As undocumented individuals with and without criminal backgrounds are being deported from the US daily, President Trump announced on February 25th that he will introduce a new visa program catering to high-net-worth individuals “somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication” to live permanently in the US for payment of five million dollars. Hailed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as the “Trump Gold Card”, Trump announced his plan to buy into the road to US citizenship to reporters in the oval office and expanded on his plan during a cabinet meeting on the 26th.
Read moreLuna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy
Photos by Andrew Markey
In 1987, extraordinary artists like André Heller, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí, Roy Lichtenstein, Arik Brauer, Sonia Delaunay, Kenny Scharf, Monika Gil’sing, and David Hockney designed an amusement park which premiered in Hamburg, Germany. It was the world’s first art amusement park, a stunning interactive exhibition, which shortly after its premier, was packed into shipping containers and forgotten in Texas. Now, thirty-seven years later, Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy has been revitalized and is currently on display at The Shed at Hudson Yards.
We were lucky to explore the enchanting exhibition recently, which features a carousel, a Ferris wheel, and even a chapel in which couples married during the run of the original exhibition in Hamburg. The park is a fascinating exploration into the iconic artists’ ideas of what an amusement park represents, even if you cannot go on the rides. As Keith Haring said during the exhibition’s original run, “Art is nothing if you don’t reach every segment of the people.” Luna Luna embraces us all and invites memories of childhood. With a limited run through March 16th, this is a wonderful opportunity to see the work of the modern greats.
Department of State Updates Guidance on Visa Interview Waivers
On February 18, 2025 The Department of State (“DOS”) announced changes to its policy previously instituted to facilitate visa processing and cut down wait times at US Consulates by offering mail in services for processing visas, foregoing in person interviews for several visa categories. The newly updated guidelines, narrow the pool of nonimmigrant visa applicants that may qualify for an interview waiver making the interview waiver and drop box options available only if the applicant previously held a visa in the same category and their prior visa either expired within the last twelve months or remains valid.
Read moreImmigration is About Family
Yayoi Kusama at Melbourne NGV
We recently visited the National Gallery of Victoria, or “NGV,” for the amazing Yayoi Kusama exhibition. Kusama has emerged as one of the most celebrated artists in the world, known for her work with pop art and minimalism and we have been fortunate to experience her work several times before at the Tate Modern in London, a public art festival in Rockaway, and the David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea. At the NGV exhibition, Kusama displays some of her iconic pumpkin sculptures, which she first began to create in 1946. Comparing the ritual of painting a pumpkin to Zen meditation, Kusama credits pumpkins with contributing “to the peace of mankind across the world and to the celebration of humanity” making her “feel at peace.” In fact, the artist’s affinity for the winter squash has elevated it to one of the most recognized icons of contemporary art around the world.
Kusama is also known for her use of polka-dots within her art, seeing them as a way to infinity. Her polka dots come to life in this exhibit through infinity rooms, sculptures, and paintings. We loved this journey through Kusama’s career, exploring the artistic themes she’s developed over the decades. The exhibition is open through April 21, and we recommend viewers stop in to catch Kusama’s masterpieces before the exhibit ends.
FY2026 H-1B Lottery Kick Off
Here we are, ready to kick off the fiscal year 2026 (“FY26”) H-1B cap. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced the initial registration period for the FY26 H-1B cap will begin at 12pm Eastern on March 7, 2025, and run through 12pm Eastern on March 24, 2025. During this registration period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to submit their H-1B registrations using online accounts and pay the required fee for each registration submitted on behalf of individual beneficiaries. The Service is maintaining its beneficiary-centric selection process launched last year for FY2025.
Read moreThe Greatest Makers of our Time
“Love Ever After” by Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio
At the heart of Times Square, Swedish designer Pernilla Ohrstedt is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a love… for Oysters? Her sculpture, titled “Love Ever After,” features three dimensional hearts constructed of oyster cages. The installation was created in partnership with the Billion Oyster Project, a New York nonprofit that aims to rebuild oyster reefs in New York Harbor. New York used to be known as the “big oyster” for its abundant shellfish population, and these installations aim to bring awareness to the efforts to clean up the harbor, and bring back its biodiversity. Visitors can circle the art installation to interact with the oyster cages, watching the hearts contained change color and shape as they move. Conservation and shellfish make for a lovely romance in this installation! Although we try our best, the photos don’t do this stunning sculpture justice, we recommend you visit it in person before the exhibition ends on March 4th.
The Fabric of America
Winter Glow
Though the holiday season is over, we are happy to see the light displays continue setting NYC aglow on these short winter days. In downtown New York, visitors can bask in “Winter Glow,” a collection of interactive art installations lighting up Flatiron Plaza . Two exhibitions, “The Diamonds” and “Spectrum,” use movement and light to dazzle spectators. “The Diamonds” by Perséides Studio consist of three colorful structures that light up when they spin, featuring music by Stefie Shock that changes as the speed of rotation varies. Across the plaza is “Spectrum,” by Mirari from QDSinternational, which plays off of communication as it lights up to show sound waves pass through its circles. These interactive exhibitions are perfect for a little light therapy to brighten winter’s gloomy evenings.