‘Glass Onion’ is a thrilling watch

by Marlene Orantes ARTS WRITER

“Glass Onion” follows a summer weekend in Europe full of eclectic characters, and an unpredictable chain of events—or was it really unpredictable? Rian Johnson, writer and director of “Knives Out,” released the intriguing mystery on Sept. 10. The film is set in May 2020, during the pandemic, and throughout it the audience can identify clues to solve the murder mystery. The well crafted direction and writing from Johnson, along with great performances by Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe, made the film engaging and suspenseful.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” follows Benoit Blanc, everyone’s favorite detective, and an un conventional group of friends who go on a trip to a private island in Greece. The island is owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Blanc ac companies a scientist, gover nor, supermodel and fashion de signer, and men’s rights activist.

From the start we see a clear three-act structure, and with the brilliant and metaphorical writing from Johnson, it layers like an onion. The first act introduc- es the mystery and conflict between characters. The second act goes back in time to reveal more of the mystery, and act returns to the original timeline. turns those shared stories into something visual, focusing on translating the numerous components of their experiences into different layers in her art.

Johnson reiterates the motif of “dis ruptors” throughout film, as that is what the group calls themselves, and in the end we see who the real disruptor is. Besides exceptional writing and direction, another amazing feature was the costume design. The outfits physically show who the characters are. The extravagant, high-spirited supermodel, Birdie Jay, is contrasted with the governor, Claire Debella, who dresses in beige and formal clothing. Also, in one scene, the scientist, Lionel, wore a KN-94 mask, while Birdie had a Lana Del Rey-style mask, and Duke had no mask on. These costume decisions effectively display the characters’ personalities. Though it was engaging, the movie’s title did not fit. “Knives Out” made it seem like it was going to be similar to the original, but the only similar aspect was Benoit Blanc. Furthermore, it was an easy guess as to who the bad guy is in the beginning. Nevertheless, the change from the New England fall to a sunny private island in Greece was entertaining and an excellent watch.

Some of her more reflective work strives to emphasize the complexity and numerous layers in her family history and Black culture. Her paper collage style is representative of this. “I didn’t really realize until later in the practice that I was literally trying to represent those layers,” she said. Those layers not only serve to show the depth of her identity, but also the relationships between people. “I’m showing the way that we function and the way that we interact with ourselves and with one another, sort of symbolically through the layers,” Ivey Alexander said.

Ivey Alexander is also the founder of Abstract Sisterhood, a platform that consists of both an in-person collective and an online photo blog, showcasing the work of female abstract and conceptual artists, especially those of Black and Indigenous dsecent. “I know that there are many, many wom en of color… and a very select few get press. But it doesn’t mean that there aren’t millions of us out there mak ing work. And so I just wanted to give a platform for that,” she said.

During the height of the pandemic and protests against police brutality, she began another project called therapeutic devices, whether it be through art or yoga, and finding strength in the resilience and love among the Black community. her website, loryivey.com and For those looking to improve ed. “Just paint, do it,” she said. “Art is a practice. And that word is used intentionally, I think, because you just gotta keep doing it.”

Currently, Ivey Alexander is preparing for an exhibit at the Caton Merchant Family Gallery in Manassas, Va., titled “Stories That End in Freedom.”

According to the show’s website, it was inspired by “the fluidity and power of water” and how it has transported people all around over the centuries.

The exhibit is scheduled to take place from the beginning of February to mid-March, and will feature her recent collages and paintings centered around the theme of Black and Indigenous perseverance and healing. She can be found through

She also recommends learning to really notice the details in a piece of work, from shades of color to shape. “I think that learning to see is more important than making art,” she said. “What are we really seeing?” Ivey Alexander prompted. “If we look at a piece of furniture, we can say a table is the shape of a box, but is it? Or is it a bunch of triangles?”