Raven Jake Dawes

Raven Jake's Book Club - the Cons of the "Classics"

Just kiddin' y'all, I don't have a book club. Yet. It might be on the horizon. Lately I've been reading some oldies that I missed the first time around. You might have caught "The Big Sleep" a couple posts back. Now sometimes reading the oldies is uncomfortable. Sometimes it's because the words have fallen out of favor and it's hard to chew your way through and sometimes it's because they're unrelievedly racist and misogynistic.  I read once that a good barometer of whether or not a text is racist (like if for some reason your racism reader is jammed and you need some help deciding) is to ask yourself "Would I feel comfortable reading this to a child of the ethnic/racial group in question?" That ought to clear things up right there. 

Over to the right is Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It's super racist and quite misogynistic. And not just "for the times"  - plenty of older books are not as flagrantly "White Man's Burden" as Tarzan. Also, the scenarios described are simply absurd. It isn't all that well written. Here is an interesting fact: The Apes that Tarzan is the King of are not gorillas. They are a different intermediate form of hominid that have some gorilla-like attributes and some that are more human. They are like Bigfoots. Bigfeet. What's the plural of Bigfoot, y'all? 

Folks have written PhD thesis about pervasive literary racism, and I'm not adding to that body of knowledge, I'm just readin' and reviewin' some old books. You've got a few things going on. In the 1800s up to World War II or so, there is a very strong trend of nationalistic identity - the pervasive belief that being a white American or British man was in all ways superior to any other state of being. Some of the stereotyping is "positive" -  that natives are strong or good hunters, although that is often mitigated by them being the first characters to be killed off or that they are superstitious or cannibalistic.  Slavery and colonialism were often not questioned. There is a difference between describing social stratification and actively endorsing it and some writers get into a gray area here.  It can also be pretty darned informative to read about the state of racial/gender relations at various points in history from a primary source rather than through the 21st century lens (where we've got it all figured out, right?) So just about every classic book could use a rewrite before it's ready to go live - some more than others - but this is kind of risky too. It's dangerous to whitewash the whitewashed past. There is merit in learning from other's mistakes.  Still, I think before I sat down and read "Peter Pan" to a Native American kid, I'd want to bring it more in line with the values of equality and justice. 

 

 

Robolights 2016

Robolights is the artistic creation of Kenny Irwin (standing over there with me - we were lucky enough to spot him strollin' around), a lifelong Palm Springs resident who has been working on this masterwork for 30 years. Looking much like a dystopian Small World ride, Robolights examines the materialism that undermines spirituality and feeds the military industrial complex in a basically light-hearted way using mainly found and discarded materials. Or maybe I'm readin' too much into it, but that's what I got.

 

Anyway, Kenny's kinda like Noah Purifoy with about 10 million Xmas lights - 

good social consciousness and a wacky sense of humor. Go see his set up (it's at the family homestead in Palm Springs) if you're anywhere around the area. And please donate what you can. Kenny ain't exactly getting rich off his art projects and electricity costs a lot. Worse, he's having issues with the city planning commission over  his extension cords and to top it off, his dad. Kenny Irwin Sr., passed on back in July. Hasn't been an easy year for this guy. 

Salaam alaikum, Kenny! Hoping that you overcome these obstacles and have a happy, prosperous and creative 2017.

Robolights runs daily from 4-9:30 pm until Jan 1. 

Address: 1077 E Granvia Valmonte, Palm Springs, CA 92262

 

Phone: (760) 200-4143

Now Robolights is not a children's entertainment (but if your kids like robots, they'll lose their minds with happiness) and there's some adult content, so use your judgement. Over in the left column, there's a whole photo album from this year's Robolights. He switches it up all the time.

PS - Update: Kenny's still in trouble with the city, but now it's an inflatable Santa on his roof, and an if-fy wall over by the dovecote. Have a care if yer walkin' on a windy night. Also - the Robolights docents and volunteers are just awesome.

Photos © 2016 by Jane Pojawa.

 

Book Review: The Big Sleep

Y'all, I've been delving into the public domain for my reading material lately, and come to a couple of conclusions. (1) Those books that I thought I remembered reading in my youth are a lot different than I remember them, and I'm pretty sure I must have been reading the Severely Abridged For Young Readers Edition and (2) Many of these classics are worth revisiting. Go ahead and check out The Big Sleep here.

This is a classic noir story, set in the late '30s in Los Angeles. The tough-guy gang talk is hilarious. and would have pleased my late mother-in-law to no end. Some of those slang words are definitely worth bringin' back.  And then there's stuff like this:

I grinned at her with my head on one side. She flushed. Her hot black eyes looked mad. "I don't see what there is to be cagey about," she snapped. "And I don't like your manners."

"I'm not crazy about yours," I said. "I didn't ask to see you. You sent for me. I don't mind your ritzing me or drinking your lunch out of a Scotch bottle. I don't mind your showing me your legs. They're very swell legs and it's a pleasure to make their acquaintance. I don't mind if you don't like my manners. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings. But don't waste your time trying to cross-examine me."

Swell! Private detective Phillip Marlowe is hired by an oil baron with two miscreant daughters to clear up a blackmail threat. But things aren't exactly what they seem and a few plot twists later and with more murders than an episode of Game of Thrones, he's got his hands full trying to stay alive and save the world. But he just can't help his wisecracking ways and it only lands him in more trouble with LA's criminal underworld, not-so-honest cops, and damsels in distress. 

It's a short book - only 130 pages - with tight writing and some of the funniest descriptions you'll ever read. Git's the Raven Jake seal of approval. 

On the slab in the lab...

Y'all I may have a web project coming up with the talented Michael A. Isaacs. Thanks to some Hollywood magic (aka costume and make up) your intrepid desert explorer, Raven Jake, is taking a ride on the wild side or possibly engaging in some  unauthorized genetic engineering. First up: I'm gonna make me a jackalope and see where the day takes me. 

24th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design at FIDM

I haven't been by my old alma mater, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for quite a spell, and that's kind of a shame because they have two terrific exhibits up now - the Oscar costumes and some gorgeous Victorian fans. 

Over there at the right, I'm hanging out with the costumes from The Revenant, but if that ain't your thing, they've got MacBeth, Cinderella, Crimson Peak, Hateful Eight, Mad Max and the main draw (according to our docent) is the costumes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Literally there is something for everybody. 

 

Dates: February 9, 2016–April 30, 2016

10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

(Museum will be open on Monday, February 29 and closed on Friday, March 4)

Location: FIDM Museum

919 S. Grand AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90015

Admission: Free to the public

Creepy fun fact: The belt on this dress from Crimson Peak is made from human hair. It is not a special effect! 

 

Scott Hove at Think Tank Gallery

Scott Hove, responsible for Oakland's wonderful Cakeland, is shaking and baking things up here in LA in the heart of the fabric district. Get on down to the Think Tank gallery where you don't eat cakes - they eat you.  This is can't-miss installation art sure to put a smile on your face and also get you thinking - and the pink frosted cake maze is mandatory. Admission is free, but reservations are advised. They're also doing lots of specially-ticketed events, so keep an eye out in case one catches your fancy. 

Think Tank Art Gallery - 939 Maple Avenue. Second Floor. Los Angeles, CA 90015

 

Krampus 2015

Y'all recall my epic Krampus suit of 2013? Big furry son of a gun? 

Now that was a great suit, but after my bypass surgery, I couldn't handle walkin' that thing around any more, so I sold it to my friend Drew. Looks better on him anyway. That's Krampus 2013 on the right. But I haven't gotten all of the Krampus out of my system, so it was back to the drawing board. 

First, I made some hooves:

 

 

 

 

 

Then I got to cranking out the rest of my swag. That's me and Jane at the Krampus Ball. Vern Evans took the photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it came to the Doo Dah parade I knew I needed to switch my look up, so I went for this one:

Now I'm a little embarrassed to admit as a lifelong LA guy that this was my first Doo Dah parade. I assure you that it won't be the last. What a tremendous amount of fun. I'll definitely be seein' y'all there next year! 

Adios, Dredlocks

By the time I was done with Wasteland, I was done with dredlocks too.  Life is short and I don't have time for all the foolin' around that they entail. I spent the better part of the year trying to make em look like somethin' but I don't have the genetics or the time to make it work. So one fine autumn day, I sat out in the yard and cut 'em all off and then went out and got a decent haircut. This ain't it, by the way. You'll see the difference. Now I can brush my hair with a towel instead of messing around with sprays and wax and crochet hooks.  Shout out to my boy Shara at Anew Luke.

Anew Luke Salon

2418 Honolulu Ave
Ste F
Montrose, CA 91020
(818) 248-1316

Wasteland Weekend 2015

Folks , I'm behind on my postin!' That isn't to say I haven't been doing anything. Especially if getting dressed up is involved. Here are a few pics from this year's Wasteland Weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Summer Wedding

Among the tricks in Raven Jake's bag, is that I am an ordained minister, and if the occasion calls for it, I can join a couple in Holy Matrimony. Mostly I can talk 'em out of it, but if a couple is dead set on getting hitched, not even I can stand in their way.  

Now it so happens that our dear friends Rachel and Jason decided to tie the knot in beautiful Sonoma with just a few select friends around, and they chose me as their officiant. Reverend Raven Jake was mighty glad to help out. 

Let me tell you, that when a couple is this in love, it is a joy to be around them and bless them with a happy marriage.  After the ceremony, held near a vineyard, we adjourned to the French Laundry for once-in-a-lifetime dinner. Shout out to Bob McClenahan for taking such terrific photos.