Issue 16 - January 19 2012 by The Newspaper

The Arts: Coriolanus “Go and be ruled.” Page 6

the newspaper The University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly

Since 1978

SAMANTHA CHIUSOLO

The Inside: Put that in your s: The New rs: vic- Keystone ie ld Child so ls?. Pipeline and crimina r o tims smoke it. Page 3 Page 4

VOL XXXIV Issue 16 • January 19, 2012

Students run free walk-in clinic Patient-centred care for Toronto’s marginalized populations For many Canadians, it is difficult to believe that healthcare services are not available or accessible to everyone. However, the people who walk through door of the IMAGINE clinic often have few other options when seeking basic care. Originally conceived by MDPHD student Sagar Dugani in 2007, the clinic’s name is an acronym for Interprofessional Medical and Allied Groups for Improving Neighbourhood Environments. Housed in the Queen West Community Health Centre (168 Bathurst Street), the clinic is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.. Everyone is welcome, and

patients do not need a health card or identification to be seen by the IMAGINE team. Importantly, the health care services and medication provided to the patients are completely free of cost. Co-director Enoch Ng explained that inspiration for IMAGINE was twofold. “In particular, the homeless population, and people who don’t have OHIP were falling between the cracks,” Ng explained. The absence of community outreach programs that specifically addressed the healthcare needs of marginalized populations prompted a team of medical students, led by Dagani, to put their heads together to create some-

see page 3

TANYA ROBINSON

Talia Gordon

IMAGINE all the people . . . receiving free check-ups.

Back campus fields “not fit for play” Robby Müff Uneven and patchy, back campus field is an eyesore beside the Gothic and Romanesque architecture of Hart House and University College. And as any lacrosse or rugby player will tell you, playing on the bumpy field carries an even high risk of injury. But maybe not for much longer. Chosen as the site of the field hockey tournament of the Pan Am Games in 2014, back campus may soon undergo a much-needed makeover. The proposed renovation—still pending approval by U of T’s Governing Council and Budget Committee—consists of artificial turfing, upgraded lighting,

landscaping, fencing, an irrigation system, and accommodation for 3000 spectators. The cost of the renovation is estimated at $7.8m, to be split between the government and the university. Assitant Dean of Co-Curricular Physical Activity and Sport Anita Cornella said the university had been pushing for the proposal to host the field hockey games at back campus. “The University supported that venue in the bid and agreed to review the feasability of the field hockey venue on back campus,” she said. The federal and provincial governments will foot 56 percent of the cost, while the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physi-

cal Education will pay for the remainder. The renovation of back campus “would leave a tremendous legacy,” said Corenella. Head Coach of U of T’s Men’s Varsity Lacrosse Team, Joe Nizich, sees the re-turfing of back campus field as long overdue. “The potential for injury under these [field] conditions is great,” he said. According to Ontario University Athletics standards, the field is currently “not fit for play.” Nevertheless, last season the rugby team held practices at back campus field four times per week. David Balcom, captain of Men’s Varsity Rugby, explained that the mud on back

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NICK RAGETLI

Pan Am Games provide much-need push for renovations to university fields

THE NEWS

January 19, 2012

Diplomat relays story of captivity to Drake audience

UN Ambassador Robert Fowler recounts experience as Al Qaeda hostage David Stokes

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www.utoronto.ca/mmpa

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the newspaper the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent weekly paper, published since 1978. VOL XXXIV No. 16

Editor-in-Chief Cara Sabatini

Arts Editor Vanessa Purdy

News Editor Geoff Vendeville

Contributors Nana Arbova, Seowon Bang, Aberdeen Berry, Bodi Bold, Samantha Chiusolo, Dan Christensen, Elena Churilova, Yukon Damov, Talia Gordon, Kaneil Hamilton, Vanessa Purdy, Nick Ragetli, Tanya Robinson, David Stokes, Andrew Walt .

Associate News Editor Yukon Damov Photo Editor Bodi Bold Associate Photo Editor Nana Arbova Web Editor Andrew Walt Design Editor Samantha Chiusolo

Board of Directors: Chairman Suzanna Balabuch Treasurer Helene Goderis

Features Editor Talia Gordon

the newspaper 1 Spadina Crescent Suite 245 Toronto, ON M5S 1A1

Editorial: 416-593-1552 thenewspaper@gmail.com www.thenewspaper.ca

the newspaper is published by Planet Publications Inc., a nonprofit corporation. All U of T community members, including students, staff and faculty, are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

Robert Fowler, Canada’s longest serving ambassador to the United Nations, was sent to Niger in 2008 as the Special Envoy to the Secretary General, tasked with brokering a peace between the Niger government and the Tuareg rebels. But in his efforts to bring together two enemies, Fowler was being stalked by a third, one that was gunning exclusively for him. Armed with AK-47s, a gang in a pick-up truck waylaid his SUV. In a moment, Fowler – along with his Canadian assistant Louis Guay, and his local driver – had been kidnapped by Al Qaeda thugs. What followed was 130 grueling days of bruising driving that alternated with periods of bare existence spent camping in the Sahara. Robert Fowler related this terrifying experience with outward ease on Sunday, during a conversation with the editor of NOW Magazine held at the Drake Hotel. Fowler’s account of being repeatedly filmed in a tent for propaganda videos and being asked to speak about Stockholm syndrome was initially a little incongruous with the hipster milieu of the Drake. However, Fowler made clear his captors’ abhorrence of the liberties espoused by Western

society, and the telling of his tale in a bastion of that same liberalism added resonance to his words. Fowler recounted with horror that his lead captor told him that his perfect dream was to don a martyr’s vest and enter a meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission while they were discussing gender equality (Al Qaeda has targeted the United Nations aggressively, destroying its headquarters in Iraq and Algeria). Even as such an account demonstrates the seemingly impassable violence of radicalized Islam, Fowler said how “ashamed” he was when – trotted out to join his captors for “TV nights” (collective viewings of propaganda DVDs thanks to a laptop placed on a vehicle hood)– he saw images of Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib onscreen. Juxtaposed with his own situation, these brutalities committed by Western powers revealed that his captors had treated him relatively well, and indeed led credence to their belief that they had the moral high ground. Fowler added that the recent video of U.S. soldiers defiling Afghan corpses would surely become a fixture of these mujahedeen pump-up sessions. One of the most striking aspects of Fowler’s story is the odd predicament of a seasoned

geopolitical analyst (and former Deputy Minister of National Defence) becoming himself the center of the situation. Completely powerless, both he and Guay continued to run through every possible scenario. Fowler credited his time as an Ottawa bureaucrat for influencing his and Guay’s ability to set routines and rules for themselves that made their captivity tolerable (such as 5 a.m. walks, and not allowing each other to share any pessimism after lunch). Ultimately, Fowler, Guay and their driver were released, though the circumstances of this remain deeply mysterious and even disquieting, as it testifies to hidden diplomatic maneuverings. In response to questions from the audience, Fowler recognized the possibility that clandestine prisoner exchanges, increased foreign aid funding, and the paying of a ransom could have played a factor in his freedom. However, now completely retired from government, Fowler remarked that he had decided not to press too deeply into the circumstances of his freedom. While he remains largely in the dark regarding who and what caused his release, Fowler said that his memories will often turn at random moments in the day to the blinding light of the desert.

www.thenewspaper.ca from “Image clinic” thing better. The growing emphasis in the healthcare sector on interprofessionalism also influenced the creation of the clinic. “In the future, healthcare won’t just be provided by physicians, but by whole teams, including doctors, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and the list goes on.” Ng said. Although there had been much talk of interprofessionalism across and within these disciplines, many University of Toronto students found that there were not many opportunities to gain first-hand practical experience in a team setting. Each week, the IMAGINE team is comprised of one medical student, one nursing student, one pharmacy student and one social work student. All the students work on an unpaid volunteer basis. The students are supervised by preceptors from each of their fields, and work as a team to conduct assessments and design courses of treatment for the patients they see. IMAGINE’s other co-director Yick Kan Cheung, explained, “It’s kind of like any walk-in clinic at first; when you come in, we ask what’s wrong, and try to figure out to help address that one complaint. But upon investigation we’ll ask, ‘Why do you have a cold?’ and find out that the answer is, ‘Oh I live on the street.’” The social determinants of health thus play an important role in evaluating a patient’s healthcare needs. According to Cheung, that’s

the beauty of an interprofessional team. “We can utilize all the different aspects of the team; it’s really holistic care that we’re trying to provide. So we do treat the cold, the medical aspect, but we also treat the social aspect by asking things like, ‘What else is going on in your life?’” “The people that we see coming into our clinics are not just people who are on the street,” said Ng. “Other people who come in are refugees, people who are getting ready to claim refugee status or recent immigrants.” He noted that sometimes people will bring family members visiting from other countries who don’t have insurance here, or at home. Cheung added, “We see a lot of families in general. Usually the family will bring one person in, but upon further probing, we find other ways that we can help the whole family.” As the clinic is open on Saturdays, people who work during the week have the opportunity to seek care without compromising their job security. Because the students are able to prescribe and hand out certain medications (with the exception of narcotics and benzodiazepines), a visit to IMAGINE can often bridge the gap between visits to other clinics--or between payments for muchneeded prescriptions. When a patient comes in, the initial interview may be conducted by any combination of students from the four disciplines. “The benefits are that there are so many different perspectives that are brought to

THE NEWS the care of any client that comes in,” said Ng. He elaborated, “We won’t get stuck just thinking from a medical or pathological perspective. “With a social worker present we can think about social determinants of health like housing and food security, and with a pharmacist around it’s helpful to think about drug interactions, especially how we could change the drugs we prescribe so that they can be covered under ODSP [Ontario Disability Support Program].” One of the most important aspects of the interprofessional healthcare experience is the idea of viewing the patient as part of the team. In addition to the provision of medical treatment and social support, the clinic aims to empower the patient, involving them in decisions about their own care. Another important goal is to make sure that people in need know about IMAGINE. “Right now we’re trying to find out how we can better access the population,” said Cheung. “We find that it’s a lot of word of mouth. Often, clients won’t go somewhere unless someone they trust tells them, ‘Hey, go here. They can help you.’” IMAGINE was designed to meet what students identified as a healthcare gap, and to provide an invaluable opportunity for hands-on education. “It really takes a village to raise a child . . . [and] people are people, regardless of their status,” commented Cheung. Through its ethos and design, the IMAGINE clinic offers a thorough, well-rounded

Student study depicts child soldiers as victims and criminals Undergrads take their research to the United Nations Kaneil Hamilton Published in 2007, Ishmael Beah’s Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier shocked readers worldwide. Beah’s autobiography tells the story of his teenage years as a child soldier in--and victim of--Sierra Leone’s bloody civil war. However, his memoirs do not convey the plight of families whose villages have been devastated by child soldiers such as Beah. University of Toronto undergraduates in the Peace and Conflict Studies program, Salvator Cusimano and Sami Atri, spent over three months in Uganda researching the social repercussions of recruiting child soldiers. According to Cusimano and Atri’s report, an independent study funded by Victoria College, “Children are not the sole victims of such interstate/tribal conflicts. They may be victims but they are also victimizers.” He and Atri hope their report

will draw further attention to the problem of child soldiery in developing countries. Their research focuses on two subjects: how displaced families cope with having their livelihoods destroyed; and, how they can rebuild their community after an attack. Cusimano said his and Atri’s approach based on locals’ accounts will help improve government policies. The two Peace and Conflict Studies students are trying to jumpstart the policy-making process by presenting their research to the United Nations.“They (the government) owe it to the people of Uganda to transform these findings into concrete policy approaches,” Cusimo said. Cusimano welcomes the steps taken by international NGOs to recognize the terrible challenges faced by communities ravaged by child soldiers. Cusimano explained, “[NGOs] have departed from an earlier approach of pro-

viding individualized social support to child soldiers to ensuring that communities receive longterm medical and financial support.” Cusimano was drawn to this independent study project out of his “passion for humanitarian affairs.” He and Atri recognized the dearth of available information on child soldiers, which prohibits victimized communities in Uganda and elsewhere from effectively articulating their concerns to their local government. Although international organizations have conducted studies on child soldiers in Africa, these studies are “ineffective since they do not adequately reflect the perspective of the locals,” according to Cusimano and Atri. They added that locals are not provided with the results of the studies, which means that communities cannot rally their limited resources and press local authorities to take action.

Visit thenewspaper.ca for this week’s and compassionate healthcare experience to everyone who walks through the door.

from “campus fields” campus makes for “sloppier” training sessions. “Rugby is a contact sport and injuries will happen, however, it is important for athletes to be able to control how their bodies move, both for performance and safety. The conditions of the field certainly do make body control more difficult,” Balcom said. Lacrosse coach Nizich re-

Dear Suzie

advice column

marked that U of T is lagging behind other universities when it comes to the quality of its fields. “For all its size and three campuses, U of T only has one turfed field (Varsity Centre), and there is great demand to use it. Other schools have multiple turfed fields.” The Governing Council Planning and Budget Committee is set to vote on the renovation of back campus soon.

TAs appeal to undergrads for support in bargaining process CUPE 3902 moves into “conciliation” phase of negotiations with U of T Administration Talia Gordon

Since July 2011, Unit 1 Members of Canada Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3902 have been engaged in what has become a prolonged and arduous bargaining process with the University of Toronto Administration. In November, CUPE 3902 called a strike vote, with a historic outcome of 91 per cent members in support of a strike, should the Administration continue their refusal to address key issues. On December 9, the Administration walked away from the bargaining table and filed for “conciliation,” signaling the next step in a move towards a legal strike or lockout for CUPE 3902 members. CUPE 3902 is the trade union representing teaching assistants, lab demonstrators and other contract academic staff at the University of Toronto. Members have been negotiating a new contract with the Administration aimed at solving a number of problems identified by the Union. These problems include inadequate funding packages for TAs, poor allocation of fellowship money, and the growing size of undergraduate tutorials and labs. By filing for “conciliation” the Administration has requested a conciliator, or mediator, from the Ontario Ministry of Labour be present at the bargaining table to help the parties reach a collective agreement. After one day of conciliatory negotiations,

a compromise has yet to be reached; however, three more days of moderated bargaining are scheduled before the end of January. In the event that the Administration calls for a lockout, or CUPE 3902 calls for a strike, there is a 17-day period immediately following, during which the two parties can try once more to reconcile before taking action. Members of CUPE are hopeful that an agreement will be reached before a lockout or strike is set in motion. At Wednesday’s town hall information meeting for undergraduate students, CUPE 3902 Internal Liaison Officer Katie Mazer emphasized that although the bargaining process has reached this stage, students should not be immediately alarmed. “We’re trying to be creative and keep coming up with new iterations of our proposals,” she explained. With that in mind, members of CUPE 3902—particularly TAs—have appealed to the undergraduate student body to show their support as the bargaining continues. The graduate students who led the meeting expressed the importance of keeping informed and informing others. “The name of ‘the undergrad’ is invoked constantly,” said Adleen Crapo, CUPE 3902 Undergraduate Outreach Coordinator. By showing support for TAs and other CUPE members, ‘the undergrad’ can powerfully raise its voice.

THE INSIDE

January 19, 2012

Crude oil dispute: rethinking the Keystone XL

Be it resolved that the keystone XL Pipeline will prove beneficial for North America Yukon Damov

When President Obama rejected the pipeline proposal, he clarified that his decision was not based on the merits of the proposal alone. After he delayed the decision in November, a ploy by Congressional Republicans rushed him to decide, and the State Department to assess a newly proposed route, in 60 days. Unable to properly conduct such a process, the Department recommended he reject the proposal. “Those pesky Republicans,” he might have muttered. His decision does not preclude the proposal from eventually being realized and TransCanada has already re-applied for a

permit. When the President reconsiders, he will realize that to cancel the project altogether would be a mistake. In crude but crucial terms, Canada the Petro State, and America the Oil-Hungry Neighbour, make a perfect fit. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Canada’s oil production greatly outstrips its consumption while the U.S. has the reverse situation. As long as this is the case, the U.S. should safely and securely import as much as they need from its neighbour. In the U.S., thousands of jobs will be created in an economy desperate for them. Trans-

Canada, responding to initial skepticism about the actual number to be generated, has released a report detailing that a close approximate is 20,000 jobs. Thirteen-thousand workers will be needed to construct the pipeline and 7,000 will manufacture the materials. There are various environmental arguments against the pipeline, but there is nothing to suggest this pipeline would be anything but routine. In yesterday’s application, TransCanada responded to the biggest environmental obstacle--the one that caused the outcry which initially stalled the process--by re-routing the pipeline around an ecological-

ly sensitive area in Nebraska. While promoting Canada as an energy superpower, Minister of Natural Resources mitigated concerns about the effect of the source of Keystone’s oil, the Tar Sands, in a speech made Monday at Hart House. “Today, the oil sands account for one-10th of 1 per cent — that is one, one-thousandth — of total global greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. Environmentalists will dispute the interpretation of those numbers, but the Tar Sands are beside the point here. Pipeline or no pipeline, Canadian oil will continue to be exported; if not to the US, then to Asia.

PRO

^^ CON

Daryn Caister

Proponents of the Keystone pipeline commonly cite the financial benefit as its main, if not only, advantage. I admit

SAMANTHA CHIUSOLO

Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama refused to either immediately approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline or explain why it was not in the interest of the United States. While the Canadian portion has already been approved, there are various claims for and against the proposed infrastructure to transport crude oil from Canada to Texas.

that the jobs created by the oil industry are generally well paying and put billions into federal coffers. But while creating jobs and reducing debt is indeed a powerful argument, here’s why I’m not buying it and why you shouldn’t either. Supported by the federal government, oil companies paid for representatives to mislead members of the public with the argument that there’s an urgent demand for the jobs created by that industry. The government and the oil lobby have millions of dollars worth

of advertising campaigns that fill people’s heads with nonsense about what opponents to the pipeline are saying. For every Sierra Club press release, there are a hundred from industry funded propaganda outlets and self-righteous conservative media puppets. The fact is that the oil industry includes the largest and most profitable companies on the planet, and yet receive millions every year in “subsidies,” which should really be called “corporate welfare.” Why do we hand our minimum wage

paychecks to those that already are the richest, most powerful people in the world? Between subsidies to oil and the double standard that favors the oil industry while putting other energy possibilities at a disadvantage, it’s no wonder oil looks like such a good choice. So what are our choices, then? Not to create jobs in oil, but rather to create jobs in alternative industries. Renewable energy and energy efficiency can and will replace oil as soon as corrupt politicians and self-interested cor-

porate titans stop doing everything in their power to stop it. A good place to start is to invest in alternatives, seriously and with conviction; not just for the benefit of the environment, but for the benefit of our own future. What good are oil jobs when Canada has put all its eggs in the oil basket and its value drops due to replacements, or the price becomes too high to be used as the main source of fuel and energy? Don’t buy a fish, Canada; pick up a rod and learn to invest in your own future.

www.thenewspaper.ca

THE INSIDE

CIUT radio station turns 25 Elena Churilova

Hart House opened its doors on Sunday to celebrate the 25 years that University of Toronto Radio has been broadcasting on the FM dial. Since January 15, 1987, CIUT 89.5 FM has been known throughout the city as a distinguished alternative radio station with leading edge music and sharp broadcasters. About 300 of the station’s staff, volunteers, alumni and listeners attended the anniversary celebration. Dynamic performances by Donné Roberts, the Canadian Space Opera Company and others brought added excitement to the festivities. University of Toronto radio first emerged onto the airwaves in the mid 1960s, when a group of students founded “Radio Varsity.” While they started out broadcasting only on campus, the station eventually expanded to FM, which allowed for less interference from neighbouring stations, and officially became CIUT 89.5 FM. Since then, the station has been showcasing non-commercial music, alternative culture and groundbreak-

ing spoken-word programming to the U of T community, Toronto and beyond. Ken Stowar, Program Director, started as a volunteer at the radio station in 1988 and has observed the evolution of CIUT 89.5 FM over the years. “The station never stays still; it is constantly evolving and changing,” he said. “What distinguishes CIUT is balance, presentation and volunteers,” he added. Stowar stressed the invaluable efforts of the station’s volunteer community, 40 per cent of whom are students. “You are undoubtedly working with the most creative and passionate people from whom you can expect nothing else than a radio that differs,” he said. One of those individuals is University of Toronto alumnus Jerry Lee Miller. Of his fourteen years at CIUT, Miller said, “I laughed, I cried, I did radio.” His journey into broadcasting began while working at an automobile protection association in the 80s, where he was inspired to develop a show to help students operate cars. Later, his show took on a more environmental

tone. “The beauty of broadcasting is that you can be there before anyone else . . . Often, people remember things you say at the radio long after, it will come back to them when they hear someone else say something similar,” he said. With the ease of online com-

munication, the important role of listeners has become even more evident. Stowar is happy to see the care put into shows, which are all broadcast out of Hart House, reflected in the reaction of listeners. Recalling a particular email, Stowar related, “One listener said that he had

NANA ARBOVA

^ ^

Time to start acting like responsible adults

to pull the car on the side of the road to finish listening to our program. This type of impact cannot be achieved while listening to a mainstream station.” CIUT streams live online and offers podcasts of some broadcasts. Perhaps the ease of access has also increased the obligation for quality programming, since every person who tunes in holds each broadcaster accountable. “Broadcasting makes you more self-aware,” said Miller. “It made me more considerate and more reflective. People listen to what you have to say—you are taking time out of their life, and you have to take responsibility for that,” he added. After 25 years, keeping things fresh might appear as a daunting task, but CIUT has no plans to slow down. As people in attendance at the party would observe, the station is constantly looking toward the future, despite being a somewhat vintage medium of communication. If you are interested to know more or to get involved at the radio station, visit ciut.fm.

Sunday, U of T Hart House. Station members and listeners wish CIUT a happy 25th !

Rob Ford: The Opera

It’s hard to hide 300 pounds of fun

Stage director of U of T Opera training program makes city mayor surreal As far as larger than life characters in a melodramatic musical mockery go, is there any contender more perfect than Rob Ford? With all the controversy and comedy since his election in 2010, there is no shortage of stories. The antics of the city’s chief prima donna have been screaming for a send up, with social gaffes and cases of mistaken identities like something out of a soap opera. Now take just that last word, and voila! Rob Ford: The Opera. It’s real. And it’s all thanks to Starbucks. That is where Michael Patrick Albano was one afternoon this summer when the inspiration hit him. The stage director of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Opera training program, Albano was working on an adaptation of Antigone at the time, but could not help but overhear a common thread in the surrounding conversations. “All around me, everybody is talking about Rob Ford. Everybody,” he

said with a grin. “I just thought to myself, I think I’m missing the boat here. This course, which is supposed to drag opera—kicking and screaming by it’s heels, perhaps—into the 21st century, we should perhaps be doing something a bit more topical,” he said. And Rob Ford: The Opera, was born. Albano was not alone in the effort to combine an often inaccessible medium with Toronto’s most-talked about citizen; he worked with Masters and PhD student composers at the University to write the production. Despite having written most of the piece months ago, Albano noted, “It’s amazing that the basic issues [sic] which I tackled when I first wrote the piece in the summer are still very much valid, even more visible than perhaps they were.” Audience members expecting an opera as over dramatic, over sized and offensive as its lead character—visions of Ford in a traditional Valkyrie costume immediately come to mind—

are not catered to. “I realize that Mr. Ford is quite unpopular with many Torontonians, but I wasn’t interested at all in trashing him; that’s not very theatrically interesting,” said Albano. Instead, he aimed to take on a more surreal tone. “I’ve always been a huge fan of theatre of the absurd; and that sort of approach has never really found its way into opera,” he continued, and referenced a dream sequence scene in which Magaret Atwood may or may not be God. “When you take the parameters that far, then you have a tremendous opportunity for more theatrical richness and humour... One always wants to avoid what Aaron Sorkin called ‘eat your vegetables’ writing; that never works in theatre—theatre is still a place of irreverence,” Albano observed. While it seems unlikely that the mayor will add the namesake performance to his repertoire of appearances, Albano remains optimistic. “I think it would be a tremendous gesture

of goodwill...I think his presence would be very much appreciated and I think he might enjoy the piece,” he said. Equally exciting—or perhaps more so—is the rumour that Atwood will be

in attendance. Rob Ford: The Opera is Sunday, January 22nd at 2:30pm. Macmillan Theatre in the Edward Johnson Building. Free admission.

ABERDEEN BERRY

Vanessa Purdy

THE ARTS

January 19, 2012

Unframed honesty: Rodrigo Echeverria Noriega at Oz Studios Artist’s Canadian debut does not hide behind “big stuffy conceputalism” Seowon Bang Oz Studios is an inconspicuous, small gallery space on Ossington Avenue. This quaint little space is just enough to host the solo show by Mexican artist Rodrigo Echeverria Noriega. Conservative Honours, the artist’s Canadian debut, uses a variety of mediums to depict a village that draws from image-

ry of the artist’s native country. Upon entering the gallery, you will notice Noriega’s clever touches all over the place— from the walls to floors to windows—engaging the whole space for a total, aesthetic experience. I was particularly delighted by a red stripe that runs along the walls of the gallery. “I’ve installed a red bulb at the entrance,” Noriega hap-

Installation view of Rodrigo Echeverria Noriega: Conservative Honours at Oz Studios, 2012. Courtesy of the artist.

pily explained, “so that when people walk in, they have red on their minds. Then they see the red stripe and they unconsciously recognize it, and feel welcome.” Noriega’s earthy paintings depict traditional Mexican imagery of figures and landscapes. Yet, the close embrace of a man and a woman in Redemption is evocative of Klimt’s Kiss (190708), and Reclining Woman seems to be in keeping with the long tradition of the reclining nude that goes all the way back to Giorgione. When I observed that some of his paintings evoke references from art history, Noriega nodded thoughtfully. Although he didn’t necessarily create his paintings based on those works, he does acknowledge the influence. “I value the tradition in art history and learn from the Masters. They’re the ones who got it right, you know? I take the tradition, and make something of

my own, something modern and avant-garde,” he said. Even as his paintings invite nostalgia and contemplation, Noriega does not forgo his creative gestures. In between the paintings are bright orange pipes containing flowers. While they seem wonderfully quirky, Noriega said these flowers are for honouring the paintings, one adjacent to the other. Or, they could also be referencing the notorious Piranha Plant as seen in Mario games. “In that case, they’d take on a much more dangerous role,” added Noriega with a grin. Noriega likes to experiment, as evident in the exhibit. “My primary focus is always painting, first and foremost,” he declared; but his art is undoubtedly informed by his forays into different mediums. The mediums he experiments with are not the end game, but a means to an end—which always comes back to painting.

Loyal to his work, Noriega intends the paintings to be seen with “unframed honesty.” Instead of frames, the canvases are visually enclosed by strips of yellow he painted on the wall. He prefers that the paintings interact freely with the surface of the wall, and that the viewers experience the works in their bare form. “I don’t want my paintings to pretend,” explained Noriega. “I don’t want them hiding behind a fancy frame, or big stuffy conceptualism. My paintings are honest.” And that is precisely what I really liked about Conservative Honours. Noriega’s paintings are delightfully down-to-earth, and exude warmth. They are a welcome relief from the January blues. Rodrigo Echeverria Noriega’s Conservative Honours is on view at Oz Studios (134 Ossington Avenue) until 23 January.

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THE ARTS

For once Coriolanus draws in the common citizens “Go and be ruled”

Advice given to the title character ought to be heeded by any skeptical movie-goers Dan Christensen Film adaptations of Shakespeare have become a category unto themselves. His plays have been brought to the screen over 400 times in film’s short history. Sure, he may be the greatest writer in the English language, but it’s still tough to keep his stuff fresh. So director/star Ralph Fiennes (a.k.a. Lord Voldemort) does himself a favour by selecting one of the Bard’s lesser known tragedies, Coriolanus. It is not surprising that many are unfamiliar with the title as part of Shakespeare’s oeuvre. And from the trailer alone one wouldn’t realize it was the Bard’s work at all. Fiennes camouflages the true story, which took place in the fifth century BC, in a modern-day setting. Caius Martius (Fiennes) is a Roman general, widely noted for his tactical military genius and bravery, as

The Crossword

Across

1. Needles and storms have these 5. Gentle throw 9. Paint graffiti artists favour 14. Wander 15. Devilish man 16. Wipe out 17. Type of transmission 1

19. One fewer than 70 across 20. Lock openers 21. Enjoy a 45 across 23. Language of ancient Romans 26. New York opera company 27. Immerse in water 31. Age after bronze 32. Harbours

25 32

38 43

53 56 59

58 64

questionably an actors’ piece. Stalwarts Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox (as Menenius, a senator allied to Martius) are in top form. Along with the electrifying Fiennes, they help us through points where the long-winded nature of the characters in Shakespeare’s original is less amenable to screen adaptation.

The style of language will always be a barrier in making Shakespeare modernizations feel natural and comfortable to today’s audiences. However, submitting yourself to the beauty of each linguistic turn can only pay dividends. And Fiennes’ Coriolanus makes it a definitive pleasure to do so.

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

53. Status 54. Rim 55. Journey division 56. Donkey Kong’s sidekick 57. Masticate 59. Eject; give the ___ 61. Sample a flavour 64. Not fraternal (as twins) 69. Playful aquatic creature 70. Divine number 71. Pet bird’s abode 72. Garden pests 73. Obtains 74. Name for a dalmatian Down

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34. Cab 35. Antarctica’s emperors 37. Requested 38. Employ 1 across 39. Waste receptacle 41. Trio 45. Two wheeled menaces 50. Lug along 51. Discrete comment, in drama

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contexts of Coriolanus (sadly) make the blend of ancient and contemporary time periods as seamless as possible. Fiennes need not pull a Baz Luhmann (re “Romeo + Juliet”) and mask any temporal incongruities with a flashy and overdramatic directorial style. Fiennes’ update is quite unpretentious, and allows the timelessness of the story to do all of the work. Clearly, fidelity to the spirit of the original text was a priority in the film’s conception. Fiennes is doubtlessly a Shakespeare fanatic, having acted in no less than fourteen major stage productions of his work—this past fall he finished a well-publicized run in London as Prospero in The Tempest. As such, it comes as no surprise that his cast’s powerful abilities to ignite words of the Bard were the film’s greatest highlight. This is un-

well as for his contempt of the Roman citizens. He succeeds in a bloody campaign against the neighbouring hostile Volscians, including a fierce one-on-one encounter with Aufidius (Gerard Butler), leader of the Volscians and Martius’ sworn enemy. Upon his welcome return, Martius’ mother (Vanessa Redgrave) convinces him to run for consul, the highest Roman political office, against his best judgement. However, two officials worried about Martius’ agenda (now honourably named Coriolanus by the senate) orchestrate popular suspicion and outcry against him. The irascible Martius is publicly spurred into a pseudo-fascist tirade against the weakness and stupidity of the common man, and he is subsequently expelled from Rome. The military and political

1. Epoch 2. Second person pronoun 3. Dine 4. On fire 5. Food conveyance 6. Cereal grains 7. Snowboard alternative 8. Mystery 9. Position in a competition 10. Church leaders 11. Old bit of cloth 12. ___ Wednesday (first day of Lent) 13. Still 18. Adult males 22. Common contraction 23. Sass 24. We exist; we ___ 25. Great weight, to an American 26. Married woman’s title

28. Acorn producing tree 29. Chopping tool 30. Young goat 32. Dessert option 33. The loneliest number 36. Application 37. None in particular 39. Auction wager 40. Frozen water 41. Definite article 42. Be fooled (I’ve been ___) 43. Floor covering 44. Formally chosen 45. Large 46. Siskel and Ebert 47. Young boy 48. Conclusion

49. Light shade of blue 51. Pub purchase 52. Patching, with needle and thread 56. Speck 58. Matching; his and ___ 59. Crooked 60. Singles 61. Another word for 50 across 62. Consumed 63. Sault ___. Marie 65. Be killed 66. Baseball hat 67. Ontario museum 68. Tennis foul

Andrew Walt

The Sudoku 9

1 9 6 2 4 3 1 5 6 8 2 9 6 1 2 1 7

6 4 2 9 6 2 8 8

7 8

8 9 4 5

January 19, 2012