mental health services, and continuing support from their ICU medical team.
Telehealth/Information Technology Infrastructure: To keep older adults engaged and prevent social isolation, the grant will strengthen information-technology infrastructure to provide high-quality virtual services. VFC will purchase an integrated telehealth video tool enabling patients to complete pre-visit paperwork, have fully encrypted visits, and receive post-visit details via video.
COVID Care Outreach Initiative: The program will help create a strong social support system for an estimated 2,000 elderly patients and 5,000 seniors in VFC’s extensive network of volunteers, as well as retired staff members and community partners. Staff and volunteers are mobilizing to identify older adults at high risk of social isolation, conduct wellness calls and video chats, arrange for grocery deliveries, and host virtual small group activities.
About The Jewish Community Foundation
Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles manages charitable assets of more than $1.4 billion (unaudited; Dec. 31, 2020) entrusted to it by over 1,300 families and ranks among the 10 largest Los Angeles foundations. It partners with donors to shape meaningful philanthropic strategies, magnify the impact of their giving, and build enduring charitable legacies. In 2020, The Foundation and its donors distributed $127 million to 2,700 nonprofits with programs that span the range of philanthropic giving. Over the past 12 years, it has distributed more than $1 billion to thousands of nonprofits across a diverse spectrum. To learn more, visit their website.
“Access to quality health care is one of the ultimate acts of social justice. Through its generous support, the Jewish Community Foundation has lifted our community in the full continuum of caring and healing. The Foundation’s supportive partnership of our work throughout the pandemic has enabled MLKCH to expand our care to accommodate all the critically ill COVID patients who need us in South Los Angeles — and we’ve supported our innovative post-discharge COVID clinic, making sure our patients continue to see the nurses and doctors who cared for them as they continue their recovery at home.”
— Dyan Sublett, president, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Health Foundation
“Through the decades, we have always been thankful for the outstanding support from the Jewish Community Foundation. Never has The Foundation’s generosity been more valued than during the current unprecedented pandemic. On behalf of our residents, and the dedicated staff who care for them, I would like to express deep appreciation for this generous grant. This award ensures we will be able to continue providing the highest quality of medical care – including essential safety materials – to meet the challenges of COVID-19, while also purchasing communications devices such as iPads for the residents, to help maintain a sense of normalcy during these extraordinary times.”
— Dale Surowitz, CEO and president, Los Angeles Jewish Home
Gambling addiction is real. Allow me to say that again– gambling addiction is a real thing. It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s an illness.
The medical community has four classifications to consider an illness a disease: it must be progressive, chronic, primary, and fatal. Gambling addiction fulfills all of the requirements.
You see, it’s an uncontrollable urge—a phenomenon of cravings that one gets from a “high”. It’s as normal and necessary as needing air for you and I.
Like a drug addict goes for a fix, or an alcoholic would thirst for that drink… the gambler chases the rush. That “rush” of dopamine is the same as a narcotic. Its an obsession of the mind that destroys families.
Those addicted are constantly increasing the amounts for the thrill. They lie and scam to get more money, jeopardizing their most important and sacred relationships. They’re always trying to win the money back, stop all together, or resort to low measures like stealing and other fraudulent behaviors to continue their addiction. When the feel restless, irritable and discontent, they use gambling as an escape from reality.
They may take it so far that it effects their physical health. Here is an excerpt from my book Lotsaholic: From A Sick To Sober Superman:
He lifted up his shirt and revealed a huge scar, from his upper belly across his chest and up into his armpit. “Three heart attacks. That’s how bad. I’m gonna die, kid, if I keep this up. That’s why I’ve been in here so long. I feel safe here.
I don’t trust myself out there, and I’m not ready to die.” As Tony reeled in his line, I noticed that he wasn’t wearing his fancy Rolex. Today he was wearing a simple Timex that carried the Caesars Palace logo.
“What’s with the new watch?”
He fiddled with his lure. “Tonight they take me outside for a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. Every time I go, I wear this watch. This is the most expensive watch I own. It cost me 1.5 million dollars. I gave Caesars my cash; they gave me a suite, champagne, and this beautiful watch. It’s my personal souvenir to remind me of how bad I get. It and the scar.” He bobbed his fishing rod up and down. “Say, you want to come with me tonight? I always go alone, but I sure would love the company.”
“Sure!” Where else will I get to experience a Gamblers Anonymous meeting with a former gangster?
The room was compact and dim. There was a small podium with a GA banner and about seventy old, wooden folding chairs. And the room was full. I enjoyed hearing Tony and the others share their stories. I realized how strong the high from winning is. On the wall opposite me was a giant banner listing the twelve steps of Gamblers Anonymous, which were almost identical to those of Alcoholics Anonymous, with just the slightest differences in wording.
Step 1: Admitted we were powerless over gambling—that our lives had become unmanageable. Next to the banner was a bulletin board that displayed meeting times for a list of various twelve-step programs, including Sexaholics Anonymous (SA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Co-Dependents Anonymous (coda), Heroin Anonymous (HA), and Al-Anon/Alateen, a group for friends and families of alcoholics. The list went on. It occurred to me that anybody in the world can use the basic approach of a twelve-step program to achieve freedom from addiction and greater connection to a higher power. I’d discovered a new world.
But there is help out there. Now, many treatment centers, like The Hanley Center and Future’s focus on gambling and treat it like any other addiction or mental illness. Gamblers Anonymous—the famous twelve-step community has had amazing results. The solution for these illnesses is truly spiritual. These obsessions lay in the mind. Once the spiritual malady is solved, the mind and body follow quickly. So, never lose hope.
360 Magazine is live at the NYBG KUSAMA Cosmic Nature Media Preview featuring Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The KUSAMA Garden and Gallery Pass include access to all of the outdoor and indoor installations (1-9), Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Tram Tour, and Garden grounds. The installations include:
Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity
Flower Obsession
Mertz Library Building Gallery
Paintings, collages, early sketches, other works
Walking Piece
Haupt Conservatory Galleries
Horticultural displays, tropical and desert collections
KUSAMA Garden Pass includes access to all outdoor installations (6-9), Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, and Garden grounds:
I Want to Fly to the Universe
Narcissus Garden
Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees
Dancing Pumpkin
In addition, Infinity Mirrored Room – Illusion Inside the Heart: Exterior now on view to all ticket holders; interior access planned to begin this summer; separate timed-entry ticket required for interior access. More information is available on the NYBG website.
Garden Navigator – Explore the one million plants across NYBG’s 250 acres and find what you want to see. Visit the website for the navigation tool.
Forest Bathing: A meditative audio experience – Be fully present on this self-guided tour. Bathe your senses in the sights, smells, sounds, and sensations of the Thain Forest.
Audio Tours – Look for signs with instructions at stops throughout the Garden to learn about specific plants, gardens, and collections.
My Day At The Garden: Family Guide – Embark on an adventure with their kids and family activity guide, available at any ticket window or on the website.
Spring For Nature – 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Kids of all ages can take a closer look at the wonders of plants and animals across the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.
Bloomberg Connect App – Featuring audio tours, detailed plant images, and more; there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Free download available here.
Tickets Go on Sale to the Public on March 16, 2021, for The New York Botanical Garden’s Exclusive Presentation of KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature Featuring New Work by Celebrated Artist Yayoi Kusama
The exhibition, related programs, and accompanying publication reveal Kusama’s lifelong fascination with the natural world and its countless manifestations beginning in her childhood spent in the greenhouses and fields of her family’s seed nursery in Matsumoto, Japan. The exhibition includes works from throughout Kusama’s prolific career and multifaceted practice. By integrating seasonal horticultural displays, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature further illuminates the power of nature that pervades the artist’s practice and dynamic body of work.
Multiple outdoor installations, including monumental sculptures of flora transform the Garden’s 250-acre landscape and the visitor experience. Her signature polka-dotted organic forms and mesmerizing paintings of plants and flowers are also represented. Recent vivid observations of nature, shown alongside earlier works that have never been publicly exhibited and those that are presented for the first time in the United States, trace Kusama’s connection to the natural world throughout her career.
Among the works created for and debuting in the exhibition are:
Dancing Pumpkin (2020), a monumental sculpture presented on the Haupt Conservatory Lawn.
I Want to Fly to the Universe (2020), a 13-foot-high biomorphic form presented in the Visitor Center; and,
Infinity Mirrored Room Illusion Inside the Heart(2020), an outdoor installation reflecting its environs.
Spectacular seasonal displays complement the artworks on view, making each visit unique as new plantings, textures, and palettes are introduced. Glorious outdoor displays of tulips and irises in spring give way to dahlias and sunflowers in summer, and masses of pumpkins and autumnal flowers in fall. In and around the Conservatory, Kusama’s plant-inspired polka-dotted sculptures are nestled among meadow grasses, bellflowers, water lilies, and other plantings. Stunning floral presentations bring to life one of Kusama’s paintings on view in the Mertz Library Building through a seasonal progression of violas, salvias, zinnias, and other colorful annuals. In fall, displays of meticulously trained kiku (Japanese for chrysanthemum), one of that country’s most heralded fall-flowering plants) will create a dramatic finale for the Conservatory displays.
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature guest curator Mika Yoshitake, Ph.D., said, Kusama, cosmic nature is a life force that integrates the terrestrial and celestial orders of the universe from both the micro- and macrocosmic perspectives she investigates in her practice. Her explorations evoke meanings that are both personal and universal. Nature is not only a central source of inspiration, but also integral to the visceral effects of Kusama’s artistic language in which organic growth and the proliferation of life are made ever-present.
In the Garden
On the Conservatory Lawn, visitors encounter the monumental Dancing Pumpkin, a 16-foot-high bronze sculpture painted in black and yellow. Both playful and powerful, it is sited in an immersive landscape of river birches, flowering plants, grasses, and ferns. The setting is inspired by the sculpture itself and the birch forests near Kusama’s childhood home.
Visitors can marvel at the bright, purple-tentacled floral form with a vivid yellow primordial face of I Want to Fly to the Universe in the Visitor Center Reflecting Pool, and then behold Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees (2002/2021), where soaring trees adorned in vibrant red with white polka dots pop in the landscape along Garden Way.
Narcissus Garden (1966/2021), 1,400 stainless steel spheres each nearly 12 inches in diameter, is installed in the 230-foot-long water feature of the Native Plant Garden. The reflective orbs float on the water’s surface, moved by wind and currents, each mirroring the environment around them to captivating effect.
With interior access planned to begin this summer, Kusama’s new Infinity Mirrored Room will operate per New York State and City guidelines for social distancing and visitor safety. The installation, Infinity Mirrored Room Illusion Inside the Heart (2020), responds to natural light through colored glass throughout the day and seasons. Reflecting the seasonality of NYBGߣs landscape, the exterior will be on view with the opening of the exhibition. A separate timed-entry ticket will be required for limited-capacity access.
In the Galleries
In Flower Obsession, visitors may apply coral-colored floral stickers to the furniture and household objects. Over the course of the exhibition, the accumulating stickers will transform the greenhouse. Through works like this, Kusama employs the repeating patterns and forms of flowers to represent the concepts of obliteration, infinity, and eternity.
Three galleries in the Conservatory feature a horticultural celebration of Kusama’s self-proclaimed biophilia. My Soul Blooms Forever (2019), colossal polka-dotted flowers made of stainless steel and painted in dramatic colors, greet visitors under the recently restored dome of the Palms of the World Gallery.
In the Seasonal Exhibition Galleries, the pink-and-gold mosaic Starry Pumpkin (2015) is featured in a woodland garden of foliage and flowers chosen to harmonize with the sculpture’s pink polka dots. Using Kusama’s vibrant painting Alone, Buried in a Flower Garden (2014) as inspiration, NYBG horticulturists have designed a living work of art to mimic the painting’s bold shapes and colors, with plantings changed seasonally. The patchwork of shapes in the painting reads as garden beds seen from above.
In the Conservatory Courtyard Hardy Pool, the exuberantly colored and patterned sculpture Hymn of Life Tulips (2007) depicting outsized, fiberglass flowers are positioned among water lilies and other seasonal aquatic plantings. The Courtyard also features plantings including an array of tulips in spring and colorful annuals in summer that complement the dynamic sculpture on display.
Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity (2017) comprises a glass cube reflecting an infinity of glowing polka-dotted pumpkins within it. The work, one of Kusama’s signature mirrored environments, is installed in the Visitor Center Gallery. Viewed from the outside, the installation changes over time as pumpkins illuminate and then fade to darkness in a meditative choreography. Kusama has said of pumpkins, My pumpkins, beloved of all the plants in the world. When I see pumpkins, I cannot efface the joy of them being my everything, nor the awe I hold them in.
On display in the Library Building, Kusama’s 1945 sketchbook reveals the 16-year-old artist’s keen eye for detail in some 50 drawings capturing the bloom cycle of tree peonies. This work is an early product of a lifelong connection with the natural world that has inspired her practice across mediums. It also portends avant-garde ideas she developed while living in New York City between 1958 and 1973, as a contemporary of Joseph Cornell, Eva Hesse, Donald Judd, and Claes Oldenburg, and continues to explore rigorously today.
The Library Building presentation also features examples of her botanical drawings, works on paper, biomorphic collages, assemblage boxes, sculptures, and paintings on canvas depicting flora and its limitless variety of patterns.
Kusama’s considerable body of performance works is represented in the Ross Gallery by a projection of Walking Piece (ca. 1966/2021), a performance in which Kusama walked the streets of New York City wearing a bright-pink floral kimono and carrying an umbrella decorated with artificial flowers. Art historians have analyzed Walking Piece as a carefully calculated representation of the artist’s ethnicity and gender, one that was intended to demand attention.
From monumental polka-dotted pumpkin sculptures to abstract paintings that resemble cells magnified thousands of times, Kusama’s works suggest the patterns that can be observed all around us. The self-guided Patterns in Nature Tour, featured on the Bloomberg Connects mobile app, examines the visible and microscopic patterns found in nature. Visitors will discover what the patterns of leaf placement, flower petals, and magnified laboratory specimens reveal about what makes species unique as well as how all living things are connected at the genomic level.
Karen Daubmann, Vice President for Exhibitions and Audience Engagement at the Garden, said, “We are delighted to mount this very special exhibition this year, having postponed it in 2020 due to the pandemic. Yayoi Kusama kindly shared a message with us. On March 6, 2021, she wrote, in part, Dancing through our universe are noble souls whose magnificent forms are saturated with mystery. I invite you to explore the endlessly expanding ode to the beauty of love that is my art. We look forward to sharing her singular vision at the nexus of art, nature, and the cosmos at the Garden site uniquely suited for this once-in-a-lifetime presentation.
Programs and Publication
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature is accompanied by a roster of public programs for all ages, including pop-up performances by musicians, jugglers, and puppeteers; self-guided Kids Get Cosmic; activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden; and more. Signature exhibition merchandise is available for purchase at NYBG Shop.
Coming in summer 2021, a fully illustrated exhibition catalogue, co-published with Rizzoli Electa, will include essays by KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature guest curator Mika Yoshitake, art historian Jenni Sorkin, curator Alexandra Munroe, and other contributors, including curators and a scientist from NYBG. The publication will focus on Kusama’s lifelong engagement with nature and the ways her interest in nature and plants has formed her career-long investigation of themes of the cosmos and the interconnectedness of all living things. Images of works displayed in The New York Botanical Garden landscape will be featured.
Ticketing
Since reopening July 28, 2020, the Garden has incorporated safety measures based on best practices and guidelines from health authorities and government agencies. Admission to the Garden is currently available through the advance purchase of timed tickets. Visit the website for more information.
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature has a new, limited, timed-entry ticketing system to stagger visitors arrivals and promote social distancing. Advance purchase of timed tickets is required and will be confirmed by e-mail with the option to print or download a mobile ticket.
The following options are available:
KUSAMA Garden & Gallery Pass includes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature outdoor installations across the grounds and access to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, installations in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building and Ross Gallery, as well as interior access to Flower Obsession and Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity in the Visitor Center Gallery, plus the Tram Tour and Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
KUSAMA Garden Pass (Non-NYC Residents) includes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature outdoor installations across the grounds, plus Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
KUSAMA Garden Pass (NYC Residents) includes access to all KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature outdoor installations across the grounds, plus Garden features including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and outdoor collections.
A separate timed-entry ticket will be required to access the interior of Infinity Mirrored Room Illusion Inside the Heart. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
NYBG welcomes Bronx Health Care Heroes and Bronx Neighbors to KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature with complimentary tickets. Communities in the Bronx are among the most severely impacted by COVID-19 in New York City. Through these community access initiatives, the Garden seeks to acknowledge, with gratitude, the dedication, strength, and resilience of Bronx frontline health care workers and residents. Additional information about these initiatives is available at this website.
Visit NYBG for additional ticketing information and pricing and to sign up for e-mail alerts about the exhibition.
Exhibition on view April 10—October 31, 2021. Tickets available at nybg.org/kusama
Advance, timed tickets go on sale to the public on March 16 for The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) 2021 exhibition KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature, featuring work by internationally celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. NYBG is the exclusive venue for KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature. On view April 10 through October 31, 2021, the exhibition will be installed across the Garden’s 250-acre landscape, in and around the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building. Highlights include new works made especially for NYBG. Spectacular seasonal horticultural displays will complement the artworks and an array of programs and activities will make each visit unique. Pictured above, Hymn of Life-Tulips, 2007, will be displayed in the Conservatory Courtyard Hardy Pool.
Visit this website for additional ticketing information and information about NYBG’s offerings.
About The New York Botanical Garden
Founded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden is the most comprehensive botanical garden in the world and an integral part of the cultural fabric of New York City, anchored in the Bronx. Visitors come to the Garden to connect with nature for joy, beauty, and respite, and for renowned plant-based exhibitions, music and dance, and poetry and lectures. Innovative children’s education programs promote environmental sustainability and nutrition awareness, graduate programs educate the next generation of botanists, while engaging classes inspire adults to remain lifelong learners. The 250-acre verdant landscape—which includes a 50-acre, old-growth forest—and the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory support living collections of more than one million plants. Unparalleled resources are also held in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries, and William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. Committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity and natural resources, Garden scientists work on-site in cutting-edge molecular labs and in areas worldwide where biodiversity is most at risk.
The New York Botanical Garden Announces Updates on Major Exhibition
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature, Featuring New Work by Renowned Artist Yayoi Kusama
New block of advance, timed tickets and separate, limited-capacity tickets to Infinity Mirrored Room Illusion Inside the Heart for August 3–October 31 go on sale June 24
New richly illustrated catalogue documents landmark exhibition KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature on view exclusively at The New York Botanical Garden through October 31
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) announces its release of a new block of timed tickets beginning on June 24 for admission to KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature from August 3 through October 31, 2021. The acclaimed exhibition features work by internationally celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, including four new sculptures and mirrored environments created especially for this presentation. The exhibition showcasing the artist’s lifelong fascination with the natural world is installed across the Botanical Garden’s landscape, in and around the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building and includes seasonal horticultural displays. NYBG is the exclusive venue for KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature, which is on view through October 31, 2021. Advance, timed, limited-capacity tickets for the landmark presentation are required and are on sale at this website.
The exterior of Kusama’s new Infinity Mirrored Room Illusion Inside the Heart (2020) has been on view since the opening of the exhibition, reflecting the seasonality of NYBG’s landscape. Interior access will begin on August 3, with separate limited-capacity tickets that will also go on sale on June 24. The immersive experience responds to varying natural light through colored glass throughout the day and seasons.
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature Catalogue
The hardbound, 176-page catalogue, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature–published by Rizzoli Electa in association with The New York Botanical Garden–features essays, little-known work by Yayoi Kusama, archival images, and installation photography. It will be available at NYBG Shop beginning June 15, 2021. Edited by the exhibition’s guest curator Mika Yoshitake and Joanna L. Groarke, Director of Public Engagement and Library Exhibitions Curator, NYBG, contributors include Barbara Ambrose, Director of Laboratory Research and Associate Curator of Plant Genomics, NYBG; Karen Daubmann, Vice President for Exhibitions and Audience Engagement, NYBG; Alex A. Jones, writer and independent scholar; Alexandra Munroe, Senior Curator, Asian Art, and Senior Advisor, Global Arts, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Jenni Sorkin, Associate Professor, History of Art & Architecture, University of California, Santa Barbara.
La Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot Partnership
NYBG announces its partnership with Veuve Clicquot, the French champagne house with which Yayoi Kusama has previously collaborated. In September 2020, Veuve Clicquot unveiled the results of their latest collaboration Kusama’s exceptional reinterpretation of the newly released La Grande Dame 2012 vintage champagne with her signature polka dot and floral motifs. The floral creation was reprised in My Heart That Blooms in The Darkness of The Night, a sculpture inspired by La Grande Dame champagne honoring Madame Clicquot, an industry visionary. Images of the collaboration are available here.
Following its presentation at NYBG’s annual Spring Gala on June 3, a large-scale version of My Heart That Blooms in The Darkness of The Night will be on view to diners in NYBG’s Hudson Garden Grill through the close of the exhibition on October 31. Veuve Clicquot’s La Grande Dame and Yellow Label champagne will be available for purchase.
“We are excited to offer special champagne and food pairings at the Hudson Garden Grill featuring Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame as part of the champagne house’s collaboration with Yayoi Kusama,”said Nelson Siavichay, Chef de Cuisine. “The vintage pairs beautifully with our farm-to-table cuisine and NYBG’s current exhibition showcasing works by Kusama.”
About The New York Botanical Garden
Founded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden is the most comprehensive botanical garden in the world and an integral part of the cultural fabric of New York City, anchored in the Bronx. Visitors come to the Garden to connect with nature for joy, beauty, and respite, and for renowned plant-based exhibitions, music and dance, and poetry and lectures. Innovative children’s education programs promote environmental sustainability and nutrition awareness, graduate programs educate the next generation of botanists, while engaging classes inspire adults to remain lifelong learners. The 250-acre verdant landscape which includes a 50-acre, old-growth forest and the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory support living collections of more than one million plants. Unparalleled resources are also held in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries, and William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. Committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity and natural resources, Garden scientists work on-site in cutting-edge molecular labs and in areas worldwide where biodiversity is most at risk.
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature is presented by:
Major Sponsors: Tom and Janet Montag; MetLife Foundation; and La Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot
Generous support provided by: Citi and Delta Air Lines
Digital experience provided by: Bloomberg Philanthropies
Additional support provided by: E.H.A. Foundation, Inc.;
Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation; and the Japan Foundation
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts; and
The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
Exhibitions in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are made possible by the Estate of Enid A. Haupt.
Exhibitions in the Arthur and Janet Ross Gallery are made possible by the Arthur and Janet Ross Fund.
LuESTHER T. MERTZ CHARITABLE TRUST:
Providing leadership support for year-round programming at NYBG
The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458. For more information, visit this website. The New York Botanical Garden is located on property owned in full by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. A portion of the Garden’s general operating funds is provided by The New York City Council and The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. The Bronx Borough President and Bronx elected representatives in the City Council and State Legislature provide leadership funding.
