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The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page C02

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C02
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PHILLY.COM philly.com 121PhillyInquirer Ilphillyinquirer C2 THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 TIRDAD DERAKHSHANI El derakht00 TIRDAD DERAKHSHANI derakht00 ICA receives $10 million gift Daniel W. Dietrich II's philanthropy is intended to enhance the scope of the institution's curatorial efforts. Memories, money, Milk Duds It's taken nearly eight months, but Melissa Rivers is beginning to get back on her feet after the death of her mother, Joan Rivers. "I never let myself imagine life without her," she tells People. "Why would I want to?" Rivers, 47, and her son, Cooper Endicott, 14, are getting a handle on the grief by going through rituals such as clearing out her mother's New York flat.

(The contents are to be auctioned.) Trouble is, they threw out the wrong stuff. Rivers, who had long known her mother hid money in strange places, realized a little late that she had chucked some of her mother's favorite hiding spots empty candy boxes. "Then I was told she used Milk Duds boxes as her travel wallets," she said. "And we've been throwing things out!" Rivers is making the rounds to plug her new memoir, The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, due Tuesday. nity to "build relationships with artists," Sadao said.

For one thing, many ICA exhibitions make use of entire galleries and even the whole museum, integrating art and space in intricate and specific ways. The institution has no permanent collection and often depends on the response of artists to the ICA space. The new funding will mean "saying yes to artists' vision," Sadao said. And it gives artists and curators the time to contemplate how to make ideas manifest. The gift, she said, also represents a huge step forward in a $20 million, five-year plan to enhance ICA's artistic projects, programming and educational efforts, ramp up outreach efforts, and polish the experience of visitors and artists who use the space.

The Dietrich gift, Sadao said, "lifts us onto another stage." 11 By Stephan Salisbury INQUIRER CULTURE WRITER The Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania has received a gift of $10 million to enhance the scope and flexibility of its curatorial efforts, ICA director Amy Sadao announced Wednesday. The gift comes from a longtime ICA supporter and board member, the philanthropist and collector Daniel W. Dietrich II. The gift, which doubles the institute's endowment, is the second instance of Dietrich-funded cultural philanthropy to come to light this week. On Monday, the Association for Public Art announced that Dietrich had donated funds to acquire sculptor Roxy Paine's silvery Symbiosis, which has been temporarily installed near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The tree-like stainless steel sculpture will now remain permanently in place. Sadao called Dietrich, who lives in Chester County, a "cou rageous arts patron" with a deep understanding of ICA. The self-effacing Dietrich, 73, called his gifts part of "an autumnal late blooming for me." He has been associated with the institute since 1969, serving on the exhibitions committee for many years, and is now an emeritus member of the board of directors. His gift, he said in an interview, is "boundless in potential," allowing time for curators and artists to "percolate ideas" and "approach artwork from the meditative side." His hope is that it Daniel proves "transforma- is a longt tional," allowing art- sup porte ists and curators "to be explorers in a way that most institutions" cannot support. The gift, he said, "is really about exploring the notion of what it means to be an artist." That means, he said, giving Daniel W.

is a longtime supporter. artists and curators the time necessary to probe all manner of ideas, even those that don't necessarily lead in a direct line to exhibitions. The gift comes after about a year and a half of conversations between Dietrich and the ICA's director. wanted to get at the core of ICA and what it has been since its founding," director Sadao said. "That means giv- ing artists the oppor- tunity to venture into new territory and even possibly to see work in a new light.

That takes time." In addition to proe viding time, the gift will give ICA a greater reach, facilitating its ability to bring artists to Philadelphia from all over for exhibition-related programming or just a straightforward exchange of ideas. Curators will have an opportu I Dietrich II ICA ietrich II ICA ssalisburyphillynews.com 215-854-5594 11 SPSalisbury alackOulDay EM St A'''L A 4 Melissa Rivers seems to have been too diligent in cleaning out her late mother Joan's flat. Getty Images they're still beautiful." (Ironically, black people with full lips have been seen as ugly and mocked in minstrel shows, but white celebrities with full lips, real or not such as Kylie Jenner are now praised as beautiful.) On Friday, Hall plans to share pictures of herself directing a mini-documentary on young women struggling with media images of the perfect woman. The documentary, now on YouTabe (bitlyIDXfecil), is titled Guess What Media. BuzzFeed's Clayton says, "With all the negative images of black folks in the media," along with easily accessible images of black people "being murdered by police officers, I definitely understood the need to try to remind the world and ourselves that we are beautiful, lively people, and need to see ourselves reflected as such." She says the social-media fellowship of BlackOutDay allows black people to seek affirmation in "spaces where we can breathe, where we are all the norm, and where we control the narrative and how we feel and what happens to us." A Tamblr post that stuck with Clayton and many others was of a young man who posted a BlackOutDay selfie, his face streaked with tears, with this post: "As someone in my position; Bisexual, disabled (hearing impaired), not confident in my appearance, and struggling.

I tend to avoid posting pictures for a movement. Even if it is one meant to motivate, inspire, and more. "However after seeing some pictures of other African-Americans in similar positions as myself after some thought, I built up the courage." BlackOutDay cofounder King-Yarde received a message on the first BlackOutDay, on March 6, from a woman who said she was scrolling through photos with her younger sister. Her sister said, "For the first time in her life 'Look! She has hair like mine, and she looks so and started smiling as she felt her curls. We try our best to always celebrate her culture and her race, but she's never liked her hair even a bit before today.

Just wanted to share that blackout helped out a beautiful black princess finally feel like one." Clayton says BlackOutDay is in the same vein as BlackLivesMatter: "Too many people don't know our lives matter, us included. We need that reminder as badly as white people do." BlackOutDay. "We are still told in so many ways that we are an afterthought, at best, or that we do not matter at all, at worst," Clayton said. Dwight Baughns, 26, posted a photo on Tamb Ir of himself and 3-year-old daughter Lyric on the April 3 BlackOutDay. In it, he holds her as she smiles on the verge of laughter.

Baughns' beard is decorated with her barrettes. The photo got more than 80,000 notes on Tamb Ir. His reason for the post? "She has to grow up as a black woman," Baughns said. "That's one of the hardest things to do in this world." Baughns said he struggled with self-hate growing up because he's black. "If she loves herself, she's unstoppable." Lyric may face her share of hurdles in a difficult media environment.

In January, Cosmopolitan magazine created an uproar when all the black faces used as examples in a fashion article were linked to trends that "needed to die." Last fall, the New York Times described Viola Davis as "less classically beautiful" than the lighter-skinned Kerry Washington. And this week, a British anchor caused a backlash when, in interviewing biracial twins, she clearly favored the one with more European features. It's not surprising that BlackOutDay has its detractors and has been rebutted with WhiteOutDay. But, Reign said, "Let us celebrate ourselves. If I say I love myself, that doesn't mean I hate everybody." Reign, who created the popular hashtag 0scarsSoWhite in response to the lack of diversity in this year's Academy Award nomination pool, says the full spectrum of blackness isn't shown in the media.

Kenyatta Barry, expert genealogist who stars in PBS' Genealogy Roadshow, says the BlackOutDay movement, like genealogy, provides people with a stronger sense of identity. "If I know my history and ancestors, it gives me sense of pride," Barry said. "With BlackOutDay, that connection is through a community and connecting with people who look like you." Tiffani Hall, 19, a communications and media arts major at Neumann University, says that, growing up, she was insecure about her body, nose, and full lips. After seeing people with features like her own celebrating their beauty, she was inspired to do the same on the March 6 BlackOutDay. "I may have features that may not be praised on television," Hall said, "but Continued from Cl plained spinal-cord injury that killed 25-year-old Freddie Gray while he was in police custody.

And again like Brown's hit BlackOutDay aims to uplift. On first Friday in the last few months, social-media feeds have exploded with celebratory images of black people wedding photos, family photos, Caribbean carnivals, and appreciations of prominent black figures, such as the Obama family or Nigerian-born writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For many, BlackOutDay is an unapologetic and healing form of black protest. This month's theme was supposed be "Prom Beyond," but because activists such as Deray McKesson have accused the media of "suggesting that broken windows are worse than broken spines," the creators of BlackOutDay have changed its theme to BlackoutzlBmore in a show of solidarity. "This is what the people need at the moment," said Matthew King-Yarde, 36, of New York, one of the founders of BlackOutDay.

"I'm tired of seeing my people dying," said lawyer April Reign of Washington. "Seeing the entire spectrum of black and brown people staring back at you in various poses of affirmation is uplifting." Something as simple as a selfie is a revolutionary statement, Reign says, something that declares, as she puts it, 'I'm black, this is me, acknowledge it and appreciate BlackOutDay was started in February by T'von Green, 21, of Valdosta, Ga. He's also known on Tumb Ir as expect-the-greatest. Green started the movement when he realized that, aside from celebrities, there weren't many black faces on Tumb Ir. He joined forces with Marissa Reid, now public relations representative for the BlackOut team, and King-Yarde, who is in charge of graphic design and promotion.

But they never expected it to get this big. The social-media movement spread fast through Black Twitter and Instagram worldwide. "I was in awe," King-Yarde said. "I helped produce something bigger than myself." Tracy Clayton of Brooklyn is a Buzz Feed staff writer whose pieces often touch on sentiments similar to those that drive Joni's mystifying ailment The Joni Mitchell mystery reached an acme of confusion on Tuesday. On March 31, the innovating genius songstress, 71, was found unconscious in her L.A.

home. Since then almost a month she has been at UCLA Medical Center. Her exact condition, and her malady, are unknown. On Tuesday, TMZ said Mitchell was "unconscious in a hospital, unable to respond to anyone, with no immediate prospects for getting better" It said that Mitchell friend Leslie Morris filed a court document seeking conservatorship over the singer's affairs. You got it wrong, guys, the Joni Mitchell website shot back: She's not in a coma, she is alert, she has "her full senses," she's expected to recover, and you totally flubbed that document.

All sorts of questions outstanding, all sorts of lines to read between. OK, TMZ is wrong, but what is going on, then? A month in a hospital is serious, OK? Meanwhile, Twitter sympathy flows from Ellie Goulding, Mackenzie Phillips, Rita Wilson, and many other stellar types. John Tim pane Summer test lineups It's Summer Festivals Announcing Their Lineups season! The latest is Musikfest in Bethlehem, Aug. 7 to 16. More than 500 total acts.

Main-stagers include Snoop Dogg, Alice in Chains, Darius Rucker, ZZ Top, Reba McIntyre, 3 Doors Down, Collective Soul, Culture Club, and Jerry Seinfeld (which does not seem to belong, and For fix: 610-332-1300 or wwwmusikfestorg. John Tim pane Bull's-eye blockbuster plug Now, that's the right way to promote Avengers: Age of Ultron! Days after Robert Downey Jr. went all weird during a TV interview, his costar Jeremy Renner plugged the film Tuesday night on The Tonight Show by showing up all dolled up as his character, Hawkeye. As the ace archer, he sat down at the piano and tinkled out a rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud." Annoying TV news Of all the thousands of goofy decisions made by TV networks every day, this one takes the cake: ABC has murdered Revenge after four seasons, exec producer Sunil Nayar tells News. OK, so one of the lead characters, Victoria Grayson (played by the lovely Madeleine Stowe), got herself blown up.

No reason to kill the show, too! sballinphillynews.com 215-854-5054 11 sofiyaballin ADVICE I How to pronounce this baby's name CAROLYN HAX im carolynhax fil. 14: CAROLYN HAX gcarolynhax Answer: I see three perfectly good hissy-fit opportunities squandered. Squandered! I can't even. Question: I thought the idea of the Grandpa being the only one who calls her the traditional pronunciation was sweet and charming like having a special, private nickname that's not something weird or embarrassing. Answer: I thought about that, too, though it does depend on Grandpa.

If he's one for power plays, it's a power play, and if he's one to find a way to make everyone he loves feel special, then it's sweet and charming. Yet another argument for choosing not to be a power-tripping, egocentric toad: You get to call people whatever you want. Adapted from a recent online discussion. Question: My family is Irish and my brother and his wife named their baby daughter "Aisling," a rather traditional name. The name is pronounced similar to "Ashley" traditionally, but they are pronouncing it "A-zling." My father insists on using the traditional pronunciation, arguing that it's important for a connection to the Old Country and family heritage.

He says that when she grows up and has friends he will call her "Azling" in front of them, but that it's OK for our side of the family to call her "Ashley." I haven't talked to my brother about this, and I know it's their call, but my father has asked me whether he's way out of line. I tried just telling him to work it out with his son, but he insists he wants my opinion, and I'm torn. Is this an "insist on not expressing an opinion" I do hope someone is speaking up for the child, since her opinion is the one that counts most here, and she will eventually be old enough to voice it. Question: The kid's name is "Azling." That's what you call her. You don't get to pronounce it however you want.

I think Jennifer should be pronounced Jenih-fer, but if Jennifer's parents pronounce it Jeh-knifer, who am I to say any different? Answer: That's your opinion, which you are welcome to convey to this father. I am so naming my next dog Jeh-knifer. As spelled. Question: My name is Annah. I added the to the end but my mum doesn't add it when she writes to me no hissy fit from me.

My grandma pronounced it as "Aaaana" no hissy fit from me. When I moved to the United States, co-workers pronounced it the American way using an American accent no hissy fit from me. situation? Answer: I wouldn't call this a "clash" your father is asking whether he's out of line! If names are an EQ test, he's at least in the upper quartile. Because this isn't a disaster by any stretch, I think it's fine to give an opinion you're being begged to give. For what it's worth, what you have already told your father that you see his working it out with his son as the highest priority, above any issues of heritage or pronunciation is, in fact, an opinion.

But you can certainly go beyond that and say what you think of his decision to act unilaterally as spokesman for the Old Country tellmewashpost.com. Chat with Carolyn Hax online at noon Fridays at www.washingtonpost.com. tirdadphillynews.com 215-854-2736.

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