can you ever forgive me?

So much time, so very much time has passed since I was...oh...so supposed to write this.  I know I have let you down in a very presidential way, but I think I can give you one picture to restore your faith in me:

Does that do it?  If not then maybe actually going to the Tropicalia: a Revolution in Brazilian Culture show at the  newly expanded Bronx Museum of Art would be the only thing left that could shake you out of your wounded funk. (On view only until the end of January).  This show, fresh from the Barbican Gallery in London, has been already noted in various spaces and places, but nowhere does it mention that it is exactly what is needed right now.  I am so sick of death, war, eminent water shortages, plummeting test scores and a lack of modern heroism in political leadership that I was very willing to retreat for an afternoon to a strangely numbing time of life under a Brazilian dictatorship before the shit hit the fan, and everyone was still o' so stylish, crazy, and out of prison.

Tropicalia: a Revolution in Brazilian Culture has loads of great musical video clips, visual artists who have never shown in this country or who are grossly under-represented in their fabulousness (Lygia Clark), and the next wave of visual fantasticness (assume vivid astro focus) to counter the supposed 'mere' musical (Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Tom Ze) quotient of the show and expose the cultural cannibalism that was running amok in 60's Brazil, much to the dismay of the generals in charge.  Post-modern before its time,  Tropicalia Brazil was a fascinating mix of western, ancient and technological forces that created artistic tension in the most positive and fruitful ways.  The weird thing is, that this traveling show is not stopping in Brazil.

Comments

[nandoze]

anyone heard when the "os mutantes" documentary is going to come out? (the one, supposedly, that's going to be narrated by an animated version of beck)...

[nandoze]

Umm, that last post didn't answer my question...

Alright, intensive 'googling' has revealed this information:

"Bread and Circuses" is an animated documentary in the making about Os Mutantes and the Tropicalia cultural movement in Brasil. It is a project by Nancy Stein, and it's sponsored by a grant from WGBH boston. Right now, it seems to be in production. Check out the website (with an awesome clip of the trailer!):

http://www.americangirlproductions.com/Root/Portfolio/Os-Mutantes--Bread---Circuses-.aspx