My Views on Body Positivity

In response to a media request, I was contacted earlier this year for my thoughts on body positivity for an article in Women's Health magazine, "This Is How Women Today REALLY Feel About Getting Naked".

My direct quotes weren't used in the final article in the September 2017 issue, so I'm sharing them with you here---

The body positivity movement is all about telling women to love your body, love yourself, that any body is a bikini body, but women’s mentality hasn’t synced up to the trend. (Almost 80 percent of women say they’re not confident in a bikini—same as four years ago.) Why do you think that is?

It takes a long time to reverse thinking. The male gaze has determined what's normal and desirable for so long that it will take a long time to discredit. That can be seen in the backlash to the feminist movement - those in power are not quick to relinquish it. Also many women support the beauty ideals because of internalized sexism and misogyny. Though a woman may be body positive, unless she's surrounded by a supportive network, and not attacked by trolls and others who aren't happy with themselves it can be lonely and tough to maintain the positivity.

Read the rest here: My Views on Body Positivity

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Exclusive Interview in HUF Magazine! Abigail Ekue: Author, Photographer, Artist, Provocateur

I'm pleased to announce that my exclusive interview in HUF Magazine is published in Issue #54. This summer I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from the editor requesting the interview and obliged.



It was a fun interview. HUF asked about my first paid shoot and my most recent shoot and how they differed --

My first paid portrait shoot was a male nude shoot. It was for very little pay and the images were for a feminist artist (or painter, I don't remember) to use. I got to use the photos for my portfolio. Around the same time, I was hired to cover a community event. That shoot paid more. My most recent shoot was a shoot for my Bare Men series. It differed from my first paid shoot because I had tons more creative freedom and worked with a model who was comfortable with the terms of the series - visible face and full-frontal nudity. That allows the shoot to flow so much easier.

Get Bare Men on PAPER

In one of the mysteries of cyberspace, this interview disappeared from the PAPER magazine website. 

I discovered I couldn't discover the article while I was updating the links on my photography website and reached out to the writer to find out what's what. 

Interview about Writing and Self-Publishing a Book

In Las Vegas for my book signing, December 2015

You win some, you lose some, but in the end you can post it on your blog.


I was contacted by a women's blog for an interview about writing a book and self-publishing. That was a few months ago and it's safe to say that they won't be running the piece so I'm sharing it here:

Questions on Naked Men & Arousal, Seduction and Being a Woman Artist

How did I handle the men who become aroused during Bare Men photo shoots? Has work on Bare Men changed me as an artist or a woman? When's the book coming out?


Sarah McPhee asked me those wonderful questions about Bare Men after discovering it on Refinery29. It was very refreshing to receive her email - one step up from the praise emails and comments I receive and definitely better than the negativity from those who simply don't get or appreciate nudity or nude art. This one also had different tone from the interview in WideWalls.

Best Cities for Tour Guides -- My 2 Cents

{The} Native Creative Concierge was interviewed for an article on ValuePenguin - Best Cities for Tour Guides. Although New York isn't that high up on the list, I was able to share the reason why I started Native Creative Concierge and give a little insight into what I include on my excursions.

“...there was a need for travelers to experience more of New York City outside of the usual tourist attractions. As a native New Yorker, I am able to provide that...

Client interested in Mediterranean cuisine? End the tour with a stop at an upscale restaurant and receive personal attention from the head chef...”

Another Random Moment With Johnny B. Azari

Johnny B. Azari, aspiring grand weirdo

 
I had a moment with him before he set out on tour.

He's back. The Tropic of Entropy tour is done.

Johnny B. Azari performed on October 12 at Henley Cigs -- the first time in 2 years that he's played in New York. The city he loves loved him back. The night before his birthday party-homecoming show, we got together to catch up -- what exactly was it like on the road?

A Random Moment With Johnny B. Azari

Johnny B. Azari, singer/songwriter and rambling man | Photo by Zach Gold

I met Johnny B. Azari at the restaurant Les Enfants Terribles (no more), then a week later I accepted his invitation to attend a performance of his blues duo (no more). Last year, I found out he wasn't in New York City anymore. But my love and intrigue for Johnny B. hasn't waned. He's currently touring the US -- The Tropic of Entropy tour -- leaving his mark and being marked. Track his music, movies and live performance dates on his website. Keep up with this ramblin' man on Instagram. He's making his way back east and when he gets to New York, I'll be sure to catch up with him for an update.


Before he embarked on his tour, I had a few questions for him...

A Random Moment With A Proud Owner Of A Micropenis (NSFW)

Martin, proud owner of a  micropenis

I stumbled on to his tumblr, Martin's Tiny Penis, a few months ago via reblogs. Martin has a micropenis and is proud of it. I am always intrigued by bodies, their owners and the relationship people have with/in their bodies.  He has a willingness to show himself and answer questions and reply to the comments from tumblr followers. I had a few questions of my own which he was happy to answer.


NSFW photos after the jump...

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A Random Moment With Gwyn Joy of Paradou

Gwyn Joy, bartender/manager at Paradou restaurant, illustrator

Here's "the more" from Gwyn Joy as promised. Read on to find out more about his art, foie gras, corporate branding, advice for brunching at Paradou, his doppelganger... and foie gras.

To think he didn't even want the job.

A Random Moment with TastyKeish

TastyKeish, media personality, professional hobbyist

 

When I was invited to participate in A Monthly Bondfire's Ladies Night in 2009, I met her backstage to go over my place in the line-up and the pronunciation of my name. I remember she was wearing "sexy time pants". Since then we've become fast friends over boot camps and rum cake and gchat brainstorming sessions. She still amazes me with the extent of her DIY life. No stranger to the interview, TK!, as I affectionately call her, sat down with me after a Rise Up Radio show on a Friday night. Then we hit the streets.

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My name is TastyKeish, also known as my regular name, Keisha Dutes. My craft… media personality, professional hobbyist. I have lots of hobbies that I enjoy and I also enjoy making money off of them. So radio, video, web and all hobbies that don’t fit into that circle.

A Random Moment with Gregory Mulkern

Gregory Mulkern, lead vocalist, banjo, Sold Only As Curio

Saturday night. LES, NYC. I ventured to Pianos for a friend's gig. Second on the bill was who I described on sight as a "lean gypsy". He proceeded to wow us with Turkish songs and The Wire. Solo. On September 12, I had the opportunity to experience the entire band at Jalopy. Before they hit the stage, I sat down with the lead vocalist for this interview.

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My name is Gregory Mulkern. I’m from Portland, Oregon and I play banjo and sing with the band, Sold Only As Curio.

Another Random Moment with Tom Hatton

Tom Hatton interviews Julianne Moore for the Red Carpet Premiere of Game Change

In June, I met up with Tom Hatton before his gig at LIC Bar with the band Gandhi in our first Random Moment. We focused primarily on his music and inspirations during that conversation. However, Tom Hatton is also an actor, TV host and New Media pioneer who has worked with major media brands and outlets Sony, Sky TV and Warner Bros. Read on to find out more about this multifaceted talent.

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What is your definition of "New Media"?

New media refers to on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device. For example web, broadcast, mobile and console devices.


How do you prepare for an audition?

It depends what it is for. If I am playing a character like I did by hosting the Harry Potter YouTube Channel, I primarily make sure I know my lines really well. If I am playing myself such as with hosting for Sky TV or for Sony's In the Qube, then I focus more on grounding myself in the material to be covered. For example, although not an audition, when I interviewed Julianne Moore I did a lot of research on her role in the movie. Then it's all about connecting person to person.

Tom Hatton hosts the Harry Potter YouTube Channel

A Random Moment with Maya Azucena

Maya Azucena, artist, humanitarian, entrepreneur

A few years ago, she was the feature performer at Symponics Live at Bowery Poetry Club. I was moved enough by her music to chat with her after the show. I fell in love with her music because it is emotionally charged. I love her stage presence and, of course, her hair. When I attended a later show; she remembered me, always had a warm, welcoming energy.  Last week between a recording session and before her guest DJ gig at the Nu Hotel she sat down with me for this interview.

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Hi, I’m Maya Azucena, I am from Brooklyn, New York—that always comes immediately after every description of myself—I am an artist, a humanitarian and an entrepreneur. Business woman, basically.

Do you blend a lot of your humanitarian work into your music? Is that the message behind your music?

My social activism work is extremely integrated into my music. I think it all started with feeling that my songwriting was a way that I could help people. I have very strong convictions about injustices in the world and my heart just goes out to those that struggle. I’ve had my own struggles. I think what followed writing songs that had cultural and socially relevant themes was representing those themes at benefit events and branding it in a way where it’s me as an artist meshed with me as a humanitarian.

A Random Moment with Jay White

Jay White, DJ

I can never blame anything on the alcohol. It was the music. It took his sets for me to learn who Adele is, choose a Franki Valli song for my burlesque routine and discover The Supermen Lovers. Always an hospitable host, I had to get up with him for a interview even though he claims he's not as cool as everybody thinks he is. DUMBO. Halcyon. He rolled up on his motorized scooter and we got to it.

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My name is Jay White. Brooklyn. I am in the hospitality industry. I’m also a student and a DJ.

A DJ. That’s why I chose you, that’s how I met you… but what do you do in the hospitality industry?

I’m a maître d' at Apothéke, in Chinatown. I was also a general manager for the same owner's previous business, The Wall Street Burger Shoppe and was a hospitality specialist during my college years at Starbucks—that’s where the hospitality background comes from.

Ok, with the DJ’ing, what was your first gig, your first break?

My first gig, DJing, believe it or not, was at the Chelsea Hotel. I was nervous, I was sweating, I didn’t know what to play next. I had a friend who was trying to mentor me through the DJ process, Richie Beretta, and he was telling me, “play this next, play that next” – my set was like an hour but it felt like the whole night to me. But that’s when I realized I wanna do it, everything clicked.

A Random Moment with Ijeoma Iheanacho

Ijeoma Iheanacho, fine art photographer

I answered her casting call that was posted on SocietyHAE. We've kept each other abreast on our shutterbuggery. Last spring, her series, "Faces of the Great Recession", was a featured in the Faces of the Economy show held at the Art for Change Gallery. I finally made it to the Bronx, where she was gracious enough to grant this interview.

 

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My name is Ijeoma Iheanacho. I am a fine art photographer.

How long have you been doing photography?

I’ve been doing photography since college. Graduated high school in 1996 so… ’96 to 2012… 15 years? I’m trained as an architect, I don’t do math [laughs].

A Random Moment with The Hired Gun

The Hired Gun, Hip Hop MC, writer, critic, arts educator

We totally dated ourselves when we realized we knew each other since the heydays of Myspace. Yes, that Myspace. Since then we've been connected through the music and poetry circles and the occasional hot button race issue. At the Ace Hotel, on a Saturday afternoon we discovered we were neighbors in Brooklyn, kindred in the artist lifestyle.

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My name is Mikal Amin Lee AKA The Hired Gun, Fresh Roots Music, Nomadic Wax, Urban Word. I am a Hip Hop MC, artist, writer, cultural critic and arts educator. I’ve been based in New York City now for the last 13 years—born and raised in New Jersey—been reppin’ Brooklyn since 2000, officially. Unofficially, I’ve been reppin’ Brooklyn since Big Daddy Kane in 19- [muffles his voice] I’m not gonna say when cause I look very young.

As an MC and artist, what is the message behind your music?

My influences have been people like Chuck D, KRS-One, Brother Jay, The Native Tongues, Freestyle Fellowship and regardless of the political message or the artistic message, the thing that I took from them and what I try to carry on is I want you to think. I want you to ask questions. That’s what my music is—it’s to inspire thought, it’s to provoke thought—what’s going on with you, what’s going on with the community around you, what’s going on with the world around you, why are things the way they are, where do you fit in all of that. So that’s really what my music’s about regardless of what the topic or the concept or the theme is ... I’m not afraid to say I love Black people, so I try to celebrate us as much as possible in my music and I try to show a different angle because I’m not what this country or what people think are stereotypical of us so I try to represent that as well in my music.

A Random Moment with Terry Castro

Castro, jewelry designer, creator of dreams

He scored points simply for being at my favorite restaurant, 2 years ago. Once I struck up conversation, I noticed the bear claw around his neck; he told me about his jewelry, I told him about my "dirty" writing, we discussed race. Since then there were run-ins in SoHo and the LES when he wasn't in Europe or Asia racking up buyers or in Paris (le sigh) for Fashion Week. A few blocks away from the Art For Change Gallery, we met at his studio for this interview.

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My name is Castro, like Fidel Castro, like Cuba. I’m a creator, a creator of dreams. At this point in my dreams I’m creating jewelry, leather accessories—whatever comes to my mind. Before that, I did clothing, women’s clothing.

A Random Moment with Damali Abrams

Damali Abrams, interdisciplinary artist

We met at the opening reception of her exhibit at A.I.R. Gallery in DUMBO. In person she was quiet and humble, on the video screens we viewed 365 of her characters. Summer of 2011, I watched a video she exhibited addressing the hot button issue at that time - unattractive Black women destined for lifelong singlehood - at an event at Bluestockings book store organized by her sister, Abiola Abrams. On July 18, Columbus Circle was under the deluge of a summer thunderstorm storm so we took refuge in the Time Warner Center for this interview.

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My name is Damali Abrams. I’m an interdisciplinary artist but I work mostly right now in video and performance but I also do collage and mixed media.

How long have you been involved in the arts?

Well, I’ve pretty much been involved in the arts all my life; I studied dance growing up, I’ve written poetry since I was a little girl and then I started getting into more visual art as I got older.

A Random Moment with Robin Glasser

Robin Glasser, author

We were both on the bill for a literary reading event in 2010. She enjoyed my excerpt on fellatio, I was sucked into her excerpt on being seduced in Paris. She informed me about Word Up bookshop the opportunity to have copies of my book sold there and we later shared the stage at an event she organized. Then along came a nude young man and my camera. On a sultry Saturday, we met in Chinatown while passersby listening in on our conversation.

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My name is Robin Glasser, like Batman and Robin, R-O-B-I-N, I’m not fancy, and I’m a writer. I’m an author. I have one book called Men At Work, which is fully illustrated and it actually comes with a guarantee to put twinkles in your eyes and sparkles in your pants. Somebody gave me a video camera to make little movies and I put them on YouTube and the very first poem they have now taken off so I’m at war with YouTube. My other book is My Life as a Concubine which is actually a roman à clef—I lived in Paris for 3 years—I changed the names to protect the guilty. Besides a love story, there’s recipes, there’s tips of France and great places to visit. I’ve just finished my third book, The Brain Exchange, which I call a "Sex-Fi" and the punchline is, “If you could walk in someone else’s shoes, would they fit?” It takes place in the not-too-distant future and the latest thing is instead of taking a vacation to an exotic land you can actually exchange brains and take a vacation in someone else’s body. And the whole plot revolves around a bodybuilder and a super plus size woman and what ensues.