Sunday, June 25, 2017

The Upside Down

Can you believe that it's the last week of June? This month has been one big busy blur, and I'm pretty exhausted. On Saturday, I hit mental reset button and got out of the house for a little bit.

I had been wanting to visit The 14th Factory, a pop-up art exhibition in Los Angeles, for a while, so I ended up there on Saturday for some R&R. Overall, it was interesting and unique. The crowds were light, making it an ideal visit to visit all of the exhibits without lines.

My favorite exhibit was "The Crusher", a pitchfork installation by artist, Simon Birch. The exhibit was both intimidating and interesting. It displayed 300 colorful and menacing pitchforks hanging from the ceiling. I had a little bit of fun with it and became live art subject.
"The Crusher" by Simon Birch

Another fascinating exhibit was the Stanley Kubrick Ethereal Bedroom, an art installation inspired by the movie, "A Space Odyssey". It was very impressive. Upon entering, everyone had to remove their shoes. Since I recommend that you visit the exhibit in person to get the full experience, I don't want to give too much away. You can check out a sneak peak below.

Ethereal Bedroom - "A Space Odyssey" Art Installation

"Hidden Consciousness" acrylic paintings by Cang Xin 

Painting by Simon Birch.

 More paintings by Simon Birch.

Ferrari fragments on display.

"Hypercaine" by Simon Birch and Gloria Yu 

Mini break & tanning sesh. Dress by Wayf.

 "Clear Air Turbulence" installation, featuring 40 airplane tail wings.

Overall, I enjoyed the mixed media art and documentary experience of The 14th Factory. In addition, I appreciated the use of darkness to transition from exhibit to exhibit. Not only did it create suspense, but it helped to clear my mind before going into the next room.

I would recommend The 14th Factory to anyone looking for an interactive art experience. As there are a lot of dark areas in the exhibition, I don't recommend taking young children. My recommendation if you do go is to pre-purchase tickets online. You'll easily save $4 off admission versus the full price ticket at the door. Since I believe it is the final week of the exhibition, I would recommend going to see The 14th Factory sooner than later. 

Has anybody else been to The 14th Factory? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Feel free to reach out to me via Twitter or Instagram @Tran_gerine

Until next time,

Melissa









Saturday, June 17, 2017

Connections

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the importance of human connection. I find it fascinating that people have an innate desire to connect with one another. Whether it's the need to have a heart-to-heart, to tell a joke, to grieve, or to vent, we all need people in our lives  with whom we can lean on, talk to, and learn from.


As humans, we all have a need to be part of something larger than ourselves. Whether it's becoming part of a friendship, a relationship, a family, or a community, we all want a sense of belonging. We want to feel that we are understood and not alone in our thoughts and feelings. Even us introverts need to calendar in some time every once in a while to socialize and to connect with others. 

I find human connection to be a very powerful thing. Aside from allowing us to exchange thoughts and ideas, it can also help us to heal. Connecting with others can help us to realize our own mistakes, and allow us to rationally formulate more productive solutions in order to overcome certain challenges in our lives. What are your thoughts on human connection? Please feel free to connect with me via Twitter or Instagram @Tran_gerine. I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Melissa