Arlo Parks

The first thing you discover when entering the dazzling, Radiant Masterworks By Jean Schlumberger From The Mellon Collection at The Museum of Fine Art, St. Petersburg, Florida is the beautifully designed exhibition manages to compliment the precious objects perfectly. All too often, displays of intricate artworks are overwhelmed by grandiose staging or maudlin, somber, eerily cold rooms where whispers are too loud. The designer here has captured the spirit of Jean Schlumberger’s genius. There is a hint of whimsy, even fun perhaps, all the while the show is reverent of the artist and his benefactor. The designs of Jean Schlumberger were the epitome of mid-century elegance. Inspired by nature, his creations graced such notable style icons as Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. This exhibition highlights the work of this innovative artist, placing his jewelry and objets d’art as inimitable examples of twentieth-century design. His career began as a designer of costume jewelry for couturier Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s, He drew inspiration from such exotic locales as Bali, India, and Thailand, and this is reflected by his lively, experimental designs that play with color, movement, and shape. This exhibition brings together the extensive Schlumberger collection of Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon, donated to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts between 1985 and 2015. It is the largest, most comprehensive public collection of Jean Schlumberger’s work in the world. Norman B was guided through the exhibition with Stanton Thomas, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions who enthusiastically shares his immense knowledge in the next edition of Life Elsewhere.

Also in the show, New York Times-bestselling author Robin Cook talks about, Pandemic, his latest medical-thriller, where his takes on the cutting-edge world of gene-modification. The pulse-pounding story begins when an unidentified, healthy, well-dressed woman is struck down by a sudden respiratory illness on the subway as opportunist thieves snatch her phone and backpack. By the time she’s rushed to hospital, she’s dead. Ending up on forensic pathologist Dr. Jack Stapleton’s autopsy table as the potential victim of a contagion, reveals surprising findings. Fearing what could be the first in a severe outbreak of a deadly virus similar to the 1918 influenza pandemic, Jack works in overdrive for a diagnosis and to identify the woman. A task made more urgent when two other victims succumb to a similar rapid death. But nothing makes sense until his investigation leads him into the fascinating realm of CRISPR/CAS9, gene-editing biotechnology that’s captured the imagination of the medical community. . . and the attention of its most unethical members. In his conversation with Norman B, Robin Cook shares his critical opinion of the greed dominating the business of the medical professions and the sad politics of health care in the United States.

Plus, you’ll hear a sneak preview of a much longer conversation with a gifted young talented singer from London, Arlo Parks. We have been enthusing over her debut single, Cola for a few weeks and asked if she would like to chat with Norman B. The resulting conversation is enchanting as Arlo talks about herself, her inspirations and her music. You must not miss this.

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Show #303