Sunday, February 4, 2007

it's been a while

So many changes in the past few weeks!

I moved into my new apartment in Queens. It is awsome. The rooms are big and airy and my two room mates are extremely nice. I started my internship with zingmagazine as well, which I'm loving. I'm mostly doing secretarial things, like googling phone numbers, but I also get to do some fun stuff, such as play with Photoshop and InDesign all day. I've spent a lot of time finding articles online about zing, which I then lay out in InDesign all pretty-like. They keep copies of all the articles they find to show to potential advertisers and stuff, to demonstrate that they have a lot of circulation, I guess.

We're also getting ready for the release party that's happening February 25, as the next issue comes out in March, so I've been helping with some of the preparations. There's going to be a pinata filled with condoms at the party (along with a bunch of other silly stuff--I can't wait!), and we're going to put pictures of some artists and/or their art on the wrappers. So I spent the better part of one day googling the artists and making little pictures in Photoshop to put on the wrappers. That was really fun. I'm so glad I took magazine editing last semester, 'cuz I've been using my newfound Photoshop and InDesign skills left and right (and apparently I'm the only intern who knows how to use them--go me!).

This past Friday, Anna (the very sweet and totally adorable managing editor) and I took off early to go gallery-hopping in Chelsea. We saw some fantastic photography in one gallery (that I of course failed to write down the name of, I have got to work on that). There were a whole bunch of bright, colorful portraits (about 10 by 10 inches) of children, but none of the kids were looking directly at the camera, and most weren't centered either. I thought the off-centeredness made the pictures look more natural and spontaneous. I also have a thing for off-kilter stuff in pretty much any visual art (drawings, paintings, prints, what have you). Also in the same gallery were some larger photos (like three by five feet?) of messy tables after people had finished eating. Each photo centered on a section of a table, most covered in a white or cream tablecloth, upon which might be a dessert plate with remnants of cake, or a couple pieces of silverware, some crumbs spread around or a round wine stain, etc. They were sort of voyeuristic, but lovely in their simplicity, and somehow comforting and cozy (particularly one that featured a saucer with what looked like a half-eaten slice of wedding cake left on it... so sweet).

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Also! My Monday class was cancelled for the semester, so now I'm taking an art history independent study focusing on censorship in art. So now I only have to be in class in Syracuse on Wednesdays and sometimes have meetings on Tuesdays. So now I get to stay in NYC five or six days a week, instead of only four. It's wonderful. I love this city so much. I think my favorite part of the day is the subway ride into Soho from Queens, and back again. I get to watch all the neighborhoods and graffiti go by since the train is above ground. And crossing the Williamsburg Bridge feels like going home no matter which direction I'm going, whether toward the city or toward my apartment.

I feel like I'm finally doing something with my life.

2 comments:

A. said...

We had a show here in Mobile, Alabama that was similar to the one you saw in Chelsea, called "Aftermeals" where this photographer had photographs of leftover food. I loved it--I wonder if it's the same photographer?

Leah said...

My managing editor got me the name of the photographer. It's Laura Letinsky, but the name of the exhibit was just "Selections."

Here's the link for the gallery: www.yanceyrichardson.com