AFROBLUSH
"Musings of an Afropean" – Afropean culture and lifestyle blog
Archive for October, 2011
Peju Alatise is a Nigerian mixed media artist and writer. Her talent extends to jewelry design, installation, architecture, furniture design and painting. Her work expresses her passion for the modern life of African women and their traditions. Well known in the art community in Nigeria, Peju’s work is certainly inspiring and evocative.
“As an artist, I have learned to become a medium for a viewer to observe through to attain a different perspective. Just as a pair of spectacles would either alter or enhance the wearer’s vision, I lend myself to an onlooker to see a subject matter through my own eyes to observe differently.” – Peju Alatise
“If i could get over that HUMP (mmmmm)then maybe i will feel better,
maybe I won’t FALL,
if I could get over that HUMP (mmmmmmm)
then maybe I will”
Erykah Badu – The Hump
I am going through the second stage of my natural hair growth journey, and since I have been keeping it short, general maintenance and management has been nothing short of easy. However, that time has come when it must grow, leaving me in with a 70’s, Jackson 5 look. This weekend I was very close to buying some weave (hand over face) but with some encouraging words from my boyfriend I decided against my trip. I am 24 and this had been my third ‘big chop’ experience, but it’s my first to wear it out all natur-elle, and although I am loving it; occasionally I do miss swinging some hair around… But I know what relaxer does to my hair, and because of that I MUST keep the end in mind.
So since I know I have quite a few readers going through the natural hair journey for all sorts of reasons, I just wanted to post a word of encouragement to keep the end in mind, and just get over that hump.
This is my most recent hair inspiration
Last weekend I was in the East Midlands visiting family in Nottingham. It was not my first time there but every visit always feels quite new, and having been famed for its links with the legend of Robin Hood, lace-making and castles, there is definitely an aura of ‘enchantment’ that you can’t help but be feel.
One of the days there we took a relaxing mid afternoon stroll down one Beeston’s local high streets. One of the shops I fell in love with was Betel International Furniture store, run by Betel of Britain, a group of caring, not-for-profit Christian communities in the UK dedicated to restoring homeless and long-term unemployed people to healthy, independent lifestyles.
It’s always great to find an organisation playing its part in making its local community better, and even more endearing when they are playing their part in styling the community to! Their vintage inspired pieces were to die for, and just as I was browsing round the store with my left hand feeling up the mango and rose wood cabinet, I turned to my cousin with a cheeky grin and said
‘well, who knew, Christians doooo have style!’
and it was at that point that I spotted a woman who I presume ran the store as the expression on her face from my comment didn’t give the impression that she was too impressed. What? It’s a compliment! lol
Why am I not surprised that Melina Moutsoukas was the creative mind behind Rihanna’s new video ‘We found love’, featuring Calvin Harris. The song is the lead single to her upcoming album ‘Talk that talk’ scheduled for release on November 18th.
With regard to the video’s content, Rihanna posted a message on her twitter account writing “I really can’t stop thinking about this video we just shot! EASILY the BEST video I’ve done thus far!” Rihanna further elaborated upon the concept of the video, saying
“We’ve never done a video like this before. This is probably one of the deepest videos I’ve ever done … its all about love and love being like a drug, you definitely get that from this.”
I love the concept, it’s cinematic and I am a sucker for a story line and character development. At first I was skeptical about it reflecting heavily on the upsides of drug use but as the story evolved it was a portrayal of both the good and bad, the ups and downs. Furthermore, at the end of the video, she left the situation, and overall I felt that that reflected well as one of the last images of the video.It was almost like the 2000 film requiem of a dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky; only a female protagonist. The lack of a clear happy ending brought the reality of drug, sexy, drink and love addiction to life.
The male love interest in the video is model and former boxer Dudley O’Shaughnessy. His caramel complexion against his bleach blonde hair, immediately make me think “Chris Brown“, and I wonder whether that was a deliberate play on their past abusive relationship. The video for “We Found Love” premiered on the website Whosay.com on yesterday, and I am posting it here today, for you to enjoy.
As reiterated by the Guardian “street style is nothing new to the world of blogs”, but on this occasion Ari Seth Cohen’s Advanced Style blog, brought something old, and yet something new, uber trendy and super decadent to the street style and fashion blogging arena. He brought “Advanced Style”.
Advanced Style is a fresh, quirky and timeless fashion blog dedicated to capturing older women and men who grab his attention with their “sartorial excellence”. Looking through the pictures, it is evident; you’re looking at the pioneers of style, the grandfathers of funk and the women who do not only have swagger, but who ARE swagger.
Contemporary fashion culture thrives on post-modernity, we thoroughly enjoy seeing traditional or classical elements of history reintroduced with modern contexts or practices, and although it does well in recycling and showcasing the iconic style of past generations. Unfortunately, the original faces of that era are replaced with the young fresh faces of today, meaning many older fashionisters and fashion-misters get sidelined and excluded from the fashion world.
My point is that the Advanced Style blog is beautiful, it showcases some of the most stylish men and women, who unfortunately aren’t always given the limelight in a society that only drinks from the fountain of youth. Personally, I will certainly be taking a leaf out of the Advanced Style book, and whilst I am at it, I would rather have a well aged wine any day; the fountain of youth is way to over-rated anyway, and rarely does it quench ones thirst!
Buy the Advanced Style book from Amazon
Click on images to enlarge
The African Prisons Project just won the 2011 Clifford Chance Access to Justice Award; a recognition of their efforts in bringing dignity and hope to inmates by improving access to healthcare, education, justice and reintegration into the community. It has just won the 2011
A blind prisoner plays an instrument purchased for him by the African Prisons Project. He was convicted to 21 years as a teenager for the crime of defilement – having sex with a girl under 18. More than half the prisoners in Uganda are imprisoned for this offence, which in its aggravated form carries a maximum sentence of death.
An inmate at Murchison Bay Prison in Kampala. Remand inmates often wear their own clothes. It is not unusual to hear of people who have spent more than a decade awaiting trial.
Pupils are being “taught in ghettos” as inner-city schools are increasingly divided along racial lines, a leading head teacher in London has warned. BBC October 5th 2011
David Levin, head of the fee-paying City of London School, said parts of London resembled apartheid-era South Africa where he grew up. Although, at first I might agree that such a statement is quite extravagant. I don’t need to look back to my days at school and my time spent doing youth voluntary work that children who either study or live in areas dominated by a particular race are subject to delusions and misconceptions caused by social and racial segregation. Not anywhere as overt and aggressive as the South African apartheid, but I have seen these delusions and misconceptions turn into very ugly situations, more of which are being experienced by the younger generation. I believe I saw some of that ugliness begin to surface in the midst of the London riots this summer.
David Levin warned that London capital was “sleepwalking” towards apartheid, he warned. But Tower Hamlets Borough Council in the ethnically-diverse east of London rejected his comments as alarmist. He cited Stepney Green Maths and Computing and Science College, a boys’ school in Tower Hamlets in east London, where 97% of pupils are from a Bangladeshi background.”A number of those children, through no fault of their own, haven’t been outside their council estate, let alone outside Tower Hamlets. ”This cannot be a good thing,” he said.
”One of the things I have certainly learned particularly pre, and post-apartheid is that your imagination is much stronger than the reality.”
South African textile company Shine Shine have amazing designs, by Heidi Chisholm and James Grey. Chisholm’s designs are in the style of traditional print, and remind me Ugandan kitenge prints. They are bold, with 60′s inspired pallet of ocre, fuscia, yellow, browns, and what I like to call ‘detergent’ blues and greens; in addition to Roman Catholic imagery. The prints scream African traditional cloth, but are also so modern quirky and inhabat some cheeky characters.
Chair by SAWA for their Pop Up shop in Paris
Every Tuesday without fail I step out my office at approximately 17:06 hours, I spot the intended target (man distributing Stylist weekly magazine). Now anyone who works in central London knows that between 5-6pm, the streets move FAST. So when you step out of the a building onto the street, its almost like entering a fast moving motorway from a slip road; find a gap and pick up the pace!
Now it gets more complicated when one has to calculate picking up a magazine from men who are standing in the mid-section of the supposed motorway. I indicate to my right, whoops, the woman with the oversized back nearly trips. My second attempt to move lanes on this busy pavement is slightly more successful. I see my target, and with the precision of a trained relay athlete passing the baton to another, I grab the magazine. Success!! Until next Tuesday magazine man.
-
-
BlackBerry have failed its users to epic proportions over the last few days. If I was their business strategy adviser, I would advise them to hide! Like Osama Bin Laden style #hideout. What had turned into anger and frustration is actually turning into pity for RIM (Research In Motion).
The man below gives me too much jokes!!t is just to ridiculous what can I do but laugh “LMAO” “Moohhahaha”
I
LOL this really made me chuckle. Just the thought that someone took the time to contextually analyse this. 
Good morning people, merry Monday to you all. Life is wonderful when you have a three-day week :-P. This morning I’m sharing a track from the exciting new singer-songwriter from London, Juliyaa.
Juliyaa has recently been nominated for a GUBA (Ghana UK Based Achievement) Award 2011 for ‘Best New Music Act’, and has recently released her debut music video ’The Rhythm’ which can be watched on the link below.
I am loving her flare; and she’s a breath of positive sound to kick-start the week Monday. Follow Juliyaa on Twitter @Juliyaamusic
