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Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Marvellous Mykonos: ‘Even the humble act of taking a breather is an exceptional experience here'
Of course the Greek island of Mykonos was named after a descendant of Dionysus, the Greek god of pleasure – who else could give rise to this party island? I'm catching tan in the wicker-and-white surrounds of SantAnna Beach Club in the south of the island, where rapper and musician Travis Scott was recently spotted and revered international DJ Black Coffee plays later in the evening. The thumping daytime beats turn up a notch, causing me to notice a gathering at the ankle-deep end of the island-studded pool, where a dozen or so ladies in string bikinis have loosely gathered to dance. Their eyes are hidden behind aviators and the moves are only just choreographed – they know that trying too hard is uncool, even for beach club entertainment. Eventually I wander back to my bed, past the groups of 20-something men and the catwalk-ready women, with their ice buckets of champagne or vodka kept by the aisle for the waiting staff to see (though it doesn't hurt that the other clientele can too). It's all quite impressive for midday on a Monday. READ MORE Since the 1950s, Mykonos – the largest of the Cyclades islands, located in the stretch of the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey – has earned a reputation as a destination for hedonism. It's where good time vibes drift through the air from dawn to dusk, then carry on until dawn again. In the 1980s when homophobia was on the rise, it was a safe haven for everyone. Then came the big names. Any given year, culturally relevant celebrities from Brigitte Bardot to Beyoncé to Bella Hadid helped propel its high-end image. The rich and the richer arrived too, ready to splash the cash here as an alternative to Saint-Tropez or Ibiza. As Mykonos became the destination to see and be seen, demand surged into a classic case of over-tourism – not ideal for an island smaller than Dublin city. My first glimpse of Mykonos is flying in, when I just about see fleck-like superyachts crowded along Mykonos's peacock-blue bays, and the minimalist lines of chic, swimming pooled hotels studded across the rocky hills. Even from this perspective, it's clear that if Mykonos has been turning into a playground for rich and famous for decades, the mission is now complete. Mykonos harbour in the evening, the island's famous windmills visible at the left Of course, there's an ecological and community impact of this change, and it closes off much of the island to the average holidaymaker. In 2017, a pair of sunbeds at the plush Pasaji Beach Club and Restaurant ( ) was €22. In 2019, it was €40. Five years and one pandemic later, they're now €90. While Greece as a whole has been enjoying increased tourism, Mykonos's traveller numbers are declining – the start of 2024 saw 5.8 per cent fewer seats scheduled to the island. Even though reliable bus services radiate from the hub of Mykonos town to the beaches across the island, pre-booked taxis are a €40 minimum, my pink-shirted, black espadrille-wearing driver tells me. Like most of the service industry, he's from Athens but stays in Mykonos over the summer to earn his money for the year. 'Of course it isn't worth €40 to take a taxi for five minutes,' he says, glancing from behind his Ray-Bans. 'Honestly, I feel so bad asking it from the people who come. I think other islands are just as beautiful, but they come to Mykonos because it's got a name and it's got the clubs.' [ Santorini in the shoulder months: No crowds, just stunning food, wine and views Opens in new window ] The troublesome thing is: well, exactly. Ostentatious as some might find the champagne-fuelled parties Mykonos is known for, there's much to be said for a destination that knows its niche. And Mykonos is certainly committed to the finer things in life. Mykonos is certainly committed to the finer things in life I was drawn originally to the island to experience the open-air club of Cavo Paradiso ( ), a bay away from SantAnna ( ). Refashioned from a shepherd's hut in 1997, it's become one of the must-visit clubs in the world thanks to its location (carved in the uplit rocks of Mykonos's cliff edge) and state-of-the-art sound (a Funktion-One sound system). And it lives up to the hype. It's almost impossible to tear myself away from the heaving dance floor where Italian duo Mathame commandeer the decks with precision. Yet when I move to the sidelines, the ever-present Mykonos warm breeze is most welcome as I gaze out to the rippling, moonlit sea beyond. Even the humble act of taking a breather is an exceptional experience here. Late night clubs aren't the only party in Mykonos. At the dinner and show experience of Lío ( ), in the heart of Mykonos Town, strobes and coloured lights work overtime to create a sensory explosion, especially as the heat of the night and the open-air courtyard are already disorienting (happily the fireworks were at the end of the show). Onstage entertainers perform high-energy medleys of household songs from Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Madonna, with even a bit of Hozier slipping in for a more contemplative moment. Dancers shake and prance their way through the tables of big birthday parties of boisterous people in their 40s, duos of older men sat opposite impeccable petite ladies, and smatterings of glammed-up women living their best life. It's no superclub, but as one wooing gentleman gives the nod for a second bottle of Tattinger (at €750 a pop), it's clearly a place to kick back in style. Mykonos Theoxenia: 'A quietude that whispers to the exclusivity of the resort' My accommodation in the town is Mykonos Theoxenia, a boutique hotel tucked behind the island's iconic windmills. On a day so sizzling that suntan lotion feels claustrophobic, Mykonos's many visitors swarm around the hotel, taking pictures in front of the striking sight, promenading around its breezy costal perimeter and sheltering at its covered entrance. But beyond the gate lies a quietude that whispers to the exclusivity of the resort. While reception is busy with guests arriving in and checking out, its luxe facilities – the sunbed-lined pool that overlooks the cruise-shipped bay, the divine restaurant that serves up massive juicy prawns over a hot stone at the table – are quiet. All set against the purple-orange sunset reflected in that bay, there's no reason for this exemplary experience to be almost mine alone, but I gratefully and greedily lap up the attention from the staff. Mykonos Theoxenia is a boutique hotel in the island's main town It's a similar vibe in the adults-only Once in Mykonos, located at Ornos Bay on the southwest of the island. Set on a hill within a zigzagging complex a little back from the throng of the small town, Once in Mykonos has cosier rooms – the bathroom is essentially incorporated into the main space, for example. That's perhaps why the social spaces are busier, though just as upscale: staff intermittently go beach bed to beach bed so the guests can sample shots of cocktails; no one converses in anything above a hushed tone. Here, it takes me nanoseconds to realise I have found my new happy place: the hotel's infinity pool that looks out on to the bay and Mykonos's daily light shows – first the blood-orange sunset, then fireworks that colourfully illuminate the town. Yet even in this era of Mykonos, there's space for modest spenders. On my final night in Ornos, I zigzag in my flip-flops down to the moonlit bay, hugging the road to avoid the stream of shiny black cars battling to move forward on the narrow streets. It's not long before I find myself within the hubbub of Lefteris GrillHouse, taking a dinner on the terrace of gingham-covered tables. I order a snipe of Prosecco plus a basket of starchy-white bread and tangy Greek olive oil to nibble on before my Greek salad arrives: a no-fuss slab of feta cheese atop a simple medley of green peppers, cucumber, flavour-packed tomatoes and red onion. Salt and pepper from the pots. It's not quite the lobster and fine wines of Once in Mykonos, but it's divine, and all for €20. Once In Mykanos: 'It takes me nanoseconds there to realise I have found my new happy place' En route back on this oven-hot evening, I swing by the beach, where, lit up by the glow of the beachfront bars and restaurants, I ignore the unmanned plush sunbeds, lay my beach bag and towel on the sand, and cool off in the gin-clear waters. It's every bit the sweet relief I anticipated. There's no better reminder that in Mykonos, the best things in life are free. It's simply that, as Coco Chanel once said, the second best are very expensive. Shilpa was a guest of Once in Mykonos and Mykonos Theoxenia. Fly to Mykonos indirect from €190. Rooms at Mykonos Theoxenia start from €388 – see to book. Rooms at Once in Mykonos start from €329 – see to book.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Hurricane Diane' turns an updated Greek god loose on New Jersey housewives at Hartford Stage
In Greek mythology, Dionysus is the god who oversees vegetables and fruit, particularly the making of wine from grapes, and thus is also connected to ecstatic partying. Dionsysus is also the god of theater. In Madeleine George's play 'Hurricane Diane,' running at Hartford Stage June 5-29, Dionysus becomes Diane, a landscaping expert with an environmentalist streak seeking to change the destiny of humankind by wreaking a little havoc in New Jersey. The play is having a moment. Over a dozen productions of 'Hurricane Diane' have happened, or are scheduled to happen, in the U.S. and Canada this year. The script has been around since 2017, when it had its world premiere at Two River Theater in New Jersey. There was a well-received off-Broadway production at New York Theatre Workshop, then regional theaters and college theaters around the country embraced it. TheaterWorks Hartford had the script on its shortlist for a recent season but didn't end up doing it, making Hartford Stage's production of 'Hurricane Diane' its Connecticut premiere. Other plays by George, who grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts and now lives in New York City, include 'The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence,' 'The Sore Loser' and 'Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England.' George is a writer and executive story editor of the TV series 'Only Murders in the Building.' She is married to Lisa Kron, also a playwright, who is known to Hartford theatergoers for the musical 'Fun Home,' done by TheaterWorks Hartford in 2023 and '2.5 Minute Ride,' done at Hartford Stage in 2002 and 2024. Last year's '2.5 Minute Ride' was directed by Hartford Stage associate artistic director Zoë Golub-Sass, who is now directing 'Hurricane Diane.' The blustery title role in 'Hurricane Diane' is played by Bernadette Sefic, who grew up in Colorado, studied theater (mainly the Elizabethan variety) in California and is thoroughly enjoying their first visit to Connecticut. 'I had not done this play before and I had not seen it, but I had read it in grad school,' they said. 'Now I'm an actor living in New York but I went to the University of San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre. My resume is 90% Shakespeare.' Sefic sees their casting as the modern embodiment of a Greek god as karmic. 'When I was offered this role I was in Greece. I went to see the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. I've gone back to the writings about Dionysus and whatnot. There are a lot of different versions.' 'Hurrican Diane,' Sefic said, is 'very much a modern contemporary comedy. It hints at ancient Greek plays, but it doesn't live there. There are moments where it gets surreal. The lighting designer and the sound designer, who also composed the music for this, are creating awesome effects.' In terms of style, the script has a big opening monologue for Diane, just as the Greek tragedy 'The Bacchae' by Euripides opens with a big monologue for Dionysus, but in a much more open manner. 'There's a lot of direct address to the audience,' Sefic said. 'To say that she is friendly with the audience is kind of an understatement. But while Diane talks directly to the audience a lot, 'The Women' don't see the audience at all — for them there's this strong fourth wall.' 'The Women' whom Sefic referred to, are the modern equivalent of the women in Euripides' 'The Bacchae.' George makes them a group of New Jersey housewives who spend most of their time together in each others' kitchens. 'They're all unhappy in their lives,' Sefic said. 'We see the response of these four women receiving this energy in their lives. Madeleine George writes that they accept Diane because she is bringing in the natural world.' Sefic said 'The Women' — played at Hartford Stage by Katya Campbell (as Carol), Christina DeCicco (Pam), Alyse Alan Louis (Beth) and Sharina Martin (Renee) — 'are so funny. I feel like I'm running a marathon just to keep up with them. This play has such a range of emotions. It's scary, erotic, terrifying, angry … and also funny, amazing and awe-inspiring. It stays funny until the very end, even with the serious parts.' Sefic identifies as non-binary, uses they/them pronouns and has played both male and female roles in the Shakespeare plays that make up the bulk of her acting resume. How does she see Diane in this play? 'Dionysus, who was very into androgyny, comes to Earth as a butch lesbian. She's a masculine person who doesn't identify as male. She uses she/her pronouns.' 'Hurricane Diane' is written for diverse audiences, yet 'it can be a very queer show and I'm happy that we're doing it during Pride Month,' Sefic said. Above all, the actor said, 'this is a contemporary comedy about the Greek god Dionysus coming to modern day New Jersey and saving the world by seducing some disgruntled New Jersey housewives.' 'Hurricane Diane,' directed by Zoë Golub-Sass, runs June 5-29 at Hartford Stage, 50 Church St., Hartford. Performances are Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are added Tuesday performances on June 10 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and no Saturday matinee on June 7. $20-$105.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
The underrated and wondrously wild Greek island that's been named best to visit in 2025
A gorgeous Greek island that's 'well beyond the usual tourist radar' has been named as one of the best of the country's islands to visit in 2025. According to Lonely Planet, Ikaria is one of the best Greek islands to add to your bucket list. While the island isn't a leading tourist destination, it has been globally recognised for its long-living residents. Ikaria is one of the world's five designated 'Blue Zones', places where people are much more likely to live to 100. But why is it one of 2025's best Greek islands to visit? Lonely Planet reveals: 'It takes effort to get to Ikaria, a wondrously wild island in the eastern Aegean, but those who make it this far too rewarded. 'Ruggedly mountainous, gorge-riven, thickly forested and well beyond the usual tourist radar, this island has its own look and culture.' According to Homeric legend, Dionysus, the god of wine and theatre, was born on Ikaria. At Therma, a spa village on the island, tourists can unwind in Ikaria's hot mineral springs which are thought to soothe arthritis and rheumatism The island is heavily tied to Greek myth and even earns its name from Icarus, the man who flew too close to the sun. Lonely Planet recommends hiring a car to explore the island to make your holiday 'feel like a proper adventure'. The travel guide suggests heading to Seychelles Beach, known for its 'dazzling azure waters'. A picturesque cove, Seychelles Beach has bright pebbles and is backed by rock formations. At Therma, a spa village on the island, tourists can unwind in Ikaria's hot mineral springs which are thought to soothe arthritis and rheumatism. Those looking to emulate the islanders' healthy lifestyle can head into the hills to see the giant rock houses where locals used to hide from pirate attacks. 'These stiff climbs - along with a herb-rich diet - are part of what contribute to the island's extraordinarily high number of centenarians,' reveals Lonely Planet. While Lonely Planet recommends taking a ferry from Kos to Ikaria, it can also be reached by plane from Athens. Those looking to emulate the islanders' healthy lifestyle can head into the hills to see the giant rock houses where locals used to hide from pirate attacks The travel guide suggests that tourists spend two weeks on Ikaria to let the island 'truly work its magic'. And Greece is also home to Europe's best beach, according to a new ranking. Port Glarokavos Lagoon Beach took the crown in a ranking put together by judges at European Beach Destinations. The beautiful Greek beach is located on the country's northern Kassandra Peninsula.
Epoch Times
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Revenge and Resolution in Aeschylus's ‘Oresteia'
'He who learns must suffer' is one of many famous lines from Aeschylus's 'Oresteia,' the only surviving trilogy of Ancient Greek tragedies. A tale of murder, revenge, and resolution, the trilogy raises lasting questions about justice and its importance. Aeschylus: Warrior and Tragedian Born in Eleusis, near Athens, Aeschylus (circa 525–455 B.C.) belonged to the Greek property-owning aristocracy. He grew up working in a vineyard. Legend has it that Aeschylus once saw the god Dionysus in a dream. Dionysus ordered him to quit his job and become a playwright. As soon as he woke up, Aeschylus began writing tragic plays. He eventually became one of the most acclaimed tragedians of the ancient world. Sadly, only seven of his 80 or so tragedies survive. The 'Persians' narrates the demise of Xerxes, the Persian king who sought to colonize the entire Greek peninsula. 'Prometheus Bound' focuses on the fate of Prometheus, the Titan who stole fire from the gods and gifted humans language, math, and artistry. The 'Suppliants' follows a group of maidens who find refuge in the Greek city-state of Argos after fleeing Egypt to avoid forced marriages. And the 'Seven Against Thebes' tells of two brothers' bloody struggle for power. A scene from the play 'The Seven Against Thebes' by Aeschylus: Capaneus scales the city walls to overthrow King Creon, who looks down from the battlements. Campanian red-figure on a neck-amphora, circa 340 B.C.; J. Paul Getty Museum. Xenophon/CC BY-SA 3.0 As good as he was at writing plays, Aeschylus was also a formidable soldier. In 490 B.C., he fought at the land battle of Marathon against King Darius I of Persia, father of Xerxes. Ten years later, he fought again at the naval battle of Salamis against Xerxes himself, whose devastating defeat precipitated the Persians' final retreat from Greece. Aeschylus' military feats won him fame and respect. The epitaph on his tomb suggests he wanted to be known mainly for his courage: 'This tomb in grain-bearing Gela covers an Athenian, Aeschylus son of Euphorion, who died here. The famous grove of Marathon could tell of his courage and the longhaired Persian knew it well.' "Battle of Salamis," 1868, by Wilhelm von Kaulbach. Oil on canvas, Munich. Public Domain Tragedy in Athens Ancient Greek tragedians presented their plays at the Greater Dionysia in Athens. The annual festival honored Dionysus, god of wine, music, theater, and fertility. Around our March, three playwrights competed to entertain tens of thousands of people in a stone theater beneath the Acropolis. The audience was predominantly male and included foreigners from neighboring cities. Women, slaves, and foreign-born Athenian residents occasionally attended, though in much smaller numbers. Related Stories 4/30/2025 4/18/2025 Every year, the plays changed. The festival, however, stayed the same. It began with a procession outside the city. Heralds carried a statue of Dionysus all the way into the theater. Choruses sang passionate songs and wore sexual props in honor of the eccentric god. The next day, war orphans paraded through Athens in honor of their fathers, who gave their lives in battle. They were given front-row seats, a privilege that concluded their passage into adulthood. This final procession was followed by theatrical performances. On each of three days, a different playwright presented four plays: three tragedies and one comic 'satyr play,' meant to diffuse the intense emotions produced by the tragedies. The three playwrights were selected by Athens' chief magistrate, who vetted their plays months in advance. The stakes were high: the plays were judged according to content, staging, and the audience's reactions. On the fourth and final day, the winner was announced. The 'Oresteia' Aeschylus's ' ' won first prize. The trilogy chronicles the tragic fall and redemption of the legendary House of Atreus. In the first of three plays, king Agamemnon returns victorious from Troy, only to be murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, for sacrificing their daughter to the gods. Their son, Orestes, returns home in the second play. Urged by the sun-god Apollo, Orestes avenges his father by killing Clytemnestra. The matricide drives him mad. Bloodthirsty 'Furies' enter the scene. Daughters of Night, these ancient spirits of vengeance represent an old generation of gods who have gradually been replaced by Apollo, Athena, and other new deities like them. The Furies chase Orestes and drive him out of his native Argos, where both murders took place. "Orestes Pursued by the Furies," 1862, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Oil on canvas; 83 1/3 inches by 109 2/5 inches. Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va. Public Domain In the third play, the Furies continue their chase. They want to avenge Clytemnestra and kill Orestes. The setting is now Athens, which is protected by Athena, goddess of wisdom and justice. Athena establishes a court of law to end the cycle of blood revenge once and for all. She selects jurors from the best Athenians, and Orestes is tried. Apollo and the Furies are the two litigants. After a tense trial, Orestes is acquitted and his life is spared. His acquittal symbolizes the birth of a new era where legal justice supersedes bloody revenge. Sacrifice, Revenge, and Prosperity A few years before the 'Oresteia' was performed in 458 B.C., the Athenian democratic reformer Ephialtes convinced Athens's general assembly to limit the aristocracy's political power to religious rituals. The aristocracy had been establishing self-serving laws through a conservative, anti-democratic council. Ephialtes was assassinated shortly after the reforms went into effect. Tensions intensified between those who didn't want the masses to have power and those who thought direct democracy was necessary. Aeschylus was an Athenian warrior and playwright. His provocative works were performed at the Dionysia, a theater-themed festival in Athens. FlickreviewR 2/CC BY-SA 2.0 The trial at the end of the third play alludes to this political instability. The Furies symbolize the revenge-ridden justice of aristocratic bloodlines that often took legal matters into their own hands. An 'eye for an eye' mentality prevailed in the people Ephialtes tried to undermine. In 'Oresteia,' once the trial ends, Athena invites the Furies to join in the creation of a better city. She tries to persuade them to end their wrath, but they refuse time and again. They think Orestes should be punished for killing his mother, and they see Athena's acquittal as a direct attack against their authority. Athena keeps promising them survival, safety, and copious gifts from Athenian citizens, and the Furies eventually yield. They turn from bloodthirsty spirits into 'Gracious Ones' who bless Athens with happiness, peace, and fertility for all. Athena ultimately decrees that all disputes must be settled in court rather than between individuals. The trilogy ends with a procession similar to the parade dedicated to Dionysus at the beginning of the festival. Athena and the Furies sing in unison: 'Now raise a cry of triumph to crown our song!' A True Resolution? Most Athenians probably would have found the play's conclusion satisfactory. The play's trial took place in Athens, a symbol of justice and democracy across the Greek peninsula. Athenians were especially proud of their city's world-shaping customs. The Great Dionysia was a great place to show foreigners why those customs mattered–why courtrooms are better than swords to settle disputes. The Athenian Theater of Dionysus was the central locale for the Dionysia, a yearly celebration that attracted thousands of visitors. Modern readers might feel differently. Orestes killed his mother. He was avenging his father, whom she killed without facing the consequences. But is that enough to justify matricide? Is Orestes's acquittal really justice? Even if his fate was decided by a court of law, why does he go unpunished for such a heinous crime? What matters most when judging a past wrongdoing? Whether or not the play's conclusion is convincing, it does show reconciliation, despite all the blood spilled. The Furies forgive Orestes, and Athena forgives their rage. The violent cycle ends, and everyone seems better for it. Aeschylus Today In 2007, playwright Yael Farber set an adaptation of the 'Oresteia' during the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996, where victims and perpetrators of human rights violations shared testimonies about their experiences during South Africa's apartheid. Farber is one of many contemporary artists who recognize that the 'Oresteia' deals with universal themes: family, trust, love, hatred, revenge, and redemption. Most importantly, it asks readers and spectators to think carefully about justice, and whether retaliation ever has a place in it. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tappan Celebrates Living Artists, Curates Community, With First New York Space
Umar Rashid 'Dionysus, our intrepid enabler' (2025) Acrylic on stretched canvas Signed by Artist 36 ... More x 36 inches Floated: 41 x 41 x 2 inches Eschewing his ubiquitous black wine in a kylix for frat boy party favorites, Dionysus raises a 40--ounce bottle of malt liquor or beer in one hand and a red SOLO cup in the other. His youthful chest bare beneath a himation, Dionysus rides what looks more like a cheetah than his unusual leopard. Entangled woody, perennial vines bearing robust bunches of grapes seem to emanate from the head of a dolphin-human hybrid. White doves surround the vines, signaling Peleiades, the sacred women of Zeus and the Mother Goddess, Dione, at the Oracle at Dodon. Mythology and modernity collide in Umar Rashid's sensational celestial-oceanic visual narrative, where even mightiest Zeus, god of the sky and king of Olympus, is drawn into his dynamic heir's preposterous revelry. Dionysus, our intrepid enabler (2025), a three-foot-by-three-foot square acrylic on stretched canvas embodies the inner circular imagery within a sparkly pale background encased in a walnut frame, is a highlight of the Proximities exhibition presented by Tappan, the contemporary art platform dedicated to identifying and amplifying the next generation of emerging and and mid-career artists. Tappan's engaging founder, Chelsea Neman Nassib, was wise to scale her business from an online platform while widening her reach of matching collectors with artists who may be otherwise underserved. Celebrating artists in their lifetime is essential to the fortitude of humanity. Dinner guests raise a toast for Tappan's engaging founder, Chelsea Neman Nassib 'With Proximities, we wanted to explore the ways we experience intimacy—with ourselves, with others, and with the spaces we move through. New York felt like the right place for this show, not only because of the city's unique rhythm of closeness and distance but because many of the artists featured live and work here,' Neman Nassib says. 'To bring them together under one roof feels like a celebration of the creative energy that together under one roof feels like a celebration of the creative energy that makes the city so singular.' Chicago-born Rashid (also known as Frohawk Two Feathers) lives and works in Los Angeles, home base for Tappan. The son of a playwright and actor, Rashid borrows from a wide range of influences – illuminated manuscripts, Native American ledger drawings, primitive art paintings, Mughal Persian miniature paintings, Indonesian Batik, Hmong story cloth, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Sumerian Babylonian cuneiform, Roman mosaics, Greek black-line pottery, and Japanese woodblock prints, and African sculpture – to create powerful stories that often present jocose retellings of the dark past. Irinka Talakhadze 'HOPE' (2025) Acrylic on Linen 90 1/2 x 55 inches FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Artists featured in the exhibition celebrating Tappan's first physical New York presence last night during a buzzy dinner surrounded by the eclectic array of artworks, underscoring what it's more a collective than a gallery. Taking over the ground floor of 100 Grand Street in SoHo, guests indulged in a feast fit for Greek gods, curated by Olivia Muniak. Built in 1910 as a loft building in a prominent part of the original Cast Iron District, the building retains its distinctive architectural details and high ceilings, lending to art viewing. A former Le Pain Quotidien, Tappan has transformed the space into a singular immersive experience, where you can sit by the fireplace or admire the columns, which play exquisitely with Rashid's painting. The goal should always be to make art accessible to all. Delve into another imaginary realm with Irinka Talakhadze (born 2000, Georgia), who whisks viewers into a dystopian dreamworld. In HOPE (2025), a figure stands tall in an oversized pale grey coat and a coordinated demonic-cat-ear cap fastened at her neck, patting the covered head of a smaller seated figure, perhaps her child. The arms of the standing figure seem elongated, as if to fit the coat. The smaller figure is blanketed by an immense light brown coat that obscures her hands and drapes over her shoes. While both figures are rosy cheeked, suggesting good health, they appear despondent, despite the intimacy indicated by their collective pose. A shadow lurks behind the larger figure, evoking a ghost or a menacing presence. Perhaps Talakhadze is haunted by her Soviet heritage, as Georgia gained independence in 1991, following a period as the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), incorporated in 1921 after the Red Army invaded and established a communist government. At more than 71⁄2 -tall, the painting is larger than life. Shawn Polmo 'M.M.B.' Oil on canvas Size: 64.0 x 58.0 inches Frame: Walnut We gaze at a colossal visage, pondering what the subject is thinking with her eyes shut. Shawn Polmo chooses a minimal palette that compels a close focus to the precise brushstrokes and lines that evoke emotion and curiosity. Sculptural facial features accentuate the mystery of M.M.B., oscillating between real and imaginary, as the quotidian evolves into the complicated. Navigating this face becomes an obsession, her inability to look back at the viewer opens the dialogue for myriad interpretation. Placing M.M.B. above the fireplace invites viewers into the fungible worlds between the everyday and the exceptional. Installation view of Proximities exhibition presented by Tappan at 100 Grand St. in New York's SoHo
