Latest news with #Sumerian
Metro
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Kylie Jenner reveals details of her boob job - here's what no one's talking abou
If we all sit still, breathe evenly, and act like Kylie Jenner casually revealing her boob job specs in a TikTok comment isn't a cultural earthquake, maybe she'll finally disclose what ancient Sumerian magic gave her those lips. Or was it just six lip liners and the right lighting? Maybe one day she'll tell us. In a plot twist worthy of endless cultural discourse (you're in the right place), Kylie Jenner, 27-year-old lip kit queen and reality TV shapeshifter, decided to reveal the exact specs of her breast implants. Not on a talk show. Not in Vogue. But in the comments section of a TikTok…like a true Gen Zer. On June 2, British YouTuber Rachel Leary joined legions of fans who have called for Kylie to get specific about how she got her enviable rack – but this time, Kylie actually answered. 'Girl, please can you tell us what it is you asked for when you had your boobs done?' Leary said in the video. 'To me, you've got what I am looking for to have done in terms of a boob job. It's the most perfect, natural looking boob job ever. They're still big, but whatever way you had the implants, if they are implants, or if you had fat transfer, to me it is perfection. That is what I aspire mine to look like.' The next day, Kylie commented on the post from her verified account: '445 cc, moderate profile, half under the muscle!!! silicone!!! garth fisher!!! hope this helps lol.' This is, of course, a major shift from her earlier stance, in which she claimed her only enhancement was filler – and even that took a long time for her to admit. First, in 2014, when asked about her obviously enlarged lips, she told E!: 'In pictures, I put them out a lot. I think big lips are awesome. I love overlining my lips,' implying that lip liner explained her pout. Even as recently as 2023, Kylie said on The Kardashians: 'One of the biggest misconceptions is that I was an insecure child and got a bunch of surgery, which is false. I've only gotten fillers.' To be fair, Kylie did later correct this, telling W Magazine later that year she had a boob job before giving birth to Stormi, her daughter and future bestselling tell-all memoirist (hopefully). She reflected: 'I got my breasts done before Stormi, not thinking I would have a child when I was 20. Like, they were still healing.' She continued: 'I had beautiful breasts… and I just wish I never got them done.' Naturally, the internet collapsed under the weight of Kylie's new TikTok admission. @YSLONIKA posted, 'Kylie Jenner casually sharing her breast implant details with this girl… she's so REAL.' Meanwhile, @yasscorset screamed the collective betrayal of a generation: 'SHE SWORE IT WAS THAT DAMN VICTORIA'S SECRET BRA.' And here we arrive at the central question: is this feminism? Should we celebrate Kylie's admission? Or is it just late-stage influencer capitalism with a silicone twist? Transparency? Check. Body autonomy? Check. Reparations for the psychological damage inflicted on Gen Z girls who thought a push-up bra could defy gravity and physics? Pending. On one hand, Kylie sharing the details – unprompted, no less – is a genuinely helpful gesture to her fans who may have compared their own bodies to Kylie's for years and found their non-surgical breasts wanting. She gave specifics. She named a surgeon. She added exclamation marks , which is basically Gen Z for 'I care about you.' In a world of euphemisms like 'refreshed,' 'sculpted,' 'just water and sleep!' (we're looking at you Lindsay Lohan), her bluntness feels weirdly radical. There's something to be said for the power of a woman openly discussing plastic surgery, demystifying the pressure to be 'naturally' flawless. But then… the years of denial . The fillers she didn't have. The bras that lied. The immaculate lips supposedly built from nothing but elbow grease and MAC Spice. That's not empowerment; that's gaslighting with good lighting. As @JasmeenD pointed out: 'It took her 10 years for her to be a girl's girl BTW!!!! Now we wait another 10 years for her to tell us her BBL doctor.' In the end, Kylie's revelation is both too little, too late and weirdly refreshing. It's like an apology from your toxic 2016 boyfriend who swore he didn't know how Tinder got on his phone – you knew all along, you're still mad, but at least you have a little closure. No matter how often plastic surgery is repackaged as 'self-care' or bodily autonomy, the truth remains: invasive and often dangerous procedures that women undergo to meet unrealistic, male-gaze-driven beauty standards are as tragic as, deep down, we all know they are. The only thing worse? Lying about cosmetic procedures so women feel worse about themselves for not naturally living up to those beauty standards. None of that is to say that you can really blame Kylie for her reticence to come clean. She grew up in the public eye under constant media scrutiny for her appearance in a family known for their love of beauty enhancements. Even more so, Kylie doesn't actually owe us anything; her body belongs to her, and she has every right to do whatever she wants with it without issuing a press release. More Trending However, she's also in the public eye in a significant way and has been a major influence on countless young girls and their perceptions of beauty. So, to the extent that Kylie's new willingness to share details signals personal growth – and an admission that even she can't naturally meet the impossible standards placed on women – it's something to celebrate. But is she a feminist icon? Maybe not. Still, in this increasingly absurd cultural landscape of 12-year-olds using retinol and women risking their lives getting dodgy BBLs in foreign countries, Kylie's transparency is a bittersweet, backwards kind of progress. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Jonathan Joss' husband says he 'held his face together' in his final moments MORE: Robert De Niro, 81, has 'possibly' realised how good he is at acting MORE: Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to rewrite one of the most famous lines in movie history
Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Mystical painter highlights MOCA North Miami's spring season
There's plenty going on in the mind of Philip Smith, and it shows in his art. The Miami-born painter's canvases are full of esoteric symbols and mystical imagery gleaned from years of studying ancient cultures, world religions, and the work of historical magicians. Spirals, DNA strands, minerals, magic circles, foliage, human hands – all coexist in a ghostly mélange of images and ideograms. 'These images are meant to basically provoke your imagination,' says Smith, who is currently the subject of a career-spanning retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, which opened Wednesday, April 30 and is on view through Sunday, Oct. 5. 'The idea of looking at my paintings is a bit akin to sitting in a planetarium, where you're looking up at the stars and they project all these patterns. And you're told to see those patterns, that this is the Milky Way, but then your mind wanders and you start to see other things. And that's the idea with my work, really. It's a portal for the imagination.' Smith's encounters with the supernatural began during his childhood in Miami. His father Lew Smith, who had been an interior decorator for famous and powerful people such as Walt Disney and Cuban president Carlos Prio Socarras, one day discovered he could speak to the dead and heal the sick. He became a faith healer, and the difficulties this placed on then-teenage Philip, who eventually wrote about the experience in his memoir 'Walking Through Walls,' put him on his own spiritual quest. He tried drugs. He joined, and later left, the Church of Scientology. And finally, he moved to New York to become an artist, and from there he developed the image-dense visual language in his paintings. 'As a kid, I wanted to be an archeologist, so I was looking at, obviously, Sumerian and Egyptian and Indian temples,' he says. 'I wanted to sort of create a pictographic language, also a slightly cinematic language. Because I think we respond to that experientially and also cerebrally more than words,' he says. Smith explains that words have to be learned, whereas images are immediate. 'When you speak to mediums or psychics, they get their information visually. It's imprinted. They see things as they're talking to you. And so all those components go into making up this visual language,' he says. Smith's work managed to get noticed by the critic Douglas Crimp, who put him in a soon-to-be-influential show at Artists Space in downtown Manhattan called 'Pictures.' It included several artists, including Robert Longo and Sherrie Levine, who would later be part of the so-called 'the Pictures Generation,' a group of artists who were deeply influenced by the culture of mass media that was present at the time. Smith describes the art scene of that time as vastly different from today's more professionalized art ecosystem, full of passionate people that did what they did not for money, but because they felt a calling. 'I didn't understand what kids learn with their MFA today, how to network, how to write emails, how to get curators into your studio. I thought my job was just to make art, and the art world was very small and very personal. You kind of met everybody.' He says he was friendly with the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jasper Johns. '(Warhol) would call me every Saturday at the studio and chat. I interviewed Jasper Johns for Interview (magazine), and I would walk over to Bob Rauschenberg's house at four o'clock in the morning and sit there and drink with him. It was a very different world. And it was more a world where you kind of made it up as you went along. None of us knew what we were doing, but we all knew we were doing something different.' Still, he always wanted to come back to Miami, the place he considers his true home. After nearly three decades in New York, in 2019, he returned to South Florida and has staged several shows since then, mostly with the Little River-based gallery PRIMARY. The MoCA show, his first solo museum exhibition in Miami for several decades and one that incorporates work from 'Pictures' to now, is something of a culmination for him. 'I've always wanted to do a major show in Miami, because it's the city that I really love,' he says. 'I had to leave Miami as a young artist, because there was no opportunity. There were no real museums, no galleries, no collectors. There was nothing here. So that's why I went to New York.' Smith mentions the progression of Miami's art museums. 'Whether it's the Rubell Museum, or Marty Margulies, or Art Basel – it's an extraordinary transformation that I don't know, that people appreciate, how it went from the desert to Tribeca in a generation or two.' For the artist, the retrospective at MoCA is important on many levels. 'It's a very meaningful show to me, because I feel it's giving back to Miami as a Miami person, and I'm not coming in as a New Yorker saying 'see how great I am.' I'm coming in and saying, 'I want to share with you what my life's been about.'' Smith's status as a Miami-born artist who spent much of his career in New York complements that of MoCA's other spring show, a New York-born artist who spent much of her life in South Florida. Vickie Pierre worked for Miami art institutions, including at the former Miami Art Museum (now PAMM) and as registrar at MoCA NoMi. But alongside that career, she also made art herself, and now her work is on view in the show 'The Maiden is the Warrior.' The exhibition zeros in on the artist's 'Poupées in the Bush' series, featuring amorphous black blobs with clearly defined feminine features, somewhere between figures and abstract forms. Some have fingers, horns, and other protrusions appended to their bodies. Others wear rings or are surrounded by floral assemblages. Reflecting the duality of womanhood as in the title of the show, the Poupées are meant to have a bit of softness as well as ferocity, according to curator Adeze Wilford. 'The thrust of our show is really about the duality of their forms. Like they can equally be these, very soft, reclining figures, kind of droopy and globular but also very, almost Rubenesque in how they're conceived of. But then there are some that have these very fierce bearings,' says Wilford. Though the two shows are quite distinct, Wilford, who is curating her final show for MoCA after moving to the Memphis Art Museum in January, hopes viewers will be able to envelop themselves in each. 'The way that I conceive of solo presentations is really that the artists are inviting you into their world, into how their brain is working, and so they're very different people, and we can see how things are unfolding for them both.' WHAT: 'Philip Smith: Magnetic Fields' and 'Vickie Pierre: The Maiden is the Warrior' WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, 770 NE 125th St., North Miami WHEN: Noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Through Sunday, Oct. 5. COST: $10 for general admission; $5 for seniors, students with ID, ages 12 to 17, and disabled visitors; free for museum members, children under 12 years old, North Miami residents and city employees, veterans, and caregivers of disabled visitors. INFORMATION: 305-893-6211 and is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don't miss a story at
Shafaq News
30-05-2025
- General
- Shafaq News
Erbil Citadel shines again with weekly public access
Shafaq News/ Erbil's historic citadel reopened to the public for one day a week as its large-scale restoration project approaches completion. The Head of the Citadel Rehabilitation Commission, Falah Hassan told Shafaq News that 1,200 cubic meters of the citadel's flooring have been paved over the past six months, along with the rehabilitation of the main street connecting the Ahmadia Gate to the Grand Bazaar Gate. The restoration of Erbil Citadel is entering its final phase, with technical issues set to be resolved within days, and work on the electrical, sewage, bathhouse, and mosque nearing completion, Hassan said, confirming that the site is now illuminated and open weekly for public visits while restoration continues in other areas. He further pointed out that the management of the UNESCO World Heritage landmarks was officially transferred from Erbil's provincial authority to the Kurdistan Regional Government's Cabinet in recent months. The move streamlines decision-making and allows requests to be submitted directly to the Council of Ministers. Erbil Citadel was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2014 for its unique architectural significance. Historical records trace its origins through multiple civilizations, including the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Islamic, and Ottoman eras. The site includes three main neighborhoods, traditional homes, mosques, Sufi lodges, and public baths. Its distinctive circular wall is among its most prominent features, known for its durability and design.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ram in the Thicket: A 4,500-year-old gold statue from the royal cemetery at Ur
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Name: Ram in the Thicket What it is: A gold and lapis lazuli statuette Where it is from: The Royal Cemetery at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq) When it was made: Circa 2550 B.C. Related: Oseberg tapestry: Viking Age artwork from a boat burial that may depict the Norse tree of life What it tells us about the past: Found a century ago in a mass grave in the desert of southern Iraq, this 4,500-year-old statuette may depict the daily ritual associated with destiny and the birth of the universe in ancient Mesopotamia. Archaeologist Leonard Woolley discovered two nearly identical statuettes, which he named "Ram in the Thicket," in the Great Death Pit at the Royal Cemetery at Ur in 1928. This burial of one royal Sumerian individual around 2550 B.C. also involved the sacrifice of 68 women and five men. Woolley discovered the statuettes broken and crushed. Now reconstructed, they measure 16.7 inches (42.5 centimeters) and 18 inches (45.7 cm) tall. The smaller one is on display at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, while the larger one is housed at the British Museum in London. According to the Penn Museum, the statuettes may represent markhor goats, a type of Central and South Asian mountain goat with fantastical spiral horns. But Woolley called them "rams" because they reminded him of the biblical story of Abraham sacrificing a ram instead of his son Isaac. The heads and legs of the goat statuettes are wood, covered in gold leaf, as is the thicket or flowering bush. Their ears are copper, and their bellies are silver. Lapis lazuli, a semiprecious deep-blue stone, was used for their horns and fleece. Each goat stands on its hind legs on a rectangular base decorated with a mosaic of shells, lapis lazuli and red limestone in a diamond pattern. Experts are unsure what function this pair of goat statuettes served, but they may have been used as offering stands to support small bowls that did not survive, according to a team of Penn Museum researchers who published an analysis of the objects in 2020. MORE ASTONISHING ARTIFACTS —Hatnefer's heart scarab: An exquisite ancient Egyptian gold necklace inscribed with the Book of the Dead —Hårby Valkyrie: A 1,200-year-old gold Viking Age woman sporting a sword, shield and ponytail —Apulian rhyton: A 2,300-year-old Spartan-hound-shaped cup that was likely used at boozy bashes These researchers view the thicket or bush as a representation of the Mesopotamian cosmic tree that connects heaven and Earth. Rosettes on the tree symbolize heaven, while the leaves signify Earth. The diamond pattern on the statues' bases may represent mountains — specifically those on the eastern horizon of Ur where the sun rises. Daily sunrise was very important in ancient Mesopotamia. It was connected to the idea of destiny and associated with the birth of the universe. Rituals for the sun god Shamash often involved the sacrifice of sheep or goats and were made between sunset and sunrise. Because the "ram in the thicket" statuettes evoke sunrise — the time and place where heaven, Earth and the netherworld meet in Mesopotamian belief — they were likely seen as "suitable furnishings" for a royal tomb, the researchers wrote in their analysis.
Shafaq News
23-05-2025
- Shafaq News
Stolen artifacts head home: Met repatriates Iraqi art
Shafaq News/ The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently announced that it will return three ancient sculptures to Iraq, dating from 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE. They are estimated to be collectively worth $500,000. The items are a Sumerian vessel made of gypsum alabaster (ca. 2600–2500 BCE) and two Babylonian terracotta sculptures (ca. 2000-1600 BCE) depicting a male head and a female head, respectively. The museum said it was making the return in 'cooperation with the Manhattan DA's office,' and that the return had come after the Met had 'received new information' amid the investigation into Robin Symes, a dealer accused of being a member of a network that traded in looted artifacts. A press release from the DA's Office said that the Symes investigation has resulted in the seizure of 135 antiquities valued at more than $58 million. The release also noted that two of the items were seized by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) earlier this year. The two Babylonian ceramic sculptures are thought to be from Isin, an archaeological site in Iraq, and were looted in the late 1960s. The Manhattan DA's office noted that Head of a male was then smuggled out of Iraq and was in Symes's possession in London by 1971. The next year, Symes sold the sculpture to the Met; it remained in the institution's collection until it was seized by the ATU. Vessel supported by two rams was first offered to the Met in 1956 by Switzerland-based antiquities dealer-trafficker Nicolas Koutoulakis, 'who informed the museum that the Vessel had been found at a site near the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. The Vessel then passed through multiple private collectors and dealers, including Symes, before permanently entering The Met's collection in 1989,' according to the Manhattan DA's office. The museum's press release said the vessel was gifted to the museum in 1989 by the Norbert Schimmel Trust, named after a longtime trustee who died in 1990. The museum noted that 'it appeared on the Baghdad art market, was purchased by Swiss dealer Nicolas Koutoulakis by 1956 and later acquired by Cecile de Rothschild.' 'The Met is committed to the responsible collecting of art and the shared stewardship of the world's cultural heritage and has made significant investments in accelerating the proactive research of our collection,' Max Hollein, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's director and CEO, said in a press statement. 'The Museum is grateful for our ongoing conversations with Iraq regarding future collaborative endeavors, and we look forward to working together to advance our shared dedication to fostering knowledge and appreciation of Iraqi art and culture.' 'We continue to recover and return antiquities that were trafficked by Robin Symes,' District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. said in a press statement. 'That is a testament to the hard work of attorneys, analysts and investigators who are committed to undoing the significant damage traffickers have caused to our worldwide cultural heritage.' H. E. Nazar Al Khirullah, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the US, described the leadership of the ATU as 'instrumental' in the recovery of his country's looted heritage. 'We also appreciate our strong and ongoing partnership with The Met, whose commitment to cultural preservation complements our shared mission to safeguard the world's antiquities,' he said in a press statement. Symes's legacy of trafficking antiquities includes 351 antiquities returned to Greece after a 17-year legal battle, two antiquities worth $1.26 million returned to Libya, 750 artifacts recovered by Italy, a limestone elephant returned to Iraq, and an alabaster female figure returned to Yemen, all in 2023. Symes was convicted of contempt of court for lying about antiquities he held in storage locations around the world in 2005. He was sentenced to two years in prison, but only served seven months. He died in 2023.
