Studies Suggest: Stay Home
Studies Suggest showcases nice things that should be worth your time. It is a list of media I enjoyed recently or that I found interesting. There are no set rules for this. Maybe it’s a movie, an album, an interesting article, or basically whatever I like.
Of course, most of the content in this series can be consumed from home anyway, but I thought I would put together a list of things that can keep you occupied/entertained when staying inside during this difficult time and hopefully put you in a good mood.
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert has established itself as an institutional platform for musicians to demonstrate their live skills. The featured acts cover a very large range, from superstars like Harry Styles and Tyler, the Creator to relatively unknown musicians. Bonafide legends like Roy Ayers or Rakim have appearances, too. There is something for everybody in here. I like it because it is interesting to see artists you like performing in an intimate atmosphere and you can discover new acts as well as exploring genres you are unfamiliar with. Also, the format is perfectly fitting for these quarantine times. Put it on the biggest screen you have and it feels like there is a concert in your room. You can find the YouTube playlist for all Tiny Desk concerts here. Some personal recommendations would be the performances by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib linked above, Weyes Blood, Rakim, Erykah Badu, Tyler, the Creator, Ólafur Arnalds, and Roy Ayers.
Online Viewing Rooms
George Condo, Parallel Lives (2020)
Source: Hauser & Wirth
With most art galleries being closed, they had to improvise new ways to display their artists on the fly. Seemingly Online Viewing Rooms were the solutions for many galleries. David Zwirner was sort of a pioneer in this field when he launched a platform in 2017 and provides interesting content on the regular. Now many followed suit and even Art Basel Hong Kong was “held” online. Of course, the main reason behind launching those platforms is selling artwork and while most people can’t afford those pieces, it is a nice way to explore the contemporary art market from the comfort of your home without having to travel to the galleries. Although, it is a little bit annoying that you have to provide an e-mail to enter most of the “rooms”. But hey, there are worse or more annoying newsletters to get than ones from art galleries, right?
Some of my recommendations would be:
The people behind König Galerie once again prove their tech-savviness and ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. Besides salesrooms for their current exhibitions (e.g. Jorinde Voigt and Jeppe Hein), they provide a comprehensive 3D walkthrough tour for their whole gallery which works surprisingly well. It’s like Google Streetview but inside the gallery with a higher resolution and better mobility. Gallery founder Johan König also does a daily talk show on Instagram Live right now called 10AM Series in which he interviews artists, art dealers, and other figures from the art world. An overview of available on-demand episodes can be found here.
Pace always has a nice selection on view. As of writing this, there is a great exhibition of American photography featuring Robert Frank, Gordon Parks, Irving Penn, and Richard Avedon amongst others. They also show great drawings by Saul Steinberg or interesting color compositions by Kenneth Noland.
At Hauser & Wirth you can see George Condo’s excellent Drawings for Distanced Figures which he creates during self-quarantine. Drawings by Louise Bourgeois or ceramic works by Rashid Johnson can be found on their platform as well.
While it is not a viewing room, Gagosian’s (now online) publication Gagosian Quarterly provides some very interesting and in-depth articles on contemporary art. Pieces on Nam Jun Paik’s writing, a theoretical investigation of Sterling Ruby’s ACTS (“Absolute Contempt for Total Serenity”) sculptures, and interviews with Cindy Sherman or Katharina Grosse are just some examples.
Studio Ghibli Movies
I guess there is no better time to get lost in the magically creative worlds of childlike curiosity and wonder (magical is truly earned here; Studio Ghibli > Disney Animation) created by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and their studio. In a surprising move by the studio’s decision-makers, they signed a deal with Netflix to make most of their catalog available on the streaming platform (worldwide except Japan and the US if I am not mistaken) at the beginning of 2020. Luckily, now we can dig through the whole fabulous filmography. Out of the films I have seen, my personal favorites are Porco Rosso, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. Grave of the Fireflies is also excellent, although not really in tune with the uplifting aim of this list.
Bill Simmon’s Book of Basketball 2.0 Podcast
Book of Basketball 2.0 Cover
Source: The Ringer
While the NBA is on hiatus, there still is a way to sort of getting your basketball fix. How about re-evaluating and contextualizing the last NBA decade without being too involved with today’s developments? For anyone remotely interested in basketball, Bill Simmons should ring a bell. His new Book of Basketball 2.0 podcast is a logical step forward merging two of his most prominent projects - his (super-popular) podcast series and his 2009 monolith The Book of Basketball. As the title might suggest, this new podcast series is a modern sequel to the book which was needed because a lot has happened in the NBA in the last 11 years - dynasties ascending and erupting, superstars solidifying their legacies, players hailed as generational talents never quite fulfilling their potential, a total shift on playing style with an emphasis on the three-point shot. All of this needs to be put into perspective and who better to do it than Bill Simmons - the NBA‘s charismatic, unofficial historian - and a lineup of competent sports journalists as guests. If you like basketball, you‘ll love this podcast.
Saturday Night Live Archives
If there is such a thing as a “cult comedy show” or a “comedy institution” it has to be Saturday Night Live. For over 40 years the show has been a workshop for comedy talents to hone their craft and launched many superstar careers - both in front of the camera and in terms of writing. Cast lists of past seasons basically read like an unofficial comedy Hall of Fame ballot (excluding stand-up maybe). There is too much great material to list here and everybody has varying preferences anyway. For me, any sketch Bill Hader is involved in is a win (also, do yourself a favor and watch his series Barry if you can). Of course, not every sketch is “genius”, but I think, the SNL writers generally have a very high batting average. Their YouTube channel might be a little bit difficult to navigate though (in Germany at least). I would suggest going along with the recommendations related to sketches you like as well as checking out the playlists for specific cast members or seasons.
Feel-Good Shows
“Look how tense she is. -She's fine.”, The Simpsons Season 6 / Episode 11 "Fear of Flying" still
Source: Frinkiac
This last category is a no-brainer for this list, really. Everybody has this one show, most likely a sitcom I guess, that just gives you a comfortable and safe feeling - just like coming home to a plate of your favorite food after a stressful day. In my case, it undoubtedly has to be The Simpsons. You feel like the characters are your friends, you know most lines by heart, and you can binge episode after episode with ease. Your feel-good show - you get it. In case you are already in the third re-run of your personal favorite for the last five weeks and need some variety for once, here are some recommendations. Maybe you are already familiar with most of them - they are no “best-kept secrets” by any means - but perhaps a little reminder will be useful as well:
Brooklyn Nine-Nine:
Precise, fast-paced writing for very likable characters. Captain Holt is comedy platinum.Community:
Pop-culture reference heaven and amazingly experimental. Very meta, very unique.Modern Family
Heartwarming mockumentary with an outstanding cast. The definition of feel-good.
Seinfeld
It’s a show about nothing. Iconic.
Honorable Mentions
The Last Dance Documentary about Michael Jordan
Brain Dead’s The Isolated Community zine
Key & Peele sketch archives
Some book recommendations:
Thumbnail image:
The Simpsons Season 8 / Episode 19 "Grade School Confidential" still
Source: Frinkiac
