fashion Volume 7 | ssue 1 flip for culture
Fall-winter fashion trends 2 breathtaking editorials Exclusively inside two fashion students’ closets And much more!
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Front cover: Knit top w/ leather collar Joey Zuraf Black drop crotch lounger, Lauren Manoogian Verdalina Brave Waistbelt Phoenix
Fashion is a big part of campus life! It helps tell OUR story and tells people a little about who we are. People loved the fashion section of Ink, so we decided to give them MORE of what they loved.
Inside cover: Strech Cotton Skirt Joey Zuraf Wrap Scarf Stylist’s Own
We've worked with so many incredible people for this issue and would like to thank everyone that helped make this amazing issue possible: Suzanne Hall of the VMFA, Jim & Barbara Peters, Mark Jeffries, John Ellis Studio, Ave42 and all the clothing vendors who like the amazing stylist pull garments. —Aaron Ni'jai, Senior Fashion Editor
Table of Contents
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Senior editors’ choice Junior editors’ choice New houses or dead designers? Fine Art In My Closet Ms. Thrifty Bad to the bone
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Editors’ Choice Aaron Ni’jai, Senior Fashion Editor
Fall/Winter is one of my favorite times of the year, especially for fashion. The seasons' crisp cool breeze makes it the perfect time to layer garments and add more accessories. The professional or dapper fellow can pull out his Zara blazer and Burberry scarf. The urban gentlemen stays warm in his graphic hoodie and Levi jeans. Finally, the ambiguous lad will always find something that will fit his constantly changing style. This beautiful season is an amazing time to show off your personal style.
The Urban Gentlemen Aspects of Leather
Dapper fellow Collar Pins
The aesthetic of this season’s dapper fellow remains trim in dress all the while adding an element of edge to his wardrobe through accessorizing; adorning his crisp button up with collar pins. The different styles such as the barbell pin and other pins, which can include chains, can completely diversify an outfit. Even the daytime conservative man has found a way to accommodate his wardrobe to his possible night time.... carousing.
Much of the urban gentlemen’s wardrobe is very functional for he is always on the go whether attending a concert, laughing with pals in the busy streets, listening to music seeking inspiration. He fully enjoys living life very pseudo-rock-star. Much of the way he lives his life has transpired into his wardrobe with accents of leather throughout his ensemble giving him a rock edge. Urbanoutfitters.com, Zara.com, Drjays.com
Ambiguous lad The Man Bag
As guys, most of us are always on the run, from class to business meetings to a night out on the town. A duffel bag or messenger bag can complement any outfit and yet still hold all the essentials to still help us accomplish dayto-day tasks. HM.com, Topman.com , Nordstoms.com, NeedSupply.com
Topman.com, Menswearhouse.com, Asos.com
Glasses
Holding true to the street aesthetic with a classic snap back is very comforting and almost nostalgic. The snapback has evolved from a cover up for baseball players to an everyday accessory. Recently prints and patterns such as florals and stripes have further updated the snapback and made it even more fashionable.
Glasses are not just to clear up a blurry situation but they can also help refine your overall image. The Ambiguous lad loves to mix and blend many different styles depending on his mood and situation. Regular sized bifocals can accompany any suit or blazer for a slick professional look. To add a bit of eccentricity he would adorn his face with over sized eyewear and pair it with a graphic T or a modern plaid shirt.
Urbanoutfitters.com, Topman.com, Pacsun. com
NeimanMarcus.com, Forever21.com Urbanoutfitters.com, Asos.com
The SnapBack
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EDITORS’ choice Mikayla Baumgartner Junior Fashion Editor
The Long Blazer
Boyfriend Jeans
The perfect go-to pants—relaxed and comfy yet can communicate a definite edge. They’re also very versatile so you can pair them with anything from oversized tops to crops, tees to blazers, and heels to sandals.
Unique clutches
When adding the perfect modern touch to your look, unique clutches are a wonderful statement accessory for fall. They can add a pop of color or pattern and can include interesting embellishments or adornments such as fringe.
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The flawless transitional piece, it goes from day to night and from casual to refined. The long blazer can be found in an assortment of lightly textured fabrics such as crepe and cotton-mixes and colors fluctuating from bright patterns and hues to plain neutrals. It’s clean and minimal yet chic and absolutely perfect for those cooler nights.
Endless Drama
I am not too much of a makeup girl yet lipstick is something you can always find on my face. It’s just something about a nicely colored lip that pulls together and sharpens any look. One of my fall favorites is a deep berry by MAC called Endless Drama.
The shift into autumn is a unique time of year—greens turn to varying shades of yellow, orange and red and leaves perish with the last breaths of summer—the crisp air engulfing the humidity and heat. With such a transitional time, adjustments must be made to one’s wardrobe and attention must be paid to the dominant fall beauty trends.
Metallics
An interesting fall beauty trend coming down the runways, both Donna Karen and Altuzarra embraced metallics. I occasionally will use a hint of glitter in my eye creases or a metallic liner—it can add the perfect touch of sparkle to your fall look.
Over-sized bags
As I head back to school, the oversized bag is essential. It can hold everything including my wallet, lipstick, phone, water bottle, a potential snack, and even books for class. It can also be a statement piece although I personally prefer a more neutral shade.
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New Houses or Dead Designers? Rule number one: fashion is evolutionary, not revolutionary. Upon entering VCU’s Fashion Merchandising department, students learn this fact about the condition of today’s fashion environment. It essentially boils down to the idea that trends run a cycle- are Birkenstocks in or out? Is pairing layers and varying washes of denim chic or a fashion faux pas? This idea exists both with specific pinpointed trends, but also with larger, general shifts of what’s in style such as shoulder pads and hem lengths. What makes a designer blossom is their ability to act as a seer of their time; for one to have their fingers on the pulse is a necessary component to renowned greatness. Chanel, Burberry, YSL, Louis Vuitton, cherished names in the industry, all acted as zeitgeists. Such designers developed an idea or reintroduced a groundbreaking look that revolutionized the industry. These original giants built fashion’s foundation. Over the past decade, revolutionary changes have come to a halt. Upcoming designers face a challenge today because the greats before them built the framework. Today’s designers now struggle because all they can do is repaint the walls and rearrange the furniture. Since the idea of the ‘fashion designer’ first developed, designers have landed success because they filled a niche. For an upcoming designer to establish their name, he or she must find that gap in the market that has
yet to be filled or has not been touched for several decades. 1856 saw the birth of the ‘fashion designer’ when Charles Frederick Worth, ‘father of haute couture,’ opened his house and began sewing his name into his fashions. Since then, designers have filled gaps and created some of fashion’s firsts- Burberry and his trench coat for the British military, or Chanel and her iconic three-piece cardigan suit. Chanel’s work in the early 19-teens landed her eternal fame with its introductory concept of practical ready-to-wear for women. Although, some may credit her success to sleeping with wealth and royalty, but that’s a story for another day! As proven by history, arts, society and fashion run a cycle. Once pulled to one polarity, the eternal, universal ebb dominates and the pendulum will swing to the opposite end. After the 1950s return of Victorian corseting and exuberant fashions, YSL reintroduced utilitarian ready-to-wear for women, showing the cyclic state of fashion. Clare Vivier, a contemporary bag designer based on the west coast, exemplifies the successful designer’s ability to fill a consumer’s need. Upon graduating with a B.A. in English from the University of San Francisco, Viver left the states to explore her love of everything Paris. After returning, she stated in a Meet the Maker interview with Need Supply Co. that
“When [I] moved back to the states… I could never find a cute bag for my laptop. So I figured out that there was a hole in the market for cute working bags for women so I sewed my first bag.” Like Chanel and YSL, she catered to an unfilled market for the workingwoman. From silk florals to garments such as kilts that suggest subversion from male verity, the androginization of menswear has been played with by numerous designers over several years. However, these trends are slow to migrate from the runway. Two standout designers from this S/S 2015 season are J.W. Anderson and KTZ. With unique aesthetics, each designer pushed the boundaries of menswear with innovative patterns, prints and structure in garment. These designers recognize the progressive nature of today’s society. Though some might question a male wearing a pleated kilt, KTZ’s designer Marjan Pejoski mentioned his inspiration of Ancient Grecian gladiators and Alexander the Great. After all, who’s to say wearing a kilt can’t make a suave city slicker take down a mighty lion in the office? As Pejoski pointed out, “if you don’t know the past, you can’t get the future.” STORY BY DAVID HOLDEN PHOTO courtesy of Condé Nast
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FINE ART
Photographer Kimberly Frost / Model Renee Ro Of Wilhelmina Models / Wardrobe Stylist Geraldine Duskin / Creative Director Jennifer Burchette / Makeup Artist Ashlyn Landrum & Natalie Gordon / Hairstylist Heather Marshburn & Noelle Eastwood / Nail Tech Keta Jackson
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Reversible brown/pumpkin coat David Hayes / Taupe cashmere sweater Prada Baggio / Taupe leather skirt Lafayette / grey reptile sling backs Christian Louboutin / earrings Ben Amun / Ring George Jensen / New Fashion Photography VMFA gift shop FALL / WINTER 2014
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"Booker" blue linen shirt Ledbury / Aaron's black/cream top Need Supply / Panta black leather skirt Need Supply / Warby Parker Grey Glacier sunglasses Need
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"Booker" blue linen shirt Ledbury / Aaron's black/cream top Need Supply / Panta black leather skirt Need Supply / Warby Parker Grey Glacier sunglasses Need Supply / Mismo Day Pack dark blue bag Need Supply / Geometria white cross and blue triangle enamel necklaces Quirk / Vintage Video Camera Urban Interior
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Agnes bi-level white  top Verdalina /Burning Torch asymmetric black pant Verdalina / Virginia Johnson peony/black gauze shawl Verdalina / Air-Max Thea print Glacier sneakers Need Supply / Lisa black silk coat Need Supply / Gold hoop earrings Stylist's own
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Alberta Ferretti brown silk dress Baggio / Prada ombré patent pumps Baggio / Meghan Auman bronze necklace Quirk / "Allie" copper cuff Mckinsey Bamber
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Mirage black silk dress Verdalina / Sibelle Yuksek flameworked black glass necklace / white necklace / Rings Stylist's own
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Amelia light grey silk jumpsuit Verdalina / Victoria grey felt hat Need Supply / Classic York rose gold watch Need Supply / Geometria brass/ black necklace Quirk / Manolo Blahnik short suede/leather black boots Stylist's own / Vintage Rolliecord Camera courtesy Greg Maida
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in my closet
Welcome to “In My Closet” with VCU Fashion students, Carmen Jones and Lee Collie; where we shine light on their unique style, and also give you a peek into their closet.
CARMEN JONES
Ink: What do you call your style? Carmen: What I call my style: “Unexpected cohesion” I love to mix and match items of clothing that wouldn’t normally flow like weird prints and bright colors. On paper it probably sounds yucky but once I put it on it gels like one cohesive unit. I love it! Ink: Can you tell us about a few important items you have and why they’re important? Carmen: Flower crowns. I love flowers. Growing up I remember helping my mom replant her garden every year. It was fun to learn about the different flowers and get our jeans dirty planting. Flowers hold a special place in my heart and wearing them on my head reminds me of the good times I had with my mom. It also doesn’t hurt that they go with all of my outfits. Next, my Ruby Woo Lipstick, the first time I ever wore lipstick was on prom night. I knew I wanted to wear red but I had trouble finding the right shade until I tried on Mrs. Ruby! She made me feel sexy and classic which were feelings I had never felt before. Every time I wear Mrs. Ruby I feel those same feelings over and over again and that is why I love Ruby Woo and keep her buried in my book bag. And last, my Orange American Apparel circle scarf. I love the fact that this scarf is multifunctional! It’s my snuggie, my head wrap, my pillow and whatever else I want it to be. Its one of my favorite pieces because I can use it for so many things. Ink: Which celebrity style do you like the most? Carmen: I admire the style of Pharell because of his ability to cohesively mix and match different styles and patterns. I like the fact that he is never afraid to try new things. He embraces individuality and uniqueness, which I believe that everyone should do. He’s just so cool.
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Ink: What inspires you to create your personal style? Carmen: I try to wear pieces that make me happy and are extremely comfortable at the same time. I get a lot of inspiration from the people around me. During my walks to class I am very observant of the different trends I see. I enjoy plucking and pulling different aspects that I like from other people’s style and implementing into my own. Ink: What would you say to a student or anyone that wants to dress uniquely like yourself but that is afraid too? Carmen: I would say if you want to wear a tutu to class then do it. Wear whatever makes you happy and never worry about what others think. Never be afraid to express yourself because then life stops being fun. The world is full of too many clothes to limit yourself to one look so be free and experiment. Be Funky Fresh!
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LEE COLLIE
Ink: Explain the accessories’ or articles of clothing that mean a lot to you. Why are they important? What’s the history? Lee: We’ll start with the black leather carryall from American Apparel – as with many things sentimental, this bag was a gift from my mom. There’s nothing particularly special about it other than the fact that it’s an amazing bag. When I bumble around town with it, I feel really confident and, honestly, super cool. My other special piece is my literal hunk of amethyst. I found it at a jeweler’s stand during one of the last First Fridays of Spring 2014, and it’s one of my favorite items that I own. Not only is it obnoxiously large and shiny, but the stone itself draws me to it, almost in a trance. I find myself getting lost in its facets that catch the light, and I often meditate with it. It holds a lot of positive energy, and I always wear it whenever I feel down – or whenever I just feel obnoxiously shiny myself. Ink: What would you call your style? Lee: I really don’t think I could name my “style” because I don’t have just one. I’m versatile in my fashion – I’m just as comfortable in a thrifted oversized t-shirt-turned-tank top and paisley shorts as I am in a jeweled buttondown and a pair of tailored trousers. I’m anyone I want to be, and it’s empowering. Ink: What inspires you to create your personal style? Lee: My mood, usually. Everything is guided by my emotions, and my wardrobe reflects the intricacies and quirks of my personality.
Ink: What do people say to you about your style? Lee: Honestly, sometimes people talk shit. It’s not uncommon for me to see or hear people referencing me negatively just because my flamboyant personality is expressed visually. But I’ve learned to not care – I’ve become thick-skinned enough to know that the opinions of others just don’t matter anymore and I’m too busy to bother with them anyway. My fashion is an extension of my personality, and, love it or hate it, it’s here, and it’s super kawaii. Ink: What would you say to a student or anyone that wants to dress uniquely like yourself but that is afraid to? Lee: That’s always the hardest part – getting through the fear. I’ve been there, and the only thing that I gained from fear is time spent being untrue to myself. Don’t waste life wondering if someone is going to say something cruel or feeling that you must fit in. I absolutely don’t fit in, and I learned to accept that, just like I learned to accept that there are those who are afraid of difference and are ignorant of what truly matters. If you want to be commandingly stylish, then you must first cater to your own insecurities so that nothing is holding you back from being the hottest damn thing that you can be. Interview by JEssica Morgan Photos by Carmen Jones & Lee Collie
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Ms. Thrifty Welcome to Ms.Thrifty, a section of INK where we learn and hear from our Fashion Editor-at large, Jennifer Burchette. Here she’ll be sharing her latest finds from thrift stores around the city; styling the pieces and inspiring you to look through the racks to find your own treasure. Jenn will show you that thrifting isn’t about being cheap but resourceful and creative. Check out more on inkmagazinevcu.com and look for biweekly updates from Jenn in Ms. Thrifty. INTRO by Jessica Morgan photos by Janelle Reid
1st outfit: (Top Left) Black and White Crop Tank: $12 Rumors Leopard Print Button-down: $8 Rumors Leather Skirt: $7 Double Take Vintage Bag: $10 360 Vintage Watch: Marc Jacobs
3rd Outfit: (Bottom Left) Chain Blouse: $15 Rumors Leather Joggers: $10 Double Take Bag: Zac Posen Watch: Marc Jacobs
2nd Outfit: (Above) Shoes Blouse: $9 Double Take Blue Skater Skirt: $8 Rumors Accessories: Belt: Given by mother
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BAD BONE TO THE
Photographer Aaron Ni'jai Stylist Janelle Reid Model Kylie S. of Fenton Moon NY Makeup Artist / Hair Stylist Sana Baseer Nail Tech Keta Jackson Creative Director Jennifer Burchette Creative Director Alexandra Mitchell FALL / WINTER 2014
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Dress Kieley Kimmell Verdalina Necklaces Sibelle Y端sek
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Black embellished dress Tyler O’Neal Black Leather gloves Stylist’s own White crossnecklace Claire Corneal
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Reversible floral dress, Finder’s Keepers Need Supply Co Vest Joey Zuraf Yellow X necklace Claire Corneal
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White zip-up top Joey Zuraf Marble print contrast shorts Shakuhachi Need Supply Co Rings Sibelle Y端sek
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Short sleeve Shift dress Raquel Alegra, Verdalina Black pants Joey Zuraf Spiked Bracelet Bricks Renee
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Cape with collar Joey Zuraf Purple/Gold Earrings Claire Corneal
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White (Peplum bottom) dress, Finders Keepers; Need Supply Co. Spiked Cuffs Bricks Renee Building Block Black stencil bag Need Supply Co.
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featured photographers
for more trend reports on the latest trends, beauty/health tips and other fashion news, make sure to keep up with us at inkmagazinevcu.com if you want to be apart of the ink fashion team or featured in our section, contact us via email at inkfashionrva@gmail.com 28
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Volume 7 | ssue 1 flip for fashion
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FALL/WINTER 2014 EDITOR IN CHIEF Cort Olsen MANAGING EDITOR Daniel Potes COPY EDITOR Meagan Dermody WEB EDITOR Jose D’Alta Art Director Courtney Shackelford SENIOR FASHION EDITOR Aaron Ni’jai JUNIOR FASHION EDITOR Mikayla Baumgartner FASHION EDITOR-AT-LARGE Jennifer Burchette CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alexandra Mitchell DESIGNERS Miranda Leung Anna Shcherbakova Veronica Sung CONTRIBUTING STAFF Carola Rojas Rebecca Metcalf Reese Kempter Brandon Geib Trevor Wells Daniel Rhoads Jessica Morgan Shaun Jackson London Terrell David Holden COVER BY Keith Pfeiffer ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Mike Rodriguez David Mistler
CONTRIBUTORS Chris Lewis Alex Cortes Carson Parris Hannah Nees Jasmine Thompson Taylor Dunivan Will Fisher Xavier Jones Kali Gregan Daniel Torraca Samuel Adkins
IINK MAGAZINE and the STUDENT MEDIA CENTER OFFICES 817 W. Broad St. P.O. Box 842010 Richmond, Va. 23284 Phone: (804) 828-1058 Ink magazine is a student publication, published quarterly with the support of the Student Media Center To advertise with Ink, please contact our Advertising representatives at inkmagazineads@vcustudentmedia.com
Twitter InkMagazineVCU Instagram Ink_Magazine Youtube Ink Magazine VCU Facebook www.facebook.com/vcu.ink Tumblr inkmagazinevcu.tumblr.com Website www.inkmagazinevcu.com Email inkmagazine.vcu@gmail.com
Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the VCU Student Media Center. www.facebook.com/inkmagazinevcu www.inkmagazinevcu.tumblr.com All content copyright © 2014 by VCU Student Media Center, All rights reserved. Printed locally
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR I started writing for INK two years ago when I transferred to VCU from community college. From the moment INK was placed in my hands I knew this magazine was something that could be amazing. Last year was kind of a struggle for us, and when I took over the chief editor position I knew it was going to be an uphill battle. I can finally say that INK is where I dreamed it could be. After a heavy redesign this summer I believe that this issue of INK is going to be the beginning for a larger than life college magazine. Gone are the long eye straining articles and in its place are large beautiful photos and illustrations that have been done by the talented artists that attend our wonderful university. You probably noticed the dual front and back cover one with an illustration and another with our traditional fashion photo shoot. We wanted to give you, the readers, the opportunity to begin the magazine where your interests lie. If you prefer arts and culture, then start with the illustration cover which was done by VCU art student Keith Pfeiffer. If you prefer to start with our fashion section then please flip the magazine over and begin with our double fashion spread put together by our new fashion
editor Aaron Ni’jai. In this issue you will see photo submissions from creative photographers such as Carson Parris, Jasmine Thompson and Will Fisher. We also have our summer vacation section where we followed students who travelled around the world whether for school or just for fun to places like Alaska, Israel, Italy and even Bonnaroo. As mentioned earlier our fashion section has been extended into its own portion of the magazine with a double fashion editorial along with an In Your Closet with two fashionable students from VCU. There is so much packed into this issue, I don’t even have the space in this letter to include it all. Please enjoy our newly designed magazine and don’t stop here be sure to check out our always updated website. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram, and be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel as well. Thank you for picking up this issue of INK and know that you all are what keep this magazine flourishing. Sincerely, Cort Olsen Executive Editor
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 Word on the Street 05 09 13 18 22 25
Featured photographers Hannah Nees Jasmine Thompson Carson Parris Skate RVA Alex Cortes Will Fisher
Artists 29 Keith Pfeiffer 33 Chris Lewis 38 Taylor Dunivan 40 43 47 51 53
Travel Israel Alaska Staycation Bonnaroo Florence
59 Vacant Grounds
illustration by keith pfeiffer page 29
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Campus Life
So where do you see yourself in a couple years? Moving, Richmond is nice and all but I’m ready to move. I don’t see myself living here at all. Maybe I’ll live in the dessert. Ideally, I want a job to move out and travel with. I guess I like to think of myself as a teaching English abroad or just something including animation.
story by Carola Rojas
Hallie Lennenman Kinetic Imaging, 2015
worD 2
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Campus Life
When was the saddest moment of your life? When my grandfather passed away because that was the first time I experienced someone passing away. I had lived with him my whole life but it was really sad because I realized that since I didn’t know how to speak Vietnamese, I only spoke English, and my grandpa only spoke Vietnamese so I never really had a legitimate conversation with him. We did have a few conversations but it wasn’t to it’s fullest potential. John Pham Information Systems, 2014
What was the happiest moment of your life? Jesus…. Uh, it’s always nice to get accepted into something. I’ve had a few moments like that. I got into Cleveland; I didn’t think I would. I got accepted into VCU; I didn’t think I would. I got into an improv team; I didn’t think I would. I got into Eagle Scout; I didn’t think I would and then working with the band, when they said yes, I thought: this is awesome. Patrick Allan Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, 2018
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Campus Life
What’s your biggest flaw? When I get nervous, I tend to speak the first thing on my mind. I know when I was meeting my first boyfriend I didn’t even know what to say! I just said a whole bunch of random things and then thought, “that’s what’s coming out of my mouth?!” Promise Wheeler Psychology, 2016
What’s the best thing you’ve accomplished? Probably graduating from boot camp. So what’s your biggest worry right now? Probably disappointing everyone I know and getting deployed whenever.
If you could give one piece of advice to a random group of people, what would it be? Do what you love and be happy, don’t go do stuff because society tells you to do it or because your parents want you to. I don’t care if you want to be the best truck driver ever, if you want to do that, you’ll be successful with it. Darrius McMillian Chemistry, 2014
Dylan Van Aalast Homeland Security, 2014
What do you like the most about Richmond? RVA’s always been close in distance but it’s really diverse and close knit which is different than where I grew up so when I came here, I thought I could fit in a little bit more but I still get discriminated. How do you feel discriminated here? People just come up to me and ask, are you Jamaican? Where are you from and can I touch your hair? I guess it’s the ignorance of curiosity. People don’t get to know me for who I am; that’s what I mean when I say they try to make me a spectacle. Selu Sky Lark Sociology with minor in Media Studies, 2016
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featured photographers
hannah nees
A year old in-progress series highlighting on the beauty of the night in and around Richmond, Virginia. By using digital photography and little to no editing, I have been able to give depth to the architecture around the city. Long shutter speeds and high aperture settings are what bring out the colors lost in the night. This ongoing series has helped myself and others conclude that there is more than just crime and danger that goes on in the middle of the night.
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featured photographers
Jasmine THompson I am a portrait photographer because people are so interesting to me. Especially the way we perceive people through pictures, and how the viewer’s interpretation of the subject can be manipulated in any way by the subject and photographer. I don’t ever consider posed moments fake. They were real and they happened. I know because we created them.
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CARSON PARRIS
My work is about an exploration, of space and identity. How the objects and people we find ourselves interacting with can tell a greater story. The majority of my photographs come from a place of subconscious self-discovery. I find that my process leads me in directions that I never imagined going, and further more, those directions uncover worlds that I would have never unearthed on my own. Through all of this, there is also a desire to touch on greater themes of life through my personal observations. I walk and document everything, in an attempt to somehow understand the world, and hopefully with these images start a dialog that goes beyond the immediate aesthetics.
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Photo by Robert Hendricks
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Photo by Xavier Jones
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alex cortes
This is a photography series exploring the house show phenomenon that has continued to flourish through the underground and local scenes of Richmond, VA. These residential music venues are not just a place to hear local and underground, touring musicians; they serve the purpose of a community hub, bringing people together and giving them a sense of solidarity, while embracing diverse backgrounds and interests.
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will fisher
fire@willphotography
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Keith Pfeiffer
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I wish I had a collection full of fantastic drawings I did as a kid. I also wish I had stories of everyone knowing that I’d grow up to be an artist. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of those. Actually, I didn’t have much interest in art until half way through high school. My parents thought I was going to be a great businessman because I was such a bossy kid. Luckily, I eventually picked up a camera and started shooting constantly. I had some pretty good success with it too. I got a full scholarship to Santa Fe University of Art and Design for photography and was featured in CMYK magazine as one of the top 100 rising artists. Even with relative success in photography, I started noticing that I was drawing more in my free time than I was taking photos. I realized that all my photos were just things I wished I could paint. I realized that I had always wanted to be a painter. After a long sleepless night of thinking, I decided that I would do it. I moved back to Virginia, applied to VCU, suffered through AFO, and eventually ended up in Communication Arts. Leaving the comfort of photography was hard, and to be honest, is still hard two years later. I’m not naturally good at drawing, and definitely not painting, so instead I’ve just been working my butt off. As a student, I’m constantly trying to experiment with technique, subject matter, and materials. Inevitably, this has lead to some success and some failures. A lot of failures. Mainly just failures. Sometimes it seems like every piece I make is only a test to see if I made the right decision leaving photography behind in the Santa Fe dust. Then, I remember why I’m drawing and painting: I enjoy it. I love it. I can’t stay away from it. Whether I find myself drawing stupid illustrations or comics of things that just make myself laugh, or hiking all my oil paints, brushes, and easel out in 15 degree weather just to paint some snow covered alley way, I know that drawing and painting is all that I want to do. My work is still growing and I still don’t know exactly what path I’m on, but at least I know I’m heading in the right direction. I think.
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“We have this feast – this thanksgiving feast – of different concepts and ideas laid out on the table, with all these different ingredients, and we can take from it what we want and put it on our plates within a moments notice… So I started thinking – how can I add to the conversation? What am I bringing to the table?” The work he serves up is a unique contribution; his series ‘Dying of Thirst’ deriving from a dream of his and producing ethereal images with religious and introspective undertones. “[In the dream] Me and my mother were walking up these marble steps with water trickling down them... around us was just white space – you could only see the stairs we were climbing – they extended for miles horizontally. As we ascended up these stairs, she lost her footing, she began to fall and I caught her. So we ascended to the top and when we got there it was a vast land of marble floors, everything was white; the sky was white, the floor was white. There were figures and they were kneeled down, evenly spaced apart, in a
CHRIS LEWIS
Amidst the monochromatic subtlety of Chris Lewis’ ‘Still Room’ is a sense of power; with a gray scale charcoal portrait a figure; slumped and wheel chair confined, the image commands attention. ‘Still Room’ is a continuous line drawing that depicts Lewis’ Great Grandmother, a woman whom he holds in high regard. She helped raise him and holds stories of his lineage - stories that have not only contributed a great deal to his perspective, but to his work as well. “Passed down through my Great Grandmother is storytelling, and I feel like every piece needs a story, that’s why every piece has meaning.” The meaning, he said, is important when it comes to putting art and ideas out into the world for people to consume. While not all of his images may appear directly intimate, the meanings and micro-narratives behind his work are. From dream depictions to branding and social commentary, his work is a plural and deconstructed manifestation of his thoughts and worlds that are existing within micro-narratives that he built long before any pencil touches paper.
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parallel line, ascending down the landscape. They were in white cloaks, kind of on bended knees with golden bowls of water in front of their faces, and they would take their hands and they would drink from these bowls of water. As they drunk, the water didn’t deplete, so we walked in between them. I was looking around and my Mother was just staring ahead … The bowls were overflowing and the water was running down from the side of the bowl, onto the floor, down the stairs. I reached this figure to my right, it was a man, who was out of sync with everyone, he was dressed in normal clothing, he still had his bowl of water and was on all fours, drinking like a dog, he took the bowl and he sat up and started pouring it down his face but it would not deplete. He sat on the floor and when he sat on the floor my perspective switched into his eyes, and I was on the floor, I submerged my face into my face and when I submerged it into my image – the reflection in the water – I awoke.” The dream itself unlocks a number of concepts. Among them is desire, a concept that Lewis is constantly readdressing. For him, cultural desire began first; the desire for freedom, for equality, a desire he can appreciate from the stories of his Great Grandmother. Follow-
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ing that is personal desire and current societal desires that the majority fixates on, the readdressed notion of human need and the desire to reach nirvana. His most recent series of work ‘Logos, Lips and Labels’ deals with this, deconstructing pop culture brands and images to create experimentally layered images, forging figures of familiarity into a different aesthetic, extracting beauty from something as cold as consumerism. “Dying of thirst” also deals with desire. The spiritual desire for personal fulfillment. Interestingly, the two directions of the series brings forward a question and battle that rests on the mind of most, the battle between physical and emotional desire. The struggle between the two brings up a question reminiscent of the chicken and the egg; his work bringing to light the relationship between art and advertising. “Advertising definitely samples from art, but what doesn’t?” he said, “Everything is a sample of a sample … The caveman paintings were our first indication of art; but they were images of hunting on the walls of caves; they were advertising how to hunt. So I don’t think art is corrupted by advertising, but it shouldn’t be ignored.” In ‘Logos, Lips and Labels’ Lewis reverses what advertising does to art, choosing to sample from brands he is able to strip them of their meaning, deconstructing common associations with popular images and forcing the viewer to look at them in an alternative way; an effect he hopes extends its own sort of power onto the viewer in some way. “I think about the meaning every time I make my work … In the end, when I leave this Earth, what makes me a quality person? What makes me have that ripple?” WRITTEN BY rebecca metcalf art BY chris lewis
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taylor dunivan For my birthday my grandma bought me a bunch of cross stitching materials. I tried it out, but got pretty bored with it at first. I quickly deviated from the patterns and started making things that I thought were cool. I just really love how something so small can make such a big impact. And because of the size, they’re a lot less of a commitment than, say a painting or sculpture can be. They’re really fun little, unexpected surprises in a room. More than anything I just wanted to make really in your face and feminist art but do it in a traditional textile form and show people that cross stitch isn’t just something your arthritic grandmother does, but it can be pretty rad too. STORY AND art by taylor dunivan
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EXCAVATING Tel Lachish Studying Abroad in Israel
While most people are keenly aware of the current conflict in Israel, few have heard of the groundbreaking work (pun intended) done there by a small group of VCU students who, in coordination with esteemed VCU Professor John Waybright, Hebrew University and several other universities, began excavations of a fascinating site called Tel Lachish. This historic site is home to one of the most destroyed cities in all of Israel. With an astounding four known destructions, it houses more evidence of the native peoples than almost anywhere else in Israel. A group of 18 students from VCU joined this archaeological expedition in the hopes of joining the rank and file of Biblical Archaeology, but were sadly met with early cancellation and an escalating regional conflict. Through thick and thin however; these students, myself included, managed to make the best of a sticky situation and learn as much as possible during the short two weeks of excavating. The man in charge of excavations, famed archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel, helped make this study abroad an incredibly memorable one with his jokes and good nature. Not one person shied away from excavating during the conflict. The professor in charge of the VCU group, John Waybright, also gave his all to make sure that the group not only enjoyed themselves, but learned as much as they could and were also well rested. The incredibly busy schedule of the excavation made it difficult for the jetlagged students to maintain their pace, but with ample rests and plenty of party breaks the group managed to overcome the 4:00 am wake-up.
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The schedule was as hectic as can be, while the work was done in an incredibly hot Israeli summer. By starting at five in the morning and having shade placed above our site squares, the groups were able to dig in relative coolness and not have to tolerate the intense sun directly. One problem that did arise as the dig continued was that of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Waking up one night to air raid sirens, our group realized that the conflict had caught up to us. The feelings were fragmented throughout the camp: while some felt intense fear, others felt anger at the thought
of being attacked, others felt sadness knowing that the Iron Dome, an Israeli missile defense system with a 90% accuracy rating, would destroy the incoming missiles and that Israeli retaliation would be swift and harsh. Only at this point did the social fabric of our dig begin to crumble. Differences of opinion led to heated conversations ending in cursing or an aura of sadness; the mood declined drastically as death tolls started rolling in. Some saw the retaliation as a righteous defense of Israeli soil and others saw it as a disproportionate use of overwhelming military superiority.
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While the spirit of the excavation was diminished, the energy to excavate was not; the best way to deal with the conflict was to just dig on and find what we had come to search for: evidence of a stratum from the time of King Solomon. Keeping to the schedule helped keep our spirits up by exhausting us too far past the point of being able to keep thinking about the events around us, but this pleasant monotony was frequently disrupted by intercepted rockets exploding in the air above us and the sound of Jets taking off and dropping their payload on Gaza. These interruptions helped make us keenly aware of the situation at hand and also forced us to grow in ourselves and be able to continue calmly into the excavation with those thoughts racing around inside. To help you understand the thought process of the VCU students involved, following are several quotes taken straight from their journals during this trying time. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL POTES
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ZACHARY HUDSON I am upset that our dig with Yosef Garfinkel was cancelled prematurely, I feel that we, the VCU team, were on the verge of discovery. Upon excavating past the collapse fill in Unit A, we began to uncover human remains. It saddens me to leave Lachish because our hard work in excavation was just paying off. However, such is life. I suppose … back to Jerusalem for some quiet time within the Old City walls. Hamas lobs off a rocket and the Israeli Air Force levels a whole city block. Hamas hits an Israeli gas station with a bottle
ZAVI HARMAN
MARI MAY
Last night, I fell asleep around 11pm but woke up at 2:30am shivering even with all my clothes on. I couldn’t go back to sleep in this cold so I took my pillow and blanket and went into the middle room to sleep where it was warm. I only slept for about 10 minutes because sirens began to go off. I went outside to check it out and then heard a large pop and immediately felt the sonic blast from the nearby missile. After everything was silent I saw a guy in his boxers run across our building which in retrospect was really funny but at the time didn’t really register to me because I was in such a daze. Katie was really scared and Zach was pretty nervous. I went outside to sit with Zach and have a coffee because I figured I would just stay awake since it was about 3:45 It was then though that I got hit by a wave of tiredness and fell asleep for about 20 minutes before everyone’s alarms started going off. When I woke up, I had the largest sore on the inside of my lip which was swelling a lot. I think it was just from lack of rest and stress. I ended up going on the dig even though I was so tired and was in a horrible mood. My sore eventually went away in like 4 hours but it was quite painful and numb feeling like I just got Novocain.
Hate is being dispersed in droplets In the form of missiles and IDF boots. A fight for freedom multiplies loathing just as a fight to conquer multiplies loathing. Political entities believe they hold enough power to control the tides.
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Guilt veils my brain to feel a pinch of ease in a country masked with so much uneasiness. I thought love could be so thick to wrap itself around so much confliction. Find a sliver of peace and cling on. When you wake up don’t forget to bless the sun. rocket and the IDF levels a high rise.
RYAN LOREDO Though every human is different, I boldly state the claim we have an ego and at times it has a desire to search and explore to find answers in this anarchic universe. Though there may not be a god, there is a human element that exists called empathy and it is enough to bring one to another together with shining eyes.
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Where We Go, and Why We Go There: An Account of Northern Travels Like most people I am for better or worse plagued by avarice. That is why I travel. There is something in all of us that aches for knowledge. It aches for more, I admit to being greedy in an unquenchable quest to do, see and know more than I have ever thought possible. That is what drives me. I am willing to bet you have all felt that primeval sensation as well. I don’t think a day passes where I don’t wish I could travel to one remote place of the world or another, despite periodical plagues of homesickness. That homesickness lets me realize the true value of where I call home. It is through this that a boon is bestowed upon me in two ways. I am simultaneously gaining more appreciation for home and doing all I can to quench an unstoppable search for adventure. It was with this never ending quest in mind that I traveled north. I am fortunate enough to have parents with whom I am on a great basis with. My travel was a family affair, with my Great Aunt
and Great Uncle there as well. While this tamed the adventure aspects it also allowed the travelling to occur in the first place, and still granted me plenty in the way of knowledge for future excursions. The trip north began with Vancouver. A city, which might as well have been the lost city of Atlantis for all the refreshing joy it brought me. That was where my travels began. The city is not just surrounded by the natural world, but is actually permeated by it. Resting on and around a peninsula Vancouver allows for easy access to a waterfront that has its bit of industrialization but is also lined with a beautiful walking path and various beaches and parks that decorate the landscape almost directly next to skyscrapers. Try to imagine the canal walk in Richmond, times three. After several walks along this path, both aimless and otherwise, we got the chance to bike to the city’s natural attraction, Stanley Park. This was less of a park and more of a full on forest
located adjacent to downtown. I would later note from the 42nd floor of building where I was enjoying a drink with my family that the park itself is almost a fourth the size of the downtown area that occupies the rest of the peninsula. Aside from tall restaurants and space for the environmentally conscious to catch some fresh air, the city is also home to an array of theatres which, in the four days I was there, put on a compilation of 50’s Rock and Roll Classics called “Red Rock Diner” and “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare. “The Tempest” is what really stuck out. It is easy to think of Shakespeare as what I at one point perceived to be the morbid nonsensical ramblings of a man several hundred years dead. While I could easily rant on the failings of our education system in this regard I will instead jump to the part where I tell you that is not what you experience in the least. The poetry of the work manages to become infiFALL / WINTER 2014
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nitely more clear and powerful as it is aided by context and delivery, rather than diminished by your high school English teacher. With this clarity “The Tempest” manages to bring tears to your eyes from both laughter and sorrow. The other aspect of Vancouver that drove my love was the wit. It seemed as if on every corner there was a sign both advertising and cautionary that elicited a chuckle. Some of these were for companies like ones that read, “We have florists in case you do anything really stupid again,” and “Going to a fast food place for salad is like going to a cactus for a hug.” While others existed as public service warnings such as “You don’t want to get hit by a cyclist today” and its partner for the other side of the walking path “You don’t want to hit a pedestrian today,” or the friendly reminder to lock your car or simply watch how long you leave it “Warning: Car Thieves Work Here.” We left Vancouver on a cruise set out for Alaska. It was along this way that I discovered just what I had gotten into. Alaska exists in nearly an unfathomably vast and isolated space, certainly one that cannot be appreciated without seeing it for yourself. The state is a third the size of the continental United States but holds only 731,000 people. To put that in perspective Hawaii’s land mass could fit inside Alaska about 60 times but Hawaii still has twice that population. Ketchikan is an island with no bridges connecting it to any other landmass. The island relies on ships and planes instead. Students in it’s schools are required to go through a wilderness survival test with only a coffee can full of supplies for a weekend. They must know 44
how to build a shelter through the almost never-ending rain, hunt, fish, and cook food. It was across the waterways that flowed in and around this island city that I was allowed to Kayak. In that glorious clean water I glided along as the sights beneath me shifted from reflections to a clear view of an underwater world speckled with dark purple starfish that clung to jagged rocks. Juneau is another island city that stretches along the southeastern coast of the state. This capitol with a rich gold rush history is home to one particular glacier. While one glacier might not seem impressive in a state riddled with them, this beauty allowed me the privilege of riding a dogsled along top of it. A camp full of at least a hundred Alaskan Huskies greeted me as we descended in a helicopter on top of the glacier. Like most of southeastern Alaska it was again raining as we rode through the snow and air from A to B. While the experience itself was fantastic, I was also offered some perspective on life from a disgruntled couple that went up to the glacier with us. Because of the rain and fog that accompanied it, the first tour of the glacier and sled camp was cancelled. Upon landing we learned that the rest of the day had been cancelled as well. This couple along with us took it as an insult that we had gone up. They were disgruntled that they were wet, in an area designated as a temperate rain forest. But beyond that they were upset that they had been sent up at all because the previous and next trips had been cancelled. This is where I became aware of the unfortunate entitlement that some of my traveling companions on the ship had acquired. The perspective that because they paid, nature somehow owed them a nice trip was depressing to say the best. It is important to be thankful for the experiences you have. These people had just rode a helicopter into a cloud landed on a glacier and got to ride along with some of the most enthusiastic and kindest dogs I have ever met. Not only that but they were the only ones that day who had the opportunity. Mother Nature is not failing to hold up some end of a deal when you don’t see as much wildlife as you would like or the top of North Americas largest mountain. Nature owes us nothing. The sea, sky and animals are not ours to whimsically watch in petty amusement. They are things to be thankful for, not expect. As I travelled farther into the country I passed through Skagway. While I was there I learned to blow glass, and got to ride a bicycle down through mountains and across national borders. During my time next to what had been nicknamed Dead Horse Gulch during the state’s gold rush, I also began to learn more of the history behind the state’s native heritage. I heard tales of a hunter who wears a monsters skin to steal its strength, a man
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who married a bear, a woman who married the moon, and of the Raven who stole the sun for the entire world. During the next two days we sailed into Glacier Bay National Park. For several hours we were carried underneath snow-splattered peaks, and above ice speckled water. The walls of glaciers, that had less than 300 years prior covered the sea through which we sailed, towered above us like the defenses of the natural world. It is in this space that I was reminded of how small we are in the world, yet how connected we are to all of it. I could see how the glaciers carved out the land for the sea and how the sea had flooded in, inundating the area with life. The life that populated the sea was able to sustain the life that came to call the land home, and somehow I was there watching all that was beautiful about the workings of the world take place.
On the final leg of my adventure we left the shore, and thankfully the cruise ship behind. While the ports along my excursion had been far from disappointing the context that the ship brought to them was. The ship unfortunately seeks to steal the experiences of traveling from you. I was given an exact schedule and a very short time in each city. I couldn’t stay over night to experience the evening life of the towns. There were meals that were already paid for with the cruise, so I was left to either spend more to actually experience the local food, or return to the ship for every meal wasting time and entertainment to be had in the ports. I was also left, for the most part, only exploring the most commercially developed, tourist-trapping areas, of each stop. In order to reach our final destination we ventured to the interior of Alaska and the site of Denali (commonly known as Mount McKinley) the tallest mountain in North America. It was in this place that I was finally able to hike. There is something in hiking that other activities don’t allow, and that is the capacity to go slow. Hiking isn’t a race to be won; it is an experience to be had. You can move at any pace and in the quiet truly get the opportunity to ruminate on what it is that surrounds you. Particularly when what surrounds you is a 360-degree view of land receding beneath you because you managed to climb up to the top of a small mountain. As I travelled I began to understand and learn more about what it was I actually loved about travelling. Over the course of those two weeks I was in six cities from Vancouver to Denali. I saw a green city from forty-two floors up. I paddled a kayak between the waterways of an island with no bridge to land. I rode a dogsled across the pure snow of a glacier. I was gifted with knowledge of a culture thousands of years old. I was taught how to blow glass. I rode a bicycle between countries. I watched the serene blues of an aging glacier descend into the sea below. Rivers roared around me, mountains peaked through clouds beneath me. I saw a husky nurse her young, a mouse graze with its calf, and a humpback whale release a tower of water dozens of feet high. I hiked to what seemed to be the top of the world only to see how many more giants were left to be climbed before me. That was the joy though, for there is always something knew to learn, something incredible and interesting just beyond the next mountain. Story and photos by Brandon Geib
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RVA STAY CATION
If you’re not swimming in the money, like most college students that have to pay their own way through school, you probably did not take a lavish summer vacation anywhere this summer. For those of you that went home for the summer here are some of the fun activities that can be done during the summer right here in Richmond. For those that stay in Richmond, that usually means that this is the time to pick up an internship and work as either a server or bartender on the side to save up some money for the coming school year. If you know the right people and the right places Richmond can be just as fun over the summer as traveling to anywhere else in the world. The campus maybe empty, but the city is stillv full of life.
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Many of the house show venues like Ghost House and The Compound still carry on shows through the summer. This is an excellent way to get into the scene if you were having trouble figuring out where all these fun parties were happening last semester. The National even brought in some major performers like Neon Trees, The Naked and Famous and even local pop punk band Conditions for their farewell show. Finally, if you are a fan of the bar scene places like the Cam-
el and Canal Club had packed houses with bands like Texas in July and Modern Baseball which had the crowds surfing over one another and moshing their way out of the tightly packed locations. The summer may be over, but maybe when it comes time to think about where the next summer vacation might be, consider just staying right here in the R.V.A. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CORT Olsen
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BONNAROO 2014 trevor wells
In its 13th summer, the largest music festival on the East Coast returned with a hell of a bang. Containing a massive crowd of more than 90,000 for an unforgettable four-day weekend, Bonnaroo encompassed all walks of life and arguably one of the greatest lineups in recent history. People of every ethnicity, age and profession were there for their own reasons, but mostly there to appreciate one thing: the music. On one hand you had attendees, such as myself, there to see indie and hip-hop artists such as Vampire Weekend, Disclosure, and Kanye West. On the other, you would come across older individuals there to see their favorite pop icons like Elton John and Lionel Richie, relishing the good ol’ days. Some were there just to jam out to Skrillex and
Zedd, leaving. It didn’t matter who you were there to see or what you wanted to do in this Tennessee getaway, everyone went there with the same mindset, but leaving with different and amazing experiences. Leaving the Elton John show a little early revealed the pure enormity of the entire Bonnaroo festival. To put everything into perspective, right before John performed “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” which was roughly a seven-minute track, we packed up our bags and swam through the sea of people. We left when the song started, and didn’t get out of the Elton John crowd until the song had ended. Hopping over passed out people, gliding by reminiscent older attendees, and a few excuseme’s later, we could catch a breath of fresh air. Leaving that show really proved to me how colossal Bonnaroo is. Never again will I see more people gathered around to enjoy good music. Never again will I meet people that were as generous and kind for no specific reason. It was an experience I’ll take with me for the rest of my life. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year. FALL / WINTER 2014
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Daniel Rhoads I came to Bonnaroo 2014 as a volunteer. When my friend and I arrived on the farm, it was all but empty. We watched silvery rainclouds, stretched out over the piedmont sky, drifting from the Appalachian foothills to drench the whole expanse in heavy, steady rain. That could have been an omen for the rest of the week. It was an expanse too, green and rolling with patches of trees hinting at boundaries, but never revealing them. It could have gone on forever. On the farm, you’re always within spitting distance of Interstate 24, where truckers and travelers, for business or pleasure, exist in the real world, making their way from settlement to permanent human settlement, their minds busy with dreams, fears, desires, and worries, but you’d never even know. It may as well not be so. During our 12 hour shift checking wristbands and admitting people into the festival, we got to watch Bonnaroo appear, so to speak. In that 12-hour period, and in the following day, those green and rolling pastures were filled up to capacity by a bizarre kind of temporary settlement that if it was to be transferred to the outskirts of Johannesburg or Mumbai, could have easily been mistaken for a slum scene, but this was organized, it was regimented and it was ephemeral. In many ways, too, it was beautiful. Standing on a point of kind-of-high ground late in the day, you could watch the sun set over a whirling patchwork field of blues, reds and yellows all being pushed about vaguely by the wind in a kind of harmony too complex to even comprehend. These people, the ones under the tents and awnings, had all made the same pilgrimage, and they had all arrived. I checked the wristband of every kind of person, and I would say about 95% of them
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were absolutely thrilled to be riding through the gate. Most came from the Northeast, the South, Illinois, or Florida. We saw people from California. One guy came from Seattle, another from England. “Happy ‘Roo!” Shout the name of the festival, and you’d get a guaranteed response. Hold out your hand, and you’d get a high five. Only a truly deep and fatal kind of cynicism could possibly hold itself fast against the infectious sensation of the ‘InstaCommunity’ Bonnaroo cultivates with the snap of a finger. This year at Bonnaroo, there were no fatalities. It seems funny to say. Although I’m sure the organizers are thrilled, it’s not an easy thing to brag about. But Bonnaroo as an idea, as a situation, seems almost unsustainable to human life. It’s like a moment that’s taken and stretched out over four days’ time, while the rest of the world continues at regular pace. It bends space and defies laws in ways we simply can’t handle. When I walked through the doors of a Tennessee McDonald’s the morning I left, the thoughts came roaring in instantly and endlessly. The real world returned in heavy force like it had never been gone. But I know I’ll risk it again, risk over-extending myself in time and space for a four day lapse in life’s responsibilities. I’ll go back. WRITTEN BY Trevor wells & daniel rhoADs Illustration BY samuel adkins
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FLORENCE REVEALED
DANIEL TORRACA FALL / WINTER 2014
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I found a home in this nation where I had never set foot and I made a family with people whom I came to find out I knew very little about previously. The art that came from this trip could not have been created without both the nation of Italy and the sense of family I gained from my fellow students. Florence was revealed to me in vibrant colors, soggy boots, broken sketchbook bindings, and it was beautiful; it is beautiful. It’s difficult to even begin to describe the overwhelming sense of inspiration that comes from standing in front of masterpieces you have only felt through the pages of borrowed art history textbooks. The only way to translate the feeling that comes from being in a place such as Florence is to compare it to the sensation of coming out from under the covers to the sunlight sprinkled across your bedroom floor in the early morning. There is total beauty in this small, intimate, moment that you know you can’t hold onto for long. You must savor it. As this light glimmers across the carpet, it catches every fiber and dusty bunny you’ve let roam free. ‘Florence Revealed’ was one of the most rapidly eye opening experiences I believe you could ever choose to do. I had never truly felt confident experimenting with color or with unfamiliar media and especially not in a location totally foreign to me. However, upon the conclusion of this trip I feel not only confident in my experimentation, but also eagerness to push further and to create works that test my boundaries and create more sophisticated contrast within my work. Needless to say, Florence has broadened my horizons towards a different way of experiencing the world and I am eternally grateful. This trip provided the unique opportunity for the museum or piazza to become the classroom everyday. We learned about the works of the masters, as we stood right in front of them. Our lectures covered everything from geopolitics to sculpture to what
Nietzsche might have thought of American tourists. Then, in the afternoons, we drew the world around us; I’ve never been somewhere so foreign and yet felt so at home. There was a distinct difference in the pace of life that we were able to experience by living amongst the locals and I grew accustomed to rising early to a cappuccino and a pastry from our local café. Unsurprisingly, I looked forward to each day for the pure joy and excitement of learning and feeling growth as an artist as well as a human being. I had some reservations before going on the trip, but upon my conclusion I realized I had broken down walls and begun to make motions in my work that I had never before tested. This experience has influenced the work I strive to create, as well as the life I choose to live, more than I could have possibly imagined. I am incredibly grateful for my instructors, as well my fellow students, for helping me in creating work that I am proud to display as part of my advancement and I hope it helps to inspire others to make similar leaps of faith. ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANIEL TORACCA
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KALI GREGAN
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These are some of my favorite pieces from my sketchbook during the month of June, which I spent drawing and studying renaissance works in Florence, Italy. I lived right in the middle of the historic center of the city, and travelled to Venice, Pisa and Sienna as well. Florence is the birthplace of the renaissance so it was the perfect place to stay, but the other cities we visited were some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. This was definitely unlike any drawing class I’ve ever taken. Initially it was sort of stressful to draw the city. Of course there’s no classroom for the entirety of Florence, so my class and I would have to get creative with seating. Also, because it is home to so many famous pieces of art, Florence has a ton of tourism. It was funny to watch people try to be sneaky and check out what we were doing or snap a picture and think we wouldn’t notice. These pieces are from later in the trip, as time went on I learned to loosen up a little with my pages. I feel these drawings are more indicative of my personal taste while still paying homage to the city and its art. It took a few days for all the students to relax around all the overwhelmingly beautiful pieces or art and architecture and draw in a way that was suitable for them. I feel incredibly grateful to have been able to have this experience. The trip was a wonderful way to learn about another culture, and has improved my drawing abilities immensely. Coming home I’m trying to remain as focused as I was there and find the same level of inspiration in my subjects for life drawing at home. ILLUSTRATIONS BY KALI GREGAN
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Richmond goes beyond the Carytown’s storefronts, VCU’s Compass, or the bustle of its Downtown District. The city’s history is not limited to the confederate flags dotting Hollywood Cemetery, or the remnants of the Civil War camp in Belle Isle. Many adventurous photographers seek a different side of the city, crawling through fences while avoiding any surveillance that may give them away, in search of the River City’s most overlooked sites. It was not too long ago when the former Confederate capital was the nation’s murder capital; often looked down upon as a failing city. Jackson Ward and Northside were underworld meccas, to the point that those in the western parts of the city were told to “never go past Belvedere”, for fear that they could fall prey to what once was a very real threat. Church Hill stood far off into the distance amidst a socio-cultural meltdown. Although Richmond has come a long way in just a few years, many abandoned buildings still dot its urban landscape, some dating all the way back to the early 1970’s.
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These photos document only a small percentage of the forgotten structures which still stand to this day, serving as reminders of a an era in which our city was described as a dying wasteland. WRITTEN BY JOSE D’ALTA PHOTOS BY REESE KEMPTER
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