April 9th - 15th, 2009 Vol. XXXI, No: 26
the newspaper
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the newspaper U of T’s community newspaper
write between the lines
1 Spadina Crescent, Suite 245
Independent since 1978
write between the lines
the news
the arts
4 Txt for safety 5 Descended from apes 4 Slapped in the fees
6 ‘Nappy Heads’ 7 Photo essay 6 U of T is Art
Women in Progress
Budding Warhols, Beuyes & Irwins
Jakub Jakal
Amy Stupavsky
Community Justice Bureau
Visual Arts Bureau
You don’t have to follow Rihanna’s case to understand that violence against women is still widespread in our society. The effects of domestic violence are physical damage, deep psychological scars, and broken families; the victims of such violence also often struggle with financial difficulties, especially with the issue of how to merge their new lives with effective money managing. Women In Progress, a University of Toronto based group created by Krystal Pereira, focuses precisely on this problem, providing abused women with basic money management skills, the means for improving their financial literacy and success skills through teaching them about the functioning of market economy. The project was established in November 2007 under the head of Rotman Commerce SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), partnered with Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE), in order to help victims of domestic abuse in the Greater Toronto Area. Women in Progress is comprised of training sessions that teach these women the basics of budgeting, debt, saving, and investing. “We ensure that these training sessions include fun and interactive exercises and that they are highly tailored to the specific situations and needs of the women,” says Pereira, project manager. After the sessions are completed, the women join U of T’s Buddy Program, in which they are paired with a Commerce student who helps them apply to
If you’re feeling studyweary and beleaguered by assignments, the University of Toronto Art Centre (UTAC) is currently showing the Master of Visual Art Graduating Exhibition, which is certain to be a welcome respite. Representing a culmination of two years of hard work, the exhibit features the thesis projects of the the university’s budding Andy Warhols, Joseph Beuyses, and Robert IrKaleidoscope (Desiring Dualisms), video still, 8 minutes, 2009. wins. The six artists, Lorna Bauer, Nicole Collins, through. “It really does represent which manifests itself thematicDavid Court, Mimi Gellman, Irene an interesting, thorough survey ally in the placement of waxy Loughlin and Josh Thorpe, are of contemporary art practice.” black scales next to bright shocks required to exhibit their works The exhibit spans the entirety of colour. in a professional manner and of the centre, filling the main She drew my attention to environment to graduate. rooms, lounge, and the obscure her pair creature, a nod to Mary And this is not your typical corners (I’m thinking of Thorpe’s Shelley’s Frankenstein, and site gallery fare. “One of the intercheeky audio installation by the (mutability), an evocation of the esting things about this show restrooms). Each artist’s work oc- Percy Shelley poem. They were is that it includes a variety of cupies its own area. The students created by scraping the paint media: painting, drawing, video, meticulously arranged their off of one and pasting it on the performance, and audio,” said pieces in ways to attract viewers other. graduate student Nicole Collins, and connect with their audience. “They represent Percy and who acted as docent on my walkThe art offers visual viewpoints Mary, although I didn’t immedion what we ately realize the connection. I deal with wanted to dismantle my work to in everyday understand it. It never goes back life, the core together the way it comes apart,” struggles of she explained. “I’m exploring existence. how paintings might speak to They are all mortality, mutability, and the extremely breaking down. I hope that detail-oriented they also show a hopefulness, and highly a regeneration. New things are referential being created from the destructo other tion.” disciplines. Thorpe’s ‘Stripes for Daylight’, Collins, who a glossy line along the walls, paints using an demands much of the viewer encaustic tech- because it is not readily apparent. nique (molten The piece wholly depends on the wax imbued natural light filtering through the with pigment), window and viewer’s movements was influenced around the room. “What you get by the interout of Josh’s work is based a lot play between upon your interest, perception, music compos‘Creature’ - courtesy of Nicole Collins “UTAC” - Continued on page 6... ition and art,
U of T-based group fights domestic violence Master of Visual Studies Grad Exhibit at UTAC
their daily lives what they have learned. According to Pereira, the program contributes to these women’s financial independence “by providing them with the information and knowledge that they need to make good financial decisions.” Women in Progress cooperates with women’s shelters across the GTA. Last year the program helped nine women from the YWCA shelter, and this year it is providing service to eight women from a shelter in Etobicoke. The length of the program depends on specific cooperation with each shelter, and whether the shelter decides to take part in the Buddy Program. For example, the YWCA last year decided to participate in the post-training Buddy Program, which took about five months to complete, while the Etobicoke shelter opted to try out the program workshops first, in which the women participated in four weekly sessions. Pereira believes that after “Stop” - Continued on page 4...