stephanie.lascano's blog

Independent Visit #3: The American Folk Art Museum

stephanie.lascano — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:50:49 +0000

A few weeks ago, while attempting to see the Tim Burton exhibit, I discovered that the MOMA is closed on Tuesdays. While this was a tragic event, it opened my eyes to a whole other museum entirely. Next to the MOMA, in the shadows, lies The American Folk Art Museum. I had never heard of it before this day, but was pleasantly surprised by the new discovery.

Independent Visit #2: New York Historical Society

stephanie.lascano — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:13:48 +0000

Last week, I went to the New York Historical Society to view the Abraham Lincoln and John Brown exhibits. Aside from being pleased that the visit was free thanks to the cultural passport, I was concerned that I wouldn't find many things in the exhibits interesting. History is not my strong suit, and I usually avoid it at all costs, but there was definitely something in these exhibits for everyone.

Independent Visit #1: Precious

stephanie.lascano — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:37:45 +0000

A few weeks ago, I went to go see a film titled Precious. Many of you may have never heard of it (I didn't until my cousin, who is a director/writer/general starving artist, told me I must see it), but it is a film that everyone SHOULD see. It was featured in the Sundance, Toronto, and Cannes Film Festivals and won numerous awards, similar to the novel Push that it's based on, so I decided it would be worth making the trip with some friends to see it in the city where it was on limited release.

Alexander String Quartet

stephanie.lascano — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:39:59 +0000

Although I recognize the beauty and talent needed to perform classical music, I must admit it's not that interesting to me. I played violin from fourth grade through high school, so I know the dedication it takes to become a good a violinist. I respect the performers in that sense, since they achieved a level of talent that I could never touch, but I can't help but like things more outside of the box. Juxtaposing this with the performance at Carnegie Hall, or even the incredible show at BAM, left me craving something a little less conventional. But, now that that's out of the way ...

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

stephanie.lascano — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:34 +0000

Viewing Les Demoiselles d'Avignon a second time, after the class discussion, shed a whole new light on the piece. I, of course, had noticed the large size of the painting during my visit, but it was all the more daunting the second time around. Keeping in mind that the prostitutes in the work expected a tradeoff, something in return, and that the work wasn't going to let me look at it's beauty for free, my discomfort gained unexpected worth. It was my payment. I find this idea rather fascinating, that something inanimate has the right to demand an emotion back from you.

"The stage craft of wild beasts ..."

stephanie.lascano — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:14:49 +0000

A woman walks across the stage, painfully slow. Her skin is a stark, pale white that is characteristic of ghosts. The sound of her footsteps echoes throughout the theater, creating an ominous allusion that she is walking to her death. But she instead ends up at a dinner table, along with an innocent young woman, a sullen old man, a salacious boy, and a conflicted gentleman. The old man wields a gun, using it to shoot the indecent boy that sits across from him at the table, his young counterpart.

Sounds of China: A New Experience at Carnegie Hall

stephanie.lascano — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:12:47 +0000

As a New Yorker, I must regretfully state that before Monday night, I had never been to Carnegie Hall. It had always been something I heard about, something enigmatic and profound that represented the pinnacle of success in the music world. If you had performed at Carnegie Hall, you were somebody worth listening to. After walking around the whole building and entering 2 out of the 3 entrances, I finally found my way to where I was supposed to be. The Ensemble ACJW event was being held in the Weill Recital Hall.

the art of music

stephanie.lascano — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:31:50 +0000

The most prominent art form in my life is music. Being raised in a Spanish home amidst a white neighborhood played a large role in my music taste. I would hear salsa and merengue playing every night while my mom cooked, but still learned about American classic rock and listened to anything spanning in between those two opposites. I can honestly say I give any type of music a chance. That is not to say that I like EVERYTHING within the different groups, but that I don't like to discriminate based on genre or artist.

snapshot

stephanie.lascano — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:59:40 +0000

Capturing an image of a place where you feel comfortable, at home, and shows a piece of you is a difficult task. All these feelings, while real in the heart of the photographer, are intangible, things not so easily captured in a photograph. Me, being inexperienced as a photographer, found this especially hard. Despite the difficulty, this assignment was one of my favorites.

Thomas Neff: Holding Out and Hanging On

stephanie.lascano — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:08:24 +0000

On Thursday night, I had the pleasure of viewing a presentation by Thomas Neff consisting of photographs he took of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. We all have heard of the tragedy, but it is an entirely different experience to see it right in front of you, uncensored and without someone sugar-coating it. It's unlike the news, which is a series of cold hard facts. It's more bare than that. It makes you feel, rather than just know. By being a photographer, Neff opened a window into these people's lives.