Incandescently Happy

January 04, 2016 in Travel, Photography, Fashion, Architecture

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.

August 10, 2015 in Travel, Art, Photography

The photo caption says it all. He is simply a beautiful, breathtaking piece of work.

Open, Open, Open...

July 28, 2015 in Travel, Architecture, Photography

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.

Walking With a Purpose

June 04, 2015 in Photography, Architecture

The photo above is of a new friend Khalifa al Khalifa, the Pavilion Director for Bahrain. Bahrain is one of the first pavilions visitors see when they come to the Expo by public transportation. It is a tranquil and soothing pavilion that has become a popular destination when visitors want to tune out the rest of Expo. Once inside its white halls, time seems to move a little slower and the chaos seems miles away. The sleek monotone architecture allows the real exhibition, the various trees and plants of growing fruit and produce, to stand out. The space is not flashy, even the written placards of information blend into the wall so they do not interfere with the serene experience. The wonderful pattern above is an installation on the front door. Very inviting and very beautiful inside and out. This pavilion is a great (not so) hidden gem at Expo.

On a Ques...

May 25, 2015 in Photography, Art

Today I went on a quest to go find Millo's newest mural in Milan. It is a recent work that was just completed a couple months ago. After a bit of searching, I found it online and headed out to see it in person. The mural is located in "Il Giardino Delle Culture" at the corner of Via Emilio Morisini and Via Bezzecca near Piazza Risorgimento. This shot above shows only a fragment of the large scale mural that is on two buildings and entitled "Everyone Is Searching For It". Once you see the full scale mural, the meaning behind the name becomes quite clear.

This guy was doing circles around me on his bike while I was taking pictures.. He wanted my attention and he got it.

Sleep with the Fishes

May 17, 2015 in Travel, Fashion, Art, Architecture

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

May 15, 2015 in Travel, Architecture, Photography

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

May 13, 2015 in Travel, Photography, Architecture

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!

Good Piece of Arse

April 21, 2015 in Travel, Photography

Sunrise, Sunset

April 19, 2015 in Photography, Architecture

Tomorrow I begin a new adventure in Milan, Italy. Since I will be leaving this fine city for seven months, I thought this image would be an appropriate one for the day. All D.C. residents have an epic skyline photo featuring the Washington Monument and this is mine. By the time I return here, it will be around the time this photo was taken. A few people have asked if this image is significantly edited, I assure you it is not. I boosted the saturation up slightly to reflect how the sunset looked in person; it was really that beautiful. I will miss seeing this view, but more importantly, I will miss my friends who have been amazing pillars of encouragement along the way.

A Slight Deviation

April 17, 2015 in Service

Today I take a slight deviation from travel photos I have taken to highlight someone else's work! I was lucky enough to be profiled in the Late Spring 2015 issue of Capitol File Magazine. I really owe a big thank you to everyone who contributed in making this happen. Thank you John McCarthy, Nikki Schwab, Dominique Fierro, Mintwood Place, Natalie Jones, Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Amy Moeller, and Laura Mullen. Big thank you to the Cap File Mag family for having the foresight to create a "Women of Influence" issue. It's smart and progressive. The issue features many amazing women from around the district and you can read it here.

Glass Tendrils

April 14, 2015 in Photography

Spirals of Ice. Washington, DC, USA. February 2015.

Spring has finally come to D.C. I won't miss the temperature, wintry mix, slush, and sleet, however I will miss seeing a beautiful creation like this outside my doorstep.