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Miami Living Magazine is thrilled to present an exclusive interview with the multitalented Suzana Pires, an accomplished actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur, and now, an esteemed author. With her highly anticipated book, "Unleashed," set to release on August 19th, Suzana brings forth a riveting guide that not only empowers women but also calls for a transformative awakening of the human spirit. As the founder of the women's empowerment organization DONA DE SI, she has already made a profound impact on countless lives in Brazil and is now expanding her reach globally, inspiring individuals worldwide to embrace their inner strength and seize opportunities fearlessly. Amidst her awe-inspiring journey in the entertainment industry, starring in numerous films, telenovelas, and series, Suzana's creative brilliance knows no bounds. Join us as we delve into her remarkable career, the inspiration behind "Unleashed," and her relentless pursuit of breaking barriers and advocating for equality and empowerment on both the stage and the page. MLM: Congratulations on your new book "Unleashed"! Can you tell us what inspired you to write this powerful guide and how it ties into your women's empowerment organization, Dona de Si? SP: Thanks a lot. What inspired me was my own experience as a woman that achieved success in my field, as well as the daily work with all women empowered by the DONA DE SI organization. I've seen the struggles of real-life women and I had to write about those experiences, blending the DONA DE SI method with my professional journey. I am not profiling myself as a powerful woman, instead I show all my mistakes and how I moved on. MLM: "Unleashed" aims to bring awareness to the feminist movement and awaken the power within. Could you share some key insights or takeaways that readers can expect from your book? SP: Yes, it's a pleasure to talk about this issue. The first key insight is that we have three main issues that disrupt our growth. They are: work overload – we are always worried about our work, husband, and kids and culturally it is difficult to prioritize ourselves. The second issue is the oppression that we have to face every second of every day, from subtle ones to abusive ones, and then we have loneliness that brings us the weird thought that we are impostors, even if we are successful. We really need to understand how to neutralize those three issues in order to build better lives. MLM: Your work with Dona de Si has made a significant impact on the lives of women in Brazil. How do you plan to expand this positive influence globally to help others worldwide "unleash" their own power? SP: When I signed a contract with a US publisher, I started the expansion of this message. The next step is to translate this method to women in the US, and then start to accelerate women globally. I am working on it every day! It's been amazing because we all have the same problems; doesn´t matter if you are Brazilian, American or Japanese. MLM: Your acting career in Brazil has been truly remarkable, with numerous successes in both film and television. How has your journey in the entertainment industry influenced the themes and messages you convey in "Unleashed"? SP: Everything that I wrote or acted in film or television in Brazil I took care to bring an important message to women. This has always been my key artist issue. I´ve started doing that as a public figure with my actions and I expand that to my world vision. MLM: As Brazil's first female showrunner, you've broken barriers and achieved significant milestones. How do you see your role as a trailblazer and advocate for women's empowerment in the entertainment world? SP: I am the first actress who is also a showrunner. My role is to produce, write and act, always requesting women´s inclusion and expanding female narratives in film. When I meet new writers, directors and actresses I can hire them to work with me. I've had a lot of “fights” with the established players. At the beginning, in 2005, it was a war, but now, almost 20 years later, they respect me and buy my series or movies. Now, the game is a little better for me in Brazil and even better in America. MLM: In "Unleashed," you emphasize taking control of one's destiny and creating opportunities. Could you share a personal experience where you applied these principles to your own life and career? SP: Yes, creating opportunities is what I most love to do in life! I worked for the third biggest tv network in the world for 24 years but when my material was no longer considered good, I had a meeting where I heard the craziest thing ever. My boss said to me that the issue wasn’t the big numbers that I had, but my happiness!!! My joy was the reason that my team was so tied to me and that was a problem for them. What?!?! So, I said to my boss that my joy, my happiness and my competence wasn't for sale and we ended the long contract six months later. I was super sad, but I decided to keep working on my material in English. Six months later, a British studio bought my material and they brought me to Los Angeles to work for them. One year later, I am based here, working (now on strike). That´s a journey that I am super proud of because I've kept my happiness, even when I am sad. Self-respect and creating opportunity are the key to keeping your dignity in such a crazy world. ML: You're also an accomplished writer and executive producer. How do you balance these different roles, and do you find that your various creative pursuits complement each other in any way? SP: It took me a long time to understand all those roles and to balance them in my routine. Now, I have some rules. For example: the actress is the boss and she needs one project a year, the writer is the one who brings the idea to the paper and the producer is the alchemist, who is going to bring what is in the paper to reality. It is a lot of work but after all these years I have long term partners to make this work. To have a career with this kind of excellence I have chosen not to have kids. MLM: "Unleashed" is particularly focused on helping Latina women, but you mention that all women and men can benefit from its message. What universal elements in your book do you believe will resonate with a broad and diverse audience? SP: Yes, it is for all women because we have one thing universally in common: we are exhausted with all our social roles. UNLEASHED is not a guide that will tell you how to live, but to remind you that you are alive. MLM: With your writing work, what future projects or themes are you excited to explore, and how do you see your voice contributing to the evolving landscape of entertainment content? SP: I can contribute by making room for women in any work space. Not only with my behavior, but bringing content such as UNLEASHED that will help each one of us to find our own strength. I have a lot of great future projects, but for now I am focused on UNLEASHED and picketing with WGA and SAG AFTRA. First, our labor rights, right? Photographer: Ben Cope Stylist: Anna Schilling Hair/Makeup: Olaf Derlig Instagram: @Suzipires By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Ben Cope

The connection between the pandemic and our dietary habits is undeniable. The stress of isolation coupled with a struggling economy has caused many of us to seek comfort with our old friends: Big Mac, Tom Collins, Ben and Jerry. But overindulging in this kind of food and drink might not just be affecting your waistline, but could potentially put you at greater risk of illness by hindering your immune system. Hear the word “nutrition,” and often what comes to mind are fad diets, juice “cleanses” and supplements. Americans certainly seem concerned with their weight; 45 million of us spend US$33 billion annually on weight loss products. But one in five Americans consumes nearly no vegetables – less than one serving per day. When the emphasis is on weight loss products, and not healthy day-to-day eating, the essential role that nutrition plays in keeping us well never gets communicated. Among the many things I teach students in my nutritional biochemistry course is the clear relationship between a balanced diet and a strong, well-regulated immune system. Along with social distancing measures and effective vaccines, a healthy immune system is our best defense against coronavirus infection. To keep it that way, proper nutrition is an absolute must. Although not a replacement for medicine, good nutrition can work synergistically with medicine to improve vaccine effectiveness, reduce the prevalence of chronic disease and lower the burden on the health care system. The Western diet is packed with cholesterol, saturated fat and sugar. Tara Moore via Getty Images The impact of the Western diet Scientists know that people with preexisting health conditions are at greater risk for severe COVID-19 infections. That includes those with diabetes, obesity, and kidney, lung or cardiovascular disease. Many of these conditions are linked to a dysfunctional immune system. Patients with cardiovascular or metabolic disease have a delayed immune response, giving viral invaders a head start. When that happens, the body reacts with a more intense inflammatory response, and healthy tissues are damaged along with the virus. It’s not yet clear how much this damage factors into the increased mortality rate, but it is a factor. What does this have to do with nutrition? The Western diet typically has a high proportion of red meat, saturated fat and what’s known as “bliss point foods” rich in sugar and salt. Adequate fruit and vegetable consumption is missing. Despite the abundance of calories that often accompanies the Western diet, many Americans don’t consume nearly enough of the essential nutrients our bodies need to function properly, including vitamins A, C and D, and the minerals iron and potassium. And that, at least in part, causes a dysfunctional immune system: too few vitamins and minerals, and too many empty calories. A healthy immune system responds quickly to limit or prevent infection, but it also promptly “turns down the dial” to avoid damaging the cells of the body. Sugar disrupts this balance. A high proportion of refined sugar in the diet can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation in addition to diabetes and obesity. Essentially, that “dial” is never turned all the way off. While inflammation is a natural part of the immune response, it can be harmful when it’s constantly active. Indeed, obesity is itself characterized by chronic, low-grade inflammation and a dysregulated immune response. And research shows that vaccines may be less effective in obese people. The same applies to those who regularly drink too much alcohol. Nutrition education is critical to developing healthy dietary habits. westend61 via Getty Images How nutrients help Nutrients, essential substances that help us grow properly and remain healthy, help maintain the immune system. In contrast to the delayed responses associated with malnutrition, vitamin A fights against multiple infectious diseases, including measles. Along with vitamin D, it regulates the immune system and helps to prevent its overactivation. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, protects us from the injury caused by free radicals. Polyphenols, a wide-ranging group of molecules found in all plants, also have anti-inflammatory properties. There’s plenty of evidence to show a diet rich in plant polyphenols can lower the risk of chronic conditions, like hypertension, insulin insensitivity and cardiovascular disease. Why don’t we Americans eat more of these plant-based foods and fewer of the bliss-based foods? It’s complicated. People are swayed by advertising and influenced by hectic schedules. One starting place would be to teach people how to eat better from an early age. Nutrition education should be emphasized, from kindergarten through high school to medical schools. Millions of Americans live in food deserts, having limited access to healthy foods. In these circumstances, education must be paired with increased access. These long-term goals could bring profound returns with a relatively small investment. Meantime, all of us can take small steps to incrementally improve our own dietary habits. I’m not suggesting we stop eating cake, french fries and soda completely. But we as a society have yet to realize the food that actually makes us feel good and healthy is not comfort food. The COVID-19 pandemic won’t be the last we face, so it’s vital that we use every preventive tool we as a society have. Think of good nutrition as a seat belt for your health; it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick, but it helps to ensure the best outcomes. By Grayson Jaggers, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story and images. 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The new year is going to be better. It has to be better. Maybe you’re one of the 74% of Americans in one survey who said they planned on hitting the reset button on Jan. 1 and resolving to improve. Those New Year’s resolutions most commonly focus on eating healthier, exercising, losing weight and being a better person. Admirable goals, to be sure. But focusing on body and mind neglects something equally important: your romantic relationship. Couples with better marriages report higher well-being, and a recent study found that having a better romantic relationship not only promoted well-being and better health now but that those benefits extend into the future. The lesson is clear: Your relationship is important. Resolve to get it right. That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. But here are seven resolutions based on recent psychological research that you can make this New Year to help keep your relationship going strong. 1. Set yourself up for success Adjust your mindset so you see your relationship as a key source of positive experiences. Psychologists like me call this boosting your social approach motivation. Instead of merely trying to avoid relationship problems, those with an approach motivation seek out the positives and use them to help the relationship. Here’s how: Imagine a conversation with your partner. Having more of an approach motivation allows you to focus on positive feelings as you talk and to see your partner as more responsive to you. Your partner gets a burst of positivity, too, and in return sees you as more responsive. One partner’s good vibes spill over to the other partner, ultimately benefiting both. After a year when your relationship may have felt unprecedented external strains, laying the foundation to take advantage of any positives is good place to start. 2. Be optimistic While things in the past may not have always gone how you wanted, it’s important to be optimistic about the future. But the right kind of optimism matters. A 2020 research study from Krystan Farnish and Lisa Neff found that generally looking on the bright side of life allowed participants to deal with relationship conflict more effectively – as they put it, better able to “shake it off” – than did those who were optimistic specifically about their relationship. It seems that if people focus all their rosy expectations just on their relationship, it encourages them to anticipate few negative experiences with their partner. Since that’s unrealistic even in the best relationships, it sets them up for disappointment. 3. Increase your psychological flexibility Try to go with the flow. In other words, work on accepting your feelings without being defensive. It’s OK to adjust your behaviors – you don’t always have to do things the way you always have or go the places you’ve always gone. Stop being stubborn and experiment with being flexible. A recent study by Karen Twiselton and colleagues found that when you’re more flexible psychologically, relationship quality is higher, in part because you experience more positive and fewer negative emotions. For example, navigating the yearly challenge of holidays and family traditions is a relationship minefield. However, if both partners back away from a “must do” mentality in favor of a more adaptable approach, relationship harmony will be greater. When you’re both in a good headspace, it’s easier to keep the relationship moving in the right direction.skaman306/Moment via Getty Images 4. It’s OK to put ‘me’ before ‘we’ It’s easy for some people to play the self-sacrificing martyr in their romantic relationship. If this sounds like you, try to focus more on yourself. It doesn’t make you a bad person or a bad partner. When you’re psychologically healthy, your partner and your relationship also benefit. Recent research identified four main traits that are part of good mental health: openness to feelings, warmth, positive emotions and straightforwardness. These traits help with being more clear about who you are, feeling better about who you are, expressing greater optimism and less aggression, exploiting others less and exhibiting less antisocial behavior. You can see how what’s good for you in this case would be good for your partner too. 5. Do something for your partner But it’s not all about you. Putting your partner first some of the time and catering to your partner’s desires is part of being a couple. A 2020 study by Johanna Peetz and colleagues found that prioritizing your partner makes you feel closer to them, increases positive feelings, reduces negative ones and boosts perceived relationship quality. In the new year, look for ways to give your partner some wins. Let them get their way from time to time and support them in what they want to do, without exclusively prioritizing your own wants and needs. 6. Don’t be so hard on yourself So many New Year’s resolutions focus on body image. Aspirations to eat better and work out often stem from the same goal: a hotter body. Yet, research from Xue Lei shows that you may not really know what your partner wants you to look like. Women tend to overestimate how thin male partners want them to be. Similarly, men believe that female partners want them to be more muscular than women say they do. It may seem harmless, but in both cases individuals are more critical and demanding toward themselves, in part based on misreading what a partner truly desires. Caring physical contact has a lot of upsides for your relationship. Drazen_/E+ via Getty Images 7. Stay in touch I saved the easiest item on the list for last: Touch your partner more. When Cheryl Carmichael and colleagues followed 115 participants over a 10-day period, they found that initiating and receiving touch – things like holding hands, cuddling, kissing – were associated with both a boost in closeness and relationship quality. Importantly, being touched by your partner has the added benefit of making you feel more understood and validated. Who couldn’t use more of that in the coming year? Words by Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University. Special thanks to The Conversation. Special thanks to Emily from www.umatipo.com.br for the 2022 Gif Animation,. Gaby is a Mexican graphic designer with a passion for art, other cultures. For creative work inquiries visit www.gabyflo.studio.. Gabriele Grzelewski/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Over 32 million Americans are affected by osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease and the most common form of arthritis. Although OA can damage any joint, the knee is one of the most affected joints. Even further, approximately 46% of people will develop knee OA during their lifetime. While OA is common, the negative effects can be debilitating. A recent survey found that patients report that their condition prevents them from living a full life. Everyday activities, including the ability to climb stairs, exercise, and sleep, have been negatively impacted because of knee pain. Beyond the physical pain, respondents also noted their mental health being impacted. More than 9 in 10 patients (91%) reported missing out on social events, and 28% said their everyday mental health was negatively affected by their ongoing pain. Additionally, living with knee pain often means that physical activities, like golf or other recreational sports, take a back seat. People often turn to over the counter medications or traditional steroid injections which provide some relief, but find they are requiring multiple injections before noticing a difference. Many patients ultimately undergo a knee replacement; however, some people want to delay surgery or are not yet a candidate for surgery for a variety of reasons. For those who are looking to get back to their daily activities and hobbies without constant knee pain, there are options available that can provide extended relief with a single treatment. Extending-Release Pain Relief ZILRETTA®, a single injection and extended-release pain relief treatment, is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for knee OA to use extended-release microsphere technology. Unlike other injections for knee pain, these microspheres slowly release medicine over time so that the patient’s pain is continuously managed after a single injection. Additionally, patients often experience relief after just four days. A recent study found that 70% of people had mild to no knee pain for three months after a ZILRETTA treatment. This treatment option allows patients to feel a season of knee pain relief. It is vital that patients are having open and honest discussions with their healthcare providers when it comes to pain management and the options that are available to help provide extended OA knee pain relief. Delaying treatment of these important conversations surrounding a pain management plan can have negative risk factors and hinder you from living your life to the fullest. Whether one is considering joint replacement surgery or not, fortunately, there are effective, non-opioid options, such as ZILRETTA, available to treat chronic pain and help people get back to their active lifestyle. For more information, please click here. Triamcinolone Acetonide Extended-Release Injectable Suspension ZILRETTA employs proprietary microsphere technology combining triamcinolone acetonide — a commonly administered, immediate-release corticosteroid — with a polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) matrix to provide extended pain relief. ZILRETTA microspheres localize in synovial tissue at a primary source of OA knee pain and inflammation. Indication ZILRETTA® (triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension) is an extended-release corticosteroid approved to manage osteoarthritis knee pain. The benefits and risks of repeat injections have not been demonstrated. You should not receive a ZILRETTA injection if you are allergic to corticosteroids, triamcinolone acetonide, or any other component of the product. Important Safety Information Possible side effects: Rare serious allergic reactions Effects in the injected knee such as infection (with pain, swelling and restricted motion) or joint damage Increased chance of getting an infection, and a decreased ability to fight an infection Effects on hormone production. These effects can be reversible Elevated blood pressure, sodium and water retention, and potassium loss Intestinal perforation if you have certain gastrointestinal disorders Weakening of bones Changes in behavior or mood disturbances Increased pressure inside the eye In multiple clinical trials, the most common side effects seen in people taking ZILRETTA were joint pain, headache, joint swelling, back pain, sore throat and runny nose, upper respiratory tract infection, and bruising. Tell your doctor about all of the medications you are taking (including both prescription and over-the-counter medicines) and about any medical conditions, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, diverticulitis or other gastrointestinal disorders, kidney problems, diabetes, glaucoma, behavior or mood disorders, and/or infections. Contact your doctor if you develop a fever or other signs of infection, have an increase in pain along with swelling of the injected knee, restriction of joint motion, or a general feeling of discomfort. Contact your doctor immediately if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles, or for any new or worsening changes in behavior or mood. These are not all of the possible side effects with ZILRETTA or corticosteroid medications. Please see the full Prescribing Information at www.ZILRETTALabel.com/PI.pdf. Always contact your doctor if you have questions or experience any side effects. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-844-353-9466 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. By ML Staff. This article is sponsored by Paciria BioSciences, Inc. Top image courtesy of Unplash

When we think of food in the past, it is often images of Henry VIII with a table groaning with meat dishes that springs to mind. But in fact our ancestors knew more about the health benefits of eating salads – normally thought of as a cold dish of herbs or vegetables – than we might think. By looking back to the sustainable self-sufficiency of the past, we find there is a lot we can learn about the variety of the historical salad dish, which costs next to nothing, has no carbon footprint and might even be beneficial to our health. The diarist, writer, and gardener John Evelyn (1620-1706) pursued his interest in salads in the mid-to-late 17th century. His model both defined the dish very broadly and showed how you could live on home-grown salads all year round. To Evelyn, the ideal kitchen garden was full of vegetables and fruits that could be grown simply and in great variety. Evelyn even published a whole guide to growing and preparing salads, Acetaria, A Discourse on Sallets in 1699. The words “sallet” came into English from the French “salade” in the 1300s and was in common use by the 1600s. In Acetaria, Evelyn promotes a low-meat diet, insisting that those who live on herbs and roots live to a ripe old age. He cites classical philosophy to back up his arguments about the “the Whole∫omness of the Herby-Diet” – citing Plato and Pythagoras as examples of great thinkers who banished “flesh” from their tables. Evelyn was not interested in converting people to vegetarianism as such, declaring: But this is not my Bu∫ine∫s, further than to ∫hew how possible it is by so many instances and examples, to live on whole∫ome vegetables, both long and happily. In the past year, gardening and growing vegetables has enjoyed a resurgence as a family-friendly, outdoor pastime that can also help ease concerns over food shortages. While becoming totally self-sufficient is unlikely, Evelyn’s Acetaria has some tips that the green-fingered grower can use to feed their families and some advice that could help expand their harvests in an unlikely way. The gardener’s year The centrality of salads to the diet in Evelyn’s manifesto is underpinned with the verse from Acetaria: Bread, Wine and whol∫ome Sallets you may buy, What Nature adds be∫ides is Luxury. While the rhyme refers to buying salads, Evelyn points out that such plants are easy to grow, have no fuel requirement in their preparation, are near at hand and importantly easy to digest. And nature aids all sorts of things, as highlighted in another work of Evelyn’s, Directions for the Gardener, written about his garden at Sayes Court in southeast London. This book contained helpful hints and tips for growing produce for the kitchen table. It’s not just the expected salad items such as cucumber and lettuce that Evelyn remarks on though. He offers daisies, dandelions and docks as part of the bounty, as well as cowslips (a type of primrose). These and many other plants that even flourish on compost heaps and waste ground could help the gardener be more self-sufficient – and at no real cost. Many of the “weeds” have to be picked at the optimum time, and sometimes the roots and stems are boiled to remove the bitterness. In any case, early moderns were wary of raw vegetables because it was believed that if eaten in too great a quantity they could upset the body. But the key point is that he has a much broader definition of what might be included in the salad family, such as the kind of foraged plants that are making a come-back in some high-end restaurants. Some of what Evelyn recommends were new spins on familiar ingredients. So why not pickle the seed-pods of a radish to make an attractive addition to your salad dish rather than just using the root? Or cook the stalks of a turnip (before it runs to seed) and eat them boiled and covered in butter, like asparagus. A salad “fitted for a City Feast” This is a flamboyant recipe that Evelyn gives us that upends our view of what a salad can be. Ingredients Blanched almonds sliced, and soaked in cold water Pickled cucumbers Olives Cornelians (a kind of cherry which Evelyn claims when pickled can pass for an olive) Capers Berberries (barberries) Red-Beet (beetroot) Nasturtium buds Broom Purslane stalks Samphire Ash keys Walnuts Pickled mushrooms Raisins of the Sun Citron and Orange peel Corinth (currants) well cleansed and dried Method Chop all these ingredients, add in some roasted maroons (sweet chestnuts), pistachios, pine-kernels, lots more almonds, and decorate with candied flowers, and sprinkle with rose water. Accompany with a side dish of pickled flowers in vinegar. The message of Evelyn’s book is to use what nature provides. The medicinal garden (called the apothecary or physic garden) brought into sharp focus the beneficial properties of various plants, which they thought able to cure all sorts of complaints. Evelyn would have been proud to see a nation of gardeners and cooks today taking up this self-sufficiency that was so natural to him back in the 1600s. Something for us to reflect on as we enter another new year. By Catie Gill, Lecturer in English, Loughborough University. Sara Read, Lecturer in English, Loughborough University. Special thanks to The Conversation

Enjoy Hemp, an industry leader of hemp-derived products, and the first and only line of premium hemp-derived Delta-8 THC products designed for customers to “enjoy life” how they choose, has launched Delta-8 THC Syrup. Enjoy Hemp's Delta-8 Syrup transforms any beverage into a high-potency, THC-infused and flavor-enhanced experience that is truly one-of-a-kind. Enjoy Hemp offers the most potent and all-natural Delta-8 THC experience on the market with the only vegan, all-natural, and gluten-free line of products that are fully third-party laboratory tested for potency and purity. Each bottle of syrup is infused with 500mg of Enjoy Hemp’s Delta-8 THC and comes with approximately 13 servings of 40mg per dose. Utilizing water-soluble nanotechnology, Enjoy Hemp's Syrup absorbs up to five times faster than other Delta-8 THC products and kicks in within as little as 15 minutes. Plus, it lasts up to six to eight hours. The syrup can be ingested on its own or infused with any beverage including cocktails, water, and exotic sodas! Choose how to enjoy with either: Relaxation Syrup: (MSRP: $29.99) – the blend of Indica terpenes-infused syrup in Grape was designed to help consumers chill and relax. Terpenes include Terpinolene and Alpha Bisabol. Uplift Syrup: (MSRP: $29.99) – the blend of Sativa terpene-infused syrup in Mango was crafted as the perfect daytime or uplifting blend! Terpenes include Beta-Caryophyllene and Limonene. All Enjoy Hemp's products are manufactured in Bend, Oregon. The state provides optimal growing conditions for hemp because of its agricultural and climate conditions. CBD dispensaries and smoke shops sell products based on strains and flavors that can be overwhelming to consumers. For example, most gummies are sold in flavors, such as watermelon, and everyone reacts to THC and hemp-derived products differently. Enjoy Hemp solves these problems by specifically formulating their products to sell the effects and experiences consumers desire such as relaxation, energy, relief, euphoria, etc. Each of Enjoy Hemp’s product formulations are proprietarily formulated to provide the effects and experiences consumers are looking for with the effect of each item displayed on the front for ease of purchase. “Having launched Enjoy Hemp at the beginning of 2021 with great success, we are excited to launch our Delta-8 THC Syrup,” said co-founder Adam Levit. “Normally, cannabis products are sold as strains and flavors that don’t provide the consumer much background about the product. We listened to customer demand and created products that are centered around the effects and experiences that customers are looking for.” To ensure transparency to its customers, Enjoy Hemp’s products are third-party laboratory tested by certified independent laboratories and have a Certificates of Analysis (COA) correlated to the lot number of each product. The company tests every product for cannabinoid and terpene content, as well as heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, and microbials. “What makes Enjoy Hemp unique is our dedication to transparency and our accessibility to our consumers,” said co-founder Jordan Shidlofsky “Enjoy Hemp is the only syrup on the market that’s designed to allow consumers choose how they want to enjoy life with our Relaxation or Uplift blends! Plus, the effects of our products are easily identifiable on our packaging for the consumers who may be overwhelmed with the dispensary shopping experience or know how they want to enjoy life.” Delta-8 THC (“Delta-8”) is a cannabinoid that can be derived from either hemp or cannabis. All of EnjoyHemp’s Delta-8 THC products are derived from 100% USDA Organic Hemp. Delta-8 is a cannabis compound that has become popular because of its similarity to Delta-9 THC, the main compound in cannabis that may cause euphoria, happiness, sedation, and other psychotropic effects, without the negative side effects such as paranoia or anxiety. Enjoy Hemp is the brainchild of Levit and Shidlofsky, two friends who met while attending Florida State University, and later attended law school at Florida International University. Five years after graduating from law school/while practicing law, they launched Lunchbox Distribution and Lunchbox Alchemy CBD, distributing and offering full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD made with the finest, all-natural and organic ingredients. In 2021, Levit and Shidlofsky launched Enjoy Hemp, with a goal of creating products that promote “enjoying life,” and continue to be partners in the business. For more information or to purchase Enjoy Hemp’s Delta-8 THC Syrup, visit https://enjoyhemp.co/shop-all-delta-8-thc/delta-8-thc-syrup/. Image courtesy of Enjoy Hemp

A good gift can elicit a surge of happiness and gratitude in the recipient. It also feels great to give, with psychologists finding that the joy of giving a gift is more pronounced than the pleasure of receiving one. Unfortunately, there are times when you receive a gift and you have to force a smile and fake your gratitude. I’m a consumer psychologist who specializes in gift-giving research – in particular, gift-giving mistakes. Here are four of the most common ones. If only little Gregory got a gift card … Philipp Nemenz/The Image Bank via Getty Images 1. Prioritizing the big reveal One way givers can err is by focusing too much on the moment the recipient will open the gift. Givers want their gift to be desirable. They hope to surprise the recipient and put a smile on their face. A chocolate fondue fountain might meet these criteria – it’s quirky and sure to elicit curiosity and smiles from onlookers. However, when people receive a gift, they care less about the moment the bow comes off, and instead think about the weeks and months ahead. People want gifts that are useful and reliable and meet their needs. How often would a chocolate fondue fountain realistically be used? Compare that to a new coffee maker, which could see action every day. Sure, it isn’t a novelty – and probably won’t elicit “oohs” and “ahhs” on Christmas Day – but the recipient will be quite happy to have it on hand when their alarm rings each morning. 2. Unique and new are overrated Another factor that can lead givers to go wrong involves unwritten rules for what constitutes good gift-giving practices. Givers often focus on these rules more than they should. For example, they may avoid giving the same gift to someone in back-to-back years because this goes against the norm of giving a unique gift each year. Givers also often refrain from giving used products as gifts because this violates the unspoken rule that a gift should be brand new. In contrast, recipients are quite open to gifts that violate these norms. If someone loves a certain type of wine, they’re more than happy to receive it in subsequent years. And if one digital camera is lightly used but possesses several innovative features, while another is new but has fewer features, people are happy to receive the used one. 3. Being risk-averse Givers can make missteps when they avoid gifts that they see as too risky. Consider sentimental gifts, like a scrapbook or a nostalgic memento. Studies have shown that recipients love these gifts; they elicit happiness for extended periods of time. Givers, however, tend to shy away from sentimental gifts because they see them risky – sure, they could be a home run, but they could also whiff. Doubts can creep into shoppers’ heads as they consider sentimental gifts: What if it comes across as sappy? What if the recipient thinks I’m being cheap? And so people tend to opt for safer, superficial gifts that they assume will be at least somewhat well-liked. Or, to continue with the baseball analogy, givers are happy to take the sure single. As another example, consider material goods versus experiences. When giving gifts, people often opt for tangible objects over experiences because material goods are on the safer side – almost everyone could use a new appliance or a new shirt. Experiences are trickier; they require a bit more of an understanding of who the recipient truly is – not everyone loves going to see the symphony. Yet recipients tend to be more open to experiences than givers anticipate – and these gifts are actually more likely to make people happier than material goods. Sometimes it’s better to go with Boston Red Sox tickets over a pair of socks.Philipp Nemenz/The Image Bank via Getty Images 4. Does the thought really count? Givers can also err by wanting their gift to appear especially thoughtful. Of course, recipients appreciate thoughtfulness – but not when it comes at the expense of receiving something that’s actually useful. This plays out when givers are shopping for multiple people. They’ll often choose unique gifts for each recipient, rather than give the same gift to everyone, because a distinct gift for each person will make them feel as though they put more time and effort into gift selection. People do this even if they realize that some recipients will be receiving less desirable gifts. You’ll also see this happen with gift cards. Givers often choose specific gift cards – to a particular clothing store or restaurant, for example – that reflect the interests or tastes of the recipient. But recipients are more open to gift cards that give them more flexibility and freedom – think an Amazon or Visa gift card. That way, they can decide whether to splurge on a new sweater, dine out at their favorite restaurant – or do both. Words By Julian Givi Assistant Professor of Marketing, West Virginia University Special thanks to The Conversation for republishing permission.

The announcements on consecutive days that the storied Real Madrid and France soccer star Karim Benzema is joining the Saudi Pro League and that Lionel Messi, thought by many to be soccer’s GOAT, intends to play in the United States’ Major League Soccer may mark the beginning of a new international bidding war for superannuated soccer stars. MLS has for many years been recruiting aging talent from big European clubs, but the Saudi interest is new. Benzema’s move to Al-Ittihad – costing more than US$200 million – follows the acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo by fellow Saudi club Al Nassr in 2022 for $100 million. Karim Benzema – taking the money and running into the box. AP Photo/Hussein Malla The Benzema announcement on June 6, 2023, furthered speculation that the kingdom is attempting to build a soccer league that will be competitive with Europe’s elite: the English Premier League, La Liga in Spain, Germany’s Bundesliga and Serie A in Italy. Although it seems unlikely that the Saudi Pro League will make any dent in the popularity of those established European leagues any time soon, the trend of big-name signings may be the detriment of smaller leagues – chief among them MLS – which will struggle to compete with the power of the Saudi sporting purse. A game of money and image laundering Confirmation of the Benzema move came on the same day that LIV Golf, funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, announced its merger with the PGA – prompting comments about “sportswashing,” the use of investment in sports to launder the image of Saudi Arabia’s repressive, brutal and authoritarian regime. However, there is one important difference between the Benzema story and LIV Golf. Saudi Arabians in particular – and the Arab peoples of the Middle East in general – have never shown much interest in golf. It was brought to the region by well-to-do British and American expats, and took hold only among local elites. Golf Saudi was created in 2018 and launched an ambitious mass participation program as part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 project, precisely because few Saudis played the game. The same cannot be said of soccer. The game is beloved across the Arab world, and as soccer writer Simon Kuper and I wrote in “Soccernomics,” the nations of the Middle East would have produced competitive international teams long ago were it not for the region’s long-standing political instability. Some observers have described soccer as “the second religion of the Arab world.” Oldies but goodies The strategy of buying aging stars from European leagues to promote interest in an emerging soccer nation is a long-standing tradition. In the 2016-17 season, China made waves when it started spending large sums in the transfer market to attract luminaries such as former Manchester United star Carlos Tevez and the Brazilian midfielder Oscar. The Australian A-League brought in players like Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler and Brazil’s Juninho in its early years, while Japan’s J.League launched in 1993 with aging World Cup legends Zico and Gary Lineker. But the greatest examples of this strategy come from the United States. Back in the 1970s, the North American Soccer League assembled what may be the greatest collection of international stars ever to play outside of Europe or South America. Pelé, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best and Bobby Moore – sporting legends in their home countries – all played in the league. But it was not enough to save the NASL from collapse in 1984. George Best dribbles past Pelé in the North American Soccer League.AP Photo ts successor, MLS, launched in 1996 with the intention of avoiding some of the high spending associated with NASL. And in the early years, the league resisted the temptation of bringing in big European stars. But having almost folded in the early 2000s, the league changed course spectacularly with the signing of David Beckham for LA Galaxy in 2007 at the peak of the soccer star’s celebrity – if not soccer – power. There followed a steady stream of aging international stars entering the league: Italian Alessandro Nesta in 2012, former Chelsea star Didier Drogba and Spain’s David Villa in 2015, English midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in 2016, and strikers Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2018. David Beckham graduated from player to owner with the addition of the Inter Miami franchise in 2020, and there had long been rumors that he was working to secure the addition of Messi to the MLS roster. Messi’s confirmation that he intends to move to the Inter Miami is a triumph both for Beckham and MLS, but it doesn’t remove the Saudis as a competitor in the long term and may push up the costs involved for all. Will the Saudis pop the MLS bubble? Since Beckham’s arrival as a player, MLS has flourished. In 2007 the league consisted of only 13 franchises, with the newly added Toronto FC paying a $10 million expansion fee to join. In May 2023, it was announced that San Diego would become the 30th MLS franchise, for a reported fee of $500 million. According to Forbes, the average value of an MLS franchise is currently $579 million. This is remarkable, since for that price you could buy almost any soccer club in Europe outside of the top 20. Forbes also reckons that no fewer than seven of the 30 most valuable soccer clubs in the world are in MLS. It’s also remarkable because the standard of play in MLS is not that high, compared with what is offered in Europe. Statistical research by me and others has shown that in soccer, you get what you pay for – to the point where the overall team payrolls generate reliable forecasts of long-term results. The website Transfermarkt provides summary valuation of league squads, and currently values MLS players at $1.3 billion, compared with $11.3 billion for the English Premier League, $5.1 billion for La Liga, $4.9 billion for Serie A and $4.6 billion for the Bundesliga. The squad valuations for MLS are closer to those of the Belgian Jupiler League. The valuation of MLS franchises is not based on the quality of the play, but on the prospects for growth if soccer becomes a mainstream spectator sport in the United States. MLS’s die-hard supporters are a forgiving lot but represent a tiny fraction of the U.S. sports market. Eventually, I believe MLS is going to have to field better players to continue its ascent – and that means competing in the international market. Messi heading for David Beckham’s Inter Miami. AP Photo/Francois Mori The worry for MLS is that it now has a new competitor for the best aging players: Saudi Arabia. MLS wanted Ronaldo and it wanted Benzema too. Inter Miami and MLS may soon have Messi, but they had to overcome competition from Saudi team Al Hilal. The Messi move is a great coup for MLS. But the emergence of the Saudis as competitors suggests that future opportunities will be diminished, and that the league will have to pay more for the stars it can attract. By Stefan Szymanski Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan. The Conversation for this store. Click here to donate and support The Conversation.

Distinguished for his contributions to mainstream blockbusters and independent cinema, Robert Pattinson graces the cover of Miami Living Magazine's latest issue. Recognized as one of the world's highest-paid actors and one of the most influential people, Pattinson's collaboration with DIOR, under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Kim Jones, exudes boldness and timeless sophistication. The magazine also features a captivating interview with Jones, delving into his creative genius and unwavering dedication to innovative fashion. Here is what awaits you in this issue of Miami Living Magazine: HOME & DESIGN Poliform, the Italian cabinetry and interior design firm, introduces Artex - a luxury kitchen for your home. Baccarat's Miami boutique store in the Design District is the perfect place to start building your own home bar, offering world-class crystals. Dior's Maison presents a beautifully crafted Caribbean-inspired porcelain dinnerware designed for Chef Jean Imbert. Ukrainian studio YoDezeen showcases Demilune, an elegantly designed apartment in The Ritz-Carlton Residences with contemporary and sophisticated style. Poliform's Artex Kitchen Baccarat's crystal glasses The design work of YoDezeen Studio FASHION Louis Vuitton's Drop 2 collection by Yayoi Kusama has officially arrived in Miami stores, showcasing Yayoi Kusama's iconic designs. Gucci's Versace, Saint Laurent's Fall 2023 ready-to-wear collections are highlighted, along with Halle Bailey, Hanni, and Julia Garner teaming up with Gucci for the Gucci Horsebit 1955 Campaign. Discover the Dior Summer 2023 men's line, blending avant-garde imagination with tailored precision and outdoor functionality. Cubavera presents their newest resort wear collection for men, crafted from premium linens, and British sneaker brand Mallet London introduces The Holloway Runner, available at Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour. Louis Vuitton's Drop 2 collection by Yayoi Kusama Saint Laurent's Fall 2023 ready-to-wear collection Mallet London's The Holloway Runner Cubavera's newest resort wear collection LIFESTYLE Christopher Designs' partnership with Joanna Krupa is redefining luxury jewelry designs, while Bulgari's latest high jewelry collection, Eden, The Garden of Wonders, is a stunning homage to nature's beauty. Introducing Jamie Turner, a new fine jewelry brand from Austin, Texas, founded by Robert Turner and Patrick Dobbs, featuring a captivating debut collection of 18k gold jewelry with geometric shapes and organic patterns. Patek Phillippe's Golden Ellipse watch merges art and engineering, and Gucci unveils High Watchmaking watches across five signature collections, showcasing tourbillons, automatic movements, and a new perpetual calendar. Bulgari's "Eden, The Garden of Wonders" jewelry collection Jamie Turner's jewelry REAL ESTATE Explore Miami's luxury homes for sale, including 98 La Gorce Circle, 3175 Prairie Ave., and 311 Meridian Ave. Additionally, Matthew Rosenblatt from 2151 Development Group and Efrem Gerzberg from 2020 Acquisitions introduce Tal Aventura, a much-awaited boutique residential building located at 2785 NE 183rd Street east of Biscayne Blvd. 98 La Gorce Circle, Miami Beach, $75000000 7 beds, 13 baths Tal Aventura MOVE Porsche presents the 911 Sports Classic, a throwback to the sixties with its ultra-light carbon construction and light sport gray paint adorned with double stripes. Meanwhile, the Silver Star yacht by Christie Yachts is a luxurious 40-meter vessel boasting sleek lines, modern design, and accommodation for up to 10 guests in 5 spacious cabins. Porsche's 911 Sports Classic Silver Star Yacht by Christie Yachts PEOPLE British menswear designer Kim Jones, renowned for his work with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Alexander McQueen, and Hugo Boss, shares insights into his role as Dior's Men Artistic Director. We also take you back to New York Fashion Week's BESFXXK fashion runway show with Albanian-born fashion influencer and LGBTQ+ activist, Elton Ilirjani. Join us on a personal journey with artist Brandon Clarke, as he navigates from architecture to art. And finally, we introduce Tsour Lee Adato, the Miami-based founder of Pro Photo Studio, a photographer specializing in luxury product photography, including jewelry, cosmetics, and timepieces. Elton Ilirjani Brandon Clarke Tsour Lee Adato TRAVEL For an all-inclusive experience, travel to Cancun and stay at Garza Blanca Resort located on Mexico’s Playa Mujeres Beach. The new oceanfront resort offers six heated pools, great dining, and a world-class spa. Garza Blanca Resort in Mexico EVENTS We bring you a recap of The Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park's signature thoroughbred horse race, which celebrated its 72nd anniversary in April. In addition, we highlight the Empowering Women's event held at Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, hosted by Jacqueline Volkart and Kristen Rosen, which celebrated women's achievements in society, culture, economics, hospitality, and politics in Miami. Meanwhile, The Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour partnered with Fleur de Villes for a unique floral exhibition featuring mannequins adorned with fresh buds and blossoms crafted by local florists, celebrating historical and cultural icons from around the world. Additionally, don't miss La Fille Gardee at The Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami on May 6-7, 2023. Excitingly, South Florida is set to debut the SoFlow Boat Show at the historic Miami Marine Stadium from May 19-21, 2023, featuring marine vessels, nautical excitement entertainment. Gulfstream Park's The Florida Derby SoFlow Boat Show coming up on May 19-21, 2023 FOOD & DRINK Introducing Giselle, Miami's newest rooftop restaurant located on E11EVEN nightclub, offering breathtaking views of the city and a fine dining experience for late-night owls. For an elevated dining experience, head out to Bombay Darbar, owned by entrepreneurs Anil Agrawal and Solomon Hwang, for an authentic fine Indian dining experience. Bombay Darbar WELLNESS & FITNESS Crunch South Beach celebrated its 25th anniversary! Carole Steinhäuser, Operations Manager of Crunch South Beach, gave us a special rundown of the fitness center's great achievement. BODY CARE Introducing two new additions to Miami's beauty scene: Oasis Face Bar, a spa experience offering accessible and professional facial treatments in just thirty minutes, and Dr. Jeff Epstein MD, known as the "doctor's doctor," who has performed over 20,000 surgical procedures and is renowned for his expertise in hair restoration, including hairline lowering, eyebrow regrowth, and scalp micropigmentation. Facial Bar Concept Dr. Jeff Epstein MD As always, thank you for taking the time to read Miami Living! Miami Living Team

Sinead O'Connor was once seen as a sacrilegious rebel, but her music and life were deeply infused with spiritual seeking. Irish singer Sinead O'Connor performs at Paradiso in Amsterdam in March 1988. Paul Bergen/Redferns via Getty Images When news broke July 26, 2023, that the gifted Irish singer Sinead O’Connor had died, stories of her most famous performance circulated amid the grief and shock. Thirty-one years ago, after a haunting rendition of Bob Marley’s song “War,” O’Connor ripped up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on live television. “Fight the real enemy,” she said – a reference to clerical sex abuse. For months afterward, she was banned, booed and mocked, dismissed as a crazy rebel beyond the pale. Commemorations following her death, however, cast the protest in a very different light. Her “Saturday Night Live” performance is now seen as “invigorating,” the New York Times’ pop critic wrote, and “a call to arms for the dispossessed.” Attitudes toward Catholicism, sex and power are far different today than in 1992, whether in New York or O’Connor’s native Dublin. In many people’s eyes, the moral credibility of the Catholic Church around the world has crumbled, and trust in faith institutions of any sort is at an all-time low. Sexual abuse, once discussed only in whispers, is now beginning to be talked about openly. I join the chorus of voices today who say O’Connor was decades ahead of her time. But leaving it just at that, we miss something profound about the complexity and depth of her religious imagination. Sinead O’Connor was arguably one of the most spiritually sensitive artists of our time. I am a scholar of Catholicism in the modern era and have long been interested in those figures – the poets, artists, seekers – who wander the margins of their religious tradition. These men and women are dissatisfied with the mainstream centers of religious power but nonetheless compelled by something indelibly religious that feeds the wellsprings of their artistic imagination. Throughout her life, O’Connor defied religious labels, exploring multiple faiths. The exquisite freedom in her music cannot be disentangled from that something transcendent that she was always after. ‘Rescuing God from religion’ Religion is often thought about as discreet traditions: institutions that someone is either inside or outside. But on the ground, it is rarely that simple. The Catholic Church had a strong hold on Irish society as O’Connor was growing up – a “theocracy,” she called it in interviews and her memoir, “Rememberings” – and for many years she called for more accountability for the clerical abuse crisis. But she was also open in her love of other aspects of the faith, albeit often in unorthodox ways. She had a tattoo of Jesus on her chest and continued to critique the church while appearing on television with a priest’s collar. Sinead O'Connor, with her tattoo of Jesus, embraces singer Deborah Harry at the 2011 amfAR Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles.Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for amfAR Ten years after her SNL performance, O'Connor took courses at a seminary in Dublin with a Catholic Dominican priest, Rev. Wilfred Harrington. Together, they read the prophets of the Hebrew Bible and the Psalms: sacred scriptures in which God’s voice comes through in darker, moodier, more human forms. Inspired by her teacher, she made the gorgeous album “Theology,” dedicated to him. The album is a mix of some of her own songs inspired by the Hebrew Bible – like “If You Had a Vineyard,” inspired by the Book of Isaiah; and “Watcher of Men,” which draws from the biblical story of Job – and other tracks that essentially are sung versions of her favorite Psalms. In a 2007 interview with Fordham University’s WFUV radio station, O'Connor said that she was hoping the album could show God to people when religion itself had blocked their access to God. It was a kind of “rescuing God from religion,” to “lift God out of religion.” Rather than preaching or writing, “music is the little way that I do that,” she said, adding, “I say that as someone who has a lot of love for religion.” Reading the prophets In doing so, she stood in the long line of the prophetic tradition itself. The great Jewish thinker Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s book “The Prophets” begins with this sentence: “This book is about some of the most disturbing people who have ever lived.” Over and over, the Bible shows the prophets – the prophets who inspired “Theology” – mounting bracing assaults on hypocrisies and insincerities in their own religious communities, and not politely or calmly. A photo of Sinead O'Connor ripping the photograph of Pope John Paul II stands in front of a protest in Krakow, Poland, in 2023, accusing church hierarchy of covering up sexual abuse. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images To many horrified Catholics, O’Connor’s SNL appearance and her many other criticisms of the church were blasphemous – or, at best, just throwing stones from outside the church for attention. Other fans, however, saw it as prophetic condemnation. It was not just a critique of child abuse but of church officials’ professed compassion for children – sanctimonious pieties as they covered up the abuse. In calling this out and so much more, O’Connor was often seen as disturbing: not just the photo-of-the-pope incident, but her androgyny, her shaved head, her openness around her own struggles with mental illness. But for many admirers, as the documentary “Nothing Compares” makes clear, all this showed that she was free, and like the prophets of old, unashamed and unafraid to provoke. Rasta to Islam At the same time, O’Connor’s religious imagination was so much more than a complex relationship with Catholicism. Religion around O’Connor was eclectic and intense. She was deeply influenced by Rastafarian traditions of Jamaica, which she described as “an anti-religious but massively pro-God spiritual movement.” She considered Sam Cooke’s early album with the Soul Stirrers the best gospel album ever made. She counted among her spiritual heroes Muhammad Ali – and converted to Islam in 2018, changing her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat. O'Connor performs during a concert at the Admiralspalast in Berlin in December 2019, after her conversion to Islam.Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images Yet O’Connor’s vision was not fragmented, as if she were constantly chasing after bits and pieces. The miracle of Sinead O’Connor is that it all coheres, somehow, in the words of an artist who refuses to lie, to hide or not say what she thinks. When asked about spirituality, O’Connor once said that she preferred to sing about it, not talk about it – as she does in so many songs, from her luminous singing of the antiphon, a Marian hymn sung at Easter services, to her Rasta-inspired album, “Throw Down Your Arms.” In “Something Beautiful,” a track from the “Theology” album, O’Connor speaks both to God and the listener: “I wanna make/ Something beautiful/ For you and from you/ To show you/ I adore you.” Indeed she did. To be moved by her art is to sense a transcendence, a peek into radiance. By Brenna MooreProfessor of Theology, Fordham University. Special thanks to The Conversation for this store. Click here to donate and support The Conversation.

The Picasso Century exhibition presents Picasso as we have never seen him before. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is not presented as the lone genius creator – a mythology promoted by the artist himself – but as being at the centre of several creative hubs. He was surrounded by groups of brilliant creative men and women and his influence was a powerful presence for the whole 20th century. In his life, Picasso rarely acknowledged his creative collaborators, this exhibition sets out to redress this omission. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881–1973. Figures by the sea (Figures au bord de la mer) 12 January 193, oil on canvas 130.0 x 195.0 cm. Musée national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979. © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau The great French poet, critic and art collector Guillaume Apollinaire, wrote of his friend Picasso: Leo Stein, another of Picasso’s friends and patrons, when writing on the rivalry between Picasso and Matisse observed: Some people may not like the phallocentric persona of Picasso but he did effectively change the course of western art and, in the process, changed the way in which we see the world. Pablo Picasso Spanish 1881-1973. Weeping woman 1937, oil on canvas, 55.2 x 46.2 cm. National Gallery of Victoria. Purchased by donors of The Art Foundation of Victoria, with the assistance of the Jack and Genia Liberman family, Founder Benefactor, 1986.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo: NGV Picasso and his contemporaries Picasso affected the art of his friends and contemporaries, as well as that of those who never met him. Although Apollinaire described him as achieving a revolution in the arts “almost unaided” and for Stein “Picasso stood apart”, in reality Picasso also reflected the cultural and intellectual milieu that surrounded him. This very ambitious multifaceted exhibition sets out to define “Picasso’s voice” during his long career through a selection of over 80 of his works, many quite major and never previously seen in this country. It also investigates his interactions with his surrounding cultural milieu. Pablo Picasso Spanish 1881-1973. Portrait of a woman (Portrait de femme) 1938 oil on canvas, 98.0 x 77.5 cm. 116.5 x 96.3 cm (framed) Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d’art moderne-Centre de création industrielle Gift of the artist, 1947.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Georges Meguerditchian/Dist. RMN-GP The Picasso paintings, graphics, sculptures and ceramics are accompanied by about 100 works by more than 50 of his contemporaries to create a context through which his significance can be assessed. Apart from Apollinaire, the contemporaries considered include Georges Braque, Salvador Dalí, Alberto Giacometti, André Masson, Juan Gris, Henri Matisse, Dorothea Tanning, Natalia Goncharova, Julio González, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Valadon and Joan Miró. A large, curious and little-known painting hanging near the entrance of the exhibition, Marie Laurencin’s Apollinaire and his friends (2nd version) (1909) from the Centre Pompidou. Marie Laurencin, French 1883-1956. Apollinaire and his friends (2nd version) (Apollinaire et ses amis [2ème version]) 1909 oil on canvas. 130.0 x 194.0 cm. Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d’art moderne-Centre de création industrielle. Donated in lieu of tax, 1973.© Fondation Foujita/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Audrey Laurans/Dist. RMN-GP The painting shows Apollinaire with Picasso looking over his shoulder and surrounded by a number of figures including Gertrude Stein, Fernande Olivier, Marguerite Gillot, Maurice Cremnitz as well as Laurencin herself in the foreground in a pale blue dress. Stein, on the left, appears in the role of one of the three inspirational graces or Muses. Apollinaire admired this painting and had it positioned over the head of his bed for much of his life. Picasso was to paint portraits of many in this grouping, including that of Apollinaire who was amongst the first to recognise the significance of cubism and collected Picasso’s work. Picasso was to refer to Apollinaire in jest as “the pope of cubism”. Traversing artistic eras In the exhibition, there are a number of iconic Picasso paintings, including his Portrait of a man (1902-03), a classic work from his so-called “blue period”. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Portrait of a man (Portrait d’homme) winter 1902-03, oil on canvas, 93.0 x 78.0 cm/ Musée national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau It is a brooding and introspective image where the tone defined an epoch. Dated a few year later is the memorable Mother and child oil painting from the summer of 1907 that already speaks of primitivism and the radical formal transformation evident in the Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) that was to become a defining moment in the course of western art. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Mother and child (Mère et enfant) summer 1907, oil on canvas, 81.0 x 60.0 cm. Musée national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Adrien Didierjean The exhibition has a number of significant cubist paintings, Picasso’s The violin (1914) and Georges Braque’s Woman with a guitar (1913) both from the collection of the Centre Pompidou. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. The violin (Le violon) 1914, oil on canvas 81.0 x 75.0 cm, 92.7 x 87.0 cm (framed). Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national. d’art moderne-Centre de création industrielle Gift of M. Raoul La Roche, 1953© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Audrey Laurans/Dist. RMN-GP This chronologically is followed by the artist’s return to order with neoclassicism with Picasso’s stunning portrait of his wife Olga (1918). Pablo Picasso Spanish 1881-1973. Portrait of Olga in an armchair (Portrait d’Olga dans un fauteuil) spring 1918. Oil on canvas 130.0 x 88.8 cm. Musée national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau Surrealism, at least in part a response to the violence of the 1930s, is particularly well represented in this exhibition with numerous examples from the artist and his contemporaries as well as a section on Picasso’s political engagement when, as a member of the communist party, he stood up to fascism and later to US imperialism in all of its guises. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Cat seizing a bird (Chat saisissant un oiseau) 22 April 1939. Oil on canvas, 81.0 x 100.0 cm/ Musée national Picasso-Paris. Donated in lieu of tax, 1979.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau A remarkable exhibition This is a huge exhibition of over 180 pieces that explores neat niches, such as Picasso’s engagement with sculpture in the context of González and Giacometti, or his excursion into ceramics, as well as his mainstream developments. Whereas in many exhibitions one despairs over padding with inferior and irrelevant pieces, here the works have been carefully selected and are frequently of exceptional calibre. For example, the wondrous Pierre Bonnard Self-portrait in the bathroom mirror (1939-45), or the Francis Bacon Picasso inspired painted heads. Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Reclining woman (Femme couchée) 19 June 1932, oil on canvas, 38.0 x 46.0 cm, 55.6 x 63.0 cm (framed) Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d’art moderne-Centre de création industrielle Donated by Louise and Michel Leiris, 1984.© Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo © Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Bertrand Prévost/Dist. RMN-GP The exhibition was curated over about a decade by Didier Ottinger, deputy director of the Musée national d’art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris and is a triumph of visual intelligence. No matter how well you think you know Picasso and the collections of the Centre Pompidou and the Musée national Picasso-Paris, in this exhibition you are guaranteed to be surprised, amazed and delighted. The Picasso Century is a remarkable exhibition that may change the way you will view Picasso. The Picasso Century is on at the NGV International until October 9. Words by Sasha Grishin Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University. Special thanks for The Conversation for re-publishing permission

Christie’s Latin American live auction features exceptional paintings, sculptures and drawings ranging from the 20th century to present day, by the most sought-after artists from across the region. Following a monumental year at Christie’s for Latin American art, having set over twenty market records in 2022, our team is thrilled to bring to you in the new year a selection of works that are highly exemplar pieces by artists of the region. Leading the sale are two magnificent sculptures by Fernando Botero. Discover cornerstones for any collection with works by modernist greats Diego Rivera, Wifredo Lam, Gunther Gerzso, Rufino Tamayo, and Pedro Coronel. Also featured this season is a fantastic selection of masterworks in a variety of media by celebrated artists, Tomás Sánchez, Pablo Atchugarry, Alice Rahon, Sérgio Camargo, and many more. Auction times 09 Mar 11:00 AM (EST) Christie’s Latin American SELECTION OF WORKS (partial) FERNANDO BOTERO (b. 1932) Vase with Flowers Estimate $200,000-300,000 GUNTHER GERZSO (1915-2000) Paisaje Estimate $150,000-250,000 ALICIA PENALBA (1913-1982) Ventisquero Estimate $40,000-60,000 FERNANDO BOTERO (b. 1932) Dancing Couple Estimate $800,000-1,200,000 By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Christie’s'