Latest news with #Lichtenstein
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Shock as Bridesmaid Realizes What Friend Wants Her to Wear on Wedding Day
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The internet has rallied behind a bridesmaid who confronted her friend over being made to feel like a "body positivity prop" in a wedding where she is noticeably larger than the rest of the bridal party. The 29-year-old Reddit user, posting under u/SoliraTwilight, shared her story on the subreddit Am I The A******, where her post quickly went viral, earning 10,000 upvotes. She explained that she was set to be a bridesmaid for her 30-year-old friend's wedding in October, but began feeling more like a set piece than a valued friend. "We've been close since college but lately it feels like I'm just... aesthetic filler to her," she wrote. The issue came to a head when the bride chose a tight-fitting dress style for all bridesmaids without consulting them. "She picked her bridal party dresses without asking for input and they're tight. Like SKIMS-meets-sausage-casing tight. I'm a size 16. The other girls are size 2–6. I asked if there were other options and she laughed and said, 'Nooo I love how it looks with all different body types, like it's giving real women'," she explained. Shocked, the Redditor asked her friend directly whether she was being included as a token of size diversity. According to her, the bride went quiet before replying, "You're so confident, though! That's why I wanted you in it!"—a remark the bridesmaid interpreted as code for "you make me look better." "I told her I'm not comfortable being someone's walking body positivity prop, and maybe she should get one of her influencer friends instead," she continued. "She cried, told me I was ruining her vision, and now the group chat is weirdly quiet." Her boyfriend suggested she "just suck it up for the day," but the Redditor explained she's tired of pretending things don't bother her when they clearly do. "AITA for saying I don't want to be part of her Pinterest fantasy?" she asked fellow Redditors. A stock photo showing bridesmaids toasting with champagne on a bachelorette party. A stock photo showing bridesmaids toasting with champagne on a bachelorette party. Serhii Sobolevskyi/iStock / Getty Images Plus Expert Insight Licensed Mental Health Counselor Veronica Lichtenstein weighed in on the situation with Newsweek, validating the bridesmaid's feelings. She noted that the friend's comment about "real women" was "tone-deaf and dismissive," and that the Redditor was "right to call out the possibility of being used as a 'diversity prop.'" "Body positivity shouldn't be performative, and it's gross to treat a friend like a Pinterest statement piece," Lichtenstein said. "You're not a mannequin; you're a person with comfort and dignity. Good on you for speaking up." However, Lichtenstein also pointed out that if this dress plan had been in place for a long time, the timing of the bridesmaid's objection could be seen as problematic. "Weddings are stressful, and while her vision isn't more important than your autonomy, springing this late does feel like pulling the rug out." Her advice included seeking compromises, like a wrap or tailored adjustment, revisiting the conversation calmly, and reevaluating the friendship for patterns of being treated as an accessory. "Never suck it up to spare someone's feelings at the expense of your own. But timing and delivery matter—especially for close friends," she said. Daren Banarsë, Senior Psychotherapist at IN Therapy, also offered his verdict to Newsweek, adding that this situation highlights how the aesthetics of wedding culture can "create a psychological blind spot." "The bride's comment about loving 'how it looks with all different body types' suggests she genuinely believed she was being inclusive—but inclusion that serves your aesthetic rather than honouring the person isn't inclusion at all. It's commodification," he said. Banarsë emphasized the emotional weight of the bridesmaid's direct confrontation, noting her refusal to be "praised for her 'confidence' while being reduced to her body size was psychologically essential." Too often, he explained, larger people are expected to tolerate treatment that would be unacceptable if aimed at others. "Her boundary-setting was a form of self-preservation and shouldn't be mistaken for friendship drama." Banarsë also explored the bride's tearful reaction, calling it a defensive response that signals discomfort with recognizing unintentional harm. Whether the friendship survives, he said, now depends on whether the bride can do the deeper self-reflection needed to truly make amends. Reddit Reacts Redditors overwhelmingly backed the bridesmaid. One user wrote: "NTA. It wasn't, 'But I want you by my side,' it was, 'You're ruining my vision.' I'm sorry. For you learning this about her. For learning this about your bf." Many took aim at the bride's priorities. "If the bride's 'vision' is using people as props to fulfill it, she might as well hire models," one commenter argued. "If you're choosing people for how they look rather than how much they mean to you, then hire models." Others challenged the broader cultural framing of weddings: "Or how the day is alllll about the bride. It's about the couple sharing their commitment with all those they love. Taking into account those loved ones' feelings and comfort is simple decency." A few users offered more nuanced takes, suggesting the issue may have been more about thoughtlessness than intentional harm: "I don't agree that the 'vision' comment means she only picked the OP because of her looks... It was more that she hadn't factored HOW her bridesmaids would FEEL about the dress at all—which is still not a great thing, but speaks more of being inconsiderate than only choosing OP for her curves." Newsweek reached out to u/SoliraTwilight for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case. Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@ We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.
Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
All $2.7 Million Worth of Luxury Goods Jon Hamm Steals on ‘Your Friends & Neighbors'
In 'Your Friends & Neighbors,' Jon Hamm plays a rich guy who remedies a bruising fall in status by robbing the other rich people in his neighborhood. His haul includes cash, a Birkin bag, a Roy Lichtenstein painting and watches that cost as much as luxury cars. As a showcase for specific trappings of wealth, the show gets to have it both ways: It satirizes the quest for evermore, ever-nicer stuff in the privileged class. It also gives viewers some extremely fancy goods to ogle and even covet for themselves.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. DCF seeks to block names of lawyers, others in Harmony Montgomery custody hearing
A Massachusetts agency aimed at keeping children safe from abuse and neglect has asked for a 'minor amendment' in the decision by that state's highest court to allow a documentary filmmaker access to audio recordings of a hearing after which Harmony Montgomery ended up in the custody of her father. The requested amendment is to require the redaction of all names, including those of lawyers, social workers and court personnel, 'due to safety concerns,' according to court documents obtained by the Union Leader. Several documents have been impounded. Harmony's father, Adam Montgomery, was convicted last year of beating the little girl to death about 10 months after he gained custody in February 2019. SJC Montgomery request The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court granted journalist Bill Lichtenstein of LC Media access to the audio of these hearings from February 2019, but the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families has since requested the court amend its order to redact the names. The court's original order only called for redaction of the names of other children, according to the ruling. Lichtenstein is working on a documentary called 'Broken,' a feature-length documentary on the failed child welfare, foster care and family court systems in Massachusetts and nationally. Limited information on what happened in the hearing, held in Essex Juvenile Court, has been released in multiple reports. The hearing focused on Adam Montgomery's fitness as a parent, the ruling read. Montgomery had a violent past and was incarcerated at the time of Harmony's birth. In her request for further redactions, Kristin Braithwaite, assistant general counsel for the Mass. DCF, said interest in the case had presented itself 'in the form of anger and threats,' and the key participants did not willingly accept publicity. 'The juvenile court judge who presided over the hearing in question has attested to receiving multiple threats upon his identity being learned of by the public,' she said. The Committee for Public Counsel Services has filed a similar request, which is impounded. Braithwaite argued the release of the names will not provide information to help prevent a future tragedy. 'Impounding these names will not limit the impact or efficacy of this court's order,' Braithwaite said Lichtenstein's attorney, Jennifer Lamanna, said the request should have been 'briefed and argued as part of earlier filings and oral arguments." 'With regard to the redaction of the names of counsel, attorneys and judges in high profile cases are regularly named in the press and, of course, in non-impounded proceedings, identifiable from the court's public records,' Lamanna said in opposition. The court ruled Lichtenstein 'met the standard for relief from impoundment as to all information contained in the audio,' except the privacy interest of other children. Lamanna called any threat 'speculative and remote,' in her filing. Adam Montgomery was convicted in February 2024 of second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges related to Harmony's death. He was sentenced to 56 years to life to be served on top of a minimum 32-year sentence for prior firearms convictions. Harmony's remains have yet to be found. jphelps@
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Roy Lichtenstein's last NYC home sell to unknown buyer for $6.5M
The last remaining New York City property owned by the estate of celebrated pop artist Roy Lichtenstein has found a buyer, The Post has learned. Located at 739 Washington Street in Manhattan's West Village, the redbrick Greek Revival townhouse sold this week for $6.525 million, marking the latest step in the methodical dissolution of the artist's once-expansive real estate footprint. Tucked into a quiet block steps from the Hudson River, the three-story home built in 1845 spans nearly 3,700 square feet and retains many of its 19th-century details, including pumpkin pine floors, six fireplaces and intricate molding. 20 The last New York City property owned by celebrated pop artist Roy Lichtenstein has sold for $6.525 million. Michael Weinstein 20 The home occupies nearly 3,700 square feet. Michael Weinstein 20 Greek Revival townhouse served as a guesthouse for Lichtenstein, according to listing agent Lee Ann Jaffee of Compass. Michael Weinstein Despite being used as an office for the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in recent years, the home's layout and period charm offered strong appeal to buyers drawn to historic authenticity in a neighborhood increasingly dotted with modern conversions. It was initially listed for $6.9 million in November before entering into contract just a few short months later, at the start of 2025. Clayton Orrigo, also of Compass, represented the unidentified buyer. 20 The townhouse is located at 739 Washington Street in the West Village. Michael Weinstein 20 Built in 1845, the six-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence is the latest in a series of properties being sold by the Lichtenstein estate. Michael Weinstein 20 Roy Lichtenstein's wife, Dorothy, purchased the residence for them to use as a guesthouse back in 1995. Michael Weinstein 20 The property was initially listed in November 2024 for $6.9 million. Michael Weinstein The building sits directly adjacent to Lichtenstein's longtime home and studio, a former metalworking shop at 741/745 Washington Street, donated in 2022 by his widow, Dorothy Lichtenstein, to the Whitney Museum of American Art. According to Lee Ann Jaffee of Compass, who co-listed the property with colleague Steven Sumser, 'It was a guest house. I shouldn't say he never lived there. I do not know of him ever living there. It was always represented to me that it was a guest house.' Just a few feet south lies 747 Washington Street, a garage that once housed the artist's personal art and wine collection. The Post previously reported that the property sold earlier this year for $5.5 million to an anonymous buyer operating under the LLC 'WHAAM-NOMAD'— a not-so-subtle nod to Lichtenstein's iconic 1963 painting 'Whaam!' 20 The garage at 747 Washington Street, which housed Roy Lichtenstein's personal art and wine collection, sold for $5.5 million in March. Google Earth The sale of 739 Washington concludes a physical chapter in the Lichtenstein estate's multi-year effort to downsize and distribute the artist's holdings following Dorothy's death last July. She had spent decades preserving and stewarding her husband's legacy through exhibitions, donations and the meticulous cataloguing of his oeuvre through the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. That work has culminated in a broader unwinding. The foundation has announced it will cease operations by 2026, having fulfilled its mission of publishing Lichtenstein's catalogue raisonné and distributing thousands of works and archival materials to institutions around the world. Among the most prominent recipients, the Whitney now occupies Lichtenstein's former Manhattan studio as the permanent home of its Independent Study Program. 20 Roy Lichtenstein's studio and main residence at 741-745 Washington Street was been donated to The Whitney Museum of American Art in 2022. Google Maps 20 Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein (1923 – 1997) in his New York studio, building — originally constructed in 1912 — was where Lichtenstein lived, painted, and entertained visitors during his later years. 'He worked downstairs, ate lunch at the same diner every day, and lived upstairs in a one-bedroom with Dorothy,' according to Curbed. The space is currently being renovated by Johnston Marklee, the architecture firm behind major museum projects in Houston and Chicago. Just next door, the garage at 747 Washington has a more utilitarian design, but it proved equally valuable. In addition to room for four cars, it includes a steel-and-wood staircase leading to a private office, a landscaped roof deck and skyline views. 20 Roy Lichtenstein's longtime Hamptons retreat, once a carriage house, hit the market for roughly $20 million in September following the death of his wife, Dorothy, and remains on the market. Richard Taverna for Sotheby's International Realty Beyond Manhattan, the artist's coastal sanctuary is also on the market. In September, the couple's longtime home, once a carriage house on Southampton's prestigious Gin Lane, was listed for $19.99 million, The Post reported. The 2-acre property, where Roy worked in a separate studio across the lawn and Dorothy ultimately passed away last summer, had never before been for sale in the 54 years since the Lichtensteins purchased it. 'It's going to make a really nice home for somebody because it's unique,' Harald Grant of Sotheby's International Realty, one of the co-listing agents, told The Post. 20 A photo showing inside Roy Lichtenstein's Southampton studio. 20 The perfectly manicured gardens at the Lichtenstein's longtime Hamptons estate. Richard Taverna for Sotheby's International Realty While the real estate assets are being dispersed, the centerpiece of the estate's final chapter is unfolding this evening and Friday night at Sotheby's New York. More than 40 works from the private collection of Roy and Dorothy Lichtenstein are headed to the auction block as part of the house's marquee Contemporary Evening and Day Sales. Estimated to exceed $35 million in total, the works chart four decades of the artist's output—from early drawings to large-scale paintings, sculptures, and prints. 'From drawings to paintings to sculpture, this phenomenal group of works provides a front row seat to Lichtenstein's incomparable genius,' David Galperin, Sotheby's Vice Chairman and Head of Contemporary Art in New York, said in a statement. 20 More than 40 works from the Lichtensteins' personal collection will be offered at Sotheby's on the evenings of May 15 and 16, with expectations exceeding $35 million, according to the auction house. Getty Images 'Together, the group is a survey of the artist's reflections of art history over four decades of practice.' Among the highlights is Reflections: Art (1988), estimated to fetch between $4 million and $6 million. The acrylic-on-canvas piece belongs to Lichtenstein's celebrated 'Reflections' series, where he obscured iconic images with simulated glass glares — both a play on illusion and a metaphor for art's relationship to perception. 'To my father, art was all about composition,' said Mitchell Lichtenstein, the artist's son, in a statement. 'When asked for comment about his subject matter, he often said, 'It's just marks on a page.'' 20 A painting seen at Roy Lichtenstein's Southamptons studio, situated in the middle right, titled 'Reflections: Art' from 1988, painted with acrylic, oil and graphite on canvas and is estimated to go for between $4,000,000 – 6,000,000. Sotheby's 20 Woman: Sunlight, Moonlight 1996, acrylic on wood, estimate $4,000,000 – 6,000,000 Sotheby's Other marquee offerings include Woman: Sunlight, Moonlight (1996), a double-sided sculpture in painted wood — a study for a bronze edition later acquired by institutions like The Broad in Los Angeles — and Stretcher Frame with Cross Bars III (1968), one of only eleven such works exploring the backside of a painting. 'The amusing aspect of the Stretcher Frame painting is that of the two sides of a canvas, it depicts the side we least want to see,' said Mitchell. Sculptures such as Mirror I (1976) echo the artist's lifelong fascination with the idea of reflection and illusion, while collage studies like Interior with African Mask (Study) (1990) reveal his painstaking process in constructing his 'Interiors' series, which poked fun at the aspirational settings common in shelter magazines. 20 Mirror I 1976, painted and patinated bronze Estimate $1,000,000 – 1,500,000 20 Roy Lichtenstein with his wife, philanthropist Dorothy, at his New York studio in 1968. Getty Images 'One amusing thing to consider about the Interior series is that the generic furniture ad aesthetic of the rooms depicted in them is likely to be antithetical to the taste of the collector and to the room in which they hang the work,' Mitchell noted. Other featured works include Haystacks (1968), Lichtenstein's tongue-in-cheek nod to Monet's Impressionist series, reinterpreted with bold Ben-Day dots; Entablature (1975), incorporating sand from the Southampton beaches near his studio; and Cover Image (The Gun in America) for Time Magazine (Study) (circa 1968), a graphite-on-paper rendering originally commissioned in response to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. 'Lichtenstein was keenly aware of his place in the lineage of art history,' said Lucius Elliott, Head of Sotheby's Contemporary Evening Auctions in New York. 'The crux of his practice is this interrogation of the nature of art and image making.' 20 Mirror I Interior with African Mask (Study) 1990, tape, cut painted paper, cut sponge-painted paper, cut printed paper, marker, graphite pencil on board Estimate $800,000 – 1,200,000 Estimate $1,000,000 – 1,500,000 Sotheby's 20 Cover Image (The Gun in America) for Time Magazine (Study) Circa 1968, graphite on paper, estimate $200,000-300,000 Sotheby's Born in New York City in 1923, Roy's early artistic ambitions took shape at Ohio State University after World War II. He rose to fame in the 1960s for his stylized comic book paintings and went on to produce over 5,000 works spanning media, genres, and decades. Despite early critical controversy, his pieces are now held by museums including MoMA, the Whitney, the Centre Pompidou, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His widow, Dorothy, was instrumental in cementing that legacy. A Brooklyn native and former gallery director, she co-founded the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and was its longtime president, overseeing major donations of more than 1,000 works to institutions worldwide.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As house hunters freeze up amid trade war, mortgage rates stay steady
Rates for home loans hovered in the same range they've been stuck in for a while, even as big economic forces rocked the housing market. In the week ending May 8, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.76%, Freddie Mac announced. That's unchanged from last week and almost the exact same level that the popular product has averaged so far in 2025. Those figures don't include fees or points, and rates in some parts of the country may be higher or lower than the national average. Mortgage rates may be having less of an effect on the housing market than other dynamics – namely the White House's chaotic trade policy roll-out – right now. Home contract signings were strong in March, the National Association of Realtors said last week. Since contracts are signed several weeks before closings, sales numbers in April and May could continue to hold up. But housing observers are more concerned about contracts from April, when tariff announcements started to shock markets – and consumers. Jeff Lichtenstein is the owner and broker of Echo Fine Properties in South Florida. Lichtenstein noticed a dramatic change in activity in mid-April, when the White House made its announcements and financial markets cratered. He hears a similar story from counterparts across Florida, and says he expects his May sales figures to be sharply lower than the same period in the past several years. More concerning, Lichtenstein said, is that the worst might be yet to come. Among other things, cross-border animosity might dampen the enthusiasm of Canadian 'snowbirds' who have traditionally been a big part of Florida's housing scene. And American consumers might also decide to withdraw, Lichtenstein told USA TODAY. 'I think it's hit Wall Street, but it hasn't hit Main Street yet," he said. "And I think once it hits Main Street and, you know, that $69 dress is now $82 at Walmart, and you know, the car is $5000 more expensive, that's where reality starts to set in.' Read next: Is America's economic slip temporary? Trump, Biden allies divided over GDP report This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mortgage rates steady as trade war freezes housing market Sign in to access your portfolio
