Market Log #3: What I Saw, Read and Listened to in April and May
Seeing Youssou N’dour live, my new favorite bookstore and the best show on TV right now
Welcome to Market Log, a monthly roundup of books, podcasts, articles, art exhibitions and movies/documentaries I consume.
Fellow history buffs will love this edition. Everything makes so much more sense once you understand history. Free post today!
About Town:
Youssou N’Dour
Being at the Kings Theatre on April 27, watching Youssou N’Dour live, I felt like I was part of history. Youssou is one of Senegal’s most famous singer-songwriters, renowned for his championing of the native language Wolof in his lyrics and his musical range (his reggae album is one of my all-time favorites).
I encourage you to read more about his advocacy of Senegalese culture (a country I hold near and dear to my heart), but back to the music…At 65, Youssou still has all the spirit of his early days, and his two-hour show really took us (the audience) to church.
Cafe Rue Dix
I booked a table here before the show because if you’re going to see Senegal’s finest in concert, you gotta toast to that at a Senegalese restaurant...naturally. The food here is good but as it goes with “ethnic restaurants” in the U.S., it’s not like the real thing. A good introduction to anyone unfamiliar with the cuisine nonetheless. The signature dish, Thieboudienne, isn't the star of the menu though; I’d say the yassa chicken is a lot tastier. The ambience is great and the restaurant is attached to a lifestyle concept store of the same name (Marché Rue Dix) that’s doing retail right.
Yu & Me Books
Stumbled upon this gem while doing a photoshoot in Chinatown and it’s one of my favorite discoveries. If you’re a fan of historical fiction or nonfiction, this is the place to go. With a focus on immigrant stories—particularly Asian immigrants—Yu & Me Books has a unique value proposition. I was so engrossed during my first visit, it felt like a time warp in the best way. I had to exercise extreme self-restraint though as I only took home two books: Yellowface (review ahead) and Real Americans (which I’m almost done reading).
West Lab + Gallery
A photo lab, art gallery, coffee/zine shop and event space all in one. The owner Shrey Mendiratta is so warm and helpful, a filmmaker and visual artist who’s passionate about representing local artists. I loved meeting him!
Garden of Green: Van Cleef and Arpels
“Great gowns, beautiful gowns.”
The jewels are absolutely stunning and there is something to mine here about the world of design’s symbiotic relationship with nature, but the show mostly came off as flash without substance.
As has been the case with fashion shows at the American Museum of Natural History recently, pop culture (rather than historical depth) is front and center. Last year’s show, Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry was an exciting and unprecedented idea, but the execution fell short in my opinion as it lacked the narrative richness embedded in the topic. It’s interesting to watch the museum make a bid for more fashion-oriented visitors. Let’s see what they come up with next, but here’s hoping storytelling becomes a focus of future shows!
40 years of Michel Chataigne
One cannot overstate how impossible it is to sustain a business (let alone an entire sector) in Haiti right now but fashion designer Michel Chataigne has continued to champion Haitian fashion both on the ground and abroad. He has been at work for 40 years, preserving our visual culture and supporting the next generation of talent. I had the immense pleasure of meeting him and seeing his work in person last month, and it was an emotional evening.
Solid Gold
A very ambitious show with 500 gold objects, some of which date back to Cleopatra-era Egypt, pre-conquest Latin America and 14th century Italy. There’s lots of fashion, some history and fun pop culture moments. This New York Times review is a great explainer and critique.
Superfine
Superfine is ultimately a story about the humanity of Black people. It challenges assumptions and unearths hidden histories in hopes that the rest of the world sees us—really sees us as humans, too.
On My Projector:
Kuxa Kanema
A bittersweet watch about the birth of cinema in Mozambique and the tragic events that unraveled on the screen.
Black Girl
Ousmane Sembène’s masterpiece is a devastating depiction of indentured servitude in France.
Adolescence
A bone-chilling watch and probably the best show on TV right now. It took me so long to get through Adolescence, mainly because of the growing heaviness between each episode. The show holds a mirror to our anxieties about our children growing up with and in front of cameras. The built-in hostility in those devices and how that feeling of being watched can heighten the experience of human rites of passage such as rejection, bullying or heartbreak. The producer Stephen Graham and his team capture these tensions brilliantly.
Soundtrack to a Coup d’État
Patrick Lumumba, may your legacy live on! This documentary takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, exposing the political schemes that led to not only the assassination of Congo’s former Prime Minister, but the violent destabilization of the country.
Battle for Tibet
The Tibetans were thriving…and then the Chinese came. An eye-opening investigation of China’s rule over Tibet. We don’t talk enough about how good the PBS Frontline series is!
In My Ears:
It means tacos and margaritas for Americans but it is a day of celebration for Mexicans as it represents the country’s victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Lots to learn here!
I learned a fun new Greek word: Pleonaxia— a vice, the insatiable desire for wealth that characterizes rich people. Very timely episode!
On My Bookshelf:
You know it’s a good book when you find yourself wishing for the main character’s demise. A fantastic read that tackles the topic of cultural appropriation in painfully clear and detailed prose. It’s so clever, so of the times, and extremely unnerving! A must!
THICK by Tressie McMillan Cottom
No one is writing essays like Tressie McMillan Cottom! Her voice is so sharp, so analytic yet always conversational. Whether she’s talking about her traumatic pregnancy or Black women’s bodies as white amusement parks, she tackles heavy political concepts with clarity and wit that are unrivaled. If you don’t follow her on TikTok already, what are you waiting for?
On My Radar:
Is this the year of the Black artist?
Amy Sherald at the Whitney Museum
Rashid Johnson at the Guggenheim
Malick Sidibe at Jack Shainman Gallery
Jack Whitten at MoMA
Adam Pendleton at PACE Gallery
Until next time,
Shelcy
Those exhibits are so beautiful!! I’d love to spend a week in NYC and really get a taste of your experience.
Adolescence was soooo intense!