Cat Among the Pigeons 2019 by Caterham School

Annual Publication of the Humanities & Arts featuring the winner of the Pidgeon Prize for Literature 2019 ISSUE

COVER IMAGE:

Iris Ma ‘Relaxation’

I started at Caterham School in 1936 and my late younger brother Trevor in 1939. However, in 1940 the Battle of Britain was fought - sometimes right above Caterham. That was especially so when the Germans bombed Croydon airfield and on the following Sunday they attacked Kenley. During that raid, the roof of our house in Greenhill Avenue was damaged and mother decided to take us straight away to join my father. He was in MI6 (Section VIII) based at Whaddon Hall some five miles from Bletchley Park. I continued my education locally but later had a chance to join MI6 (Section VIII) at Whaddon Hall. Trevor was at the same school later going to Liverpool University. There he obtained a First Class degree in modern languages after further study at the Sorbonne. He did his two years of military service as a Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps. Then he was invited to join the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). He was with them for 33 years, their Sinologist and leading linguist. In his retirement, he wrote the definitive story of the development and use of tanks in World War 1. He went on to write other books about the Somme. For my part, I came out of MI6 (Section VIII) in 1947 to join the family bathroom business founded by my great-grandfather in 1876. I was the fourth generation of the family. In the late 1950s, I built a bungalow in Grange Road in Caterham and two of our sons, Laurence and John, went to Caterham from the Prep to the 6th Form. They are still selling kitchens and bathrooms - the fifth generation in the industry. In 1989, I started to write about my work in MI6 and my first book ‘The Secret Wireless War’ is now in its 6th print. Others followed in due course. In order to promote creative and intellectual writing endeavours at Caterham School and in honour of all the Pidgeon family members who attended the school, Geoffrey Pidgeon has kindly founded the Pidgeon Prize for Literature, which is the inspiration for this magazine.

Sabrina Mak and Lottie McDonald

Welcome to the second edition of ‘Cat Among The Pigeons’, where the theme of this year is “Freedom”. All of the content published directly or indirectly relates to this broad theme, from controversial issues in our society, to creative writings and art based essays. This magazine has been inspired by many creative and talented individuals at Caterham School, who have each contributed massively to perfect this publication as much as they can. As the first Visual Editor of ‘Cat Among The Pigeons’, I am extremely proud to see how successful the outcome is, as this has been a huge responsibility for not only the school community, but also for myself. I would like to thank all contributors for working so hard to provide such amazing and diverse pieces, as well as to Ms Wildsmith and Mrs Veldtman for actually trusting me in my role here (all those emails, running around school during lunch breaks for meetings and staying up late nights to meet deadlines). I hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine and cheers to an eventful and successful school year. Lottie McDonald – Text Editor In this year’s issue, we hoped to match, and even best, the success of her debut last year. Pieces inspired by subjects studied in the classroom, the current events of the world around us and even just pupils’ over-active imaginations have come together to form an eclectic collection of all things literature, arts and humanities. The theme which the team selected this year was ‘Freedom’, and each piece, some more closely than others, ties in with a variation on the concept. The restriction and fight for freedom has featured heavily in the news and political events of the past twelve months, and so it is unsurprising that such a controversial and contemporary topic has sparked such engaging works. To have so many well-written pieces alongside artwork created by students themselves, means that this magazine is a fantastic showcase of the talents of pupils of Caterham school. The variation in not only the works themselves but of their creators is additionally a great accolade, the writers and artists ranging from First Year to Upper Sixth, from translated poetry to political satire, from photography to sculpture. This all being said, none of this would have been possible without the great leadership of our Editor-in-Chief Ms Wildsmith, and the artistic direction of Mrs Veldtman, and similarly a huge thank you goes out to all who submitted articles or artwork, and especially congratulations to Shreya Ganesh Kumar, the recipient of this year’s Pidgeon Prize for Literature. Welcome to ‘Cat Among the Pigeons’ 2019. Sabrina Mak – Visual Editor

Contents

HAS LITERATURE KILLED THE AMERICAN DREAM by Maisie Greener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

RENAISSANCE

The Pidgeon Prize for Literature Winner

by Shreya Ganesh Kumar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PERSEPHONE by Caitlin Mear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 THE REEMERGENCE OF CLASSICISM WITHIN THE NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD by Lottie McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A GIRL WITH WINGS by Mathilda O’Malley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FROM SONNET TO SCHOOL by Jason Charters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

INFLUENCE OF THE PAST ON THE FICTION OF THE PRESENT by Lottie McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 INNOCENT by Cauis Ramsden-Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

POLLY NOR by Georgia Bennett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 TRANSLATION OF LE PRINTEMPS BY CHARLES D’ORLÉANS by Shreya Ganesh Kumar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 AUTUMN by Millie Burns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 THE RIDER & THE STALLION by Narayan Minhas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 A LEVEL ART by Iris Ma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 THE REBELION OF ART by Sabrina Mak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 THE FREEDOM OF LITERATURE, DOES IT CHANGE ANYTHING? by Kirsty Dickson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION WINNERS Becky Grant & Paramita Shen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 HOUSE ART WINNER FOR THE INTERS Alice Feng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A TALK WITH TENNESSEE by Sanjana Idnani and India Barton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Wayne Huang & Chris Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 IS GENDER EQUALITY TRULY ACHIEVABLE? by Electa Yeung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Smith & Steffi Largerberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 DETERMINING IF FREE WILL IS AN ILLUSION by Zara Russell and Grace Gair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GCSE ART Evelina Obretetskaya , Keya Desai and Max Wellman . . . 38 DEMOCRACY by Tom Boyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 GCSE ART Sophie Tao, Niamh Ryan, Lizzie Hammer & Jonny Featherstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 TOO MUCH FREEDOM by Eleanor Norman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 GCSE ART Talia Veldtman, Maddie Garrett, Adam Carmona, Brian Leung and Emily Toone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 REFUGEE CRISIS ~ WHAT REFUGEE CRISIS? by Megan Denton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 GCSE ART Ella Gilbert, Achintya Chudasama. Phoebe Sparrow and Talia Veldtman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 WHO AM I? by George Fogarty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3RD YEAR ART Danielle Yu, Mina Darwin, Isabel Sampson Sophia Mabbutt, Sophie Hayes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE ART TO YOUR HEART? by Sabrina Mak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

FROM MOTHER TO DAUGHTER by Mili Greener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SONNET by Lauren Bacchus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERCEPTIONS by Flora Hannay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

But she refuses to succumb to this relentless routine; water whisks away her shattered reflection, scattered, every rose-tinted feather swirling away into the distance, gone. Resolved, she takes pleasure in watching the shimmering shadows twinkle and twirl across the midnight sky, certain that she would see them again Tomorrow. Image: Maia O Nord 4

GEON

SAN

esh K umar

20 19

There is a girl: transfixing, flawless to eyes flicking over her, holding sharp secrets; she suffers silently in her softness. Her gentle fingers untangle, she reaches out ~ the feather playing puppet to the thoughts dancing in dainty disorder upstairs. Her cuts weep sweet nectar, stinging, she cascades downwards through silky skies her pain carved into silver stars illuminating the darkness with the tender teardrops that decorate her eyes, yet she is silent, overwhelmed, her inability to convey the whispers aching to be free, the tragic whispers that envelop her, her unravelling… It’s only now she wakes up, Startled, realising the dear price for this salvation, this time of tranquility, lost, her fingers trace the lashings of honey left behind, the memories inscribed on her skin in blossom pink twinkling.

AIS

Shreya Ganesh Kumar

REN

NER

20th March ~ the spring equinox

WIN

Shrey a Gan

T E R AT

RENAISSANCE

ZE FO

The Pidgeon Prize for Literature, celebrating excellent writing at Caterham School, has been awarded to Shreya Ganesh Kumar for her poem ‘Renaissance’. Chosen from all of the pieces of writing submitted to this magazine, including those selected for publication, Shreya’s poem, full of paradox and ambiguity, finds the subtle balance between the delicate and the daring. In this moving and finely-wrought poem, exquisite language and technique are used with finesse to create a tumbling sense of unravelling, belying the tight control that is both subject and craft, in a narrative that leads us tentatively to a sense of hope .

Persephone

By Caitlin Mear

rom the start it felt so stifled, Wrapped in cotton summer nights, so When he cast me fields of shade, there Was no need for much persuasion. There upon the selfish flowers, Sunlight seemed to dance for hours. Then, without a crack of thunderSwallowed was your endless summer. Crimson kisses till we’re breathless, Oh! To be the queen of death Is servants at your quiet command, Compliance with your dark demands. Must you rage and moan and bawl? Your spring brought me no life at all. Mother, now I have a throne, And finally I’m left alone. Mercury, say it is not so, Say that I do not have to go? He told me it’s not Ma, it’s fateHe lies. He drags me from the gates, Through rivers bursting, forests green (But all was not as it so seemed I heard that Ma, at my departure Stripped those trees of fruits and bark.) Olympus welcomes back his child, Summer welcomed for a while, Ma pretends that she can’t see My red lined eyes and arms and grief.

Image: Ellie Wood

Underground I hear her Winters: Winds, and ice, decay - I’m splintered Mother, those would make me happy Not your summers, burning, trapping. The moon strikes six: time to escape Your summer. Ma, my heart is breaking, I do not have dreams of flying, I dream of your green fields dying.

Image: Ellie Wood 5

The Reemergence of Classicism within the Neoclassical Period By Lottie McDonald

The neoclassical period was an intellectual movement, most commonly considered to extend from the mid 1600s until the end of the 1700s, which saw the writers, poets and artists emulate the works of the Classical World, and in addition a modern revival of themes and ideas used most prominently in Ancient Roman and Greek civilisations. Classicism is most often associated with common sense, order and accuracy, and it is these characteristics which resurfaced in the works of Milton, Dryden and Defoe. One of the most notable works of the neoclassical period was Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, first written in 1667. It is frequently viewed as an homage to the classical epics of Homer and Virgil, or cynically, yet perhaps more accurately, an attempt to best them. Milton mimics the structure of his predecessors; although originally writing the epic poem in ten books, he later revised this to twelve books in his 1674 edition, a direct parallel of Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’. Milton also employs classical elements on a much smaller scale, through the use of the epic simile, a hallmark of both Homer and Virgil. Most commonly used as a chance to break from the mundanity of the story, the extended simile in the Classical world often describes the natural world, and Milton follows this trend, comparing the snake to a “wandering fire”. (B.XI, 634-644) Furthermore the logic and reason of Adam, is often his defining feature, although conversely this characteristic is similarly applied to Satan, a potential reason for many scholars to claim that Milton unwittingly presented Satan as the true hero. Like the classical epics, Milton focuses a large part of ‘Paradise Lost’ on the affairs of the divine, although centering it on God and Satan rather than the plethora of Roman and Greek gods. This distinction is what separates Milton’s Epic from its prior inspirations. Milton hoped to create an epic based around the Christian faith, and thus more applicable to the turbulent religious landscape of the 17th century, which explains his slight deviations from Homer and Virgil’s methods and structure. Later neoclassical works also demonstrated different elements of classicism, such as ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and ‘Robinsoe Crusoe’. The voyages and wanderings in each are often considered Odyssean, evocative of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’. In particular, Gulliver is an ideal neoclassical protagonist, his attention to detail reflecting a major line of neoclassical philosophy. The reasons behind any particular period of literature or movement cannot be determined wholly; however, the historical and social context of the time have an overwhelming impact. The 17th century within Britain was a time of political and religious uncertainty, with the Civil War dividing the country. Perhaps the neoclassical period can be seen as a willful suppression of the immediate turbulent past, choosing to focus instead on a glorified, distant and classical Roman time. 6

Image: Iris Ma

Image: Esther Keyworth

Blood trickles down Through the thick pages of the history books Blood that is hidden by the sparkly crown Of this king or that king School only shows history at a glance, a look But the weight of history is so much more It is made of many pieces, many things Many people rich and poor And the blood trickles down From the hatred, from the killing But your teacher says with a frown It’s not important; you don’t need to know How much we don’t know is chilling Because most people don’t know Our own past We only know about the loud And the wealthy, but not the vast Sum of histories from every walk of life Histories that would make us proud And histories that would make us sad But knowing makes us glad We should know; history affects our life Because the blood trickles down And it weighs on our shoulders It’s in the voices and frowns Of the people who hate us But it fuels the fire that smoulders In our hearts; that drives us That drove the revolutions that freed us And as the blood trickles down We fight for the next generation In the hope that there will be no more blood That we can shape our nation So that they may not feel like they drown In the depths of history’s secrets That we can break the dam, cause the flood Release the knowledge, teach the secrets So they are no longer hidden And it no longer seems forbidden To be proud of our past And to get rid of our fear So we can say at long last: “We are here.” 7

C REATIVE WRITING COM P ET I T I ON W I N N ER

Gi r l

wi t h

Wi ngs By Mathilda O’Malley

A girl with wings, Restrained by unnecessary things. She tries to fly, But can’t make it to the sky. Societal pressures tie her down But they will never knock off her crown. She gets told to conform But she wants to wear her own uniform. She wants to let her colours show But how? She does not know. She has been drained of all hope She feels like she can no longer cope. She knows she must change But she can’t break these chains. 8

It is time to start a movement, To make some improvement Her wings are breaking free She will not fall to her knees. Day by day by day, Her chains break away. Her wings flutter While people still mutter. With her hand on her heart The chains fall apart. She flew away She’s in our hearts still today. Image: Erica Templeton

C R E ATI V E W R I TI N G CO M P E TI TI O N H I G H LY CO MM E ND ED

Image: Beth W Greener

From Sonnet to School Jason Charters

Science and equations, math formulas; 25-minute break, a lunch that lacks; And all of the ‘cool’ guys, the believers That school should be shorter, so they get back To playing Fortnite, and insulting school, Not bothering about all that homework, Another excuse, they still think they’re cool. To avoid work, in corridors, they lurk. After the weekend, the dread starts again. They’ll feel the consequences, two hours; A snitch in the class, then what do they gain? They haven’t done their work, teachers’ powers… But all this for me, is very different; For me it’s heaven, it’s just excellent. 9

Influence of the Past on the Fiction of the Present D By Lottie McDonald

uring the Spring term, visiting speaker Mr. Pietersen delivered a lecture to the sixth form and fifth year, discussing the historical context behind Orwell’s ‘1984’, a novel which has been a particular focus throughout the year for A Level English pupils. His talk focused especially on the influence of Stalinist Russia and in addition, Orwell’s own socialist political standing. Written in 1948, the novel tells the story of IngSoc, an imagined dystopian regime in which freedom of expression, the press and even thought is repressed. At the time of its writing, Russia’s recent political landscape in many ways mirrored the society created by Orwell.

The links between the two are clear and as a result, are undisputed. By depicting the brutality of the fictional totalitarian state, Orwell condemns the similar real life callousness exhibited under the 20th century regime. The figure of Big Brother, the mysterious dictator in ‘1984’, represents the role that Stalin played as a figurehead of the government, regarded with a toxic mixture of reverence and fear. More specific parallels can also be drawn between the two, such as the poster featured frequently within the novel, with the now infamous slogan “Big Brother is watching”, mirroring the real life posters employed by Stalin, acting as propaganda. This inclusion reflects the intrusion on privacy which perhaps feels more apt within a dystopian society than a real life one. In addition, the structure of the two regimes has clear links: the security force of 20th century Russia, the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, more often referred to as the NKVD, who carried out the large scale purges, is represented within IngSoc through the constant threat of the Thought Police. Orwell criticises the primal brutality of a civilisation based upon such violence, using ‘1984’ to depict the consequences of such a corrupt and hostile regime.

inspire present day fiction, for in almost all works of dystopia the imagined state often has more basis in reality than one might expect. Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ of 1931, which heavily influenced Orwell, also demonstrates pressing issues and concerns of the time through the book’s main themes. The rigid control of reproduction through technology forewarns of the dangers that the growing technological influence could have, should it develop too far. A more modern example of this is Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ of 1985, which draws upon the ideals of first wave feminism and developing conservatism under Reagan’s presidency to explore the societal ramifications of repression of female rights. Through acknowledging and recognising the historical inspiration behind dystopian fiction, one can, in a sense, predict the potential basis of future works. The issues facing society in the 21st century are drastically different to those of the 1900s, and so it can be surmised that fiction will mirror these changes. The intrusion and dangers that social media and the internet pose has already been seen in novels, TV and films, and will undoubtedly continue to be an influence for imagined, imperfect worlds. Similarly, political figures of the present, namely Donald Trump or Kim Jong Un, are likely to inspire fictional counterparts in the coming years, which would parallel the roles they play in the affairs of today.

However, Orwell was not a pioneer in drawing on the tragedies of recent history to 10

Image: Phoebe Cornish Richardson

While the reason for steeping dystopias in real world concern is not definitive, it can be presumed that by including the problems of the present, it only serves to further engage a reader able to relate to the issues that they had experienced, albeit in a differing manner.

INNOCENT By Cauis Ramsden-Board New sentry planted, he sits and watches, in silence and in rain he will stay there. Holy cross keeps the sins of war at bay, eyes locked onto last place enemy stood, helmet covers the innocent boy here. Prone, alone, allies have trusted in the mind, The solitary emptiness that feeds. Feeds his home and country, and untouched dirt will soon soak up that red colour of life. Still, he stayed prone, and was watched as he watched. No God looked upon his duality, but instead the black eyes of Death saw him. Teeth and claws and dark fur hid partially Just outside the iron circle of the scope. The sentry knew that Death was seeing him. The home of Death itself was cold and dark, a maze known not by mortal men like him. Yet the boy stayed loyal, if not to God Then to the word superior he knew. Parade lines likened to a line of pews. No harbour for thoughts in that dull prison, Which once knew love and warm embrace so soft. As Death prepared to snuff, the scope stayed still, Upon the point that foe had once shot from. The sentry’s breaths failed to quicken then. Death leaped into the watcher’s line of sight, And saw straight through the young man’s rough attire. His focus broken; a shot rang out that Sliced the sad silence of the No Man’s Land. His heart stopped as Death disappeared from view. His skin was cold, as was the air around The flesh that hung from young yet brittle bone. His sculpted eyes were shut tight as if he Planned not to open them until the end. He blinked and saw no purge of innocence. No enemy met him under the sky, The blackness hiding him from God’s white eyes. Black metal stayed put. Her majestic sight Forcing him to cooperate or die. The rabbit returned back to its burrow.

Image: Keya Desai

NAT IONAL ARTICUL AT I ON COM P ET I T I ON F I N A L I ST

Nor P O L LY

By Georgia Bennett

he age of social media has brought upon us a brilliant way to make friends accessibly and easily across the world, promote important messages as well as other positive things. But, it has also brought this suffocating wave of unrealistic societal expectations and a desperation for validation from strangers. Counteracting and rebelling against this culture of judgment is Illustration Artist Polly Nor. Nor creates unapologetic and empowering pieces of art, depicting the lives of everyday women behind closed doors, revealing their true habits and inner thoughts – however intimate or deviant they might be perceived. Polly Nor’s work, made by digitally editing pen drawings, shows the demon within every woman. Nor’s depiction of the demons are humorous and human. They are a vivid, rich, red colour, which normally would have connotations of blood, sin and fire. Nor plays on that idea to add an element of gore but in a simple cartoon effect. The colour red is also used as a metaphor across literature, representing violence, dreams, passion and sexuality; the full and deep-toned red, prominent throughout her work, shows power and fierceness. Nor chooses not to use white, as it is often seen as virginal and angelic in traditional art. The demons are content and smug, but most importantly, a reflection of the women’s most private and deprived thoughts. In my chosen nine piece series, Nor’s inspiration for the devils is to “face your demons.’’ A female character attempts to kill a devil, quickly followed by the 12

realisation that it is impossible, as it lives within her, thus showing the comfort and relief felt when released from the personal imprisonment caused by trying to become someone else; instead, the character experiences self-acceptance and relaxes into the arms of the devil. The devil appears sunken and deflated, possibly showing our female’s internal battles and need to conceal what is beneath. Nonetheless, although the demon is being cut open by the woman, it still appears unbothered, possibly because it knows that it cannot be killed, as it is the manifestation of the woman’s anxieties and desires. These digital illustrations, in contrast to Nor’s typically more colourful work, include just three prominent colours: red, pink and beige. The nakedness of these colours depict vulnerability and ensure that the viewer’s focus is on the characters and the story being created. The relaxed and muted tones also help to add serenity to the quite chaotic scene. The small details in this series really help to add character. For instance, the pristine, painted nails, emphasise her femininity and incessant need for perfection or to show that women can be both stereotypically feminine as well as being an advocate for feminism. There being nine parts to this series, could also have its own significance. Biblically, this number can convey finality and when shown in a cycle, suggests completion of an era – here, the end of an era of disillusion and self-loathing. This series could also be linked to the nine circles of hell in Dante’s ‘Divine

Comedy’, showing the journey towards Satan. But instead of displaying a loss of humanity, Nor is embracing true humanity and showing the journey towards the devil as a positive one. In the first image, the appearance of the woman could have connotations of classical nudes such as Sandro Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’ (with the long, blonde hair, bare pale skin), but instead shown from a more dynamic angle, displaying freckles, dimples and cellulite as well as her having a more dominant presence. The woman is far less sexualised and promiscuous, showing that women do not need to be widely desired to feel validated. In image three, we see that the woman has cut the devil in the chest; this could be compared to Jesus’ stigmata from the crucifixion, which is visible in paintings such as ‘The Man of Sorrows’, by Hans Memling. Both show sacrifice for a better future. Also, instead of a lance or a more violent weapon, the woman uses a kitchen knife, which could represent a domestic stereotype or her unwillingness to be aggressive. Next we see the woman sewing up the wound in a panic, showing conflict between killing and saving, an idea comparable to Jesus’ death. This also, possibly, presents women as almighty beings, who are powerful and healing. In image seven we see the woman clinging to the devil, whose fingers appear elongated, which creates a stealthy and menacing likeness, contrasting with the woman’s well-kept and somewhat dainty hands. Then finally, in image nine, we see the woman’s mask, sat next to the devil’s; the mask has a forced smile, wide eyes, clear skin and perfect hair – showing she is literally and metaphorically embracing her inner demon. Many of us are guilty of constantly comparing our own lives to the filtered ones of others. But obsessing and worshipping lifestyles of celebrities will never satisfy our longing for meaning. Polly Nor advocates self-acceptance, focusing on how her characters feel rather than how attractive they are. Nor expresses that our repressed emotions are not something to ignore. The devil represents ‘an emblem of resistance against culture conditioning or at the very least the acknowledgment of it.’ The devils exhibit feelings of

N ATI O N A L A RTI C U L ATI O N CO MP E TI TI O N F I N ALI ST

frustration, desire, sadness and anger, which are emotions we tend to shy away from as a society, due to denial or embarrassment. Nor shows these emotions live within us, and her characters find comfort in the acceptance of these emotions, refusing to give these ‘devils’ control over us. There is a great amount of comfort to be found in Nor’s work, due to her refreshingly real perception of women. Nor’s captivating use of colour and shape has engrossed over a million people, who are able to relate to her work. The impact her art has had relates

extremely well to the quotation by Cesar Cruz: ‘ Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.’ This is exactly what Nor’s diverse and satirical style of illustration art is doing. Nor’s artwork intrigues and invites specifically young, curious women who want to see themselves represented in a familiar and humorous light. In an era where it feels we are slowly losing the ability to have real life conversations due to excessive use of online communication, Nor shows visual stories and produces thought provoking, conversational art, which we, as a society, so desperately need.

Artists like Polly Nor are so important, as they create art that attracts viewers, who are hungry to change their own perception on things and reverse the way we have been conditioned to feel about our bodies, self-worth, mental health and sexuality. Nor expresses that we should value our own state of mind and comfort above how attractive people think we are, as we are often taught that the biggest compliment we can receive is that we are pretty. We can gain comfort, stability and acceptance by confronting our inner selves. So, I ask you, will you face your demons? 13

Translation of Le Printemps by Charles D’Orléans By Shreya Ganesh Kumar

I have translated a modern version of this rondel by Charles D’Orléans and, through this, come to appreciate the innate beauty and delicacy present in the French language despite the rigidity of this poetic form. In creating the final translation, I have considered both the literal meaning of this poem alongside the diversity of the English language to try and convey th words of D’Orléans in a way that might retain their original beauty. Le temps a laissé son manteau. De vent, de froidure et de pluie, Et s’est vêtu de broderie, De soleil luisant, clair et beau.

The season has cast off his coat. Of wind, of cold and of rain, And has wrapped himself in embroidery, Of gleaming sun, brilliant and beautiful.

Il n’y a bête, ni oiseau Qu’en son jargon ne chante ou crie: Le temps a laissé son manteau.

There is neither animal, nor bird Which in its own tongue fails to sing or shout: The season has cast off his coat.

Rivière, fontaine et ruisseau Portent en livrée jolie, Gouttes d’argent d’orfèvrerie, Chacun s’habille de nouveau: Le temps a laissé son manteau.

River, fountain and stream Wear as pretty livery, Droplets of silver jewellery, Everyone gets dressed anew: The season has cast off his coat.

Image by Lauren Bacchus

P R E P S C H O O L C R E ATI V E W R I TI N G W I N NERS

Autumn By Millie Burns 6B

I will never know what real freedom feels like. Where I live is made to feel like earth, but I’ve never been there and I’ll never live to know what it’s like. There is rumour that the government on our ship is hiding what real earth felt like so the children won’t be as sad. But I know I feel free when I’m reading, the books are all about it, the pictures are all of it, the conversations are full of it. And the tears are because of it. Yesterday I met a soon-to-be mother called Dawn and her dream is for her child to step on earth one day. And my dream is to be the one who makes that happen. My name is Bee. Named after an insect that lived on earth, there were fluffy kinds who were useless called bumblebees because they made a bumble sound when they moved. And a kind who were useful who made honey called honeybees. Dawn’s child is going to be called Autumn, like the season of oranges and reds, of pumpkins and plums, of fields covered in leaves and children trick-or-treating. Or so I’ve heard. Dawn is named after the morning when sun is climbing its way across the tangerine sky and painting blue over the horizon. I had to tell you at some point but I was trying to stall because thinking about it makes me want to cry. Our ship is near to breaking and I’m afraid I won’t be able to see earth, neither will Dawn or my mother or father or aunt and so on. But there’s hope for Autumn. Freedom is something I dream of, something I can only imagine. The books are all about it, the pictures are all of it, the conversations are full of it. And the tears are because of it. And through tears, Autumn will see it.

Image: Maia Overweel Nord

The rider & the stallion

Image: Iris Ma

By Narayan Minhas 6D

It was dusk. The spectral forest was hushed. The only noise was the enchanted sound of utter silence. The trees looked like skeletons, sweeping ominously around the boundaries like prison guards. Suddenly, a flash, a spark in the distance. A phantom, on a ghostly stallion, galloping through the night, at an immense pace. The shadowy rider, smiling euphorically. The horse, still full with mettlesome spirit. They leapt onto the beaten cobbled road, jumping vigorously over the forest boundary. The rider, he was cut by thorns, he was stung by nettles. He was bathed in mud and he was injured severely. But he was free. Still riding upon the ghostly stallion, the rider’s spirit was almost rising out of him with pride. There they were, the ghostly rider and stallion, shrieking vehemently, galloping into the night. The oh so deep, black night.

A L E VEL ART

Iris Ma

A L E V E L ART

Iris Ma

Iris Ma Iris Ma

THE REBELLIO OF ART Sabrina Mak

Art is a form of human expression. It allows us to express indescribable feelings and emotions through a blank canvas. Not only does it fuel creativity, it also fuels rebellion. As rules in art do not even exist, artists tend to create art that may be rebellious in its own way, something that could potentially trigger a dangerous reaction to the world around us. Artistic rebellion has become a fundamental factor in our lives. It is a way of portraying one’s revolt through street art, protest art, or even art that has been hung up in some exquisite gallery for millions to see. Art gives us the opportunity to acknowledge the rebels in our society – whether they are the subject, the painter or even the viewer – thus encouraging people to understand why rebellion prevails in our planet. Some artists synthesise rebellious subjects with rebellious style. Gerald van Honthurst’s ‘Saint Sebastain’ clearly portrays that Saint Sebastian himself was indeed a rebel. A Roman centurion, he was martyred during the persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor, Diocletian. Sebastian became the leader of an army during Diocletian’s reign and converted many soldiers to Christianity. This made Diocletian rage with fury as he feared religious conflict and individuals refusing to conform. Once discovered, Sebastian was ordered to be killed, bound to a stake and shot with arrows. It was clearly a choice of rebellion for him to go against the ruler’s beliefs, as Christians were generally shunned for refusing to worship or participate in sacrifices. Furthermore, van Honthorst was also rebellious for illustrating the appearance of Saint Sebastian in his painting. He was one of the first to 18

paint him as a half- length figure, capturing his youthful and handsome body pierced by numerous arrows. The majority of Saint Sebastian portraitures display him in a vertical position, often crucified the same way as Jesus. Even though there was barely any significant reaction to van Honthorst’s artwork, other artists including Caravaggio, Jan van Bijlert and Hendrik ter Brugghen subsequently adopted the slump-forward position in their paintings. Van Honthorst deliberately painted Sebastian in this particular position, as opposed to the usual representation of the martyr. There are other famous examples of artistic rebellion. Banksy is a well-known anonymous street artist whose work has been notorious in political and social issues. His most famous piece of art is ‘The Kissing Coppers’, which is displayed on the wall of the Prince Albert Pub in Brighton. This illustration not only gives a positive message on promoting homosexuality, it also places emphasis on the tolerance of sexual identity by having two authoritative icons in a pro-gay position. This work is rebellious in that people may not agree with gay rights, as homosexuality is still a sensitive topic, and even illegal act, in many parts of the world, including the UK. His other piece, ‘Rage, the Flower Thrower’ touches on the hazardous conflict of war. It depicts a man dressed in traditional riot gear, with a bandana tied around his face and wearing his cap back to front, but with juxtaposing flowers rather than weaponry, revealing the entire meaning of the sketch. By replacing the weapon with a bouquet, Banksy is campaigning for peace instead of war. His art was controversial in its location, as he placed it on a side wall in Jerusalem, where there is huge presence of weapons and the army.

N Whilst the theme of artistic rebellion is strongly conveyed in street art, other contemporary examples using more traditional canvasses also prevail, such as Picasso’s ‘Guernica are among’ the world’s most rebellious pieces. As a response to the 1937 Nazi bombing in the small Spanish town, Picasso created his most powerful political statement. This painting portrays the devastation of war, with six human figures (four women, one man and a child), a horse and a bull. As we can see, the most obvious feelings of pain can be illustrated from the distorted visages of the women, from the suffering of mental and physical agony. The intentional illustrations of the characters directly imply the way Picasso felt about the incident, which also

portrays the rebel he wants to be as the piece was completed immediately after the disastrous event. To this day, ‘Guernica’ still remains as a symbolic testament to tragedy, a graphic reminder of how influential art can be. The value of artistic rebellion impacts the way we live our lives. It is an unrestrained approach of expressing the way an individual thinks, a pictorial form which can be shown to others and it does not matter how anyone interprets it. Without the freedom of composing art, rebellion in our society would not be as effective and powerful, hence why artistic rebellion is so important in humanity.

The freedom of literature, does it change anything? Image Sabrina Mak Image byby Sabrina Mak

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By Kirsty Dickson

he world’s literary timeline is saturated with written works of substantial artistic merit, with factual, fictional and all other genres making their mark. These may merely be modes of expression or they may be life altering works. How much impact they have and how this effects change has resulted in a debate which has evoked numerous perspectives. It is worth considering a range of these perspectives across the spectrum of genres in order to weigh up how literature creates freedom at both a societal and a personal level. In an age of instant, global communications, it is easy to overlook the power literature held when it ‘arrived’ and then grew to dominate dissemination. The invention of the printing press in 1476 was arguably one of the greatest advancements of mankind because it opened access to literature and mass freedom of thought. For Christians, this was empowering as The Bible, once translated into the vernacular from Latin, was widely and quickly disseminated and what had once been unintelligible for most became far more accessible. But all religions benefitted and some spread far beyond their origins as a result. A few faiths grew to dominate vast tracts of the globe. However, alongside the many resulting benefits, the spread of written scriptures also ultimately caused considerable conflict and loss of life – conveying the danger often found within freedom. It is also worth considering the impact of literary freedom in the light of the claimed inspirations of the great historical architects of change: Ghandi read voraciously but was especially captivated by the Bible and by Tolstoy; Napoleon took Goethe texts on his campaigns and read them repeatedly; Nelson Mandela kept Shakespeare’s complete works on Robben Island; Freud gave further credit to the Bard by saying that much of his writing was aimed at giving scientific description to things he gleaned from Shakespeare’s characters. While all of these figures were remarkable, what is perhaps even more noteworthy is how readily so many of

them give the credit for their inspiration to the freedom of accessing literature. If literature has led to large scale change, either directly or, by inspiring actions, indirectly, it is also important to consider the broader and more subtle impact it may have had on society. The author Michael Mack uses the novel ‘The Way We Think’ to demonstrate that literature is a way in which we are freely ‘conceptualising our understanding of representation’. This is supported by authors such as Mary Shelley, who was adept in her use of the novel to critique societal prejudices. In ‘Frankenstein’ she acknowledges the unreliable nature of appearance while also projecting her own views on both the Industrial and French Revolutions, perhaps criticising the realms of freedom. She promotes her fear of the mechanical world (similar to Huxley’s expression of his fear for the loss of identity through technological advancements in his dystopian novel A ‘Brave New World’) and the damage wreaked by human desire, specifically when dealing with desire for knowledge. This is a relatable concept for all of those seeking to excel, often unknowingly abusing their freedom in the act. The view that our beliefs are often changed by the literature in the world around us is known as the narrative transportation theory and has been investigated by many psychologists such as Melanie Green, who states that the theory “suggests that readers who become immersed in a book are more likely to adopt attitudes and beliefs implied by the story”. Abraham Lincoln’s comment to Harriet Beecher Stowe, that her “book that started this Great War,” (apart from being great publicity for Uncle Tom’s Cabin) may have been a ringing endorsement of the narrative transportation theory. Richard J Gerrig also touches on this theory in his novel, ‘Experiencing Narrative World’, concluding that, just as attitudes towards slavery were altered to allow freedom, experiences in the real world can be altered by literature, encouraging a more liberal society. Without literature, we can only see the world through our own eyes.

Even in fictional literature which is often considered less influential, we frequently see an effect on the real world. For example, fiction allows us into the mind of someone else, exposing us to a plethora of new ideas. Harper Lee’s character, Atticus Finch, argues, “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. This feeling was one of the primary objectives of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’; exposing prejudice and issues within culture and religion (yet, interestingly, the earlier prequel was not so liberally uplifting). The concept of literature expanding our minds is also often explored. Hermann Hesse conveys this in ‘Siddhartha’ through a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Literature provides the freedom to be taken out of our comfort zones and encourages us to learn in areas into which we might not otherwise have reached. The requirement for all US doctors to study a humanity and some form of literature before entering the world of medicine, so that they might better understand patients, would seem to add real-world ballast to this view. The freedom of speech, and therefore its written manifestation of literature, has shaped civilisation, advanced sciences, altered political systems, exposed injustice and both developed and degraded society. However, the tendency to focus on such big-scale changes detracts from the truly impressive fact that, at a more individual level, smaller scale changes abound as a result of literature. The personal enrichment offered by literature has given people the freedom of choice they otherwise might not have recognised. Carlos Ruiz Zafón, the author of one of the best selling books of all time ‘The Shadow of The Wind’, stated that “books are mirrors. You only see in them what you already have inside you.” Here, Ruiz Zafón comments on the psychological impact of literature and its ability to bring out in the reader qualities which they previously may not have been aware of. The beneficiaries of such change – readers – may not have altered history but are perhaps the best testimony to the changes and liberality wrought by literature. 21

NNOCENT Image: Adam Carmona

Sonnet by Lauren Bacchus

From Mother to Daughter By Mili Greener

You were annoying You were embarrassing You were late You were always there. But when bad news came your way, Things changed. We didn’t see you as much. It was lonely I was alone.

Image: Alex Richings

But those few hours that you weren’t spending in a car, They were filled with anger They were filled with exhaustion They were filled with love.

So when we joke about leaving you ‘If you’re old I won’t look after you’ That can’t happen Because it will be your turn To be looked after

You had that sense of danger that I craved, That twinkle, that gleam of past escapades. Oh, did I think I was finally saved, This colourless existence at last fades. Each and every night I would fly to you, Like a dove descending upon the lake. But when night does dawn the red comes anew, And tracks of blue and silver won’t sooth the ache. Trapped, till the moon becomes a sun, I stay Till soon you will come to whisk me away.

For 10 years the buzzer went at 7. Your stomach would groan But would not be satisfied because We were first, always first. We would get up and you would be hurled moans Abuse, but would smile Always smile.

But that weekend, That one weekend It changed everything. The traffic to the hospital It was a lot, an awful lot. We saw the pain you went through, We witnessed your other world, A world no daughter should have to witness.

‘Twas through wind and rain that I first saw thee, To the scent of raspberries and dewdrops. You stared at me from the great blossom tree, As the soft wind did sway my golden locks.

Image: Aldi Ho

PERCEPTIONS By Flora Hannay

Perceptions linger in cold-stone air, Synchronised heartbeats, no one to care, How do you live without constraint, Standing tall without restraint?

This is what so many have lost: That which comes at so high a cost This old life that I should love, Leaves me, nothing, a caged dove

Are my perceptions really true? Do you wake up fully anew? Or are my perceptions an illusion, Merely a warped, broken delusion?

You say you understand this sea Of troubles warped inside of me. But can you really see… If what is broken is inside of me?

Eyes stare in an empty hallway. Lost Personas modelled from clay, Modelled into a new shape My world your world- a skyscape.

If this is all everyone sees, If this is all you can perceive, Then how can I show that this disguise, Isn’t a reflection of what’s inside?

INT E RMEDIATE IRP P R I ZE W I N N ER

By Maisie Greener

n July 4th 1776, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson constructed the Declaration of Independence. He wrote: “All Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” This promise of opportunity, rooted in The Land of the Free’s history, presents the third U.S President as the architect of the American Dream, whose visions were the foundations from which democracy could grow. 155 years later, the American historian James Truslow Adams elucidated the ideology, coining the phrase ‘American Dream’ in his book ‘The Epic of America’ in which he wrote “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability of achievement.” Martin Luther King Jr also continued the definition in his ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’, writing: “We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.” This new backdrop of the civil rights movement entrenched African-Americans’ pursuit of equality in the cornerstone of American society.

For my research project, I looked at: ‘Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller, ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald, ‘Of Mice and Men’ and ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ by John Steinbeck, as despite the varying socioeconomic contexts, one similarity amalgamates these four pieces of literature about the Dream: the fact it is not shown as being achievable. This, in turn, has arguably killed the American Dream. Arthur Miller’s most-celebrated play, ‘Death of a Salesman’, is constantly called upon by critics when exploring the unattainability of the American Dream. Set in the late 1940s, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning drama not only incorporates the American Dream, but other contemporary views. For example, continuing your parents’ aspirations and learning from past mistakes. In the play, Willy Loman becomes so consumed with the need to have success and money, that he overlooks the love his sons and wife have for him. In this way, Willy loses sight of the original American Dream: the opportunity and right to be happy. Throughout the play, Willy insists that charm will grant him success, as opposed to hard work and skill, as illustrated in: “And they know me, boys, they know me

I N TE R M E DI ATE I R P P R I Z E W I NNER

up and down New England. The finest people. And when I bring you fellas up, there’ll be open sesame for all of us, ‘cause one thing, boys: I have friends.” Here, the concluding statement “I have friends,” underscores Willy’s old-fashioned and distorted perception that reputation and respectability result in prosperity. During the play, we also see the influence Willy’s attitude has on his son Biff, but unlike his Father, Biff wakes up to the harsh reality that friendliness does not get you far. This is shown when he says “Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?” Here “phony dream” highlights Biff being confronted by the truth: the Lomans are not men destined for financial success, instead they will endure prolonged working lives, but receive little recognition for it. Furthermore, in Brooks Atkinson’s 1949 review of the play, he wrote “Mr Miller has no moral precepts to offer and no solutions of the salesman’s problems.” This review proves how the visual orchestration of tragedy was the awakening Americans needed, compelling them to adjust their expectations – with Willy’s sorrowful death warning them of the alternate outcome. For this reason, the play contributed to the American Dream’s death.

led by Moses, were compelled to evacuate in search of the Promise Land. The second biblical allusion is of the Joads travelling West along Route 66: the destination being the fertile California. Their migration parallels the Israelites leaving the kingdom of oppression and injustice, in a quest for an improved life. This implies that the Joads had been enslaved in Oklahoma but were now liberated. The third biblical reference is later in the novel, when the Joads’ boxcar floods. This event mirrors the Genesis flood narrative where Noah was instructed to assemble an ark to conserve both his family and two of every animal. Unlike the biblical characters, the Joads had not been sinful so it is likely Steinbeck is cleansing the family, preparing them for a fresh start. The novel describes how the Joads’ American Dream was about survival. So, although the novel killed the readers’ hope of affluence, it motivated families not to surrender as the Joads defied the odds and lived. To conclude, in 2013, a YouGov poll found that when asked “Do you think that the American Dream has become impossible for most people to achieve?” 41% thought it was, 38% remained optimistic and 21% were undecided. Perhaps people’s acceptance about the unlikeliness of ‘the Dream’ has materialized from literature’s dismissal of it.

I also studied arguably the most prolific post-depression writer, John Steinbeck, who implemented his memories of hardship during the Great Depression in ‘The Grapes of Wrath’, which concentrated on an Oklahoman family’s struggle for survival after they were evicted from their farm, in the wake of the devastating Dust Bowl crisis. During the six-year period of severe dust storms, 2.5 million inhabitants fled the Southern plains, heading West where handbills and billboards had falsely guaranteed jobs and security. To underscore the hardships faced, Steinbeck deliberately plagued the novel with biblical allusions to parallel the Joads’ tribulations with that of the Israelites and Moses. In 1901, 80% of Americans identified as Protestant, so the insinuation of the Old Testament was widely recognized. Firstly, Steinbeck used the Dust Bowl as an allusion to the desert of Egypt, from which the Israelites,

Of course, there are also other components which have contributed to the pessimism surrounding the dream, for instance: the financial crisis of 2008; journalist Steven Brill believes “the movement towards corporate free speech” is to blame; the dean of Harvard Business School says “Isolationism is killing the American Dream”. The British author J.G Ballard commented: “The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It’s over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam.” I think Ballard’s extended metaphor assesses the futility the American Dream has in society today, how its control of the public has diminished and I conclude that literature is partially accountable for the death of Jefferson’s American Dream.

Image by Achintya Chudusama

PH OTOGRA P HY CO M P ET I T I ON W I N N ER S

Senior Winner: Becky Grant

Junior Winner: Paramita Shen

H O U S E A RT W I N N E R FO R TH E I N TERS

Alice Feng

A talk with Tennessee By Tom Boyd

Adapted from a talk by Sanjana Idnani and India Barton delivered at Senior Lit Soc Image by Evelina Obretetskaya

ennessee Williams is known for his pioneering of New Plastic Theatre, a blend between naturalistic dialogue and expressionistic techniques in order to add a layer of truth to his characters and their experiences. Through his plays, Williams presents a creative portrayal of his characters’ struggles, which undoubtedly moves the audience through the heightened sense of realism and though some of his techniques are not in use today as he originally intended, the productions still clearly convey the issues he wished to portray at the time. Audiences have often been powerfully moved by Williams’ characters but having seen them, one cannot help noticing a number similarities in themes and problems that the characters face, especially in Williams’ three most well-known plays: ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, ‘The Glass Menagerie’, and ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof ’. All three of the plays have influences of the Southern Aristocratic culture, though this is presented differently in each play. 28

Blanche, in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, has recently emerged from the dead social world of the South and tries to impose the courtly and traditional cultural values in New Orleans where they seem out of place. Similarly, Amanda Wingfield

raises her children based on Southern values and especially talks about “cultivating charm.” However, by this point, her world of the South is long gone, intensifying our pity for her. On the other hand, the aristocracy in ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof ’ is on the cusp of dying as symbolised by the death of the patriarch Big Daddy. Through this, therefore, Williams is able to highlight much more explicitly the corruption of this social world. Homosexuality is a prominent theme in all three plays as well, this theme being very much reflective of Williams’ own struggles as a homosexual when it was not accepted in society, particularly in the post bellum return to conservative ideals. In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Blanche’s disgust at Allan’s homosexuality leads him to suicide, something that haunts Blanche herself throughout the play. Indeed, Williams reflects the importance of this memory to Blanche’s resulting tragedy by placing this aspect of her past in scene six, the structural heart of this eleven scene play. A similar

plot arc is explored in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ’, as, following the complexities in his relationship with and rejection by Brick, Skipper committed suicide. Brick, haunted by this, is apathetic throughout the play and resorts to extreme alcoholism, completely separate from the will of his wife and surrounding family. Though homosexuality is not overtly explored in ‘The Glass Menagerie’, this play is the most autobiographical of the three and therefore Tom’s consistent disappearances to the movies at night is often interpreted as a euphemism for his repressed homosexuality. Lastly, a poignant theme across Williams’ plays is the effect of mental health. This aspect of Williams’ plays are particularly personal to him due to his own sister being institutionalised and eventually having to undergo a lobotomy for her “sexual dreams” from which she never recovered. In Blanche’s case, she seems to experience extreme PTSD following the suicide of her husband Allan and Williams’ use of New Plastic Techniques, such as the persistent haunting of the

Varsourviana music that played on the night of Allan’s death and the following gunshot that only Blanche and the audience can hear, provides us with a greater insight into Blanche’s struggles with mental health. Aspects of PTSD are also explored in ‘Cat On a Hot Tin Roof ’ as Brick turns to addiction to cope. This focus on mental health is further illustrated through the dominance of fantasy in ‘Streetcar’ as Blanche’s life and beliefs no longer have a basis in reality. A similar coping strategy is seen by Amanda in ‘The Glass Menagerie’, who also appears to be stuck in the past of her childhood in Blue Mountain as a Southern Belle and tries to impose similar customs on the changed reality around her. However, the closest mirroring to Williams’ sister in this play is Laura who suffers crippling social anxiety, represented physically through the clump noise made by her leg brace which intensifies her anxiety. Laura is nicknamed “Blue Roses” in the play, which creates a direct link between Laura’s character and Williams’ sister Rose.

These are three dominant themes of many (such as wealth and alcoholism) that are paralleled across the play; however, the similarities across these plays leave us with the question of whether this is a good thing within theatre. Do we feel this formula of themes becomes repetitive? Would we rather some of Williams’ plays branched out from aspects of his autobiography into other subject areas? Some may favour this, however we still believe that each one of these plays holds a distinct charm heightened by the various techniques used in each and also variations in the characters who experience these issues. While ‘The Glass Menagerie’ is largely autobiographical, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is much more blurred in where the character and personality of Williams himself is located in each character as we see parts of his struggles reflected in Blanche, Mitch, Stella, and Allan. Therefore, while many of Williams’ plays have similar themes, it does not undermine the distinct uniqueness of each play in its own right. 29

A L EVEL P HOTOGR A P HY

Chris Smith

Wayne Huang

A L E V E L P H OTO G R APHY

Wayne Huang

Is gender equality truly achievable By Electa Yeung

Image: Keya Desai

o answer the question, let us first go back to a simple question. What is gender equality? The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals website gives a balanced definition on the subject matter. It states that “Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.

Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women.” In 18 countries, men can legally forbid their wives from working. Globally, women only earn 77 cents to the dollar that men earn; the World Bank found that these barriers translate to $160 trillion in lost income potential. One in five people around the world believe women are inferior to men and should stay at home. These are, indeed, all statistics that depict the prominence of gender inequality. However, what do a few numbers actually mean, and why is gender equality important? By trying to eradicate the problem, we, as a society, are giving everyone a chance to maximize their potential. This thereby creates a stronger economy, as well as a society where we are all seen as people regardless of our gender. Whilst analyzing the problem, fundamental issues stopping gender equality from happening must be taken into consideration. In view of women’s involvement in the sciences, a study of Swedish secondary school students explored why more boys are attracted to STEM subjects at university and more girls are attracted to subjects in the Heed (health, elementary education and domestic) spheres, with the findings mainly attributing the phenomenon to two factors: “social belongingness” – that teenagers felt they would fit in better in subjects that had more of their own gender and “self-efficacy” – the belief that one can succeed in a domain. We tend to approach domains where we feel we are competent and avoid those in which we do not. For example, despite outperforming boys across school subjects and because girls on average have low self-efficacy ratings in STEM, they tend to stay away from these subjects.

Fundamental problems with gender inequality also exist in workplaces, with the major issue being the lack of opportunities for women. Harvard Business School conducted an experiment and found that even when women’s academic profiles are similar to that of their male counterparts, they only have a 37% chance of getting employed, meaning that from the get-go, without being in senior positions, women are bound to be paid less. In addition, pregnancy and childcare limit women’s mobility

in workplaces. When females take long breaks from work, knowledge gaps are created, which keeps women frozen out of high positions in firms. Thus, whether or not gender equality is truly achievable depends on the aspect we are assessing. In terms of education, although biological differences between the two genders do play a part in the natural attraction towards different subjects, the problem that we are faced with now is that there is still a social stigma that exists for women in sciences. In terms of levelling the playing field of women in the workplace, by forcing there to be a set number of women to be in a certain job, gender equality is possible, as shown in Norway. The Norwegian government introduced quota legislation that required companies to have 40% female board representation by 2008. Currently, the percentage of female board members has since remained between 36% and 40%. However, is this really the way we want to do it? UN Women reported that in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, half of the economic growth over the past 50 years is attributed to girls having better access to education, as well as reducing the gap in the number of years of schooling between girls and boys. Hence, the road towards gender equality starts with education – in schools, in workplaces and in society to change the outdated mindsets of men being superior. That said, we must not forget that women are not the only victims. An estimated 12,000 men are raped in the UK every year, and more than 70,000 males are sexually abused or assaulted. Yet, only in 2017 did a 22-year-old, named Jordan Worth, become the first ever female in the UK to be prosecuted for sexual abuse under the offence, also only introduced in 2015, of controlling or coercive behavior in an intimate relationship. This case really raises the flag that gender equality is not just about the fight for women, but instead, for both sexes. All in all, achieving gender equality takes effort from both genders to change their mindsets. The former UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon once said that: “Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, girls and boys. It is everyone’s responsibility.” It takes the eradication of views that women can only do certain things while men can only do others. Yes, men and women may be better at doing certain things, but that should not limit the other gender from doing something that is “not in their league”. According to a 2017 report by the World Economic Forum, it could still take another 100 years before the global equality gap between men and women disappears entirely. From being able to vote, having the right to be educated, to the fight for women in the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, women, and indeed men, have come a long way on the road to achieve gender equality. However, we must not forget that we still have a long road ahead of us. The fight for gender equality will not be over until the day where, as a society, we can see past the barriers that arise because of gender. 33

A L EVEL P HOTOGR A P HY

Chris Smith

A L E V E L P H OTO G R APHY

Steffi Largerberg

DETERMINING IF FREE WILL IS AN ILLUSION Zara Russell and Grace Gair Image: Ellie Wood

he definition of free will is ‘the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion’. This definition raises a plethora of questions: Do we really have free will? Are our thoughts and behaviours influenced by forces beyond our control? Is what we do and think just a matter of choice and within our conscious control? What would happen if we have a world with no free will or cease to believe that we do? Some believe that free will is an illusion created by the brain or society to make us feel like we have control over our lives and the choices we make, when, in reality, our genetics, our decisions, even our parents and education restrict our free will. We could even track this restriction from conception: gender is determined due to the egg cell either receiving a Y or X chromosome from the sperm cell, meaning that neither the parents nor the zygote has any control in this. Then as the zygote begins to develop in the first trimester, a number of hormonal changes occur in the mother: levels of oestrogen increasing causing nausea and vomiting and her heart working faster to pump more blood to the uterus. The mother has no control over these changes to her body. The foetus begins to develop and the parents’ genetics determine the changes in the baby: eye colour, hair colour, height and many other factors that the foetus has no control over. Even the act of birth is tethered by an umbilical cord which is cut to release us – an act that may symbolise freedom, but are we ever really ‘free’? Yet, the idea of free will does not need to deny that there are biological and environmental forces that act upon us. The fact that humans make their own choices (such as, nowadays, to have a baby) shows that we have free will. This is the humanistic view, as advocated by psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, who studied how people are driven to self-actualization (a state of fulfilment) through their decisions and personalities and argued that free will was an important part of this. Meanwhile, the psychologist Roy Baumeister posited that free will is the foundation of morality, as

when you resist temptation and do what is in your long term interest, your free will shines. For example, you have the desire to have another bag of salt and vinegar crisps over ready salted crisps. However, after some internal struggle you decide that you are not going to eat either because you realise that it is unhealthy. It now seems that you have won an internal battle against yourself. These internal battles, when applied to moral situations, indicate humans’ capacity for decision making and inherently indicate our free will. However, the crisp scenario is also nonsense as both options to eat or not to eat are motives within our psychological system. The latter motive is grounded in fear (gaining weight), whereas eating them would sate desire; you simply reveal which will is stronger. Thus, the argument for free will is easily flawed. Determinism is where the psychologists believe that free will has no place in explaining behaviour, which is instead shaped by external and internal forces to which humans are exposed in everyday life from the moment we were conceived. There are lots of different types of determinists; hard, soft, biological, environment and psychic. Hard determinists believe that all behaviour has a definitive cause and we should be able to identify that cause. This is compatible with the aims of science which therefore can make the research more reliable. However, soft determinists still believe that there is a cause but people have conscious control over their decisions. For example, someone could be predisposed to being aggressive but it is their choice if they use the aggression to start a fight. Biological determinism suggest that neurological processes are not under conscious control, such as the fight or flight response. Environmental determinists believe that free will is an illusion and behaviour is a result of conditioning and reinforcement, for example, learning a phobia. Finally, psychic determinism believes that behaviour comes from the unconscious mind which is constantly suppressing bad experiences, past trauma and unwanted desires from our conscious mind. They also believe that there is no such thing as an accident.

If we really had free will we would be able to do whatever we want but factors like money, health and careers get in our way, for example, if you want to go travelling but do not have the finances then you cannot live out that dream. There are also bigger factors that constrict us, such as laws, suggesting that throughout our lives our free will is limited as we are continuously reminded that everything we do will have consequences. Moreover, under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act we are told that ‘everyone has the right to freedom of expression’ in the UK but the law also declares that this freedom ‘may be subject to formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society’. While this is mainly for national security and to ensure that crime is prevented, it still limits people’s freedom of speech and therefore free will, showing that we have neither of these. But free will is beneficial to humans as correlational research has shown that people who strongly believe in free will, perform better in work and academic situations. Furthermore, experiments have shown that when you weaken people’s belief in free will, antisocial behaviour is shown, such as racial prejudice and aggression. The consequences of widespread disillusionment with free will would be that crime rates would ultimately increase as crime defendants would argue and even believe that without free will they cannot be held accountable as they never chose to do the crime. In the last decade, court cases claiming that the defendants’ “brain made them do it” have doubled. Another example would be that if a pupil fails an exam they cannot be held responsible because it would not be their fault, undermining our systems of education and employment. Failure – and indeed, success – become meaningless. Therefore, if we see free will as an illusion, what will happen to all the institutions based upon it and the society we have built around it? We might hope that psychologists will find another explanation as technology improves but in the meantime, surely it is far better to accept that free will is limited but necessary – a decision that is an act of free will itself. Perhaps.

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Evelina Obretetskaya

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Keya Desai

Max Wellman

DEMOCRACY By Tom Boyd Image by Ellie Wood 40

he American philosopher, Lysander Spooner, is not the first to criticise the legitimacy of government and he will not be the last. Western democracies have come a long way since feudalism and absolute monarchy. Throughout history, the lower rungs of society have fought for freedom and control of their lives and futures, but we have all fallen at the final hurdle. Instead of striving for complete control of the political system and real democracy, we have accepted liberal democracies that do not work in the interests of those they represent and instead, starve the people of any political autonomy. The flaws and failings of our governments cannot be ignored. It is high time they are dismantled in favour of a system in which we all have a say – a real democracy. Despite writing his great political work, ‘No Treason’ (from which this quotation is taken), around the time of the American Civil War (1861-65), Spooner’s argument that a government’s laws or constitution should only be obeyed if consented to by the populace is still a valid criticism of Western democracies in the present day. According to the social contract theory of the French philosopher JeanJacques Rousseau, a government that does not act in the “volonté générale” (general will of the people as a whole) is illegitimate and may be justifiably destroyed or replaced by the people it is supposed to represent. Both Spooner and Rousseau agree that the only legitimate authority is one consented to by the vast majority of the populace. The social contract theory, developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, is the theory that in a society, the individual surrenders certain freedoms and submits to the authority of government in order to create an organised society that protects their rights. For John Locke, the English philosopher, these rights were the right to own your physical body and the right to own property; whereas, for Rousseau, whatever the people wanted should be granted by the government (the “volonté générale” mentioned earlier). This is the social contract between the political class and the people and can either be consented to

explicitly, as Rousseau argued, or tacitly accepted, as Locke believed. Surely, based on the theory of the social contract, it is very easy to justify the Government’s authority as we all sacrifice personal liberties and obey laws that benefit society, thereby maintaining society and preventing chaos? Not entirely. It is, of course, true that there are many laws that protect citizens from harm, but the coercive nature of the law cannot be ignored. Take, for example, the Extinction Rebellion protests that have seen over 1000 arrests in 8 days and members of the protests dragged away and stripsearched by police. It would be easy to argue that the police are just doing their job and that the Extinction Rebellion deserves to be arrested for disrupting the running of society, were it not for the fact that the protests have remained entirely peaceful and that climate change remains a threat that affects the whole of society, a threat perceived by 69% of the UK’s population* and ignored by the political class.

“A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose his master once in a term of years” Lysander Spooner

The Rebels’ aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025 and, more importantly, to form a citizens’ assembly made up of members of the public that will lead decision-making in the fight against climate change. This terrifies the political elite as it stands as a direct attack on their authority. This explains why the police, as the enforcers of the State’s will, have been so aggressive towards the protesters, as it is their job to defend the status quo and maintain government control over the people, even when the people’s general will is in favour of combating climate change. This betrayal of the “volonté

générale” alone is enough to justify a dismantling of the state, as Rousseau would endorse. This example leads into my second criticism of Western democracies: they are undemocratic. This may at first sound contradictory, but it makes sense once you delve into the etymology of the word “democracy”. It is derived from Ancient Greek and literally means “rule through the people”. A society that is truly democratic is one in which the people have a direct say in how their society is run. The first democracy began in Athens, in Ancient Greece, and all men were able to take part in deciding the domestic policy of their city and the laws they all had to follow. This allowed the people to have direct control over their lives. When compared to the democracy of Ancient Athens, our democracies seem almost like oligarchies in which power is held by a small group and the people are kept from having any say in key policy decisions. The brutality towards the Extinction Rebellion and prevention of a citizens’ assembly are symptoms of the dominance the political elite hold over society’s direction. A clearer example is the Brexit process in which the people’s will is once again being ignored by those in power who refuse to hear their cries and listen to what they want the deal to look like. The political class does not believe that the people are capable of competent decision-making and it is this arrogance that prevents the people from forging their own futures. Instead of true democracy, the people are offered the chance instead to “choose their masters”, as Spooner so eloquently wrote. This satisfies the masses’ hunger for autonomy as they are manipulated into believing that the system works for them and cannot be dramatically improved. The tragic flaws in our governments have been laid bare: they are undemocratic, coercive and oppressive. As a result, they deserve to be completely destroyed and replaced with a system that accepts the public’s opinion, rather than silencing it. *According to the 2008 Gallup Poll 41

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Sophie Tao

Lizzie Hammer

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Sophie Tao

Jonny Featherstone

Niamh Ryan

Too much freed o m By Eleanor Norman

Image by Niamh Ryan

Blood. Sprinting. Flowers. Anyone can do anything here. The two of them walk through the field, full of roses, daisies and buttercups, to sit in the big, old oak tree, which stretches up into the sky as if leading into heaven where they watch the rest of the world go about its day. At dawn the sunlight glints through, winking at Henry and Anne as they sit in their tree. Her grandmother talks about the stories that her grandmother used to tell her; about the dark days when people were restricted, stuck, trying not to offend anyone. Grandmother seems to think that rules are important, but she doesn’t know anything, sitting all day staring out of her window. What can she know? She is always in the house, never leaves and never does anything at all. Silence. Silence. Silence. Silence. “What do we do now?” His breath, hard and heavy, hits Anne’s face. “I don’t know.” She looks down at her hands painted in thick crimson, still slightly dripping down onto the dirt. “This was your idea.” “You seemed willing enough to go through with it.” Silence. What had Gran said about calming down? Deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth. So she tries, but all she can smell is what they have done – copper mixed with the sweet aroma of flowers. Her stomach heaves. Breathe, ignore the sticky, sickly smell of your crime lingering on your hands. Silence. “Fine. It was both of us but what are we going to do?” “My house, no one is ever there. We can clean our clothes and no one will ever know.”

Running. Keeping low. They’re getting faster and faster, not running anymore, they’re gliding, flying. Wings lift them off and up high into the sky; clouds roll over them and the wind whips through Anne’s hair; it’s almost peaceful but still she can feel the liquid heating, boiling. It’s burning, crawling up her arms. And back on the ground running, nearing the house. Through the open window, tumbling, falling. Silence. Gran hasn’t heard. Into the bathroom. Lock the door. Breathe. Henry turns the taps, water rushing to meet their eagerly waiting red hands. It doesn’t look real. The pretty pink flows down the sink away from the prying eyes of swallows on the windowsill. No trace of guilt, apart from the splatter on their clothes. Nobody talks. Silence. Sneaking out into the laundry room washing the clothes. Done. No one will ever know. Safe. Mouth agape… Volume building… deafening…. Magenta showering down…. I’m submerged…. Silence… silver clattering to the floor. The blood once again is fizzling on my drenched hands, burning me… Crawling up my arms: hissing as it engulfs me… Awaiting a command. Flowers start to grow locking me into the ground, their wilted heads dripping with guilt and betrayal. I start to scream Still feeling the heat on her arms she gets up and washes them, but it won’t come out, this one little bit. Gran looks at Anne whenever she walks into the room. Somehow she knows - Anne’s certain of this fact. One little bit of wine red luscious liquid is always on her hand, like a kiss from a lover. Once again she trudges to the bathroom under the gaze of her grandmother as the sunlight streams through the open window, signalling the start of day.

“Your Gran is always there.” “She doesn’t do anything. Come on, we can’t stay here.” She takes his hand, the rouge viscous liquid mixing. What does it matter; they are both painted in their guilt.

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Talia Veldtman

Maddie Garrett

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Adam Carmona

Brian Leung

Emily Toone

By Megan Denton

Refugee crisis ~ what refugee crisis?

“T

By Megan Denton Image: Chloe Redston

he Refugee Crisis” was the daily headline for almost a year. When the headline changed most people assumed that the problem was solved. The truth is far from that. Last year 68.5 million people were forced to leave their countries due to violence, war and persecution. They travelled for months in illegal or dangerous ways just to escape the hell they lived in. In 2017, 3,100 immigrants drowned in an attempt to cross the Mediterranean alone. That is just a small part of one ocean. Imagine how many die all over the world. There are countless reports in newspapers along the lines of “Venezuelan refugees feared drowned en route to Trinidad” but we feel fleeting pity and continue with our lives. There is all sorts of media coverage but it is rarely positive. Everyone sees so many conflicting stories about these vulnerable people until people rarely know what to believe. Politicians often say that “the migration crisis threatens to destroy the EU” but, in reality, migrants will be the ones to save the economy from collapsing. Migrants and refugees are willing to do the bare minimum to survive. They will take the jobs that most people do not want and see as beneath them. People fail to realise that someone has to do these jobs to keep countries running. When migrants come and find a space to help build themselves up again - even if it is as a fast food worker - they are more grateful than any of us will ever be to get the job of our dreams. They do not want our homes, money or jobs; they simply want to escape. Currently, there are frequent protests about the environment and women’s rights, which will have a huge impact in the future, but they do not have an impact on the here and now. It will not change someone’s life tomorrow and it will not prevent a country from being destroyed. Refugees do not want our sympathy; they want peace of mind and freedom. They want not to have to worry about deception, safety and family. Millions of people are all telling the same story, fighting a common enemy who came from within. Since the headlines died out, the problem is pushed to the back of our minds and we keep going with everyday life. The book ‘We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled’ by Wendy Pearlman has snippets from hundreds of interviews from refugees. One such account is from a lady named Bushra, who talks about how excited her daughter was to leave the refugee camp: “After living in a tent, she was amazed by the real walls and real floors. She said, ‘Take a photo of me next to the wall!’” Everything that is taken for granted is a novelty for them.

When reading Pearlman’s book, you have to keep reminding yourself that it is real. “There’s nothing to protect us. No state, no government, no law, no human rights. Animals have more rights than we do” states one refugee called Safa. It seems very similar to ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ but it is not fiction for them. It is everyday life that has to be endured and countered for them to keep going from day to day. It also shows how everything that was once familiar is now gone, emphasising how bad it really is. There are no functioning hospitals, no sense of order or democracy. You feel constant fear for these people but it is not true fear. It is the fear that springs up when a character is in danger. It does not seem true. Pearlman’s book also discusses two different points of view to the one the media and newspapers show the country: it tells the story of the terrified victims of this tragedy, who are seeking new life and also, the perspective of those on the other side. As we hear the tale of those in the military or the government, we realise that they are not really the bad guys. Mostly they are in the military for self preservation. It is fairly well paid and provides protection for you and your family, unless you turn against the government. People are also scared of what might happen to them and those they love if they step out of line. For the majority, it is safer to just put up with the destruction of their country than try something new. The people that go to seek help are incredibly brave. They often make the journey alone as they have no remaining family or face the challenge of leaving family behind in a country of suffering. In March 2012, the Syrian government issued travel restrictions for military aged men preventing them from leaving the country without reason. Some were allowed to leave if they had proof of studying abroad but not many justifications were accepted. Almost everyone took their military service so as not to face the consequences but reports show that 20-30 officers defected to Turkey each day. They chose to serve another country over their own, proving how corrupted Syria was at that time. Each one of these people are fighting their own course, fighting for their own freedom. Imagine the day the headline states: “Refugee crisis over – the dilemma has passed”. That will be the day when all of these people can sleep peacefully in a place that they can now call home. Then we as a nation will know that we did a good job, we did what was needed and got the greatest outcome. Yet no-one does anything. Everybody waits for someone else to make the first move. Any one of us could be the first. So, be the one to help those people who need our support.

For more information on the refugee crisis and how you can help: https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/heres-can-help-refugees/ https://ideas.ted.com/8-practical-ways-to-help-refugees/ https://www.careinternational.org.uk/fighting-poverty/building-resilience/supporting-refugees

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Ella Gilbert

Achintya Chudasama 50

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Phoebe Sparrow

Talia Veldtman 51

Who am I?

By George Fogarty I am the river that flows round the stone, I am the tree that stands all alone, I am the first star that appears in the west, I am the voice in your head when you rest, I am the window that’s bright in the dark, I am the fire that’s lit by a spark, I am the hill that has been here for years, I am the graves that are watered by tears, I am the mountain that reaches the sky, So I ask you to tell me; who am I? I am the rock that dams up the stream, I am the tree that is felled by machines, I am the dark clouds that cover the sky, I am the whisper that tells you to die, I am the house that is empty and dark, I am the cold wind that snuffs out the spark, I am the hill that has crumbled with years, I am the lives that were lost through fears, I am the steep cliff that blocks out the sky, So I ask you to tell me, who am I? I am the river that wears through the stone, I am the tree that has since then grown, I am the star that is glimpsed through the clouds, I am the voice that keeps you in the now, I am the pilot light in the dark room, I am the second match to make the flame bloom, I am the landscape surrounding the hill, I am the dead that are remembered still, I am the view from on that cliff high, So I ask you to tell me, who am I? Image: Hannah Stone

Image: Adam Carmona

3 RD Y E A R A RT - H O M AG E S TO S C I E N TI F I C WO R L D C H A N GERS

Danielle Yu - Jeanette Epps

Paramita Shen - Richard P. Feynman

Mina Darwin - Charles Darwin

Isabel Sampson - Mae. C Jemison

Sophia Mabbutt - Rosalind Franklin

Sophie Hayes - Joy Adamson 53

The art to your heart?

Sabrina Mak Visual Editor and A Level Art pupil, reviews unique, contemporary art and explores its feeling of freshness and diversity

rt Basel and Art Central are undoubtedly the biggest annual art events in Hong Kong. Luckily enough, I had the chance to explore the two exquisite exhibitions over two years. With over 100 pieces of contemporary artwork from galleries around the world, Art Basel and Art Central feature the most unique yet alluring pieces of art from emerging and popular artists.

My first impressions of Art Basel were abstract and ultramodern. The range of artworks included paintings, sculptures, photography and even performance art. What I found fascinating about every piece was how creative and different it was. Particularly, I really liked ‘God Speed for a Great Astronaut’ by Glenn Brown. With elements of an alien like figure, Brown cleverly still maintains the features of a human, where she uses oil paint to create the pool of blended colours, illustrating the intense aesthetic of colours. Additionally, they also presented surrealist painters such as René Magritte. His piece, ‘Les Profondeurs du Plaisir’, was one of the more popular pieces in the exhibition. Not only does it emphasise female beauty, it also displays a slight juxtaposition of it as the subject is an old lady, contrasting the stereotypical idea of youthful glamour. Overall, Art Basel is the perfect gallery for individuals who prefer abstract and imaginative art, as well as art that illustrates the sense of futurism and modernity. On the other hand, Art Central gives off a very European and 54

traditional vibe. The majority of compositions were figurative and realistic, as most of the artworks were portraitures of people. However, each portrait piece was produced by different materials, for example silk, paint, chalk and even lego. My favourite piece from the collection was the portrait by Korean artist Han Young Wook of a middle aged woman: the enlarged image depicted every detail of her features, from the texture of her smooth hair to the slight wrinkles on her forehead. It also amazes me the fact that his work is not a snapshot, as he captures all possible detail, creating the equivalent to a high quality photograph. In addition, Damien Hirst’s iconic skull piece was another favourite of mine from the exhibition. Although not very noticeable, the teeth of the skull are bedazzled with diamond dust, something that I have not seen being created in the art industry before. It also portrays the philosophical meaning of “Vanitas”, implying that all living things come to an end, which can be seen by the symbol of death. Even though both art exhibitions presented beauteous and jaw dropping compositions, Art Central was still my preferred gallery, as the pieces fit in with the way I see art, particularly with the definite and lifelike paintings. Art Central has a better range of European art influences, such as Classical and Renaissance styles, with similarities of subject matter such as ‘The Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Scream’. Nonetheless, I also liked some of the more contemporary and abstract pieces from Art Basel, including abstract expressionist inspirations from Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, as it give s an atmosphere of freshness and simplicity missing from your stereotypical art galleries. These exhibitions were also extremely useful from my viewpoint, as it allowed me to recognise a wider range of present-day artists, which comes in handy being an art student. So, if you ever have the opportunity to visit Hong Kong, make sure that you do come along to these two amazing exhibitions – trust me, it is worth more than the price of a plane ticket and a twelve hour journey.

Glenn Brown - God Speed for a Great Astronaut

Han Young Wook

Djordje Ozbolt - Moon Dance

Han Young Wook 55

Photograph: Wayne Huang

Cat Among the Pigeons 2019

Articles inside

by Eleanor Norman

by George Fogarty

by Tom Boyd

by Zara Russell and Grace Gair

by Megan Denton

by Sabrina Mak

by Maisie Greener

by Kirsty Dickson

by Flora Hannay

by Electa Yeung

by Sanjana Idnani and India Barton

by Sabrina Mak

by Shreya Ganesh Kumar

by Georgia Bennett

by Lottie McDonald

by Cauis Ramsden-Board

THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY

by Mathilda O’Malley

by Jason Charters

by Caitlin Mear

by Shreya Ganesh Kumar

by Lottie McDonald