VICE Magazine
“Leather Granddaddies”, for VICE Magazine
His collection includes an original Diego Rivera, sculptures by Nancy Grossman, and, most notably, one of the world’s largest assortments of vintage ephemera and relics from New York City's gay leather scene. For VICE Magazine.
Unique Gallerie & Collectibles sits on a quiet, tree-lined street in one of those North Brooklyn neighborhoods that has been transformed over the past decade from an ethnic enclave to a terminally hip brunch destination. Hector Matos, who founded Unique Gallerie in 2012, grew up in the area and watched the changes take place firsthand, along the way acquiring the antiques and artworks that fill the small shop. His collection, he told me, includes an original Diego Rivera, sculptures by Nancy Grossman, and, most notably, one of the world’s largest assortments of vintage ephemera and relics from the city’s gay leather scene.
Matos encountered his first pieces of homoerotic art in the early 80s while scouring New York City garage and estate sales, finding some of his most interesting items in basements and closets. His collection now boasts a number of impressive names—works by Tom of Finland, Arthur Tress, and Robert Mapplethorpe have all found a home here—but as his passion for the subject grew, he began to expand his horizons beyond fine art and became interested in magazines, clothing, leather toys, accessories, masks, personal photographs, and letters, which lend intensely sexual yet oddly touching narratives to the other items.
Matos was initially drawn to this substratum of the art world for purely aesthetic reasons, but in time his interests put him in touch with people who helped him understand the history of the scene as well. He credits Jack Stein, a social worker and fellow collector, with helping him uncover the secret meanings and significance of the various parts of his collection. Another key helper is Matos’s friend and assistant Nina Pearson, who has curated and meticulously catalogued every piece he owns.
Matos dreams of displaying his collection in New York galleries and museums and has recently taken a major step toward that goal, getting some of the works in the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. “It is my strong belief that this collection should be in some kind of public space or museum,” he explained to me. “I want this era of homoerotic subculture to be unveiled and not forgotten.”
3x3 Magazine: Joost Swarte
Joost Swarte is one of those rare artists whose dedication to creative transformation reveals itself in a profound respect for various disciplines, their history and methods. In everything he touches, Joost becomes more than an illustrator proposing a two-dimensional solution; he evolves into the designer, publisher and architect.
Born on December 24, 1947, in the Dutch town of Heemstede, Joost’s childhood was ripe with the inspiration that would eventually culminate into the backbone of his trademark ligne claire (clear line) style. Ligne claire, which was pioneered by Belgian artist Hergé — of Tintin fame — in the 1920s, is defined by strong lines, uniform colors, subdued contrasts and minimal hatching. Joost’s own interpretation of ligne claire pays homage to the bold forms of the Dutch De Stijl (“the style”) movement while hearkening back to the simplicity of the comics Joost loved as a child. In analyzing the influences of his childhood, Joost discovered a potential for visual storytelling that would eventually become the foundation of his own artistic expression.
Joost’s iteration of ligne claire signifies more than an appropriation of his cherished childhood comic book heroes, however. He explains, “After some years, I wondered why the comics I read when I was young had such an impact. I analyzed the works and learned of their cinematographic approach. I started to work in a more graphic style, less expressionistic. Inspiration came from Olaf Gulbransson, Albert Dubout, John Held Jr., Miguel Covarubias, Steinberg, etc.”
In the late 60s, Joost began studying industrial design at Dutch Academy in Eindhoven. “In high school, I did not really know what I would like to study…my father hinted towards this [field], as it had a combination of my interests: drawing and technics.” But as Joost pursued those studies, he began to cultivate a deep appreciation for the alternative comix movement. Joost started creating comix of his own and was galvanized by this new and raw approach to storytelling. “The freedom of speech that was normal in literature and journalism [became] normal in comix too.” The censorship of the Academy would eventually prove too constricting, and Joost’s creative energy turned towards his personal work within the burgeoning comix movement. In pursuit of creative freedom, Joost left the Academy to explore the world through his own graphic stories.
“My early comics were heavily inspired by Crumb, Shelton, Moscoso,” Joost explains. In 1970, he started his own comic book series, Modern Papier, and also began publishing in the underground Dutch comic magazine Tante Leny Presenteert, firmly rooting himself in this up-and-coming visual movement.
Having established a genuine community, Joost found himself having profound conversations with other artists, yielding insights that would continue to reveal inspirations. “We discussed the heroes in the field: Little Nemo, Krazy Kat, Milt Gross, Rube Goldberg. I remember I published an old work, Little Jimmy, by James Swinnerton. I tried to find out where he lived — a nursery home for the elderly — and did send him a copy.”
As the burgeoning alternative comix movement continued to gain momentum internationally, underground artists received access to an unprecedented platform. In 1980, Joost participated in the Salon International de la Bande Dessinée in Angouleme, France; this exposed his work to a new audience and led to his work being translated into English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.
Having created a name for himself in the alternative comics world (most notably via Jopo de Pojo, Katoen + Pinbal and Dr. Ben Cine and Dee), Joost took the next creative leap. Expanding on his deep understanding of illustration and comics, he founded the publishing house Oog & Blik, with Hansje Joustra, in 1985. Their partnership focused primarily on graphic novels, underground comix, autobiographical comics, picture books and Joost’s silkscreens. The venture allowed complete creative freedom for Joost while also providing a platform to champion other illustrators, even translating foreign artists’ comics into his native Dutch.
But perhaps most interestingly, Oog & Blik also provided Joost an opportunity to diversify and expand his creative problem solving. His work had often been deeply personal and reflective. “The characters in my comics are almost all carriers of elements of my own character. My doubts, my love for music, my positivity [are found in] Jopo de Pojo; my drive to teach, my search for solutions [are found in] Anton Makassar. In fact, the dialogues my characters are involved in are interior dialogues in my head.” In establishing the publishing house, Joost began working with distinguished artists. This helped Joost develop more than an expression of his interior universe: he began to think like a designer.
While Joost’s aesthetics always remained artistically relevant, his deep curiosity and reverence for different fields always contributed to his adaptivity. His playful juxtapositions and bold graphic style remained a constant as he began to create a prolific body of work that established him as much more than an underground comics artist and publisher. Joost expanded upon his illustration career by creating covers for The New Yorker; designing posters, CD covers, stamps, bookplates and logos; and creating sculptures and large-scale stained glass windows. He even dabbled in furniture design, perhaps most notably with the carrot table: a sleek, minimalist number featuring a clear glass top and four carrot legs. It’s a piece that managed to be both chic and cheeky.
In 1996, Joost embarked on his largest project to date: De Toneelschuul. Located in the oldest part of Haarlem, De Toneelschuur was Joost’s foray into architecture. Resolutely modern and fresh, this architectural gem managed to fit seamlessly amongst the patchwork of the city. Featuring two theaters and two movie theaters (no Hollywood nonsense allowed) this creative leap, in partnership with the prominent Dutch architectural firm Mecanoo was not just a theater, but also a hat tip to the community and its architecture.
In his interview with Dutch Profiles, Joost explained the connections between illustration and architecture. “The users or residents of a building should be viewed as your readers. You hand them something and they finish it. But you need to give them enough space to finish to their own tastes.” In 2004, Joost was commissioned to create a large-scale, stained glass window for the Palace of Justice in Arnhem (Netherlands). Featuring vignettes of characters behaving selfishly and malignantly, the piece invokes the narrative history of stained glass while updating the message into a contemporary and wholly relevant critique. We are, essentially, reminded of why such an institution needs to exist.
When discussing current projects and the future, Joost projects the same energy and joy that have punctuated his career. He talks excitedly about yet another stained glass project, this one featuring a delicate composition of birds. Joost even shares his sketches, pointing out the negative space that will allow the outside in. “The drawn line is the lead. The white is transparent, so you can see what the weather is like.”
Joost’s intellectual curiosity and appreciation for “adventure”, as he so nicely articulates it, are as alive as ever, and I am struck by the subdued playfulness that has presented itself throughout his career. At one point, I’d asked how he engages his audience: “You should never underestimate [them]. They want to be surprised. At least I do.” With over 50 years of surprises under his belt, Joost surely has many more in store.
Tired of Royal Wedding News? Napoleon's Penis is Stored in New Jersey.
New Jersey is completely and totally weird – this is a fact. This is not the elitist opinion of a New Yorker or a generalized, overarching statement, but rather it is a verifiable truth, time-tested, celebrated, and even catalogued in the Weird New Jersey magazines and books.
All joking aside, from mysterious apparitions by the side of the road to the infamous Jersey Devil, it seems that New Jersey is full of strange and delightful goodies for us to pursue and admire. In particular, there is one small object with a lengthy history, an iconic piece that has made its way around half of the world before settling in the Garden State. I am talking, of course, about Napoleon Bonaparte’s penis.
After his game-changing defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the British island of St. Helena, where it is now believed that he was ultimately poisoned with arsenic. The fact that his captors ended his life prematurely seems pretty heinous in and of itself, but wait–there’s more.
It seems that Napoleon’s doctor removed his penis during the autopsy, and then gave it to a priest, Vignali, who then smuggled it to Corsica. Wisely recognizing the value of such an object, the priest’s family passed it along until 1916, when a British collector got a hold of it, along with other pieces in the so-called “Vignali Collection.”
We might say that Napoleon’s penis was under-appreciated. Having only been displayed once (New York, 1927), it was ultimately mocked for its small size and referred to by curious spectators as a small piece of leather or a shriveled eel. The penis was gradually separated from other artifacts in the Collection, leaving it to fend for itself. One of my favorite incidents occurred in 1969, in which London’s famed auction house, Christie’s, failed to make the sale, thus inspiring one newspaper to write, “Not tonight, Josephine!”
In 1977, the penis found itself on the auction block once again, where it was eagerly snatched up by America’s leading urologist, Dr. John Lattimer. Lattimer, a resident of New Jersey, was appalled by the mockery surrounding the object. Determined to see it removed from circulation, he kept it from public scrutiny by hiding it in his home, thus elevating it to a position of respect and giving it the proper esteem that it so clearly deserved.
Napoleon’s business remains with the Lattimer family to this day, where it is kept in a beautiful monogrammed box….in a closet. Just like he would have wanted!
Thank goodness this epic story also comes in the form of an ENTIRE BOOK!!! Which I haven’t read yet, but I absolutely plan on it. I’m going to blindly suggest that everyone read Tony Perrottet’s Napoleon’s Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped.
Additionally, you can view this clip in which Perrottet visits the relic in New Jersey. Unfortunately, out of respect for Dr. Lattimer’s wishes, they were not allowed to film the penis. However, they do offer a melodramatic artist’s recreation, which makes watching the otherwise relatively dull video totally worth it.
Behind the Scenes at the Society of Illustrators
Tucked away quietly in a beautiful yet unassuming block of the Upper East Side, delicate signage and a vibrant red door designate a vital, yet often overlooked, cultural institution. The building that houses the Society of Illustrators and the Museum of American Illustration blends in seamlessly with its surroundings, acting almost as a metaphor for the nature of the artworks inside. We encounter hundreds of wonderful (and, admittedly, some not-so-wonderful) images every day, yet the way they have been incorporated into our environments and the tools with which we run our lives makes them easy to overlook. Even within the art world, illustrators are often not regarded with the same respect as gallery or “fine” artists, despite how perfectly executed or deeply inspired a piece may be.
But it is this quiet disposition that makes illustration so fascinating and relevant. Often narrative and always representational, illustration gives us a visual lexicon that is ever-changing and true to the times. Like all art, it reflects a culture and a moment, and when paired with good design, these pieces are able to become completely integrated into our daily lives. New York is very fortunate to have a space and wonderful team of people that is so dedicated to preserving and celebrating this history.
Founded on February 1st, 1901, the Society of Illustrators began with a very simple credo: “The object of the Society shall be to promote generally the art of illustration and to hold exhibitions from time to time.” This simple vision seems to have been beneficial, as the institution has remained true to itself for over a century.
In a modern context, the Society acts as a gathering place for industry folks and fans, celebrating the best in contemporary illustration through various gallery and award shows. Scholarships are given to students (they also hold an impressive show annually), there is a weekly sketch and jazz night, one can regularly attend lectures and screenings, and the bar and dining room upstairs, complete with an impressive original Rockwell, is surely one of the most elegant in the city.
In addition to being the most important institution for the industry of Illustration, it is also an educational powerhouse with a collection that boasts 1,800 original works. All the greats are here, from N.C. Wyeth to Maxfield Parish, and the imagery is vast. Fashion, editorial, science fiction, children’s books – whatever the genre or market, it has a home here, and staff members are diligent about rotating displayed works frequently.
After years of taking in and enjoying the public galleries at the Society, I became increasingly curious about the 1,700 other pieces that I was not seeing at any given time. The building, a stunning 5-story townhouse, only opens 3 of its floors to the public, concealing a library, office, and veritable “warehouse” of some of the most beautiful works that have been created in the United States. I had to get up there.
Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of this institution is recognizing how small it ultimately is. It is humbling to be inside a smaller space while being surrounded by such a wealth of awe-inspiring and valuable work. The walls are loaded with framed originals, and you feel practically dwarfed by the pieces as they tower over you.
Again, I can’t articulate the quality and diversity of work here. Every piece that was pulled down for me to view was a bona fide showstopper.
The office itself is an admirable space, clean and bright. A lot of amazing work happens here – from archiving the pieces in an ever-expanding database (including scans and photographs of the illustrations in their original context), to establishing which pieces will be displayed for the public. Not to mention all of the administrative tasks…
Of course, not all of the originals are able to have a home in a frame, as the volume would be monstrous. Many pieces are carefully wrapped and preserved in flat files throughout the office.
Aside from being awed after an evening spent surrounded by so many stunning originals, the most meaningful experience was getting a glimpse into how much these people care about the museum, the industry, the history and the art of illustration itself. It is no small task spearheading a movement to obtain recognition that is long-overdue for this art form, and to say that it is a labor of love would be an understatement. I would like to say a huge thank you to Richard Berenson and Eric Fowler for taking the time to speak with me, and especially to Katie Blocher for orchestrating my visit. I cannot applaud this place enough and strongly recommend taking a moment to appreciate this tremendous museum.
The Society has a long and fascinating history both as a building and an institution. Learn more on their website, or stop by and say hello from 10am-8pm Tuesday, 10 am-5pm Wednesday-Friday, and 12pm-4pm Sunday.
Airbnb
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Dumplings in NYC’s oldest dim sum parlor
Tucked in a historic corner of Chinatown, Nom Wah Tea Parlor proudly boasts an old-timey feel. Owner Wilson Tang stays true to his family’s legacy, slinging classic dim sum recipes that have kept New Yorkers lining up for nearly 100 years.
Magic Jewelry
Healing stones and aura photography
While you can sift through their collection of crystals and other new age goods, most patrons visit Magic Jewelry to have their auras captured. Sip on a cup of oolong as employees decipher your photograph and tune in to your personal energies.
Ruby's Bar & Grill
Enjoy a beer at this Coney Island mainstay
Family owned and operated since 1972, Ruby’s is more than a great dive: it’s an institution. Settle in with boardwalk favorites like fried clams and funnel cake and get ready to enjoy some of the best people watching New York has to offer.
Blockchain Technology: Revolutionizing Business
We are on the cusp of a radical revolution - this is no hyperbole, and yet most of us remain unaware. Even those that understand and appreciate the power of blockchain technology often look no further than bitcoins, which is somewhat reasonable considering that often one cannot be discussed without the other. But once we dig deeper and understand how blockchains function, the implications and the incredible impact they will inevitably have on consumer experience becomes vast.
In January of 2009, the first blockchain database was created to devise the highly attractive and widely controversial cryptocurrency bitcoin, thus introducing us to the future of money, a revolution of payment, and what many refer to as “digital gold“. But what, exactly, is it – and how does it work?
Most people have heard the word thrown around but have little understanding of what it is beyond a seemingly magical form of internet currency. And beyond that, even fewer people understand that it’s blockchain technology which enables bitcoin to exist in the first place.
At the core, the mechanics of blockchain technology for bitcoins are set up so that the database is decentralized and autonomous, allowing transactions with bitcoins to not require management from a central authority such as a bank. In all of our transactions, we rely on and trust centralized institutions to keep accurate records of our assets while simultaneously keeping them safe. We might think that if we have currencies and payment security networks in place, why innovate? Particularly with so much focus on other areas of digital transformation.
Consider the fact that only 11% of US dollars exists in physical bills. We trust the banks to keep accurate digital records of our accounts and further rely on the government to back up our currencies and fight inflation. One key blockchain innovation was to offer distributed ledger technology. Information and data becomes totally transparent as every computer in the network has access to the same database, allowing users to take back control of their money and transact in a new way. Add to this advanced cryptography, a limited exchange of personal information, and decentralization, and we are looking at creating a customer experience program that is a secure and expedient way to exchange money while cutting out the middleman. Understanding what bitcoin actually is for a consumer can seem overwhelming, but like with most new technologies, sometimes the best way to understand is to simply try it.
In the less than 10 years since its inception, blockchain technology has matured and gotten a lot of people thinking about its other potential applications as a secure, multi-party computation service to improve business processes. In a survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, 10% of respondents said that blockchain databases as a technology trend would have one of the biggest impacts on businesses in 2020. With many businesses focusing their efforts on different areas of digital transformation, this revelation is profound.
Virtually anyone can benefit from this innovation. Let’s explore the different ways in which blockchain technology can be applied to a vast landscape of businesses and industries.
INSURANCE COMPANIES
Insurance companies establish their entire business model on trust and risk management. Blockchain technology can now be used to verify data in insurance contracts, such as the insured person’s identity, as well as a detailed and irrefutable account of their history.
Smart contracts powered by blockchain technology, “help you exchange money…or anything of value in a transparent, conflict-free way while avoiding the services of a middleman”. Imagine allowing customers and insurers to manage claims in a transparent and ironclad way – where processing can happen nearly instantaneously Now that’s a service best practice that streamlines the customer experience. Claims can be recorded on a blockchain and vetted by the network, virtually eradicating the potential for fraud and ensuring only valid claims are paid.
CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS
When we give to charity organizations, a common concern is knowing whether the money is actually going to the right place. But with a smart contract, donors can see precisely how the organization allocates funds. Imagine having total transparency and knowing without a doubt what percentage of your donation goes to the actual cause versus being utilized for other expenditures. Incredibly, this technology is already in place and giving an unparalleled customer experience. The BitGive Foundation, for example, has established a way for donors to trace their support on a public platform and in real-time, providing full visibility into the process of fundraising for their charitable causes.
BANKING AND PAYMENTS INDUSTRY
Much like how the internet disrupted media, blockchain technology has the potential to entirely disrupt banking. In a world where 2 billion people don’t have access to central banks, blockchain technology and digital currency could have a profound impact. Residents in developing world countries with limited access to banking institutions would have the ability to create an account, and exchange money for goods on an international scale. This is all while being able to trust that their funds are secure and easily accessed anywhere, anytime.
Bitcoin also allows people to send funds across borders almost instantly. By utilizing decentralized servers to manage exchanges, it cuts out mediators that charge exorbitant fees – especially to poorer countries (1.8 billion dollars per year in the African nations). This money could dramatically transform individual lives and local economies, and banks are eager to implement the necessary digital transformation. IBM predicts that 15% of banks will be leveraging blockchain technology by end of 2017.
HEALTHCARE
Hospitals are often challenged with a lack of secure data storage platforms for hosting information such as medical records. As a whole, the healthcare industry is riddled with legacy systems and antiquated means of security, and it is ripe for disruption from blockchain technology to improve the customer experience.
Companies such as Gem are allowing healthcare companies to build on their “collective intelligence” and create a shared data infrastructure. “Blockchain technology addresses the trade-off between personalized care and operational costs by connecting the ecosystem to universal infrastructure. Shared infrastructure allows us to create global standards without compromising privacy and security,” a digital transformation that benefits both healthcare companies and patients.
FIT FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE
When it comes to adopting blockchain technology, many have applied a “wait and see” approach as business transformation solutions in general are a steepening trajectory. There are a number of common concerns amongst enterprises, and many are worried that the technology is not yet mature enough to meet requirements surrounding performance, confidentiality, governance, and processing power. Microsoft is looking to resolve that: “Our mission is to help companies thrive in this new era of secure multi-party computation by delivering open, scalable platforms and services that any company—from ledger startups to retailers to health providers to global banks—can use to improve shared business processes.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft made a big investment in the technology when they announced the launch of the Coco Framework. Coco, whose name stands for Confidential Consortium, will be ready and made open source by 2018.
Currently compatible with Ethereum (an open-source, blockchain-based distributed computing platform), it currently makes transactions up to 100 times faster. The first wave of adopters committed to integrating these enterprise ledgers includes J.P. Morgan Chase, Intel, and R3.
In conclusion, while the future of blockchain technology is rapidly evolving, it is still in an exploratory phase. To date, we remain uncertain of how it can be vastly utilized in the marketplace. But wider acceptance of the technology presents exciting opportunities, and many industry leaders are looking to implement blockchain technology if they haven’t already. The process of adoption may be slow and steady – but many agree that it must begin. Overcoming our hesitation and tracking breakthroughs by industry leaders will ultimately help determine the success or failure of blockchain technology in the global market.
Vive la France! - Bastille Day Festivities for Francophiles in NYC
New Yorkers are no strangers to the art of celebrating. In the summertime, it seems as though streets are sectioned off weekly to celebrate various countries and cultures. Being the most diverse city in the world, it seems like no matter your origins, there is inevitably a festive day to celebrate your heritage, and with an estimated 70,000 French transplants residing in New York City, things are certainly no different for our local Francophone population.
The Bastille was a fortress and prison that famously held prisoners based on lettres de cachet, or arbitrary royal indictments that could not be appealed. Political prisoners that spoke against the monarchy were held on these grounds, and as a result, the Bastille quickly became a symbol of the absolutism of the monarchy. The fortress was also known to house massive quantities of gunpowder and ammunition, which was seemingly being used against the French people, as opposed to being used for their defense.
In an effort to both liberate the captives and arm the general populace, the people of Paris took a stand and attacked the bastille on July 14th, 1789. As the crowd proved to be a fair match to the royal military and the defenders of the fort, the gates were opened. The French Revolution had officially begun, and a long and bloody struggle to deny the King’s absolute power and fight the oppression of the French people had begun.
Just as it is with our Fourth of July, the bloody history of this critical day and the surrounding tragedies is somewhat obscured by our contemporary methods of celebration. But as an optimist that likes to eat and appreciates a good firework, that may be alright.
FIAF, or the French Institute Alliance Francaise, is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures.” Just as one might expect, this cultural powerhouse has also been spearheading the “largest public celebration of the historic friendship between France and the United States commemorating France’s own Independence Day” for 15 years.
On Sunday, July 15th, 60th street between Fifth and Lexington Avenues will be shut down from 12-5 to allow for a multitude of French festivities. Just about anything that an ardent francophile might expect will be available throughout the day, from diverse musical offerings, affordable wine and cheese tastings, macarons, mimes and of course, the infamous and rowdy music hall dance, the can-can. (Be sure to check out our favorites, including Le Palais des Thés and François Payard.) In addition to celebrating some of the outstanding facets of French culture, it is also an incredible opportunity for the public to familiarize itself with the Institute, as they will also be offering language workshops with friendly staff on hand to explain the variety of classes and diverse cultural programming that is offered throughout the year.
You can check out the official website here for more specific information, but until Sunday: VIVE LA FRANCE! And don’t forget, French Restaurant Week is ongoing until July 15. Highlights include a complimentary tasting by Saint Germain and Bastille 1789 Whiskey at Artisanal Bistro on Park Aveue at 12:30 on July 14, as well as special deals at our favorites such as Lyon and AOC. Brooklynites can check out the Skint’s Bastille Day Bash at DeKalb Market on July 14.
B'klyn Burro - A Taste of San Fran Takes Shape in New York
New York is a place of choices – but when there are a lot of choices, the unfortunate reality is that many of them won’t be that good. For the Mexican food scene, things may have just changed with the arrival of B’klyn Burro, a San Francisco style restaurant in the making. Recently, Untapped Cities was invited to a special pop up dinner by the up-and-coming culinary team.
The evening was the last of a month-long series of pop up events that has taken place in different areas of Brooklyn, namely East Williamsburg and Clinton Hill. Pepe, one of main men behind B’klyn Burro, started out with a fairly simple but brilliant idea: to recreate authentic San Francisco style Mexican food. That concept, in and of itself, generated an entire conversation – many restaurateurs make “Mexican-style” food without a lot of knowledge or skill, and thus there is a common misconception that Mexican food is cheap and lacking in diversity. But the reality tells a different story – there are always people that put a lot of love and care into their food, in addition to quality ingredients and their unique regional spin. “It takes a taquero (a taco and burrito chef) to add their signature to the food through their process,” Pepe explained.
The real secrets behind San Francisco Mission Style Burritos, by the way? Technique, delicious ingredients, huge portions, and a lot of tin foil – to accommodate the on-the-go lifestyle, of course. Sounds like a perfect match for New Yorkers.
Aside from learning about an interesting twist on a cuisine, what drew us most to the people behind B’klyn Burro was ultimately their enthusiasm and passion as they get their venture off the ground. Interestingly, Pepe comes from a background in film, and his approach to these first steps in founding a business have a distinctive spark that stems from his creative history: “This idea of bringing folks together and connecting over a common theme, common goal, shared or learning experience is something I think I’ve always strived for with my filmmaking…I’ve approached the Taqueria business as making a film, and B’klyn Burro is the story, subject, and script.” The people behind the scenes are critical, as well: “I believe I’ve cast the film with a great lead and support, Felix and Darren.”
Pepe’s not afraid of opening up a dialogue with the folks he works with, and he trusts their expertise. “Working with Felix [the chef] has been great…from the start, I was committed to using very clean meat: non-antibiotic, no hormones, and organic feed. With that standard in place, it allowed him to open up the meat to new flavors that are impossible with most commercial meats. He was hesitant at first because he was working under the premise that he was here to just cook and make burritos. But one night…we did a brainstorm about creating possible dishes. He had never participated in a structured brain dump. It did not take long for him to understand that this was his opportunity to get out some of the ideas that were never considered by his previous employers. Bang! He brought up barbacoa de borregopenca de maguey, a slow roasted lamb with cactus, that was traditional in his home state of Puebla. We knew we had our next meat offering.”
These incredible and distinctive aromas immediately filled the pop-up locations they were serving, and without quite having a home of its own yet, B’klyn Burrito asserts its identity.
Passion, a great idea, and thinking outside the box are critical to getting any project off the ground, but Pepe and his team were practical, as well: “I needed to create a business proposal and plan.” So he immersed himself in an intensive, 16 week workshop at WIBO (Workshop in Business Opportunities), a small nonprofit that provides training and support to entrepreneurs and small business owners. It was here that instructors and classmates asked Pepe to go beyond the burrito, challenging him with important questions and discussing potential strategies – like his brilliant pop up model.
But at the end of the day, what’s the bottom line? Simply that you’ll reap what you sow. “And much like creating a film, the ultimate goal in starting your business should be to open up, premiere and share. We’ve only begun sharing our work and only hope to grow,” Pepe says.
Bimbo Tower Record Store
Experimental, independent music seems to exist in a state of flux, constantly vacillating between obscurity and prominence in certain circles. While the internet and dutiful bloggers continue to spread the word about various bands and songs, the beloved record store, once THE go-to spot to learn about new music, is tragically becoming obsolete. And yet, there are a few special spots that continue to survive–and thrive–and Paris is home to one of the best in the world.
I initially learned about Bimbo Tower upon my first explorations into the Coldwave genre. The French variant of dark, post-punk music, it often featured young musicians with access to affordable synthesizers in the late 70s and early 80s and drew comparisons to English-speaking acts such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and others. Usually featuring French vocals, the genre managed to further bury itself into obscurity, and we have nothing more than a few choice compilations from the past decade to thank for bringing these gems to our attention.
But now, we also have Bimbo Tower. Located in the 11th arrondisement close to Bastille, the store is hidden in a remote alleyway in Paris that is often neglected in even the most detailed street maps. Photographer Mary-Jane Lee, who captured these images, had to walk down the street a few times to eventually discover that the “seemingly abandoned building was indeed a shop.” She even had to pound on the window to be let in!
But if you are adventurous, this store is a bonafide goldmine with a remarkably knowledgeable and passionate staff to boot. Featuring a wealth of obscure vinyl, it is the ultimate stop for fans of rare electronic and avant garde music. Mary-Jane tells Untapped that “They also had a small collection of CDs, magazines, and graphic novels. Although my husband and I aren’t necessarily vinyl collectors, being in the shop made us feel like we should be.” Further proof that those secret spots off the beaten path continue to be the most enriching.
Bimbo Tower
5 Passage St Antoine
75011 Paris, France
01 49 29 76 70
Perverse Relics - a History of Sexy with Tony Perrottet
You might remember our article about Napoleon’s Penis in New Jersey, but did you know about the “enlightened” sex clubs in 18th century London, the Victorian “Secretums” housed in the world’s most famous museums, or the history of prostitution in France? During a recent talk at Obscura Society NYC, Historian Tony Perrottet was brilliantly able to demonstrate that we are not to be blamed for our lack of knowledge about the most titillating historical facts: we all suffer at the hands of an historical education that entirely omits the good bits. He is the author of several books, including Napoleon’s Privates — 2500 Years of History Unzipped, which happened to serve as both inspiration and source to our previous piece about the Emperor’s current whereabouts.
A fascinating and engaging scholar that has made a living tracking down perverse antiquarian relics, Mr. Perrotet entertained his audience for 90 minutes with illustrated stories of both his esoteric intellectual pursuits and his adventures tracking down some of the treasures of our debauched pasts. Here are some of the best tidbits of the evening:
1) The nineteenth century was arguably a conservative one. However, there were several quirks about our Victorian friends that are surprising to revisit. Members of the highest social classes seemed to develop keen fascinations with the ‘pornographic’ relics of ancient civilizations. One major institution, the British Museum, founded the “Secretum” in 1865 exclusively to house these obscene mementos in the bowels of the museum. Housing sexual images, phallic ceramics and other goodies, only a select few were granted access to this collection. And yet delightfully, one can still request a map from the help desk that will explain specifically how to access a number of these pieces, which have been redistributed throughout the public galleries of the museum.
2) In the end of the 19th century, Paris legalized prostitution. In the stunning neighborhood surrounding the landmark Opera House, one could find a number of high-end brothels. “Le Cabaret” was the most famous of these institutions, and clients could enjoy a variety of themed rooms — including a “pirate room,” in which behind-the-scenes workers would splash water against the windows to create a certain je ne sais quoi.
3) Seemingly conservative 18th century Britain gave birth to a group of thrill seekers called the “Beggar’s Benison,” an ‘enlightened’ sex club which emerged during the Georgian era and was generally referred to as the “Hellfire club”. This gentleman’s club grew and developed branches in various parts of the country, increasingly developing a reputation due to its various sexual rituals, including (yet not limited to) masturbating onto a silver platter. Thankfully, the platter still exists, and it is engraved with a dainty penis, and we got to see a slide of it. Incredible.
Frankly, these points are but a small sampling of the fascinating stories that filled Perrottet’s lecture. However it is remarkable that, despite the shear entertainment value of these fun facts, learning about these points in history still gives us a glimpse into major facets of our own popular culture, though our occasionally puritanical educations may sometimes choose to ignore them. There is a unique relevance coupled with a good sense of humor that makes history like this so appetizing, and Tony Perrottet’s accessible yet articulate narratives are more than worth checking out.
The Obscura Society NYC, which hosted the event, offers fascinating programming such as the upcoming Victorian Bar Crawl, and is ultimately the meet-up group affiliated with the phenomenal site and archive Atlas Obscura: A Compendium of the World’s Wonders, Curiosities, and Esoterica. If you are one to delight your friends with strange and curious conversation, I strongly recommend checking them out.
UN Stamps Celebrate Dance Culture
Ahhh, the ecstasy of dance – truly one of the purest forms of human expression. According to UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and a recent project’s brief and objective, “Dance promotes in a lively manner reciprocal knowledge and respect of diversity. Dance is both an art form and a method of communication in cultures around the world.”
How fitting to team up with some of the world’s foremost visual communicators, including Victo Ngai, with the purpose to connect and celebrate this glorious art form. In partnership with the United Nations, Victo created two illustrations that are comprised of elegant, stand out elements (the stamps themselves) that come together to create a complex composition. The results are stunning.
Thank you to Sergio Baradat at the United Nations for commissioning this extraordinary project. We are in awe of the results!
Originally created for the Morgan Gaynin Inc. blog
Welcome to Suplex City
ALE+ALE traded their romantic European digs for something a bit more sinister while working on one of our favorite projects from 2016, the inimitable “Suplex City” – home of WWE® 2K17and the latest addition to the flagship WWE video game franchise.
Showcasing the ALE’s more ominous side, the atmospheric artwork for Suplex City creates a chilling environment for wrestling fans to engage with their favorite heroes and antiheroes. Per their press release, “WWE 2K17 delivers an unprecedented combination of authenticity, realism and action-packed gameplay in a WWE video game experience, including the largest roster of WWE and NXT Superstars in franchise history”. It was pretty exciting to be involved with something of this magnitude.
While we are excited to share the images with you here, it goes without saying that you should allow yourself a moment to explore this remarkably detailed and atmospheric environment. Just click here – and don’t forget the way back home.