ISSUE 08 / REALITY
MEET THE TEAM Beth Rubery Ezra Evans Rachel Chorley Hannah Morgan
Editors in Chief
Editors / Designers
Daisy Leigh-Phippard Katie Charleston Sarah Gomes Munro Natalia Podpora Gabriela Cohen Sveinn Snaer Kristjรกnsson Hannah Sherwen Ewa Ferdynus Charlie Pryor Kate Wolstenholme Alice Clarke Rachel Craddock Ben Money-Kyrle Carol Guo 2
Writers Content Manager
Publicity
Photographers Gallery Staff
EDITOR’S LETTER
Hello and welcome to BUMF Issue 08,
This issue falls under the theme of ‘Reality’- something that a lot of us as students may struggle to get a handle on from time to time. As a publication that is run by student creatives in an institutionally artistic environment, ‘ART’ seems to be all we want to talk about.. It is understandable, as creativity is what connects the population of AUB, but also arguably important to not forget that there is a lot more to the people who roam around campus. In a way, we all have our own realities- as shown through our diverse topics discussed by our talented set of writers. In fact, if we didn’t have our own lives away from our creative ambitions, you would probably find the work exhibited around uni and in BUMF to be very dull. So there, a healthy obsession with Netflix, tin foil hats or conspiracy theories is what makes you interesting. Take your copy of BUMF, devour it, and begin this new term and new year with an empathetic or interested outlook. Consider your own outlook and the outlook of others and cultivate an open mind. In other news, there are some exciting events being organised by BUMF and other Student Union entities. Be sure to keep an eye on the SU and BUMF social media pages for more info. We hope you enjoy the issue and have an excellent term. Don’t be a stranger, Rachel and Hannah
3
WHAT’S IN THE ISSUE?
SHOULD ESCAPISM BE FACING REALITY?
CO M E DY OF E R R O R S
D A I S Y LEIGH - PHIP PARD X T I M ALEX ANDER
K AT E T U R N E R PAGE 9
PAGE 6
C U L T U R A L C O N F U S I O N
D
U
S
T
NATALIA PODPORA C O N N O R T I M O T H Y EG A N X MHAIRI MCCONNACH PAGE 14 ECOLOGICAL UTOPIA AND D Y S T O P I A
W R I T I N G S O C I E T Y I S A B E L L E M O R G A N PAGE 22 4
PAGE 24
PAGE 17
LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES, JUST REMEMBER TO RECYCLE THE BO X
M
I
N
T
EMMA WHIDDINGTON
RH I A N N E H O L LY B A X T E R X E WA F ERDY N U S
PAGE 10
PAGE 12 A L L T H I N G S N O W W H AT ? R E T R O RACHEL CHORLEY C H A R LO T T E X N I X O N BETH GREW PAGE 18
PAGE 20
S C I E N C E FICTIO NLESS
MOTHER TONGUE (MI KAJ VI)
S A R A H GOMES MUNRO
E L E N A LO P R E S T I
PAGE 26
PAGE 29 5
SHOULD ESCAPISM BE FACI NG REA L I T Y ?
Sitting in the library, discussing with the Realities that are at our front door, and
writers and editor what we could talk those that spread across the entire planet.
about under the theme of reality, the And should we be facing those realities idea of escapism came up. It’s interesting instead of building our own worlds to that a human reaction to something is escape into. to think of its polar opposite. We talked
about why we love escapism, and why
reality is perhaps a little scarier. And then a question I’ve heard a lot of times was
raised: is escapism allowing us to run away from reality?
When we create and consume forms of
escapism, we usually also use up a lot of
money. There are cheap and recyclable alternatives, but say when a film is made, when music is recorded and released,
WORDS BY DAISY LEIGH-PHIPPARD // ILLUSTRATIONS BY TIM ALEXANDER 6
when a designer creates a product, it often
is expensive. Materials, time, contracts and a whole host of other things cost money so that the final product can be made. Some people argue that all that money should go into other things.
“should we be facing those realities instead of building our own worlds to escape into?” Western
governments
notoriously
underfund creative endeavors in order
to fund other areas (though where that
money ends up going is another discussion and exploration. all in itself). And it’s true; the amount of
money it takes to make a Hollywood blockbuster could probably rebuild and
fund multiple towns in a third world country somewhere until they could be selfsufficient. That’s important, isn’t it?
Because that’s what artists are, aren’t Now, we do live in a capitalist society that they? People that look at the world and takes a lot of creative things and molds
want to express what they see, either them for money making, uncaringly using helping the audience to learn something unethical methods of production. This new or explore the subject. It’s narrow- argument always brings up the point of minded to think that artistic expression corrupt corporations that use cheap work in
The arguments I’ve heard end up at
the point where they question whether
we put money into forms of escapism because it helps us forget the suffering
elsewhere in the world. Perhaps we fund our own ignorance because it is, after all,
bliss. Whether it’s selfish to put money into
creative projects instead of direct funding for those in need.
The short answer, from my perspective, is
need, but I don’t think it’s an excuse to
dismiss the benefits that creative projects
provide, and it’s not enough for me to think all funding should be switched over. There’s plenty of people that could use
their millions to directly help worthy causes
before you come knocking on the doors of people who are trying to spread education
@ f a tg u tc lu b
no. It’s absolutely true that a great deal of charities go without the funding they
doesn’t make changes for the better.
And, even though those of us sitting here reading this article are better off than a lot of the population, there’s always something
“The passion of artists should not be turned to guilt w hen t hey in fact hold t he key to understanding the cause and effect of t he realities of our world.”
to be said for personal wellbeing and the
benefits of escapism. Maybe running away from our realities isn’t the most productive
thing, but taking a little time to get lost in something other than stress ends up helping the side of us that has responsibilities
to take care of. Whether you’re the one
creating or consuming it, creative forms of escapism help us deal with the world –
and one reality you can’t run away from
is that they do need funding to be made available.
factories in less developed countries. And wasn’t the only sexual orientation from
Art, however expensive it can be, is a
engagement can be easily manipulated TV. Can’t you think of something you first
accepting of minorities, more educated
people. But that doesn’t make the tools because you had access to a story that
help them. By all means, give what you
of the makers.
world a better place, but suggesting that
it’s a valid point; the tools of creative stories I watched in the cinema and on the
key aspect of making our society more
to sell stuff and take advantage of heard about, or first actually understood
on their situations, and more motivated to
themselves flawed – it highlights the faults school didn’t teach you?
can to support charities trying to make the
While giving money directly to those
we should have to sacrifice our creative
those tools can be used to educate proper lasting differences, we need to
minded and an excuse to dismiss the other
LGBT+ community would have so much make a world where everyone contributes
The passion of artists should not be turned
screen and performing arts? As depressing happen to run into the knowledge as to
understanding the cause and effect of the
When put in the hands of the right people, in need is effective, if we want to make
industries in order to do so is both narrow-
and raise awareness. Do you think the educate our society as a whole so we can
places money is being wastefully spent.
recognition and determination without to those in need, and not just those who
to guilt when they in fact hold the key to
as it is, I first properly learnt that straight why that help is needed.
realities of our world.
8
Ka t e Tu r n e r CO M E DY
OF
ERRORS
BA Co st u m e a n d Pe rf o r m a n ce De s i g n Wo rd s a n d P hoto s
‘Comedy of Errors’ by Shakespeare, is about two sets of twins separated at birth, one set is high born both named Antipholus, the other set are servants both named Dromio. During a storm the family is divided and. 20 or more years later, Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse find themselves in Ephesus where they are mistaken for their twins. Due to Ephesus’s reputation for magic and superstitions, the Syracuisan twins assume it is all a magical trick. This all leads to awkward and hilarious mix ups. My design is based on the idea of ‘Upside-Down & Inside-Out’, taken from the feeling the of displacement the Syracusan Twins feel when they visit the seemingly Enchanted Ephesus. The stage will become progressively fragmented, with furniture floating on the ceiling, as the confusion increases and then reassembles at the end. Costumes will be inside out, showing colourful lining and rough seams, a the fashion Trend set by the Fashion Company Ephesus, which was a historical Greek town in the original text. Following the theme of opposites some character will be gender swapped, the Dromio set of twins will become female as will the Duke and Luciana, one of the principal romantic love interests will be transformed into a male role.
9
LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES, JUST REMEMBER TO RECYCLE THE BOX
Yes yes yes!
No, no, just don’t..
can be derived from recycled materials,
Newspapers
Wet paper/cardboard
amounts of art materials this is definitely
Catalogues
Tissues or napkins
scope of recycling is enormous and to tell
Envelopes
A large amount of resources we use
and as creatives who may use massive
Laminated paper
Magazines Junk mail
Food, food residue or garden waste
Paper
Electrical appliances or wires
found a pathway into the misty mountains
Books – hard and paperback
Drinking glasses
valuable of nectar when it comes to the
Food and drinks cans*
something we should know all about. The
you the whole truth it’s rather confusing
Loose metals
Cardboard
Pyrex, vases, ceramics
Food and drinks cartons*
Window or mirror glass
Bottles and jars*
Plastic bags – packaging film or wrapping
Energy is one of the essential reasons why
Household aerosol cans(non industrial)
Plastic garden furniture
products. For obvious reasons it would
Foil and foil trays*
CD or DVD cases
sometimes. But alas do not fear, I have
of recycle land and retrieved the most beauty and power of recycling.
we can consume our favorite foods and
Metal lids from jars and bottles
Large tins – biscuit and sweet tins
be beneficial to reduce our footprint by
Plastic drinking bottles and cups*
simply recycling vigilantly. You can reduce
Plastic tubs, pots and trays-food trays*
mindfully disposing of waste and helping
Shampoo and shower gel bottles*
returning some of that energy back by your
carbon
footprint
sufficiently
by
to treasure the very minimal resources we
have on planet earth. Regardless it all starts with steps, otherwise we would eternally be at standstill.
10
Lightbulbs
e.g crisp packets Toys
Detergent bottles* Plastic lids
* = RINSE ME OF RESIDUE
The first step is knowing what you can and cannot recycle within the area of the country you live in. I am providing a guide that is accommodating to Bournemouth area and only that, please check your local area websites for accurate information about how to dispose of your waste efficiently and responsibly.
First off, plastic is an environmental migraine, polyethylene layer that is on and in- decision, every desire to preserve the no doubt there. It is slowly but viciously between the cardboard which make up beauty of this world is INVALUABLE. invading every corner of the earth, even these cups they require to be sent to highly
finding its way into the sedimentary layers specialized plants, of which there are only Deep down and throughout our sensitive of rock called ‘plastiglomerates’ as a result two in the United Kingdom. As a result, of souls we care deeply for this blue marble
of inadequate waste disposal . It’s actually 7 million cups a day that are consumed we perch on and all its strange creatures. Can I ask you to do something? It starts at even more baffling when you consider only 0.1% are successfully recycled. the beginning of every day: caring.
that most/almost all plastics are recyclable.
Only 14% of the worlds plastics are recycled The purpose of the product itself- in Ultimately you can do what you like, I and approximately 8 million tons of plastics containing warm syrupy drinks- is a big pain only ask that you consider everyday as a end up in the ocean each year. I mean in the spinal cord for recycling companies chance to nurture and preserve this planet. come on, that’s a pretty bad situation as it contaminates whole batches of This part is up to you, you know how to to put marine animals in considering they recycling. The milky and sticky residues that float your own boat in the sea of the (most likely) haven’t done a single thing to remain after great tasting caramel latte are actually not all that great, when you environmental issues that our generation you. consider the effect it has on the efficiency faces. Find an issue or a creature you feel Closely examine your of the overall process of recycling. The only truly passionate about and run with it like packaging for a triangle useful advice for avoiding this is to simply Forest Gump. I mean it, and when you invest in a reusable hot beverage cup- that feel hopeless just keep running, past the
with a number from 1-7 in it, this is a coding system
in the long run pays for itself in the discounts touchdown and onwards. Help organizations you receive from most cafes. Keep Cups, who support the creatures and habitats you
designed to help recycling
companies to sort items into their rightful melting homes.
If you can find the triangle then it sure is
recyclable, depending on what your local area is willing to recycle adequately.
Considering it can take up to a 450 years for a plastic bottle to break
Bodum, Thermos, Camelbak are all trusty care about, educate people with concrete facts that you worked hard to learn, share brands that are worth being invested in. Lastly,
I
hope
you
understand
your passions with anyone who will listen.
the And lastly, Don’t feel like your part isn’t importance of participation. We all like to be important, because it is in fact crucial to included, or at least asked to be included. the movement of progress. Every single mindful action, every thoughtful
down, it makes sense to commit
* Peel off acetate and
extra time for recycling to prevent good
resources
going
to
cellophane
waste.
cardboard sleeves from
are either biodegradable plastics or
plastic tubs to ease the
investing in a good looking reusable
recycling process for all the
water bottle- to keep that brain creatively systems
defiant
and
disassemble
which
society
ready
to
insists
on
hands on the other end of the receiving line.
ineffective
* Flatten bottles and cans by stepping on them to
supporting. Some trustworthy brands
save space in the recycling
to treat yourself to are Bobble Water
bins.
Bottles, Chilly’s bottle (hot and cold),
* Rinse food packaging
CamelBak, Nalgene ect.
of
residue,
recyclable material.
challenging to dispose of and recycle. The
*
coffee companies are legally allowed to
Always
instructions
claim that these cups are ‘recyclable’. only 0.1% true. Due to the
any
contaminates
Disposable hot beverage cups are notoriously
Lemme give you a quick lowdown: that is
packaging
from plastic bottles and
Look at investing in products that
hydrated,
*TIP TOP TIPS*
WORDS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMMA WHIDDINGTON
follow on
this
viable any
the
product about the way
in which you may recycle the item.
11
12
Dancing the binge. Defying the purge. of dance and physical theatre, exploring colour of each character and when viewing Beating the eating disorder. Eating disorders the relationships between the protagonist dance: how each character’s style of are mental illnesses, but they also attack and the voices of her eating disorders movement can be mirrored through their the body. They turn food into a nightmare. engaging with and fighting against them. costume. Every time we sit down to eat we cannot. There is no music and no speech; the What would you do if you were told you soundtrack is constructed of the male The protagonist,
stripped
back
and
voices of Head to Toe theatre creating a vulnerable, wears a simple two-piece These are the words of Julia Alcamo, our constrictive and dynamic audio atmosphere with 3D floral embroidery that mimics her mental infection of red and green with director, co-choreographer, and the woman which flows with the protagonist. blossoms of inner strength. upon whom this short film is based. This project was a unique collaboration between I worked as the costume designer, supervisor Ana, a figure of cutting grace and Dance, Acting, Costume, Photography and maker on this project and my work manipulative beauty, wears a sheer dress and BA and MA Film students, as well as was inspired by the movement workshops with dagger-like strips that bleed red into the first short film involving Head To Toe which sought to give a truthful portrayal of the disorders and the protagonist as the film as she dances. Theatre Company. characters, and their relationships to each Finally, Mia, a brutal and ugly force with had to stop breathing?
It tells the story of a binge without other. purging and the three characters are:
very grounded and animalistic movements,
wore a heavily-pleated pair of culottes with
the protagonist; Ana (anorexia); and Mia My aesthetic style as a designer often leads shots of poisonous green. (bulimia). The movement is a combination me to play with the mental landscape of
Rhianne Holly Baxter MINT
BA Co st u m e a n d Pe rf o r m a n ce De s i g n P hoto s by Ewa Fe rd yn u s
13
CULTURAL CONFUSION
14
WORDS BY NATALIA PODPORA // ILLUSTRATIONS BY MHAIRI MCCONNACH
The way I see it everyone is a tiny speck of
dust, floating about. Some people fall and stick and find their place, but I feel like I’ll be
floating for a very long time before I find that space- because I’m not sure where home is.
By all means, this feeling isn’t reserved to
my experience only, but it’s something
that’s been occupying my mind for a very long time now. When I’m with my friends,
“Maybe I’ll get swept away by the broom that is Brexit, silently looming and ever-present. Or maybe a gust of wind will blow me out the window over the borders somewhere far.”
I sometimes catch myself feeling out of idea of moving back? Of living there? meet won’t understand your outlook on place, for no other reason than for the Terrifying. Nostalgia really is a deceiving life, and the battles between loving where fact I wasn’t born and raised in England. friend- one who lies sometimes, not you come from whilst trying to repress When I’m with my family, I feel estranged enough to call them out on it but just it and rebrand it into something great. It from their attitudes and ways of being not enough to notice and be bothered by it. only because they’re older, but because
might not be great, but it’s mine.
I’ve been out of the country they’re in for I feel almost ashamed to say I do not know Like when you talk about the food you longer than half my life now. where I’m from, because does that mean used to eat, dishes different in taste and anything nowadays I’m culturally confused. appearance than what English people
The question I hear almost every time I I feel too ‘Polish’ in Britain, and I feel too know. You get the curiosity or the laughter. see my more distant family members ‘British’ when in Poland. It’s low-key hurtful to experience that: the is this “So , where do you prefer? Where absolute lack of appreciation for something do you feel more at home? England or It’s all slightly infuriating because it’s easy other than what people are used to. I Poland?’’ I have no clue how to answer it. I to question someone’s position in the don’t know, maybe I’m over sensitive. If feel slightly uncomfortable being in Poland world when your own feels settled, not as anything, being in these situations taught for the first few days when I’m there; but scattered across geographical boundaries. me a lot about respect for other cultures. any longer and I feel the warmth of being On top of this there is the underlying in the familiar place I grew up with. But the irritation that the majority of people you
15
While I know there is definitely no need to
define myself, or my identity, in terms of countries, but it’s comforting to be able to
and difficult to escape small changes that are influenced by the specific culture of a
country. When we don’t know a definition
of a word we google it, look it up. I wish I could google what my cultural identity is. It can be tough to experience the loss of cultural norms, religious customs and social
support systems. To adjust to a new culture
and the changes in identity or concept of self that occur.
“the majority of people you meet won’t understand your outlook on life, and the battles between loving where you come from whilst trying to repress it and rebrand it into something great.” I person more and more over recent years, that one annoying pencil mark you can’t as I’m slowly becoming more at ease with erase no matter how much you try.
As my fellow writer and illustrator, Sarah, who I am as in general. As I embrace the said: ‘’Cultural identity is ingrained in you fact that I am now in my 20s, the recurring I’d like to be the speck of dust that knows from such a young age, leaving it behind thought in my head is, ‘Am I who I want where it’s going, and knows where it’d for the sake of social survival in a new to be? Does my idea of myself match up be comfortable to stick. Right now, it’s all country can be quite painful’’
Your friends have one image of you; your
with who I am?’
uncertain. Maybe I’ll get swept away by the broom that is Brexit, silently looming and
professional workplace has another. Your t’s very easy to have a bit of an identity crisis ever-present. Or maybe a gust of wind will family expects you to cope with the idea when there are a variety of expectations blow me out the window over the borders of adulthood and the difficult things that pushing at you from all different sides of somewhere far. no one taught us about. And on it goes. your life. Battling with the fact you don’t It’s something that’s affected me as a
16
really fit into any cultural expectation to the As my graduation dawns, there is this tiny people around you, you can feel a bit like
little storm of anxiety brewing inside.
Co n n o r T i m ot hy Egan DUST
Co m m e rc i a l P hoto g ra p hy Wo rd s a n d P hoto s
This is the outcome of a collaboration with the model, Arthur Comely. He was
inspired to shoot with a dust sheet as
@ c o n n o r t e g a n / / @ a r t h u rj c o m e l y
a backdrop after seeing an exhibition about dust. From there we just played around with spray paint and circles. It
was interesting to just play around and see what we could produce in a day. www.connortegan.com www.arthurjcomely.com
17
@ n i xc harl ot te Lover of all things retro, I became slightly obsessed with typewriters and Stevie Nicks for my Pre Major Project. A seventies
theme was the main source of inspiration, creating prints of record players, film
cameras and musicians with palettes of
earthy tones and flat colour. The finals consisted of large prints to make the walls
of your home groovier and also using my
images in replacement of photographs in old Rolling Stone magazines; Fleetwood
Mac edition of course. As I move into my
Final Major Project of third year, expect a whole load of retro goodness coming your way.
To see more of my work, check out my blog at- cherrynix.wordpress.com
Charlotte Nixon ALL
18
THINGS
RETRO
BA I ll u st ra t i o n Wo rd s a n d I ll u st ra t i o n s
19
NOW WHAT? I saw a meme the other day that went justifiably daunting. There’s the task of forced to go out of your way to interact something like this: having to get a job (possibly service level with other humans, and specifically ones Girl: I’m thinking of doing a Masters
at first) and having to stick to it. Being with career enhancing abilities. Opportunities an unpaid creative and struggling to get won’t fall in your lap to begin with, unless
afraid of entering the real world.
of your earnings on materials or train
graduation is fast approaching. Our feelings
“You can’t escape the future reality, but you can prepare for it”
Me: (trying to impress her) I’m also cripplingly noticed without having to spend most you’re very lucky or have family connections. journeys. The possibility of getting stuck in Well, that’s how the spiral goes. You can’t This is something that most third years a job, being stuck living with your parents- escape the future reality, but you can seem to be discussing at the moment, possibly paying rent. Networking and being prepare for it. Ideally you want to be taking commissions or practicing your career and for me is definitely pretty relatable as can be easily compared to those of Truman Burbank, climbing his cloud enshrouded
staircase to freedom (The Truman Show).
He too was leaving a comfortable setting, a controlled reality, escaping into something
real. Although (as far as I am aware) our lives are not contained in a massive studio
set with the rest of the world watching our
every move, for those of us who have
never really had time out of academia it is easy to feel like you’ve been living in a bubble.
*Post-Uni Anxiety Trigger Warning* “So, what are you thinking of doing after uni?” A question that I know all of my friends in third year are having to fumble around awkwardly to answer- or try
to avoid altogether. At this point in the year it’s hard enough balancing projects, dissertation, jobs, other commitments and
Netflix binging. The terrors of not being able to rely on the steady-ish income of student
loan, and the matter of paying it back, loom over our heads enough without being reminded of it by Uncle Kev- who
inherited all of his money and joined the family business. It’s alright for some.
It’s not just about money, the anxiety of graduating into a more real world is very
20
@ b e t h g r ew i l l u s t ra t i o n
aspiration in a semi-commercial way while you’re at uni, and have access to free
resources. But, speaking from personal experience, this is so unrealistic for a lot of
people and not worth beating yourself up
over. Uni is also about finding your niche or
what you enjoy. I think this is the bit where I give you useful advice for worrying about the future less?
Put your seatbelts on.
To quote S-Club 7, ‘No-one knows just
“for those of us who have never really had time outside academia it is easy to feel like you’ve been living in a bubble.”
what the future holds’. The main thing
to focus on right now is your uni work- a
piece of advice I should also think about taking. The work you produce this year will be the start of your professional portfolio.
Think about what kind of businesses or audiences this will be marketable to, and
maybe even seek for advice from artists with more experience. It can’t hurt. After major project comes the summer: a
perfect time for sleeping, sleeping and summer internships! Most jobs in creative
industries require experience before they
will hire you. Even if you’re thinking of going freelance experience can only improve
your knowledge of how things work.
Make some lists, find some websites that advertise internships and jobs.
An important reminder to not let yourself
be paralysed through seeing your life (and
the final scene of Finding Nemo where the fish have escaped but are still in plastic
bags) flash before your eyes before you’ve been handed your degree. What do you
want to do? Post-graduation could be the
perfect time to do things for yourself that aren’t success orientated. You’ve had three
years striving to meet grades or do ‘your best’, possibly killing yourself to match up to the work of your peers. It’s ok to take
a year off and take some evening classes,
read some books and just dabble while you work out your next move.
Albeit fake, even Truman had basic
preparation for the real world. He had a
job and friends and understood basic social
interaction even if his life was organised by
people who operated things from a moon.
Not even Truman was going into the ‘real’ world blind.
WORDS BY RACHEL CHORLEY // ILLUSTRATIONS BY BETH GREW
21
Pi ty. / / Nkec h Nwo kolo 08.08.17
‘From her position on the floor, the flowers, though withered
and dying, looked at least somewhat to be springing up.
Striking up an odd, angled pose. She said, “Everyone should look at things from new perspectives like this. All the time.”
The Devil in Her Eyes // Silvia Chegue ( Exerpt)
That’s what she said.’ ‘And then what?’
With eyes clenched shut and finger tips pressed firmly on
‘And then she kept doing it. Staring at stuff from down below.
as fleeting as flickers of amber. Yet, as much as I try, they
They had to reconstruct it. The rest of her was okay. Relatively-
either side of my nose, I try desperately to grasp at memories
remain agonisingly just out of my reach. Like an old TV set
drowning in static, from the chaos I can only gleam the vaguest of pictures: a bourgeois party with an air thick with the chorus
Until one day an armoire fell smack down on top of her head. speaking. Closed casket. Funerals don’t do half ones if the chosen half is the bottom.’
of chatter and wisps of cigar smoke. Then, my memories
‘Bummer.’
in my mind: an incredible beauty emerging from the swarm of
‘You said it.’
her devastating glare. I remember in that one moment, as my
‘And so..?’
suddenly snap into high definition as a vivid image glows bright bodies and like a deer in headlight, instantly I am paralysed by
eyes fall into those cold icy blues of hers, my life would never be the same again
With that final thought, the memories are quickly extinguished as reality comes gushing back in. The foggy haze lifts and I remember where I am and what I’ve just done. Once again I’m
aware that my heart is thumping so hard against my chest, I can feel my ribs vibrating violently beneath my shirt. But it’s the glass shattering scream still ringing in my ears that swallows
all my attention. As fear begins to smother me, my trembling
hand gives way and the knife clutched with such intention only moments ago, finally falls with a dulled thud into the pool of
red rapidly engorging my feet– there is so much blood now that it seems like I’m wearing crimson slippers.
Sun gla ss es // To by Fox Drew He said that they were feminine, Asked if they were my mother’s,
Pointed and laughed. As if I were in on the joke. Hah!
Joke’s on him,
They’re too big for my mother’s head! And besides, they’re not feminine,
I got them in the men’s section of River Island, Men’s!
They’ve straight edges, and angles, admittedly some curves, and yes the lenses are purple.
But that’s all besides the point.
What’s wrong with feminine sunglasses? And he’s a bitch anyway!
His shirts are garish, ill fitting on purpose and his hair is dyed grey.
What a bitch!
Did I mention his ankle-swingers?
I suppose they go with the shirts... or were meant to anyway. Point being, I like my sunglasses.
WRITING SOCIETY
I write. You write. We all write; let’s unite. Writing society meet regularly for discussions, workshops and trips. Join the Facebook to keep up to date with whats coming up next.
22
@ i z z ys _ illu stra t i o n These images are selected from my pre- be perceived as utopian and dystopian, In addition, my illustrations explore the
major project, in which I explored different and how both are necessary in order fantastical elements of bioluminescence perceptions of utopia and dystopia within to maintain ecological balance. In this with the deep sea. the natural world. I am fascinated by the project, I specifically focused on deep
naturally occurring beauty and chaos that sea ecosystems, as they represent a I tried to emphasise the movement and
is inherent within our natural environment, stark contrast between creatures that are fluidity that is present within the ocean, so and how such aspects can be interpreted mesmerising and enchanting, as well as that this constant state of flux may serve to within reality as either positive or negative.
threatening and alien. I also delved into symbolically reflect the unity that is present the subject of symbiosis within the deep within all of life. David Attenborough’s
The mesmerising aesthetic that is created ocean, as these complex interdependent documentary Blue Planet II was also highly through
such
awe
inspiring
beauty relationships demonstrate the naturally influential for both my
imagery and
juxtaposes the reality of naturally occurring occurring harmony and disharmony within research..I was also highly influential for both hierarchies and animalistic battles for survival. the natural world. I am interested in how these elements may
24
my imagery and research.
Isabelle Morgan
EC O LO G I C A L U T O P I A A N D DY S T O P I A BA I ll u st ra t i o n Wo rd s a n d I ll u st ra t i o n s
25
Ever since people haven’t understood what was going to happen tomorrow they have been trying to guess. From reading tea leaves and bones to texting a number for the name of your future husband we have tried to understand. Sometimes though, we take a step further and actually visualise it, this is when fantasy and sci fi come into our lives.
f you look back at the start of the last century when energy and quality of living went up significantly in the western world, the next millennium looked great. We would only need to work about 3 or 4 hours a day, robots would do everything for us and our lives would be spent having fun. Speed up through the decades and our tomorrows get darker and darker. Now we are looking at a drab life of work till we drop, just about being able to scrape a living while all around us the water levels just keep rising as the ice caps just keep melting.
The Mandibles all about a North American family, starting in the year 2029 and progressing for the next 50 years as a credit crisis changes the way the world works, one of the scariest pieces of fiction I have read because the label “fiction” might easily be swapped out for “truth”. So many video games released nowadays also show us a dystopian future, in Fallout for instance you interact with a post-nuclear war world set in the 22nd century (a scarily possible future) and as for ice caps, we need only remember the starving polar bear imagery captured by Paul Nicklen and his team at
Sc-Fi especially helps us to see a potential future because it has such a basis on reality, showing us something that science could achieve. At times it is hard to believe, but the beauty of it is never knowing if it Sea Legacy at the start of December. could happen or not. In the 1920s drawing In 2016 Lionel Shriver published a book called men on the moon and spaceships would have been met with cynicism, not by 1969 though. This ability to depict a possibility has long been exploited not only to show us the wonders of future technology but also the terrors of it. As soon as space travel became a real possibility and we knew that we humans could do it, what was to stop another species from doing it also? One of the reasons why Alien did so well is because it played on the genuine fear that another species could invade. Terminator also clearly shows us that we have been fearing technology for longer than we care to admit. It all boils down to one question: what does our tomorrow look like? As technology has taken an increasingly exponential leap, the gap between science and fiction seems to be getting ever smaller. Few things seem to be beyond our ability now and we seem to be putting our lives increasingly into the hands of robots, if you don’t believe me think about when you last saw someone ask Siri for help. With the birth of virtual reality we are now able to interact directly with visions of the future, but the more we know about the world the fewer visions we have. Everybody knows what space looks like now, hell you can even follow the International Space Station on Instagram to know what the astronauts are up to every day. With this much data science fiction has become an ever more concrete vision.
26
“Let’s face it, our generation got screwed over and we might screw it up even more for the next one if we keep going it blind”
SCIENCE FICTIONLESS
WORDS AND IMAGES BY SARAH GOMES MUNRO 27
“As technology has taken an increasingly exponential leap, the gap between science and fiction seems to be getting ever smaller”
Let’s face it, our generation got screwed
over and we might screw it up even more for the next one if we keep going it blind.
But just as it has been happening since the
dawn of time, we’re not sure how to plan for a tomorrow when we don’t know how
much is affected by our today. Population and green energy might be solved by the
end of next month but whether or not there is enough political and economic interest geared that way yet is a different question.
Science fiction, as of late, seems to be dropping the second half of its denominator
and the world spins and sinks into its dystopian predictions. I say we keep recycling, washing
our clothes at a low temperature and cycling
or taking public transport when we can, but is it enough?
28
Esperanto is a language created in 1887 by My final project is called “Mother and identity that we are losing when we the linguist Professor Zamenhof, that was Tongue (Mi kaj vi)”, had its final form is a think and use language just as a form supposed to become the first international photographic series of seven different pairs of communication rather than a form of language, a tool for people from different of hands with a letter each: these letters cultural expression. nations to communicate with no cultural together form the sentence “mi kaj vi” in A very popular theory among linguists barriers. Esperanto, which means “me and you”. is that we all speak different languages The main focus of this series. The global because our ancestors wanted to express What really fascinated me about this language, Esperanto is transparent against themselves differently, because, ultimately, creation (that eventually failed its purposes) each pair of hands and shows seven different they were all different. All languages were is that this made-up language reduced keys that belong to seven different names born to express identity and cultural values, language itself to a mere form of and nationalities and mother tongues. The and they represent our own essence just communication. And this is, as well, what hands and the key stand for the humanity like skin does. we are doing right now in 2017: just think about emojis, for example. The Chinese
artist Xu Bing wrote an entire book using only emojis (The Book from The Ground),
and this means that everyone can read it. I
found it extremely clever, but reading more
into it I found this comment by Professor Robert Harris (Columbia University) in the
book “The Book about Xu Bing’s Book from the Ground” that says: “I think it can be
seen two ways: it’s great that everybody can communicate now and stay in touch
constantly through one medium, but at the same time, with the flattering and
evening out of communication so much is lost.”
This comment truly made me think about
the concept of language in our modern
world, and to try and have a complete idea about this topic, I went to Language Show Live 2017, where I interviewed several professors and linguists: a peculiar event happened, to my question “what do you
think language is key to?” the majority
of the people I interviewed answered “language is key to culture”, not “language is key to communication”.
From these answers, I started to develop my art piece. My goal at this point was to
visually demonstrate how language is strictly connected to identity, history and culture. I
started casting clear resin letters to form a
sentence in Esperanto: each one of them
has a key inside them that symbolises the representation of those peculiar, cultural
features that an international language like Esperanto was missing.
MOTHER
Elena Lo Presti TONGUE
(MI
KAJ
VI)
BA F i n e Ar t Wo rd s a n d P hoto s
29
WE WANT
YOU!
wANT TO SHOW OFF YOUR WORK? WHETHER YOU’VE MADE A DUCK SHAPED CHAIR OR STAPLED GRAPES TO TREES, We Want to see it! BUMF.MEDIA/SUBMIT
CALLING ALL ASPIRING WRITERS! WE ALSO ACCEPT GUEST ARTICLES. HAVE A RANT OR TELL A STORY - BUT GET IT PUBLISHED!