The Pop Culture Philosopher

We Invented the Remix, Part II

November 8, 2018November 7, 2018 Chris SunamiHip Hop

Last time, we looked at hip-hop sampling as a outgrowth of African polyphony, a way of creating something new by placing a different and contrasting line over the original. But there is more to it[…]

Black Music As Philosophy: We Invented the Remix, Part I

November 1, 2018October 31, 2018 Chris SunamiHip Hop

Hip-hop music is unique. It has been multiracial from the start, and it has been embraced and naturalized all over the globe, and yet it still retains a basic, unbreakable connection with its natal black[…]

Reconstructivist Art: Y Tu Mama Tambien

October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 Chris SunamiMovies

In honor of his new movie Roma, please enjoy this repost about the film that first introduced me to my favorite director, Alfonso Cuarón’s Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) as an example of Reconstructivist Art[…]

image by Natilles

Not Playing the Background

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018 Chris SunamiMusic

Out of all the great black American talents, the ones who have arguably fared the best are the singers and musicians. While it may only be a fraction of what they deserve, they have at[…]

image by Angela Tang

Reconstructivist Art – The 100% Perfect Story

October 11, 2018October 11, 2018 Chris SunamiLiterature

In honor of the release of his newest book, Killing Commendatore, please enjoy this repost of Haruki Murakami’s On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning considered as an example of Reconstructivist Art On Seeing the[…]

Wisdom Wins!

September 27, 2018September 26, 2018 Chris SunamiArt

Congratulations this year to all our wonderful participants in the 2018 Columbus Invitational. Here are the results: Team Wisdom (Creative Women of Color, Women in Music Columbus) – First Place Team Future (Blockfort Arts, CoMo[…]

Dumb jock quiz fans vex playwright

September 20, 2018September 17, 2018 Chris SunamiUncategorized

I’ve been trying for years to come up with a pangram –a sentence with all the letters of the alphabet –that beats out the most famous one, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy[…]

Pictured: 2013/2018 participants Urban Strings

Columbus Invitational All Stars

September 13, 2018September 12, 2018 Chris SunamiArt

This year Invitational Arts is proud to present the Columbus Invitational All Stars Competition at Downtown High School, September 20th, 2018. Come cheer for your favorite local artists as they compete head to head! 6pm[…]

"Heretic", image by Soichi Sunami

Invocation of Beauty

September 6, 2018 Chris SunamiArt

I’m very happy to announce that the noted art historian and curator David F. Martin has completed a new book about my grandfather’s life and art. Entitled “Invocation of Beauty: The Life and Photography of[…]