16 delicious pieces of culture – OZY

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Despite our overall inability to try many new experiences, the best creative minds in the world have not stood still in 2021. Which is great, because in the past 12 months few of us have been able to fully embrace ourselves. detach from Netflix. , if we’re totally honest, aren’t we? So we thought it was fitting that on the last day of the year our Daily Dose brings you some of the best reads, surprising trends and hottest watches that should propel you head first into 2022. And with that, at OZY, we wish our loyal readers, viewers and listeners a very Happy New Year!

Essential readings

1 – “The other black girl”, by Zakiya Dalila Harris

When 26-year-old Nella Rogers realizes that another black woman will be working alongside her at Wagner Books in New York City, she is excited and a little nervous. Finally, she’s not the only black girl in her office. But soon, Nella finds herself slipping into a competition she has never sought out and uncovers the grim underside of the career she fought so hard for. The novel is the first by Zakiya Dalia Harris and is based on her own experiences working at a Manhattan publishing house. The book is a thoughtful examination of the lasting impacts of microaggressions and the fleeting commitment to diversity made by businesses following the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.

2 – “The Promise”, by Damon Galgut

If you are a fan of South African Nobel Laureate JM Coetzee and his dark outlook on life, you will definitely love Damon Galgut. Although love might not be the right word. The writer doesn’t shy away from discomfort and portrays South Africa’s ever-burning race relations with crisp, ruthless clarity. His latest novel on the subject, The promise, is an unwavering look at the country’s current debate over white-owned land and how to right the wrongs in history. The narrative centers on a separated white farming family and moves from 1980s apartheid to the current democratic era as the country evolves. You won’t find spoilers here, but the end of this very disturbing novel will likely leave you with more questions than answers. The promise won this year’s Booker Prize.

3 – ‘Where,’ by Jhumpa Lahiri

Is there something Jhumpa Lahiri cannot do? Not only did the Indian-born American author win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000, she moved to Rome to learn Italian for fun and now writes in this language. His latest work is the first author-translated book ever published by Knopf, which credits it with signaling “a daring change in style and sensibility.” Many of Lahiri’s previous novels and short stories focus on Indian and Native American life, but his new novel focuses on an anonymous Roman narrator over a period of one year. “For me, translation is a metamorphosis,” Lahiri says. “It’s a kind of radical recreation of the work. “

4 – “Klara and the Sun”, by Kazuo Ishigaru

He’s another who made the Booker Prize long list, but if you’re a fan of Rest of the day – Ishigaru’s novel set in early 20th century England focused on the unspoken love between the butler and the housekeeper in an English mansion – his new book will be quite a start. The British-born Japanese writer, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017, is interested in artificial intelligence in Klara and the Sun. Here, an android narrator, an “artificial friend” to a teenage girl, observes the humans around her. This novel has more in common with cloned romance Never let Me Go, and Booker’s jury called it a “genuinely innocent and egoless take on the bizarre behavior of humans obsessed and hurt by power, status and fear.”

The future of graffiti: do you want to accompany each other?

1 – Spray can rule

With millions of spray paint cans lighting (or degrading) the streets of our cities, the question remains: is graffiti legal? The answer is not simple. In most cases, it depends on the nature of the part and its authorization. While some cities wage a war against mural art in the public space (Chicago authorities have even mistakenly removed commissioned pieces), others never tire of it. Melbourne, Warsaw and Paris encourage artists to claim designated walls in an attempt to attract tourists (for the gram, you know?). Pablo Escobar native Medellín uses it as a way to engage marginalized youth. Fun fact: Outdoor art murals can help draw people to neighborhoods.

2 – If you can’t beat them join them

What do Gucci, Louboutin and a spray paint have in common? They are joining forces to sell you something. Attracted by the popularity of brightly painted walls (wasn’t Instagram made for street art?), Brands aimed at the affluent hire street artists to paint “wall ads.” Advertising gurus say the high-end industry has come full circle; what was once considered “underground” now gives established brands an edge in an already saturated social media space. One example is a rooftop collaboration between artist Ben Eine and the Zippo lighter company in London, as large as 67 tennis courts. But artists push back and warn that “paint ads” have nothing to do with what they’re doing.

3 – Shamsia Hassani

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women. When this woman holds a can of spray paint, the potential threats multiply. But that didn’t stop the 33-year-old artist. Her murals, painted on anything from bombed-out buildings to hidden alleys, tend to depict strong women happily going about their daily activities such as teaching, singing, or working. But watch closely and you will see that their eyes and mouths are still closed, a nod to the larger struggles women face in Afghanistan.

The surprising world of dance films

1 – Flashback dance

Don’t you hate it when you just try to dance in an empty school building in a forest with friends, and someone adds LSD to your sangria? This strangely specific situation is the one that the actors of the French psychological thriller Climax meet in a dreary night. The resulting psychedelic spectacle is a mix of shimmering dance sequences and ever-increasing tension.

2 – Cuban coming of age story

In Cuban dancer Alexis Valdes is a teenager balancing a demanding ballet career with emigration from Cuba to Florida with his family. This documentary by filmmaker Roberto Salinas follows Valdes as he adapts to his new life, pushes his limits, and confronts the America of the Trump era. But the story doesn’t focus on politics – something she’s been criticized for. It’s a coming-of-age story filled with music, emotions, and real-life challenges.

3 – But have you seen the original?

If you’re thinking “pfft, a romantic comedy by J.Lo and Richard Gere is hardly less well known,” hold your horses for a second. Their 2004 film Shall we dance was a remake of the 1996 Japanese original, following its popularity. The story of a mid-level accountant who feels stuck and the ballroom dance teacher who enchants him, the original film is not only visually stunning for its choreography. It is also a glimpse of the difficulty and the reward of pursuing our passions.

Great New Cookbooks

1 – “My Shanghai”

Take a trip to the longtangs – the dense alleyways – of one of the world’s greatest cities with author Betty Liu, who uses her family’s deep roots in Shanghai to bring you superb homemade recipes that will change everything. you thought you knew about good Chinese food.

2 – “Oaxacan food”

Bold. It’s the word that best describes the unique ingredient that makes Oaxaca the cultural capital of Mexico and its cuisine the pinnacle of Mexican culinary traditions, according to chef Alejandro Ruiz. So it’s no surprise that this book is an adventure, with savory sensations at every turn of the page.

3 – “Afro vegan”

London chef Zoe Alakija blends British flavors with the unique tastes of her Nigerian roots to deliver over 50 delicious herbal recipes that will transport you to West Africa without the novelty of the experience overwhelming you.

Films about (and by) indigenous peoples

1 – Dogs Reservation

From the genius minds of Sterlin Harjo of the Seminole Nation and Taika Waititi comes the new must-see show. Located on an Oklahoma native reservation, he follows four best friends as they navigate the struggles of daily life – alcoholism and suicide included – while storing enough cash to escape to California.

2 – Atanarjuat: the fast runner

Zacharias Kunuk, an Inuit himself, made the first feature film in the Inuktitut language. He tells an ancient legend of a man whose marriage to his two wives earned him the wrath of their tribal leader who killed the husband’s brother, forcing him to flee into the desert. Dubbed the greatest Canadian film of all time, this one is a staple.

3 – Los Fuertes

In this film, documentary maker and indigenous woman Waranka Patricia Yallico Yumbay explores the challenges she faced balancing her political commitments and motherhood in Ecuador. Latin America is the deadliest region for environmental activists, many of whom are also members of indigenous communities.

Susan Rice on “The Carlos Watson Show”

Meet the brains behind Barack Obama’s foreign policy. Carlos delves deep into international politics with former UN Ambassador Susan Rice, who has surprising things to say about China, Russia and President Trump’s “many Benghazis”. What does she think Trump is absolutely right about? To listen to the full, unedited conversation between Carlos and Susan rice, subscribe to the podcast version of the show here: http://podcasts.iheartradio.com/s_34Zjdh

ABOUT OZY

OZY is a diverse, global, forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on ‘the new and the next’. OZY creates space for new perspectives and offers fresh perspectives on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment.

www.ozy.com / #OZY

Welcome to the New + Next!

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