Falcons play ball
Langara women's basketball team sustains losses, the men get one win. P8
Shadow puppets
The Voice explores Indonesian puppetry and the puppeteer behind it. P4-5
A burger haven
Three restaurants in Vancouver compete for the best burger. www.lanagaravoice.ca
'I admit to being scammed'
Rental fraud rises as internet ads pose high risks, VPD warns
By LAUREN GARGIULO
Aya Abdulhadi took the correct steps to protect herself mid-rental agreement, according to police recommendations. Yet despite going “by the book,” Abdulhadi said she was still scammed with little hope of a full refund.
Vancouver police media spokesperson, Constable Tania Visintin, said in recent years Canada and Vancouver have been seeing more rental scams because the internet has become the primary source of apartment hunting.
A part-time instructor at the Native Education College in Vancouver, Abdulhadi said she found a downtown Vancouver apartment on a social media site, met with a woman who identified herself as the landlord and who showed her the unit. Abdulhadi paid up front and signed a B.C. rental agreement.
Shortly after, the landlord ghosted with the money — without giving
Lang's love of news revived
By KRISTEN HOLLIDAY
AKerrisdale school is remembering the only Canadian journalist who died in the War in Afghanistan.
Magee Secondary School held an assembly on Thursday, Nov. 8, to honour one of its alumni, Michelle Lang, the only journalist who was killed while on assignment to cover the war.
A plaque was unveiled during the ceremony, which will be permanently placed in the school to commemorate the journalist. Lang’s family and friends were in attendance, along with Member of Parliament for Vancouver-Granville, Jody WilsonRaybould.
In front of a full auditorium of students and faculty, Catherine Lang, Lang’s aunt and a former Langara journalism school graduate, spoke about Lang’s life, career, and the assignment in Afghanistan.
Abdulhadi a key or access to any apartment.
According to Visintin there are ways to avoid these kinds of scams.
“Don’t send money to anyone you haven’t met in person” said Visintin, who advised getting as much information as possible on the person taking your money, and to call 911 if needed.
“Once that 911 file number is open, police will activate an investigation.”
Yet the London, Ont. native said because she “willingly gave over cash,” there was nothing the police could do, despite the precautions Abdulhadi said she had taken.
Visintin said she couldn’t comment on Abdulhadi’s case because it was an open investigation.
Abdulhadi said while looking for
monthly accommodations, she found an apartment on Facebook Marketplace. She said after viewing the suite at 1001 Richards Street with the “landlord,” she handed over $1,500 in cash and e-transfers over a couple of days. She even got receipts, she said.
Abdulhadi said she asked the “landlord” for photo ID and received a photo of her B.C. ID card.
The Voice called the “landlord” twice with contact information supplied by Abdulhadi but the number had since been disconnected.
Abdulhadi said she met the “landlord” three times, and was in constant communication using texts and phone calls, yet she said after the cash was handed over, communica-
tion went silent.
“That’s $1,500 from someone who just graduated, just started work,” Abdulhadi said.
Director of Operations at LandlordBC Hunter Boucher said there has been an increase in apartment rental scams.
“It’s something we’re hearing more about,” Boucher said, “[But] generally, the scammer doesn’t meet the potential renter in person.”
LandlordBC provides legislation clarification and advice to owners and managers of rental housing in B.C..
Boucher said landlords who rent out apartments don’t have much control over what their tenants do with it.
“[The landlords] can cooperate with the police and end the tenancy agreement but past that, there isn’t anything they can do,” Boucher said.
“I went by the book,” Abdulhadi said. “I always thought [people who get scammed] weren’t doing the right thing.”
She said Lang was aware of the dangers, but knew it was important to tell Canadians the stories of ordinary Afghan people.
“She loved to learn, and wanted to see that the women and girls would finally be able to get an education after five years of brutal Taliban rule. If she could write about those people and their stories, maybe Canadians would pay attention,” Catherine said. “Maybe Canadians would care more, and better understand why we were there fighting that long and messy war.”
Lang, an SFU graduate, started her journalism career at the Prince George Free Press. She moved on to the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, the Regina Leader-Post and then the Calgary Herald, where she worked on the health beat before accepting a six-week assignment in Afghanistan.
In an interview with The Voice, Lang’s mother, Sandra Lang, said her daughter was always interested in writing and current events from a very young age.
Please see LANG'S LOVE page 2
ONLINE SPECIAL
SPORTS
FEATURES
PRODUCED BY LANGARA JOURNALISM STUDENTS | WWW.LANGARAVOICE.CA
NOVEMBER 14, 2019 • VOL. 52 NO. 05 • VANCOUVER, B.C.
Aya Abdulhadi looks over papers she wrote documenting an agreement between her and who she thought was a landlord. Abdulhadi said she was a victim of a rental scam and doesn't expect to get much money back. LAUREN GARGIULO PHOTO
“That's $1,500 from someone who just graduated, just started work.”
— AYA ABDULHADI , PART-TIME NATIVE EDUCATION COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR
2015 2019 NEWSPAP ER of THE YEAR 3 rd PL AC E
Catherine Lang MICHELLE LANG'S AUNT
Frack fight risks
Colombian activists
discuss harmful practices of companies
By LINA CHUNG
This human rights activist’s hope for the future is that his son and daughter will grow up in a more peaceful Colombia.
Ivan Madero is one of three Colombian human rights activists who were invited to come to Langara College on Nov. 6 to talk about their country’s recent political history and the Canadian resource companies that want to conduct hydraulic fracking in Colombia.
Madero, speaking through an interpreter, said he recently found out that a paramilitary leader had put a 5 million peso bounty on his head and that a grenade had been ordered to be planted in his car.
“You get used to it,” Madero said. He also said that his wife and two kids understand the work he does, and it helps that they receive support from psychologists to handle the stress.
Colombian lawyer Julia Figueroa has been involved in social, environmental and human rights causes for 20 years; she said, “it’s our life project because all we have is blood.”
The Canadian resource companies who are in Colombia are doing more bad than good, Figueroa said, “their presence in our country is affecting our water, our animals, our plants, our very livelihood.”
Brent Patterson is the Canadian chapter executive director of Peace Brigades International, a nongovernmental human rights organization, and has been accompanying the human rights activists on their Canadian tour. “Since the [2016 Colombian] peace agreement was signed, 738 human rights defenders have been killed,” Patterson said, “[That’s] two activists killed every week.”
Patterson also said that one of the most harmful issues discussed among the Colombian activists is fracking, which is a process of blasting water and chemicals into the ground to retrieve petroleum and that, “it is more polluting than the regular extraction process of oil.”
PEACE DEAL 2016
» FARC accord
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signs cease fire peace deal with government
» 260,000 deaths
Number of overall fatalities from the previous five decades of conflict
» 137 lives lost
Ex-combatants killed, after peace deal
SOURCE: REUTERS.COM
LANG: school commemorates the war journalist's legacy
LANG'S LOVE continues from page 1
“We’ve always had two newspapers coming into the house, we discussed a lot of news at the time,” Sandra said. “She was very well informed, and she loved to write.”
Catherine said politicians and officials, “learned to duck,” when they saw her coming.
“She lambasted them on many occasions, and drew attention to the shortcomings in the delivery of healthcare in Alberta,” she said.
“She worked incredibly hard, and was often the last reporter to leave the office.”
Kelly Cryderman, a Globe and Mail journalist and a former colleague of Lang’s at the Calgary
Herald, also reported from Afghanistan. In an interview with The Voice, she said Lang did a lot of research before going overseas. “She met with everyone who had been there already and peppered them with questions,” Cryderman said.
“We often talked about the dangers, but we talked about the important stories too, about women, about poverty, about the Canadian
Forces’ work there, about telling Canadians as much as we could about what was going on a world away.”
Cryderman said she remembers Lang as a tenacious yet kind reporter, who cared about accuracy and communicating the facts.
“I’ll never forget her sitting across from me, and her beautiful smile, and her interest in everything,” Cryderman said.
In December 2009, Lang left for Afghanistan. She had only been in the country for two weeks when the light armoured vehicle she was travelling in was hit by a series of improvised explosive devices.
Lang and four Canadian soldiers were killed.
Catherine Lang says the event has left an “inescapable” impact on her family.
“We lost a loved one. Canada lost a fine journalist,” Catherine said. “I carry it with me all the time, as of course do all her family and friends. It comes with a sense that life is ever so fragile and that we are obliged to be vigilant in preserving it.”
2 Atlarge THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV. 14, 2019 | EDITOR NATHAN GAN
Michelle Lang (left) and then-Chief of Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk (right) pose for a photo during her journalism assignment covering the Afghanistan War a decade ago. GARY LUNN PHOTO
A photo of the commemorative plaque that will be placed on the walls of Magee Secondary School in Kerrisdale, in remembrance of alumni Michelle Lang. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO Catherine Lang, Michelle’s aunt, delivers a speech at the event in Magee Secondary School. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
“We lost a loved one. Canada lost a fine journalist.”
— CATHERINE LANG, MICHELLE'S AUNT
Art and Sandra Lang, Michelle’s parents, hold an award posthumously commemorating Michelle's work as a journalist. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
Michelle Lang smiles at a colleague on a tour of Afghanistan forward operating bases to spread Christmas greetings to the troops. GARY LUNN PHOTO
Master plan underway Old emails a real switch
College finishes its transition from myLangara to Office 365
By SOUBHIK CHAKRABARTI
Rezoning a demanding process: facilities
By RAY CHOPPING
Arezoning application to increase Langara’s density is expected to be complete by spring 2020, according to a senior facilities consultant at the college.
The application is to allow increased density, setting the groundwork for the future development of buildings. The rezoning application was filed to the city in the spring of 2019 and a public open house was held on July 23 this year. Any permits for new buildings would come later; the rezoning application will have no impact on students.
“Rezoning is a complex process,” said Wendy Lannard, senior facilities advisor for Langara.
The college’s five-year capital plan has identified the need for a 350,000 sq. feet building (roughly 32,500 sq. m) at Ontario Street and 49th Avenue, but the project has yet to secure funding.
Neal Wells, communications
manager for civic engagement engineering at the City of Vancouver, said that the proposal is currently under review.
“The staff will raise various questions with the application team that will need to be addressed before the application can move forward,” Wells said. These include ensuring it meets local area or community plans, design guidelines, existing zoning and is mindful of the surrounding neighbourhood context and development objectives on the site.
“Typically, by the time a proposal like this large campus master plan gets to a public hearing, an outright rejection from council is unlikely,”
Wells said.
Though no new buildings will be built in the immediate future, some Langara faculty members say they have pressing needs.
Raymond Chow, continuing studies program coordinator for computer technologies, would like to see more computer labs.
“Students use our labs for homework which makes running classes in them difficult at times.”
Lannard said the college is seeking funding from the provincial government. Once funding were approved, the following step would include hiring an architect to design it and then file a development application with the city.
CAMPUS PLAN BY THE NUMBERS
Technical difficulties with college email accounts will no longer be a worry, said Lawrence Carrington, project manager in Langara’s information technology department.
350,000 7
The campus' master plan calls for a 350,000 sq. feet building (around 32,500 sq. m) within five years.
The plan identifies seven "hubs of activity" on campus that will be developed into spaces for socializing.
2005
The college's current plan was developed in response to its 2005 Master Plan, which initially predicted a smaller student body.
SOURCE: LANGARA COLLEGE MASTER PLAN
Instructors and teachers alike had many problems with the myLangara accounts, such as the lack of a record of emails sent, and emails from students being filtered into instructors’ junk folders. The old myLangara accounts have been in place since 1998.
Carrington said that Office 365 “learns with time” and offers better filtering options.
“It’s a modern system integrated with Microsoft tools.”
Carrington said that the integration for LinkedIn Learning was completed Oct. 28. Some instructors saw the move to Office 365 over a year ago, when the migration process started.
Jonas Quastel, program coordinator of film arts, considered the previous system counterintuitive.
“Students don’t even like to use their [previous] Langara emails,” he said.
However, the Office 365 system is not perfect. Quastel said he has already received a phishing email in his inbox without filtering. The counterfeit email was supposedly from Microsoft, and required Quastel to re-enter his password and username for hackers to obtain.
An instructor in the geography and geology department, Jenny Francis, agreed that some emails don’t get through as intended.
“I look forward to seeing how Office 365 will address the issues in the older systems,” Francis said.
SYNC OR SWIM OFFICE 365 FAST FACTS
» Mixed mail
Before Office 365, faculty may have previously used Mozilla Thunderbird, Outlook, Zimbra, or Mac Mail.
» Delayed entrance
The switch didn't happen sooner because Microsoft didn't have Canadian data centres.
» Workday perks
Faculty and students now have access to Microsoft products under Office 365, including an improved calendar.
SOURCE: LANGARA.CA
Campusnews EDITOR CHRISTINA DOMMER | THURSDAY, NOV 14, 2019 | THE VOICE 3
Passersby walk past a placard displaying details of Langara's rezoning application. While the application won't involve any new buildings, it plans to increase the campus' density. The application process should be complete by next spring. RAY CHOPPING PHOTO
“... By the time a proposal like this large campus master plan gets to a public hearing, an outright rejection from council is unlikely.”
— NEAL WELLS, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CITY OF VANCOUVER
A diagram that details the campus' future footprint in the Master Plan. The most prominent additions to the college include a new building along Ontario Street, which is the subject of a rezoning application. The small orange numbers indicate the number of storeys each building will be. LANGARA COLLEGE MASTER PLAN IMAGE
Capturing 'the power of shadows'
Sutrisno Hartana keeps Indonesian shadow puppetry alive in Vancouver
Stories and photos by Steven Chang
Sutrisno Hartana is one of the few experts in Vancouver practicing the art of wayang kulit, a form of traditional Indonesian shadow puppetry.
Hartana is currently holding workshops at the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre in South Vancouver. The workshops are designed for schools and those interested in exploring the art form.
While being one of the few specialists in the city means receiving invitations to teach these types of workshops and to perform, Hartana said the experience can be demanding due to a shortage of resources.
“Bringing the puppets to North America is difficult because the audience might not know what wayang means,” Hartana said. “I also don’t have a crew to accommodate the puppets, so I have to make my own.”
Despite Indonesia being home to the fourth-largest population in the world, Vancouver has seen relatively low numbers of immigrants relocate from the country. Hartana is one of less than 5,000 Indonesian immigrants living in the city.
Consulate Officer Firman Priambodo, in charge of information, social and cultural affairs at the The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, said that besides Bali, a popular travel destination, Canadians might not be aware of Indonesian culture.
Priambodo added that Hartana provides the knowledge and experience
to intrigue a local audience.
Hartana’s childhood in Indonesia was influenced by wayang performances in his hometown. Hartana says he would go watch the performance even if it meant sneaking out after his bedtime.
“There was no radio or television, the opportunity for social gatherings among villagers only occurred on special occasions,” Hartana said.
“Wayang is not only entertainment but also a branch of art, including theatre, music and visual image.”
In 1982, Hartana pursued his interest in the art form by studying performing arts and gamelan music at the Conservatory of Javanese Traditional Performing Arts in Yogyakarta.
After immigrating to Canada, Hartana earned an MA in ethnomusicology at UBC and a PhD in interdisciplinary studies with art history and visual studies from the University of Victoria.
When puppeteering, Hartana has to express
the puppets’ emotion through shadow with gestures, sound effects and speech. Hartana also illustrates action, conflict and demonstrates moral values for education purposes.
“From the audiences’ perspective, they can’t see what is happening in the back of the theatre,” Hartana said. “But they can imagine through the power of shadows.”
Along with his puppeteering skills, Hartana is also a skilled musician.
“Sutrisno is not only the master of the puppets but the master of the gamelan,” Priambodo said.
Gamelan is a type of music that often accompanies wayang performances. Don Chow, a musician who performs with Hartana, said that gamelan music offers something different than North American music.
“The philosophy and theory of the music are so different compared to western orchestral music,” Chow said. “I was stirred quite deeply when I first heard the gamelan.”
Over the years, Hartana has been established by academic institutions, museums and the The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia as a prominent expert in Indonesian performance art. He now teaches ethnomusicology at SFU.
“The east and west are learning from each other,” Hartana said. “Right now, there is plenty of information on the web, but how to know the exact culture, the subject and presenting to the audience is a whole different story.”
4 THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV. 14, 2019 | EDITOR LIAM HILL-ALLAN
ABOVE: An Indonesian drum used to accompany shadow puppetry.
BELOW: A silhouetted wayang shadow puppet.
BELOW: Sutrisno Hartana holds up two of his traditional wayang puppets.
RIGHT: A gamelan instrument used to accompany Indonesian shadow puppetry.
ABOVE: A silhouetted wayang shadow puppet.
BELOW: A decorative carving sits on top of a stand used to hold gamelan gongs.
History of Indonesian puppetry
Looking back at the ancient Indonesian art form
Javanese shadow puppetry or wayang kulit, is an ancient form of storytelling that dates back to over 1,000 years ago.
The performance derived from Indian epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata that were introduced to Indonesia during the first wave of Hinduism. The stories were then localized to include Indonesian folklore.
In the state of Java, shadow puppetry was considered a sacred
treasure that was only performed in the royal court of Yogyakarta during important events. Shadow puppets were eventually passed down to the public for educational campaigns.
The puppets used are traditionally made out of buffalo hide for durability. Performances would be held at night in a courtyard and the shadows would be produced by igniting coconut oil in a lamp.
Traditionally, puppets are kept in
a wooden box. A puppeteer will tap on the box in order to create sound effects and cues during a performance.
Though the puppets are typically used to cast a shadow, they tend to be ornately decorated. The colour of the puppets can assist the puppeteer in telling them apart when selecting new puppets.
Today, shadow puppet performance remains a popular form of entertainment in Indonesia.
5 News&Features
LEFT: A colourful puppet. Despite being used to create shadows, wayang puppet are often ornately decorated.
BELOW: The silhouettes of two wayang puppets interact.
Being a reporter means rising up
Reporting on the frontline is as dangerous as ever, but in an unstable world, journalists have a responsibility to fulfill.
Last week, a celebration was held honouring Michelle Lang, the first Canadian embedded journalist to be killed in the War in Afghanistan, on Dec. 30, 2009. Lang had been in the country for roughly two weeks, when the armoured vehicle that she was travelling in - with four Canadian soldiers – was struck by a bomb.
It brings me to question the lack of safety journalists experience, reporting on war and conflict, in a world that is growing increasingly shaky.
Taking photos or reporting on such events first-hand isn’t easy. This kind of journalism involves being in situations which can turn deadly, before one can react. Over 154 documented journalists have been killed in Syrian's civil war, according to the Syrian Journalist Association. The War in Afghanistan has seen over 27 journalists killed.
OPINION
Although there have been countless examples where journalists have been able to make an important difference with their story, I can’t help but wonder if this comes at too high of a cost.
For example take the photo Kenneth Jarecke took of an Iraqi soldier burnt alive trying to come out from a tank. It showed readers how gruesome the Iraqi war really was.
War reporter John Sack helped redefine war journalism using literature techniques to put the point across when he knew the original version wasn’t portraying things right.
Journalist Martha Gellhorn, on the other hand, shifted war journalism by focusing on the people instead of the armoury, military and government.
For those of us who want to be on the battleground, the stakes are risky. Yet, as journalists, we need to rise up to it.
Museums in Vancouver can be costly at roughly $20 per entry; for a family of four this adds up. Many cities in other parts of the world offer entry to museums for free, by donation or discounted on certain days of the month. JOE AYRES ILLUSTRATION
Free museum, free culture
Museums have the ability to bring communities together. They teach, inspire and explore meaningful societal events. Museums should be a right to everyone.
When I was young my dad often took me to the museum in my hometown, Port Alberni. It was something fun and interesting we were able to do together.
One afternoon, we went to the museum and they had a small exhibit examining the tsunami that had hit our town in 1964. One of the pictures was of my dad’s father, who had passed away when my dad was young.
We went to the front desk to tell
them we knew someone in one of the pictures. They provided us with a copy of it for free and it hangs in our living room to this day.
Museums are important for members of a society to understand their own history. Knowing one’s own history is beneficial for a better understanding of one’s culture, language and current social issues.
The average cost of entry to museums in Vancouver is roughly 20
dollars. Some have a discount for students which would save them a bit.
The Vancouver Art Gallery charges $24 for an adult entry, with students who are able to show valid ID only having to pay $18. On Tuesdays, from 5 to 9 p.m. entry is by donation.
In other cities, there are museums you can visit for free, such as in Paris and London. Some are free on certain occasions.
For instance, the Musée du Louvre, which offers free admission to youths under the age of 18, individuals with disabilities and art teachers. Entry is free for anyone under the age of 26 every Friday after 6 p.m. and free for anyone on the first Saturday of each month after 6 p.m.. The first museums were originally only meant for the wealthy, but an understanding of one’s society, history and culture shouldn’t have a cost.
Viewpoints 6 THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV 14, 2019 | EDITOR MISSY JOHNSON CONTACT US Online at langaravoice.ca Twitter @LangaraVoice The Voice is published by Langara College’s journalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must include your name and phone number. HOW TO REACH US PHONE 604-323-5396 E-MAIL thevoice@langara. bc.ca WEBSITE langaravoice.ca DROP-IN Room A226 Langara College SNAIL MAIL The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 2Z6 INSTRUCTOR Erica Bulman MANAGING EDITOR Missy Johnson PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Austin Everett PAGE 2 Nathan Gan PAGE 3 Christina Dommer PAGE 4 & 5 Liam Hill-Allan PAGE 6 Missy Johnson PAGE 7 Mathilda de Villiers PAGE 8 Joe Ayres MANAGING WEB EDITOR Agazy Mengesha WEB EDITORS Max Fossey Tierney Grattan Adam Levi Mandy Moon Joshua Rey SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Agazy Mengesha REPORTERS Anita Zhu Henri Ngimbis Kristen Holliday Gina Rogers Lauren Gargiulo Lina Chung Palak Klaire Ray Chopping Soubhik Chakrabarti Steven Chang WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Have a different point of view? Write us. Journalism instructor Erica Bulman oversees The Voice. Email: ebulman @langara.ca
OPINION MISSY JOHNSON
“Museums have the ability to bring communities together.
They teach, inspire and explore meaningful society events.”
“For those of us who want to be on the battleground, the stakes are risky. Yet, as journalists, we need to rise up to it. ”
SOUBHIK CHAKRABARTI
Langara grad joins the annual Crawl
College art grad creates paintings to then inspire literature
By ANITA ZHU
ALangara grad is debuting in her first Eastside Culture Crawl, and bringing a collection of work where she combines her art with stories from local authors.
Bronwyn McIvor is a Langara fine arts graduate from 2007, and she has created a unique collection of work called The Townsfolk She has been sharing her art with her friends who are writers. She asked them whether they wanted to write stories about the creatures she was creating through her art.
“Bronwyn's characters have a lot of personality, but the most intriguing part to me was the contrast between what you might expect these characters to sound like, [the] voices and the world that they actually inhabit,” said Bill Radford, one of the authors of The Townsfolk.
Comic artists endure
Vancouver comic publication group keeps inspiration going
By LINA CHUNG
Despite declining numbers in comic book sales, a local non-profit comic organization is keeping the art alive.
Comic book and graphic novel sales fell 6.5 per cent in 2017 from a 2016 high of $1.015 billion. Graphic novels brought in $570 million while comic books brought in about $350 million, according to TechCrunch, an online publisher focused on the tech industry.
Jeffery Ellis founded Cloudscape Comics Society in 2007 because he always liked comics and wanted to find other comic lovers who were writers and artists.
Helena Wadsley, a Langara fine arts instructor, said that the event is great exposure for the public to know what’s going on in their neighbourhood. It is also great exposure for the artists to show their work to the general public.
“There are 400 artists and we get a lot,” she added.
Students go from Langara and sometimes finish their BFA somewhere else, but they usually do become professional artists, according to Wadsley.
Being part of the Crawl can be attractive to artists because it doesn’t require them to go through a formal application process. If their studio is situated within the Crawl’s boundaries, spanning from Columbia Street to Victoria Drive and First Avenue to Waterfront, they can take part.
Studying at Langara built a solid foundation for McIvor, which carried her over to Emily Carr University
where she completed her BFA.
Beyond The Townsfolk, McIvor’s paintings are focused mainly on the waste of food preparation rather than the prized objects.
The inspiration came from her second year at Langara while she was on her final painting project for the last term. She was taking pictures while cooking.
“Just like the parts you're not eating. I just found that really interesting,” McIvor said.
This year, she is showcasing The Townsfolk series to the Crawl, drawn in ink.
It is the 25th year of the Eastside Culture Crawl, running from November 14 to 17. It began with four artists back in 1994, and this year there will be almost 500 artists participating.
McIvor will be showcasing her work out of Studio 580, situated on Clark Drive and Frances Street.
Local accessibility to art has barriers
GINA ROGERS
Anew course, introduction to museum and curatorial studies, is coming to Langara College in the spring of 2020 on how museums are “complex social and cultural institutions”, with students exploring the history and theory of curating art.
Vancouver Art Gallery, unlike many art galleries in the city, operates by donation every Tuesday between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Art Gallery of Ontario made admission free for anybody under 25-years-old earlier this year.
Students in a visual arts program get a $5 annual membership to the VAG, compared to the standard $48 per year membership price. The drop-in student rate is $18 per ticket.
The Museum of Anthropology offers
a group rate for reduced admission.
The National Gallery in London, United Kingdom, is free at all times.
The Musée du Louvre in Paris is free
to all visitors who meet certain criteria, including being under the age of 18, in possession of certain passes, or persons with disabilities.
Lynn Ruscheinsky has been curating art for 35 years and will be teaching the new course at Langara. Ruscheinsky says entrance fees are like the other costs of schooling. She said making art free to view for all is “just not realistic”.
“The government has cut back funding in the arts so much," Ruscheinsky said. “Who’s going to support the arts if we don’t encourage young people to get involved."
Ruscheinsky said that countries with free art have patronage, where “wealthy people donate the works and donate the money in perpetuity to maintain those works.” With costly upkeep covered, this art will be accessible to a wide audience.
Local artist, Ian Horsfield, said he would support free viewing of his art if someone were to buy it and then show it for free.
Langara computer science student, Wayne Navarrette, said that if the gallery were near campus, and free, he might consider it for date night.
Navarrette enjoyed walking around the Imaginus poster fair on campus, saying that “people were drawn to it”
From the early days when the group of comic writers and artists created their first anthology, or collection, of comics, Cloudscape started publishing their comic books finances through crowdfunding.
Cloudscape Comics Society has published 10 anthologies of comics from local artists since its inception, alongside many other comic books. And more recently, it has published comic books and graphic novels through crowdfunding.
Their latest comic book titled Life Finds a Way, an anthology about stories where people find hope in a post-apocalyptic world, was published by the means of crowdfunding.
Two of their members pitched the story idea which Cloudscape then approved.
“We helped them launch the crowdfunding via Kickstarter. We have the shipping account, we have the relationship with the printers, [and] the infrastructure that they can take advantage of to facilitate the project coming together,” Ellis said.
Daisy Mak was new to Vancouver. She always loved drawing comics and wanted a way to socialize and meet other people who loved making comics. She googled and went to a comic meet-up where she met Ellis who encouraged her to try a weekly meeting at Cloudscape.
“[I] really liked it, so I just kept coming back,” Mak said.
Cloudscape hosts meetings every Wednesday, where comic artists and writers can work on their comics, get feedback, socialize and find encouragement.
“Coming here was a way of being okay with [it and] here’s a space where I can just focus on it and get it done,” Mak said.
"[Comics are] fulfilling literature and art in a way that no other medium is,” said Oliver McTavishWisden, treasurer of Cloudscape.
“We want to continue to be an organization that offers a [publishing] platform for people that maybe couldn’t find a platform,” Ellis said.
7 Arts&life EDITOR MATHILDA DE VILLIERS | THURSDAY, NOV. 14, 2019 | THE VOICE
Artist Bronwyn McIvor paints in her studio, Studio 580 in East Vancouver, in preparation for the annual Eastside Culture Crawl. LINA CHUNG PHOTO
Bronwyn
SUBMITTED PHOTO
McIvor's Golden Hour
Museum of Anthropology Located at UBC, entrance is free for UBC students, faculty and staff. Bill Reid Gallery Located in downtown Vancouver, entrance is free every first Friday of the month from 2 p.m. till 5 p.m. Vancouver Maritime Museum Located in Kitsilano, admission is $11 for students. SOURCE: WWW.GOOGLE.COM VANCOUVER ARTS ENTRANCE FEES AT A GLANCE
Visiting museums, art galleries in Vancouver may be out of price range for some, especially youth
By
“The government has cut back funding in the arts."
— LYNN RUSCHEINSKY, LANGARA TEACHER
Hard start to basketball season
Women's team gets three consecutive losses, men's team wins one game
By KRISTEN HOLLIDAY
Langara’s basketball teams had a tumultuous week, with the women’s team losing two consecutive games — as well as their coach. Meanwhile, the men fared slightly better, defeating one of their top rivals and losing to another.
The women’s team lost to Capilano University on Nov. 8 and Douglas College on Nov. 9. They now have three losses and zero wins.
Emma Jones, a guard for the Langara Falcons, said she was frustrated with the game’s outcome.
“To lose a third one is kind of tough, when we have the potential and capabilities to play a lot better,” Jones said.
Curtis Nelson, the former women’s head coach, resigned in the week leading up to the Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 games. Virginia Watson was previously an assistant coach for the Falcons.
Watson said all three games were
close and the women are focused on refining skills and maintaining control of the ball while on the offensive.
“They work harder than a lot of
Before the weekend, Paul Eberhardt, the team’s head coach, predicted a tough game against Douglas, who won second place last season.
“The more important test is going to be when we play [Douglas] again in January, when we’ve had a chance to get better,” Eberhardt said.
Eberhardt said with 11 new players, the Falcons are still continuing to build their team.
other teams,” she said. “If we can show that we don’t care about our previous three game losses and show that we can play just as hard, I think we are going to win a lot of games.”
The men’s team won against Capilano University on Nov. 8, but lost to Douglas College on Nov. 9.
Golfing in the fall, why?
allow people to become better players.
“Sometimes the ground gets mucky, so if you hit your ball hard, it goes deep into the ground,”
Despite the harsh weather during the fall and winter months, players can capitalize on low demand to spend more time on the green to improve their golf game, according to a South Vancouver coach.
Poor weather conditions create new obstacles for the game, said Gordon Jarvis, a coach at McCleery Golf Course. The tough conditions
Jarvis said. “This is when the very committed students show up, and this is when they seek to start the project of making a better game for the next season.”
Golfer, Mandeep Singh, said the whole perspective of the game changes.
“During the winter season your clothes change, there are restrictions to your swing, you can’t hit as hard, the course conditions change, you have to use different clubs, your ball doesn’t roll,” he
said.
Jarvis said the fall season is a great opportunity for those who want to get introduced to golf since space opens up with different coaches.
“Also, it’s the best time to actually learn something and get a new golf swing,” he said. A motivating factor for golfers, despite the weather conditions, is that golfing is an excellent opportunity to network on the green.
Jake McCallum, director of sports at Langara, said, “for some people it’s the peace of mind, they go out there for hours where they can be on their own, focus on the game, and the rest of their problems just fade away,” he said.
Falcons’ point guard Luka Lizdek said the team is feeling positive after the win against Capilano and is learning from the Douglas loss.
“We talked about communication all week and that’s where we showed in the second half,” Lizdek said. “If we can have two halves like that, we’ll be better next time.”
GAMES SCHEDULE
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Upcoming games:
- Friday, Nov. 15 Langara Falcons at Camosun College.
- Saturday, Nov. 16, Langara Falcons at Vancouver Island University Mariners.
- Saturday, Nov. 23, Langara Falcons at Columbia Bible College.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Upcoming games:
- Friday, Nov. 15, Langara Falcons at Camosun College.
- Saturday, Nov. 16, Langara Falcons at Vancouver Island University.
- Saturday, Nov. 23, Langara Falcons at Columbia Bible College.
8 Sportsnews THE VOICE | THURSDAY, NOV 14, 2019 | EDITOR JOE AYRES
Ball gets tossed in the air between two players. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
Jas Dhudwal, holding the ball, preparing a pass. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
COACH AT MCCLEERY
By PALAK KLAIRE
Gordon Jarvis
GOLF
“During the winter season your clothes change, there are restrictions to your swing, you can't hit as hard ... you have to use a different clubs, your ball doesn't roll.”
— MANDEEP SINGH, GOLF PLAYER
Fall and winter weather bring new challenges to the sport
“To lose a third one is kind of tough, when we have the potential and capabilities to play a lot better.”
— EMMA JONES, LANGARA FALCONS PLAYER
Virginia Watson, the Falcons' new head coach, talks strategy in the final quarter of the game against the Douglas Royals. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
Langara Falcons’ men’s and women’s basketball teams faced off against the Douglas Royals. Both Langara teams lost to Douglas. KRISTEN HOLLIDAY PHOTO
Paul Eberhardt HEAD COACH, LANGARA MEN'S BASKETBALL
A golfer playing at McCleery golf course in South Vancouver. The muddier terrain makes it harder for golf balls to roll. PALAK KLAIRE PHOTO