Thursday march 3, 2016
The Daily Princetonian
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PAGES DESIGNED BY HARRISON BLACKMAN :: STREET EDITOR
ARTISTIC CRITICISM Visiting The Frick Collection’s Van Dyck exhibit
This week, Street Editor HARRISON BLACKMAN ventures off campus to review The Frick Collection’s new exhibit, “Van Dyck: The Anatomy of Portraiture,” an exploration of the portraits of Flemish master Anthony Van Dyck. In the process, he learns about the New York art critic scene, what it means to review a world-class museum and what on Earth a phrase like “The Anatomy of Portraiture” means.
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hen I found the invitation on my newsroom desk, I have to say I was kind of surprised. I mean, at ‘Street’ we occasionally receive promotions from dance companies in town or press clippings from the odd poet. But we don’t usually get invitations from major New York bastions of culture. When a world-class art museum gives you a golden ticket to see a sneak preview of their new exhibit, then your course of action is pretty clear: you must go. The museum was The Frick Collection in New York, the exhibit –“Van Dyck: The Anatomy of Portraiture.” And yes, both The Frick Collection and the Frick Chemistry Lab at Princeton are named after the same person: Henry Clay Frick, captain of industry and philanthropist of the Gilded Age. I visited The Frick Collection for a lot of reasons. The first and simplest was a desire to review the exhibit and fulfill the obligation conferred in receiving an invite from such an institution. But I had deeper questions – what was the New York art critic scene like? What information could I bring back that would be relevant to the Princeton community? Who exactly was Van Dyck? And what on earth does the “Anatomy of Portraiture” mean?
Combined with the eating club image, the message felt familiar. I signed in and walked into the atrium, a classical proposition that evokes the sense of what a 19th century shopping mall would look like, with steel and yellowed, opaque glass protecting the room from the elements. Upon reading about the Frick’s origins online, I learned that the building was originally Mr. Frick’s home. You have to be doing pretty well to live in a mansion on 5th Avenue.
at hand: I can’t leave out the fact that there were snacks, or at least one snack –of Flemish wafers, best described as a cross between a waffle and a cookie. So being a New York art critic is a quiet, formal affair with liberal photography policies. Its humble perks include the opportunity to sample Flemish baking.
A portrait of the exhibit a day before it opened The exhibit features the work of a man who Princeton stuWhat being an art critic is like dents can probably relate to –a I walked into the exhibit –and prodigy who also happened to pretty much uncharted territo- be a social climber. Born in Antry. I had never critiqued a major werp in 1599, Anthony Van Dyck museum’s exhibit before. Uncer- quickly established himself as a tain of the process of such an preeminent portrait artist at the endeavor, I started out small: by age of 20. By 1632, Van Dyck was looking at the paintings. I won- selected as the chief painter in dered if I was allowed to take pic- Charles I’s court, the last king of tures. Then I saw that someone England before the English Civil else was. So then I took pictures, War. Like so many great artists, and examined paintings, not- Van Dyck died young, at the age ing that the majority of major of 42, just before the English New York art critics were of a Civil War. In considering his rewiser age, so I stuck out like a gal position, this probably saved sore thumb. Most interestingly, him some misery. people didn’t talk to each other The Frick Collection’s exhibit all that much. The various jour- is described as “one of the most nalists sometimes chatted with comprehensive exhibits ever ora couple of their friends, but for ganized as a portraitist,” accordthe most part, there was no net- ing to one of the museum’s press working involved. releases. The exhibit is divided There was a tour led by the into two sections – the first, of exhibit curators, in which they Van Dyck’s drawings and studled a group of about 40 critics ies, and the second, his major into a 100-square foot hallway. portraits before and during his Welcome to The Frick Collec- Even a diplomat from Flanders involvement with the English tion was there, given Flanders’ con- Court. The decision to split the Upon entering, I noted how tributions to the exhibition of its two exhibits is architecturally the Frick’s entryway has the native artist, Van Dyck. I had no suited to the exhibit space, as same affected grandeur as our idea that a province of Belgium the paintings occupy the more very own eating clubs. There’s a could possess its own cultural grand galleries on the ground big wooden door, and columns, foreign policy. It’s like a state floor while the drawings adorn and a seal with an interlocking senator from California giving the walls of the basement gal“FC” logo. On the day I visited, out a thousand John Steinbeck leries. there was even a sign saying, novels to a school system in BraLike Princeton students in “Open to only invited guests.” zil. To return, then to the matter composing their academic essays, Van Dyck knew how to get things done q u ic k l y. Van Dyck’s draw ings are interesting in that very few of his studies of faces (drafts or informational practice pai nti ngs to inform larger canvasses) survive, and it’s because he was trying to meet HARRISON BLACKMAN::STREET EDITOR The Frick Collection’s interior atrium, left, and a self-portrait of Van Dyck, right. the demand of
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Anthony Van Dyck’s portrait of Charles I and his wife Maria. being the most popular portraitist of his time and had to turn around his work as fast possible. As a result, he didn’t paint too many drafts. As for Van Dyck’s completed portraits, I noticed a distinct difference between his more formal, regal portraits and more intimate, naturalized portraits HARRISON BLACKMAN::STREET EDITOR that reminded Van Dyck’s portrait of Margaret Lemon, his mistress. me of photographs from National Geographic. Of par- portraits of his friends makes ticular note is the dichotomy Van Dyck an interesting figbetween Van Dyck’s enchanting ure – one well suited for colportrait of his mistress, Marga- lege students used to analyzret Lemon, and the more dis- ing work and comparing it to tanced portrait of his wife, Mary other things. Van Dyck. Margaret Lemon’s “We are good at dissecting portrait has a “Mona Lisa” / “Girl images, thinking about the with a Pearl Earring” expression, ideology of images, and he’s while Lady Van Dyck holds up appealing for that reason,” a crucifix necklace to prove her Eaker said. “He’s also someone Catholicism. I took up Adam who thought across media in Eaker, one of the exhibit’s cura- a very modern way, so he’s not tors, on this. just thinking about the fin“It seems that Van Dyck ished painting but also how it had certain sitters for whom can be reproduced and distribhe had a real affinity, and in uted across print, and today’s those cases he could be looser artists are often not tied to and freer and maybe express a single movement anymore. himself a little bit more,” Eak- We’re in a moment that’s very er said. “When we are looking excited by moving across those at portraits of fellow artists, lines and blurring them.” friends, the women in his life, I suppose that Dyck’s varthose are often some of the ied and interdisciplinary apmost exciting portraits to a proach to portraiture constimodern eye because of that tutes its “anatomy.” As for The looseness and freedom that he Frick Collection, it’s definitely had.” worth your while if you have It’s not often in exhibits time to venture up from the you can see who the artist re- Orange Bubble. As for my first ally liked. The strong distinc- stint as an art critic – when in tion in style between the regal the company of art critics, do portraits for Charles I and his as the art critics do… keep to court and the more modern yourself.
The Daily Princetonian
Q&A
Thursday march 3, 2016
GEOSCIENCES PROFESSOR JORGE SARMIENTO Interviewed by
ANGELA WANG Staff Writer
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epartment of Geosciences professor Jorge Sarmiento is one of the leading oceanographers in the world and the lecturer for GEO 202: Ocean, Atmosphere and Climate. From March 14-15, a conference named “Modeling the Living Planet” honoring Sarmiento’s storied career and 70th birthday will be held in the Taylor Auditorium of Frick Chemistry Lab. Street Staff Writer Angela Wang sat down with Prof. Sarmiento to talk about his research, the symposium and his experience teaching GEO 202. Daily Princetonian: What research do you consider most important? Jorge L. Sarmiento: My biggest project is a combination of my career in many ways. It’s very difficult to measure the ocean because the water is opaque to most radiation, so you can’t measure properties in the water that goes down as deep as six kilometers and deeper without physically going there and collecting water samples of nutrients and measuring them. But in recent years, oceanographers solved the problem of going out to the ocean by instrumenting Autonomous Robotic Floats called ARGO f loats, which park at about a kilometer’s depth, [...] where the water motions are served at the minimal, so they try and keep them roughly where they put them in. Every ten days, they will send down to two kilometers, turn down a whole bunch of instruments to measure temperature, salinity and pressure, f loat all the way to the surface, pop out an antenna and send all their data by iridium. It’s then
available on the Internet almost instantaneously. The whole ARGO network began 10-15 years ago, and there are now about 4,000 of those f loats, all over the world. Meanwhile, we’ve done a lot of research in the Southern Ocean, the ocean that borderlines the Antarctic, in which we found that it’s massively important for global issues. It soaks up a quarter of the carbon that we are putting into the atmosphere. It also soaks up three quarters of the heat that we are putting into the ocean. The earth is warming up at a slowing rate because the water bodies are absorbing 98 percent of the heat, and about three quarters of that is taken up by the Southern Ocean. The water’s old and cold because the water comes from the deep water [mass] and comes up to the surface. This is where the deep water kind of empties out and fills in from the North Atlantic. If it is filling up, it must be emptying out. Where it’s emptying out is by moving upward and moving southward. About 80 percent of the emptying occurs, and the water is 1,000 years old or older. It’s very cold and very rich in nutrients. That’s why it’s so important in absorbing carbon dioxide and heat and feeding nutrients back into the ocean. We know very little about how this actually occurs, since we have little observation down there, due to the harsh conditions. But now we are putting f loats down there, and these f loats survive under the ice and we are getting all the nutrient cycling and everything down there for the first time. It’s really extraordinary. The f loats will stop five meters below the water surface if it
is freezing, and repeat and store up to two years of data in themselves. More often, they pop up every year and send us the data. It’s just amazing. I think this is the most exciting observation data I’ve ever been involved in. It’s a revolution taking place in the field, and I am extremely lucky to be the director of it. DP: Could you discuss the conference during spring break? JS: Well, I am not going to a conference. My group, unbeknownst to me, went out and made a plan for the celebration of my birthday. They raised funding, invited people and told me about it—before it was too late for me to intervene! It’s something very nice. A lot of postdocs and students I’ve had over the years are coming. Technically, it will be a conference because everybody will be giving a research presentation. There are four basic topics that are all related to research that I’ve done, and they all work in parallel.
almost 100 students signed up for it. I was f labbergasted. I dropped everything and had to rethink how to present the lecture to such a large group. I made some special effort to try and meet the students, because that’s what I enjoy being able to do with a small class. Everyday, I would have office hours for an hour and spend 10-15 minutes meeting with a student individually. Having 98 people is different from teaching a small class, so I switched it back to 9 a.m., and the number dropped back to 25-26. Then the department de-
cided to reorganize the curriculum, and made it a true 200 level course for science majors. Ever since then, it’s been a group of 20 or so students. The last two years, the majority of the class ended up majoring in geosciences. We put more math in and had plenty of problem sets already. All students are required to take the lab, which, in the past, hadn’t been the case. Students could take the A or the B option, with the lab or without the lab. It’s just great to see these students in the department now.
DP: Can you tell me about GEO 202 that you teach for undergraduates? JS: “Introduction to Oceanography” is a course that I’ve been teaching for the past couple of years. The course was started by our current department chair, Elizabeth Sword, who had taught it in the past. It’s had a funny history. It started off as a course for scientists and non-scientists -people could take labs or not. I had it early in the morning, at 9 a.m., and for several years it typically had 20 students or so. One year, I thought to try a different time and see if it had an impact on it, so I switched it to 11-12:20. All of a sudden,
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Q&A ‘1080P’ CO-FOUNDER NICK SEXTON ‘17 CATHERINE WANG Staff Writer
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visual journalism group named ‘1080p’ seeks to document campus life through short videos and photo essays, and is one of Princeton’s newest student organizations. Street sat down with Nick Sexton ‘17, one of the organization’s co-founders, to discuss the club’s background and goals. Daily Princetonian: What inspired you guys to create ‘1080p’? Nick Sexton ‘17: Our organization goes by “ten-eighty p,” which refers to HD video resolution. We, as an organization, focus on visual journalism – so that’s jour-
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nalism through the form of video and photo essays. We decided to form as a student group because we know that there’s a lot of organizations on campus that do journalism, like the ‘Prince’, the Nass and others. But we felt like most of them don’t have a very robust visual journalism section, and so we thought that, given the rise of things like New York Times’ video section and other outlets that put an emphasis on visual content, Princeton’s campus needs something similar. So that’s what we’re trying to add to Princeton’s campus: an organization that allows people who may not have prior training with video cameras and photography to use our equipment and partner with people in our organization who already have that experience. DP: Can you tell me more about some of ‘1080p’’s videos or photojournalism projects? NS: We were founded at the start of the fall semester, and had our official launch at the beginning of the spring semester. Throughout the fall semester, we were preparing content for our launch. Now we have about seven or eight videos that are up on the site, and one or two photo essays so far. They’re on a really diverse range of topics. We had a profile of 2 Dickinson Street [Co-op], which is an
alternative eating option for upperclassmen on campus. We did a profile of the audition process for dance groups, focusing specifically on BodyHype. We followed them through their pickups, and talked to someone who was previously denied from BodyHype and was subsequently let into the group. We did a profile of WPRB, which is the radio station on campus. We also did a profile on Revival Culture, which is a worship group on campus that meets in Campus Club’s basement. Our goal is to show people parts of Princeton that they might not have a chance to see. We want to provide a lens into different communities that will allow for more mutual understanding on different parts of campus. For example, my co-founder Will [Gansa ‘17] is helping spearhead a project now that is going to be an oral history and reflection on the Black Justice League (BJL) protests at Nassau Hall and the formation of the Princeton Open Campus Coalition. What he’s doing is to get an objective stance, he’s talking to someone from the University Press Club who covered the event, as well as people from the Princeton Open Campus Coalition and the BJL. He plans to present, as objectively as possible, [...] a retelling of the event. Our inspiration for wanting to make this specific project is that we felt that many people on both sides got a lot of misinformation about what was happening at Nassau Hall. DP: What challenges have you experienced while working on ‘1080p’? NS: Some of the specific challenges of doing video journalism
is that video takes longer to produce than say writing a news article for the ‘Prince.’ So I think that there’s a longer production time, so that is one specific challenge that we recognize, and I think that that’s one of the big reasons why other publications on campus have not been able to sustain their video and photo departments as much as they’d like to. That’s something we’re cognizant of and working against. DP: What is the overall process for creating content? NS: The way we’re structured so far is that we have weekly meetings on Monday nights at 8:30 p.m. at Frist. At those weekly meetings, we let people pitch their ideas, and we want it to be as collaborative of a process as possible, so everyone will give their feedback and suggestions for different ideas. If people are particularly interested in a given project, then they’ll tack their name onto it and hopefully assist in the production of it. That’s generally how it’s been so far. We don’t have a rigid set of rules, so it’s not like, “this person will hold the sound, you do the lighting.” The idea is more to create groups of people who are interested in doing the same story who can support each other, because we know that people are coming in with different skill-sets and different interests. DP: What are your plans for the
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future of ‘1080p’? NS: Like I’ve said before, so far we like to focus on parts of campus that maybe mainstream campus might not understand too well. So for example, we’ve thought about doing a profile on married students on campus, which is something that I think people might be interested in because it’s such a small demographic at Princeton. At the same time, we’re not only interested in creating content that’s very niche that only focuses on a small base of people. We’re also interested in doing things that are related to “mainstream Princeton,” whether it’s the eating clubs or campus-wide events. However, we are not striving to be an organization that covers the daily news. We’re instead striving to be an organization that covers topics that are “evergreen,” so, for example, if you go and watch a video in a year, it will still be interesting to you. Editor’s note: Co-founder Will Gansa ‘17 was also contacted for interview, but he declined to com-
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Thursday march 3, 2016
THIS SIDE OF Princeton University Art Museum tour guide KATIE TYLER Contributor
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ike many Princeton students, the very first time I set foot in the Princeton University Art Museum was during Frosh Week at the Nassau Street Sampler. Of course, the promise of free food was an enticing draw, but I was also genuinely curious about what the museum had to offer. I had just spent the summer in my hometown, where the most notable attraction is the local Chipotle. I could hardly believe that I was now going to live just a few steps away from a world-class museum (one of the benefits of living in Wilson, besides its proximity to late meal). Yet, when I arrived to the museum, I was immediately overwhelmed – not because of the huge crowds, but because I realized how little I knew about art. The two acquaintances that had invited me to come along were talking about their favorite Rothko paintings. I had never heard of Rothko before, and when we saw his work at one of the past Art Museum exhibits at the event, his paintings just seemed like plain old blocks of color to me. Despite the intimidation I initially felt, the Art Museum became one of my favorite places on campus. And that’s
because I learned that talking about art can be easy (and fun). A few days later, I came back to the museum for my freshman seminar, “Behind the Scenes: Inside the Princeton University Art Museum.” Our professor, Caroline Harris, gave us a tour of the museum’s highlights. She brought us over to a Winslow Homer painting, “At the Window,” and started asking us questions about the details we noticed. When we discussed the girl’s bright gold ring and the wilting flower at the windowsill, Prof. Harris began to piece together a story. She explained to us how all these different details, in addition to some knowledge of Winslow Homer’s background, depict a young woman whose husband was recently lost at sea. There was something about this explanation that clicked with me. I realized that I was just as capable as anyone else at noticing the compelling details of a piece of art. But I was still missing something. I observed how my professor was able to use her background to guide us into an interesting conversation about the backstory of the painting, a skill I wanted to learn. So, after my freshman seminar concluded, I decided to apply to be an Art Museum student tour guide. The new guides
A LIGHTER SHADE OF ORANGE FRIST ROBERT DELUCA Contributor
“A Lighter Shade of Orange” is a new satirical series, a literary take on campus culture.
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n the line, amongst my fellow animals, the smell of pepperoni pizza is overpowering. I don’t speak, and neither do my herd-mates. We grunt, occasionally, but it seems as though we have lost the power to form words. A large figure in front of me gestures mutely at the heated tin of French fries. I move to the front of the line and somehow find the strength to whisper lovingly: “Tenders.” My plate is filled with the most sensual, beautiful thing in the world. I turn to leave. The watering hole is well attended today. Dozens of my fellows line tables. It is cold, but we are all sweaty. It was dark, but then the Lord said, “Let there be Frist,” and the world was flooded with fried food, fluorescence and tables. As I checkout, I nod at the cashier, who smiles a thin-lipped smile. He has been swiping proxes non-stop since I entered the line, softly saying “charge” as each of us moved past him in exhausted half-stupor. More than one year’s tuition in chicken tenders and pizza has been sold in the last hour. Rah, Rah. I collapse into a chair, alongside some figures that I think I recognize. They appear to recognize me too, and nod their assent as I join them. I begin to devour my fried love. The first bite fills me with a sense of divine bliss. I have never tasted anything so good. Dehydrated, grimy and barely human, I find solace in the taste of a chicken tender. My tablemates and I do not speak; I hope that they too have found relief. Over in the corner, on a bench, someone is sleeping and someone else is sleeping on him. Occasional shouts and backslapping abound, but the specifics are lost on me. A crowd comes down the stairs on all fours, half-running, halfstumbling. One of them trips, but catches himself on the banister and no one notices. They lumber into the galley with their eyes fixed on the food. A burst of laughter erupts at the table next to us and then settles. Those at the table stare off into distance, lumpy smiles on their faces. Dumbly happy, fully
full of food. The kitchen staff lounges while they put pizzas and tenders and fries together. They chuckle a bit at the sight of those in line; the proud Princeton students, usually so eager to impress, reduced to disinhibited, hungry animals. We have finally become what the University was always telling us we were. Tigers. Siss Siss. I am purring in happiness when one of my pack-mates says from across the table, “Hey, didn’t I see you at Terrace?” I am shocked to hear a cohesive sentence. My other tablemates are busy feeding, and do not look up from their food. “Uhh, yes,” I grunt out, annoyed at having to speak. “I was there.” I feel that I should not have to say more, but I abandon my herd-instinct and eke out, “It was ... good,” before taking another huge bite of chicken. Mhhm. We in the herd have transcended the human condition to reach something better, something more honest. There is no need for speech here; we feel at home without it. My tablemate, satisfied by my curtness, returns to her own food, and I to mine. I have been searching for fulfillment for years, and it turns out that poultry was the solution to all my problems. Poultry and company. I can feel the community. It fills the very air; we are all equal before Frist. These chicken tenders, this room, are proof that we can surpass ourselves. We have freed ourselves from the shackles of Plato’s cave, have glimpsed the truth, felt the feelings of the Übermensch. Boom, Boom. One of our brothers finishes hurling into a nearby trashcan, and his nearest pack-mates are already taking care of him. I smile at the sight. Here, in the Frist gallery, we have become whole. Before, we were nothing but parts, cogs, individuals. Now we are larger. Collective. Complete. Tigers do travel in packs. I finish my tenders, and grunt in affirmation. My fellow packmates who have also finished answer my noise with guttural purring of their own, and we all rise together. Together, we wander out the double doors, leaving the rest of the herd behind to finish feeding. It is cold, but we are not bothered by it. As we exit, we rear back on our hind legs and roar in triumph, marking the end of another evening. Ahhhhhh.
and I went through training during Intersession, where student outreach coordinator, Jessica Popkin, and curatorial assistant, Veronica White, along with many of the museum’s curators, taught us about the museum’s different collections. We also spent a good amount of time practicing how to present material in an engaging way and ask thought-provoking questions. My primary duty as a tour guide is to give “highlights” tours, where I show visitors featured pieces from many of the galleries. It’s impossible to capture the range of artwork the museum has on display in a single hour, but it’s my job to try! The Art Museum has an ancient Egyptian mummy, an Aztec sacrificial stone, a Picasso sketch, three Monet paintings and several works from Andy Warhol. We have one of the largest collections of Chinese calligraphy in the world! There are works of art from virtually all corners of the globe that span nearly every era in human history. One of my favorite things to do on campus (when I’m not busy) is to wander around the museum and find a new work of art, so my goal is to show visitors how much the museum has to offer so they will come back and explore on their own. Usually when the museum
has a new temporary exhibition, the student tour guides are trained to give tours for special events. One of my favorite special tours is the flashlight tour of the outdoor sculptures around campus. It was incredibly interesting to learn about the different sculptures I pass by everyday. You probably have seen the turquoise figure-eight shaped sculpture (“Oval with Points”) located near Nassau Hall, but might have no idea that it’s actually modeled after an elephant skull. One of the most exciting events is the Student Advisory Board’s annual gala, which featured the special exhibit “Cezanne and the Modern” this year, where tour guides are stationed at different areas of the gallery to talk about a specific painting. I spent the entire evening talking to dozens of visitors about a single ToulouseLautrec painting in which the artist painted himself urinating in a garden, and everyone had
something interesting to say about it. By hearing so many different people’s perspectives on that particular painting, I noticed details I would not have ordinarily discovered. And that’s ultimately my favorite part of being a tour guide at the Art Museum. I am grateful that I’ve had the chance to learn more about art from the museum’s outstanding staff, but I’ve learned just as much from talking to visitors about their fresh perspective on works of art I’ve stared at dozen of times.
COURTESY OF KATIE TYLER ‘18
Complicity in intimate violence in Theatre Intime’s ‘When Dawn Breaks’ CAROLYN BEARD Staff Writer
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But how will this compare to the story you will hear tomorrow?” In their production of “When Dawn Breaks,” Theatre Intime presents an immersive theatrical experience and adaptation of “One Thousand and One Arabian Nights,” also known as “The Arabian Nights.” The frame story concerns a great king cuckolded by his wife, who loses trust in all women and resorts to a brutal routine to quench his lustful desire and longing for perverse justice. Marrying a young virgin each day and bedding her that night, the king orders that each one be executed in the morning before he marries the next. Created and directed by Nico Krell ’18, the production focuses on the process by which Scheherazade comes to break the king’s cycle of intimate violence. Exploring the intersection of violence and sex, “When Dawn Breaks” questions whether the audience is complicit in the ancient tale. The performance begins in Theatre Intime’s performance venue, Murray Theatre, where we find the queen (Julia Mosby ‘19) ‘in coitu’ with her brotherin-law. The king Shahrayr (Tom Dowling GS) soon enters the picture, violently breaking the two apart and presumably ordering their executions, as indicated by darkening lights and theatrical effects. The experience quickly expands into the rest of the space, using the Charrier Room, dressing rooms and shop as playing spaces. Audience members are encouraged to follow the actors and move around the space, giving them autonomy to choose which actors to follow and which scenes to watch. Multiple fights pepper the performance. Hands turn into claws and, in one fight, it seems as if Shah Zaman (Jake Hamel ‘18) goes in to kiss another before he begins to violently attack the man. Following this fight, which is accompanied by intense string music and blinding red light, Zaman is imprisoned in the booth at the back of the theater. He returns
to the ground and walks across the chairs to return to the stage, where two actors collapse backto-back and soon begin breathing in unison. Heads intertwining, it becomes clear that there is artistry in their movement and, five minutes later, the two use each other as support to stand up. In another scene, actors put on a performance for the king, telling an eerily familiar story of a royal man who kills a young virgin at her marriage ceremony. A caricatured ballet, the performance is retold repetitively, mirroring the larger story of the king’s bedding one night and killing the next morning. While Krell’s telling fails to emphasize the fact that Scheherazade actually volunteers to marry the king and presumably meet her death, in “When Dawn Breaks,” the process by which the king prepares for his night with the storyteller is nonetheless entrancing. We witness the king, after savagely eating an orange, washing and dressing himself. Scheherazade’s part here, in contrast, calls for the audience’s sympathy. As she enters the king’s bed chamber, we hear a woman – presumably a family member – wailing. In one of the more remarkable scenes in a dressing room, an actress reveals drawers full of pictures of young women, women the king presumably married, bedded and then killed. While making the pictures into origami butterflies, the character played by Anna Zabel ‘19 explains that a butterfly, despite being a “weightless
ooze of meaningless parts” during metamorphosis, despite its entire body being ripped apart, “never really died.” Instead, “when the butterfly flaps its wings again, it becomes part of a story that never seems to end.” “When Dawn Breaks” has its weak points. Though the interactive and immersive elements of the production are appealing, and each audience member can move around as he or she chooses, one gets a unique selection and sequence of scenes, making for a confusing, muddled melody of scenes, meaning no audience member leaves with a cohesive story. Music accompanying scenes often competes with a script that is, at times, sloppily constructed and the mixing of the modern and the ancient is off-putting. Nonetheless, the magic is in the details. Small sketches of an evil-warding eye can be found throughout the playing space and, in some rooms, fresh flowers add a simple, but effective, level of sensory experience. Other details – one character’s persistent smoking habit and another’s hand make-up – contribute to the production as well. Despite the pitfalls of such an immersive experience, all in all, “When Dawn Breaks” excellently reveals the horrifying intersection of violence and sex in “The Arabian Nights” and questions the audience’s acceptance of the ancient tale at face value, finishing with the compelling and convicting question, “But how will this compare to the story you will hear tomorrow?”
COURTESY OF THEATRE INTIME
The Daily Princetonian
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Naacho’s ‘Khwahish’ expresses desire Photos by
Thursday march 3, 2016
STREET’S
TOP TEN
JACK MAZZULO
Senior Staff Photographer
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ast weekend, Naacho, Princeton’s South Asian dance company, performed its spring show in the Frist Performance Theatre. Named ‘Kwahish,’ the Urdu word for desire, the show performed a variety of South Asian dance styles, including classical, hip hop, Bollywood and folk. Several shows sold out. If you missed out on the show, or want to experience it all again, here’s a photostory from the event.
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Midterms Headaches Midterms are next week.
2 4 6 8 10
Let the freak-out begin.
Frantically cram.
Realize thesis/JP/R2 deadlines are rapidly approaching. MacBook charger dies.
The freak-out continues. Spring break is just around the corner!
God save Christopher Ludwig Eisgruber, the first of his name.
Need to plan spring break vacation. The freak-out never ends.
CAMPUS PICKS EVENT LEWIS CENTER FOR THE ARTS PRESENTS PERFORMANCE LAB Patricia and Ward Hagan ’48 Dance Studio, 185 Nassau Street Thursday, March 3 and Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m.
ASK THE SEXPERT This week, we discuss “female Viagra.” Dear Sexpert,
I’ve heard there’s a female Viagra. As a woman, is this something that could help me when I when I’m interested in having sex, but can’t seem to get in the mood?
— Looking for Extra Help
Dear Looking for Extra Help,
Thanks for asking about a topic that has many misconceptions! It sounds like you are concerned about those times when your libido (desire for sex) might be lower than usual, something that happens to all of us at one time or another. Libido is quite complex, varies over time and person to person, and is influenced by a wide variety of things. Some of the things that affect sex drive are medications, comfort level with sexuality and - most especially - some parts of college life that we are all familiar with, like stress and lack of sleep. The new medication, flibanserin (brand name, Addyi; colloquially known as “female Viagra”), is only for premenopausal women with a very specific diagnosis: hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is a type of sexual dysfunction characterized by a persistent or recurrent lack or absence of sexual desire that causes marked distress and interpersonal difficulty. Before making this diagnosis, clinicians must determine that the absence of sexual desire cannot be explained by things such as mental disorders, a drug (legal or illegal), or some other factor, such as stress. Although both Addyi and Viagra are prescribed for sexual dysfunction, the
nickname “female Viagra” is very misleading. Viagra treats erectile dysfunction— the inability to develop or maintain an erection— and must be taken as needed before sexual encounters, but it does not stimulate sexual desire. Addyi, on the other hand, affects the central nervous system and the neurotransmitters in the brain, and is taken as a daily pill. It does have various side effects, most commonly dizziness, nausea and sleepiness. Drinking alcohol while using Addyi may cause severely low blood pressure and fainting, which is why those who use the drug are told not to drink alcohol at all and must sign a form stating that they will not do so. As stated above, libidos are complex and affected by number of factors, which can lead to them being inconsistent. In short, sometimes you feel like it, sometimes you don’t. This variance in libido is entirely normal. Some people have no desire for sex at all ever, and that is okay. Each person’s libido is unique, and it is best not to compare one’s own libido to someone else’s. It takes time to figure out your sexuality and what is right for you, especially if you are just beginning to explore. So, a low libido is a problem only if it is something that distresses you. If it does make you feel concerned or bothered, there are some steps you can take. If you think it is related to your relationship(s), it’s important to reflect upon and communicate with your partner(s) why you might be feeling the way you do. Talking openly with and feeling connected
to your partner(s) can improve intimacy. Stress can contribute to low libido. So, with midterms around the corner, or a heavy academic workload this semester, you might find it harder to enjoy or become excited about sex. Depression and anxiety can also decrease libido, so you might consider talking with a professional at Counseling & Psychological Services about your emotional and mental health. If you are taking certain medications like anti-depressants or oral contraceptives (“the Pill”) which can affect sex drive, then adjusting or changing medication might be the answer. Consult with your prescribing clinician before making any changes. Or, maybe, using a lubricant will help. All that said, variations in libido are fairly normal and there is no cause for concern unless you feel it is a source of distress in your life. If so, you may wish to make an appointment at Sexual Health and Wellness at UHS, where you can speak with a clinician about your specific needs and find out more information about possible options. Make an appointment online or by calling 609-258-3141.
— The Sexpert
Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with factchecking from University health professionals, help write these columns. Email sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com for more information and questions about sexual health.
HEADLINERS AND HEADSHAKERS headlines you didn’t read this week DAILY PRINCETONIAN STAFF U. professors work on NASA spaces hip to send Matthew McConaughey to an interstellar, fourth-dimensional bookshelf
E BREAKING: FORBES COLLEG E TO HEAVY EXPERIENCES FLOODING DU FLORIDA, STORM AND PROXIMITY TO FROM WHERE HURRICANES ARE
Doudna discusses science of gene-editing, splicing and copywriting for 3D printing known as ‘life’
Princeton Preview to be an overnight event once again, campus collectively thinks: let the party begin
NJ Gov. Christie allegedly used $10M in taxes to pay for bridge closure scandal, still not as awful as endorsing Donald Trump
U. professor faces revocation of Polish Order of Merit, copy of Polish themed “The Witcher III,” over controversial comments
The Lewis Center for the Arts presents Performance Lab, wherein students working in dance, writing, theater or visual arts can present interdisciplinary work, which the students have developed while having one-on-one discussions with both other artists and the dance faculty. This year, the Performance Lab features works by Princeton student artists. The event will take place this Thursday and Friday at 185 Nassau St. and is free and open to the public.BodyHype, BAC, diSiac and Princeton University Rock Ensemble. Tickets are free in Frist!
MUSIC COLUMBIA SHARP AND PRINCETON WILDCATS ARCH SING 1879 Arch Saturday, March 5 at 11p.m.
This Saturday, the Columbia SHARP all-male a cappella group will join the Wildcats, one of Princeton’s all-female a cappella groups, in an arch sing at 1879 Arch. The arch sing will begin at 11 p.m., and anyone can stop by and watch the groups perform for free!
MUSIC PUO PRESENTS MARCH 2016 CONCERTS Richardson Auditorium Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. This weekend, the Princeton University Orchestra will present a diverse program of repertoire featuring the winners of this year’s Concerto Competition, Solène Le Van ‘18, Evan Chow ‘16 and Jessie Chen ‘16. Works from Bernstein to Beethoven will be performed, and the Friday performance is free for students!
THEATER THE CJL PRESENTS 12 ANGRY JURORS Wilson Blackbox Theater Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, students will perform in the CJL’s 2016 annual spring production of “12 Angry Jurors” in the Wilson Blackbox Theater. The Thursday performance is at 7:30 p.m., and the Saturday performance is at 8 p.m., followed by a matinee performance Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for non-students if purchased beforehand, and cost $10 and $12, respectively, if purchased at the door.
ART ANNUAL VISITING ARTIST LECTURE WITH PATRICK DOUGHERTY McCosh 28 Thursday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m.
This Thursday, artist Patrick Doughtery will discuss his work in McCosh 28 for the Princeton University Art Museum Student Advisory Board’s 2016 Annual Visiting Artist Lecture. Doughtery is known for his largescale outdoor sculpture work, having built over 250 grand environmental sculptures all over the United States and the world, which has led him to earn international acclaim and numerous awards.