VMFA: Diana Al-Hadid

Diana Al-Hadid (b. 1981). Trace of a Fictional Third, 2011 (detail), Photo: Marianne Boesky Gallery.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the Korroch Family field trip destination. On March 10 they opened Diana Al-Hadid: Trace of a Fictional Third. I haven’t seen the work in person but from the images on the artist’s website Al-Hadid’s large organic sculptures are beautiful and haunting. The exhibition is up until Sept 2, 2012, I foresee a special birthday field trip for a certain birthday!

Global Girl/Boy Balance

Today I listened to WBEZ‘s program Worldview hosted by Jerome McDonnell.  Today he spoke with Mara Hvistendahl about her new book  Unnatural Selection: Choosing Body Over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men.  Click here to download the podcast.

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The parts of the conversation I heard included but was not limited to discussion of infanticide, in vitro gender selection (anecdotal evidence shows that Americans prefer girls),  ”mail order brides,” and trucks for abortion.  I have not listened to the conversation in its entirety but I plan to do so and to read the book.  It is a fascinating global issue very present in the past and today.

Cyborg Pieta Self-Hatred

Do you remember this post about Lee Yungbaek’s sculpture that I saw in Beijing?  I ran into it again in Seoul.  Apparently they are everywhere!  Lee represented South Korea in the Venice Biennale this year, the Pieta was there among his other work.  Look below for another iteration of these cyborg figures.

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