🎨December Museum Visit 🎨

Hi angels! ✨ I hope this post finds everyone well 💖 I recently backed up some photos from my old phone and came across some fun ones from a museum date with friends! I've posted a few on my Instagram and Twitter but wanted to share more and now that I have this space I'll do just that! 

The most exciting collection in the museum we went to is Leandro Erlich's Liminal solo exhibition featuring sixteen interactive installations. I enjoy interactive art the most since it allows spectators to participate. The encounter's outcome will vary depending on who is there, and your willingness to partake - it's beyond the psychological experience one would usually come across when examining a painting or walking around a sculpture. 

Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from all of the installations since I was having too much fun to remember to whip my phone for all of them but if you're interested in learning more about the artist and seeing his list of works, you can do so here on his official website.

Swimming Pool is the most popular of the sixteen installation pieces and it isn't difficult to understand why. The installation is a life-sized pool divided into two spaces: one above the surface and one underneath it. Between the two is a transparent pane of contained water which gives an illusion of seeing people "underwater." To get "below the surface" there's a staircase next to the pool which leads to a little blue room. Its color is intentional as its what creates the reflections of the water above. We were lucky to have most of the museum to ourselves and could afford to hog the space and even lie down and watch the water dance above us. Erlich stated that the installation is meant to inspire the optimistic notion that we're the architects of our own reality and should never accept it at face value. 

 

I really liked Swimming Pool and might visit the museum again alone just to appreciate it more before I leave town. I've had dreams where the reality of those worlds function the way this sculpture does and I was just over the moon to see something like it while awake. 

The Classroom. A sheet of reflective glass creates the illusion where visitors find a ghostly reflection of themselves sitting in the abandoned classroom trapped inside it. 

Erlich's Lost Garden features a small garden between mirrors that constructs a reflection paradox where the participant will not appear in the mirror in front of the window they peek into but instead will see themselves from unexpected angles. This was intended to allow audiences to experiment with their perceptions of themselves.

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to visit my blog! Hope everyone enjoyed my silly ramblings and if I'm lucky I might have introduced y'all to an interesting new artist 💗

🎊27🎊

 

Hiii lovelies! 💗Today's post is about what I did during my birthday celebrations and the silly pictures along the way!! 🎉⭐

I try to spend my birthday with my parents if I'm in my hometown and luckily this year we were able to do so. We're very fond of the Cheesecake Factory so of course we went there to eat. My papá surprised me with the chocolate oreo cheesecake. I know it might come as a shock since I like baking but I'm not really familiar with many desserts or their different remixes. Needless to say, I was examining how I could possibly replicate the recipe someday with each bite 🎂✨

After dinner, we enjoyed a nice short stroll and came across many pleasantries. Compliments from friendly strangers, a kind tourist who we were able to help out, an amiable sunset and we still had time to enjoy a view of the ocean and cityscape during a long drive 🌊🌙

Afterward, I celebrated with friends who treated me to a fun day with many activities, including an art gallery date. The establishment we visited featured many site-specific installations along with various sculptures and large contemporary paintings 💞

Szwarc, Ilona. Virgin Soap Installation. 2021.

My lovely friend examining Sterling Ruby's Monument Stalagmite/CDC SHIV, 2010.

A portion of the gallery is dedicated to Ana Mendieta, the pictures displayed being part of her Sioueta series. 

Merriweather, Murjoni. J A S M I N E. 2022.

Candid of myself interacting with Félix González-Torres' Untitled (Portrait of Dad), 1991. 

A candid of myself standing in front of Alex Israel's Sky Backdrop, 2012.

We got boba after the gallery! A bubble tea truck was stationed a few blocks away! If I remember correctly I ordered the strawberry green tea boba with lychee pearls. I asked for mild sweetness and it still ended up being too much for me 😔 Proceed with caution!

We also spotted this cutie! She's a yellow stingray! She might be hard to see since she's camouflaging to sneak up on small vertebrates. Did you know she can also glow in the dark? I think that's cool

I'm really happy I was able to enjoy birthday festivities with loved ones both physically and virtually. Unfortunately, my sisters and nephews are far away from me along with some dear friends but we managed to take time to hang out through screens. I'm really excited to welcome another year I have many aspirations and I know I'll achieve them 🌺 Looking forward to the memories I'll create with my favorites and the new friends along the way! Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog 💖 Hope everyone enjoys their day!! 💌

💣Follow Up Review: Fear & Hunger 2: Termina💣

Disclaimer: Fear & Hunger 2: Termina and its prequel Fear & Hunger are rated as "Adult Only" (AO) according to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Such a rating is the highest in the ESRB system and indicates it is only suitable for mature players aged eighteen and over. The Fear & Hunger series contains explicit violence, gore, drug and alcohol abuse. Scenes of self-destructiveness, suicide, and self-mutilation. Along with nudity and themes of depression, mental health, and sexual violence including rape, child abuse, war, and death. The developer has made it clear that none of these topics are meant to be taken lightly, and are prominent to give the games serious consequences and hopelessness. The games, their developer, fans, reviews, and the sites you can purchase them on ensure to give potential players multiple trigger warnings and it's only fair that I do the same even though I have no intention of displaying the game's graphic content on my page. If these topics cause you distress, discomfort or agitate symptoms of PTSD please skip this entry. Your safety and convenience are of the utmost importance. Also, I want younger readers to respect the games' ratings and refrain from engaging with them or any of my blog entries about them. Discussions on dark themes will be diluted as an extra precaution. Quick spoiler warning for story and game mechanics as well! If you're exiting after this content warning I wish you well and hope to see you at another time.

Hi angels!⭐ I'm back from the Termina Festival and I want to share my thoughts on the matter 👾As y'all know, last week I downloaded Fear & Hunger 2: Termina after much contemplation and I'm happy to share that I really love the game and despite its gruesome content, my CPTSD wasn't triggered and was able to enjoy the story and the challenges the game presented to me on easy mode! As expected from the reviews and other players, the most important thing you can have in this game is knowledge. I started my journey as Marina but found myself stuck without knowing where to go after two in-game days, so I decided to start all over with Abella as my champion instead. I love playing as mages in RPGs but I do believe that starting off as Marina without upgrades or skills beyond necromancy was difficult, even on easy mode on my first try 😔 The ghouls you're able to resurrect are okay companions but they can't wield weapons and their punches are far from being impressive. While Arbella has to fare on her own, her short-circuit skill allows her to access different locations early on in the game and her weapon-craft ability is beyond helpful in constructing artillery that causes major damage to opponents. Needless to say, I was able to make it to the end with her despite some hiccups along the way. As I mentioned earlier, certain events and exchanges can only be unlocked by the player depending on who their champion is and whether certain locations are reached on certain days so the replayability of this game is awesome. The first time I beat this game I unlocked Ending A, the true ending while managing to save seven of the fourteen contestants. Not a fan of how the narrative played out TBH so I will try to unlock the other finales and see if it is possible to save all fourteen contestants. 

I have to rave about how great the music and level design is. Being that this is a survival horror game of course it's going to be creepy but how the game fucks with you is great. Chilly Makes Music and Orange was brilliant in incorporating ambiance and SFX into the melodies to the point there were many times I stopped and hid behind the menu screen to examine whether I was being followed by a potential opponent or if it was just part of the music. I'm not going to pretend I understand music theory or what goes into creating a memorable soundtrack but I do know that music or sounds that make listeners uncomfortable will agitate them the longer they hear it. Making so that even navigating through a relatively quiet street in Preheival - you're still conditioned into believing that the danger can present itself again at any moment. Muting the game is not a wise decision. Sounds can alert you of nearby enemies and while you have the option of only silencing the music - it's so meaningful to the setting so I could never recommend anyone to do so. The theme of the Maiden Woods was the one I was most unsettled with. I personally hate the weird electronic (?) tune that infiltrates the song mid-way. I don't know what that noise is and while it could be hinting at how the ancient forest has been invaded by the military it just feels so uncanny that it made me more desperate to leave the area. 

As for the layout, my one complaint is that the arrangement of certain items or obstacles would leave me stuck. I don't mind it if it was meant to be intentional to leave players more vulnerable to attacks but there are instances in "safer" areas where it is exceptionally tedious to retrace your steps over and over again when trying to retrieve some blue herbs. Other than that, Prehevil is such a big city with plenty of spaces to explore and loot - it's fantastic and just what you'd expect from a town with ties to the cruel age. I won't get into details but trust that it is overwhelming at times but only makes it more rewarding when you come across something interesting.

A mysterious NPC. They appear in the ruins located in the Maiden Woods at night to serenade the moon. Where did they come from? Are they participating in the festival? Are they human? Why here? They don't care to interact with the player no matter how they choose to approach them. This is just a thing that happens.

I'll restrain myself from spoiling any additional details that should be discovered on their own since seeing the interactions and conversations that take place between certain characters are memorable. There are some contestants that I would leave behind without hesitation . . . but I'll see if I can save them. Maybe it'll unlock a new ending? 

Thanks again for visiting my blog ✌I hope y'all were entertained by my silly ramblings and that if you're able to withstand the macabre themes surrounding the game you're able to appreciate it as much as I do if not more and if so please don't hesitate in messaging me! I would love to have someone to talk to about it in-depth!! I hope everyone has sweet dreams 💤💗