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BGN interviews filmmaker Todd Haynes and screenwriter Samy Burch about the dramatic Netflix film May December.
Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Julianne Moore, Charles Melton) buckles under the pressure when an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past.
Interviewer: Jamie Broadnax
Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax
May December premieres in select theaters November 17, 2023 (US & Canada) and on Netflix December 1, 2023.
“Young women who want an education will not be stopped.” The quote from Indian actor Freida Pinto holds true, particularly for Black women throughout history. Education is a right that, for decades, Black women — from Maya Angelou to Ruby Bridges — have ruthlessly fought for.
Knowledge is powerful, which is one of the reasons why education was withheld from so many enslaved Africans and why quality education is still hard to come by in many urban schools. When applied, knowledge can be used as a weapon against oppression.
Susie King Taylor was one Black woman who understood the power and importance of education, which is why she is known as one of the first Black educators. If you haven’t heard of Taylor, that’s understandable — not many people have. However, despite her unfamiliarity, her life and the impact she created are important to share. Here is a brief look into who Taylor was and why she should be honored and remembered today.
Who was Susie King Taylor?
Born into slavery as Susie Baker on August 6, 1848, in Liberty County, Georgia, Taylor was forbidden the right to an education, just as many enslaved African Americans were.
However, a bit of good fortune shined on Taylor when she went to live with her grandmother in Savannah, Georgia, when she was seven years old. Although Georgia had strict laws against the education of African Americans, Taylor attended in secret two schools that were taught by two Black women.
Taylor was studious, which paid off when she escaped slavery in 1862. She and many others went to St. Simons Island, Georgia, occupied by Union forces and essentially a haven for formerly enslaved African Americans.
Because of her previous education and her reading, writing, and sewing skills, she caught the attention of one of the army officers. “He was surprised by my accomplishments (for they were such in those days), for he said he did not know there were any Negroes in the South able to read or write,” Taylor states in her memoir.
The officer gathered books for her, and Taylor eventually opened a school. Upon doing so, she became the first Black teacher to run a school for freed African Americans. In her school, she taught around 40 children during the day and numerous adults at night. The school continued until October 1862, when the island had to be evacuated so that soldiers could defend Savannah.
This unfortunate turn of events didn’t stop Taylor from continuing her teaching career.
When Taylor married Edward King, a Black army officer, her career changed to working as a nurse and laundress for the 33rd United States Colored Infantry Regiment. Yet, this career change didn’t stifle her passion for education. During her off hours, she taught the soldiers how to read and write; in return, they showed her some new skills.
According to a passage in her memoir, she “learned to handle a musket very well…and could shoot straight and often hit the target.”
Taylor continued her work with the regiment until the end of the war. After she and her husband moved to Savannah, unfortunately, her husband died while she was pregnant with their first child. However, Taylor continued to pursue her dreams and opened up a school.
Leaving a legacy
In addition to her love of education, she had a way with the written word and a gift for storytelling. In 1902, she published an 83-page memoir titled Reminiscences of My Life in Camp about her life as an enslaved person, a freed woman, a nurse, and an educator, and about the overall life of a Black woman living in the South.
Stories like Taylor’s were often called “slave narratives.” They are crucial pieces of history because they told the unknown stories of the lives of many enslaved and freed African Americans. They allow for truthful insights into the past.
Taylor’s memoir is powerful, as Black women’s military involvement was rarely discussed or shared. Yet, women did play a crucial role in the war efforts. Women often raised funds for Black soldiers and attended military camps to work as washwomen and nurses and provide general care for Black soldiers, who were not given the same rights and privileges as white soldiers. To be of service at the camps, Black women often risked being abused by white wagon drivers, who would often refuse to give them a ride to the camps.
When Taylor wrote her memoir, she wrote a piece of history that, instead of centering the male experience, was told from a woman’s point of view. It was something that had never been done before.
While many publications at the time focused on white heroism, Taylor told the truth about the Black soldiers’ experience. One passage in her memoir shares, “The first colored troops did not receive any pay for eighteen months, and the men had to depend wholly on what they received from the commissary.”
Taylor’s life and story are a reminder of the importance of education, especially now with restrictions on teaching critical race theory. Now more than ever, sharing more stories is crucial to our community and society.
What are trading cards if not vast collections of art pieces you collect? Whenever fans clamor to know about new Pokémon joining the franchise, they’re really hoping to see new artwork revealed. And so, it only makes sense for Pokémon to engage with other famous artists. This time, Pokémon is collaborating with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. This partnership brings Van Gogh’s art style to a Pokémon exhibit that celebrates some of our favorite creatures of all. And it even gives Pokémon Masters a chance to collect a new rare promo card, “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat.” Not to mention, there will be plenty of merchandise on offer (which, while currently sold out, we hope will soon be restocked). There’s a lot to love about this collaboration.
Jump to: The Permanent Pokémon x Van Gogh Collection // The Van Gogh Pikachu Promo Card // Can You Get the Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Card Online? // Exhibit Information // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise From The Pokémon Center // Every Item in the Collection // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Still Available for Purchase // When Will the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Go Live?
Pokémon at the Van Gogh Museum’s Permanent Collection
A release from the Van Gogh Museum shares more about this gorgeous partnership. It notes, “To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Van Gogh Museum, Pokémon and the Van Gogh Museum have launched an official collaboration aimed at introducing new audiences to the work of Vincent van Gogh.” And that feels like a very worthy cause to us. If Pokémon can get more people into a museum and get them thinking about what art means, well, that’s excellent.
The Van Gogh Museum has teased several pieces from its Pokémon art exhibit, but there will be a total of six. The museum notes, “Several of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous works from the permanent collection of the Van Gogh Museum served as inspiration for six paintings made by artists from The Pokémon Company.” Right now, we get to see “Pikachu in a work inspired by Self-portrait with Grey Felt Hat (1887), the Pokémon Sunflora is hidden in a variant of Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers (1889), and you can find Snorlax and Munchlax relaxing in a work inspired by The Bedroom (1888).” Additionally, Eevee features in another self-portrait-inspired work. And we think we spy some Honchkrow and Corviknight flapping around in a piece reminiscent of Wheatfield with Crows.
How to Get the New Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Promo Card
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Pokémon event without a new card to take home. Lucky fans who visit the exhibit at the Van Gogh Museum can catch a new Pikachu TCG card inspired by the artists. As mentioned, this card is called “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat.” But it’s not as easy as showing up.
The museum shares, “A Pokémon Adventure leaflet will lead young visitors along the works by Vincent van Gogh that served as inspiration for the paintings… Once participants complete the Pokémon Adventure activity, they can hand in their completed leaflet for a special Pikachu x Van Gogh Museum promo card (subject to availability).” Hopefully, the museum is prepared for many non-young visitors as well. We feel like they may get one or two.
For those seeking more specific instructions, here are the direct steps to get your Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon card.
- Book a museum ticket between 28 September 2023 and 7 January 2024.
- Get yourself a copy of the Pokémon Adventure at the museum’s Information Desk in the Atrium.
- Complete the answers and hand in your copy at the Information Desk. Only then, you will receive a special Pikachu Pokémon promo card.
However, the museum wants you to know right now, you can only have ONE Pokémon Van Gogh card. That’s it. One. It notes, “A maximum of one promo card will be issued per person and per completed Pokémon Adventure. The promo cards are subject to availability… No promo cards will be issued for your friends or family at home.”
Can You Buy the Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Card Online?
Some official online sources seemed to indicate you can receive the collection’s promo card by purchasing merchandise from the Pokémon x Van Gogh museum collection. Meanwhile, others indicated the promo Pikachu Pokémon card would only be available physically at the Van Gogh Museum. But ultimately, is the Van Gogh promo Pokémon card, “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat,” available online?
Yes, appears to be the answer; you can get “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” via online purchasing, making it more available to everyone. A release from The Pokémon Company notes, “A special promotional ‘Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat’ trading card inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Self Portrait with Grey Felt Hat’ will be available as a gift with purchase item with all Pokémon Center x Van Gogh Museum products. Products and promotional trading cards are available whilst stocks last.” Please note that the card will only come with purchases from The Pokémon Center. However, the items at The Pokémon Center are now sold out. Of note, merchandise purchased from The Van Gogh Museum’s online shop will not come with a promo Pikachu.
For those who were not able to get a Pokémon promo card, here’s what The Pokémon Center had to say:
In full, the text reads, “We apologize to all the fans eagerly awaiting our Pokémon Center x Van Gogh Museum release today. Due to overwhelming demand, all our products from this collection have sold out. We understand this is disappointing to many who were looking to our official email and social media channels for guidance on how and when to purchase. We are actively working on ways to provide more “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” promo cards for fans shopping at Pokémon Center in the future. Details will be released at a later date.”
How Many Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Cards Can You Recieve Online?
According to a new entry for “Pokémon × Van Gogh Museum: Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat Promo Card” on The Pokémon Center’s UK website that was shared on September 29, “You can receive this special card as a gift with each eligible item you order from PokemonCenter.com in the US or UK, while supplies last. For example, if you place an order that contains two items from the Van Gogh Museum collection, you will receive two promo cards as a gift.”
The page also lists all the eligible Pokémon Center × Van Gogh Museum items that came with this Pikachu promo card. There are quite a few. Unfortunately, as mentioned, it seems like all the items have sold out for now. It’s possible another run of merchandise will be released.
Jump to: The Permanent Pokémon x Van Gogh Collection // The Van Gogh Pikachu Promo Card // Can You Get the Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Card Online? // Exhibit Information // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise From The Pokémon Center // Every Item in the Collection // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Still Available for Purchase // When Will the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Go Live?
Other Exhibit Information: Timing and More
The Pokémon and Van Gogh Museum collaboration begins on September 28 and runs through January 7, 2024. In addition to the above, the museum will also have a ‘How to Draw Pikachu’ video-guided activity and online learning material.
What Van Gogh Pokémon Merchandise Was Available to Buy?
Of course, “The Van Gogh Museum Shop (inside the museum and online) and The Pokémon Centre online store will feature an exclusive range of Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum merchandise featuring the art of the collaboration.” We’d expect nothing less.
Attendees of the Van Gogh Museum have shared some looks at what is available to purchase. However, as discussed above, it looks like items that went on sale via The Pokémon Center have sold out. We hope they will see a restock.
Here's an in-person look at the Van Gogh Pokemon merchandise including card sleeves, playmats, puzzles and more!
— Pokemon TCG Restocks & News (@PokemonRestocks) September 27, 2023
📸: @thewossy pic.twitter.com/BVwL2llHw2
Additionally, a release from The Pokémon Company noted, “The Pokémon Center online store will feature an exclusive range of ‘Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum’ merchandise featuring the art from the collaboration. Items available include a special Vincent Van Gogh inspired Pikachu Plush, Trading Card Game sleeves, Van Gogh-inspired figures of Pikachu and Eevee, Poster Prints, a Jigsaw Puzzle and more.”
But here’s a closer look at some of the items you can buy if The Pokémon Center restocks this line; we do hope we can catch ’em all!
Every Item in The Pokémon Center’s Van Gogh Collection
A full listing of every Van Gogh Pokémon item you can buy, should they be restocked, is available here. You can also see the listing in the image below.
Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Still Available to Buy Right Now
Additional exclusive merchandise will also be available at The Van Gogh Museum’s online shop, but as noted above, buying Pokémon merchandise from this site will not come with a “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” card. Presently, available for purchase at this time is a “Van Gogh Giclée, Pikachu”—a “high-resolution fine art reproduction” of Pikachu. We absolutely need that. Additionally, you can also buy high-end prints of the Van Gogh versions of Eevee, Smeargle, Sunflora, Snorlax & Munchlax, and Corviknight & Honchkrow. The Van Gogh Museum notes it will allow one piece per product per customer; products are subject to availability.
When Will the Pokémon Center × Van Gogh Museum Be Available to Buy?
The first round of The Pokémon Center x Van Gogh merchandise went up on Friday, September 29. But it sold out almost immediately. As mentioned, hopefully, there will be a restock of items.
The Van Gogh Museum has not yet released the online items it plans to sell, save for one Pikachu print.
Jump to: The Permanent Pokémon x Van Gogh Collection // The Van Gogh Pikachu Promo Card // Can You Get the Van Gogh Pikachu Pokémon Card Online? // Exhibit Information // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise From The Pokémon Center // Every Item in the Collection // Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Still Available for Purchase // When Will the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum Merchandise Go Live?
More information and FAQ about this artistic meeting of the minds can be found here. We’ll see you in Amsterdam.
Originally published on September 27, 2023
The post POKÉMON Van Gogh Collaboration Reveals New Promo Card and Museum Adventures appeared first on Nerdist.