SCAN Winter 2019 by The Connector

SCAD ATLANTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STUDENT MAGAZINE WINTER 2019 | VOL. 11 NO. 1

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SCAD ATLANTA’S STUDENT MAGAZINE WINTER 2019 | VOL. 11 NO. 1

COVER DESIGN BY ROSA SUNG COVER DESIGN BY FLORA JUNG

SCAD ATLANTA’S STUDENT MAGAZINE WINTER 2019 | VOL. 11 NO. 1

Real ‘Fake’ Food | 5 Vegan-friendly restaurants that will change the way you think about plant-based diets Student Showcases | 8 Mind-blowing works by Savana Ogburn and Maria Tamayo

COVER DESIGN BY RANDI YEMIN SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019

The Dark Behind Disney | 12 The deadly stories that spawned classic children’s animations

Mental Health is Not Fake | 16 Exploring the stigma surrounding mental illness

Alternate Personas | 14 Identity acceptance through artistic transformation

Sci-Fi or Science? | 19 Is time travel possible, or has Hollywood been lying to us?

Outlandish Laws of the United States | 20 State laws that are so absurd, they sound fake Lying to Myself | 22 A personal struggle with mental illness and masking the pain

Dreams of Electric Sheep | 24 A fashionable and postapocalyptic mannequin mess

Comics Corner | 34 Fictional muses based on SCAD Atlanta majors

Imitation vs. Inspiration | 30 Protect your art from imitation and know where to draw the line when finding inspiration

Corpses Discovered in Scented Candle Store | 36 A satirical news piece too ridiculous to believe

SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

REAL ‘FAKE’

FOOD WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MACKENZIE LACHEY

Vegan food gets a bad rap. It’s often touted for being flat out fake food. Because vegans don’t eat meat or dairy products, these foods are often substituted with vegan alternatives like soy cheese, almond milk or imitation meat. However, the vegan diet is also quite varied with many options. The only requirement in a vegan diet is that there is no meat, dairy or other animal byproducts. So if you’re thinking of going vegan, whether for health reasons, animal rights or environmental issues, don’t think you’ll be stuck eating vegetables day in and day out. There are plenty of indulgent vegan options out there, cake included! Whether you’re vegan, vegan-curious or just looking to add more plants to your diet, these vegan-friendly Atlanta restaurants will have all your non-vegan friends questioning their omnivorous habits.

R. THOMAS R. Thomas has an eclectic vibe complete with beaded curtains, lanterns, string lights and an array of exotic birds to greet you at the entrance. With its 24-hour service, all-day breakfast menu and close proximity to campus, it will quickly become an all-nighters’ favorite joint — vegan or not. With an extensive menu of vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous options, it’s a great place for mixed company to enjoy a meal together — no matter their dietary needs. The Thai Express, loaded with vegetables and quinoa, has all the healthy feels of a salad. Say goodbye to greasy pad thai. The rotating vegan cake selection will have you coming back to try the latest dairy-free masterpiece.

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN As True Food Kitchen’s name suggests, this establishment prides itself on serving “real” food. The atmosphere is open and fresh, with lots of plants and green decor. The restaurant’s transparent vibe even carries through into its open kitchen that allows diners to see their food being prepared. The menu makes it very clear what options are vegetarian, vegan or gluten free. The butternut squash pizza is one of True Food Kitchen’s vegan options. With its almond ricotta cheese, dried cranberries and caramelized onions, the flavor combination rivals any artisan pizza.

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CAFÉ SUNFLOWER Café Sunflower may sound like a hippie, tree-hugging granola establishment, yet the vibe is anything but. The inside is swanky, with a warm and inviting speakeasy ambiance. With the only completely vegan menu of the three restaurants, diners can be assured that whatever they order will contain no meat or dairy. The menu also specifies dishes that are gluten free, soy free and nut free. Café Sunflower serves the Impossible Burger, perhaps the king of imitation meat. The Impossible Burger has become famous for its realistic taste and texture that has the ability to fool even the most devout meat lovers. I was skeptical, but the texture mimicked a beef burger so well that I would have thought I was eating meat if I didn’t know better. With a side of fries, this meal felt anything but plant-based. To end the meal there are a variety of vegan desserts, ranging from coconut cream pie to chocolate cake. The pumpkin pie left nothing wanting. Let’s just say no one will be mourning the lack of dairy or meat here.

SHOWCASE

SAVANA OGBURN PHOTOGRAPHY INTERVIEWED BY ALEXUS GRAHAM PORTRAIT BY KENEDEE HODGES

HOW DID YOUR STYLE EVOLVE TO WHAT IT IS NOW?

Most of the time, I start with an idea for a character or a set piece, and it snowballs from there. I’ve always had an attraction to craft and handmade work, so I think that eventually crept into my process. I also like to try new things frequently so I don’t get bored — that’s why I started doing bigger sets and painting on photos. WHAT ARE THE THEMES THAT YOU EXPLORE IN YOUR WORK, AND WHY THEY IMPORTANT TO YOU?

I explore queerness and surrealism frequently via characters, sets, etc. Both come very naturally to me — I’m queer, so it only makes sense for my work to reflect that. WHY ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING YOUR OWN SETS?

I love crafting and getting my hands dirty — I was in Girl Scouts when I was younger and did a ton of crafting there, as well as in some of my elementary school classes. That got me excited about physically building things. HOW DO YOU FEEL COLLAGING ELEVATES YOUR WORK?

It gives me the ability to place a subject in any world I can dream up. Initially, I started collaging because it was less intimidating than set design. Now, I think of my sets as an extension of the collage process. SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?

Artistically, I love Pierre et Gilles and Tim Walker. In life, I’m inspired by my queer friends and family. WHAT ARE YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS THUS FAR?

I loved shooting Sasha Velour for Wussy Mag. I also love the “Eve” series I collaborated on earlier this year with my friend Iv Fischer — she conceptualized the shoot, I built the set (with the help of my mom), photographed and hand-painted the final images. We had an all-queer team which was really beautiful. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS TRYING TO GET THEIR WORK OUT THERE, EITHER ONLINE, IN PRINT OR GALLERIES?

I’d say follow publications you’re interested in on social media, and try to find a submission email address and start sending your work over — obviously start with attainable goals.

My work in print and galleries has just happened through building relationships with editors and curators, so network and make friends with people whose work you admire. Social media is great for this! Don’t be a creep, though.

MARIA TAMAYO ADVERTISING

INTERVIEWED BY JEANIE LO PORTRAIT BY MARIAN HILL AND ANYA HABER WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE ADVERTISING?

Problem-solving. For me, advertising is an extraordinary way to connect with people. We are always trying to communicate a message in the most charming way there is. I strive for content that can arouse emotions in people, and advertising is an excellent platform for that — and hopefully, it will pay the bills. DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC.

I’m a bit obsessed with biology, so I will always incorporate plants, animals or anatomy. I love pastels and minimalism, and I always try to make things that are visually appealing and tell a story. I incorporate small hidden details so that people can discover them along the way. I constantly try to inspire. DOES YOUR HERITAGE INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

Absolutely. It influences my work in every possible way. I believe where we come from determines so many things, including our character. It reflects everything we are and do. My culture (Columbian) is one filled with love, kindness, warmth and perseverance. I try to incorporate this into my work ethic and my designs.

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HOW DO YOU ADAPT OR CHANGE YOUR STYLE TO FIT NEW PROJECTS?

I believe in advertising, your personal style should be left behind when you are working for a client. There will be a million times where you are working with a brand whose visual aesthetic you don’t necessarily love, but you need to learn that’s part of the job. That’s why you should always have personal projects on the side — to liberate your need to express yourself freely — but then be able to go back to what the client needs. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?

I don’t think I have a “greatest achievement” that overcomes the rest. For me, every season is an opportunity to push my limits further, and I try to make every chance count. Every new project is a platform to create something that makes me proud — and if it does not feel like an achievement, it’s not done yet.

CULTURE

The Dark Behind Disney

WRITTEN BY MIKAEL TRENCH ILLUSTRATED BY HENGGUANG LI

From “Cinderella” (1950) to “Frozen” (2013), there’s a good chance your favorite films from Walt Disney Animation Studios are based on existing source material. What’s interesting about these adaptations is that many of the fairy tales modified by Disney began as gothic tales meant to present various cautionary messages told in ways just as fascinating than the animated classics. Sadly, most people are unaware of the original tales. It’s time that we explore three of these stories and try to understand what the drive was to sanitize them.

much better when the Talking Cricket shows up. After trying to knock some sense into Pinocchio’s head, the cricket is smashed with a hammer by the puppet — simply for being annoying. Pinocchio is later spotted by Fox and Cat, a pair of villainous characters who attempt to murder the puppet for some money. The two stab him numerous times with little effect. The pair then tie Pinocchio up to a nearby tree. For a grueling number of days, the puppet dangles in the air — every gust of wind tightening the noose around Pinocchio’s neck until his death.

“PINOCCHIO” (1883)

In the second half, Pinocchio, after being resurrected by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair, discovers that Geppetto has been devoured by The Terrible Dogfish, a sea monster, and has been living in its stomach for the last two years. The two eventually escape, but Pinocchio’s journeys are far from over. After some more adventures including Pinocchio nearly being devoured by a fisherman and being used as a watchdog by a distraught farmer, he is invited to a carefree island where boys can enjoy themselves without consequences.

The character of Pinocchio began as a mean-spirited lad after he was transformed into an animated puppet. Things begin with various altercations between Pinocchio and Mister Geppetto, the old woodcarver who created the puppet, resulting in the latter being thrown into jail briefly for child abuse. Things don’t get

It is a trick, however, as the boys are transformed into donkeys and sold. Pinocchio is sold to a circus that violently tortures him for some time until he is transformed back into a puppet by the Fairy. By the end, Pinocchio’s arc is completed as he returns home to take care of a sick Geppetto. Eventually, the Fairy transforms him into a real boy, leaving his puppet form behind.

While the classic Disney film told a tale of the moral responsibilities children must learn to gain humanity, it ultimately chose to focus on the brighter side of it all. The original 1883 book by Carlo Collodi, however, emphasizes the negative consequences far more.

“THE LITTLE MERMAID” (1837)

The most well-known adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale came as the 1989 musical film, “The Little Mermaid.” Whereas Disney told a traditional hero’s journey, Andersen intended to infuse a far more tragic message into it all. After getting a chance to look up at the surface world for the first time, The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince from afar when she spots him on a ship. She then saves him after a violent storm hits, with the prince not knowing who saved him. Her drive to see the prince again brings her to the Sea Witch, who gives her a potion that will give her legs in return for her voice on the condition that she will die if she fails to win his heart.

The story begins as Quasimodo is crowned the ugliest person in all of Paris, leading to his torture. Meanwhile, Claude Frollo and Pierre Gringoire fall in love with the dancer, Esmeralda. The latter is saved by her after a murder attempt by thieves as she agrees to marry him out of pity for the next four years, though she does not allow him to touch her. Later on, Esmeralda helps a dehydrated Quasimodo who becomes attracted to her. She is instead infatuated with Captain Phoebus — and when Frollo discovers this, he becomes enraged and eventually murders him. This leads to her suffering public humiliation at the hands of Frollo, but is saved by Quasimodo who claims sanctuary for her in Notre-Dame de Paris. After some time, she is ordered to be thrown out of the cathedral. She is given the option to either love Frollo or be hung, choosing the latter. Upon discovering this, Quasimodo murders Frollo and finds Esmerelda’s corpse. He proceeds to starve to death alongside her, with his bones withering to ash years later.

the feeling of her legs growing Are like two knives sticking through her body, Resulting in every step to come with Excruciating pain.

The feeling of her legs growing are like two knives sticking through her body, resulting in every step to come with excruciating pain. She eventually becomes close to the prince thanks to her beauty and grace, despite being mute. Despite her efforts and suffering for the prince, he becomes infatuated with a young woman from a nearby temple — who he believes rescued him from drowning. The mermaid’s heart breaks and she awaits her fate. However, she is soon informed that if she kills the prince and allows his blood to drip on her feet, the Sea Witch will allow her to return home. She cannot bring herself to do so and therefore her soul rises to heaven, a fate she has earned due to her selflessness. “THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME” (1831)

Disney’s 1996 adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1831 gothic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” has had audiences split down the middle — even to this day. Hugo’s rich commentary on classic architecture and the corruption within the cathedral walls would be a challenge for anyone to adapt, let alone Disney.

So why go to such lengths to adapt these stories if it will result in altering the source material so heavily? At the end of the day, it all comes down to the essence of an adaptation — to create a version of a story that can be used to introduce an unfamiliar audience to the source material while providing a new spin on the tale. Creating a large-budget feature is risky, so trying to figure out what parts will translate cinematically is a tricky balancing act. Yet at the same time, it makes for an immersive challenge for artists. To take something original and change elements comes with challenges, but also has its rewards in giving the adaptation its own unique identity. Whether Disney Animation Studios has been successful at doing so is up for debate, but for a company that is nearly 100 years old and almost 60 films into the game, they must be doing something right.

PHOTO ESSAY

alternate peRsonas WRITTEN, PHOTOGRAPHED AND MAKEUP BY TYLER JUDSON

Self-portraits are my way of escape. The ability to turn myself into anything I want makes me feel confident — something I never feel when walking around in normal life. Whether the new face I create is of this world or beyond, beautiful or ugly, masculine or feminine, I’m able to transform my reality into something entirely different. With each look, I’m able to create a character and let myself feel the fantasy of the mask that I have full control over. When I started photographing my self-portraits, I was concerned about what others would think. Growing up in a small town, my neighbors believed it was weird to spend hours on a few pictures. They thought the way I painted my face was disgusting — because in their words, “Boys shouldn’t wear makeup.” As I took more photos, I felt my skill and confidence rising. I was excited to share

what I created — craving the love, questions, comments and backlash that came with each concept. On social media, I enjoy making people stop and stare curiously at the picture in front of them, instead of scrolling past it mindlessly like everything else. I want to give my presence on social media a purpose. This way, I test my creative limits, take inspiration from other artists of all mediums and apply it to my work. Being able to put on these masks not only helps me see life through new eyes, but also makes me love myself more. I learned to love every part of my body and gained new confidence in myself. The ability to create an entirely new persona with the stroke of a brush and immortalize it in a photo is one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. And, while afterward, the character may fade down the drain, the feeling of accomplishment it leaves behind never will.

CULTURE

Mental Health is NOT Fake

WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY ANYA HABER

Roughly 90 percent of people with mental health problems have felt discriminated against by stigma, according to the Mental Health Foundation. Living with mental illness is hard enough. What’s even harder is to do so while having to defend the very existence of a disease you wish you never had. There’s no denying that mental illness is shrouded in stigma, both social and perceived. Social stigma comes from society, whereas perceived stigma comes from within. Perceived stigma can have an immensely devastating effect on individuals with mental illness. The shame of being labeled causes people to forgo treatment and pretend the problem doesn’t exist. Although societal attitudes toward mental illness are improving, social stigma is still a potent force and is often masked as something else. Films and TV shows tend to exacerbate

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symptoms of mentally-ill characters for dramatic effect, causing the public to be bombarded with messages that the mentally ill are dangerous. According to Psychology Today, “An analysis of English-language movies released between 1990-2010 that depicted at least one character with schizophrenia, found that most schizophrenic characters displayed violent behavior, one-third of these violent characters engaged in homicidal behavior and a quarter committed suicide.” You could be promoting social stigma without even realizing it. A popular and insulting way to subtly shame mental illness is to treat it as a common emotion that can quickly come and go. Using clinical illnesses as adjectives to describe feelings is a form of social stigma. When you’re feeling sad, don’t tell people you’re depressed. If you are a perfectionist, don’t say you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Conversely, if someone diagnosed with OCD talks

about their illness, don’t respond saying you have it too. It diminishes the disease and the individual paying professionals and taking medication to keep their disorder at bay. Another way to banish the stigma of mental illness is to view its symptoms and course of treatment the same as any physical ailment, like breaking your arm. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) encourages people to think of mental illness as equal to physical illness to fight stigma. According to the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on mental health, “Mental illnesses are just as real as other illnesses, and they are like other illnesses in most ways. Yet fear and stigma persist, resulting in lost opportunities for individuals to seek treatment and improve or recover.” To better understand the different severities of mental illness, they can be separated into three distinct categories: severe mental illness (SMI), any mental illness (AMI) and maintenance. SMI is a subset of AMI, which includes all mental illnesses. SMI is akin to any genetic illness. This is a chronic illness you’re born with and will have for the rest of your life, though it can have a minimal negative impact on the right treatment plan. There’s a high chance it runs in your family and you may experience severe symptoms starting at a young age. AMI is something you can develop during certain stressful times throughout your life, such as unemployment or giving birth. Like cancer, people who fall into this category have a genetic predisposition for mental illness — but it is typically not a daily struggle like SMI is. There are remission periods that can last decades. AMI is relatively common — the National Institute of Mental Health reported that in 2016, 18.3 percent of

American adults suffered from AMI, whereas SMI accounted for only 4.2 percent. The last category is the least serious of the three, but should still be cared for on a daily basis. Rather, it’s periods of low mood levels caused or worsened by your daily activities. Healthy ways to regulate your mood include sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, exercise, meditation and dividing your time between work, social events and downtime in an even and balanced manner. Accepting that there are different levels of severity is essential to properly understand the complexity of mental health ailments. The best way, in my opion, to destigmatize mental illness is to be open about it. Talk to people. Talk to your family. If you suspect you have a mental illness, chances are one of your relatives has one as well. Genetics and biology have a substantial impact on your likelihood of developing a mental illness, according to the article “Genetic bases of mental illness — a cure for stigma?” published by Trends in NeuroSciences in 2002. Not only can your family provide support, but if anyone has been treated for mental illness, you can ask what medications worked for them — potentially bypassing the months of trial-and-error most patients go through before finding the right medication and dosage. Mental illness is a severe sickness and should be treated as such. Though stigma may never become a distant memory of the past, each one of us has a responsibility to dispel the subtle yet negative stereotypes that pervade our culture every day. Speak up when you see it happening. Educate those spreading the stigma. Mental illness is not a choice, but ignorance is.

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Want to get involved? Join us Fridays at 11 a.m. in the Spring House Computer Lab. SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019

CULTURE

SCI-fi or Science? WRITTEN BY MASHA ZHDANOVA ILLUSTRATED BY ADAM COE

“People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it’s more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey ... stuff,” said the Tenth Doctor in the 2007 “Doctor Who” episode “Blink.” The long-running science fiction TV series is about an alien called The Doctor who travels through time and space using a machine called the TARDIS. However, how does real research into time travel compare to the “ball of timey-wimey stuff ?” Brian Cox, physics professor at the University of Manchester and presenter of the “Science of Doctor Who” miniseries on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), explained that time travel into the future is possible with time dilation. According to Cox, if a person leaves the Earth traveling at nearly the speed of light for five years, then turns around and goes back, 29 years would’ve passed for people on Earth — meanwhile, only 10 years would’ve passed for the traveler. So, it’s possible to travel forward in time. What about going backwards? In 1974, American physicist Frank Tipler published a paper on rotating cylinders. The paper explained that if an infinitely long and massive cylinder spun along its longitudinal axis, a spaceship accelerating along it could travel backwards in time. This is called a Tipler cylinder, and has since been referenced in a variety of science fiction and fantasy media — such as the Japanese franchise “Steins;Gate” and the “Discworld” series by Terry Pratchett.

A traversable wormhole is a theoretical hole in space and time that would allow for extremely fast travel from one part of the universe to another — which both scientists and science fiction writers agree on as a possible time travel mechanism. In 1988, researchers Michael Morris, Kip Thorne and Ulvi Yurtsever worked out a way to turn a wormhole traversing space into a wormhole traversing time by accelerating one of its openings. Traversable wormholes have yet to be discovered in the real world, but are popular in science fiction, making prominent appearances in series like “Stargate SG-1,” “Star Trek,” “Doctor Who” and even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So far, no scientific experiments have successfully demonstrated something traveling to the past. The lack of known time travelers from the future in our present time doesn’t necessarily mean time travel will not be invented. Carl Sagan, an American astronomer, suggested the possibility that time travelers are here among us, but disguising their existence. Some scientists are optimistic. Theoretical physicist Ronald Mallett maintains that a time machine will be built by the end of the 21st century, and is currently working on a laser tunnel that can transport messages through time. For now, backwards time travel is in the domain of fiction, but who knows what scientists will come up with in the future.

INFOGRAPHIC

SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019

WRITTEN BY CAITLIN HAVENS ILLUSTRATED BY HELEN CHOI

Lying to Myself

PERSONAL ESSAY

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I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when I was 13 years old. My mom knew she needed to take me to a doctor when we were in the car on our way to a birthday party. It was only a few turns away from where the party would be held when I said I didn’t want to go anymore. After she made the U-turn, we argued all the way back home. I cried, and she did too — but not until she was in bed with the covers over her head and the fan blowing on her back. I only knew she was crying because I snuck into her room that night to take ibuprofen. The pounding of my head and the burning of my tears was a pain I wanted to become numb to. So, in my bed and under the covers, I numbed the pain until it came back the next morning. The doctor’s waiting room smelled like rubber and disinfectant. Each person there was nice to me. Each person there asked how I was doing. Each person was lied to that day. In the examination room, I looked to my feet dangling off the table. The paper crumpled beneath my movements, and the plastic tugged at my sweaty skin. In the corner of the room, Mom sat in a metal chair. She stared at her feet, ignoring my silent pleas. In my head, I imagined telling her nothing was wrong with me and that everything would be OK. That was the day I put my walls up — and it wasn’t to shield myself from the world, but to shield the world from me. The first time I took my medicine, the blue capsule laid in my hand. “Be quick, or it will melt,” my mom said when I hesitated. It was common — the hesitation — because taking pills was disgusting. Mom crushed them up and put the powder in peanut butter. Those days I felt my lowest — when I wasn’t strong enough to swallow powder. Eventually, the pills began to create a barrier — a mask. They taught me to cover myself

up and to not acknowledge my feelings, but to numb me from them. At that point, I wasn’t even sure they were considered feelings anymore. And when I held the dull blade of a knife to my skin, fear and sadness were distant. I never dug the blade into my skin, but only imagined what it might feel like.

So, I walked the halls of school, said hello to everyone I knew and answered their empty “how are you’s” with an even emptier reply. Exclaiming, “I’m good,” down the grimy halls of a public high school was already an indication that I was in fact, lying.

One day in Spanish class, I had a panic attack. “You don’t look good, Caitlin,” said Mrs. Patrillou. “Are you OK?” That’s when she took me out of the room and told me to focus on my breathing. She handed me a plastic cup of water, and I wondered how and when she got it. My aunt, who also worked at the school, stood

The alcohol on his breath seeped into my skin and reminded me to never speak my mind again. “You’re being dramatic, don’t be so sensitive, just don’t be sad.” These were the comments I heard every time I tried to talk to someone. I felt like my feelings weren’t important. Like I wasn’t important. I convinced myself no one cared — that I was dramatic, sensitive and had no right to feel. The only solution was to cover them up. So, my mask gained another layer of thick. It made it easy to forget who I was. That trait followed me to college. Except I began lying to myself too. The lies weren’t intentional, just habit. But I know they don’t care either. In the morning, in the mirror and into my eyes, I lie to my face. The reflection is someone I’ve forgotten, a stranger — but seldom is she familiar. My feelings are muted, numbed. Some days, I feel hollow. It’s like you could break through my skin and the muscle, veins and blood would be gone. I’m empty, with nothing to show, tell or even be.

by my side within minutes. Her hand slung around me, holding me into her body. Here, my mask begins to thicken. At home, I never felt comfortable sharing my feelings. It always resulted in anger from my parents, slamming doors and words screamed by my father.

At night, when I lay in bed listening to the silence, staring at the ceiling, it hits me. Everything comes at once — the questioning, the silence, the doubt and everything in-between. The pounding of my head and heart mimic the sound of a ticking clock. When I look over at the face and the hands, an hour will have passed but my mind will be in the same place. At night, I shower to cleanse myself of the thick layers of lies. In the mirror, I wipe the steam from the glass, revealing a blurry version of myself. More layers peel off, piece-by-piece, falling into the sink and clogging the drain. But I know in the morning, the pores of my skin will be clogged once again and I will lie when I look at my reflection and into my eyes.

FASHION

Dreams of Electric Sheep

Photographer: Selina LeMoon Chief Visionary Officer: Anya Haber Creative Director: Mackenzie Lachey Stylist: Katherine Diaz Villegas Models: Sarah Templeton and Vanessa Guvele Designs: Adam Wen, Aysegul Ikna, Sehee Park, Shruti Sudha and Yang Fu Hair: Charmaine Greene Makeup: Charmaine Greene and Tiffanie Mcallister Digital Technician: Nathon Ruehl

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< Left Model: Sarah Templeton Design: Yang Fu > Right Model: Vanessa Guvele Design: Sehee Park

< Left Model: Vanessa Guvele Design: Shruti Sudha > Right (Top) Model: Vanessa Guvele Design: Adam Wen > Right (Bottom) Model: Sarah Templeton Design: Aysegul Ikna

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< Left Models: Sarah Templeton Vanessa Guvele Design: Adam Wen Sehee Park > Right Model: Vanessa Guvele Design: Yang Fu

FEATURE

WRITTEN BY KATHERINE DIAZ VILLEGAS ILLUSTRATED BY JENNIFER OBER

In the art of creation, we tend to look toward anything and everything for inspiration. Whether it be personal, art, literature, film or history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sources are never-ending. When it comes to inspiration, there are boundaries of using and creating from it. How much can be directly influenced until it crosses the line? When does inspiration go so far that it becomes imitation?

Philosophers have argued that there is no true invention — that all art is governed by the principle of mimesis. The theory, espoused by Plato and then Aristotle, proposed that all creativity derives from nature and that art imitates life. In the article “Aristotle” for Grove Art Online, Martha C. Nussbaum writes, “The ubiquitous human interest in mimesis is held to stem from an interest in learning and recognizing.” People use mimesis to learn and expand their creative abilities. Yet, this belief argues that there is no originality in creativity, as everyone creates from inspiration. “I don’t think there’s anything we can call original. Originality is a term that’s not applied to the human mind or our actions,” said Rocío Choi, a second-year fashion student. “Everything we do comes from something we learned or were influenced by — consciously or unconsciously.” Kula Pang, a fourth-year fashion student said, “The very nature of getting inspiration is unoriginal because being inspired by something means referencing something else. Being original is about knowing how to apply a new point of view or idea that the designer selects.”

To better learn how to illustrate, my professor assigned us the task to copy a significant work of art — stroke by stroke. Initially, I felt the technique was like cheating. I was intruding on an artist’s delicate and personal process that took them decades to develop. However, through doing so I understood the techniques better than when I sat drawing figures for hours on end. The process of learning art begins from imitation. Contemporary artists Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein commercialized the concept of pushing boundaries of transformative use in art. They all took preexisting subjects and placed them in exhibitions or altered them in a manner which created mixed but strong reactions in audiences and critics alike.

I don’t think there’s anything we can call original.

Warhol was one of the first who initiated the use of appropriation in pop art. The Museum of Modern Art states, “Andy Warhol famously appropriated familiar images from consumer culture and mass media, among them celebrity and tabloid news photographs, comic strips and ... the widely consumed canned soup made by the Campbell’s Soup Company.” Lichtenstein was also an expert on transformative use in pop art, most famously known for “Drowning Girl” (1963), where Lichtenstein appropriated a DC comic book cover.

Koons particularly has walked the fine line of copying others’ work a bit too closely. His sculpture, “Fait d’hiver” (1988), was found guilty of copyright infringement by France’s legal system. Koons was sued by Franck Davidovici who created “Fait d’hiver” (1985), a black-andwhite photograph advertisement for the French clothing brand Naf Naf. In an article for The New York Times, Alex Marshall wrote, “The court dismissed the defendants’ arguments against the claim, which, according to the judgment, included that Mr. Koons should have freedom of artistic expression, that the work should count as a parody and that Mr. Davidovici did not make a complaint for almost 30 years while the artwork was shown worldwide.” Nonetheless, the demise of Koon’s “Fait d’hiver” — and for many artists who use appropriation — was the sculpture’s commercial and for-profit use. According to the U. S. Copyright Office and Library of Congress, “Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed.” Original works are protected without registration with the U.S. Copyright Office from the moment they are created, as long as there’s valid evidence of its’ originality. If you do register original works, they are protected through the duration of your lifespan and between 50 and 150 years after, depending on the medium and if an individual or corporation created the work. After that, it’s part of the public domain and free for anyone to use. In terms of literary works, copyright is stricter when compared to art and protects all work expressed in writing — even computer software. U. S. Copyright Office states, “Under U.S. law, the author of a literary work is automatically the owner of the copyright in the work.” More commonly, you’ll hear plagiarism when referring to literary works. Journalism is heavily weary of this as repercussions include loss of credibility and job termination. Many contemporary artists have successfully evaded legal action from the creators of their inspirations due to their fame and financial resources. Lesser known artists don’t have the funds to create a proper defense. Nicholas Kulish explored an unusual case of plagiarism for The New York Times. Seventeen-year-old Helene Hegeman published a book which garnered much praise until it was discovered that Hegemann copied text from a lesser-known writer. Kulish wrote, “Although Ms. Hegemann has apologized for not being more open about her sources, she has also defended herself as the representative of a different generation, one that freely mixes and matches from the whirring flood of information across new and old media, to create something new.” Little to no repercussion occurred, due to her immense talent as a writer and how she reasoned her deliberate choices.

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A common misconception surrounds a certain percentage that laws abide by when ruling cases on copyright infringement or fair use. There is no percentage of alteration the creator must meet to satisfy using others’ works as their own. Laws differ state-by-state and case outcomes vary — outside of the U.S., copyright laws differ significantly as well. In an article for Stanford University Libraries Copyright and Fair Use, Mary Minow explored Kienitz v. Sconnie Nation, which questioned how much could be altered to pass as fair use — even when commercial profit is involved. Sconnie Nation, a Wisconsin-based apparel company, manufactured and sold T-shirts with the face of Paul R. Soglin, the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin. The original photographer, Michael Kienitz, accused Sconnie Nation of copyright infringement, yet the court decided in favor of Sconnie Nation. The court states, “Defendants removed so much of the original that, as with the Cheshire Cat, only the smile remains.” The fashion world differs when it comes to inspiration and imitation. Designers and creative directors rely on inspiration to create high demand for new collections, but that same inspiration could mean reforming a technique or silhouette, regardless of who originally made it famous. Fashion design is rarely protected by copyright because it’s viewed as functional designs that serve a physical purpose according to Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fashion Law

Institute. Prints and patterns are protected by copyright because they are regarded as two-dimensional art forms, so brands end up relying heavily on trademarks and trade dress protections. Social media has become the biggest hunting ground for designers and artists to have their work stolen from or appropriated. Fast-fashion giants Forever 21, Old Navy, H&M and Zara have caused controversies by copying smaller designers and creating knock-offs of high-end brands. In an

Social media has the power of providing you with a platform to showcase your talent — use it. article for Vox, Chavie Lieber explained, “Forever 21 has imitated everything from a phone case made by an LA indie brand to a popular feminist tee to Instagram-famous swimwear to a coat from a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist — and these are just examples from 2017.” I personally had the dilemma about whether I should publish my work on my website or

on social media. I feared my designs would be stolen. As students, everything we make is a result of days of creating and years of learning. We should feel proud of our work and happily share it with friends, family and the marvelous world of social media. Watermarks and signatures are great ways of ensuring your work is original and difficult to steal. Social media has the power of providing you with a platform to showcase your talent — use it. Instead of fearing imitation or appropriation, think of the thousands of recruiters from major companies that are scouring social media to find their next hire — your next post could land you your dream job. Imitation today is so common that it is hard to differentiate and track down originality, whereas inspiration is used freely with little to no reprimand or recognition. When you use someone else’s content on social media without permission, even if you tag them, you are infringing on their copyright. The best advice is to always gain permission from the original creator, to alter the work so much that it’s barely recognizable or the ironically less obvious route: don’t copy. Intention and purpose do serve a certain right but there are many factors to consider when approaching the topic of originality and creativity. Inspiration, whether used consciously or not, helps move creativity forward. However, always being respectful toward those who have created something that inspires you is key. Imitation is not always the greatest form of flattery.

COMICS CORNER

Comics Corner: Major Muses

CONNIE HERNANDEZ THIRD-YEAR, SEQUENTIAL ART “SEQUENTIAL ART MUSE”

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COCO GAO GRADUATE STUDENT, ILLUSTRATION “FASHION MUSE”

KAT ASH GRADUATE STUDENT, ILLUSTRATION “SCULPTURE MUSE”

ARIANA NORORIS FIRST-YEAR, ANIMATION “ANIMATION MUSE”

YOUNA KIM GRADUATE STUDENT, ILLUSTRATION “ILLUSTRATION MUSE”

SATIRE

Corpses Discovered in Scented Candle Store WRITTEN BY TYLER SPINOSA ILLUSTRATED BY KIRE TORRES

Ninety-seven decomposing corpses were discovered in the back room of the local Yankee Candle store this past Sunday, Jan. 6. The corpses were found during an audit when an employee was moving boxes and unearthed the small mountain of shrink-wrapped murder victims. Coroners determined the bodies had been there for as long as 18 months. Police are still investigating potential suspects. When asked about how this could have gone unnoticed for so long, sales associate Millard Whimpnutt said, “I’m shocked, but I’m not surprised. I also don’t care, and maybe that’s how this happened.” Longtime customer Katherine Gutsmith was shocked to hear the news. “I come here all the time,” she said. “I thought it was suspicious that there was always someone in a jumpsuit dragging bulky rugs in and out of the back room, but I never said anything.” Candle shipments come in at least five times a week, and the boxes are stored several feet high in the stockroom. “Sometimes it takes a while for us to get through everything,” said Michael Shortmantle, a longtime backroom employee. “Most of us have completely checked out mentally and really can’t be bothered to care, so there are boxes from last year still floating around back there. I thought I smelled something weird, but I just assumed it was a new seasonal fragrance.” The victims have been identified as missing people from the surrounding area. Hiring manager Duncan Meloncamp took

partial responsibility as he said, “Yeah, this is partly on me. I definitely saw that guy in the jumpsuit, but my self-esteem is way too low to assert myself with strangers.” It took emergency services over an hour to complete the cleanup. Families and onlookers watched in horror, as a seemingly endless string of dead people were rolled out the door on stretchers and onto a police flatbed for mass transportation. Investigators are checking other Yankee Candle stores within the tri-state area to see if they are also housing human remains. In the wake of this tragedy, Yankee Candle has begun to reconsider its hiring policies and infrastructure to try and remedy the fact that their businesses are such an optimal place for hiding the remains of murder victims. Regional sales manager George Harglin said, “No one saw this coming, but in retrospect, it makes a lot of sense. If I were going to hide that many bodies, our establishments would be a natural choice.”

SCAN MAGAZINE // SPRING 2018

SCAN MAGAZINE // WINTER 2019