“Ethereal” by Nona Faustine – Max Goldstein
Nona Faustine was a photographer and visual artist who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Faustine’s work focused on history, identity, representation, and evoking a critical and emotional understanding of the past, proposing a deeper examination of contemporary racial and gender stereotypes. In her collection White Shoes, created in 2021, Faustine came out with the work titled “Ethereal”. Faustine is shown to be in the photo and kneeling in prayer at this tree. Her body, which is shown to be wrapped in a golden gown, is said to represent a chrysalis. Taken in Central Park of what used to be Seneca Village, Faustine attempted to display the traces of African American histories, reimagining what it would have been like if the space had been properly preserved rather than paved and destroyed.
Source:
Musawwir, Jennifer S. “In Their Shoes: Nona Faustine’s White Shoes Now at the Brooklyn Museum.” DailyArt Magazine, April 22, 2024. https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/nona-faustine-white-shoes/
Two Palms. “Nona Faustine.” Two Palms. https://www.twopalms.us/artists/nona-faustine#tab:slideshow
Sims, Delphine. “Remembering Nona Faustine’s Powerful Self-Portraits.” Aperture, April 4, 2025. https://aperture.org/editorial/remembering-nona-faustines-powerful-self-portraits/
IDC1001H – The Arts in NYC: Icon of New York
I chose the bagel because it represents New York’s immigrant roots and food culture. Growing up in a Jewish-American household, bagels have always been an integral part of my upbringing since I was young. You can find bagel shops in almost every neighborhood, and the one close to my home is one I grew up going to. It was a routine in my family to visit at least once a week. Bagels are not just a food to me, but they’re tradition, comfort, and community. As Polish and Eastern European Jewish immigrants settled in New York in the 19th century, they brought the bagel with them. By 1965, bagels became a phenomenon where bagels were rising in popularity comparable to pizza and the hot dog. Soon after, individuals learned to eat bagels with another food tied to immigrants, with that being lox and cream cheese. Lox and cream cheese, originally served in Jewish delis during the 201th century, have become a prized accompaniment to bagels. Additionally, it has become a widely known fact that with a fresh New York bagel, it is almost sacrilegious to toast it as an untoasted bagel represents a true New York bagel.
Source:Blakemore, Erin. “The Unusual History of the Beloved Bagel.” National Geographic, May 3, 2023.
Superfine: Black Tailoring – Max Goldstein
The object I chose was this wool “Body Stitch” jacket designed for Virgil Abloh’s Off White as Off White’s first collection after Abloh’s death. It caught my eye as a fan of Virgil Abloh and his work seeing the impressive embroidery of anatomical chest and torso made me wonder what it represented. After reading the description, learning the symbolism of the garment as to how it comments on what is masculine and what is feminine and how standardized garments conceal the identity and individuality of the wearer. The jackets embroidery marks the wearer as either male or female regardless of the wearers gender talking about how the exterior is superficial.
