Anastasia Stepanova

Leisure

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s messy details

The Phillips exhibition, entitled "Over the River: a Work in Progress," is exactly what it promises: a work in progress. Billed as a preview of the upcoming project, the show features a selection of drawings, photographs, maps, and samples of the canopy's material, alongside a 2000 page environmental report, technical data, and other preparatory project paraphernalia collected since the project's conception in 1992. In short, the usual behind-the-scenes work that most people leave behind the scenes. But Christo and Jeanne-Claude are not most people.

By October 30, 2008

Voices

Moscow: all grown up and out of vodka?

During our chats, I found that all but one of my workmates were married or engaged, two of them had children, and one was already happily divorced. The oldest of them was twenty-five. They spent their evenings in cooking dinners to feed their growing families, their Saturdays at the zoo in lieu of sleeping off a monumental clubbing night, and their salaries on the latest eco-summer camps and environmentally-friendly living instead of on live-in lovers and python handbags.

By September 4, 2008

Leisure

Environmental aesthetics on M Street

What would you do with some algae, horsehair and snow? Throw it all away? Not Emily Chirstenson. Her first East Coast show, Blue Currents, proves that paintings become prettier if you let nature participate in their creation.

By October 25, 2007

Leisure

Lezhur Ledger: Relay for Life a fun-raiser

I could smell the GUGS burgers all the way from the Leavey Center—the scent of a barbeque spread through the clear spring air faster than the keenest relayers. As I got closer to the source of the delicious aroma, the music got louder, the crowd got rowdier and, turning into Harbin Field, I stumbled into the biggest party of Saturday night. The field looked like a combination of a Bedouin settlement, an Oriental bazaar and a children’s fair. There were tents as far as the eye could see. All the summer trends were here: floral Hawaiian, fluorescent brights and the nautical color scheme of the Hoya Blue tent. If it weren’t for the numerous white and purple Relay For Life balloons, this tent city could have been easily mistaken for a mass, al fresco slumber party.

By April 26, 2007

Leisure

Critical Voices: Arctic Monkeys

Who the fuck are Arctic Monkeys was hardly an appropriate name for the Arctic Monkeys’ 2006 EP. Soon after the Monkeys gatecrashed the British and world charts with their first album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, they become an overnight success.

By April 19, 2007

Leisure

Pole dancing: not just for strippers

My arms ache and I can already feel the bruises on my inner thighs as I try to crawl sexily on all fours. The music switches to “Fergalicious,” and that’s my cue to shimmy up the chrome pole. Holding on with my left hand, I move with the music, strut my stuff for a few beats and slowly turn a full body roll into the fireman spin.

By February 8, 2007

Leisure

LEDs, toys as art

What happens when you put 19 grandmas and a great-grandma in one room? An industrial-sized tea and scones party?

By November 16, 2006

Leisure

Ivri Lider: Israeli hero

“I’m what you call a pop star in Israel, and I’m gay and I’m out, so that by definition makes me an activist.”

By November 2, 2006

Leisure

Vice and virtue in art

The power of contradiction in Erik Sandberg’s latest exhibition, Contrary, is not to be underestimated despite the show’s small size and intimate setting.

By September 28, 2006

Leisure

Fashion in the buff

With the summer rolling in, nudity in fashion seems to be making a comeback and is stirring up controversy in the process.

By April 27, 2006