Laura Chang 5/26/15 Laura Chang 5/26/15

"Please Touch the Art" by Jeppe Hein

"Please Touch the Art" is Brooklyn Bridge Park's latest outdoor art installment by Danish artist, Jeppe Hein. He isn't kidding about wanting you to get active with his work. There are three main parts to this collection: Appearing Rooms, Mirror Labyrinth and 16 Modified Social Benches. I love that this was spread throughout the park so that you can explore and find each piece on your own.

"Please Touch the Art" is Brooklyn Bridge Park's latest outdoor art installment by Danish artist, Jeppe Hein. He isn't kidding about wanting you to get active with his work. Spread across the park are three parts to this collection: Appearing Rooms, Mirror Labyrinth and 16 Modified Social Benches.

Appearing Rooms

This one unleashed my inner child and I had just as much fun as the kids behind me! There are four chambers to this installment and they're timed so that you have a few seconds to walk in without getting wet. Each chamber takes turn surging a water barrier until all walls are up and you're surrounded! You'll get a little sprayed, but you won't be soaked when you stand at the center of a room. And, If you're like the kids playing behind me, you can also not give a damn and charge right through the walls because it's only water after all!

Consider this a warning! These photos were taken at 10AM, and it got extremely crowded by noon! This became a water park for the little kids suited up and ready to charge in their swimwear.

This one is located right at the entrance of the park, so you can't miss it!

Mirror Labyrinth

When you say Labyrinth, I think of a maze, but this was most definitely not a maze. It's much smaller than I imagined, but still very cool to walk through! The shards of metal mirrors are placed in circular pathways that guide you without getting lost or confused. I enjoyed seeing pieces of other people's reflections as I walked through and saw my own. This definitely makes you think of the world you're surrounded by and how beautiful each piece can be. If only this could be bigger!!

The mirrors are located near Pier 3 of Brooklyn Bridge Park so you'll need to walk a little deeper to get to this one!

16 Modified Social Benches

Last but not least (and certainly the most spread out) are the 16 bright, fun and very orange sculptures. They are inspired by the average social bench, but with twists and turns. You can sit on them, but comfort was disregarded in some!

I did not walk through and look for every bench, but you knew one was coming up ahead because of its obnoxious color! You really can't miss it.

"Please Touch the Art" will be available until April 17, 2016! Touch everything and look for all the benches! (Click here for the Map)

That's all for now! Happy Memorial Day!

Love,
Laura

Laura Chang 5/17/15 Laura Chang 5/17/15

Kamri, The Gallery and My Inspirations

Today my work was featured in a gallery where I met some of the most inspirational people.

I thank my parents, my family and friends. Thank you to everyone who came to the gallery today and thank you to all who have inspired me, influenced me, and supported my photography.

Kamri

Today my work was featured in a gallery where I met some of the most inspirational people. And by inspirational, I mean this young and beautiful girl, Kamri Carter.

"Mom...According to Us" shared artwork that ranged from paintings to poetry, photographs and more. 100% of all art proceeds from this gallery went to #StephsGirls. Stephanie Lee is survived by her two beautiful daughters, Kamri and Marchelle. Although the gallery was for them, I realized that it was a beautiful experience that was very much for me, too. I thank Kamri and her family for giving me the chance to explore my work and to share my love and compassion for flowers, nature, and anything that catches my attention. This was a beautiful chance to share what are in my visions.

The Gallery

But before I continue...here's a look at today's gallery. If the title cannot be clear enough, the gallery was all about our definition of "Mom." Vicky Jordan of PureWorks put together such an amazing and well curated gallery.

My work:

Moms are constant gardeners as they shower us with unconditional love. No matter what season, they nurture us so that we bloom into our best selves-- in the heat of summer and in the dead of winter. These photographs were taken during all four … — Moms are constant gardeners as they shower us with unconditional love.
No matter what season, they nurture us so that we bloom into our best selves-- in the heat of summer and in the dead of winter. These photographs were taken during all four seasons of New York City: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. "Love" is the flower that is never out of season.

The turnout was amazing and I am truly grateful for every single person who stopped by-- from all walks of my life. Even though my mom is overseas and she couldn't be here today, I was blessed with all the people who did come through. For that, I thank you all!

My Inspirations

My parents have been an inspiration to me and are truly the biggest supporters. It was after I selected my photos that I realized how often I photograph flowers. Interestingly enough, three out of the five photographs I submitted were taken in my very own backyard.

To others, it is a modestly sized garden, but to me, it was always very large and filled with dreams. I grew up playing in it and occasionally watering the plants. I have summer BBQs there and not to forget...I feed my blood to all the mosquitoes that I can't fend off there, too! My father tends the garden and he is a huge reason why I grew up surrounded by beautiful green grass and flowers that bloom from Spring through the end of Summer.

When I got home today, and right before the sun completely set, I lit a little something to remind myself of how far I've come and to continue to spark my dreams. This garden is not much, but really it is all I need. My father always says that he's sorry he couldn't give me more, but I don't need more. My parents have given me everything that I could have ever imagined and that is already all the more that I need.

I thank my parents, my family and friends. Thank you to everyone who came to the gallery today and thank you to all who have inspired me, influenced me, and supported my photography.

<3,
Laura

Laura Chang 5/3/15 Laura Chang 5/3/15

A Weekend of Visual Thinking

This weekend unintentionally challenged my visual thinking. From a visit to an Art Gallery on Saturday to a picnic in Central Park on Sunday, I walked out of both with a new view of this world. I was surrounded by details that forced me to see what was before me in a different way. Hard to explain, but what I saw was inspiring for me and it got me thinking angles, color palettes, and a different vision-- someone else's vision. See below! :)

"Sunset" by Mary Heilmann — "Sunset" by Mary Heilmann

Saturday

I was excited to go to the New Whitney Museum of Art. The line was out the door and around the block, but luckily I was able to head straight inside with the help of membership benefits. It was glorious to skip the line, but that didn't mean it wasn't crowded inside.

To be honest, I don't do as well when there's a large crowd of people walking in front of what I'm trying to absorb, so I will definitely be going back at an earlier time of day, where it will hopefully be less crowded.

Hands down, the most intriguing display were these colorful chairs. It's by Mary Heilmann and she calls this "Sunset." I probably spent the most time sitting and walking around that area. I loved that I could touch and see. I can feel time passing by before my eyes. I probably could sit there until sunset, too.

I didn't take too many photos of the other artworks, but there was an entire section called "America is Hard to See" and it literally was a reexamination of art in America.

From how the circus became a popular means of entertainment to a photograph of a boxing match post World War II, I couldn't believe how disgusted I was. Nearly six decades later and we have not changed. Ironically, I saw this post- WWII painting of two boxers (Firpo and Dempsey) in a ring the same night of the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao match. Why is violence so entertaining? There is hype and we find excitement in a contained human beating. Who can take a punch or a nasty uppercut? It's televised, and the victor will be famous. Oh-- and let's not forget the $$ that comes with that KNOCKOUT fist.

Boxing isn't my cup of tea, so I'm not condoning those who love it! I just did not walk into the Whitney expecting to come out thinking about boxing and violence, but the exhibit did a wonderful job in showing me how so much and so little has changed in America. Art documents history and preserves that time period for the future to understand and reevaluate. America. It's not perfect and it's definitely not all glory and dream-like.

Sunday

Sunday was literally a walk in the park. I had a calm and peaceful picnic in the Cherry Hill section of Central Park. I love how enthusiastic my friends are about keeping the visuals pleasant and sexy to another's eyes. In this age of social media, it almost seems like you have to post a photo to prove to the world how "interesting" and "awesome" your life is. Well, not going to lie, we did out best to show our "friends" on social media just how pleasant our day was, but it wasn't entirely our only intention-- at least not mine. I just wanted to enjoy spring and take as many photographs as possible, the really pretty kind you'd find in a magazine.

This display was a team effort, and I loved seeing how their brains worked. I did the cucumber sandwiches, but let me tell you...they did the rest! Floral arrangement is a skill, but can you plate meat/cheese/crackers from scratch?

So we took a few photos...

Or maybe we took a lot more than we led on...

We take Food Photography very seriously... ;)

Don't worry, we didn't take photos of what it looked like AFTER because there was nothing left to take. We devoured it all.

The bottom line: I've been mind blown with great visuals this weekend. I saw what others created and here I am showing you what were in my visions. Afterall, Art is not what you see, but what you want others to see.

Love,
Laura <3

The earth without "art" is just "eh."

Laura Chang 12/27/14 Laura Chang 12/27/14

Enlighten Me

Lights are always one of my favorite subjects to capture. Today, I realized why I truly have a fascination with colorful lights, almost like I understood the true meaning of Christmas (except I'm not even Christian.) So, what do they remind me of? My daydreams.

Lights always remind me of that sudden moment when I snap out of a daydream and back to reality. My blurry vision refocuses on what is before me. And as it adjusts, everything on the side, foreground and background becomes the blur because all I am looking at is just one thing. What I see here in these photos are exactly what are in my visions during that instantaneous and transitional moment.

Here are some of my favorite shots from tonight's wander-ful walk through the neighborhood. Enjoy my version of holiday lights and see what are In My Visions.

I spy Rudolph lit up in LED, but look at all the lights! — I spy Rudolph lit up in LED, but look at all the lights!

Happy Holidays!
Laura

Laura Chang 11/30/14 Laura Chang 11/30/14

Kolonihavehus by Tom Fruin

Kolonihavehus
The Danish word for garden shed.

I love color. I love flowers, plants and anything organically green. So, naturally something like a garden shed art installation would attract my attention! When I read that Tom Fruin's latest NYC art installment would be available for more than just a few days, I had to see it for myself-- but minus the crowds of people. Thankfully, this one is sticking around until June 2015, so there is no rush to see it this week or even this month.

There are two things I avoid doing unless it is a must:
1) being in crowded places and 2) including people in the photos I take of places. I like to feel alone when I am in my visions-zone. I like to feel as if I am the only one there taking in all of its glory. Honestly, I just wanted to take my time with this one.

So, what better way to do all of this at my own pace than to wake up at the crack of dawn, and beat the crowd! Yes, I was up by 5:30AM this morning and was out the door by 6AM. It took me about an hour to actually get from my location in Queens to the Brooklyn Bridge. I was there for over an hour and the only other people around me were joggers, park sanitation workers and one other photographer who wasn't even there to photograph the Kolonihavehus. It was heaven for me.

The other best part that worked in my favor was that since this installment came out in September, this isn't really brand new. It's not the latest blockbuster that everyone is rushing to the theaters to screen.

I can't remember the last time I willingly woke up so early in the morning, but I have to say that it was all worth it. Perhaps I'll have to do that again.

Check out the Kolonihavehus at 3 different hours this Sunday morning.