“Carmen was born in the Bronx as Zelda Ruth Schneider into a typical Jewish family. Her older brother Heimey became a rabbi in South Philly and her father Eli was a shoe salesman for forty years. Her mother Gladys worked in a local bakery. Everyone in her family always looked upon Carmen\Zelda with puzzlement. It seems from an early age she wanted to be Hispanic, and was fascinated with everything Latin. Instead of lochs and bagels she preferred chips and salsa. Instead of matzo balls she preferred spicy chili. She even hired a mambo group to play at her brother’s bar-mitzvahs party. They were not well received. She decorated her room with piñatas, chili pepper lights, and posters of Desi Arnaz and Carmen Miranda. That brings up perhaps the oddest fixation of all….her preoccupation with the Latin movie-musical star Carmen Miranda. She bought every book ever written about her, every movie she ever played in, every curio relating to Ms. Miranda. She even took to constantly wearing self-created hats piled high with colorful fruit. Her flair for zest and color easily steered her into a successful career as a beautician and she moved to Buenos Aires. There she learned fluent Spanish, changed her name to Carmen, and formed a band. She now plays regularly in local clubs with a musical tribute called “Viva Miranda” and is the only Jewish Carmen Miranda impersonator on the planet!”
Artists: Helene & Erik
Price: $2020 / also available as print!
Dimensions: 19”x 36”/ framed
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