Michelle Mildenberg Lara

A review of two children's books; ‘Tree. Table. Book’ by Lois Lowry and ‘Not Nothing’ by Gayle Forman. Both novels feature young people whose friendships with the very old unlock fading memories

‘The Parent Trap’ the sociologist Kelley Fong argues that we would do better by children and families if we were to widen our understanding of the social causes of adversity rather than relying solely on the blunt force of Child Protective Services

The art of writing crime novels

Book review of 'Wife' by Charlotte Mendelson, a clever account of coercive control

Portrait of the writer Namwali Serpell

'The One with the Ducks'm

In the cultural turning point year of 1999, the first episode of The Sopranos was broadcast. This acclaimed series was the beginning of television of the highest level. How is TV doing 25 years and many series later?

Capital Gains

Raj Chetty, winner of the RSA’s Benjamin Franklin Medal and Founder of Opportunity Insights, talks about his work exploring the vital role of social capital in fostering economic mobility and rebuilding trust in society. Chetty argues that greater social connectedness is key to restoring upward mobility and combatting societal divisions. By studying patterns of social interaction, Chetty and his team reveal how diverse interventions can create more opportunities for all

Upholding Choices in Maternity Care

Exploring the value of having a measure of shared decision making for maternity care to find a way to include the pregnant and birthing person's voice in their care

Book review of 'Show Dont Tell' by Curtis Sittenfeld 

Compelling moment by moment short stories about small-scale daily events of regular people

Book review of 'Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way' by Elaine Feeney

The story of the O’Connor family, its troubled past in the West of Ireland, and a love story of second chances

'Toffler in China'

Howard W. French compares compares his experiences during a recent trip to China with the work of author Alvin Toffler in his book 'Futuire Shock' written in 1970 about society's reaction to too much change in too short a time

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists, designed to be played as a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game

Picasso and Basquiat matching cards for Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists, designed to be played as a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Nine pairs of cards from the traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing the American Artist Faith RInggold - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Yayoi Kusama artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing the South Korean Artist Nam Jun Paik - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Cindy Sherman artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing Yoko Ono's epiphany - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Marina Abramović artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing David Hockney - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Niki de Saint Phalle artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing Jean Michel Basquiat - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Ana Mendieta artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing Louise Bourgeois - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Frida Kahlo artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing Jackson Pollock - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Joseph Beuys artwork - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Pair of cards representing Judy Chicago - for a traditional ‘matching pair’ memory game Illustrating pivotal moments in the lives of twenty-five contemporary artists

Box and cards for Epiphany! The Game of Great Ideas

Portrait of the writer Jo Hamya

Portrait of the writer Tommy Orange

Portrait of the writer Jennifer Croft

El Nevado del Ruiz is a snow-capped Volcano in the middle of the Colombian Andes. It erupted in 1985 and buried the town of Armero under a lahar. In April 2023, the volcano became active again and was moved to ‘orange alert’. People living nearby could hear the noise of the volcano, see the smoke and the falling ash. On a couple of occasions, incandescences were also seen – bodies and substances that were glowing due to their increasing temperature

'Incandescence', the installation of animated and static images, is an amalgamation of Michelle's research into eruption risk maps, military photographs, pictures uploaded to google maps by locals and real-time webcams. These images are filtered by the memories of a woman from El Tolima, one of the neighbouring regions to the volcano. She had just been diagnosed with Alzheimers. This character co-narrates with her daughter the fictional part of the project, where the volcano sculpts the relationship of the two women and their hold on their shared history

El Nevado del Ruiz is a snow-capped Volcano in the middle of the Colombian Andes. It erupted in 1985 and buried the town of Armero under a lahar. In April 2023, the volcano became active again and was moved to ‘orange alert’. People living nearby could hear the noise of the volcano, see the smoke and the falling ash. On a couple of occasions, incandescences were also seen – bodies and substances that were glowing due to their increasing temperature

'Incandescence', the installation of animated and static images, is an amalgamation of Michelle's research into eruption risk maps, military photographs, pictures uploaded to google maps by locals and real-time webcams. These images are filtered by the memories of a woman from El Tolima, one of the neighbouring regions to the volcano. She had just been diagnosed with Alzheimers. This character co-narrates with her daughter the fictional part of the project, where the volcano sculpts the relationship of the two women and their hold on their shared history

Where Adventurous, Curious Women Rule; In three new historical novels, female protagonists defy odds and push limits

Personal work

Ongoing commission since 2020 illustrating The New York Times Parenting section, focusing on articles where different aspects and states of mind of being a parent create relatable experiences across the US

Why Your Brain Feels Broken; Pandemic stress and multitasking can affect memory in a real way

Cover artwork for ‘Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life’ published by Dorling Kindersley

Artwork from ‘Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life’ published by Dorling Kindersley

Artwork from ‘Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life’ published by Dorling Kindersley

Artwork from ‘Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life’ published by Dorling Kindersley

Campaign for 'RARE is One', Amgen's initiative to create a global community of people with a rare disease, supporting someone with a rare disease or advocating for change in the rare-disease community

Portrait of Leigh-Ana Rossitto, who has a rare and unknown autoimmune illness, interviewed as part of a campaign for 'RARE is One', Amgen's initiative to create a global community of people with a rare disease, supporting someone with a rare disease or advocating for change in the rare-disease community

Portrait of Francia Márquez, Vice President of Colombia

“In the middle of the plastic, you can also see the faces of hope. You see the proud faces”

Ongoing since 2020 for The New York Times Wellness section, narrating mainly experiences related to women’s bodies, changes, myths and representations

I feel great about my neck. The article’s writer talks about how she is no longer depends on other people’s approval of her appearance

A personal research and experimental animation project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women. 

It’s 1973, Fernanda is thirteen years old and has embarked on a journey with her friend Beatriz across Colombia to reach Santa Marta on the Atlantic coast. During the trip, Fernanda will leave the bubble of her neighbourhood in Bogotá, transgressing the vast territory in front of her. She will meet along the way a series of women carrying stories and conceptions of territory

Artwork for ‘The Domestication of Volcanoes’ a personal research and project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women

Artwork for ‘The Domestication of Volcanoes’ a personal research and project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women

Artwork for ‘The Domestication of Volcanoes’ a personal research and project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women

Artwork for ‘The Domestication of Volcanoes’ a personal research and project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women

Artwork for ‘The Domestication of Volcanoes’ a personal research and project about the history of Colombia, and the beginnings of the armed conflict told through the experience of women

Personal work

Personal work

How Elon Musk Killed Twitter

His vainglorious $44bn takeover backfired on investors, employees, users – and the world’s richest man himself

Portrait of the French writer and lawyer, Nathalie Sarraute

A portrait of Virgina Woolf for an article by Anna Leszkiewicz about the importance of her diaries

My fantasy shopping life

Novels Rooted in History and a Sense of Place – a review of three historical novels based in Italy, Scandinavia and Palestine

Artwork for a review of  the novel “Sell us the rope” by Stephen May

Artworks for the Southern Poverty Law Centre illustrating information about the law in relation to panhandling

Artworks for the Southern Poverty Law Centre illustrating information about the law in relation to panhandling

Artworks for the Southern Poverty Law Centre illustrating information about the law in relation to panhandling

Artworks for the Southern Poverty Law Centre illustrating information about the law in relation to panhandling

Climate Newsletter

Cover artwork for the ‘Dance in the Mist’ report, a study into gender and youth in unequal environments in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project is the result of a collaboration between UNESCO, El Colegio de México and CLACSO

The report’s focus is gender inequalities in different areas, addressing in Each chapter addresses a problematic field: educational trajectories, care work, adolescent pregnancy, mental health and gender violence, digital gaps, climate change, precariousness of work and migration. The information is accompanied by illustrations that reflect the interrelation of inequalities and the resilient desire to overcome them

The study obtains relevant evidence to understand the scope of these inequalities, through data and analysis, in addition to proposing specific public policy proposals. The document is accessible to a wide audience, and reflects the multidisciplinary vision of the study of inequalities, underlining its intersectional nature

‘Living Cartography of Havana’

Poster artwork exhibited at Festival de literatura latino americana, held at Centro Cultural Recoleta in Buenos Aires. Michelle’s artwork is inspired by Dainerys Machado Vento’s book ‘La Habana Tirana’

Medical practitioners and COVID world imagery

Medical practitioners and COVID world imagery

Medical practitioners and COVID world imagery

Medical practitioners and COVID world imagery

Portrait of Sabi Zaidi

Using the power of Augmented Reality to give students the opportunity to interview leading professionals in various fields from around the world who would otherwise be impossible to meet in person

Portrait of Erin Cochrane

Using the power of Augmented Reality to give students the opportunity to interview leading professionals in various fields from around the world who would otherwise be impossible to meet in person

Portrait of Serena Williams

Using the power of Augmented Reality to give students the opportunity to interview leading professionals in various fields from around the world who would otherwise be impossible to meet in person

Portrait of the writer, director and animator, Frank E. Abney

Using the power of Augmented Reality to give students the opportunity to interview leading professionals in various fields from around the world who would otherwise be impossible to meet in person

Portrait of mechanical engineer, Arleny Valle

Using the power of Augmented Reality to give students the opportunity to interview leading professionals in various fields from around the world who would otherwise be impossible to meet in person

When it Comes to Historical Fiction, More is More – a review of novels worth their weight

Ongoing since 2020 for The New York Times Wellness section,  narrating mainly experiences related to women’s bodies, changes, myths and representations

Artwork for an article about Polyscystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) which is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, with fertility repercussions

One in a series of postcards for a short film ‘Salt’ by Raphael Chipperfield

The story follows a family who gather to spend the evening together at home. Tensions arise whilst the father of the family spends the night in hospital for a minor operation

One in a series of postcards for a short film ‘Salt’ by Raphael Chipperfield

The story follows a family who gather to spend the evening together at home. Tensions arise whilst the father of the family spends the night in hospital for a minor operation

One in a series of postcards for a short film ‘Salt’ by Raphael Chipperfield

The story follows a family who gather to spend the evening together at home. Tensions arise whilst the father of the family spends the night in hospital for a minor operation

One in a series of postcards for a short film ‘Salt’ by Raphael Chipperfield

The story follows a family who gather to spend the evening together at home. Tensions arise whilst the father of the family spends the night in hospital for a minor operation

Quiz about skin types for a new Clinique product launch

Quiz about skin types for a new Clinique product launch

Quiz about skin types for a new Clinique product launch

Artwork commissioned by the City of Dornbirn in Austria. The artwork explores the role of witches in the city as part of a commission to uncover unusual historical events. The artwork lives on an a VR app where the image is augmented and animated

Ongoing commission since 2020 illustrating The New York Times Parenting section, focusing on articles where different aspects and states of mind of being a parent create relatable experiences across the US

Burn Out on Home Schooling? I Cry on Tuesdays and Fridays

One of a series of artworks created for a weekly newsletter discussing a variety of topics from the experience of being a parent or a child

Tinybeans is an app that works as a gallery of children’s pictures for their relatives, managed by their parents

One of a series of artworks created for a weekly newsletter discussing a variety of topics from the experience of being a parent or a child

Tinybeans is an app that works as a gallery of children’s pictures for their relatives, managed by their parents

One of a series of artworks created for a weekly newsletter discussing a variety of topics from the experience of being a parent or a child

Tinybeans is an app that works as a gallery of children’s pictures for their relatives, managed by their parents

Ongoing commission since 2020 illustrating The New York Times Parenting section, focusing on articles where different aspects and states of mind of being a parent create relatable experiences across the US

Prenatal Care May Look Very Different After Coronavirus

Ongoing commission since 2020 illustrating The New York Times Parenting section, focusing on articles where different aspects and states of mind of being a parent create relatable experiences across the US

I Was a Screen Time Expert. Then the Coronavirus Happened

An author reflects on her pre-pandemic pronouncements about children’s technology use and offers new advice, like focus on the feelings not screens

Women pushing the boundaries in sport across the world, for an article in Huck Magazine in collaboration with Vans

Women pushing the boundaries in sport across the world, for an article in Huck Magazine in collaboration with Vans

The impact of skating as a sign of a healthy city, for an article in Huck Magazine in collaboration with Vans

PICUM (Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants)

One of a series of illustrations for booklet on stories of detainees to show the harmful impact of immigration detention

Portrait of Danielle Duran, representing her life story and dessert recipe. One in a series of portraits for a project highlighting Latin American and Caribbean women changing the culinary scene in the US

Portrait of Illyana Maisonnet, representing her life story and dessert recipe. One in a series of portraits for a project highlighting Latin American and Caribbean women changing the culinary scene in the US

One in a series of illustrations about the impact of pet’s hair and dandruff in a house environment

One in a series of illustrations about the impact of pet’s hair and dandruff in a house environment

One in a series of illustrations about the impact of pet’s hair and dandruff in a house environment

One in a series of illustrations about the impact of pet’s hair and dandruff in a house environment

One of eighteen full page portraits picturing the most relevant contemporary chefs and culinary creators from every province of Spain

One of eighteen full page portraits picturing the most relevant contemporary chefs and culinary creators from every province of Spain

One of eighteen full page portraits picturing the most relevant contemporary chefs and culinary creators from every province of Spain