In celebration of Pride during the month of June, we’re highlighting works from three Whitney Collection artists who have either identified with, or fought for, the LGBTQ community through their art. The pioneering video artist Charles Atlas has brought together dance, performance, and media for nearly four decades. Here, see a still from his work, What I Did Last Summer—a three-part chronicle of queer nightlife in New York in the early 90s—shown as a part of the exhibition Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection.
[Charles Atlas (1949–), still from What I Did Last Summer, 1991. Video, color, sound, 12 min. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from Lori and Alexandre Chemla 2013.82 Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York.]
CHICAGO, IL — The sympathy began with a simple photograph and a stranger’s desire to put some money into the pockets of a struggling, elderly popsicle vendor in Chicago. How much money? A few thousand dollars would go a long way.
In just a few days, however, the generosity swelled to more than a quarter of a million dollars.
Flight attendant adopts stray dog that always waited for her return
German flight attendant Olivia Sievers often makes trips to Argentina on business. On one layover in Buenos Aires earlier this year, she made friends with a stray dog. She played with the sweet pup and gave him some food, so he stuck by her side.
“So…we have what the people are interested in, and human interest stories, which is what humans are interested in, and the public interest, which no one is interested in.”
“Except the public, sir,” said William, trying to keep up.
“Which isn’t the same as people and humans?”
“I think it’s more complicated than that, sir.”
“Obviously. Do you mean that the public is a different thing from the people you just see walking about the place? The public thinks big, sensible measured thoughts while peoplerun around doing silly things?”
“I think so. I may have to work on that idea too, I admit.”
“Hmm. Interesting. Ihave certainly noticed that groups of clever and intelligent people are capable of really stupid ideas,” said Lord Vetinari.
Three facts about this whalebone walking stick with skull pommel:
1. It has green glass eyes.
2. It was owned by Charles Darwin.
3. Darwin called it his “morituri”: a type of memento mori (objects that remind their owners of the shortness of human life and the inevitability of death).
See this object for yourself in our #MedicineMan gallery.
aaaah, this is so cool! Darwin’s skull-topped walking stick. I am dying.
