Ms. Cosmopolite

WAITING FOR A NEW VOICE

2008-12-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

I usually love New Year celebrations. I look forward to stepping through the door of a new year, clearing the old, and bringing in the fresh and vital. I am usually happy and excited about the possibilities the new cycle will bring. After sleeping in on the first day of the year, I open a new journal and set my personal and professional goals. Then I usually attend my friend’s White Party in her beautiful home in Venice. To symbolize the unblemished canvas of the New Year, all the guests wear white, the food is white (think cauliflower, potatoes, endives, macaroni & cheese), and of course we sip champagne while toasting to our success and happiness.

But this year, on the eve of 2009, I am in no mood for celebration because I am devastated, sad, and angry. The brutal military assault on a starving population held in captivity in Gaza has shaken me to my core. I have chosen to work towards a better world and I am willing to make many sacrifices necessary to achieve even a fraction of good. But I would be dishonest if I said that I didn’t expect to yield a promising return. To witness such inhumanity, such arrogance, such a brutal abuse of power, in an already fragile and violent world has discouraged and depressed me.

Being angry and sad does not suit me, or anyone for that matter, so I must commit myself to shed such gloomy feelings. It might take some time, but I know that we can’t have light without accepting the dark.

For you my dear readers, I wish much peace, happiness, and success. May 2009 be a year of breakthroughs and fresh starts.

A Turning Point

2008-12-22T11:53:00.001-08:00

The month of December is full of holidays and celebrations across religions and diverse cultures. St. Nicholas Day, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, Hanukah, Las Posadas, Al Hijra, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day pack December with joyful festivities and cultural ceremonies. For me, the magic crescendos on the Winter Solstice (this year the day falls on December 21st) as it echoes the earthy rhythm of changing seasons. Whether felt as an astronomical, spiritual, religious, or personal event, the day visibly marks a turning point in our 365-day cycle. On this shortest day of light, ancient and modern cultures hold solstice ceremonies to bring them closer to the skies as the giver of life and bounty. At the root of many ancient rituals was the fear that the dwindling light would not return without human intervention, creating the need for generous offerings and lavish celebrations to keep the gods and goddesses happy.

The Winter Solstice has greatest significance to those that live closest to the earth, and whose lives are intimately tied to changing seasons and harvest cycles. Tuning in to celestial events was an especially important cosmic science for ancient societies who created meaningful fertility rites; fire festivals and offerings to their deities in hopes of procuring a bountiful harvest. While not widely known, many of these rituals are part of our modern traditions. Candles, evergreens, mistletoe, lavish feasts, and the giving and receiving of gifts are rooted in ceremonies performed thousands of years ago.

Believe it or not, Christmas in particular is rooted in pagan traditions. As Christianity spread and the need to dampen the prevalence of pagan beliefs arose, the cosmic celebrations of the Winter Solstice were overlaid with the story of the Birth of Christ. Today the “Christmas Season” is a multi-billion dollar business that seems galaxies away from the deep connection to our earth that the Winter Solstice represented in ancient societies. Witnessing the manic and surprisingly unjolly crowds shopping for holiday gifts, it’s clear that a little retro paganism might do us all some good.

This December, as the turning skies bring less light, we can find solace connecting with one another and give thanks for our blessings, or we can rejoice over discounted cashmere sweaters and bargain-priced electronic toys. This cosmic lady will be thanking the stars for a fabulous year of love, art, and adventure, and will be keeping her candle lit for an even brighter 2009!

Happy winter!

Ms. Cosmopolite

FRUGALISTA - a new word for a new era

2008-12-08T16:21:00.000-08:00

As we all know, change is the only constant force in our shimmering universe. Most of the time I enjoy change unless I have been caught off guard and cling to outdated thinking when clearly the tide has shifted. To keep myself on top of the tidal waves, I follow cultural trends to keep me in the know. I don’t see trends as superficial, but an important indicator of changing attitudes and beliefs. I especially relish in learning about the new words created to match society’s new thinking. Given the events of 2008 and our current economic climate, my favorite new addition for 2008 is FRUGALISTA, defined as, “a person who lives a frugal lifestyle but stays fashionable and healthy by swapping clothes, buying secondhand, growing own produce, etc.” (Most likely the only time I have agreed with NYT’s William Safire, who voted Frugalista the best new word of 2008, on anything!)

As Frugalista enters the mainstream lexicon, most will attribute its popularity and use to the current recession (or pre-recovery period if you prefer!). I would say that the ethos behind frugalistas has more to do with increasing the quality of life than falling stock prices. The word frugal is often viewed as a product of lack yet, the word is related to the Latin frui, meaning to enjoy. Frugality essentially means the best use of resources and the limiting of waste in the pursuit of a higher quality of life. As I mosey around shops and malls today in search of new possessions I wonder what has happened to the appreciation of quality? The long tradition of craftsmanship around the world, has always valued quality and was centered on the idea of creating functional objects that withstood the test of time. The magic of handmade objects is their high quality, beauty, and resourcefulness.

Look around your home, office, school, or neighborhood, and take a look at how resources are being used? How much waste can you identify in a mere 5 minutes? How many objects in your space do you treasure and how many things are disposable? How have we benefitted from the seemingly endless supply of cheap goods lining the shelves at the Wal-Marts, Forever 21s, and Pier 1s of the world? The vulgar appetite for cheap, throwaway goods has depressed labor wages and created an unsustainable level of consumption and a reckless use of resources. The irony for me is that during a time of “conspicuous consumption” many filled their homes and closets with unsightly and poorly made goods! Ms. Cosmopolite says, “having things and having beautiful things are not the same”.

As a proud frugalista, I am committed to filling my life and home with beautiful, well-crafted goods, made with respect for the materials and the makers. I will delight in unearthing treasures from bazaars, resale shops, craft and artist cooperatives, and farmer’s markets while being fashionable, healthy, and fabulous!

“Frugality is founded on the principle that all riches have limits” – Edmund Burke

Onward,

Ms Cosmopolite

A Fairy Tale Ending?

2008-11-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

It’s hard for me to focus on anything today, but PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA. Around the world, millions of words are being written about the epic story of Barack Hussein Obama and his resounding victory to become the most powerful leader of the world. There are so many personal and political aspects to this story of triumph; it is easy to see how our deepest desires and fears can be projected onto this tremendous saga. The universal need to share our life experiences endures in the oldest art form – storytelling. Our cultural and personal myths are developed (often with some editing) through repetition until they become ingrained in our collective memory. I wonder how the story of the victorious President Barack Obama will be crafted for the history books…

Will it be a tale of Good vs. Evil? Youth vs. Age? Black vs. White? Hope vs. Fear? Change vs. Status Quo? While reality is hardly ever so clear-cut, lasting narratives are based on archetypal figures (ie. hero, villain, trickster, sage) that reflect our need for a clear demarcation of good and bad (something Hollywood producers have clearly figured out to a mind-numbing degree!). Swiss psychologist Carl Jung claimed that our “collective unconscious” reflected the content of all mankind’s thoughts. Quite honestly, I was terrified by some of what I heard coming from the unconsciousness of my fellow Americans (including media elites and party leaders) during this election cycle. It seems unfitting to mention the dark forces that threatened our land during this time of high hopes, but we also must not forget their existence. Every tale has a hero and a villain to keep us on our toes, and it has been clearly demonstrated that there is muck in our mist.

Today should be about celebrating a historic victory that has far-reaching cultural and political ramifications. How will each one of us retell the story of election night 2008 to our children? Will the emotion of the historic night fade when the enormity of the task before our President elect hits us? Will the glow of triumph be dimmed by the first hardship or misstep? Or, will we remember the fiery autumn day as the time the sun shined so bright it drove off the darkness that had befallen our great land?

Being a romantic and an optimist, I am rooting for a fairy tale ending. I prefer the legend of the brave young knight that rose to power not on privilege, corruption, or nepotism, but through hard work and a dedication to the greater good. A warrior that saw the broken spirit of the people and knew they deserved better. A sage that offered a new way of governing and communicated in a way that inspired people to reach for the best in themselves. A hero to all those that have faced challenges and overcame them.

The United States of America has found its story again and it is based on HOPE!

Cheers,

Ms. Cosmopolite

Judgment Day Everyday

2008-10-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

by guest blogger M. Wittmer (or... Mr. Cosmopolite?)

Although I am not sure what the cosmopolite individual would say, an argument to not downplay the necessity and role of judgment within our views of the world merits more attention than sturdy advocates of diversity will readily admit.

Judgment often gets a bad rap when it comes to the expansion of diversity. Pressures to expand individuals’ views to be more inclusive, more accepting, more tolerant, and more thirsty for the unknown frequently seem to paint judgment with a bad name. "Don't be so judgmental" is often the resulting subtext of these messages. Or, at least the push for diversity seems to presuppose some universal assumption that we all may not agree on in the first place – like the simple fact that we all must be more accepting. That is not important to some people. And it is very hard for many people to understand.

I've heard more than a few times, strongly-held sarcastic perspectives about the results diversity initiatives play within a corporation when the company tries to bring these issues to the table for their stakeholders.

Recently, I heard a few jokes amongst some level-headed professionals who seemed to acknowledge a recognition that there is an overall awareness regarding the barriers of so called 'mandatory diversity policies' within the workplace. One's first inclination at such talk, on the surface, is to think that to mock or abandon diversity efforts within institutional policy is worse than never having made these efforts. But then again, if diversity efforts are being met with resistance or interpreted in a negative light, are our institutional efforts to incorporate diversity not then contributing to the divisions between us as a people rather than creating more welcoming and cosmopolitan perspectives?

I'm not sure. It seems resistance to diversity often gains strength from claims that efforts to diversify are not effective, not practical, and not relatable enough. I find myself wondering why more people aren't thinking about the efforts behind diversity initiatives instead of evaluating or interpreting the functionality, practicality, potential, end result, or effects that they see within their own worlds. Initiative efforts don't have to be a qualitative, measurable objective in order to impact our perspectives.

Debating the practicality of diversity, and specifically opposing diversity efforts on the grounds of inefficiency is itself a huge issue and a strong judgment upon the world within which we all live. This kind of critiquing builds a foundation for many to promote the worth and impression that their individual routines are too complex, too static, and will most assuredly be more unreceptive to becoming more cosmopolitan and tolerant.

Perhaps looking at the issues of judgment is diversity's true cash cow. While organizations often use the cookie cutter issues of expanding individual perspectives to be more inclusive of various socioeconomic, ethnic, or cultural groups, this kind of effort posits more emphasis on accepting others for the sake of doing so and skims over the lynchpin issues of examining our individual judgment processes. Why do we think the way we do? Why are we resistant? Why does it matter so much that diversity initiatives truly meet our needs to be worthy enough for us to consider them valuable?

Judgment is an essential skill that we all rely on 24 hours a day to survive and grow. Like any tool at our disposal, we also use judgment to bolster our own resistance to many things and justify our perspectives. Diversity initiatives should begin to address this universal issue within each of us, as it is the core process that is universal to all groups.

Diversity initiatives may claim that judgment is what they are there to address. Personally, I think corporations and the diversity programs they utilize could do better by focusing not on one person’s experience to draw us into learning about the differences of one type of group, but by focusing more exclusively on the process and stories behind OUR judgments. It is within the context of our judgments that the differences in our stories can support the central issues universal to each of us. Using this approach can help unite the process of diversifying citizens of the world more effectively and in my estimate, will be met with less resistance than initiatives that focus on a particular cultural group or experience. Would Ms. Cosmopolite agree?

New Horizons

2008-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

Well it is finally Friday afternoon; truthfully, I wasn’t sure I would make it through this week without jumping on to my office chair and begging the gods for mercy. In general, I am a pretty optimistic and merry lady, but the past few weeks have tested me in several ways. Stock markets falling, politicians misbehaving, media personalities dense and irritating, and fires literally burning in my backyard. Then there was the considerable number of small-minded people that destiny brought into my daily life almost as a taunt. I had to use all my super powers not to be sucked into their lesser world, and I now feel depleted.

Most graciously, the stars have once again aligned in my favor. Tomorrow morning, I will board AF 9898 (business class thankfully!!!) and jet off to foreign lands to revive my creativity and find my inner balance. As Mark Twain put it,

Nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kind of people.

My innate need for travel and experiencing foreign cultures is both a gift and sometimes a curse… The elders in my family claim that I fell under the spell of an old globe when I was 3-years old and was destined to travel widely and often. Perhaps they are correct since nothing makes me feel more alive than the sights and smells of foreign lands. Every part of me expands to take it all in. Curiously, the more foreign the place to me, the more I feel at home. It’s the lack of new cultural experiences, and interactions with myopic ideas and people that cause me to contract (and sometimes get a rash!).

So, after a period of experiencing petty irritations and global chaos, I depart tomorrow for a new adventure – my first trip to the Arab Gulf (after a brief stop-over in Paris) to experience for myself the ancient and rich cultures of the region. I will travel as I always do: lightly and with a generous spirit, or as Aldous Huxley mused,

To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.

Tune in next week to enjoy thoughts from Ms. Cosmopolite’s guest blogger, and our first male writer...

Bon voyage!!

Ms. Cosmopolite

"Solid Impression"

2008-10-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Call me narcissistic but, I always imagined that I was too unique and complex to be typecast. Oddly enough, while I have dedicated my career to breaking down cultural and gender stereotypes, I didn’t fully understand just how easy it is to be a target of stereotyping. Ladies and gentlemen, I have officially been a casualty of stereotyping!!

Recently I received comments about Ms. Cosmopolite that were both befuddling and slightly amusing. Curiously, these comments, which seem to focus exclusively on my physical form, ignore the spirit of my work in creating cultural awareness and promoting a cosmopolitan worldview. Now, I don’t consider being labeled as “too attractive”, “not ethnic looking enough”, a “globe-trotting socialite”, or my personal favorite “too feminine” as necessarily negative however, I am fascinated by the questions that come to mind with such comments. (What does one’s looks have to do with having a global mindset? Could a woman be too feminine? What qualifies as an ethnic look? Is globe-trotting negative? Can a socialite also be a community activist?)

A stereotype (from the Greek word stereo + týpos = "solid impression") by definition is oversimplified conception or opinion based on assumptions or false associations (i.e. blondes are fun loving, superficial women who don’t care about the world or their place in it!). Humans often feel safer in a system, therefore, process information by categorizing people and behaviors. Naturally, this leads to generalized perceptions based on first impressions, which may work in scenarios where instant decision-making is needed, but can also lead to falsehood or worse. For example, someone that feels Ms. Cosmopolite is too attractive, well-dressed, or feminine to promote a message of universal values and peace, most likely has created a “solid impression” in their mind of what an activist or peacemaker should look like and isn’t willing to change their impression even when NEW information is provided. American journalist Walter Lippmann called a stereotype a "picture in our heads" saying,

Whether right or wrong, ...imagination is shaped by the pictures seen... Consequently, they lead to stereotypes that are hard to shake.

Stock characters are often used in comedies and sitcoms to oversimplify life and therefore, feel a bit cartoonish. It’s like watching TV in black and white – it feels one-dimensional or retro. The fact that a visual image has the power to supersede the content of a person’s character and message is not a new concept, but rather an outdated one. I would say it’s time to step into the kaleidoscope of the 21st century and start seeing in color folks!!

That Ms. Cosmopolite has been stereotyped based on her picture is truly ironic since she is chiefly about the written word! Interestingly, stereotype and cliché were both originally printmaking terms referring to duplicate impressions of an original typographical element. The first reference to "stereotype", in its modern usage was in 1850, meaning, "image perpetuated without change". Ms. Cosmopolite vows to change your image of what a creative, intelligent, global-minded, social, peacemaking, curating, community activist looks like... just keep READING!

Ms. Cosmopolite

What in the WORLD!!!

2008-10-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone is talking about it so, why shouldn’t I have a turn!? I actually lost a well-paying job in the 1998 Asia/Russian/LTCB credit market crisis (working for a hedge fund is overrated unless $$$ pumps your heart), which opened the door to the riches of the art world for me (well, that’s the short story ;-).

In any case, what a dramatic and revealing week we have all just witnessed; fortunes lost, corruption exposed, and long-held ideas proved false. While Ms. Cosmopolite has no interest in rehashing the details of the biggest U.S. financial and banking crisis in decades, she does want to put in her 2 ¢ (pun intended).

WHAT IN THE WORLD were our corporate and government leaders thinking?? Seriously, what is their worldview and how did it affect their decision-making? The level of self-interest displayed during this crisis can easily be compared to tribalism, understood as “the exaltation of the tribe above other groups”. From a wealthy former investment banker creating a tax-payer funded plan to bail out his fellow bankers to an elected representative whose vote was purchased with promised funds for his pet project (bike trails), loyalty to the tribe superseded the common good and COMMON SENSE. Yes, yes, I know anthropologists often argue that humans are hard-wired to stick with their own as a survival mechanism but, let’s not forget that we are all sharing the same planet and its resources! I am happy to acknowledge the positive potential of capitalism but, I don’t see how any economic system rigged towards one group at the expense of another can survive in the long-term. To that end, I have never before been compelled to quote Milton Friedman, the father of “free market” theory but, here it goes:

The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit.

I wish his disciples on Wall Street and in the Treasury Department had remembered that line as they plotted their exit strategy…

Perhaps the Greek philosopher Plato (428-348 BC) had a point when he argued that conventional political systems (including democracy) were inherently corrupt and that countries should be governed by an elite class of educated philosopher-rulers, who would be selected based on one simple idea: "those who have the greatest skill in watching over the community".

Three cheers for Plato and at least one cheer for the success of the bailout plan.

Looking forward to a new week,

Ms. Cosmopolite

Identity

2008-09-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight the museum opened a new exhibit. Identity: Unlimited Editions is a juried presentation of Los Angeles’s top printmakers (from LAPS, the Los Angeles Printmaking Society) and their expressions of personal identity.

The age-old question of identity is intimately tied to one’s experience of life. Each of us is influenced by our principles, beliefs, and values that bind our perceptions together and shape our identity. How we understand and experience our ethnicity, religion, gender, profession, sexual orientation, or memory composes our consciousness and ultimately our sense of self. An ever evolving process, the exploration of self can yield fixed, mixed, lost, or (perhaps frequently in our globalized world) conflicted identities.

As I roamed the gallery and marveled at the diverse range of creative expression and the richness of printmaking techniques, I felt most comforted by the simple (and universal) image of a fingerprint digitally printed in hot pink ink. The work was not the most beautiful, intricate, or unique—yet the image stayed with me throughout the evening.

As I enjoyed my glass of Pinot Noir with guests in the courtyard, I considered the conundrum posed by identity. A full expression of individuality seems essential to a dynamic society yet, also can lead to defined categories and artificial boundaries (woman, artist, gay, Latino, married, immigrant, Jewish, educated, etc.). How do you promote diversity and individuality while creating unity? (Hint: Become a cosmopolite!)

This interesting question was vividly posed by the late, great Edward Said in his seminal book Orientalism:

Can one divide human reality...into different cultures, histories, traditions, societies, even races, and survive the consequences humanly?

Curious to know what you think.

Ms. Cosmopolite.

Tower of Babel

2008-09-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

For me, great art needs to ignite both my mind and feed my soul. These days I am feeling rather spoiled being able to be see Josh Dorman’s fantasyscapes in the mezzanine gallery of CAFAM every day. (If you haven’t already seen "Within in Four Miles": The World of Josh Dorman, plan a visit soon! Check out the LA Times review for more information!) In the gallery entry stands Josh’s masterpiece, The Tower of Babel, a 8 feet tall painted collage created on vintage maps and constructed out of 32 panels. There are literally thousands of details to discover and every viewing feels like a new treasure hunt. Last week I found a baby footprint (created by Josh’s baby daughter) and a Halliburton truck fleeing from a construction site. Like Pieter Brueghel’s famed Tower of Babel, Josh’s contemporary work reflects the hubris of human action and arrogance in a powerful way.

According to the biblical story, Babel was a city that united humanity, with all inhabitants speaking the same language. (“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech”, starts the story in the Book of Genesis.) The fate of the city changed when the townsfolk decided to build a tower so tall that it would have "its top in the heavens." God, witnessing the people’s arrogance and false motives, sent down to earth confused languages and scattered the people throughout the world. The beauty of diverse languages certainly adds flavour and dimension to our world but, also makes communication a bit more challenging... As I mourned the destruction of the two towers in NYC last week, the blight left by the “confusion of languages” felt palpable and I prayed for a return to Babel minus the tower.

Peace,

Ms. Cosmopolite

Hello from Ms. Cosmopolite

2008-09-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there and welcome to Ms. Cosmopolite!

Come on in and enjoy a cup of tea with me. I am having a pot of Mai 68 – “a tea with a scent of revolution”, a special edition blend by the Paris-based specialty merchant Fauchon, an ideal choice for our first conversation. You can find it here.

Allow me to introduce myself to you as a lady does – slowly and with a bit of play. If you are already familiar with the Los Angeles-based Craft and Folk Art Museum (the homeland for Ms. Cosmopolite), you probably know that the museum was founded in 1965 by a group of determined women on a mission to celebrate global cultures in an authentic way. Today CAFAM is run by a group of diverse, globally minded women that have brought the museum’s mission of promoting cultural awareness into the 21st century with gusto. The Ms. in the blog title plays tribute to the XX chromosome, which is plentiful in CAFAM’s DNA. (This is not to say that we don’t appreciate the XYs in our mist but that is an entirely different topic ;-))

A Cosmopolite is defined as someone who is at home in every place; a citizen of the world; or a cosmopolitan person. Naturally, one does not feel at home unless one senses comfort and contentment. Cosmopolites are a particular group of folk that have embraced a philosophy of universal values and peace. For example, someone can travel the world over and not be a cosmopolite if he isn’t able to experience comfort when embracing something unfamiliar. This idea is nicely reflected in the passage below from O. Henry’s short story, A Cosmopolite in a Café:

“…for I held a theory that since Adam no true citizen of the world has existed. We hear of them, and we see foreign labels on much luggage, but we find travelers instead of cosmopolites.”

So, now you have a sense of Ms. Cosmopolite’s nature. Here you can expect lively and engaging discussions on all things global, from art, culture, and beauty, to the very real politics and policies that are well, rather un-cosmopolite. A slice of life behind the scenes of the museum can also be expected...

I invite global and local citizens to enjoy a cup of culture and comfort with me on a weekly basis.

Ciao for now,

Ms. Cosmopolite