May Marvels

Leonora Carrington "Green Tea (La Dame Ovale)" 1943

Well, you can probably guess that I'm going to be crowing about my book again, because it comes out in just a few weeks on June 4th! I've got a whole bunch of events coming up in support of that, a few of which I'll be mentioning below. But you can see them all listed here, and you can sign up for my newsletter here to make sure you don't miss any.

In the meantime, however, there's a whole bunch of other spectacular stuff happening this month, too. So here we go!

• Leonora Carrington: The Story of the Last Egg will be in NYC at Gallery Wendi Norris (off site) on May 23 - June 29. It will feature several of her works, as well as a reading of her unpublished play Opus Siniestrus: The Story of the Last Egg, and a symposium to boot. I'm giddy with anticipation!
  
  
• On the topic of surrealist faves, there is currently a show up called Surrealism in Mexico at NYC's Di Donna Gallery. Works by Carrington, Frida Kahlo, and my #1, Remedios Varo, are among those included. I need to make sure I see it before it closes on June 28.
  
  
• And I could not be more excited for my friend Amy Hale's book on surrealist art magicienne, Ithell Colquhoun, which was just announced.
  
  
• Some of you know I love Kansas City and get there with relative frequency to visit one of my dearest pals. Hoping I can get there soon, as there is a Saya Woolfalk exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum up through Sept 1, and a Ralph Steadman retrospective up next month at the Kansas City Public Library.
  
  
• Speaking of Steadman, he's been on my mind lately because he did the poster art for Taylor Mac's GARY on Broadway, which is such an astoundingly brilliant show. I almost feel like the less you know about it the better, but let's just say it's a meditation on the purpose of art in challenging times. (And no, you don't have to be familiar with Titus Andronicus beforehand, so don't fret). See it.
  
  
• Occult poet and pal, Janaka Stucky, is currently on tour, and we caught his NYC ritual performance this weekend. Again, don't want to give to much away, but he is dazzling and unmissable, and you should absolutely catch him, particularly if one of his full-scale events in partnership with Atlas Obscura comes your way. Was very honored to write the forward for his sublime new book, Ascend Ascend, which is out now.
  
  
• On that note, thrilled to be doing an event with him this Saturday, May 18th in Philly. We'll be at BloodMilk's performance venue, Sphinx & Snakeskin, doing readings from our books and then having some juicy discussion afterward. Tickets here.
  
  
• OK, since we're talking events, here's a whole slew of NYC events of mine happening next month, so you can mark your calendars:

  Tues, JUNE 4, McNally Jackson Books (Williamsburg location), 7pm, FREE: 
  Official book release event in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (please note there are several locations of this bookstore, so make sure this is the one you turn up to!) I’ll be moderating a discussion with 3 of my favorite witchly writers, Dorothea Lasky, Kristen J. Sollee, & Mya Spalter. More details here.

  Thurs, JUNE 13, Catland Books, 7pm, FREE:
  I’ll be in conversation with Spolia Tarot creators Jessa Crispin & Jen May (each an amazing writer/artist in their own right) at Bushwick, Brooklyn's occult shop. Link coming soon, but it will be a juicy conversation about magic, feminism, and tarot.

  Thurs, JUNE 20, The Wing (Flatiron location) 6:30pm, FREE (Members Only): 
  If you are a member of The Wing, or you know someone who is that can bring you, I'll be interviewed about witchery & feminism by the brilliant Dianca London Potts. 

  Fri, JUNE 21, The Strand Bookstore, 7pm, $15: 
  This is a BIGGIE. I’ll be at the one-and-only Strand in Manhattan giving a presentation on witches and how my book came about. This will be a magnificent Summer Solstice event & when you buy your tix, you’ll also have the option of adding a reading with a magical divination expert as well. Magic will be in the air! More info and tickets available here.

  Thurs, JUNE 27, Barbes, 7:30pm, FREE (donation to musicians encouraged):
  I’m very honored that the musicians of The Bushwick Book Club will be performing songs that they’ve written based on my book. I'll do a short reading, but this will mainly be a music show, and I'll be hearing the songs for the first time myself that night. Barbes is a legendary bar and music venue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, so this should be a really special one!

• And while you've got that pen out, jot down the dates of Oct 4 - 6 for the next Occult Humanities Conference at NYU! So happy to be co-organizing this again with my brother-in-bewitchment, Jesse Bransford. Schedule and tix on sale soon, but as you can see the lineup is pretty tasty if I do say so myself.
  
  
• The new FKA Twigs video for Cellophane is one of the most gorgeous things I've seen in a while (and reminds me quite a bit of my favorite Aeon Flux episode, Isthmus Crypticus).
  
  
• Charming Disaster's darkly delightful new album, Spells + Rituals, comes out on June 7th.
  
  
• I'm obsessed with Lisa Hanawalt's new adult animated series, Tuca & Bertie. It has that quality of demented joy I can't get enough of.
  
  
• Maleficent is *technically* a malevolent fairy, but I was still happy to get my witch on and watch the new trailer for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

That's all for now. Hope your May is off to a magical start!