Minds at Work: The Secret Lives of the Schuyler Sisters
Lin-Manuel Miranda was first introduced to the Schuyler sisters while on vacation.
A Whole New World: Disney in Shanghai
After five years of construction, a new Disneyland theme park has been opened in Pudong, Shanghai, China this past Thursday. The park is part of a larger Shanghai Disney Resort which features two themed hotels as well as a commercial center called Disneytown. The opening of the theme park and resort has been long anticipated […]Read Post ›
Helpless: Why Aren’t We Talking about Gender in Hamilton?
“We are living in the age of Hamilton,” admitted Annette Gordon-Reed at a recent book talk. Reed’s comment is surprising: she’s a leading scholar on Thomas Jefferson, Hamilton’s rival. But her praise is not; nowadays, everyone loves Hamilton.
I’m Surviving the Art World: Part 2
In which I explain why self-care in the arts matters to me.
Strolling through a Cemetery: Thoughts from Mount Auburn Cemetery
On a sunny May day, I set off for a relaxing and romantic stroll-through a graveyard.
Art Historian at the Bench
When I walked in to start my first day in a STEM graduate program last Fall, I did not know what to expect. Because I knew since high school that I wanted to pursue a career in the sciences, my parents were perplexed as to why I cared to know the difference between my Rococo […]Read Post ›
How I’m Surviving the Insanity that is the Art World: Part 1
The Art World today is in poor shape. It depends on a group of people who are willing to sacrifice themselves, give away their labor, and be nearly constantly rejected. In the interest of the United States gaining power in STEM and conservative politics in cutting funding, it has become increasingly difficult to have the […]Read Post ›
The Real Game of Thrones: Diplomacy through Gifts in the Middle East
While American politics have currently evolved into shouting matches and smear tactics, there was a point in time where diplomacy was more subtle. Whereas modern politics is built on rhetoric, politics in antiquity emphasized objects-specifically, their exchange. In the Middle East in the Medieval Era, politics used executed through gift-giving. While we generally consider these as positive things […]Read Post ›
Makeup, Social Expectations, and the Construction of Identity
I have a love-hate relationship with makeup. I think most women who wear makeup have similar feelings as mine. Like most, I have long felt the expectation that women are supposed to be “presentable,” if not as beautiful as possible, when out in public. This means having flawless skin at a minimum. Many of […]Read Post ›
Art as a Response to Change: My Visit to the Art Institute of Chicago
This past week, on a vacation to the Midwest, I found myself at the Art Institute of Chicago, one of Chicago, Illinois’ most iconic art museums. After clumsily navigating the El and getting lost on State Street – which is almost impossible to get lost on – I happened upon the grand facade of the museum, […]Read Post ›
The Female Gaze 