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VogueMusic

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  1. She usually hires B. Akerlund when the performance/photoshoot has more a costume feeling while arianne is for a concept look

    Both are great in different ways

    I actually find B Akerlund to be far more 'conceptual' than 'costume.'

    Arianne's work is ok, but I've never really been all that impressed with her. I actually find her more 'costume' than 'conceptual'. (Her W.E. work was beautiful though).

  2. I've never thought i'd say this but fire mert & marcus, hire terry

    Did they make her cheeks look smaller tho? They actually look confessions size in most of the pics which is a good thing

    Some of her strongest imagery in her whole career

    I don't think it has anything to do with "Uncle Terry". I think the credit really goes to the styling work of B Akerlund.

    The Superbowl, this spread...she should hire B Akerlund for all styling now.

    (Still think Mert & Marcus did a phenomenal job on the Interview Mag spread. That and this shoot are her best in the last several years).

  3. Yes I absolutely agree that in many places there has been zero progress. I was just trying to show that in many places there has been tremendous positive change.

    Absolutely, and I don't want to seem like I'm ignoring that positive change... but as I see in my everyday life, yes, we all have more rights (in certain ways), and we're all going about our lives in what seems, on the outside, to be much better...and it is...and yet, I encounter so much subconscious homophobia, racism, sexism, etc. in so many people that leaves me so incredibly frustrated, because I would think so many of these people should have known better by now. But they don't.

    That's why I said it seems like we've only addressed the surface level. We're more willing to put a smile on our faces and play along for the sake of playing nice ... but the overall consciousness - in some ways - hasn't really changed all that much.

  4. There has always been push back and those who wear their ignorance on their sleeves. At least now we have anti discrimination laws to protect victims and minorities. Sure, nothing's perfect. But it's much better to be a black man now than 1950 or a Jew in Germany now than 1930. And the collective public consciousness absolutely has risen. The viewpoints on gay rights alone show the younger generations being much more open and accepting. While I do think technology makes some apathetic and desensitized, it also has made some more aware, political and unified.

    Yes, all this has happened...and it's good. Very good. But not all of the world has gotten there yet...horrific things are still going on in the world, right-wing conservative parties are gaining ground, and many parts of the world are as bad as those in the 50s or 30s where you get killed just for being who you are.

    And even in the places where it seems so much has gotten better, often times to only looks that way on the outside. Go deeper and all the "isms" and "phobias" and more of society are alive and well....just in different forms. They lurk under the surface...but often present themselves now with a smile and politeness ("Love the sinner, hate the sin", etc.). The ugly is still there...it just gets packaged and delivered in a different way.

    Like I said before, we have to get out of our bubbles and see the bigger picture...and the bigger picture still needs A LOT of work.

    Two sides (or more) to every story and/or perspective.

  5. You keep saying 'what are the tools'? The tool is artforfreedom.com. Join. Create something. Submit it. Live it out in your everyday life.

    I think the film is perfectly clear. It's HER personal manifesto. It's the platform off of which artforfreedom is built. It's to get the attention of, inspire, and hopefully move others to elevate their own consciousness by lifting the veil of complacency by questioning everything you think you know or have been raised to believe, see the bigger picture, and put that into action through artistic expression.

    It's not about toppling world regimes or saving the day through some outside means...it's about going within yourself first to make the change.

    At least that is the way I see it.

    I don't think she could be anymore clear.

  6. I love picture in terms of the look, style, the attitude....Queen Bitch of Life.

    That being said, I don't get the allure of Terry Richardson. His lighting and style are just....boring. There are tons of fantastic young photographers out there doing incredible things...and yet this is the go-to guy for the industry?

    Ok. Rant over. Love this particular photo though.

  7. ^I think that brings up a good point - often the legal rights are on paper, but the collective consciousness of the public has not risen or evolved. So there is push-back, which can become tragic and violent and scary...and to a certain degree that is what happens as things move forward, there are always people wanting to drag it back (for whatever reasons). But it seems that around the world... and certainly in the US as with what's happening right now... the push-back, the resistance, has reached a fever pitch where people are wearing their ignorances on their sleeves with a sense of pride and a smile on their faces...and with it comes the rise of extreme right-wing conservatism that then preys on and panders to those fears, and has certainly risen to power in the US and abroad. Again, it's not that there wasn't this before, there certainly was....but it has reached a level that is frightening...and with all our modern conveniences and technology, we get wrapped up in our own little bubbles and forget the bigger picture. We've bought into the illusion that we are freer and more progressive...but are we really?

    I think this project is much more about raising the collective consciousness, starting with your own. Question, challenge, analyze everything you believe and think you know...

  8. I find it funny that people are saying she's too dark and serious about this, and that we are freer than ever....when she addressed that in the VICE interview, that we all seem to buy into the illusion that we are more free because of social media, the internet, our local conveniences, etc....but are we really? Or are we just living within our own little bubbles...some more privileged than others. What is it going to take to get people to raise their level of consciousness? As Kurt said, human nature in this day and age doesn't have a reaction until it either affects someone personally, or it's a horrific tragedy. And I agree. We don't get up off our asses and even give a damn until the shit hits the fan...and then far too often, it's too late.

    I agree with Kurt420, Mensch and popeline, the safety and freedom and tolerance we're all buying into is the illusion. Don't get me wrong, in some ways we are better....but at what cost? And those small areas of progress, great. But somehow we seem to be missing the bigger picture. I think she wants people to see the bigger picture.

  9. I kind of liked that Madonna was not on twitter. Like it was below her, in some sense (and it kind of is). Plus, it just gets celebrities in trouble....

    ....and it kind of destroys the allure and mystery around celebrity. It brings those "icons" down to a base level that these new kids are on.

    But who knows. Maybe it will just be press releases and official statements. Or maybe it will barely used at all. Or maybe she'll run her mouth. Whatever it is, I hope it's different than what other people do. This is Madonna after all.

  10. I used to think they wouldn't release / remaster old things cos sales would not be massive as you say - and therefore what's the point.

    But then I keep reading about new remaster / DVD releases of old albums, video material, concerts by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Kim Wilde, Bucks Fizz, etc. etc.

    These things are coming all the time so there MUST be money in it!

    If there's profit to be made in releasing (just last month) a newly packaged 3-disc set for a Belinda Carlisle album from 1987 full of remixes, videos, concert footage etc and even a newly filmed interview about the album - then there's profit in releasing ANY old Madonna stuff!!

    No matter how poor MDNA Tour sales may have been, Madonna will always have a much much much bigger worldwide buying audience than the likes of Belinda Carlisle or pretty much anyone from the past 30 years (bar maybe ABBA or Michael Jackson).

    THIS. Many artists are doing it, esp. when they get to Madonna's stage now. There absolutely IS a market for it. Every so often I see a huge, beautiful box set coming out from some artist - even if it's just a digital itunes exclusive one. People are doing it.

    I don't think it's just the record company to blame though...I think Madonna just doesn't want to do these things...at least right now. We know she's not nostalgic. I'm sure the ideas have been presented to her...she probably just brushes them off. I just think she's not interested herself, and nothing like that can go out without her approval. So it's much easier, and cheaper, for the old record company's to do the lackluster sets they've recently done.

    It's the one thing that I'm sure we all wish Madonna was more conscientious about it...her legacy, her catalog, bringing it up to the best recent standards. We all know she loves making money, so you'd think it was a given. But I suppose she has her reasons, or feels she's just not there yet. Perhaps they're waiting to when she gets to the point where she gets older and doesn't want to release new material or tour anymore. It certainly would make sense then.

    I could say the same for Michael's body of work, or Prince's. It seems the rockers are the only ones that really see the sense in doing it.

    Like a Prayer should have at least got a remaster though back when they were doing them early 2000. Why they stopped at True Blue is just fucking ridiculous. And it's still crazy to think that her most iconic tour...and one of the most iconic, groundbreaking tours of all time...is not released in full on the latest format (when it was actually filmed). Crazy.

    You'd think managers and record company's would see the easy money they could make milking fans dry giving them what they actually want...but they seem blind.

    ps. MDNA Tour sales were low? That's probably do the horrible fuck up they sent out, and the shitty job they're doing trying to supposedly fix it.

  11. Raider of the lost Ark, don't be embarrassed about loving Streisand or anyone for that matter. Embrace your choices :laugh:

    Seriously though, does anyone else hate it when people feel they have to apologize for the music they like ? And to top it off, later on the people who seem to be mocking you for liking certain stuff, admit to you when they are drunk that they like it as well. :lmao: For years, I was teased about loving ABBA but most of these people who mocked me now admit to also loving them all along.

    THIS!!!! So much!!! People do the same with Madonna. :clap:

    And what is this "local star" thing? Is that supposed to be some sort of insult?

    Not every act is going to be a global superstar. Again, doesn't mean they don't have their place.

    Plus, I don't hear that anywhere but here. "Uh, she's such a local star"...... Excuse me?

  12. really can't understand this "war of stars"...and trying to diminsh or ignoring Streisand or Cher achievement is just.... :newspaper:

    great posts, Sandz

    THANK YOU!!!

    I get that not every artist is for everybody...but the kind of blatant disrespect for Barbra and Cher is kind of .... crazy. Funny that I seem to only see that when it comes to female artists...not so much with the men.

    I personally don't like everything Babs or Cher have done, but that doesn't mean I can't recognize the incredible boundaries broken and legacies both have...especially Barbra. Same goes for all the other legendary "divas".

    Just because other great females come from a different background, or haven't achieved to the level of Madonna, or are viewed differently in the lexicon of pop culture, doesn't mean they don't have their place too.

    As for being "bitches" or "cunts" ... I don't blame them. Women have to put up with enough. I can only imagine what it's like in the entertainment industry, trying to maintain a true sense of self and have control over what you do, and who you are.

    MAJOR respect for Babs.

    MAJOR respect for Cher.

    MAJOR respect for Madonna.

    ....with strengths and weaknesses all in different areas.

  13. It is funny Fox News has a program devoted a 5 mins session with 5 people critizing m n saying that she is irrelevant. The fact that they spent time to talk about her, mocking her n comparing her to Miley, actually states the opposite. Who talks about Cher mariah janet or elton John at fox channel......? Who would spend time to talk about someone irrevlevant in a news program. Lol

    Fox News is a right-wing propaganda machine...they hate everything Madonna stands for anyway.

  14. and it's always the most random posters with no avatar or sig and with very few posts.

    fishy.

    THIS! I was just gonna say that... hahaha.

    Plus, where have some people been the past 30 years? She's been speaking up, in her own way, about the things that concern her...particularly when it was unpopular or simply not ok to do so. But oh, I guess that doesn't mean anything because she hasn't talked about EVERY single issue in the world, or the ones that matter TO YOU. And talking about privilege...uh, the woman is fully aware of her privilege. And just because somebody has wealth, success and privilege they can't speak up? Uh, that's exactly part of the problem, and she's addressing that for herself. And all this shit about being preachy...please, we don't exactly live in a world where you can afford to be too abstract (and the film itself is enough, too much for most people, probably)...sometimes you just have to spell it out for people.

  15. It seems like people think too much about this instead of just letting it be and taking it for what it is. Fans have complained about her being "all about the money" in recent years with the gyms, clothing lines etc, so now she does something that comes from a totally altruistic place (whether you like it or not, nobody can deny her passion for this project) and it's not good enough because she doesn't address *this* or she doesn't say *that* in as eloquent of a way as you'd like or she's a hypocrite. It's so simple. These are the issues that SHE feels strongly about, sure some of us may feel like there are more important issues to tackle but this is what is important to HER and she expressed it in a piece of art. What's the problem?? The film and the dialogue that goes with it seem pretty cut and dry to me. It just completely baffles me that anyone (much less one of her fans) could have such a problem with her core message of this project to write such nastiness (New York Post). No matter how you feel the execution is, the message is a positive one and it comes from an honest place.

    I can't with people sometimes...

    They like to bitch and focus on the DUMBEST things, completely ignoring the big picture. It seems to me that most of the people complaining about this project are exactly the kind of complacent people Madonna was talking about in the interview. People that because they can say and do whatever they want (or so it would appear), forget that there are more people out that need their voices be heard. Art For Freedom could be an excellent platform for that, for them to share their stories, to have a voice.

    I, myself, feel very inspired since the film was released. I AM with M on this. I haven't felt like this in a looong time. I TOTALLY relate wiith M now, it's like I woke up from a fuzzy dream!

    :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

  16. Didn't Cher explain fairly recently that she hadn't seen Madonna referred to as MDNA before and that's why she asked what it meant, since it was popping up everywhere? It wouldn't make sense for her to diss Madonna anyway, given the Liz Rosenberg connection.

    She wasn't dissing M. She just didn't have any clue what 'MDNA' was when the album title came out, and her fans were tweeting her about it.

    Cher is a crazy mess like that. I don't think it was anything personal.

    But the photoshoot, and her current twitter picture, ARE pure MDNA. hahaha.....

  17. I don't really get the criticisms that Madonna's project is some how missing something or not as good as it could be simply because she isn't speaking about every single issue in every single country? How is she expected to speak on everything? It's not even fair...and it's not even the point. She is speaking up on what personally moved her, particularly in her travels on the MDNA Tour. So she didn't speak specifically about EVERY issue in, say, Latin America, or in Saudi Arabia....please, she still touched on the issues that essentially include those places - the rise of right-wing, corrupt regimes/gay rights issues/etc. It just seems like I keep hearing, "oh, the project is nice, but misguided because she didn't mention the specific issues in the specific places that I wanted her to." WTF???

    Or the issue that she is 'contradicting' herself because she uses graphic violent and sexual imagery (as she always has), but then speaks of desensitization...? I don't think people really get it...Madonna's imagery, no matter how graphic (and in whatever way), has always had a point, even if it was a minor one. Yeah, she does graphic, outrageous things (that's partly why we love her), but it's always been a part of telling the overall story, and getting the overall message across. It's one thing to do such with an actual point behind it...rather than simply present a mass of graphic violent or sexual imagery (usually in a completely hetero-sexist, misogynistic way) that is used as nothing more than window dressing that ultimately means nothing, and is there to just sell a product (or a media message) to an already uninformed, desensitized public.

    I don't think there is any contradiction whatsoever.

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