Good morning. It's Saturday, Dec. 20. Welcome to this week's Society & Culture newsletter. First time reading? Sign up here or click here to share with friends. |
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Monday would've been visionary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat's 65th birthday, so we're exploring his life, work, and influence. After that, we've got an explainer on Hollywood to help you make sense of the recent news about Netflix and Warner Bros., which could realign the film industry. Last but not least, we analyze the cultural history of Santa Claus as a complement to this holiday season.
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Jean-Michel Basquiat, 101
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American visual artist who rose to prominence in the 1980s. His work combined the aesthetics of street art, hip-hop, New York punk, African iconography, and German expressionism, leading to a singular style that made him a breakout star in a short period of time. (View collections of his work.)
Basquiat had a wide range of influences, including Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, two artists he was often compared with. In 1982, Warhol was introduced to Basquiat, who impressed the influential pop art figure, leading to a collaborative relationship.
Much of Basquiat’s work interrogated the representation of Black people in media and the arts, often adorning figures he considered underappreciated (like Charlie Parker) with his trademark crown, which remains a fixture of popular culture. Basquiat, too, has become one of the most famous American artists, with documentaries, retrospectives, and clothing lines dedicated to his life and work.
Also, check out ...
> Basquiat was wildly prolific, producing over 1,000 works in 10 years. (Watch)
> The crown motif became an artistic signature, and has grown into one of the most recognizable icons in popular culture. (Read)
> Basquiat was in an experimental punk band in the late 1970s. (Watch)
> A 1985 New York Times Magazine profile captured Basquiat while he was reckoning with fame. (Read)
Explore everything else we've found on Jean-Michel Basquiat. |
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An introduction to Hollywood
Hollywood was first registered with Los Angeles County in 1887, but didn’t become a part of the city proper until 1910. Although the movie business was originally based on the East Coast, California's more consistent weather and its legal structure made it more appealing for the nascent industry.
Los Angeles further cemented itself as the center of the film industry with its excellent management of the 1918 flu epidemic, which allowed Hollywood to recover faster than studios in other cities, like New York.
In its golden age, the industry was primarily controlled by vertically integrated studios that oversaw every aspect of film production, distribution, and exhibition, and had specific actors under contract for their projects. The Supreme Court eventually found this model to violate antitrust laws, paving the way for a revolution of independent filmmaking, though that ruling was overturned in 2020.
Also, check out ...
> Hollywood's golden age often tightly controlled actors' private lives. (Listen)
> Legendary comic actor Charlie Chaplin was blacklisted in the 1950s, then awarded an Academy Award two decades later. (Watch)
> Despite the eye-popping salaries of Hollywood A-listers, the town's actors make an average of $56K per year. (Read)
> Thomas Edison's litigiousness inadvertently inspired the film industry to resettle in Hollywood. (Read)
Explore everything else we've found on Hollywood. |
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The story behind Santa Claus
The Santa Claus we know today was inspired by Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian bishop known for his generosity and love of children. Catholics in the Middle Ages celebrated his feast day (Dec. 6) by giving children gifts.
Modern depictions of Santa Claus were cemented in the 19th century. The 1823 poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (now known as "‘Twas the Night Before Christmas") included iconic details like Santa being large and jolly, descending down the chimney, and riding a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
Santa's red suit, snowy beard, and magical reindeer are a perennial sight. Year after year, he appears in films, music, commercials, gatherings, and more.
Also, check out ...
> Mall Santas became a widespread tradition in the 1900s. (Read)
> The United States Postal Service designed Operation Santa to handle the thousands of letters sent by children every year. (Read)
> One illustrator helped define the modern Santa Claus. (Watch)
> SantaCon went from an anarchist protest to a rowdy bar crawl. (Watch)
Explore everything else we've found on Santa Claus. |
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Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.
> Rob Reiner's Best Films
LA Times | Mark Olsen and Joshua Rothkopf. The director and comedy pioneer was found dead Sunday, ending a legendary career. This retrospective breaks down some of his most important films, including "This Is Spinal Tap," "Stand by Me," and "A Few Good Men." (Read)
> Cozy Lit as Digital Escapism
The Walrus | Greta Rainbow. "Cozy" novels are comfortable and warm, preferring lighthearted stories over dramatic stakes. Rainbow believes there's a reason these books have become so popular; in her eyes, they're not all that different from scrolling a social media feed. (Read)
> Who Writes Pop Music?
Stat Significant | Daniel Parris. Using the Billboard charts as a data set, Parris analyzes the decline of artist-songwriters, unpacking decades' worth of pop songs to understand what's changed in the last several decades. It's an interesting read that might have you looking at your Spotify library in a new light. (Read)
> The Comedian Dismantling the Alpha-Male Persona
The Atlantic | Shirley Li. Tim Robinson made his name with "I Think You Should Leave," a strange and singular sketch-comedy show that amassed a dedicated following. The first season of his HBO show "The Chair Company" reaches even higher levels of absurdity, something Li suggests is oddly relatable. (Read)
> The Best Books of the Year
Vanity Fair | Natasha O'Neill. Rather than blankly staring at the shelves at your local library or bookstore, this list will help you zoom in on your next favorite read. From a dystopian near-future to a Susan Orlean memoir, there's plenty here for lots of different readers. (Read) |
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