When was your first time in New York?
My mom surprised me with a summer vacation to NYC when I was 12. It was in 2016, when Les Miserables had come back to Broadway with a wonderful revival cast and since that was my favorite musical/movie, getting to see it was a dream come true (I also had a Les Miserables themed birthday party later that year). I remember being astounded with the way that simple lights reflected off of the buildings above me— I had one of the worst neck pains from constantly looking up. Ever since that trip, I knew I was going to live here and so being at SLC and being an intern at CIMA is truly my 12-year-old self’s dream come true.
How did I become interested in Art History?
I had always loved the arts but in high school, I mostly focused on performing arts. I was a huge theater and marching band kid. When I moved to New York, I started going to different art museums and falling in love with visual arts. Every time I visited a new museum, I would get a postcard and on the back, I would write a message to my future self detailing everything that I saw and learned. I was academically introduced to the field through an Italian Renaissance class I took in my sophomore year at SLC. I fell deeper in love with art through my research paper of Fra Lippo Lippi. I have taken different art theory and history courses since then and I plan on getting my masters in Museum Studies. I still get my postcards from different institutions and I love reflecting. I get to see my growth alongside the growth of my postcard collection.
What do I hope to gain from my experience at CIMA?
Besides getting to better understand the workings of an exhibition, I hope to learn more about institutional development and patron accessibility. I have loved learning about the necessary paperwork involved in the installation of our new exhibition. I also have enjoyed getting to learn about Nanni Balestrini and this era of Italian Art through the fellows!
If you could purchase one work of art, what would it be and why?
I would purchase Rene Magritte’s “The False Mirror” (1928). I love how Magritte used the eye as a simple motif for the way that we all view the world— our view is inherently clouded. I think it is a humble reminder from Magritte that the world does not actually exist in the way we view it— that we are no closer to the Truth (as Cornel West would say) than anybody else.
What do I like to do in my free time?
I love to read a variety of books, ranging from novels, classics, spirituality, artist biographies, philosophy, and poetry. In addition to reading, I love to blab to everybody about what books they should read! Other than reading, I also love to bake and have been busy crafting different variations to my perfect banana bread. I love to travel, spend time with my partner and friends, go to concerts and shows, and play my saxophone at a reasonable hour (so I don’t wake up the roommates).
