There is not any nonsense in Ron Norsworthy’s look and tone. I noticed this immediately during our conversation. The interdisciplinary artist it has owl-like eyes, black, wide and glossy. With as much emphasis as the good Reverend, Norsworthy tilts his head, bobbing like a corkscrew, and declares that each single one of us who walks this earth is “f… beautiful.” In the era we live in, full of mental distortions, plasticized aesthetics and distorted self-image, his balanced words and sermons seem particularly energizing. Many times I resist the urge to arise and shout, “Amen!” Ready to release one of those long and loose church “.”
We sit within the Edwynn Houk Gallery on Fifth Avenue, curled up in lavish chairs surrounding Norsworthy’s upcoming exhibition. He is dressed simply in an olive green motorcycle jacket, thin jeans and a dove gray turtleneck, with the identical authority as his royal subjects. The revision of the tragic Greek myth goals to overthrow not only the exclusionary cliques of beauty and history, but in addition to hold a mirror up to a nation eternally erased. As frivolous because the word “beauty” may sound, beauty as a system is commonly an insidious concept.
“Who can be beautiful? Who are the arbiters of beauty?” These are the questions Norsworthy asks and explores through his exhibition. “Whom does culture favor, allow and support? We cannot think about beauty without thinking about gender, class, or ethnicity, and these are all narratives that have shaped us. They are, and often classical notions of beauty have been shaped by white models of power. I wanted to bring these narratives to life and make them more relevant to people like me,” Norsworthy says at one point in our conversation.
Courtesy of Ron Norsworthy
Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Norsworthy’s path to becoming an influential figure within the art world was shaped by the ladies in his family. She tells me the story about her grandmother’s jewelry box, its light, each set, and all of the pendants. “I remember her sewing, us both looking at the illustrations, and then I ran over to try and sketch the dresses,” he said. His mother was one other figure he admired growing up. She remembers how sensually she tied the scarves. Here he mentions what he calls “her amazing fur”, which he loved immensely. “I know too many beautiful black women who just knew how to carry themselves – it was never about the physical marks, it was about how they radiated the whole package.”
These impressions shaped by black women left an indelible mark on his stylistic edicts. Like his grandmother, he doesn’t mix fashion with style, preferring high-quality wardrobe staples over low-cost and poorly produced fabrics. “Fashion is a moment,” declares Norsworthy. “Style is eternal and I have never been interested in that kind of impermanence.” He is currently experiencing a “tailored moment” by designing and embroidering his suits and jackets. Also favorites are designers resembling Emily Adams Bode Aujla and Thom Browne, whom she praises for his or her level of tailoring. Like his works of art, Norsworthy’s style just isn’t only a way to honor the depths of our inner life, but in addition an energetic way to empower our change.
“I grew up in a time where so many restrictions were placed on me. It was a form of perpetual anxiety because I knew I’d never meet them,” Norsworthy recalled. He tells stories about his upbringing that made it difficult for him to build a world in which he felt comfortable or that made sense. “I believe it’s extremely necessary that we are able to look within the mirror and say, ‘I’m not ashamed of who I’m,’ and that every of us can live strongly in our identity.”
Courtesy of Ron Norsworthy
Norsworthy’s profession began in the sector of set design, where he created visually stunning sets or “site-specific installations” for artists resembling Britney Spears, Lisa Marie Presley, Notorious BIG and plenty of others. The visionary behind movies resembling Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady” and Foxy Brown’s “I’ll Be” has collaborated with such luminaries as costume designer June Ambrose and director Hype Williams. Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” is one other feat he is amazingly proud of achieving. “Set design and creative direction were my first canvases,” he admits. “It was a way for me to express myself and challenge the limits of our dreams.”
For nearly thirty years, his designs, characterised by baroque mise-en-scenes and ornate reality, have made him one of probably the most sought-after names within the industry. But Norsworthy’s ambitions at all times prolonged beyond the world of stage design. “I never wanted to limit myself to one medium,” he explains. He claims that art is about exploration and experimentation – it’s a way of crossing boundaries.
He soon began to explore other forms of artistic expression, from photography to installation. After starting his own brand, he became one of the primary black men to offer sold-out collections. “I have a very wide practice. I’m not afraid of materials.” He says he loves sculptures, collages and assemblages. Here, Norsworthy mentions that he can even create beyond his expectations. “If I decided I wanted to design sneakers or a wedding dress, I could and would do it using the same methodology.”
Courtesy of Ron Norsworthy
Among eleven offerings, swirling photographs mined from the Internet and transferred to picket panels, Norsworthy offers the type of narrative that almost all movies refuse to take into consideration, let alone imagine. Instead of black lives mutilated, stripped of dignity and degraded, each portrait that comes together is a study in delicious splendor. In Norsworthy’s universe, black men stare upon their reflections in cozy, warmly lit homes or wear tailored suits adorned with cabochon brooches and diamond flowers.
In one portrait, titled “Narcissus in Fleetwood Chapel,” a Renaissance figure resembling the enduring artist Prince, with a petulant expression and a lavish coat, lounges affectionately in a Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Although Norsworthy insists that they’re all his favorites, this one remains to be electrifying.” It challenges what we mean by gender. She is wearing tights, no top, no shirt, fur, and her hair is curly. I really like all these elements combined with his pose and reflection.”
In one other peculiar photo, a person elegantly dressed looks on the exquisite beauty of a portrait of Laura Wheeler Waring. In others, vases, roses and tulips are decorated with sparkling diamonds that might be found at a Sotheby’s auction.
My favorite from the exhibition is named) A young man seems to be searching through the frame. His skin, a greedy shade of brown, seems to absorb all the sunshine. He is hunched over, half-dressed, and his thighs are decorated with tulips. His hair is flooded Soul Head that may destroy the couch. A necklace of pearls and diamonds hangs around his collarbones and chest. The suit hangs on the wall. At his feet lie a suitcase and a pair of women’s shoes. The room he’s in is empty and full of luxuries: a stool, an antique mirror, a still life portrait, and an unopened package draped over a pink chair. Refracted rainbows dance on the wallpaper and floor. But what intrigues me most is the person’s face.
His lips are pursed and his gaze is nearly confrontational, although his posture seems gentle, gentle, and his shoulders are hunched. Is he nervous? Is this an invasion of his privacy? Is he sad? Has he lost a friend? Am I studying it an excessive amount of? Wanting deeply to be soaked in what I imagine? Is that just his face? Or perhaps he’s bored, tired of being elegant, tired of being seen in any respect, tired of the ridiculous binaries of the world.
Of all my habits, probably the most crucial to my survival was the knowledge that there was no diamond as brilliant as mine. I grew up in a house full of a mother’s sublime love. A love that insisted that I believe highly of myself, hold my head high, value my feelings, and spend hours respecting myself within the mirror.
There were, of course, just a few years once I confused self-confidence with self-love, and two years once I lost strength under the load of the world. But still, my mother’s love for me surpassed any form of hatred. I need everyone to know this sense of mastery. I wish everyone knew how to stay calm in a world that’s betting on us destroying our self-awareness. One of probably the most stunning effects of the commodification of beauty is its subtlety and normalization. This concept only offers a refracted mirror that may put you at war with yourself and devour your imagination.
These ideals indicate why Norsworthy’s work raises a crucial and urgent query. What would the world be like if we softened our minds and dared to love our reflections? His latest exhibition goals to answer this query in a novel way.
This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
The Australian Drugs Regulatory Authority has issued an order safety warning over Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine promethazine.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has stated that over-the-counter products mustn’t be given to children under six years of age due to concerns about serious unwanted effects similar to hyperactivity, aggression and hallucinations. Breathing may additionally change into slow or shallow, which can be fatal.
When high doses are administered to young children, difficulties in learning and understanding, including reversible cognitive deficit and mental disability, may additionally occur. – said the TGA.
The latest warning follows international and Australian concerns concerning the drug in young children, which is commonly used to treat conditions similar to hay fever and allergies, motion sickness and for short-term sedative effects.
What is promethazine?
Promethazine is a “first generation” antihistamine that has been sold over-the-counter in Australian pharmacies for a long time for a spread of conditions.
Unlike many other drugs, first-generation antihistamines can cross the blood-brain barrier. This means they affect your brain chemistry, making you feel drowsy and sedated.
In adults, this will likely be useful for sleep. However, in children, these drugs can cause serious unwanted effects on the nervous system, including those mentioned on this week’s safety alert.
We’ve known about this for a while
We have known concerning the serious unwanted effects of promethazine in young children for a while.
Advice regarding 20 years ago In the United States, the drug was not beneficial for use in children under two years of age. In 2022, an Australian Medicines Advisory Committee made its own suggestion to increase the age to six. New Zealand released similar warnings and advice in May this yr.
Over the last ten years, 235 cases of serious unwanted effects from promethazine have been reported in each children and adults reported to the TGA. Of the 77 deaths reported, one was a toddler under six years of age.
Reported unwanted effects in each adults and children included:
13 cases of accidental overdose (leading to 11 deaths)
eight cases of hallucinations
seven cases of slow or shallow respiration (leading to 4 deaths)
six cases of decreased consciousness (leading to five deaths).
TGA security alert comes after an internal investigation by the manufacturer of Phenergan, Sanofi-Aventis Healthcare. This investigation was initiated in 2022 advice from the Medicines Advisory Committee. The company has now updated its information for consumers and healthcare professionals.
What can you use instead?
If you have allergies or hay fever in young children, non-sedating antihistamines similar to Claratine (loratadine) or Zyrtec (cetirizine) are preferred. They provide relief without the chance of sedation and other disturbing unwanted effects of promethazine.
If symptoms of a chilly or cough occur, parents must be reassured that these symptoms will normally subside with time, fluid intake, and rest.
Saline nasal sprays, adequate hydration, a humidifier or elevating the kid’s head can relieve the congestion related to hay fever. Oral products containing phenylephrine marketed for nasal congestion must be avoided because evidence shows that this is the case This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
Sweating is a way for the body to chill down, a bit like an internal air conditioner.
When your body temperature rises (since it’s hot outside or you exercise), sweat glands throughout your skin secrete a watery fluid. When the liquid evaporates, it takes heat with it, protecting us from overheating.
But sweating can vary from individual to individual. Some people could get a bit of dew under their arms, others may feel like they may fill a swimming pool (perhaps not as dramatically, but you get the thought).
So what’s a traditional amount of sweat? And what’s too much?
Why do some people sweat greater than others?
How much you sweat depends upon many aspects aspects including:
The average person sweats at a rate of approx 300 milliliters per hour (at a temperature of 30°C and humidity of roughly 40%). However, because you can’t measure the quantity of your individual sweat (or weigh it), doctors use a unique measure to evaluate the impact of sweating.
They ask if sweating interferes with on a regular basis life. Maybe you stop wearing certain clothes due to sweat stains or you feel embarrassed, so you don’t go to social events or work.
As you might expect, people affected by this condition most frequently report problematic underarm sweating. However, sweaty hands, feet, scalp and groin might also be an issue.
But excessive sweating cannot have an obvious cause, and the causes of this so-called primary hyperhidrosis are somewhat mysterious. People have a traditional variety of sweat glands, but scientists consider they simply produce excessive amounts of sweat when exposed to triggers reminiscent of stress, heat, exercise, tobacco, alcohol and spicy spices. There might also be a genetic link.
Okay, I’m sweating loads. What can I do?
1. Antiperspirants
Antiperspirants, especially those with aluminumThey are the primary line of defense and have been designed to scale back sweating. Deodorants only stop unpleasant body odor.
These products may contain as much as 25% aluminum. The higher the proportion, the higher these products work, however the more they irritate the skin.
This could seem obvious, but staying calm can make an enormous difference. This is because you have less heat to lose, which causes your body to provide less sweat.
Avoid highly regarded and long showers (you’ll have more heat to lose), wear loose clothing fabricated from breathable fabrics reminiscent of cotton (this can help sweat evaporate more easily), and carry a small hand-held fan to assist your sweat evaporate.
When exercising, try it ice bandanas (ice wrapped in a shawl or cloth after which applied to the body) or wet towels. They can be worn across the neck, head or wrists to lower body temperature.
Also try to switch when or where you exercise; If possible, try to seek out cool shade or air-conditioned places.
If your sweating remains to be affecting your life after taking the primary two steps, consult with your doctor. They will help you find the most effective strategy to cope with this problem.
3. Medicines
Some medicines may help regulate sweating. Unfortunately, a few of them can also cause uncomfortable side effects reminiscent of dry mouth, blurred vision, abdominal pain or constipation. So consult with your doctor about what’s best for you.
Your GP might also refer you to a dermatologist – a health care provider like me who makes a speciality of skin conditions – who can recommend a wide range of treatments, including among the following.
4. Botulinum toxin injections
Botulinum toxin injections usually are not used solely for cosmetic reasons. They have many applications in medicine, including: they block the nerves that control the sweat glands. They do this for months.
The dermatologist normally gives injections. But they’re only subsidized by Medical care in Australia under the arms and if you suffer from primary hyperhidrosis that can not be controlled with the strongest antiperspirants. These injections are given as much as thrice a yr. It just isn’t subsidized within the case of other diseases, e.g. hyperthyroidism or other areas, e.g. face or hands.
If you don’t qualify, you can get these shots privately, but it would cost you a whole bunch of dollars for treatment that can last as long as six months.
This involves using a tool that passes a weak electric current through water to the skin decreased sweating in your hands, feet or armpits. Scientists aren’t sure how exactly it really works.
But it’s the one way to manage sweating within the hands and feet, which doesn’t require drugs, surgery or botulinum toxin injections.
This treatment just isn’t subsidized by Medicare and never all dermatologists provide it. However, you can buy your individual device and use it, which is frequently cheaper than using it privately. You can ask your dermatologist if that is the proper option for you.
6. Surgery
There is a procedure where the nerves within the hands are cut, which prevents them from sweating. This is very effective however it may cause sweating somewhere else.
There are also other surgical options that you can talk to your doctor.
7. Microwave therapy
This is newer treatment which stimulates the sweat glands to destroy them in order that they can now not work. This just isn’t quite common yet and is kind of painful. It is out there privately in several centers.
This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
After being laid off, I decided to start Slow Living
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My corporate job made me redundant in February 2024.
When I received that email and lost access to my important source of income, it shook me to my core. And while I missed the soundness of a full-time job, I didn’t miss the late nights, chaotic deadlines, and private exhaustion that had grow to be normal for me. I subscribe to a robust, independent black woman narrative that places ambition above all else. Something should have modified.
Finding resources to maintain self-care is usually a challenge after we lead busy lives. According to the State of Self-Care for Black Women report developed by EXHALE founder and CEO Katara McCarty and published in 2023, 77% of Black women imagine there’s a necessity for more well-being tools and resources tailored to them needs. While being laid off got here as a whole shock, I knew that the routine I was trying to maintain was affecting my mental health. I had to work, but I also needed rest.
“We must start by decolonizing our minds. We have been colonized with the belief that “the harder I work, the more I get.” However, increasingly Black women are realizing that life is more fulfilling while you truly live it on your personal terms. When conditions are gentler, filled with freedom and rest, you might be almost more productive by approaching life from that place,” McCarty shared.
Getting more rest as I considered every part became a priority. So as a substitute of immediately on the lookout for one other 9-5 job, I wanted to prioritize things I couldn’t do before. Even though I thought this transition was nearly me, it wasn’t.
The viral trend of “slow living” has grow to be a well-liked topic in recent times. From the results of the pandemic to people selecting to live more consciously just because those that select to live “slower” prioritize self-care, recent passions, or tapping into their creative sides somewhat than running on the company hamster wheel. Slow living can include quite a lot of things, reminiscent of adding yoga to your morning routine, not answering your phone after 7 p.m., postponing a task in your to-do list until the subsequent day and replacing it with guilt. Slow living is not only about, literally, moving slower; it’s about living more freely and fewer according to the expectations set by others.
“We are a society that likes to be on the move, go, go. And when you get laid off or are thinking about a career change, it’s a season of reflection. The most common misconception about slow living is that something is wrong” – trauma therapist Jaquinta Jackson, ed. LPC told me in conversation. “On social media it looks as if everyone seems to be doing something. So while you’re not moving, you’ll be able to internalize it and think, “I’m not doing enough or I’m lazy.” But the fact is that we must accept that we’re stationary.
As a reformed “busy bee,” staying still was uncomfortable at first. So I can attest that when I compared myself to others, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. But after some time, I leaned into the silence to reflect and embrace the solitude. In the start, I focused on applying to as many positions as possible. Every day I committed to repeatedly sending out my resume, rewriting my cover letter, and sending multiple emails to my network about potential opportunities. But the energy put into the job search was as exhausting as my previous job. So I decided to use less and create a routine that may help me get used to every day somewhat than “overcome” it. I incorporated journaling, devotional reading, and morning exercises. In the afternoon, I focused more on writing and gaining inspiration, gaining knowledge on topics that might strengthen my skills, and ended the evening with a gathering with friends or family. While every day could also be different, this relaxed routine makes room for other areas of my life.
Fortunately, not having a busy schedule has improved my mental health. Less stress from meetings and work stimulated the will to write full-time and pursue other passions. Taylor Tucker, who went from senior technology consultant to screenwriter, says slow living has helped her gain more confidence in her many talents.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned from slow living is that I am who I think I am,” Tucker says. “Even though everything is slower, I know that the results of my work and passion will still come. My work has been verified. Previously, I worked in a corporation, and now I write. No one actually told me, “Oh, I like this.” But now I’m starting to hear it. And I thought, wow, I’ve wanted to do this all along. And now I know that with extra time, I do it.”
This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
