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Letter from the Editor Now that the holidays have worn your excitement about winter, you’re probably swimming in papers, debating showering over extra minutes of sleep, and avoiding the bitter, dreary outdoors. Or maybe that’s just me. But let’s face it, this time of year is pretty brutal. Hibernating sounds like a good idea when you have your bed, and snacks and Netflix. But just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you should shut yourself out. In this issue, you’ll find what students accomplish when they band together, whether through sports, protest, or art. Not sure where to start? You’re not alone; find out how to balance and conquer. For those who still prefer holing up in your bedroom, learn how to bring a bit of green to you. (note: you might have to go outside sooner or later to get the materials.) Of course, if you decide reading this magazine in bed is the best option, well, I can’t say I blame you. However you get through the next couple months, just know Punxsutawney Phil’s got your back this year; you can thank a groundhog for deciding to give us a small amount of suffering. Good luck with the remainder of winter.
Spring is around the corner, hang in there!
Editor-in-Chief
Staff Editor-in-Chief Christine Erickson Managing Editor Meredith Rigsby Advertising/ Public Relations Sarah Rodriguez Business Manager Lauren Katchuk 2
Staff Writers Joseph Genest Heather Gibson Film & Literature Editors Teddy Gregson Lauren McClellan Gene Stroman Christine Stoddard Production Manager Charles Peck Addison Wheeler Mark Jeffries Visual Staff Guest Contributors Heather Gibson Fashion Director Lanvi Nguyen Rachel Maves Isabella Althoff Christi Addison Molly Spell Photography Director Cassie Mulheron Graphic Designers Dominic Butchello Hannah Swann Marleigh Culver
Arts & Culture Editor Jaime Barnett
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Ink Magazine Contact us! VCU Student Media Center 817 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23220 804.828.1058 (Receptionist)
inkmagazine.vcu@gmail.com inkmagazine.tumblr.com
campus life 4
The Power of Name Dating back to Norse mythology, nicknaming rituals have been a part of initiation into community. VCU’s rugby team draws some parallels from ancient myth.
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Prepare For Battle We may still be undefeated, but have you ever thought what it’d really be like if we had a football team?
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GRTC Routes Richmond’s public transit is environmentally friendly and can get you out of town without even needing a car.
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arts & culture
College Game of LIFE Incase it wasn’t already blatantly obvious, college is a hard. Learn how to play the game and win!
14 DIY: What is a Terrarium? These scaled-down ecosystems will add a touch of green to remind you spring is just around the corner! When You’re Strange Vegetarian lunch spot by day, music venue by night- this local hotspot is thriving in a building notorious for ill-fated businesses.
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Wearing Cinderella Slippers to Work College students when strapped for cash will do some absurd jobs, but this might be one of the strangest
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Feartured Musician: White Laces This psychedelic noise band packs a loud punch that’s been touring the east coast.
contemporary issues 10 Art On A Budget Our financial and political state may be defining the culture of art as a whole. 12
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Preaching to the Compass Religion might be most widely addressed in the Compass, but preachers aren’t the only ones taking advantage of the hightraffic area.
20 Featured Artist: Lanvi Nguyen Her long exposure photography is not only visually stunning, it’s got a very cool concept behind it too. 22 Film and Literature Review Discussion-based groups The Bookworms of VCU and CinemaTalk give their top choices. 24 Fashion: Knit-orious These knits will make you look far from frumpy.
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Art on a Budget:
Defining Our Culture Heather Gibson As artists we are often engaged in our own personal endeavors and sometimes don’t stop to zoom out and observe our culture’s art as a whole. How much is our art defined by the financial and political state of the world we’re living in? In Art History class you learn that the quality of art in city-states largely depended on wealth and political soundness, such as the blossoming of Greek art and literature during Athens’ reign as a maritime power, allotting construction of the Parthenon and what is still considered to be some of most profound literature in Western history. The reverse is also seen in the decline of Roman art and architecture under the egotistical and feckless emperor Commodus, whose only positive cultural contribution was the completion of the memorial column started by his father. After his reign the Roman Empire’s wealth shrunk and political chaos ensued; in response artistic style grew more cursory and confused, omitting any of the fine details found before in the classical realism and naturalism of Greek art. So how is this same concept applicable today? We hear about more and more schools slashing their art programs of all types, and it is becoming more arduous to gain outside financial support from those not in the creative field who may think art is a luxury and unnecessary under financial strain. According to our school’s Communication and Public Relations,
Virginia Commonwealth University faces “a $40 million budget gap over the next two years caused primarily by the loss of federal stimulus funding and continued reductions in state funding,” and by next year, “VCU will have lost about one-third of state support for instruction than it had in 2008.” Additionally unhelpful to school systems are mandated tests imposed by No Child Left Behind, which requires testing in math, reading, and science with the threat of cutting funds upon failure to meet certain scores, further encouraging schools to neglect their art programs. But for many who love and appreciate art, it is the very reason we wake up in the morning, and we can’t live without it. So we must defend it. Insightful data collected by distinguished universities emphasize the importance of art in academics. In 1983 Harvard University Professor Howard Gardner introduced the now widelyaccepted theory of ‘multiple intelligences.’ Gardner says there are at least eight forms of intelligences: language, logic, musical, spatial, bodily, naturalist, intrapersonal and interpersonal. According to Gardner, “A good educational system ought to nourish and nurture the range of intelligences,” which include several featured in the arts. Also, in 1997 the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies published the results of a national arts study that revealed a positive relationship between standardized test scores, English grades, and other educational methods. Students in eighth and 10th grade who
were considered highly involved in the arts consistently scored higher than those with minimal exposure to the arts (Art Education). But we really don’t have to squint to know the importance of the arts: many enlightening inventions and discoveries started with small sketches, from Galileo’s sketches of the solar system to Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb. Would they have been able to develop their curiosities without first being able to visually map them out? And how do we build an airplane today? Well, the first step would naturally be to draw it. Art is a way to visually articulate our ideas; it should not be regarded as senseless or unnecessary no matter magnitude of economic downfall. All artists have different intentions with their work, but ultimately we want to add beauty and inspiration to the world that is an inherent part of pushing the human race forward. That is quickly overlooked when people try to cut things down to the “essentials.” With the current trend of budget cuts, we might see a pretty ugly world in the near future, and it’s sad to wonder how much better it could be if the kids being deprived of an art program right now were be able to access it. Maybe there is something we can do to change things, maybe not; but it definitely wouldn’t hurt if we voiced our thoughts more and let people know that we will not be left behind.
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Preaching to
the Compass
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Lauren McClellan Illustration by Marleigh Culver Preachers. Silent protestors. Anarchists. Men with tall crosses. We see them in the Compass all the time… but do we know what they’re screaming (or silent) about? If you have any classes near the Compass, then I would say you’ve seen many of the speakers that come to talk to VCU students as they’re passing by. They rant, they rave, and they attract attention. As opinionated as we are, sometimes students tend to rant and rave back.
Some of these speakers are normal looking, wearing sweatshirts and jeans. No one really bothers them. People just gather around and listen. This past fall, there was one speaker on a stepstool looking over the crowd, preaching about eternal life and being Protestant. Students were perched atop the half walls outside Shafer, listening to him talk about religion. For as long as I was there, no one really challenged him. Another day, there was a man preaching from the Bible, carrying around a large cross as he spoke. He generated much more attention because of his walking stick. Students utilize the Compass for their own devices as well. The next day, there was a silent protest on the “free speech zone” over a parking lot that has been built over an old slave burial ground. Many students laid down on the Compass in protest over the parking lot. Some had poster boards lying over their bodies with quotes, such as Martin Luther King’s “Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.” Others walked around with signs that said things like, “If I died would you pave over me?” Although their protest was silent, the actions drew a lot of attention from the local news and even Gov. Bob McDonnell. On December 23, he asked for the parking lot to be transferred to the state by giving VCU $3.3 million in state funds. One well-known protestor among the many that come through the Compass is known as “Brother Ross.” This man usually is dressed in a suit with buttons on
it that have such words as porn, homo, and sin struck out on them. He also carries around a Bible and what seems to be a gallon of water. He has been the subject of much heckling, notably from a guy with a ukulele who posted videos of him playing pop songs like Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance” while Ross is preaching on the Internet. Ross started much controversy over his ways to tell if a woman is a lesbian, including such reasons as having short hair, watching Ellen DeGeneres, and playing on a female basketball team. As he rattled off his list, students shushed others who were screaming in order to hear each item in fake anticipation. Ross also mentioned his belief that a woman belongs in the kitchen. As he looked out through his crowd, with many females were in attendance, he said “I see a lot of empty kitchens.” This started much more screaming and yelling from the student body. Although Brother Ross attracted a lot of negative attention, he said, at one point, “I don’t want to offend anybody.” For as long as I’ve been here at VCU (which isn’t long yet), Brother Ross has attracted the largest crowd of any outside protestor, as that day, if you really wanted to catch a glimpse of him, you had to push your way through many people as if you were at a small concert. Sometimes the people in the Compass who are expressing their views are not lying down on the ground, being silent, or screaming so the whole area can hear them. Pamphlets and flyers are a popular way of communicating to
passing students as well. One day, as I was walking to the library, I was handed a small flyer from a girl who looked to be about five years old. She had many other kids her age with her, and what looked to be two adults. I did not look at the flyer as I was in a hurry; I just said “thank you” and walked on. However, when I walked into the library, I took the flyer out of my pocket to see what the little girl—who I’m pretty sure should have been at school since it was only 10:30 AM on a weekday—had handed me. The flyer had information about sin and going to hell for those sins and many other things. I must pose the question; did the little girl who handed me that flyer truly understand what all of those words meant? Another form of pamphlet-protest was from a few college-age guys who handed out flyers about anarchy. They may have offended some, but no one screamed or shouted at them. As I walked through the Compass, some students engaged in passionate conversations about politics with these guys, but no one heckled them. Do these protestors really change our views? Do they get us thinking about the topics they rant about? Or do they just reaffirm our own beliefs? I know, for myself, I have learned one thing from these people in the Compass: the volume of the protestor’s voice has a direct relationship to the volume of the crowd’s voice.
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arts & culture
DIY Terrarium
Jaime Barnett 14
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What is a terrarium? A terrarium is usually an enclosed area or container for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research in controlled conditions. However, they don’t necessarily have to be a scaled down ecosystem but perahps just look like one to “liven” up your space!They are a great reminder that Spring will come during these cold winter months by adding a touch of green to your windowsill or mantle. The terrariums featured here have a rock base with dried moss to display keepsakes. There are many resources on the internet for properly creating and maintaining a live terrarium.
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A variety of glass containers or jars
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Rocks (or soil if you prefer a live one!)
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Moss
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Trinkets you wish to display; jewelry, deer figurines, photographs, etc.
How to make your own Fill the jars with a shallow layer of rocks, followed by a layer of moss. Be sure to leave enough room for the items you will place inside and move things around if needed. I chose to put a found photograph in a larger jars, as well as a woodland scene with a miniature turtle in another. Craft stores have many interesting items to create scenes with, as well as a walk in the woods may provide just the right elements (such as twigs, rocks, leaves) to accompany your container. Wider jars may work well to hold your rings and precious jewels too! Terrariums are a simple way to “go green” in any room of your home by providing a miniature yet charming nature scene and they also make fun gifts!
Tips Glass jars can be found at thrift stores for as cheap as a quarter! If displaying multiple containers, try using a variety of shapes and sizes. Moss can be found at craft stores such as Michaels in an array of colors...or your back yard.
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R E T T A M STRANGE
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Addison Herron-Wheeler Photos by Christi Addison In today’s unstable economy, many independent businesses and venues that support the arts are struggling, creating an unfriendly environment for up-and-coming establishments. Strange Matter, however, is not only a recently opened vegan restaurant and venue, but one that is thriving against all odds. The concept seems strange at first, since even restaurants that serve carnivorous entrees are going out of business, and Richmond is infamous for failed venues that force shows into 16
the personalized yet sometimes cliquey world of the house show. After enjoying a delicious, affordable vegan lunch or catching an awesome show at Strange Matter, however, it is clear why the business is thriving. The actual building is decorated from floor to ceiling with local art, the bar tenders are all friendly and always have great drink specials, and the food is decadent, crueltyfree, and affordable. The show atmosphere is also really inviting; the place is big and clean and
the sound is great, but it’s just cramped and makeshift enough to feel like a good, old-fashioned independent show. To get more insight on how Strange Matter manages to be so on top of their game, I spoke with Mark Osborne, an employee who books most of the shows and is privy to the behind-the-scenes workings of this fine establishment.
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In your opinion, what is it about Strange Matter that makes it a success? Other businesses in their location have failed, as well as other D.I.Y. restaurants and venues, but Strange Matter seems to be off to a more successful start. I think what makes Smatter a success is that it is a very inviting space. Cheap/good food, our sound is improving more and more every month, all the video games are cheap, and the staff stays positive and friendly. I don’t think all the other businesses failed though. Of course, the illfated Bagel Czar, but just because they aren’t around doesn’t mean they failed. Smatter owes a debt of gratitude for those who set the precedent of 929 W Grace being an inviting punk club, and I think the scene’s familiarity with the space has a lot to do with why people are excited about returning. How do you go about booking shows there, and how easy is it to do? Are they very open to the idea of different styles of music being showcased there? Me and Eric do booking there, along with help from Bobby and Jen. We try to cater to different
crowds, but of course we host what we are familiar with. We are open to anybody playing, so long as we can get a few people in the door and you have your act together. Simply send an email to strangematterbooking@gmail. com . Do bear in mind that we get a lot of requests and don’t always have time to respond to them all because we all have other jobs as well. However, sending us reminder emails is always helpful if you don’t hear back. What are some of the best shows you have seen come through recently, and what are some in the future that you are excited about? My bookings lean towards metal and heavy rock, but I do switch it up from time to time. Some of my favorite shows to come through Strange Matter so far have been Torche/Cannabis Corpse/Street Pizza, The Body/ Cough/Bad Dream, and Mondo Drag/Diamond Center/Main St. Gospel/Caves Caverns. Cool bands coming through in the future to look out for: White Hills, Jucifer, Weedeater, Radio Moscow, Cults, Obits, Heart of Winter Fest, Winter Apocalypse Fest, and lots more.
What are your hopes for the future of Strange Matter? What are some things they are trying to do long-term, or that you would like to see happen? I would like to see us continue to host awesome events, attract different people to Smatter, and make it a positive/fun place for people to spend the evening. We try to keep the quality up on all ends of the place, from the art to the games to the food to the entertainment. If you had to try and sum it up, what do you think Strange Matter’s philosophy would be in a sentence? What is their ultimate goal? Lots of us involved grew up seeing awesome shows and having great memories at 929 W Grace, so we want that option to still be around for the kids who need something like that now, and we enjoy being the ones who are making it happen. Venues tend to come and go in Richmond, but I think we have something good, and can only hope it’s the very beginning of something good.
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Wearing Cinderella Slippers The Life of to a Children’s Work Entertainer Christine Stoddard Illustration by Hannah Swann This particular adventure, like so many of mine, began with a flyer. Mind you, the flyer was not an unobtrusive one. Glaringly hot pink, it demanded I answer the question, “Do you like to have fun?” Duh, I like to have fun. I read further and realized it was a call for children’s entertainers. My crazy spirit grinned. A freelancer and serial intern since my sophomore year of high school, I have never held a “normal” teen/young adult job. The opportunity to wait tables or fold sweatshirts at K-mart just never fell in my lap. Somehow quirkier gigs did, this one included. On top of writer, cartoonist, illustrator, haunted house actor, photo editor, gallery assistant, model, art educator, and puppetteer, why not add professional princess? I immediately called the onewoman company: All About Fun Entertainment, run by Jenny Parks, a graduate of VCU’s Painting & Printmaking and Art Education programs. She sounded adorable and trust-worthy, so I agreed to interview with her within the week. Bam. Pow. Jenny trained me how to make balloon animals and I soon morphed into Snow White, Cinderella, and Tinkerbell. 18
I fill her princess niche with the change of a wig and dress, but when necessary, she casts me as a “funch*,” Mrs. Claus, and even one of Santa’s Elves (despite me being 5’8’’). Well, one semester of that and I know, even love, the drill. Preparing for a party always begins the same way. I hit Jenny’s house and pick up a giant wicker basket she’s stuffed with tools of the trade. First is a bag of balloons in every color from conjunctivitis to puke. I present the color range in these terms because when you regularly inhabit the World of Kids, you begin to perceive things in terms of bodily conditions the way children does (hungry, thirsty, gotta go potty, etc.). Without balloons, you’re screwed. Children go gaga for them, even if all you do is blow up a long, skinny, orange one, draw two eyes on it with a Sharpie, and call it a worm. Balloon-making necessitates an air pump--or a “whoosh” because that’s the sound it makes. Attempting to fill up one of these balloons with nothing but your lips and a strong pair of lungs is foolish. Face paint is crucial, too. Some of the children are afraid of the paint; they don’t like the idea of looking in the mirror and not recognizing themselves. Most of them can’t wait for you to put
a parrot fish on their forehead. Having a bottle of water, brushes, sponges, paper towels, and temporary tattoos might help, too. Ha. After I’ve picked up the goods, I call the parents to let them know I’m own the way. This always relieves fingernail-biting mothers of the worry that I’ll be late. (It’s almost always the mothers. The fathers often aren’t even around for the party.) I arrive ten minutes early, park a bit away from the house so the children don’t spot Tinkerbell in a Jeep Cherokee, and then burst onto the “set,” right on time. From there, it’s a matter of laughing, smiling, and truly becoming my character: “Remember when I saw you at Disney World, Cinderella, and you kissed me on the cheek?” “Why, of course I do!” And I really, really did (wink). Kids are the first to spot a fake, but if you’re not being fake, they won’t spot you. When in doubt, I ask myself, What would Cinderella do? Here’s to many more instances of WWCD! * “Funch” stands for “fun character.” They wear bright, baggy clothing and silly hats but lack the wigs and face paint of clowns. According to Jenny, clowns scare too many children.
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WHITE L AC ES
arts & culture
Listen to White Laces online and find out where they’re playing: whitelacesmusic.com
Christine Erickson Photos by Molly Spell What started as a bedroom project in 2009 has become a four-piece explosion of noise pop/ dream punk that’s touring up and down the east coast. While Richmond may be their home, White Laces has been doing a pretty good job at making a name for themselves all over. The band is composed of guitar, vocals, drum, keyboard and bass, but sampling, loops and synthesizers produces sounds like they’re from a garage in space. (Check them out, you’ll see what I mean.) Landis, Jimmy, Alex and Jay were busy touring over winter break. While on the road, I spoke with Landis and Alex, to learn a little bit about themselves. What you should know about White Laces: The first time they ever played as a full band was live on WRIR. L: It wasn’t so bad, really. Jimmy and I had been playing the songs together for months at that point, and I’ve played with Jay in bands since I was 12, so when we were winging it things were a lot more cohesive than they might have been otherwise. Either way, all
four of us hadn’t been together in a room before that moment, so there was definitely some tension happening when they told us to start playing. A: There was some apprehension about playing a third song. But we did, and it ended up being put on the B-side of the later tapes. Currently. White Laces is affiliated with four record labels. L: It gives us the ability to reach different audiences with different releases. We’re not pressing or selling thousands of records with a mega-corporation, so if we deal with small releases through our friends’ labels, it’s actually a bit easier to manage. We essentially tell a label that we’ll do a certain format with them (cassette, 7”, 12”, digital single) and then when we have the set of songs ready for that release or project, we send them over. It’s worked out incredibly well so far. The band has been touring on and off for a few months. L: The best part about it is the relatively cliche combination of getting out of town, seeing friends, meeting new people, and playing loud music in front of
complete strangers.- simple and satisfying. The worst would be the yawning gaps of time between cities that feel like an eternity to me because I get carsick when I read. A: Best was during the daytime when we were just kickin’ it, either at shows at Brooklyn Bowl or the rooftop cookout shindig that Jay’s friend put on. The worst was the drive back. I got a little carsick myself, especially when Landis was downing honey-buns. White Laces does not have a drug problem. L: As of now we’ve got a pretty cozy space, so our rehearsals consist of showing up one by one, poking around at our instruments and figure out what we’ve broken/ smashed/shorted/etc. and then kicking around pieces of songs. I wish there was more to say but I’d be up for meeting a band that has amazing practice stories. Maybe a band with access to a freight elevator and an escalating meth problem? In the future expect a 7”, a split 10”, and a full-length recordand of course with more shows, videos, and whatever else these boys find the time to do.
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arts & culture How would you describe your work? This specific body of work that is being presented can be described as long exposure light-drawing photographs. All components of the images are conceived in camera, meaning the image was created without the help of Photoshop for composites or overlay. The purpose of using long exposures is to capture movement, energy, and ambient light; all those elements are rendered simultaneously. The aesthetic for this series is playful to the eyes, but contemplative to the mind concerning the content. What is the concept behind your work with long exposure? The title for this series is “Watching the Clock.” It started with countless, sleepless nights, tossing and turning, worrying and stress about the responsibilities and obligations of tomorrow. The titles are animal idioms, but human behaviors are also addressed within: stress about
society, belonging and status, worries about uncontrollable troubles of tomorrow, overworked and burdened by responsibilities and unfinished tasks, unfortunate ailments, etc. With long exposure shots, I am able to capture movements of the nighttime, frustrated energy, the troubled un-rested mind and possible hallucinations that might occur. Major sources of inspiration? I think what struck my curiosity to pursue and experiment with this technique, and photography in general, is being able to capture what cannot be seen with the naked eye. I am able to record not only colors and forms, but energy, proof of my location and the duration. What are your goals as an artist? I’m not really one to seek titles and fame. Those are certainly welcomed during the journey, but what is more important for me to remember is art is very
spiritual, a form of self-discovery, and satisfaction for steps taken. My goal as an artist is to see how far I can push boundaries, cross them, come back, and see old landscapes with new eyes. Any advice for future photography students? I would have to say from my own personal experience, photography makes you generate so many emotions, thoughts, and ideas it will render you confused in the end. It enlightens you, it inspires you, it brings you down, it startles you, it pushes you, it pulls you in all directions, it gives you bruises, a sore body, treading you through the hot and cold, rain and shine, and so much more. But if you can wake up the next day and go through all those things again, you are on the right track.
Featured Artist Lanvi Nguyen Photography interview by Christine Erickson
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Sick As A Dog
The Great Escapist
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Film Review Charles Peck
The Social Network The collaborative efforts of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin surprised the masses (myself included) this past year by delivering a truly original cinematic experience in The Social Network. Based on Ben Mezrich’s work of nonfiction The Accidental Billionaires, the film follows the phenomenal story of renowned Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg in the dawning and wake of his triumphant empire; taking note of each legal hindrance and social dynamic which follows suit. What truly makes The Social Network noteworthy cinema is its lead himself (played by Jesse Eisenberg), whose actions and interactions, whether true-to-life or not, seem (and captivatingly so) human in light of his often unsentimental behavior. Fincher does a great job of unveiling the mysterious Zuckerberg and the genius behind his innovation along the way; all the while managing to instill, in equal measure, both reasons to love and hate the twenty-something to a point of uncertainty which resonates among the viewer long after the film’s end. The Social Network should not only prove notable to its age for its subject material, but for its embodiment of the modern drama. The Darjeeling Limited (Criterion) Wes Anderson’s most recent live-action film, released in 2007, stars Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman as three brothers on a quasi-spiritual journey through rural India via the Darjeeling Limited locomotive. Featuring Anderson’s classic family-tension infused humor and magnificent attention to detail in each setting, Darjeeling proves to be not only another Anderson classic, but a beautiful film whose recent Criterion treatment is both well-deserved and well done. The Criterion Collection edition features a new high-definition digital transfer approved by the director; the prelude to the film, entitled Hotel Chevalier, which features an eloquent lover’s quarrel between Schwartzman and Natalie Portman; audio commentary from Anderson and cowriters; and, perhaps most noteworthy, a featurette regarding the film’s fantastic music selection (Satyajit Ray and the Kinks) lead by Wes Anderson and fellow filmmaker James Ivory. The film’s stark contrast of new West and old East throughout becomes tangible in this reissue, bringing the majesty and mysticism of India to a world which sees far too little of it.
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Black Swan Darren Aronofsky’s most recent effort is a visually striking, psychological thriller, which, like its characters themselves, portrays a world of madness, which all too often accompanies the facade of beauty. Natalie Portman plays Nina, a chaste ballerina who gains the role of both black and white swans in her ballet company’s production of Swan Lake. While the role of the white swan comes naturally for Nina, her innocence proves to be a hindrance for her embodiment of the black swan, a role perhaps better understood by her rival Lily, played by Mila Kunis. Aronofsky examines the mental deterioration of Nina as she attempts to both outdo her competitors and herself, leading the young ballerina deep into a a world of confused reality and hallucination. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the film is its rigorous application of sex into the story, which some might accuse of being unnecessary or in bad taste. Yet, from an artistic standpoint, it seems as if Aronofsky’s use of such contentious material truly aids the psychological transformation of Portman’s role and does more than just entice a male audience. Riddled with recurring motifs of color, light, and mood, Aronofsky has proven to be a refreshing auteur whose films will likely stand the test of time. Winter’s Bone Winner of the coveted Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Winter’s Bone follows seventeen year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), sole caretaker of two younger siblings and a deranged mother in a dirt poor town in the Ozarks. After learning that her meth-making, fugitive father has posted their home and land as collateral for his bail, Ree is forced to track him down amidst the dangerous Ozark community in an attempt to save what little possessions they have. Thrilling from start to finish, director and screenwriter Debra Garnik portrays a world seemingly outside of time and untouched by the marvels of the twenty-first century, which is both refreshing and innovative for contemporary filmgoers. What really makes the film stand out, however, is the emotion which resonates upon the grit and grime constantly confronting the headstrong, selfless Ree, whose perseverance proves to be perhaps the greatest testament of human strength. Combined with the striking visual perspectives created by Garnik, Winter’s Bone might be the most intimate portrait of a world completely neglected by majority of its fellow countrymen.
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arts & culture
Literature Recommendations Gene Stroman
The Dharma Bums Jack Kerouac If you’re reading this review, then without doubt you’ve heard of Jack Kerouac, the coolest cat ever to lay a story onto the page. A Father of the Beat Movement, Kerouac is best known for his monumental On the Road, which is allegedly one of the most important American novels of the Century. Dharma Bums, like most of Kerouac’s oeuvre is autobiographical, which is one of the many reasons his work is so compelling. This story in particular is about his time in the mid-50s, traveling the West Coast and taking up interest in spiritual enlightenment through Eastern Philosophy. Along the way, he meets a handful of interesting characters, including the unforgettable Japhy Ryder, Jack’s poet friend and Buddhist teacher. This book is an introduction to early hipster culture, to eastern philosophy, to the rucksack wanderer. It’s poetry, it’s jazz, and best of all it’s a very enjoyable, light read. Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguro is one of Britain’s most prized contemporary authors. You may recognize the name from his heralded Remains of the Day, which eventually was made into a movie starring Anthony Hopkins. Without giving too much away, Never Let Me Go takes place in a dystopian society where scientific capacity has improved to a point where ethics and morality must be completely reconceived. The story follows three classmates at Hailsham boarding school, where students’ futures are already set out for them. Ishiguro’s story tracks the difficult relationships between his characters, painting a delicate and heartbreaking portrait of the human condition. This was a perfect pick for the book club as it allowed for a discussion not only about the book but also about human nature altogether. Also adapted into a movie starring Keira Knightley (read the book first!), this masterpiece is highly recommended as a book with a huge twist that will really make you think. The Master and Margarita Mikhail Bulgakov The basic plot of Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita is pretty much all you’ll need to be convinced that reading this book is worthwhile: Satan and his retinue (including his vodka-loving cat Behemoth) decide to drop in and turn the Soviet Union upside down. Bulgakov parallels the story of a great writer and his beloved Margarita in Soviet Russia with a reinvented tale of Jesus and Pontius Pilate. Said
to be one of the greatest books to come out of the 20th Century (also one of my all-time favorites), The Master and Margarita is a great satire of power and corruption and an analysis of good and evil. A great and enjoyable read even on the surface, this book could be read over and over and should be discussed for the sheer amount of allegory and symbolism Bulgakov so masterfully created. Where I’m Calling From: Selected Stories Raymond Carver If you’re unfamiliar with modern short story master Raymond Carver, then Where I’m Calling From is the perfect place to begin. The last collection to be published before his abrupt death in ’88, Where I’m Calling From contains 38 brilliantly simplistic, contemplative, and downright sorrowful stories about people just like you and me. Carver had a keen consciousness for the misery found in ordinary situations and a great skill for translating it into concise packages, much like Hemingway. This collection contains many of Carver’s greatest stories from the breadth of his career, including the piece from which the book was named and the memorable What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. The content is easily identifiable, even if you’re not a drinker or a fisherman. If you enjoy his short fiction, do yourself a favor and check out his poetry, which unfortunately goes largely unnoticed and, in my opinion, lives up to the acclaim of his stories. Birds of America: Stories Lorrie Moore Another author I would have missed if it weren’t for the book club, Lorrie Moore has a voice that shines through the cluttered mass of contemporary literature. Among several other well received short story collections and novels, Birds of America is one of her most celebrated. While I often find it difficult to discuss a collection of short stories, these twelve in particular have a great cohesiveness. The downtrodden characters in this collection all seem to have some sort of melancholic restlessness in which they are unable to break from the state of inertia they find their lives in. Lorrie Moore has the grace and wit to present seemingly mundane situations in a manner that is both heartbreaking and thought provoking, much like Raymond Carver. What sets her apart from the multitude of minimalist short story writers is that she manages to bring a sort of inventive dark humor to the table. Highly recommended.
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arts & culture Featuring VCU Alumni Designers Eliza Bosworth Perverted Pearl Marion Glass MBG Designs Arlie Trowbridge Urban Revisions Holly Radwani Shabby Apple
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Top Striped Knitted Cardigan hm.com Rose Chiffeon Dress hm.com Solid Black Sheer Tights express.com Left Extra Thick Wool Cozy Cowl/Circle Scarf (Barley and Oatmeal) etsy.com/shop/mbgdesigns White Knitted Top bcbg.com Blue Linen Button-Up buffaloexchange.com Knitted Blanket Beatrice Yurasits Right Capped Quartz, Bijoux Collection pervertedpearl.com Shell Horn, Bijoux Collection pervertedpearl.com
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Aztec Knitted Sweater hm.com Footless Ribbed Tight americanapparel.com Knitted Ankle Sock Salvation Army Leather Ankle Boot allsaints.com
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