Tabla de contenidos para Summer 2024 - Issue 16 en KOL Social

VIEWERS MIGHT SAY, “HEY MAN, YOU SHOULDN’T BE ADVERTISING A PORN STAR OR A DOMINATRIX For the past three or four years, I’ve been hitting the streets of New York City every day, capturing the raw, unfiltered stories of its diverse inhabitants. This relentless pursuit of human connection has transformed me in ways I can barely articulate. It’s made me more nonchalant, less prone to judgment, and profoundly aware that everyone carries a story worth telling regardless of background. Volunteering with the homeless and disadvantaged was an eye-opener. Their stories were a stark contrast to my upbringing in the Bay Area in San Francisco. Growing up with loving parents, the biggest challenges I faced were trivial—like doing my homework or navigating teenage crushes. Surrounded by other Asians, race was not…

CULTURE In 2021, Aboudia’s painting “Nouchi City” sold for over £200,000 at Sotheby’s, signalling a seismic shift in the contemporary art world. This vibrant tableau, a kaleidoscope of raw emotion and frenetic energy, encapsulates urban struggle and resilience. The record-breaking sale cemented Aboudia’s status as a formidable force in modern art, highlighting the universal appeal of his distinctive style—a blend of traditional African motifs and contemporary graffiti. This sale marked significant recognition of African contemporary art, underscoring its global impact and relevance. How did this former street artist from the war-torn streets of Abidjan achieve such heights? The answer lies in his extraordinary journey and the powerful stories embedded in his work. Born Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba in 1983 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Aboudia’s early life was overshadowed by the violence…

In the early hours of 28 May 2021, local fishermen spotted a narrow, white-and-blue boat drifting aimlessly off the coast of Belle Garden, Tobago. From a distance, it seemed deserted. However, drawn by a foul stench and the disturbing sight of fish circling the vessel, they approached and made a grim discovery: 14 bodies in advanced stages of decay. Some 135 days earlier, 43 men had set sail from Mauritania in West Africa, aiming for Spain's Canary Islands. Instead, their tragic journey ended here. Across the Atlantic, the news struck Renata Brito, an Associated Press video journalist. With her extensive background covering Europe's migration crisis, she immediately recognised the similarities between the vessel found off Tobago and those arriving in Spanish waters. The notion of a West African migrant boat…

CULTURE Glen Martin Taylor’s art is a raw, unapologetic scream of human fragility and resilience. Imagine pottery, not delicately mended with gold but stitched together with barbed wire, chains, and nails. Each piece confronts you with the brutal reality of life’s scars, transformed into stark, provocative beauty. Taylor’s work tears down the façade of perfection, exposing the raw, jagged edges of his soul. His unique take on the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi rebuilds with fierce honesty, turning brokenness into a powerful narrative of survival and redemption. His ceramics don’t whisper about imperfection—they roar with it, compelling you to witness the unvarnished truth of human experience. Taylor’s journey into the world of art began in his childhood. “It was very difficult. My mother had a mental illness. My father was…

SHE INSTRUCTED HER FOLLOWERS TO BURN THEIR IDENTITY CARDS, ABANDON POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS, DISCARD MEDICINES, AND AVOID HOSPITALS Barely 155 kilometres separate Havana from the Machuca Valley, but the distance feels quadrupled when you leave the Eastern Highway. The search for this elusive destination begins at San Cristobal in the province of Artemisa, where Google Maps loses its way. Home to the Los Acuáticos community, it plunges into the depths of the Sierra del Rosario, offering a journey suspended in time. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and lightning illuminates the leaden blue sky. The mountains, adorned with royal palms like pointed needles, form a dramatic backdrop. It's the rainy season, and the same ritual unfolds almost every afternoon. Nature's power reasserts itself, and the fragrance of wet earth permeates the air. Roberto, 67,…

OVER 30,000 STRIPED EQUINES TREK TO NXAI PAN, THEIR BLACK AND WHITE PATTERNS CREATING A STUNNING SPECTACLE A helicopter rises, pointing its nose towards Nxai Pan National Park. The aircraft is not just a convenience but a necessity for tourists, avoiding a gruelling drive of over seven hours and offering an unparalleled view of the immense pans. As it ascends, the ground below transforms into a living patchwork. The geometric lines of houses and streets blur into the softer curves of brush and scrubland. Vehicles give way to cattle and donkeys and then, further from civilisation to giraffes and the occasional lone bull elephant. Wide open spaces stretch out in every direction. The greenish blue of the Thamalakane River, flowing through Maun, transitions to the bleached browns and dusty greens of…

CULTURE Imagine a superhero series that shatters all conventions, featuring five Black South Londoners who suddenly develop extraordinary powers. Enter “Supacell,” a groundbreaking creation by visionary Rapman and produced by the trailblazing Sheila Nortley. Set to debut this summer, “Supacell” promises to redefine the superhero genre, offering a fresh, dynamic take that will captivate audiences worldwide. Sheila Nortley’s rise in the film industry has been meteoric. Her breakout moment came in 2013 with the independent feature film “Sable Fable,” which earned critical acclaim and won Best Film at the prestigious American Black Film Festival in Miami, Florida. THE SUPERHERO GENRE, A SPACE WE’VE BEEN TOLD HISTORICALLY WE DON’T BELONG In 2016, Nortley’s achievements were recognised with the Woman of the Future award in Arts & Culture, underscoring her influence and…

Since 2019, Mexico's immigration policies have taken a hard turn, transforming from a sanctuary for migrants to a fortress of rigid enforcement. The border crisis is a volatile mix of evolving US policies, COVID-19 restrictions, and political chaos in Central and South America. US deportation tactics, initially masked as COVID-19 measures under "Title 42" and later continued under "Title 8," have trapped thousands in Mexican border towns. These areas, plagued by corruption and cartel violence, force migrants into makeshift camps fraught with danger and deprivation. The US-Mexico alliance in shutting out asylum seekers and enforcing draconian immigration measures has erected insurmountable barriers for the desperate. These policies symbolise a stark rejection of refuge and safety for the vulnerable. Photographer Alejandro Cegarra, a migrant from Venezuela to Mexico in 2017, began…