Lara Alcantara-Lansberg

Daily Self Portraits as Social Critique & Rope Series

If You Only Knew by Lara Alcantara-Lansberg

"I boldly step into the world of 'the housewife' using familiar spaces to depict clever, dreamy scenarios injected with humor and sarcasm", says Alcantara who is a fine art photographer currently residing in New York City and is originally from Caracas, Venezuela. Lara has been creating some elaborate images during this COVID pandemic, becoming creative and humorous with her audience on her social media channels. Often the images are accompanied by a fantastical explanation or self-affirmation. She takes the meaning of "self portrait" to the next level, sometimes showing up in her photo montages multiple times and in various outifts. Lara studied at NYU and completed a Masters in Fine Art at BARD-ICP New York City under the teachings of photographers like Cindy Sherman. One of the most influential artists in contemporary art, Sherman still makes photographs of herself in different scenarios and in a wide range of personas as she explores portrayals of female stereotypes.

The work of Martha Rosler whose art is also communicative of much of the same feminine satire comes to mind. Alcantara's political and social critique and her tongue-in-cheek humor are as successful, especially coming out of this pandemic. The timing and upsurge of Instagram accounts filled with selfies of "influencers" creates more irony. 

Like Sherman, Lara does not follow the typical idea of beauty and fashion, but depicts the trials and irony with performance and humor, finding truths and light during a pandemic, mocking authenticity when other people aren't watching. Existential ennui for home like Plath's sonnet of sophisticated hopelessness, all with a collection of hot shoes.

FOLLOW LARA: W: laraalcantara.com, IG: @laraalcantara

Last Supper by Lara Alcantara-Lansberg