I recently was reunited with some old friends — my cassette singles from the late 80’s and early 90’s. See, back in the day we bought singles, individual songs on cassettes that you would buy at Sam Goody, or Tower Records, or HMV, or fill in record store of your choice. If you were around then, I am preaching to the choir. But I know there are a handful of you to whom the concept of going out and buying music, let alone a single song on audio cassette is as foreign as an emoji-less text. Alas entertainment was not always at your fingertips!

When I opened the treasure chest o’ music that my friend had fostered through the years, out came a veritable time capsule dating back to the late 80’s to the early 90’s. A flood of memories hit me as I fingered these archaic objects and I was immediately transported to that time in my life. I also became aware of the person I was at that time and the vestiges of my identity that have either faded away or are still clinging on.

Look at the selection of music below and you’ll see my interest in R&B, House Music, Freestyle, Hip-Hop - ‘twas the 90’s and that was the lewk and I was cool. Next stop amazon.com to get a boombox to play these things on. Do they still make those?!

I went to The Guggenheim and came across Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now, a stunning, comprehensive show of the photographer’s work. In addtion to the powerful hallmarks of his body of work, including his portraits, S&M series, and floral studies, there were pieces that I hadn’t encountered previously. Three such pieces are Black Bag, Red Bag, and Green Bag.

All created in 1971, the three pieces exemplify Mapplethorpe’s interest in the male form and sexuality that would play a monumental role in his artistic production. I thought the use of the grid (a spray painted part of a potato sack) was intresting from a both a formal and conceptual point of view. Also I found his use of banal objects resourceful and inspiring. The artworks possessed a youthful, obsessive quality about them. It was great to discover these pieces that served provide a sketch the artist as a young man.