Dia Beacon

Last Friday, my colleagues and I loaded up in a Zipcar and drove an hour out of Manhattan to Dia Beacon, a museum dedicated to art from the 1960s to the present. Housed in a former Nabisco box printing facility in Beacon, NY, the cavernous space is perfect for exhibiting large scale works by such artists as Joseph Beuys, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Smithson, Lawrence Weiner...the list goes on. 

Another reason I like going to Dia Beacon is that in the four times I've visited, it's always been quiet and nearly empty, a refreshing change from the crowds at most museums in the city. There's always plenty of time for observation, contemplation, and wandering through Richard Serra's "Torqued Eclipses," one of my favorite installations.

These four rolled-steel plates are each two inches thick and weigh twenty tons. 

  I love the simplicity of the shapes, the purity of material, and the elemental nature of these massive structures.

A close up of the steel's patina

Following the curve of the spiral 

A blurry pic of my friend basking in the afternoon light at the center of a Serra Eclipse.

As you can see from the faded covers of this book on Italian embroidery, it's been on my shelf for years and continues to be a favorite. Every time I go through these pages, I find a technique, pattern or material that inspires me to make something new.

Outtakes from my day in Dubai

If you've never experienced Indian classical dance, tomorrow would be a great time to start. The Asia Society will be presenting a lecture/demonstration by Madhavi Mudgal and Leela Samson, two of the foremost exponents of Odissi and Bharatanatyam, respectively. It's a rare opportunity to not only see these legendary artists perform, but also hear them speak about their craft.

October 1st, 2013
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Asia Society
725 Park Avenue, New York, NY

Madhavi Mudgal (left) and Leela Samson (right)

I discovered Szeki, a boutique in the Lower East Side, earlier this year, and continue to be a big fan of their chic, modern, easy-to-wear clothes. I was also charmed by the sprightly creator, Szeki Chan, who spent a solid half hour helping me pick the best pieces for my petite frame.

I love the fluid silhouette and shades of blue in this silk dress.

A simple yet strong piece from Szeki's line of jewelry

I swear, the first time I wore these slouchy, high-waisted pants, I had never received so many complements from so many women in one day!

Me, happy and comfortable in the aforementioned pants, between two devilishly handsome friends.

Please erase the moon's me

I am rarely moved by video art, but this piece, "Did I ? , 2013" by Hiraki Sawa at the Lyon Biennale left a lasting impression. There was a haunting, dreamlike quality to the black and white imagery, the pulse of the soundtrack, and the layering of live action and animation. 

The actual piece is much longer, but this brief clip gives you a sense of the pace and aesthetic.

Reading up on it later, I came to learn the work was inspired by Sawa's friend, who lost his memory and had to re-imagine his life.

Etsy, the online marketplace for all things handmade, can be tough to navigate. You can easily go bleary-eyed combing pages and pages of jewelry for the perfect piece.

Here are some items I either own or covet that I think fit the bill of being beautiful, wearable, affordable, and, happily, handmade by modern-day artisans from Portland, Oregon, to Omaha, Nebraska, to Richmond, Virginia.

Delicate yet distinctive, this necklace from Betsy and Iya has become one of my favorite pieces. 

I love the unusual shape and mix of metals in these brass and pyrite earrings from Elisabeth Space. They are a staple in my jewelry box, and complement practically everything I own. 

These crescent moons of sterling silver are another favorite pair of earrings from Elisabeth Space.

I have my eye on this simple, elegant bracelet from Young Frankk.

A lovely statement piece from Young Frankk.

Outtakes from Bangalore

When I first visited India, I hoped I would experience a sense of reunion and reconnection with the land of my ancestors, who were hauled by the British to work the plantations of Guyana in South America almost two hundred years ago. Of course, in reality, I was an American tourist cloaked in brown skin, as shocked and wide-eyed as any Westerner.

I can still remember my first night in Delhi: stepping over rows of sleeping bodies lined up on the dusty, crumbling pavement, the sizzling of hot oil from a roadside stand, the cars, auto-rickshaws, cows, dogs, and men - so many men! - that  sidled by in the glittering darkness.

Comparing my experience with that of white colleagues and friends, I'm grateful for my ability to blend in, at least superficially. Certainly no one gave me a second look as I wandered around Malleswaram, a suburb of Bangalore, on my latest venture to the motherland. I loved wandering the streets of this neighborhood on my afternoon off from work.

The ubiquitous auto-rickshaw! Both a potential death trap and a relatively efficient form of transportation. Their beeps sound much like the Roadrunner, only times a billion.

A man eager to help me with directions to a sari shop that I never found. 

Betel leaves, which are used to make paan.

Apparently, folding your arms behind your back helps with posture.

This summer, I was introduced to the work of artist, Sam Falls, at Karma gallery in Amagansett, New York. I really enjoy the colors and distorted sense of nostalgia in this series. 

In honor of the big fat Indian wedding I attended this weekend, I thought I would share one of my favorite Bollywood wedding scenes from Yash Chopra's 1989 blockbuster, Chandini. The actress, Shri Devi, was one of my favorites growing up - gorgeous with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

This song also has sentimental value for me, as it was the first song I ever performed on stage. My dance teacher choreographed a watered down version of Shri Devi's moves, and I gave it my all, a chubby eight year old in a fushia chaniya choli. There's a blurry video somewhere in my mother's basement, but I'll spare you that version!

Outtakes from Venice

Venice is an otherworldly place. Even when I was there (just one of the 60,000 tourists that overwhelm the city each day), I could hardly believe the city was real. If you ever have the chance to go, the experience is more than worth the journey.