Travel
Wave After Wave. Milan, Italy. January 2016.
This is the controversial, yet beautifully designed MUDEC (Museo Della Culture). I visited the museum for an exhibition in February and the space is constructed unlike any art space I have seen before. These wavey walls are just one distinct characteristic that makes the MUDEC a worthwhile building to pay the admission price for. The museum complex was a former factory and is located in Via Tortona, the arts district of Milan.
Not Your Typical Venetian View. Venice, Italy. February 2016.
When you picture Venice, what do you see? I'm guessing canals, gondolas, narrow streets, grand palazzi, and romance, however do you ever wonder about "residential" areas in this magical place?
Over the weekend I stayed in a beautiful flat in Giudecca, one of the islands of Venice. Giudecca is a short vaporetto ride away from all the frenetic action of Piazza San Marco, just distant enough away to feel residential. Unfortunately (or fortunately), this trip coincided with acqua alta and so the rain was rather unforgiving. Luckily, I was able to do a cursory exploration of this island for an hour when the rain let up. I enjoyed walking around this atypical side of Venice. There are still plenty of canals to remind you that you are indeed in Venice, however there are more campielli (small squares) surrounded by two or three level homes where you will find a more tranquil scene; residents leaning out of their windows smoking and observing kids kicking a football around, people taking their dogs out for a walk etc. In this area, there are little to no crowds; the only people I saw were nonnas with their grocery carts, a man working on his boat, kids playing in the campiello, dog walkers, and a father-daughter returning from church. It was quiet, calm, and lovely. Of course this was probably also due to the impending rain, but I think things are generally more calm here.
I saw this home in a campiello and I thought it was really beautiful. The plant life is lush and a wonderful contrast against the building. I took plenty of photos of narrow streets and canals on this trip as I usually do (I can't help myself!), but this might be the most unique shot of the bunch because very few people would guess it is from Venice, the city of water.
OG Instagram. Florence, Italy. January 2016.
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking the streets in Florence and came across this beautiful vintage "fotoautomatica" booth on the corner of Via Dell'Agnolo and Via Giuseppe Verdi. Photo booths are a common find around the city particularly in train and metro stations, however this is one of the most charming ones I've seen. I particularly liked the teal interior wall set against the monochrome background.
If you are wondering if it is still in working order, yes it is. When I took this photo, an Australian couple was waiting for their "instagram" to be printed.
Teach Us How to Kiss Like This. Gallerie d'Italia. Milan, Italy 2016.
Yesterday I went to the Gallerie d'Italia in Piazza della Scala to see a beautiful collection of Italian painter Francesco Hayez's most famous works. This exhibition is particularly special because on display are the three versions of "Il Bacio" aka "The Kiss" side by side by side. The version in the middle was the first to be completed in 1859 and is a permanent piece housed just up the street at the Pinacoteca di Brera. The version on the left was completed in 1861 and the one on the right in 1867. Each have their subtle differences and symbolic interpretations, however what remains consistent in each version is the passion conveyed in the lover's kiss and Hayez's impeccable technique.
I loved the way that these guests were admiring the paintings. Looking at this picture, I cannot help but believe that they are all sharing the same thought—I want to be kissed just like this.
'A Mad Tea Party'. Florence, Italy. January 2016.
If you are like me, you may not be familiar with the name Richard Ginori, however you have likely seen their work. Richard Ginori 1735 is the most famous Italian porcelain dinnerware producer and by the look of their designs and feel of the porcelain, one can understand why.
The presentation in their Florentine storefront is meticulous with designs ranging from classic to playful, natural to whimsical. All the collections are beautifully staged with the dinnerware on tables, shelves, and mounted on the walls—colorful pieces of eye candy everywhere. This room appealed to me because of the pastels—it reminded me of the type of porcelain that would be used in 'A Mad Tea-Party'. I think Lewis Carroll would be pleased.
Looking 'Straight' On. London, UK. December 2015.
I took this photo a few weeks ago during the final hours of Ai Wei Wei's retrospective exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. This is the second time I have seen this particular installation aptly named "Straight."
"Straight" is a very large and powerful two part installation created as a response to the 2008 Sichuan province earthquake which killed over 5,000 elementary school children. The artist and his studio created this piece as a criticism to China's weak construction regulations. The most visual part of "Straight" uses salvaged steel rods from elementary schools that collapsed and were subsequently destroyed by the earthquake. From the debris, Ai's studio collected 96 tons of steel rods and one by one hand pounded and straightened them from their twisted form.
The second part of the piece is on the wall surrounding the steel rods in the center. From a distance, the walls appear plain and white, however if you look closer you will see that it is actually a roster of all the names and ages of school children that were victims of the earthquake. Since the Chinese government would not release the names of the young school children killed in the schools, Ai took it upon himself to create the list of victims, publish them via his own social media, and include them in this installation.
Incandescently Happy. Selfridges & Co., London. December 2015.
London really knows how to show off during the holidays. I visited Oxford Street in December and was more interested in taking photos of the light installations in the squares and streets than shopping. It was a nice surprise to find equally elegant lighting details inside stores lined along Oxford Street.
A crowd favorite along Oxford Street is Selfridges & Co. Walking into Selfridges is walking into an experience—it is grand, stately, and classic—a time capsule into 1900s design. As I wandered through the floors, I stumbled across this hidden gem in the basement—a room that, to steal a line from Jane Austen, made me "incandescently happy." The idea of hundreds of bare bulbs illuminating a room is simple and obvious, and yet so elegant. I love the warmth this style of lighting exudes. I realize Selfridges is not the first to execute this concept, but given the atmosphere of the season, it was really magical to see.
The Man. The Myth. The Legend. Florence, Italy. August 2015.
The photo caption says it all. He is simply a beautiful, breathtaking piece of work.
Open, Open, Open...June 2015. Lago di Bracciano, Italy.
In June, I was able to take a couple of days and travel to Rome to visit friend. I studied in Rome many years ago and instead of revisiting all the usual stomping grounds, we decided to take a short trip outside of the city to Lago di Bracciano for some R&R. After spending some quality time by the lake, we drove to the nearby Castello Oldescalchi in Bracciano for lunch. It's a tranquil place with beautiful masonry, doors, and colorful plant life. I especially loved this spot. If the street side of the home is this well manicured, I can only imagine what lies behind this door.
Sleep with the Fishes. Milan, Italy. May 2015.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the newly opened Fondazione Prada in the Lodi neighborhood of Milan. So much hype and publicity surrounded this new space before the May 9th opening that I had to make it my first gallery stop in Milan. The foundation site is comprised of several large industrial buildings repurposed to house a collection of classical and contemporary art and film. My expectations were quite high and although I did not love all the contemporary art inside, it was an afternoon well spent. The gallery is a beautifully curated space and a very unique experience. Every space looked photo ready and the long cavernous halls of the buildings facilitated an easy flow through the exhibits. One of my favorite installations is this aquarium housed in the cistern of an old distillery along with two other pieces. To me, it is both disturbing and soothing at the same time. It is called "Love Lost" by Damien Hirst (2000), but I'll informally refer to it as "Sleep with the Fishes".
For more on the Prada Foundation: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/arts/design/the-prada-foundations-new-arts-complex-in-milan.html
Sexy Curves. Milan, Italy. May 2015.
One of my favorite pavilions, inside and out, is the United Arab Emirates site. It should be on everyone's Expo "must see" list simply because it is a structure designed by renowned architectural firm Foster + Partners, however the pavilion is much richer than just the exterior. Their team did a beautiful job integrating the new with the old, the synthetic and the natural. I think this shot captures that; the walls are constructed to represent their natural landscape of large red sand deserts, while you can faintly see the sleek, modern pillars used as part of their exhibit.
The experience inside the UAE pavilion is superb; from 3-D imaging and integration with their pavilion smart phone app, to an enthralling film, and gallery all about the date palm. The narrative of their exhibit addresses the rapid growth of the country, the consequences it has had on natural resources, and what their two major cities are trying to do about it. It's a compelling visit and worth the wait to see it.
Here I Am. Milan, Italy. May 2015.
I apologize for the long quiet absence from sharonyang.com. About three weeks ago I moved to Milan to take a grand leap of faith across the Atlantic and join the USA Pavilion staff at Expo Milano 2015. Doors opened to the World Expo on May 1st and it has been a whirlwind leading up to the Expo and a whirlwind since doors opened. I have not had much free time to see the city just yet, but I have seen some fantastic international pavilions on Expo grounds. The Expo is going to provide a lot of great content so I hope you are still there and interested in seeing what life will be like for the next 6 months.
The photo above was taken on the one day off I have had so far. I was determined to spend sunset on the roof terrace of The Duomo. I stayed on the roof for two and a half hours, perhaps a little excessive, but I met a lot of interesting people while there; a group of young men from London, an American couple, and a group of instagrammers from around Milan. I struck up a particularly nice conversation with Marco Lamberto, one of the IG meet up members who is an excellent photographer. Marco was kind enough to take some photos of me since I was spending the evening sola.
I promise to pick up the speed and start posting again so I hope you continue to come back!