Fashion Institute of Technology student, Bonnie Azoulay is a Brooklyn-based artist who is making waves in the blogosphere of fashion, poetry, and photography. Her rapidly trending blog, “Bon To Be Wild,” (Bon being short for Bonnie,) lends credence to the saying, ”Inside all of us is a Wild Thing,” by Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are. “There’s one in all of us”. It’s created with the mindset that we are all born to do great things– wild things. This blog is a testament to Bonnie’s beliefs; her wild things, encouraging the readers to find their wild and unlock its potential. Bonnie showcases fashion, poetry and miscellaneous: for all the random crevices and everything in-between of our culture and society, covering social norms to current fashion trends, to pop culture. Aside from all of the other categories of the blog, Bonnie also has a section listed that she calls, “Coffee & A Bagel,” where she and photographer, Shelly Nahama (AKA @Shellnahphotography) document their discussions of controversial and heated subject matter over a casual breakfast. Bonnie’s views on life are quirky, random and millennial, as well as being smart, creative and relevant.
This past month, in Deal New Jersey, Bonnie was asked to slam the stage with her poetry performance for one of the biggest charity events of the summer. The Safe Foundation organized a night of performance and art on the beach. Bonfires were scattered all around the beach where people sipped on coconuts and ate barbecue while enjoying live performance acts, which included poetry, comedy, and music: Bonnie was one of the leading poets of the night. Tents were up, displaying an eclectic art exhibition of 40 art pieces by young artists in the community. A live auction was held for the art and proceeds of the art went to the Safe Foundation. The event was a total hit, hosting close to 700 people and spreading the movement of promoting clean and healthy lifestyles for our community. These creative events are thrown for our community members to enjoy being all together as well as show off their talents through performance and art. The events are alcohol-free and are part of a movement, which encourages our community that they can have fun without the use of alcohol.
Bonnie was one of the few female poets to present their poetry on stage that night and she made good use of it by reciting a poem about being an empowered and independent woman in her community. She is an artist in every sense of the word: her performances are nothing but sheer intelligence and talent with her relatable material, wit, and amazing rhythm. Bonnie pushes boundaries and is not afraid or shy to use her voice and personality to deliver her views about the world and humanity along with sharing her own personal life experiences. During Bonnie’s shows, you will be viewing the way others experience themselves and those around them, through an audience engaged art performance. She does so much more than just say words into a mike, she gives a voice to others from her community, and tackles the challenges and hardships women face in our lives as a minority. She has some brilliant storylines reflecting on a conservative Jewish family scenario. She gets her points across to the public in the most classic way possible: through poetry slams.
The contemporary art world is vibrant and booming like never before and it’s a twenty-first-century phenomenon, a global industry in its own right. Contemporary artists seek the power to astonish, satisfy, challenge, and push limits: the legend of Bonnie poetry achieves all of these things. Bonnie showcases art in the form of performance, which the public may not ordinarily have access to. Her revolutionary material is a modern and fresh take on an age-old practice, making her a true contemporary artists, in every sense of the word. She is a visionary with a mind full of brilliant ideas and self-expressions and is constantly striving for the pursuit of perfection. She is an artist of not only poetry and fashion but of innovation, education, and lifestyle. As time goes on, she will continue to delve deeper into the multifaceted world of poetry and blogging by utilizing a wide range of mediums and taking an intimate approach to direction and upcoming projects and performances for her poetry. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what Bonnie accomplishes next with her versatile creativity and brilliance.
Follow Bonnie’s blog: http://www.bontobewildblog.com/
Follow her on Instagram: @bontobewildblog