The Madonna Show: Black Material: White Gurl...A Retrospective of Madonna's 30 Years of Cultural Appropriation

12 posts / 0 new

Wed, 2009-05-06 20:31

Maysie

Quote:

LES BLUES PRESENTS...The Madonna Show
Black Material: White Gurl...A Retrospective of Madonna's 30 Years of Cultural Appropriation
SATURDAY MAY 16th, 9pm
Gladstone Hotel, Ball Room
1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
$7-$12 sliding scale
no one turned away for lack of funds

WE'RE GONNA GO ALL NIGHT WITH PERFORMANCES AND DJ'S!

Les Blues inspires and challenges. Evoking ideas through entertaining, beautiful documentary-style multimedia performances. Expect spectacular music, theater, videos, art and choreography from the troupe that packed Granny Boots over capacity! Come join us for a small taste of what will be presented in the Gladstone Ballroom Pride week. Featuring the Les Blues Cru and guests.

Wed, 2009-05-06 20:25

ooh ... now i want to move to Toronto! (See, I guessed where it was ;) )

Someone ought to webcast this or something....

Wed, 2009-05-06 20:30

Maysie

Damn, sorry, I'll add "Toronto" to the post.

And that's a great idea, Ze. Not sure if it's a rabble kinda thing though.

Wed, 2009-05-06 21:08

Michelle

I wonder what they're getting at, about Madonna appropriating black culture? I've never seen her work in that way before and would be interested in hearing the case for it. :)

Wed, 2009-05-06 22:43

Lard Tunderin Jeezus Lard Tunderin Jeezus's picture

Black culture? No more so than any dance artist.

...gay culture, certainly, particularly with the whole 'vogue' thing.

Thu, 2009-05-07 06:50

Maysie

I know it says "black material" but it also says cultural appropriation. Madonna has done a "high caste Hindu" exotification, right? And didn't she do a Kabbalah appropriation thing too? Ick.

It looks like the troupe Les Blues are queer, so that's covered.

I can't promise to attend this one since I never followed her music or her career, so the content doesn't grab me enough to stay up so late past my bedtime (the FPAs were completely different! Plus I had a date! I don't know anyone in my circle who would want to go to this.). I just wanted babblers to know about it, plus the name of the event kinda grabbed me with its cleverness.

Thu, 2009-05-07 06:54

Catchfire

Not to mention she is the poster girl for African child adoption (when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are looking smug somewhere else).

Thu, 2009-05-07 07:01

Michelle

Oh, oh, right! I totally forgot about the Kabbalah thing, and the Hindu thing. I was thinking of her earlier videos, where she was "controversial" by "appropriating" Catholic imagery and sexualizing it, which I approved of wholeheartedly. :D

And yes, I had thought about the "adopting the whole freakin' world" thing, but I didn't think that had much to do with her music, so I wasn't thinking that.

Very interesting! I wish I could go, but my Saturday nights are all spent with the munchkin. :)

Thu, 2009-05-07 07:07

Catchfire

Well, now that I think about it, the greatest video of all time--Just Like a Prayer--uses a 'controversial' black Christ figure. Has the black community thanked Madonna for that bold move yet?

Anyway, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun! Michelle, you should take the munchkin along!

Thu, 2009-05-07 07:12

#10

Unionist

Thread drift - I like this video.

Thu, 2009-05-07 07:28

#11

Michelle

It's a bit late for him, Catchfire - his bedtime is half an hour after the show begins! :)

Thu, 2009-05-07 08:53

#12

Rexdale_Punjabi Rexdale_Punjabi's picture

Catchfire wrote:

Well, now that I think about it, the greatest video of all time--Just Like a Prayer--uses a 'controversial' black Christ figure. Has the black community thanked Madonna for that bold move yet?

Anyway, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun! Michelle, you should take the munchkin along!

truth always is controversial huh? IDK never really liked or listened to Madonna but I can see the appropriation happening. You can see like rocc n roll, went fromt he hood to elvis(mainstream), jazz did, now hiphop kind of is so it happens a lot more then u think.