I’ve been assigned the task of writing a review of a book on creativity/innovation. There are so many out there I am overwhelmed. I wrote one last year on Daniel Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind,” and I am pleased to see he is coming to the University of Minnesota for a talk in June. Does anyone have a suggestion of a can’t miss book in this area? I think the parameters are wide, but it has to be a fairly sophisticated text.
The program for the Pop Culture/American Culture Association conference in San Fran was finally released and my panel discussion on black leather motorcycle jackets is on Saturday afternoon. I’ve received some emails from readers and friends saying they planned on attending. Drop me a line and let me know when your talk is so I can make sure to attend. I’ve put up a link to the program. I wish they had traditional presentation rooms with projectors and screens, but the TVs and DVD players should work and it looks like an enormous conference. That, combined with a fun city should be a fantastic time. If you’re going to be there let’s meet for lunch!
Tonight I rented the documentary “The Lady in Question is Charles Busch.” I knew he performed and drag and was in the theater but that was about it. Well I was so pleasantly surprised by the entertaining documentary about this fabulous and ahead-of-his-time author and actor. It turns out I was familiar with his work in “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” and “Die Mommie Die,” among others-which I’ve heard of and knew the drill was hadn’t seen. Also, he wrote the book for the NY version of Taboo, which was the Boy George late 70’s/early 80s musical that Rosie produced. I wanted to see that play beyond belief and didn’t make it to NYC in time as it closed so quick. Anyway, the reason I bring this up is to say that there is some good dress studies material on drag, and on performance, but not nearly enough, and I’d love to read more, or produce more eventually. If anyone knows of pieces that are a must read please send them along my way. Which reminds me-does anyone know the deal with Trini Maxwell of local and national cable TV fame-there’s an interesting drag queen to profile. I think a good dress studies book would be to profile the drag popularity height of the 80s/90s when the mainstream started to catch on and the club scene was booming. I remember being a teen going to Patricia Field in NYC and being hypnotized looking at all the wigs being prepared….
I found a few jobs this week although I always would say to check out ITAA as they have oceans of professor listing at this time.
1. Collections Manager. “Phoenix-based private museum seeks experienced Collections Manager. The highly diverse collections consist of more than 5,500 objects ranging from ancient to contemporary art in all mediums. The most significant areas represented are ancient and historic art of the Americas and historic jewelry of India. Textiles comprise about half the collections. The Collections Manager will complete a physical inventory and photographic documentation of the collections. In addition he/she will add catalog data to the existing database. Ongoing responsibilities will include object research and processing of acquisitions and loans. Applicants should have a minimum of three years experience in collections management and preservation practices and a degree in Museum Studies or a related field. Proficiency in current registration practices, cataloging standards, and the TMS data management system is necessary. Familiarity with cultures of Latin America or India and a reading knowledge of Spanish would be helpful. The successful candidate will be a hands-on self starter, eager to expand his/her horizons and happy to work alone on frequent occasions. Salary and benefits will be commensurate with qualifications. Please e-mail cover letter, résumé and contact information to LMUSEUM@cox.net
2. (If you happen to go to Drexel U.) Historic Costume Collection Work-Study Assistant. The Drexel Historic Costume Collection (DHCC) is an educational resource housing over two hundred years of historic costume and accessories; it is utilized primarily by Fashion Design and Design & Merchandising programs in Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design (AWCoMAD), but is open the entire university and the general public. Work-study (WS) students in the DHCC will assist the Collections Technician (CT), Graduate Assistant (GA), and Curator with daily operations and special exhibitions. Normal activities include assisting with cataloging, receiving new garment donations, tours, cleaning and organizing and, if the WC has the appropriate skills, sewing custom storage items. During special exhibitions WS will help with preparing dress forms, packing, labeling, installing/deinstalling exhibitions. Contact Tammi Worsham
3. Fashion Career Center-I found a nice website for those wanting to work in the fashion industry. Often these sites are pretty awful, but this one is helpful as far as I can determine. Go to the link and then to the middle of the lower portion of the page where it says “Job Board” in red. Then you’re off and running!
4. It seems Fairchild Pubs. runs a pretty thorough internship program. My internships were all rewarding and 8 weeks in the trenches does in fact help acquire some know-how. I slogged through three of them and looking back it was worth every errand and awkward conversation as those experiences got me into some good positions later on.
I pulled the following blurb right off a scholarships and fellowships site I like: “The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., offers scholarships for each academic year through the HGA and Dendel scholarship funds. Students enrolled in accredited undergraduate or graduate programs in the United States, its possessions, and Canada are eligible. Over $4,000 in scholarships will be available for furthering education in the field of fiber arts, including training for research, textile history, and conservation. The HGA scholarships are restricted to tuition; the Dendel scholarship funds may also be applied toward such items as film for photographs. Scholarships are awarded based on artistic and technical merit rather than on financial need. The application deadline is March 15 of each year.” The contact info is:Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., Scholarship Committee, 1255 Buford Highway, Suite 211 , Suwanee, GA 30024 and email: hga@weavespindye.org
There’s a small competition for a design inspired by Arnold Scaasi. If you’re the creative type, and can whip something up, it’s possibly worth $300. There are other prizes as well, but also listed was a vague entry fee some I’d definitely inquire before spending too much time on it. The contact info is: Rasheedah El-Amin, Headley-Whitney Museum, 4435 Old Frankfort Pike, Lexington KY 40510, Phone: 859-255-6653, Email: rie@headley-whitney.org. You can enjoy the above unusual picture of Babs’s bottom in a Scaasi garment from her Oscar winning moment.
The NYTimes had a piece Jan 3 about the biker look being on the rise once again. It’s a fun little piece about how the iconic black leather jacket and tough-as-nails demeanor of a biker translates from the open road to mainstreet and the runway. As previously mentioned, I’m working with my advisor and professor, as well as another graduate student on a research project about the value and meanings of black leather jackets for bikers. If you wear one or know someone who does, please check out our survey which is still in progress and we’re trying to reach 100 participants. We’ll be presenting this work in a long-form panel at the Pop Culture/American Culture national conference in SF this March.
(This was originally written last week but then I didn’t have computer access for posting–Note-As I’m typing this I’m wearing a Detroit vintage looking tshirt) So I’m back in Detroit for my holiday break from school and of course I bought yet another obligatory Detroit t-shirt. They’re for sale everywhere, alongside baseball caps, patches, scarves, bags, tank tops, sweatshirts, snow hats, panties, and nearly ever kind of decorative and household item you can imagine. The shirts say things like “made in Detroit (a brand and a theme)” “Detroit soul” ” I miss old Tigers stadium” “Detroit funk” “Faygo (local soda)” “enjoy Detroit (looking like the Coke label” “313 (area code)” and even the old school “in Detroit the weak are killed and eaten.” There are a slew of stores dedicated to these types of products, and just about every hipster and even upscale boutique has a range of hometown related clothing. Truthfully one of the better shops is even at the airport, if you can believe it, in the Northwest terminal, selling Motown exclusive designs. The most popular is probably Pure Detroit so if you’re interested you should check out their site. (Pure Detroit also runs a Design Lab supporting local fashion designers beyond the 313 t-shirts). But in general, the whole thing isn’t not about local fashion designers, or particular fashion shapes, cuts, colors, and styles which are regionally popular. It’s a different type of fashion statement, about hometown pride, and from what I can tell it has to do with expressing an entire philosophy which is a mix of nostalgia, pride, a little aggression, a little bit of an in-the-know type of local scensterism which isn’t relegated to music or subculture types but encompasses all metro Detroiters as a unified scene.So the part that is really of note about this is that from what I can gather this local pride thing is heightened as compared to other places. When I briefly lived in NYC some friends told me that only Detroiters surpassed new Yorkers in terms of hometown pride and they constantly saw Detroiter’s with Tigers “D” caps-similar or even more so than Yankees caps.I have to wonder what that’s all about. What makes one town, particularily one in as much distress as Detroit, so into itself and so wanting to show it through such blatant dress cues around-the-clock. From panties to snowgear, Detroiters are always making sure you know that’s where they’re from, and it’s a different vibe than the Yankees cap wearing New Yorker. I’m a proud one of these people, and I cannot fully explain it myself. (Note-one the way home I bought another shirt at that NWA Motown store and pin shaped like an old Motown 45″–I’m a little obsessed…but so is everyone else surrounding the 313)