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Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

Conveying movement in a drawing can always be tricky. And if you’re trying to depict racing cars, emulating a sense of speed is key to breathing life into the subject. German artist Ioann Zelenin has found a clever way to achieve this, imbuing his already detailed charcoal drawings with a cinematic quality. By working with a wood stick covered in rubber bits to cleverly blur the lines in his compositions, Zelenin creates the illusion of speed.

While it has become a reliable tool for Zelenin, the stick's origins are not that glamorous. “I just use a frame stick that I tore from my bed,” he explained in an Instagram comment. The rubber stick held the bed's wooden sheathing, but the artist found that it's great for erasing and smudging the charcoal. “There is rubber there to hold everything in place, this rubber lubricates the coal.”

With this, his car drawings have been elevated to dynamic speed art. Classic vehicles zoom past forests and desert landscapes, while racing cars aim for first place. “When you’re on the track, and your speedometer reads such a velocity that objects and items around you become a blur, everything passes by so swiftly that you feel the very essence of speed,” writes the artist. “In that moment, there’s nothing but you and the car, racing through space.”

Having mastered his unorthodox tool, Zelenin has taken his creative practice to the next level. He captured a picture of his drawing after every swipe, which he then later stitched together to create a stop-motion video. By detaching certain pieces of rubber, he creates the effect of the vehicle speeding as the wind blows around it while the wheels pick up dust.

To stay up to date with his vibrant car art, make sure to follow Zelenin on Instagram. You can also find prints and original sketches of his work on his website.

German artist Ioann Zelenin has found a clever way to imbue his car charcoal drawings with a cinematic quality.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

By working with a wood stick covered in rubber bits to cleverly blur the lines in his compositions, Zelenin creates the illusion of speed.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

“I just use a frame stick that I tore from my bed,” he explained. “There is rubber there to hold everything in place, this rubber lubricates the coal.”

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

With this, his car drawings have been elevated to dynamic speed art.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

Classic vehicles zoom past forests and desert landscapes, while racing cars aim for first place.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

Having mastered his unorthodox tool, Zelenin then took his creative practice to the next level.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por NISMO (@nismo)

He captured a picture of his drawing after every swipe, which he later stitched together to create a stop-motion video.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por NISMO (@nismo)

“When you’re on the track, and your speedometer reads such a velocity that objects and items around you become a blur, everything passes by so swiftly that you feel the very essence of speed.”

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ioann Zelenin (@zeleninart)

Ioann Zelenin: Website | Instagram

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READ: Artist Cleverly Conveys Speed in Charcoal Drawings With a Unique Tool He Made Himself

Photo: Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (Left); Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (Right)

The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in art history. The Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece has been widely studied and millions flock to Paris' Louvre Museum to see it in person every year. However, it is far from the only existing version of this painting. A copy made by one of da Vinci's apprentices at the same time as the original—making it the earliest known copy—is held in Madrid's Museo del Prado. The Prado Mona Lisa painting sheds light on the creation and details of the original, but is also a striking piece in its own right.

This painting has belonged to the Prado Museum since its foundation in 1819. However, for almost two centuries it was regarded as a relatively unimportant copy among the dozens of surviving Mona Lisa duplicates from the 16th and 17th centuries. This was exacerbated by a repainting the original composition had suffered. At some point in the 18th century, the landscape in the background was all covered in black, possibly due to some elements being unfinished.

Its fate changed in 2011. Aware of it being a copy that dated back to the first quarter of the 16th century, the Louvre requested to have it featured in an exhibition titled Leonardo's Last Masterpiece: The Sainte Anne. To get it ready, the Prado Museum launched a restoration project. On top of finding that the black varnish had been added almost two centuries later, they submitted their Mona Lisa to a study of infrared reflectography and radiography.

This process unveiled the preparatory underdrawing, identical in structure but traced with a different style in both paintings, as well as the drawing's corrections. This revealed that the copyist followed much of da Vinci's process for making the original piece. “The figures are identical in size and shape and were transferred by tracing, undoubtedly from the same cartoon,” writes the Prado Museum. Despite their similarities, the museum states, “There is no doubt that the imprecision and delicacy of Leonardo's painting is quite different to the precise technique of the artist who painted the Prado panel.”

While lacking da Vinci's signature sfumato and its drawing is of a lesser quality, the Prado's Mona Lisa offers unique insights, from the color palette—as the varnish in the original has become cracked and yellowed with age—to the changes made by da Vinci on the go, which were relayed to this painting. “Overall, the panel seems to reflect an intermediate stage in the creation of the Louvre painting,” says the Prado Museum. Ultimately, this copy of the Mona Lisa is the closest thing we have to a time machine that allows us to peek inside da Vinci's working methods.

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, currently on display at the Louvre, is arguably the most famous painting in art history, but it actually has a “twin” painting at the Prado Museum.

Photo: Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

The Prado Museum's Mona Lisa painting sheds light on the creation and details of the original, but is also a striking piece in its own right.

Image: Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Since it was made by one of da Vinci's apprentices at the same time as the original, it is the earliest known copy on record.

Photo: Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

For two centuries, a black varnish covered the landscape in the background.

Photo: Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

A study of infrared reflectography and radiography then revealed the preparatory underdrawing, identical in structure but traced with a different style.

Photo: Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

“Overall, the panel seems to reflect an intermediate stage in the creation of the Louvre painting,” says the Prado Museum.

Photo: Apprentice of Leonardo da Vinci via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

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READ: ‘Mona Lisa’ Has a Nearly Identical Painting Created at the Same Time

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

There is something uniquely heartwarming about interspecies friendships. Maybe it's seeing the different animals play, adapting their moves to not hurt their pal; or the way they cuddle together, spotlighting their wildly different sizes in a cute way. The bond between Peggy and Molly, a bull terrier and an Australian bird known as a magpie, is a great example of both. Sadly, after a four-year friendship, Molly was taken away. Hoping to bring her home, her human family has launched an online campaign.

Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen are an Australian couple who, after spotting Molly as an abandoned chick in distress, decided to bring the bird home and nurse her back to health. “We were very concerned because the park was an off-leash dog park in the afternoons and up to 30 dogs of all breeds run around crazily we knew this little bird would not stand a chance,” they wrote on Facebook. “So, we did what any animal lovers would do and made the decision to bring him home and care for him.”

While they aimed for the bird to eventually fly away, Molly took a liking to Peggy, the family dog, and never left. And so, at the height of the pandemic, a friendship blossomed between the two. Moved by their sweet bond, Wells and Mortensen documented Peggy and Molly's interactions on Instagram. Their videos show the animals chasing one another, taking naps together, sharing toys, and smooching—with Molly occasionally taking rides on Peggy's back.

This all came to a pause when Wells and Mortensen were asked to surrender Molly to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI). Since magpies are a protected wild species in Australia, the family was accused of “illegally” taking the bird from its environment and keeping it with “no permit, licence or authority.” Officials were also worried that others would follow their lead of domesticating wild animals with the hopes of turning a profit, as the family had signed a book deal with one of Australia's biggest publishers, among other endeavors.

DESI has stated that there's no option to release the bird to the wild. Since it has become “highly habituated to human contact,” the best course of action was for it to be placed in a facility for the rest of its life. This has enraged Molly and Peggy's followers, and worried bird lovers.

“It’s not a good thing to take animals from the wild and turn them into pets. It’s not something to be recommended, and that’s why there are strong rules about that sort of thing,” ecologist Darryl Jones told CNN. Still, many argue that the best course of action for Molly would be for it to come home. “The authorities could say on reflection, with the welfare of the individual magpie in mind, we have decided that the best thing to do for that magpie is to return it to the family,” Jones added.

As of writing, the family has no knowledge about Molly's whereabouts. Hoping to nudge officials into returning the bird, they launched a Change.org campaign that has garnered over 135,000 signatures. To stay up to date with any developments and revisit some of the sweetest moments of their friendship, you can follow Peggy and Molly on Instagram.

The bond between Peggy and Molly, a bull terrier and a magpie, is a great example of a sweet interspaces friendship.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Peggy's human family nursed Molly back to health after finding the bird in a park.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Molly took a liking to Peggy, the family dog, and never left.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Wells and Mortensen documented Peggy and Molly's interactions, including them chasing one another, taking naps together, sharing toys, and smooching. The magpie can also be seen occasionally taking rides on the dog’s back.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Sadly, Molly was recently taken away by Australian officials, as it is considered a wild animal and the family was keeping it with “no permit, licence, or authority.”

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Hoping to bring Molly home, Peggy's family has launched an online campaign that has garnered over 135,000 signatures.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)

Peggy and Molly: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [CNN]

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READ: Strangers Online Are Trying to Reunite a Dog With Her Bird BFF After Their Forced Separation

Photo: Jean_Nelson/Depositphotos

Louis Gossett, Jr., who made film history in 1982 by becoming the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, had just passed away at the age of 87. A star of stage and screen, Gossett earned many accolades during his life, including two Golden Globe wins as well as a Primetime Emmy Award for a guest starring role in the TV miniseries Roots.

Born in Coney Island, Brooklyn, Gossett made his stage debut at the age of 17. Encouraged by his high school English teacher to audition for a Broadway part, he landed a part in the play Take a Giant Step in 1953. While his sporting skills and 6'1″ height gave him the  opportunity to play for the New York Knicks, he declined it to continue pursuing an acting career. In 1959, he played the role of George Murchison in the play A Raisin in the Sun. He then reprised his role in the movie version released two years later.

Gossett's most popular role was that of drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), which earned him the Academy Award. Starring alongside Richard Gere and Debra Winger, Gossett played a strict man whose no-nonsense character ultimately uplifts the protagonist. In his 2010 memoir, An Actor and a Gentleman, Gossett described the award as, “More than anything, it was a huge affirmation of my position as a Black actor.”

Despite his success, he had some run-ins with racism from police officers in Los Angeles in the 1960s, including a time when he was chained to a tree and handcuffed for three hours for walking around a residential Beverly Hills area after 9 p.m. “Now I had come face-to-face with racism, and it was an ugly sight,” he wrote. “But it was not going to destroy me.” Moved by these events, he created the Eracism Foundation to help create a world where racism doesn't exist.

More recently, Gossett appeared in the HBO limited series Watchmen (2019) as well as the latest musical film version of The Color Purple (2023), where he played Ol' Mister Johnson, sharing the screen alongisde Taraji P. Henson and Colman Domingo, among others. “He was open and generous. Kind beyond measure. Regal. We owe so much to him. What a monumental life he lived,” Domingo wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Gossett's passing was announced by his family via a statement, in which no cause of death was revealed. His cousin, Neal L. Gossett, reminisced about the actor's time walking with Nelson Mandela, his sense of humor, and his values. “Never mind the awards, never mind the glitz and glamor, the Rolls-Royces and the big houses in Malibu. It’s about the humanity of the people that he stood for.”

Louis Gossett, Jr., the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, passed away at 87.

Photo: bossmoss/Depositphotos

A star of stage and screen, Gossett earned many accolades during his life, including two Golden Globe wins as well as a Primetime Emmy Award.

Louis Gossett, Jr. (Left) with Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier in a scene scene from the play ‘A Raisin in the Sun.' (Photo: Friedman-Abeles, New York via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

More recently, Gossett appeared in the HBO limited series Watchmen (2019) as well as the latest musical film version of The Color Purple (2023).

Photo: s_bukley/Depositphotos

“He was open and generous. Kind beyond measure. Regal. We owe so much to him. What a monumental life he lived,” actor Colman Domingo wrote on X.

Richard Pryor and Lou Gossett Jr. backstage at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles (Photo: Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

h/t: [AP]

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READ: RIP Louis Gossett Jr: Celebrating the First Black Man To Win Best Supporting Actor Oscar

On the eastern end of Japan’s Shikoku Island, there's a village known as Nagoro. Like many other small towns around the world, it has seen its population shrink every year, with people either passing away or flocking to cities for a better life. To fight off the loneliness, an older woman named Tsukimi Ayano has created hundreds of kakashi (scarecrows in Japanese) to repopulate the area, earning Nagoro the nickname of “Village of the Dolls.”

These life-size dolls are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes. While they are quite detailed, it's their placements throughout the village that have gotten them worldwide attention. Tsukimi positions them around the town in realistic poses, whether they are doing repairs, studying hard at school, waiting for a bus, or simply relaxing after a day of work. If you drove by quickly, you could easily mistake them for real people.

Tsukimi's project began back in 2002. After spending part of her life in Osaka, she moved back to Nagoro. To protect a field from pests, she made her first scarecrow—a giant doll resembling her father. After her creation caught the attention of her neighbors, she decided to make more to honor those who had left or died. That's why each doll has a name, and their personality, age, and backstory are catalogued.

While Nagoro is home to about two dozen residents, it now has over 300 dolls. The kakashi have inspired visitors from around the world to travel for several hours on the winding roads of the Iya Valley to catch a glimpse of this unique place. The dolls even have their own festival on the first Sunday of October every year. To Tsukimi's delight, many visitors are excited to take a look at her workshop.

If you're ever in Japan and want to visit this quirky place, local travel agency Shikoku Tours suggests taking a taxi, as the place is so remote and tiny that it's easy to miss. On the way there, you're likely to see more of these dolls around the shrinking villages. Since the kakashi have reached local art form status, the area has become a bit of a tourist attraction—and is now brimming with life.

A small town in Japan known as Nagoro is home to over 300 kakashi or scarecrows, earning it the nickname of “Village of the Dolls.”

These were all made by an older woman named Tsukimi Ayano, who aimed to fight off loneliness after many of her neighbors moved away or died.

That's why each doll has a name, and their personality, age, and backstory are catalogued.

These life-size dolls are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes.

Tsukimi has placed them around the town in realistic poses, whether they are doing repairs, studying hard at school, waiting for a bus, or simply relaxing after a day of work.

If you drove by quickly, you could easily mistake them for real people.

h/t: [Offbeat Japan]

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READ: This Japanese Village Is Filled With Hundreds of Dolls Posing Like Real People and They’re All Made by One Woman

For many, pianos are more than simple musical instruments, especially for those who have one at home. But once they decay and become unplayable, saying goodbye can feel like sending a beloved heirloom to a landfill. Fortunately, Australian sculptor David Cox has come up with an alternative that sees this beautiful instrument rise from the ashes—figuratively. The artist turns the keys and other parts from broken-down pianos into sweeping phoenix-shaped sculptures.

Cox shares how he's inspired by architectural salvage and recycling of hard-to-come-by materials, especially when they are charged with history. “Many of our most treasured, sentimental memories reside within objects we adore,” he tells My Modern Met. “I honor and preserve those memories shared with loved ones around the piano by delicately repurposing its parts into a wall sculpture, reclaiming its place as the heart of the home. (Also it’s about 200kg lighter).”

Though his pieces are now revered, Cox's transformative art began almost by accident. A singer friend of his was building a recording studio, and wanted a fun work of art that would double as a sound baffle. Having a set of vintage piano keys in his studio, Cox thought of gluing them together. However, the design he had in mind wasn't coming along. “I soon discovered that piano keys aren't straight, they're kind of dog-legged,” he recalls. “So one summer afternoon I was playing around with different shapes, and when I saw the wing shape emerging, it became obvious what this needed to be.”

Now, he's made over 50 of these phoenix sculptures, both for customers wanting to convert their own piano, as well as those who just want one on their wall. The latter get to choose from the pieces Cox has on hand, though it is less common. “Almost every piece is made custom for each buyer, with their own decor and personal interests in mind, to make the sculpture completely bespoke,” he says. “So after a chat over a cup of tea, I feel I can make a piece of art that honors the piano the keys came from, as well as the home it is going in to.”

To Cox, it seems like everyone in Australia seems to have an old and no longer functioning piano. “They are hugely sentimental items, but are inevitably broken and on the way out,” he shares. This luckily has earned him some word of mouth, with people shipping him piano keys from all over the country. After outlining the design with the owner, he can have a sculpture ready in a few weeks. “However I always hang each piece on my lounge room wall for a week, to stare at it until I’m satisfied it’s perfect and finished!” the artist admits.

While at first glance his pieces may look similar, every sculpture possesses unique and meaningful details. “Each one is very different to the previous, with each customer sharing different stories they remember of Nanna teaching them to play, or fun family times shared around the piano,” Cox shares. “They are all as special as each other, however it can get emotional for everyone when I hang a piece on a customer's wall and everyone is crying, it’s a touching moment to be a part of. I guess those more emotional unveilings are my favorites.”

To stay up to date with Cox's phoenix upcycled piano sculptures, you can follow him on Instagram.

Australian artist David Cox turns the keys and other parts from pianos into phoenix-shaped sculptures.

“One summer afternoon I was playing around with different shapes, and when I saw the wing shape emerging, it became obvious what this needed to be.”

Now, he's made over 50 of these phoenix sculptures, both for customers wanting to convert their own piano, as well as others who just want one on their wall.

Cox shares how he's inspired by architectural salvage and recycling of hard-to-come-by materials, especially when they are charged with history.

“Many of our most treasured sentimental memories reside within objects we adore.”

“I honor and preserve those memories shared with loved ones around the piano by delicately repurposing its parts into a wall sculpture, reclaiming its place as the heart of the home.”

David Cox: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by David Cox.

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READ: Artist Gives Vintage Pianos a Second Life by Turning Them Into Sweeping Phoenix Sculptures

Vincent van Gogh, “The Starry Night,” 1889 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Creative freelancers and people in the advertising industry know all about baseless feedback. What feels like a great and fresh idea is pitched to a client, only for it to be met with negative and unreasonably critical responses that take the soul out of the concept. The Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) is aware that not even the best creators out there are safe from this. Even people like Vincent van Gogh and Frida Kahlo would be met with skepticism had they ever tried their hand at advertising. Two clever videos commissioned by AICP imagine how these two iconic painters would deal with client feedback—something many creatives can relate to.

Directed by O Positive’s Brian Billow and created by agency BBDO, the clips were released ahead of the 2024 AICP Awards deadline of March 12, which is celebrating “museum-worthy” ideas. Fittingly, the winners of the competition will join the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. These funny ads for the 2024 Awards are aptly captioned with the tagline: “It's hard to make museum-worthy art. It's even harder to make museum-worthy ads.”

The Museum-Worthy video brings contemporary advertising drama to Van Gogh's studio. Dressed up in period clothing, two account executives approach the artist with their biggest smiles to relay the news: “The client loved the painting.” They're talking about The Starry Night, but that's not the end of the feedback. “They just found it a little, um, dark.” They then ask the Dutch artist if he could paint a “sunny day” instead, but keep the title because the client loves it. Of course, this completely changes the concept and the intention behind Van Gogh's work. It seems like an absurdist suggestion…but many creatives, especially those in advertising, can surely relate to this.

The video then makes a shift to 1930s Mexico, and Frida Kahlo is getting comments on her Self-portrait with monkey. Turns out one of the junior clients found the forehead area “off-putting and confrontational,” while the CMO's husband—a foreign entity to the process—simply didn't get it, making it “unrelatable.” Things don't get better for either of them. Van Gogh's painting failed with a focus group—”How can a painting fail?” he asks—so an 19th-century influencer with “a ton of followers” (aka a priest) is brought in. The Focus Group video goes into detail as to what went down with the focus group, who drag the painting in every possible way. Meanwhile, Kahlo gets suggestions for her self-portrait. Why not change the monkey for puppies? “People trust puppies,” says one of the execs, followed by another's supportive “It's proven.”

The whole exchange between the account executives and the creatives is hilarious and spot on. In fact, we dare say they are “museum-worthy.” Scroll down to watch both of these painfully funny videos below.

The Association of Independent Commercial Producers imagined what it'd look like if Vincent van Gogh and Frida Kahlo had to deal with client feedback the way ad creatives do today.

One of their clips shows a period focus group—one of the advertising world's favorite tools—dragging Van Gogh's The Starry Night in every possible way.

AICP: Website
h/t: [Ad Age]

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Most chart-topping singers these days are 20 and 30-somethings with a daring fashion sense and lavish lifestyles. But as luck would have it, the UK’s best-selling classical artist debut in recent years is Poor Clare Sisters of Arundel, a choir of nuns whose ages range  from 50 to 96. After making it to the fifth spot in the UK albums chart with their first album, Light for the World, the group is back with yet another collection of songs, titled My Peace I Give You.

The nuns first broke onto the scene in 2020, when they released Latin hymns and medieval texts with a 21st-century twist. While their choice of songs could be seen as unorthodox, the Poor Clare Sisters of Arundel put out their first record at the height of the pandemic, offering calm and solace with their music at a tumultuous time. “It's been quite incredible the number of letters we've had from people all over the world saying they're not religious but that our music has touched them,” Sister Gabriel, who joined the order of enclosed nuns in 1994 at age 23, told BBC Radio Sussex.

Despite their newfound fame, the nuns, who represent six different nationalities, live in a rural community in Sussex. The women live within an 800-year-old tradition, working and praying according to the form of life drawn up by St. Clare of Assisi in 1253.

While most acts feel anxious regarding their sophomore album, the Poor Clare Sisters of Arundel couldn't pass up the opportunity. Recorded at the convent chapel in Arundel, West Sussex, and mixed at Abbey Road Studios, My Peace I Give You aims to bring music from the 13th century back to the mainstream charts. It also offers “a message of peace for a fractured world and the importance of caring for the planet.”

The core of the album is “The Canticle of Creation,” written by St. Francis of Assisi in 1224 and divided across seven songs. This composition holds a special place in the nuns' heart, since St. Francis of Assisi was a friend of their order founder. “They lived eight centuries ago,” Sister Gabriel told The Guardian. “But they knew many things we still struggle with today, including how important it is to understand our relationship with the environment.”

Since helping others is central to the work of the nuns, they donated the profits from the sales of their first album and will do the same with the second. To them, the real gain is having helped so many people with their music. “My longing is for our music to touch people's hearts, and that's been the response,” said Sister Graça. “A lot of people saying, ‘I don't believe in God, but there is something about your music that takes me somewhere that I had never experienced before.' That's it.”

My Peace I Give You comes out on May 24, 2024. Scroll down to listen to the first single off the album.

The Poor Clare Sisters of Arundel, a choir of nuns whose ages range from 50 to 96, have the UK’s best-selling classical artist debut in recent years.

After making it to No.5 on the UK albums chart with their first album, the group is back with yet another collection of songs, titled My Peace I Give You.

Take a listen to the first single:

Poor Clare Sisters of Arundel: Website | Facebook | Spotify

All images via Universal Music.

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READ: Singing Nuns Are Bringing 13th-Century Latin Hymns to Contemporary Music Charts

Photo: info@photographybyeugene.com/Depositphotos (left); everett225/Depositphotos (right)

Late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel is known for his sardonic sense of humor, which he subjects both his audience and guests to equally. However, this doesn't mean he is ice cold, as he has spoken passionately about important topics, like gun control, while fighting back tears. Recently, his sensitivity sparked a tender moment with Oscar-winning actor Regina King, who appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote her new movie, Shirley, which tells the story of the first Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm.

While King has a long and storied career that spans four decades and over 50 screen credits, she stepped away for a few years due to a major loss in her family. In January 2022, King's son and only child, Ian, died by suicide at the age of 26. After taking some much needed time away from the spotlight, the actress just restarted her TV appearances, with Kimmel's show being only her second stop after a Good Morning America interview, where she talked about her son's passing for the first time.

“Grief is a journey, you know? I understand that grief is love that has no place to go,” King said to GMA's Robin Roberts. “I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian's mom, you know? Only me. And so it's mine. And the sadness will never go away. It'll always be with me. And I think I saw somewhere, the sadness is a reminder of how much he means to me, you know?”

Kimmel, who has hosted his late night show for over 20 years, has welcomed King several times, and they've developed a friendship. That's why when she visited his show for the first time since taking a break, Kimmel wanted to show his support and make sure King was doing ok. “It's very good to see you,” the host greeted the actor. “How are you doing right now?” To which King replied with a smile, “Right now, I'm good.” Kimmel responded, getting choked up, “Good, I'm glad to hear that. I know you've been through a lot the last year.” Touched by this, King leaned over to Kimmel, and grabbing his hand and tenderly said, “It's good to see you, Jimmy.”

Still fighting back tears, Kimmel did what he does best—quickly lightening the mood by asking King if she had bumped into her Miss Congeniality 2 co-star William Shatner backstage. Despite the shortness of the moment, it was enough for viewers at home to praise Kimmel's empathy and King's resilience. By acknowledging the loss and the effect it has had on the actress in a delicate and personal manner, King and Kimmel shared a quiet yet poignant moment that spoke volumes.

You can watch the warm gesture in the video below.

If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help. You can find a helpline in your area, by visiting the International Association for Suicide Prevention helpline. If you're in the United States, you can dial 988 to speak with a mental health professional, 24/7, in English or in Spanish. The lifeline also uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation services in over 250 additional languages.

Jimmy Kimmel shared a tender moment with Oscar-winning actor Regina King, who appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote her first movie since the passing of her son, Ian.

h/t: [BuzzFeed]

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READ: Regina King and Jimmy Kimmel Share Tender Moment During First Interview Together Since Her Son’s Death

If you've ever watched Titanic, chances are you've joined the most heated debate around the movie's star-crossed lovers. Was there room for both Jack and Rose on that fateful floating door? Whatever side you're on, one thing's for sure—this movie prop is a key part of one of the biggest movies ever released. Over 20 years after its rise to popularity, the door was auctioned as part of a movie-themed sale, garnering $718,750, more than any other item up for grabs.

The auction, titled Treasures From Planet Hollywood, was run by Heritage Auctions. While almost 1,600 items were put up for sale, no other item sparked the level of interest the Titanic piece did. “The ornate structure was in reality part of the door frame just above the first-class lounge entrance,” writes Heritage Auctions. Despite it being no more than a broken slab of a door, it holds great significance to the film itself and fans of the movie.

The sale also included Indiana Jones' whip from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Tobey Maguire’s black symbiote suit from Spider-Man 3, which sold of $525,000 and $125,000 respectively. As for Titanic, the door wasn't the only item to bring in thousands of dollars. Rose’s white chiffon dress sold for $118,750, while the the ship’s helm wheel went for $200,000, and the brass engine order telegraph sold for $81,250.

For all its artificially distressed state, the Titanic door is a testament to the detailed production design of the movie. The Louis XV-style movie prop features floral accents and scrolling curves, following the H.M.S. Titanic original designs faithfully—except for a plaque on the back that explains the purpose of the prop as “floating panel that he uses to save her life in the sinking sequence of the film.” Heritage Auctions adds, “Both the salvaged piece of debris and the film prop reflect the opulent design scheme of original ship builder Harland and Wolff.”

Long before having to save a collector from putting their $718,750 purchase to the test, director James Cameron engaged in a scientific study to see whether both characters could have survived thanks to that fateful door. The result? Having both of them on the door would have tipped it over, but sharing it by keeping only their upper halves out of the water could have bought them hours before being rescued. What's more, Rose could have given him her her life vest. Ultimately, the director knew what Jack would do. “I think his thought process was, ‘I’m not going to do one thing that jeopardized her,’ and that’s 100 percent in character.”

The fateful floating door from Titanic was auctioned as part of a movie-themed sale, garnering $718,750, more than any other item up for grabs.

 

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Una publicación compartida por ACMI (@acmionline)

“The ornate structure was in reality part of the door frame just above the first-class lounge entrance,” writes Heritage Auctions.

For all its artificially distressed state, the Titanic door is a testament to the detailed production design of the movie.

Heritage Auctions: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Robb Report]

All images via Heritage Auctions.

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READ: Iconic ‘Titanic’ Movie Door That Sparked Years of Debate Just Sold for $718,750 at Auction