Tag: Academic

This week, we visited the Mishkin Gallery at Baruch College. It was wonderful experience. I learned a lot about the photograph Marcel Sternberger. Marcel Sternberger was born in 1889 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the private photographer to the Royal Family of Belgium. Soon after, he moved to London in 1938 where he photographed Sigmund Freud, George Bernard Shaw and others. Sadly in 1952, Marcel Sternberger was killed in a car accident. Marcel Sternberger’s work was curated by Jacob Loewentheil.

The main thing I enjoyed the most about the gallery is the presence of many well-known people. For example, Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India and a central figure in Indian politics before and after independence. Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi was an Indian stateswoman and central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was the first and the only female Prime Minister of India following her father. This really interests me because I have previous knowledge about the history of India. Sternberger captured the former Prime Ministers in their prime. Personally, I felt very connected to this part of the gallery because it had to do with my Indian roots.

Other photographs that stood out to me are the pictures of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. These are very prominent figures in Spanish history. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are married and both are painters. In Spanish class, we discussed the meaning and intentions of the self-portraits Kahlo painted. This was a perfect moment to see Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in a different light. Another thing I enjoyed to see was the camera Marcel Sternberger used to take these photographs. It is very small compared to the technology and cameras we have today. The presenter explained how Sternberger preferred the smaller cameras so he could move freely and capture candid photos. This made a lot of sense to me because the main reason Sternberger was doing this was to capture the natural essence of these people.

This past Tuesday, I attended a STARR Career Development Center Workshop named Mastering the Job Interview – Basic. In the future, I will definitely come across times where I need to interview in order the get a job. Interviews are a natural and common process that will occur, and the more prepared I am from the start, the better I will perform. From the workshop, I learned how to tackle potential interview questions by practicing my answers beforehand so I am familiar with what to say. Furthermore, it is also important to ask the interviewer questions that I am genuinely interested to know as I may possibly be working in the company. Of course, I should also do research on the company as it shows I am aware of the current works of the company and where I can apply my skills to help them. Other things to keep in mind is one’s nonverbal communication. The first impression is extremely important as it can determine how the interviewer thinks of you right from the get-go. It is essential to have good eye contact, a firm handshake, and to smile. The interviewer may be more inclined to hire you as companies want people who exude positivity. This workshop aids me in exploring my career goals because it emphasizes the importance of interviews in whether or not I will get the offer. Interviews are such an important process that can make the biggest difference. In addition, through the workshop, I was able to acquire insight towards the other programs that STARR has to offer. Not only do they have weekly newsletters that remind us of the career workshops available for attendance, but also mock interview opportunities online to help individuals prepare for the real deal. All in all, it was a great learning experience. 

While visiting the art gallery at Baruch, I learned about the works of Marcel Sternberger during the 20th century. During his career, his notable technique included his style of taking pictures. He used a smaller and portable 35mm camera which allowed him to be able to move freely and take pictures through different angles. In this exhibit, there were many well known people that Sternberger photographed, including Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, President Roosevelt among others. I noticed that the personalities among Sternberger’s photographs varied and the woman giving the tour explained how Sternberger would take the pictures while having a conversation with the people. The most interesting person he photographed to me was George Bernard Shaw. Shaw declined having interviews at first but eventually agreed after being convinced. He had even told Sternberger that his photos would not impress him and he is not even interested in seeing any of it. However, he ended up requesting fifty copies of the same photograph without providing payment. He eventually sent very small checks explaining that his autographs were worth more than each check, and so selling the checks would gain Sternberger more money than the photographs. While taking pictures of Albert Einstein, Sternberg wanted to have the suspenders off since it made him look less professional, but ended up letting Einstein keep it on to show a compassionate side. I liked Sternberger’s technique of taking photos since it was not just to take them, but also to show a more personal aspect of his interviewees. It gave me a new perspective on how photographers take pictures because I did not realize there was more to it than just clicking a button. It is always fascinating to me to learn about new people and information, and this trip allowed me to learn about not just Sternberger, but also a little bit on the people he interviewed.

   

Last week, I attended a field trip to the Mishkin Gallery at Baruch College with my English 2100 class. I got a chance to actually see some really amazing photographs, all taken by the photographer Marcel Sternberger, who work was actually curated by Jacob Loewentheil after Sternberger’s death in a fatal car accident in 1952. From this visit, I was able to take a glance at photographs of very famous and well-known world figures from different perspectives due to Sternberger’s photographic style of trying to capture his models’ personality.

I learned a lot about Sternberger’s determination for getting historically famous people to agree to model for him. One important example was George Bernard Shaw, who wasn’t the least interested in having his picture taken and was very condescending towards Sternberger. After many failed attempts, Shaw finally agreed to model for him, portraying a very serious attitude throughout the entire session as he saw this as futile. Sternberger was also able to photograph two iconic figures of Spanish history, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, who were married artists. It was nice to see them being portrayed as a loving couple instead of just having them pose unemotionally in front of the camera. He was also an acquaintance of famed physicist Albert Einstein, engaging in a friendly conversation with him throughout the session and ending up with pictures of the genius Einstein as an amusing and lovable average guy.

What was really amazing to learn about Sternberger’s photographs is the amount of equipment he used- or rather the lack of equipment he used. While other photographers used super professional cameras, he relied on his Leica flagship 35mm model camera. This allowed him to have his pictures being taken at different angles and to move more freely when doing so., allowing his portraits to reflect that unique style that has been displayed for years to come.

 

 

On my daily commute from Penn Station to Baruch I always pass by FIT, a college that specializes in fashion, I never paid to much attention to it until I realized there was a museum. I decided to walk in there and knock out a freshmen blog for attending an NYC museum. Little did I know that I would be only guy there and that I would be surrounded by middle aged women.

Although, boring the exhibits displayed were very informative, it discussed the relations nature has with textiles. For example, during the Renaissance period flowers were commonly found on dresses this was mainly attributed to exotic flowers that were flourishing in Europe-boring. However, there was a section I found interesting, Charles Darwin’s son draws a comparison of dresses to natural selection and how it changes throughout the years, the good ones stay and bad ones go producing new dresses every year.

The exhibition didn’t only focus on fashion but, also textiles, FIT students developed a textile called “AlgiKnit” a biodegradable product that can knitted like yarn. It didn’t go into full detail about how long material would last until it would degrade but, biodegradable clothes a interesting concept.

I also didn’t realize how much inspiration people take from nature and apply it into clothing. For example the latest swimsuits such as Fastskin II developed by Speedo was inspired by sharkskin. The surface design of the suit held similarities to the surface of a shark’s skin which allows reduced drag, allowing swimmers to PR and cut through water. Another, similar cloth is the “Black Magic suit” a recently developed suit which imitates the way water rolls off of leaves and duck feathers.

Before, visiting this museum I always thought that fashion was considered wearing weird outfits and calling it “fashion” . But, the development of cloth is really interesting and I realized its what Nike does with drifit, adidas  does with ultraboost, and what under armour does with its sweat wick fabric.

The Rubin Museum of Art is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. The museum specializes in artwork from the Himalayas and its surrounding neighbors, like India. Their mission is to promote understanding, stimulate learning, and to spark personal connections to the culture and ideas of Himalayan Asia.

I had to go to the Rubin Museum of Art for a homework assignment I had to do for my art history class. I am not the type of person who chooses to go to museums and usually would never go unless it is required of me to. I was not expecting to enjoy myself at all as I am not a big fan of museums, much less for ones specializing in art.

When I got to museum, I was surprised that it was so small. When I think about museums, I think of huge building with massive amounts of rooms and high ceilings. The Rubin Museum of Art, however, threw me off. If anything, it looks like a regular building you can find anywhere in that neighborhood. The museum has a total of five floors, each with its own different exhibit on each floor. People can have the option of being lazy and taking the elevators, or they can walk up the big, winding spiral staircase located conveniently at the center of the building. I chose to use the stairs.

Museums always have special exhibits going on, and The Rubin was the same. Right now, there is a special exhibit going on focusing on sounds. It is called “The World is Sound” and it was a pretty cool experience. There were parts where I had to touch the wall in order to hear what was playing over the speaker. I found it interesting how none of the different displays were overlapping and disrupting each other. It was as if each display was in their own little room. The sounds played ranged from religious mantras to sounds found in the nature to traditional instruments used in the Buddhist and Hindu culture. Out of my entire experience there, I’d say the sound exhibit was my favorite. You should definitely check the exhibit out before it closes in January.

     On Saturday I made a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am not a talented painter nor a sculptor, but I absolutely love art. Although, I found the Met to be more than a collection of art; it was a way to learn about history by analyzing the historical context of the art or exhibit. There were more than just paintings, but accessories, musical instruments, clothing, and architecture from all over the world! Honestly, I cannot even think of the right words to express my excitement. For those who know me personally, they know that I was experiencing heaven on earth — I am a history nerd.

One part of the exhibit that I remember well was the lesson on how the Egyptian and the Roman cultures had an influence each other economically, artistically, and culturally. I also learned the influences these two major powers had on the Mediterranean region during the prosperous growth of inter regional trade while the existence of Egyptian Pharaohs and the Roman Empire were on the rise. Talking about trade, conquests, and agriculture reminded me of my history class way back in 6th grade. We had to build a massive project on key parts of the Roman Empire and the elements that the area was composed upon (Colosseum, roads, mile markers, material, aqueducts, etc…) It was nice to be able to expand my knowledge about a topic that was covered when I was in grade school.

There was obviously so much more to the Museum, but I did not have enough time to cover every inch of it that I wanted to. It’s very disappointing, but on the bright side I now have an excuse to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art often. If I had not completed this enrichment workshop, I highly doubt that I would have made the time to explore the different museums that I have access to. There are many other museums to explore and learn from which I intend to make use of while I have my student discount. In regards to my first semester, it broadened my horizon on what New York City has to offer that can enrich my learning experience!

About two weeks ago,  I went to Baruch’s Study Abroad Fair. I was extremely excited to go and learn more about some of the possible countries that I could be considered a foreign student at. As soon as I entered the gym, I was bombarded by students to learn more about their country and university. To my surprise, the students who were talking about the schools were native to that area. They were studying abroad here at Baruch and giving their perspective on their home school. I thought that it was so cool to hear from actual students of those universities, rather than students at Baruch who have just attended for a semester. They gave insight on what they regularly did, and the majority talked about how they loved to travel within Europe. It is much cheaper to explore different countries while in Europe since they are all connected in the union, rather than travelling back and forth between there and the United States. I learned about how cheap their social life is, and how inexpensive food is compared to here, although nothing can beat the price of a dollar pizza. I thought it was very interesting how some of the colleges still offered courses in English to help foreign students adjust. Their methods for education were very intriguing as well, as their grades are composed of just the midterm and the final. They also offer re-sits, which is an opportunity to retake an exam if they fail. The student doesn’t need to retake the course, just the test. This makes sense in that the student just needs to study harder in order to pass/get a higher grade, yet without retaking the course, everything has to be self-taught. I look forward to studying abroad next year, although I still am not 100% sure on where I want to go.

After nearly a week of planning and scheduling, my friend Alice and I were finally able to visit the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). We were the first two people to exit our last class of the day when we were dismissed just so we could arrive at AMNH even a few minutes earlier. We both shared an interest in dinosaurs but before we could go and see the dinosaur exhibit, we had to do our lab field exercise. When we took a look at our field exercise, we saw that it was divided into three parts, each part for a different exhibit. For the first two parts, we had to go the Hall of Biodiversity and the Felix M. Warburg Hall of New York State Environment but we were allowed to go to any exhibit we preferred for our last part. There were around 25 questions in total we had to answer before we could go to our choice exhibit and we figured that it wouldn’t be long before we could see the dinosaurs. Twenty minutes later, two slightly stressed out girls sat down to continue their staring contest with the first question of the lab exercise. Needless to say, the lab report was a lot more challenging than we gave credit for it and by the time we got to our choice exhibit, my enthusiasm for seeing dinosaurs had diminished.

Even though my trip to AMNH wasn’t the best, as I felt stressed and confined to certain exhibits, I felt that this kind of trip was more meaningful than if I had free reign over which exhibits to go to and had no questions to answer. The reason I feel this way is that at the end of the day, I went to an exhibit that I was interested in and at the same time, I went to exhibits that I never would’ve visited. This meant that I was able to learn about things that I would’ve never learned about in a casual visit to the museum and at the same time was more forced to be more attentive to my surroundings. On a normal visit, I would probably ignore large blocks of text on the wall or any kind of text that was not within eye level. However, with the questions we had to answer for the lab exercise, I payed attention to these text and more often then not, found myself interested in the information within.

 

 

This past Friday, most of the class had a large break between classes, or were done completely. Keeping this in mind, me and some other students took a trip to the Museum of Modern Art. It was here that we came upon some extraordinary exhibits. This is truly one of the best perks of going to school in the city. Being able to visit museums like this for free is something that can’t be mirrored by any other school.

An exhibit that really caught my eye was a hanging figure by Louise Bourgeois. This figure was bronze, lacked a head, and seemed to be of a male. There was no explanation for this odd figurine demanding attention in the middle of the room, only a name: Arch of Hysteria. I took it upon myself to figure out why this figure existed. Apparently, Bourgeois had been in psychoanalysis in the mid-1900s and there were several studies being conducted on why people’ bodies would contort in this arch. It was deemed as a byproduct of hysteria, hence the term Arch of Hysteria. Louise actually took this position herself and had a plaster mold poured on her. She then shaped the edges to form the curves herself. The figure was placed in bronze so that the viewer would be able to see themselves in the contorted image, so they could understand where this hysteria was coming from. It was hanging so that it would give the impression of fragility as the body could spin and pivot.

If I did not look up this figure then the meaning of it would have been lost to me. The history and knowledge of this pieces are all intense, which makes them so much more important. Thanks to this trip to the museum; I am able to see in depth what makes artwork so significant.