Peacock March 2012

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Bob Dy an

style

A guide to his

iconic

Museums Obscure

Erotic Romantic

From to

Dean Gordon An interview with the man

behind the books

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Fash on Wee Paris

Metallics, Neons, and Feathers

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. . . e m o c l e W

The Peacock

3 Meet The Staff

44 Le Quartier Chinois by Emmeline Butler

4 Who’s in Charge? by Monik Chaudhry

46 Toki’s Corner by Togzhan Kumekbayeva

The people who make The Peacock .

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Senate

Dear Readers, This issue, our third, features Paris’ Ready to Wear Fashion Week, bringing you some of what the most eclectic designers of the season had to offer. We put together some interesting trends from the shows and around the streets of Paris. The use of color was very prominent in both, and they create a unique contrast with one another.

In this issue we interview Dean Neil Gordon, who provided us with interesting details about his personal life and the all-star movie being made from his book The Company You Keep. We also interviewed Daphné Navarre, the artistic mastermind behind the Palais de Tokyo’s recent exhibition ‘Singapour, Marina Bay.’ This month, we offer an in-depth look at how the Student Senate works, and take you to the American University’s first experience at a Model United Nations conference, which was held in Lille. Be sure to check out our list of upcoming campus events, to be as informed as possible about the weeks ahead.

Things are continuing to progress at The Peacock. We recently launched our website, thepeacock.aup.edu, where you can find e-versions of our articles, exclusive web-only content, and pertinent information about the clubs and organizations at AUP. We’re very proud of the work our staff has put into making this organization successful.

We are here to help build a stronger community at AUP. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion on how that should be accomplished. Whether it is critical notes about one of our articles, or a request for us to discuss a specific concern in our next issue, we readily accept letters to the editors at thepeacock@aup.edu.

Until next time, enjoy the spring weather!

Issue 3 • March 2012

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Discovering Paris’ Chinatown

Be selfish for once!

5 Campus Events by Monik Chaudhry

47 Just Like A Woman by Emmeline Butler

7 The Model UN by Nicole Friedlan

on 52 Mode the Street by Jocelyn De-Groot Lutzner

March and April .

Hard work and a lot of fun

Bob Dylan’s iconic impact on women’s fashion

Leopards, and patterns, and jewel tones, oh my!

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10 Neil Gordon by Ariana Miranda

58 Crazy Colors by Dari Goldman

16 Portrait of an Artist by Michaela Dasch

60 Fleathers by Dari Goldman

An interview with our Dean

Daphné Navarre talks about life, inspiration, and love

Designer Manish Arora’s romance with color

Fun with feathers and leather

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18 A Tale of One City by Rachel Nielsen

62 Paco Saaban by Dari Goldman

26 Sex Addiction by Hannah LaSala

64 Renaissance by Dari Goldman

30 How Harmless is HPV? by Hannah LaSala

67 Thai Green Curry by F. Ford Leland

32 Alcoholics United in Paris by Molly Mason

68 Games

Exploring Berlin, East and West

When desire turns into a compulsion

Questions and answers about the most common STI

When does drinking become too much?

Paco Raban and Elie Saab, a shimmering season

Fashion looks to its historical roots

Inside an editor’s kitchen

Sincerely, The editors.

34 Obscure Museums by Dacy Knight Paris destinations for eclectic tastes

Ford Leland Rachel Nielsen

Cover Photo Chanel Arif models the Dylan look for Dari Goldman

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The Peacock Editors In Chief

F. Ford Leland Creative Director

Rachel M. Nielsen Managing Editor

Culture Editor

Dacy Knight

Fashion Editor

Dari Goldman

Lifestyle Editor

Hannah LaSala

Student Life Editor

Ariana Miranda

Style Editor

Emmeline Butler

Writers

Lydia Abbas

Photographers

Tala Alem Aima Khosa

Make Up

Each member of our team brings a unique quality to the publication - some are exceptional editors while others may have a great eye for photography. The hard work everyone has put into this magazine is exponentially expressed in their pieces.

The dedication of these students cannot go unrecognized!

Nina Carneiro Noor Kandiel

Web Manager

Kelsey Rohwer

Illustrator

Rachel Morrall

Advertising Director

The Peacock is run by a devoted staff of students who work together on a weekly basis to produce what you are now holding in your hands. We come from all parts of the university, from all walks of life, but we are all united by our drive to explore new fields of knowledge in order to better understand our paths for the future.

Monik Chaudhry Michaela Dasch Jocelyn DeGroot-Lutzner Nicole Friedlan Togzhan Kumekbayeva Molly Mason

Copy Editor

Wardrobe

Meet the Staff

Sabrina Marzaro

Top

Emmeline Butler, Dari Goldman, Dacy Knight, Maggie Centers, Hannah LaSala, Lydia Abbas, Monik Chaudhry, Ariana Miranda

Bottom

Faculty Adviser 4

Meg Bortin

Togzhan Kumekbayeva, Michaela Dasch, Sabrina Marzaro, Rachel M. Nielsen, F. Ford Leland, Jocelyn DeGroot-Lutzner, Rachel Morrall, Nicole Friedlan 5

Who’s In Charge?

Everything you ever wanted to know about the AUP Student Senate, and more.

By Monik Chaudhry Photography by Aima Khosa

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he Student Government Association (SGA) has four parts: Undergraduate Student Council (USC), Graduate Student Council (GSC), Senate, and Clubs & Committees.

The Senate is the body that, like in a senate of any country, is comprised of representatives elected from each department.

For a country, these departments are the geographical regions like states or provinces. Since the university is made up of academic departments, these are what are represented at the senate. In addition to that, each class also has representatives. This ensures that each student has at least two representatives, if not more, to take any grievances to. The job of these representatives, as stipulated by the Constitution, is to serve as the voice of their constituents and to mediate dialogue between the student body and the Student Council, which is the party that brings these grievances up to the appropriate authorities.

A 40% Budget Cut February 20

A Senator is also responsible for the allocation of funds to Clubs & Committees in a way that the interest of their constituents are protected and their money is used judiciously. They are guided by the bylaws set forth in the Constitution. The Constitution dictates protocols and responsibilities that should be followed in the Senate. While these laws are binding, they are not permanent. Like the Constitution of any country, these laws can be changed or removed from the Constitution if the Senate so decides. The Senate can approve or deny the suggestions made by the judiciary committee, the official editors of the constitution, after careful scrutiny of any and all proposals. These proposals then become implemented as law.

There was good news and bad news at the Senate meeting on February 20.

The good news was that the budgets were not cut by 50%. The bad news is that they were cut by 40%, enough to potentially hinder a club’s ability to function for the rest of the semester.

This was perhaps the most important of the semester, especially coming from the money allocation point of view. The three biggest clubs came with requests, along with a number of requests from smaller clubs.

Lastly, the Senators and the Senate serve as the connection between the present and a brighter future.They are

In Photo 1. Tala Alem (Communications) 2. Molly Mason (Psychology) 3. Maritza Lacayo (Art History) 4. Juliana Yanguas (Junior) 5. Dacy Knight (MAGC/MGCS) 6. Lisa Clark (French Studies) 7. Sven van Mourik (Freshman)

responsible for helping the community communicate ideas between departments and classes. Each senator is responsible for meeting up with their constituents regularly to hear their ideas, to put them forth to the senate and to report back to their constituents.

With student participation in clubs particularly high this year and with the decision to keep funds from reabsorbing, these requests ended up surpassing the money available for allocation this semester. The Clubs Committee, in this position as the mediator of clubs’ discussion between the Senate and the club leaders, came up with an average cut of 40% across all requests in an effort to be fair to everyone needing funding.

In addition, based on the amount of participation in the clubs, this number was increased or decreased by 2%. This ultimately leaves 1,200€ in the clubs budget for the last leg of the semester.

Not Pictured Alban Demiraj (Computer Science) Michael Morales (Business Amin) Benjamin Barillas (Senior) Scott Bradsby (Visiting) Dimitri Pilenko (MCB)

8. Moe Bourji (USC Vice President) 9. Maximiliam Schleich (Economics) 10. Trevor McCourt (ICP) 11. Zoe Lockhard (Urban Studies) 12. Francisco Vassallo (History) 13. Ford Leland (Sophomore)

Tim Capener (GSC Vice President) Miriam Sahler (MEIS/MAIS) Alexandra Baldi (MPPA/MPL) Alexandre Schmitt (MIN/MAIA) Courtney Gebhard (MCT)

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Earlier this semester, allocations were made towards a Frantz Fanon conference, the Sports Committee, and the Graduation Gala, which also increased the amount distributed this semester, resulting in total allotments to the tune of 70,136€ from the 119,624€ that have been given to the Student Government Association, or SGA, for student activities. Each club was considered individually and each amount requested was scrutinized to make this decision more permanent.

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The Senate also approved a request to fund extra library hours, which allotted funding to come directly from the student budget, as opposed to being funded by the administrative budget.

Upcoming Campus Events Tuesday, March 27

Library Open House Professor Roda, Professor of Computer Science, will be speaking about her new book, Human Attention in Digital Environments. Claudia’s research focuses on how digital technology may help people manage their time and activities, learn, and communicate with others. Her new book focuses on bridging research results in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, which analyze specific aspects of human attention.

AUP Library 13h30 Open Mic Night Sign up to perform on the roster at the Amex!

Amex 19h00

Wednesday, March 28

The Complexity of Global Policy: Theory and Methodology AUP Working Paper Series presents a speech by Mathias Koenig-Archibugi, Senior Lecturer in Global Politics at London School of Economics.

C12 18h30

Thursday, March 29

Syrian Bazar Carnival Event The Muslim Student Association, sponsored by the Human Rights and Justice Club, present a fundraiser for Syria through the Life USA organization.

Enjoy Arabic dinner, sweets, henna and more.

C13 18h15

Friday, March 30

“Is Fanon Finished?”/“La fin à Fanon?”

The Masters programs at AUP hosts an international and bilingual conference on contemporary critical and experimental engagement with Frantz Fanon’s work, co-organized by Sousan Hammad and Lisa Damon.

Grand Salon 9h30-17h30

Saturday, March 31

Débats Autour d’un Livre The book to be discussed is Becoming-major/Becoming-minor, edited by Vanessa Brito et Emiliano Battista for Éditions Jan van Eyck Academie, 2011. Sous la responsabilité de Diogo Sardinha.

Les débats auront lieu en français (The debates will be held in French).

Intervenants: Vanessa Brito, Oliver Feltham, Barbara Formis, Diogo Sardinha.

Grand Salon 10h30

Monday, April 2

AUP Politics Association (AUPPA) meeting C12 17h00

Wednesday, April 4

“Almost Invisible: Mark Strand in Paris, France” Faculty members Neil Gordon and Jeffrey Greene introduce former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer-winning poet Mark Strand’s reading of his bilingual latest book, Almost Invisible/Presque invisible in bilingual translation, with French translator Fiona Sze-Lorrain, and discussion with the public.

Grand Salon 18h00

Saturday, April 14

Digital Legacies of the Avant-Garde Description: In what ways has the formation, development and critique of today’s digital environments been shaped by the concepts and practices of the avant-garde? AUP’s Department of Global Communications, in partnership with Eugene Lang College-The New School for Liberal Arts, is organizing an international conference that considers the potential avant-garde and modernist genealogies of contemporary digital culture.

TBA 10h

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The Model UN:

A dvertisement

Design Competition for the AUP Mascot and Logo!

Hard Work and A Lot of Fun

What are we looking for?

An original and creative, student-designed, mascot and logo to be sustainably representative of AUP school spirit to be placed on all team jerseys and AUP paraphernalia.

High quality graphics for final submission if created from digital sources Willingness to acknowledge AUP Athletics Department ownership of your creation What is a team, a school, or a community without a mascot and a logo? This is the initiative of the Sports Committee to establish a student-body and community supported and accepted permanent AUP mascot and logo for the AUP Athletics Department and its competitive teams (basketball, volleyball, soccer, and equestrian) to launch fall 2012.

The submission that wins the student body’s approval will take home 180 euros!

AUP’s Model United Nations team at their first event in Lille.

Who are we? Max (captain, soccer) and Le (captain, female volleyball) are the two responsible student-athletes of the Sports Committee for this initiative. The Sports Committee is a committee made up of the Athletics Coordinator, the five captains of the five competitive teams and a SGA graduate student representative.

By Nicole Friedlan Photography by Aima Khosa

Submissions accepted up to March 28 (11:59pm) AUPSportsCommittee@gmail.com Questions or comments? AUPSportsCommittee@gmail.com, Facebook us at AUPAthletics or MyAUP!

Julian The Peacock

Julian works out in preparation for AUP’s Mascot Auditions. Vote Julian!

W

e didn’t realize when we headed north to Lille that we would soon be representing New Zealand and Indonesia, countries half a world away.

But that’s what happened last month when the AUP Debate Club attended the Model United Nations, at which university students can take part in international diplomacy – without the risk of starting a war. Bringing together universities from across the world, the Model UN is a great learning experience for those who wish to learn how the United Nations functions, and it is also a great way to learn how to meet and negotiate with people from a wide variety of different cultures.

Our club, along with Professor Mark Ennis of the English Department and our photographer, Aima Khosa, started on our journey on February 2, leaving Paris very early and arriving by train in frigid temperatures in a little over an hour. After settling in, it was straight to the conference. Within minutes, we were registered to represent Indonesia and New Zealand – a task we fulfilled until our mission ended on February 5. Organized with dedication by our president and founder, Sven van Mourik, the trip was a success – a great experience that presented numerous challenges to all of us in one way or another.

Learning the ins and outs of a Model United Nations can be difficult for those who have never done one before. At times, it was hard to understand what was going on between the negotiations of the different countries and the different resolutions being drawn together. But once everyone got started, it moved very smoothly as we all got the hang of it.

The trip was “amazing, extraordinary,” van Mourik said afterwards. “It was more than anything I imagined. We had an amazing team. Although we had very few people who had been to MUN before as opposed to other teams who been five times, or six times, we were definitely one of the stronger teams there and I’m very proud of the people who went. It was definitely a positive experience for the club.”

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The Model UN during one of their General Assembly conferences.

The opening ceremony was held in a large conference room, and a speech was given by a senior member of the actual United Nations, Michael Eaton. After that it was to our designated places, mine being in the General Assembly.

In the actual United Nations, the General Assembly is one of the five principal organs and the only one in which all member nations has equal representation. The General Assembly serves to oversee the budget of the United Nations, appoint the non-permanent members to the Security Council, receive reports from other parts of the United Nations, and make recommendations in the form of General Assembly Resolutions. A United Nations General Assembly Resolution is voted on by all member states of the United Nations in the General Assembly. General Assembly resolutions usually require a simple majority, meaning 50 percent of all votes plus one, to pass.

I got used to the call for 10 minute, 15 minute, 20 minute,

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45 minute, and one hour breaks, in which we were to lobby among the various countries in hopes of producing resolutions. It became confusing, as I had to sort through what the different resolutions were seeking. I had one group seek to educate all of Africa as a resolution to the continents problems – I felt bad laughing out loud when I heard their proposal.

Throughout our days at the Model UN conference, we participated in tough negotiations, debates and presentations. A lot of thought and effort went into the proposals and resolutions, and ultimately we did very well.

Our team even won an honorable mention on the part of New Zealand.

Karena Viehbacher, a student who helped with the planning of our mission, said that although she really liked the trip, “it was really hard work. It’s almost like an athletic event, where you get up in the morning and you go to bed really

late. All day you’re negotiating. You’re talking and meeting people, researching a lot.” But still, she said, “The hard work was definitely worth it. To see our resolution up on the wall that you and everyone had a part of – it was a lot of fun.”

One member of the debate club, Miriam, said, “It was a lot better than I expected because I heard a lot of people talk about different Model UN conferences, and that it was really boring. But I just found it to be a lot more interesting than I thought, arguing for what your country believed in.

And by the end, you felt like you made a difference once there was a concrete, tangible resolution.” Asked whether she’d participate again, she said, “For sure, I want to.”

Lille itself is an fascinating city. Located very close to the Belgian border, it isn’t what you’d expect of a French town.

The city, from my perspective, seemed a little scruffy, though the downtown core of Lille does have a certain quaintness that is charming. Comprised of mostly old architecture,

clearly influenced by both the French and the Dutch, there are some impressive buildings in the center of town, including the old opera and the Hotel de Ville, or city hall.

Though there is a rustic quality, the city is mostly modern, with a prominent shopping area.

One of our New Zealand representatives, Nour Djilane, commented that, “Lille is a lovely city and the crossroad of so many civilizations. The MUN was definitely a unique experience because you get to meet people you’ll actually keep in touch with for a long time, and you can make close friends. And it’s good experience if you want to work for the UN one day.”

All in all, it was a fun learning experience and worth the effort. So much so that the Debate Club is hoping to participate again next year, although we won’t be able to take the train. Because the 2013 Model UN will be held ... in New York City.

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An Interview with

Dean Neil Gordon

By Ariana Miranda Photography by Tala Alem

M

ost people on campus know that Neil Gordon arrived last summer as AUP’s new Dean and VicePresident for Academic Affairs. But how many know he is working with Robert Redford on the screen adaptation of his latest thriller, The Company You Keep, starring Shia LeBoeuf, Susan Sarandon and Anna Kendrick?

Filming began in September, right around the time that Dean Gordon was beginning his work here in Paris. In the months since then, on top of his heavy university schedule, he has finished a new novel – his fourth – and even finds time for bicycling around Paris, a city he’s known well since his graduate school days. I didn’t know what to expect when assigned by The Peacock to interview Dean Gordon. When I met him recently at his spacious office overlooking Avenue Bosquet, I discovered an eloquent, thoughtful, down-to-earth man with multicultural roots who has devoted his literary career to exploring the intersection of ethics, politics and crime.

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Ariana Miranda: Where are you from?

Dean Neil Gordon: I was born in South Africa. My parents moved to America when I was three. I grew up in New York, went to high school there and college at the University of Michigan.

Which high school did you go to?

I went to a school in Brooklyn Heights called Saint Ann’s.

Well, Saint Ann’s when I went there was a very progressive, very hippy-dippy school, with no grades, there were no requirements. I started there in 1969, right in the Vietnam years.

Up until then, we lived in the suburbs of New York. You really have to remember the context, you know, this was during the Cold War. America was a country that felt itself to be under the threat of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union, and it was during Vietnam, so we were a country at war. But we were also a country experiencing a massive social revolution.

From the time we came to America until 1969, we lived in the very conservative suburbs of New York, in the middle of this Cold War, Vietnam-era reality. It was deeply segregated between white and black, highly Republican, and God forbid you had hippy-length hair. In 1969, my parents decided to move to New York City. It was completely different there. To be there as a kid and to be thrown into a school where you were allowed to look however you wanted, do whatever you wanted, encouraged to be counter-cultural. I mean any day there was a march against the war in Vietnam, classes were cancelled. It was an amazing liberation from parochial, conservative America.

In 1975, I went from there to the University of Michigan, and that was also fantastic because, you know, Ann Arbor was one of the real epicenters of the protest against the war in Vietnam, of counterculture in America. It was where SDS, the Students for a Democratic Society, was born, which was the main organ of the protest movement in America in those days. So it was a lovely place to be.

I was there until about 1980 when I dropped out for a couple of years, and went to live in the ’48 territories of Palestine, which are commonly referred to as Israel. I lived there for a couple of years, then I went back to college in Michigan, graduated in 1980, and came to Paris for a year of study.

What did you study?

I did a Maîtrise in French literature, and then I went home and did a Ph.D., in French literature again, at Yale.

Why did you choose French literature?

Well, at the time, French literature was characterized by a great openness to literary theory. I was very interested in psychoanalysis, as applied to literature, and in the kind of thought that was characterized by the term structuralism.

That is what to me was a revolutionary approach to questions

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of language and meaning, questions that were much studied

by French intellectual figures. It was just a natural tendency to that kind of study. However, I knew then, as I’ve always known, that I wanted to be a novelist, so all of this for me was a preparation for becoming a novelist. In fact, halfway through my Ph.D., I left graduate school and went to work in publishing. I worked at The New York Review of Books, in New York, which is a very famous intellectual magazine.

While working there, I wrote my dissertation, got my Ph.D., and I began to write novels.

What did you write your dissertation on?

I wrote about Balzac and Hawthorne – a 19th-century French writer and a 19th-century American writer.

‘Stranger Than Fiction,’ that’s right. I remember.

Exactly. And then, at The New York Review, I wrote my first two novels and got them both published.

Which were?

My first one was called ‘Sacrifice of Isaac,’ and my second was called ‘The Gun Runner’s Daughter.’ Both were much informed by my experience living in Palestine, or Israel as you prefer, in the ’70s. And by the time I finished those, I was offered a job at the New School in New York, so I started teaching there as a part-time teacher.

What did you teach?

I taught writing and literature. Then I applied for a full-time job there and got it. I became the chair of my department and merged the Creative Writing Department with the Literature Department, so it became the Literary Studies Department. I was tenured there and promoted to full professor, then I spent two years as dean. After those two years, I took a year of sabbatical, and during that sabbatical, this job became open, and I applied for it and I got it.

How long do you think you’ll stay in Paris?

For the rest of my working career.

Which do you prefer? Michigan, New York, Paris?

Well, I like New York a lot, and I go back and forth a lot.

Really, I’m very happy in Paris. I’ve been wanting to live here for a long time. I would have moved here earlier, but you know, somewhere along the way I found myself having kids, and that makes one slow down.

Do your children live in Paris as well?

No, my son’s finishing high school in New York, and my daughter’s in college in London.

Most of your novels revolve around the government, conspiracies – they’re thrillers. What makes you write about that?

Well, I come from an extremely political background. My

parents were anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, and when they moved to America – it was a very volatile political atmosphere. To grow up during Vietnam was a particular experience, so my very politicized family and I lived in very politicized times. All of that combined to make me a very political person.

When did you decide you wanted to be a novelist?

I’ve always known it, my whole life. I’ve always been one of those people who had a very strong direction from childhood, so I knew I wanted to be a novelist. It takes a long time to become a novelist. I didn’t publish a novel until I was 30. I get the feeling that that’s not so unusual. There’s a very long apprenticeship to becoming a novelist. There’s an apprenticeship in reading – you can’t write if you don’t read. In my case also, there was an apprenticeship in education, in undergraduate and graduate education, which gives you both the historical framework to write realistically, but also the intellectual framework.

Can you tell me about ‘The Company You Keep’?

Well that’s a story that comes very much from my childhood in America.

When I was growing up, I was always very interested in the young people in America who were really dedicating their lives to two great struggles – one was the struggle for Civil Rights, against an inherent racism in American culture, and the second was our country’s incursion into Vietnam. Most of us today accept it was a war we never should have been involved in. I was really interested in that.

I was especially interested in a small group of people who escalated their political activism to what we would call domestic terrorism today. It was a group called Weatherman and they organized themselves to live underground. That is, they assumed identities to escape detection or capture by the FBI and protested the war by acts of violence against property across America. That is, they blew up things.

‘To grow up during Vietnam was a particular experience, so my very politicized family and I lived in very politicized times.’

— Dean Neil Gordon

There were only a few of them. I don’t want to give the impression that I admire them, because in fact I don’t, but what’s interesting is that they were, for the most part, middle-class Americans, for the very most part white. So they were young Americans who benefitted from everything going on in our country. The war economy was very strong. They had great futures in front of them, and they risked it all for political and moral protest. I was very interested in what made people do that.

I was particularly interested because my parents were people like that too.

They were in South Africa, they belonged to the white minority in South Africa which had tremendous opportunities and they lived very, very well, but my parents and people like my parents imperiled their own freedom in order to battle the injustice of the apartheid system. I was curious, I wanted to understand why some people did that and why some people didn’t.

Because after all, most white South Africans simply accepted the injustice around them – and it was very very apparent, the injustice around them.

South Africa in the ’50s was much worse than America. The limitations on black South Africans were enormous, and it was a police state. Most people accepted that. It was particularly ironic for me because my grandparents had escaped anti-semitism and terrible oppression in Lithuania before the war, and had they stayed in Lithuania, where they lived, well, 95 percent of the Jewish population was killed. So they escaped well before the war. But when they came to South Africa, they never seemed to realized they had just switched places and become part of a police state, part of a terribly oppressive minority. But my parents did. And I wanted to understand why.

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So I set myself the task of going and meeting people who had been involved in the Weather Underground, going and meeting them. It took several years, and I met a lot of them. They were very generous with me, they spoke to me very freely about their experiences. As a novelist, your job is to put yourself in the viewpoint of another person and understand how they think. So that’s what I tried to do.

You mentioned the SDS earlier at the University of Michigan.

Did that have anything to do with it?

Well I’m a little, though it may seem odd to you, I’m a little young for this whole history. When I went to college in 1975, the war was over and there was no real countercultural movement anymore. I was really learning about people a few years older than me. I’m about to turn 54, they’re in their 60s, early 60s. So they were not a generation above me, but they were older than me. So this was not a reality that I lived, it’s a history that I discovered.

And now it’s being made into a film. How did that happen?

Well, there’s a short answer to that and a long answer. The short answer is like most writers I have an agent, who handles all the business of my writing. At the time, I had a literary agent, but I also had a film agent. And my film agent got the book to Robert Redford, and he liked it and he bought it. It took him a long time, took him maybe ten years to develop a screenplay he was happy with. I worked a lot on it with him, and in the end he was happy with it, and he cast it and he shot it, and now it’s due out next fall. That’s the short answer.

The longer answer is that there’s a terrible amount of chance involved in these things. It so happens that the woman who was then my film agent was married to a cameraman

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on a very famous Robert Redford film called ‘Downhill Racer.’ They had met on a ski slope, and Redford hired him as a cameraman, and they were friends ever since. And my agent happened to marry him. And so through that coincidence, my book got to Redford. There were a lot of other coincidences. When I first met Redford, he told me the ways in which this book had spoken to him. Not only ways having to do with American history, because he’s a radical guy, Redford, but there were other coincidences. I set a big portion of the book in Big Sur – it’s a very beautiful part of the California coast in between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Redford happens to love Big Sur, he owns some land there.

No. No, first of all, he is an artist that I admire a lot. And I want the book to be transformed into a movie. It’s a different art form. You know, I wrote the book, he makes the movie.

So no, that doesn’t bother me at all. I want the movie to be good. It may not be, but if the movie’s bad, well, it’s not my fault, and if the movie’s good, then I’ll get a little bit of the credit.

I was terribly impressed by the role that coincidence has played in this. I mean, there are a lot of talented writers out there, who should have a lot of success – whose books should be made into movies. And the reason mine was and theirs wasn’t was because I got lucky.

Congratulations!

And now that the film is being made, how much say do you have in casting, screenwriting?

I have no say whatsoever. When books are bought for films in America, the writer – me – gives up all rights.

The director, producer, and screenwriter can do whatever they want. They can change the plot, they can change the names, and I have no say. I had a lot of creative imput in the process, simply because Robert Redford invited me into it, he spoke to me a lot. I worked on the screenplay with him for a while. I’m not the screenwriter, but I had a lot of story conferencing with him and the screenwriter, and the producers. So I did have a lot of input, but I don’t have a say in anything.

Isn’t that difficult for you?

That’s a nice way of looking at it. What about now? Are you working on anything right now? Another novel?

Well, yes and no. Yes, I have been working on another novel.

No because I just finished it this weekend.

Thank you. It was a very difficult novel, and it was taking me years. Partly because I was waiting for the movie to be made.

Just from a business point of view, if you’re selling a novel, you’d much rather sell it when you have a movie coming out. With the movie being made, a lot of people suddenly want to publish my books again. Picador recently bought all three of my books and will publish them in London. They asked to see my new manuscript, which gave me a lot of incentive to finish it. So I just finished it and I just sent it to them, and we’ll see what happens next.

Can you tell me what it’s about?

It’s a more complex kind of sequel to my last book, with the same characters, but it’s multi-generational. It’s about a family. It’s about the same characters in a much more personal, more detailed examination of their political experience – and I guess that’s all I’ll say about it.

O.K. Do you have any favorite books or authors?

Lots. Lots. As I say, writers read. So I’ve read a lot. Two of the authors I admire the most and who I look to the most in writing – one of them is a French writer called Sébastien Japrisot and another one is an American writer called Patricia Highsmith. I like the particular kind of writer that crosses between the literary and the commercial.

A lot of very interesting writers choose to investigate questions of being human through one of the most intense human experiences, and that is through crime. I much admire the tradition of the roman noir, which is a highly politicized novelistic exploration of crime.

Another writer I like a lot is John le Carré, who writes ethical and political novels. His particular metaphor is espionage – he explores some of the extreme parts of human nature through stories of espionage. So those are the people who influence me a lot. All my characters are people who break the law to a political end. I find that a very satisfying place to explore political ethics and morality.

Would you ever consider writing outside of that genre?

Well as I go on, I find my writing becomes more personal.

There’s an expression in Hollywood – ‘writing big,’ which means lots of story with lots of action. I find I write less and less big as I go on. But I still write, consistently, about people who are dishonest.

Do you have any hobbies that you like to do around town?

Well I spend a lot of time working. But you know, I spend a lot of time – when I have the time – just on a bicycle and just exploring. I’ve always really loved Paris. The opportunity to walk around or ride a bicycle around is enough for me right now.

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Portrait of an Artist A Moment with Daphné Navarre

By Michaela Dasch How do you imagine the life of an artist? As a life of luxury and glamour? As a bohemian happening too abstract for the average person to comprehend? What a creative person tries to express in his or her work may remain as mysterious as our images of the artist’s life. But when you encounter an artist in person, the gap between perception and reality narrows.

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aphné Navarre (bottom right) is a young and rising Parisian artist whose work was recently exhibited at the Palais de Tokyo, a top museum for contemporary art in Paris. After that show closed in December, she took part in a group exhibition at the trendy Galerie Hussenot in the Marais. Now her work is on display until May in Nice, at the Villa Arson where she once studied.

In her personal life, Navarre, 30, is the mother of a oneyear-old daughter. They live with the child’s father in a comfortable, art-filled apartment in the 10th arrondissement. She also manages to find time to be Art Director at Partizan, a big film production company.

But although Navarre seems to have everything going for her, her road to success was a long journey, with its share of loneliness and despair. Breaking into the art market is notoriously difficult, and Navarre, too, struggled to get known. And yet, when talking about her life, she doesn’t reject her difficult past, she embraces it.

“The different steps in life, with their difficulties, make you

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grow and define your authenticity and personality,” Navarre said in a recent interview. “I dare think it’s the only way.”

Born in Paris in 1982, Daphne is the daughter of a French father and an Austrian mother. As a child she enjoyed playing with mud and clay to form objects. Eventually she made her way to the School of Fine Arts in at the Villa Arson in Nice, where, she says, “I had the freedom to create what I wanted.” For five years she studied the creative arts as well as history and the philosophy of art.

“During this time I didn’t think of any profession,” Navarre recalls. “I just tried to understand why and how I create. The final project was myself.” At the same time, she found the sunny city of Nice to be a cold and forbidding place. “I felt like I was doing a Tibetan monk retreat in the mountains,” she says. “I was lonely and far away from friends and family.”

But if Navarre felt strange and misunderstood, she also profited from her time in Nice, saying she felt there had been a magical side to the experience despite her difficulties.

After Nice, Navarre went on the Austria, where thanks to Erasmus she spent a semester at Vienna’s academy of

fine arts, working for four months at the studio of Heimo Zobernig, a major Austrian artist.

“I will never forget the memories I have with this old man in his atelier,” she recalls. “We barely spoke a word but still there was a deep connection.” As her mentor smoked his pipe and listened to Chopin, Navarre created a chessboard made of plaster in the form of a large square egg carton, with white and brown eggs as pawns. She says she intended this as a kind of metaphor of society, as Stefan Zweig suggested in his book “The Royal Game.”

At the Palais de Tokyo in December, “Singapour Marina Bay” (third photo from right) was a big installation that retraced the past of six years of exhibitions by young artists.

In an exhibition space called Module 1, Navarre had hung empty frames on the walls and placed lines on the floor to represent the works shown previously in the 20-squaremeter room.

“I asked myself one question: what is this place actually?

What does it offer? Many young artists have exposed their work in this room.”

Upon finishing her studies in 2006, Navarre made a splash in the Parisian art scene with a project called “Kit Invite” in which artists bring their work into random apartments.

The name of the project is a play on words, for it sounds like “Qui t’invite?”, or “Who invited you?” This way of meeting people and creating a network was already à la mode in Berlin and proved a huge success for Navarre and three artist friends in Paris. “People loved it,” she says. “Sometimes we had more than 400 people in an apartment.”

She retraced the works shown over the past six years and tried to summarize them in one unit by presenting each work according to its material: wood, video projection and marks on the floor. “The whole space turns into one piece,” she says.

Networking is a leitmotiv in Navarre’s life. Thanks to her sister, the actress Elodie Navarre, she began to shoot portraits of actors as a way of earning money. But she found the work nerve-racking and exhausting. For three years she dabbled in various fields – and this, she now says, helped her understand what she wanted to do.

Is this emptiness also a summary of her lonely times, which now belong to the past? That may be the impression of just one viewer, but what seems clear is that Navarre, through all the steps she met, has come to understand where she’s going.

“I needed to find something that doesn’t take all my energy,” Navarre says. “I wanted the energy for my own artistic work.” And what about the work? One of her sculptures that attracted visitors at the Galerie Hussenot in February, “C-stand stick,” is the big brother of a log hanging above the TV in her apartment. At first glance you cannot tell what it is. But then you see that the log is covered with tiny pearls and jewels. “Something may look like nothing from far away, but grows and gains in beauty when one approaches it,” Navarre explains.

“The initial concept of retracing the history of this place with all the artwork that used to be shown becomes an autonomous work of art in its own right.”

“Now I am starting to know who I am,” she says. “Today I know I don’t want to do something that isn’t me, even if that means I have to go the hard way. It’s important to stay honest with yourself if you want to make good things.”

But does she devote her entire life to art? “Absolutely not,” says Navarre, her daughter, Rose, perched in her arms.

Despite her hectic schedule of artistic activities, she reserves plenty of time for her family because, as she puts it, “Love is the most important thing in life, it makes you grow a lot also!”

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A Tale of One City

Exploring Berlin, East and West

By Rachel Nielsen

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Hostels can be relatively inexpensive. The PLUS Hostel is located about a block and a half from the East Berlin Wall and is a clean environment. This particular location provides a pool, restaurant, bar, and Wi-Fi, with private rooms costing around 17€ per night per person, which can be helpful when traveling in a group. Walking along the Oberbaum Bridge, about a block from the Berlin Wall, is extremely possible. The neon lights on the bridge engage in a constant cycle of rock, paper, scissors over the Spree River.

Off of the river, very close to the Berlin Wall, is a club that runs on Sundays, hosting concerts at night. Covered in graffiti, YAAM combines Brazilian, Caribbean, and African music with the aim of bringing people together in a multi-cultural setting. An all-ages venue, the site has different sports activities in addition to a dance hall, offering an interesting view of Berlin’s culture.

Photography by Rachel Nielsen

Graffiti on different segments of the Berlin Wall.

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erlin today is known for its spectacular nightlife and friendly people. Berliners are known for their unique sense of style which can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. The lights of the city that shine brightly in the evenings can shake the coldest nights.

However, below this modern exterior history remains, shown by means of relics throughout the city. Artifacts all over Berlin hint at the city’s first noted beginning as the capital of Prussia nearly 800 years ago. Now, as the capital of reunited Germany, it stands as an international hub of culture.

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Getting to Berlin is an easy trip from Paris. A twohour flight makes for smooth travelling at around 50€ if planned far enough in advance. The airport is a short trip to most hostels within the city, accessible through public transportation.

Food and drinks can be found at fairly reasonable prices. It’s hard not to take advantage of the beer – especially when a half-liter is almost always available for around 3€. In what was once East Berlin there are now many multi-ethnic restaurants. Streets are lined with Indian, Mexican, and Italian restaurants, offering another facet to the community of Berlin. Clubs are open all night, but don’t usually pick up until after midnight. There are some underground clubs that move every weekend, held usually in backyards or warehouses in the Eastern neighborhoods.

Offering a different kind of culture are over 100 museums around the city. Most offer a student discount, providing the opportunity to see a larger part of the history of Berlin.

On the northern half of an island on the Spree, there are a group of museums called Museum Island, a UNESCO-listed site. It houses five major museums and galleries, and any student can access four in a day for just 7€. Berlin’s oldest museum, the Altes, built in 1830,

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The Pergamon altar, above. An ancient Greek statue, below. A Tiergarten pillar commemorating German composers, at left. is among this group. Next to the Lustgarten, or “Pleasure Garden,� it holds a large collection of classical antiquities from ancient Greece and Rome.

Also in this collection is the Pergamon Museum, with its reconstructed Pergamon Altar. During its original construction, King Eumenes II ordered the altar to be built as a sign of gratitude to the gods for not being assassinated. The altar is surrounded by carefully reconstructed images of a battle between man and animals.

The Berliner Dom right next to the Altes stands tall with its greenish domes. The original church was built in 1465 before being replaced with the current cathedral. The gold crosses glisten in the sun and invite passersby to take a look. A fountain running in front of the building adds to the allure of the cathedral. Though it has never been a cathedral in the traditional sense, as it has never seated a bishop, the spectacular floor plan of the altar is breathtaking. Lanterns illuminate the gold finishing on the pulpit with an impressive 7,000 pipe organ standing proudly nearby.

In addition to these sites, there are free outdoor museums. A short distance from the ruins of Hitler’s bunker, the Holocaust Memorial, holds 2,711 concrete slabs. Each slab is blank - no names, dates, or insignia. These are meant to give the impression of being trapped towards the center of the memorial. Below, there is an informational area that holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims.

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Graffiti from the Berlin Wall, left. The Holocaust Memorial, right. The Marie-Elisabeth-LĂźders-Haus building, below.

There is also the Topography of Terror exhibit, a free museum that shows the buildings in which the Gestapo held, tortured, and executed many political prisoners. It continues on to express the terrors administered by the Nazis during World War II, showing what happened in different decades, as well as an overview of the Nuremberg Trials for war criminals.

those who died trying to cross. The wall has one segment in particular that memorializes those who died. The Wall itself is a beautiful message of peace. The painted sections express notes of love and understanding, reminding those that pass by of what occurred less than 50 years ago. The demise of the wall took place in 1989, with the graffiti serving as an international tourist spot.

For those particularly interested in the Berlin Wall, there is another free museum that tells the historical and political background of the events surrounding the construction of the Wall. As an outdoor exhibit, it features an observation tower that overlooks the original borders separating East Berlin and East Germany from West Berlin, commemorating

The easy-going lifestyle in Berlin can be difficult to leave behind to return home. The friendly faces and cheap food and drinks make you want to stay in the city. The history that still rests below Berlin’s modernity builds the multilayered culture that can be found only in Berlin. This huge city is a beautiful must-see for any interested traveler.

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S E X A D D I C T I O N

By Hannah LaSala Photography by F. Ford Leland 28

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n the surface, Brandon seems like any other normal 30-something-year-old man working in corporate America. However, Brandon’s life is in turmoil and not even those closest to him are aware of it. In the movie Shame, Brandon masturbates daily at work and regularly has sex with prostitutes and anonymous sex with strangers.

In one scene, Brandon hires two prostitutes to have a threesome with him. While Michael Fassbender, the actor who plays Brandon, is incredibly sexy, there was nothing sexy about the sex he was having. A threesome, which may be every man’s fantasy, should have given the viewer a glimpse of the carnal pleasure Brandon was experiencing, but instead leaves the viewer feeling uncomfortable and searching for the exit. Hypersexuality is a relatively new concept, and it’s suddenly prevalent in the media. It is easy to glamorize hypersexuality, yet in reality it is a disorder that can have harmful side effects for those who suffer from it.

Hypersexuality, or sex addiction as it is more commonly known, is the idea that an individual can be addicted to engaging in sexual acts. Whether they partake in habitual masturbation, spend the majority of their free time watching pornography, continuously sext their partner(s), or have an insatiable appetite for sexual intercourse, those who are diagnosed with hypersexuality may struggle to keep their lives in order. If they are unable to keep their compulsions in check, detrimental things can happen. In a 2008 study done by psychologists Gold and Heffner, research showed that those who are unable to control their sexual urges may

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end up losing their jobs, their friendships, and their romantic relationships.

The disorder can be difficult to treat, and many believe that individuals struggling with hypersexuality don’t always get the attention or the help that they need. It’s easy to call a girl a slut or to pat a guy on the back for all of the sex he is having, but it’s not always easy to see if there is an underlying issue being ignored.

At first glance, hypersexuality might leave someone thinking, “Yeah, I want that. No strings attached sex and daily multiple orgasms?! Sign me up!” But in reality, hypersexuality is a tricky disorder that is hard to diagnose and even harder to treat. It can be difficult to diagnose hypersexuality because we live in an age where casual sex is both readily available and often practiced. With sites like Grindr and Craigslist’s Casual Encounters section, it is easy to find someone to have sex with and meet ups can happen in a matter of moments. “The time between hello and an in-person meeting was around a few hours. Sometimes the conversation would be detailed beforehand, and sometimes the conversation would be basic and extremely to the point…

The goal of these sites isn’t really for a long-term thing,” said W, a freshman at American University of Paris, who has used these sites in the past. These sites are available for those looking for discreet, no strings attached sex, but what constitutes hypersexuality and at what point does it become a problem? G, a junior at the American University of Paris,

thinks that “Promiscuity becomes a problem … sex becomes a person’s main focus rather than just a supplement in [their] life.”

on fast hook-ups while ignoring emotional investment for a physical ‘high,’ then I think there is definitely some kind of addiction happening.”

Hypersexuality is an umbrella term that contains a few different categories that vary greatly, and Gold and Heffner’s study states, “Hypersexuality is a clinical syndrome characterized by a loss of control over sexual fantasies, urges and behaviors, which are accompanied by adverse consequences and/or personal distress.” While sexual addiction has been taken out of the DSM-IV, or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Edition IV, hypersexuality is currently classified as a non-substance related addiction that is most commonly a side effect of obsessive-compulsive disorder, otherwise known as OCD, and bipolar disorder.

Cognitive and behavioral therapy have also proven beneficial when treating hypersexuality, though the most common treatment for hypersexuality is a step program similar to the program used by Alcoholics Anonymous. The main difference between treating hypersexuality versus other addictions, however, is that therapists don’t preach abstinence as they would with alcohol or other harmful substances.

They stress the importance of the individual to decide what exactly their recovery looks like. It is not realistic to preach abstinence when sex is such a large and important component to healthy relationships so it is important for individuals who are working on their recovery to decide how often masturbation and/or sex is appropriate and what they can live with.

There are different types of obsession with sex, and according to the DSM-IV, this includes masturbation, pornography, sexual behavior with consenting adults, cybersex, telephone sex, strip clubs, and “other.” Though the disorder isn’t recognized in the DSM-IV, an individual can be diagnosed with hypersexuality if excessive time is spent engaging in any of these acts and if it becomes difficult to maintain a normal life. For those wondering if their sexual escapades border on the verge of being a problem, it’s important to remember that balance is key. When the desire for sex overpowers the desire for intimacy with an individual, there may be a problem. W. says, “I think dependency is the key factor. For sex, if someone is always dependent

While casual sex is much more common these days, it’s important to find a balance and not let these behaviors take over one’s life. Hypersexuality affects anywhere from three to six percent of the population in the United States. It is a growing problem and more studies need to be done on how to best diagnose and treat this disorder. There have only been a handful of studies done on hypersexuality, and as it affects individuals in different ways, it is imperative that more research be done so that those struggling with the disorder can get help.

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How Harmless is HPV?

he Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is a virus that affects both men and women. There are over 100 different types of HPV, with about 40 of those types being sexually transmitted, both orally and through penetrative sex. The majority of known HPV strains cause no symptoms in most people, but in some cases can cause warts and, in more serious cases, cervical cancer or cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. The types of HPV that can cause cancer are called high-risk HPV. Most types of low risk strains of HPV go away naturally after a period of 8 months to 2 years.

By Hannah LaSala

HPV is the most common STI, or sexually transmitted infection. Susan LaSala, Registered Nurse, or RN, at Maine Medical Center in Portland Maine said, “The human papillomavirus has reached epidemic proportions among sexually active teens and adults.” According to Planned Parenthood’s website, HPV is so prevalent that nearly half of all men and more than 3 out of 4 woman have it at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, since HPV often has no side effects, those affected with it often don’t realize it and pass it to their partners unknowingly.

required. The first treatment option is called cryotherapy.

This type of therapy is when the cells of the cervix are frozen and destroyed by way of a very cold chemical. This freezes the potentially pre-cancerous cells and allows healthy cells to regrow in their place. When performed properly, cryotherapy is anywhere from 85% to 90% effective. If not effective the first time, cryotherapy can be repeated or another form of treatment can be attempted. Cryotherapy is also used to treat genital warts.

The other treatment option for high-risk HPV is called LEEP, or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure, which uses a thin wire loop carrying an electrical charge to scrape away cells on the cervix. LEEP is effective about 90% of the time and, like cryotherapy, can be repeated until abnormal tissue is no longer present.

The most effective way to prevent HPV infection is to use a condom during sexual intercourse.

At the moment, there are two vaccinations that are available to prevent certain strains of HPV, Gardasil and Cervarix.

They each require three rounds of injections and protect against nine out of the 10 strains of HPV that can cause genital warts, and 7 out of the 10 strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer. Both men and women can receive these vaccinations and it is recommended they be done before the age of 26.

The shots have been proven to protect against HPV for at least 5 years and perhaps longer, but booster shots may be necessary. Studies surrounding HPV vaccinations have shown that there are no short or long-term side effects.

‘The risk of HPV is always present since the disease can be contracted by skin-to-skin contact.’

For women, regular pelvic exams (PAP tests) can detect a change or irregularity in cells in the cervix. A simultaneous laboratory test, from the same sample, can indicate an infection of “high risk” HPV genotype, which has been proven to be causal for cervical cancer.

Women with demonstrable cellular irregularity and/or high risk HPV genotype should be referred for treatment in the form of colposcopy - a detailed examination of the cervix, also known as the neck of the womb. It is usually carried out in a colposcopy clinic by a doctor or specialist nurse who has specific training and experience in colposcopy.

The doctor or nurse uses a special microscope, called a colposcope, to look at the cells of the cervix in detail. If required, a biopsy treatment to remove abnormal tissue can be performed during colposcopy “When I had my biopsy done, I was so, so nervous!” says H., a sophomore at the American University of Paris. “I was expecting it to hurt quite a bit, but it wasn’t painful, just really uncomfortable. I was more nervous for the test results and for the possibility of cervical cancer than I was of the pain.” After a colposcopy and/or biopsy are done, the doctor or nurse practitioner can give the patient a diagnosis and the patient can begin their method of treatment.

Photo by F. Ford Leland

Three of these AUP students will likely contract today’s most common sexually transmitted disease. The Human Papillomavirus does not always cause symptoms, but it can still lead to cancer.

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It is important for women who are sexually active to get pelvic exams (PAP tests) and HPV tests on a regular basis .

If you are diagnosed with HPV, make healthy choices for your body and remember that there are plenty of different treatment options, and that low risk strains of HPV will likely go away on their own with time. The HPV vaccination is another option for those who are worried about contracting HPV.

If a woman is diagnosed with a low-risk type of HPV, she is generally told to up her vitamin and folic acid intake, and to have a follow-up pelvic exam after 12 months. If the lowrisk HPV is still present after 12 months, there is nothing to do but continue taking vitamins and wait until the HPV goes away on its own.

High-risk types of HPV (described as “16/18 genotype”) are usually referred for immediate colposcopy and treatment, if

Photo courtesy of Ed Uthman

Two normal cells (blue) next to cells infected by HPV.

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AUP: Alcoholics United in Paris?

By Molly Mason When you walk into the Amex you are bound to see students chatting over a pint of beer. After an evening lecture or event on campus, students and faculty often converse over some camembert and a glass of wine.

Drinking is a part of what makes AUP, AUP. But how much is too much?

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he key is moderation. In social situations alcohol lowers inhibitions and can make you feel irrepressibly charming. But of course it has other consequences.

Drinking can be particularly problematic for students when they’re under pressure for academic or other reasons. And the problem can turn into a vicious circle.

Alcohol affects people differently depending on a variety of factors, such as age, weight and whether you’re drinking on an empty stomach or not. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines moderate drinking as one drink a day for women and two for men (one drink is considered to be 33 cl of beer, 15 cl of wine or a 4.5 cl shot of distilled spirits).

According to Aaron Murray-Nellis, “If you’re stressed and regularly turn to substances as a quick fix (such as energy drinks, sleeping pills, stimulants, etc), be careful because your body can’t recover properly which in the long run can result in even more serious stress symptoms. It can be a dangerous downward cycle.”

Why are the guidelines different for men and women?

According to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women’s bodies contain less water than men’s bodies, and therefore a given dose of alcohol is more highly concentrated in a woman’s body than a man’s.

Alcohol is processed in the body by the liver. But the liver can only process so much at a time, leaving the excess alcohol to circulate throughout the body.

Kristin Duncombe, AUP off-campus counselor, says, “Intoxication means the body is filled with toxins, and I don’t think people think about their liver shriveling.

Provided you’re young and healthy, the liver deals with it, but it doesn’t mean the liver isn’t suffering, and as you get older your body becomes less capable of rebounding.”

“When a person is drunk,” she says, “their risk-taking is a lot higher, and they are more likely to participate in dangerous activities, like unsafe sex. Women in particular have to realize their limits.”

Yet facing up to a problem with drinking can be difficult, as Duncombe explains.

As many students are well aware, the morning after a night of heavy drinking can be difficult to handle.

“People come in to talk about a certain problem, like relationship difficulties or money problems,” Duncombe says. “But when I ask, ‘Have you thought about how alcohol may be influencing your decision-making or behavior?’, often that question is met with resistance. People don’t like to think that they, too, are affected by alcohol. They admit that they over drink, but they don’t like to connect the dots that they participated in behaviors that they regret.”

“Alcohol affects your sleeping pattern and your ability to focus,” says Aaron Murray-Nellis, AUP on-campus counselor. “Binge drinking in particular interrupts your cycle, as your body physically has to recuperate.”

The counseling services at AUP, both on and off campus, are confidential. Murray-Nellis says he that he keeps a clear boundary “so people feel comfortable,” adding, “I don’t want people to feel judged coming to see me.”

Here in France, binge drinking may be less of a problem than in other countries, like England or the United States.

Student Affairs often organizes workshops aimed at the student body. A few years ago they focused on substance moderation. The goal, Murray-Nellis says, was for students “to become more self aware. There are people who drink very little or smoke very little who immediately become panicked that they have a problem, as opposed to people who aren’t conscious that they have a problem.”

“Excessive drinking isn’t a part of the culture,” says Sophia Ben-Achour, an AUP senior. “I don’t think people are getting blackout drunk, whereas in the States it’s more of a binge culture,” said Ben-Achour, who is British-Tunisian but grew up in the United States. “In Paris, you may get drunk off of wine but you’re not doing keg stands.”

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Photography by F. Ford Leland

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The cycle can be dangerous, as noted by Marie de Noailles, an addiction specialist who has worked with AUP students in the past.

In the past AUP has provided an online self-assessment tool that focuses on alcohol consumption. The website, echeckuptogo.com, is a project of San Diego State University’s Research Foundation.

“It asks lot of pertinent and relevant questions,” says Murray-Nellis, adding that the questions are customized to the users, who may anonymously plug in data and get feedback as to where they stand. If the service is something that students feel they would use, he added, Student Affairs will look into re-subscribing.

Being aware of your alcohol use is the key to having fun while still being in control. If you’re concerned your drinking might be negatively influencing other aspects of your life, make an appointment to see one of the on- or offcampus counselors at studentaffairs@aup.edu.

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Obscure Museums With a world-class collection of museums including the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Centre Pompidou, the city of Paris’ more obscure cultural offerings are often overlooked. But venture beyond the better-known tourist-infested options and a diverse range of alternative museums await, with something to pique everyone’s interest.

By Dacy Knight

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Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine

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12 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine 75005 Metro: Odéon 14:00 - 17:30 daily 3.50 €

ne does not need to have a particular interest in the practice of medicine to appreciate the Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine. Situated in a spacious room on the second floor of the Paris Descartes University on rue de l’école de Médecine, the modestly sized museum showcases a varied yet precise collection of medical instruments and paraphernalia spanning centuries.

The present museum was first opened in the same room in 1954. The room, two-tiered with high ceilings and wooden walls lined with glass cases and rod iron balconies, was built in 1905 and is a beautiful historical work in its own right. The medical collection is more or less organized chronologically, beginning with the cases nearest to the entrance. Not wasting any time easing the visitor into examining its selection of surgical apparatuses, the museum begins with a daunting spread of what looks to be scythes, with blades of nine to twelve inches. The description reveals them to be couteaux courbes, or amputation knives, of the Middle Ages.

Confounding the objects behind the glass with gardening tools is a recurring theme among the surgical collection. Down the row of cases, one can find a series of saws that share a purpose with the couteaux. As the collection advances chronologically, the devices become less grotesque but still alarming, especially compared to the sleek sterile contraptions we are familiar with today. Probably to the relief of most visitors, most devices are not paired with demonstrative pictures but simply a succinct description, all in French.

Some of the more visually interesting and historically grounding finds are the collection’s prosthetic hands. The four hands mark the technological innovations from the 16th century, with scalloped knight-like armor for the fingers, through the late 19th century, with flesh-toned wood and natural joints. The upper gallery features an eclectic mix of instruments used to perform psychological experiments, dental tools, microscopes, and hearing aids fashioned out of animal horns and seashells.

Some of the more historically notable pieces in the collection are the instruments of Dr. Antommarchi who performed the autopsy on Napoleon, the scalpel of Dr. Félix who operated on Louis XIV, and the table obscurely residing at the far end of the room that is constructed entirely of petrified bone and blood and on top of which rests a human foot. While the museum is small, there is plenty to keep one’s curiosity engaged. For the medically minded or simply open-minded, an in-depth overview of the history of Western medical practice awaits in a neatly organized presentation.

Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine viewed from the upper level.

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Musée de L’Erotisme 17 Boulevard de Clichy 75017 Metro: Blanche 10:00 – 02:00 Daily 6 € With Student Discount

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elatively inconspicuous and unassuming in its exterior, at least in contrast with the flashing neon lights of the sex shops that surround it, the Musée de l’Erotisme is the museum that did not make it into your high school French textbook. Appropriately situated in Paris’ infamous Pigalle district, just a block from the Moulin Rouge on Boulevard de Clichy, the Musée de l’Erotisme houses an extensive collection of art surrounding the theme of, well, eroticism. Over the course of seven floors, erotic works from the ancient to the contemporary are showcased in an almost bombarding manner. Framed paintings, sketches, photographs, and posters cover the walls, while sculptures of various shapes and sizes are presented in an endless number of glass cases. One is presented with more renditions of the sexual act – in every fathomable media – than one usually expects to encounter in a two to three hour period, let alone a lifetime.

The museum begins with a collection of ancient artifacts from cultures around the world. Perhaps most striking, second to the poorly translated and consequently overly vulgar descriptions, is that each artifact is a sexed up twist on an accustomed historical relic. What appears at first to be a classic Corinthian vase is revealed upon closer inspection to depict scenes that go far beyond the typical battle motif.

Traditional pipes and flutes adopt a more literal form - a form that one soon finds is incorporated anywhere and everywhere in even the most standard objects. One cannot help but wonder what became of all these works after their creation. Surely the oversized phallic spout on the otherwise normal pot would have proven a hindrance in quotidian use.

Each floor of the museum moves the visitor forward on a chronological journey, traveling through the history of the Parisian brothel, the clumsy beginnings of the pornographic industry, modern reinterpretations of Hieronymous Bosch’s already sexualized triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” and ultimately ending in the temporary exposition (ending in May) of Beatrice Morabito’s photography entitled “Doll’s secret diary.”

The Musée de l’Erotisme is not for the curious art-lover seeking a historical overview of works incorporating erotic undertones. What one finds is an exhaustive amassment of all things illustrating sex in its most literal rendering, from the body to the bawdy. There is such an abundance of works that the collection feels cramped even in the seven-story space. The museum, like the collection it houses, holds nothing back.

‘Retable’ by Jacques Brissot, left.

Next page: An erotic painting

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Musée de la Vie Romantique 16 rue Chaptal 75009 Metro: Blanche or Pigalle 10:00 – 18:00 Closed Mondays Free

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estled within a quiet cobblestone courtyard in the heart of a district known as The New Athens, just a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Paris’ Boulevard de Clichy, is the Musée de la Vie Romantique. Easily missed on a stroll down the quiet rue Chaptal, the museum is situated in a quaint two-story house that lies at the end of a long shaded passageway. The house is the epitome of picturesque with its pale green shutters and false balconies and was once owned by the Romantic painter Ary Scheffer, remaining in the property of the SchefferRenan family until 1983 when it became the Museum of the Romantics.

True to its name, the museum showcases a focused collection of artifacts of the Romantic period in Paris, namely through the lives of writer George Sand and artist Ary Scheffer.

The ground floor is devoted to the keepsakes, art, and furniture of the Sand family, while the upstairs holds a collection of Scheffer’s paintings. The ground floor memorabilia room is lined with wooden display cases presenting a beautiful spread of pendants, brooches, paper knives, jewelry, and seals branding Sand’s initials. The blue drawing room on the opposite corner of the house features Sand’s detailed watercolors of sublime landscapes. Climb the narrow staircase to the second floor and the assorted works of Scheffer, portraits, religious, and historic, line the walls of the various rooms.

While the collection is small and possible to enjoy in its entirety in less than an hour’s time, every moment within the museum is an experience to take in. Upon entering through the stained glass doors, the visitor crosses a threshold into a flashback of early 19th century Parisian life. The surroundings maintain the atmosphere of a home, cozy and still furnished in period-appropriate design. Throughout the house, the subdued melodies of Sand’s lover Frédéric Chopin’s Deux Nocturnes and Polonaise fantaise can be heard playing from the drawing room, truly making the experience an immersion of the senses into the vie Romantique.

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George Sand’s drawing room.

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Le Quartier Chinois An excursion into Paris’s ‘animated and mysterious’ Chinatown

By Emmeline Butler Photography by Aima Khosa

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he center of the largest “Chinatown” in Europe can be found at the Place d’Italie in the 13th arrondissement, on Paris’s left bank. The neighborhood’s present incarnation as a center of Asian culture in France has its roots in the arrival of Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian immigrants in the 1970s and early 1980s. A formerly working class neighborhood had been recently supplanted by blocks of high rises, resulting in an expanse of concrete that for some Parisians seemed to contrast too sharply from the elegance and patrimoine that marks much of the city. For immigrants who had recently arrived from Asia, however, inexpensive rents and almost suburban spans of space were an opportunity to begin new lives and build community.

One current resident, Patrick, of the shop Aux Merveilles D’Asie at 92 avenue d’Ivry, describes the quartier today as “animated and mysterious”, mentioning that in China the 13th arrondissement is more famous than the ChampsÉlysées. “This quarter is known for its carnivals, temples, and a lot of Asian commerce,” he says, mentioning that approximately 10,000 people visited for the Chinese New Year carnival this year. Buddhists go to pray at the nearby Temple du Culte de Bouddha at 70 avenue d’Ivry, while the four glass buildings of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France on quai François Mauriac aspire to host copies of every French book ever published, both helping to make up the diverse landscape of this extraordinary pocket of the city.

As in other neighborhoods designated as Chinatowns, the colloquial term here is actually used to denote a range of Asian nationalities and cultures, as reflected by the Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Cambodian restaurants and other businesses that line the streets of the quartier chinois. One popular Thai restaurant is T’Chok Dy at 35 rue Banquiers, where the steak dish #27 is a popular favorite among patrons. Many of these restaurants and traiteurs offer appealing alternatives for vegetarians and others who may have dietary restrictions incompatible with most traditionally French foods.

Integral to the neighborhood is the grocery store Tang Frères, the largest chain of Asian supermarkets in the West. Founded by the Ratanawan brothers, originally from Laos, the stores attract an average of 10,000 visitors daily according to Malaysia’s The Star newspaper. They are also ideal spots for Sunday grocery shopping (most businesses in the quartier chinois are closed on Mondays instead).

Affiliated restaurant Chez Tang, open until 22h00, offers Chinese cuisine at reasonable prices.

Stop by the Tang Frères location at 48 avenue d’Ivry to find the ingredients for Thai green curry, a spicy dish that is affordable and easy to make at home. Whether prepared traditionally with chicken or in a vegetarian tofu version, this is a simple meal for those with complex tastes. Turn to page 67 for the recipe.

Trinkets available at a Chinatown shop.

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Toki’s Corner

Be Selfish For Once!

By Togzhan Kumekbayeva

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hy should selfishness be perceived negatively?

Being selfish is not about being the center of the universe with everyone catering to your needs, it also means simply loving and appreciating yourself. It’s not always a flaw and it can be very useful when wanting to achieve something in life. The idea may be old, but the key is in understanding that you have to love yourself in all kinds of ways in order to be satisfied with yourself, with others, and with your life.

Now maybe you don’t remember yourself as a baby, but besides being cute and happy, you were probably also very selfish. And we all are when we are small. As we grow, we learn that we can’t just cry until we get what we want, we can’t focus on our needs and wishes only. But as we learn to control ourselves or suppress our wishes, we also begin forming different degrees of self-love and self-esteem.

Build your self-esteem One of the reasons why being selfish is not bad is because it helps us build our self-esteem, and good self-esteem starts with self-respect and self-appreciation. Respect yourself in order to feel good about yourself and in order for others to respect you. Love yourself so you can give the same love and attention to others and selfishness will take on a different meaning.

According to Robyn Busfield, author of It’s Time to Get Selfish, “A selfish act from the heart is not what we keep but what we give ourselves so we might have something to give away.”

What you can do The best way to start being a positively selfish person is by taking some time to do what you really like – say, take a walk in the park, without worrying about all the physical necessities, like buying food, cleaning, finishing up work or making important phone calls. You don’t have to go to great lengths, simple stuff can be more pleasurable. Start now, put on your favorite music, make your favorite meal or get a glass of wine. Even during a busy day you can find 5 minutes to do something pleasant for yourself, like getting a delicious pastry in the boulangerie or visiting a good friend.

Whenever you get a chance to do it, go for it, do something you like and take your mind off the clutter that occupies you daily.

Just Like a Woman

By Emmeline Butler

Bob Dylan’s iconic impact on women’s style

Some people are always so preoccupied with their duties to others and their own responsibilities that they forget to live their life for themselves. But what’s important to remember is that it is also your responsibility to take care of yourself.

Who else but you will know exactly what you want and what you need?

“Every time we have to look for a balance between a sense of duty, self-interest, the protection of personal space and the desire to do well,” says Anastasiya Askochensky, from the Russian Psychologies. The key is to find that balance but not to neglect the self completely.

Value your privacy When it comes to socializing, also remember that other people sense the way we see and treat ourselves. Lack of self-respect may be apparent and others may to pursue their own needs and wishes. You can start by respecting your privacy more and by building boundaries for yourself.

Sharing is caring, but it’s important to remember that you need your privacy, whether that means spending some time on yourself or doing the things you like.

“Boundaries support us in listening and adhering to our own guidance system. Without boundaries, we can be walked all over, we get talked down to, and there is little or no respect,” writes Busfield. You have to be able to draw that boundary sometimes and focus on yourself. Even a little time spent only on you will go a long way. You will feel relaxed, fulfilled and ready to engage with the people around you again.

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Toki is a third year undergraduate Psychology student at AUP who enjoys studying self improvement topics.

Photo by Dari Goldman

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rom 6 March to 15 July 2012, Paris’s Cité de la musique will host the exhibition Bob Dylan, l’explosion rock, 1961 to 1966, a series of Bob Dylan tribute performances by modern musicians and collection of pop culture artifacts, including one of Dylan’s first guitars, early song sheets, and a series of photographs by Daniel Kramer of Dylan during the musician’s most iconic period. The unmistakable image of Bob Dylan in the 1960s, wearing dark

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Photo by F. Ford Leland sunglasses, Cuban-heeled boots, form-fitting denim, and the first incarnations of his favored polka dot shirts, is not too far from styles found on Parisian streets and runways today.

Last fall, I compiled a survey of anecdotes by AUP students discussing influences on their personal style. Young women of several national and cultural backgrounds repeatedly mentioned grandfathers’

Photo by F. Ford Leland sweaters, movie cowboys, and 60s Bob Dylan – invoking the same themes of fantasy, nostalgic sentiment, and utilitarianism that inspired Dylan himself when he secured his place as an inspiration for menswear-inspired womenswear. This tradition, which includes womenswear inspired by men who were inspired by womenswear and typically feminine rituals of dress, can be traced back to nineteenth-century dandies who imitated

aristocratic elegance as a bohemian statement.

Unfussy women’s fashions in the 1920s offered liberating simplicity without sacrificing sophistication, while Audrey Hepburn’s la gamine endowed men’s shirts and ankle trousers with an unmistakable and influential femininity in the 1950s.

The draw of menswear-inspired styling for women may lie in its insinuations of irreverence, connoting

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a hipness and power that may accompany the sense of selfpossession required to play with, and downplay, elements of conventional feminine charm – often highlighting a more integral allure by contrast, the kind that might come out in a gesture or a look. Since any sense of play with gender is related to sexuality, sex and, it would follow, a certain sex appeal, are inevitably suggested.

Coco Chanel defined luxury as the opposite of vulgarity rather than as the opposite of poverty. She incorporated references from her childhood in an orphanage into her designs, and redefined how “working class” materials like jersey should be used. Similarly, Bob Dylan’s 60s style was inspired by work wear, the hard-travelin’ Depressionera political troubadour Woody Guthrie, and the rustic Americana of Dylan’s hometowns of Duluth and Hibbing, Minnesota. This desire for alternative ways of defining identity and a yearning for the revival of a revolutionary tradition reflect the transitional place of 60s style and fashion, situated between classic and modern ways of dressing. Men with longer hair and tighter Anglophilic suits reflected the social changes of the decade, which would later evolve into the bisexual 70s of glam rock and punk music. There was also a political and countercultural importance to looking good. For example, Motown artists projected a popular image of African American success by wearing sharp suits and evening gowns, and natural Afro hairstyles came to represent black pride and the American Civil Rights movement.

Conversely, a photograph of conservative politician Mitt Romney at age 19 in 1966 shows him counter-protesting an anti-draft protest at Stanford University, all smiling white teeth, wearing a loose-fitting suit with his hair cut short.

As first documented in footage of early interviews and press conferences, Bob Dylan, who turned 70 in 2011, has expressed indifference, befuddlement, and even consternation when confronted about his status as a counter-cultural icon. How else could he be expected to answer questions like “How many people who labor in the same musical vineyard in which you toil, how many are protest singers, that is, people who use their music and use the songs to protest the social state in which we live today: the matter of war, the matter of crime, or whatever it might be?” than by clarifying “Umm, how many?”. Yet his youthful

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image from this era has proven an enduring symbol of understated, effortless cool, characteristics also associated with archetypical French style. Its attraction across lines of gender was recently revisited by actress Cate Blanchett in her androgynous turn as the young Dylan in Todd Haynes’ 2007 film I’m Not There, a surreal re-telling of the history and mythologies that have sprung up around Dylan since he emerged into popular consciousness at a turning point in American and world history.

There is, however, a clear irony to how persistently Bob Dylan’s 60s persona has captured our collective imagination.

Like the title of D.A. Pennebaker’s 1967 documentary film on Dylan’s 1965 tour of the United Kingdom, Don’t Look Back, Dylan would go on to become notorious for reinventing his sound and his look, unafraid of contradicting his earlier and present selves in a genuine journey of personality that can be read in retrospect through these distinct periods of aesthetic self-expression. From a fondness for kholl eyeliner to a 2004 Victoria’s Secret commercial, Dylan has not shied away from the unconventional or mischievous. He once said he defines “nothing, not beauty” and sang “it’s easy to see without looking too far that not much is really sacred…even the president of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked”. If, as Bob Dylan claims, a poem is a naked person, it is a well-dressed metaphor.

Dylan’s continued association with fashion, particularly women’s fashion, proves just how stylish a disregard for fashion can be.

Imbue your own personal style with Bob Dylan inspiration by sporting knotted scarves, loose collared blouses, and slim trousers paired with masculine touches like a vest, tie, or angular jacket. For a subtler interpretation, try delicate colors, or feminine pieces like skirts in menswear fabrics like pinstripes and tweeds, and pay tribute to Dylan’s signature polka dots with an accessory. Several French brands’ current collections feature pieces inspired by the 60s, such as the Lenox, Evelyn, and Leonard model sunglasses by Illesteva, contemporary reinterpretations of classic styles like Dylan’s square wayfarers. Chelsea boots or Western-style ankle boots, like the Dicker boot by Isabel Marant or mustardcolored suede boots by A.P.C., complete the outfit.

Center photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Image Right Photo by F. Ford Leland

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Mode on the

Street

by Jocelyn DeGroot-Lutzner

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Paris Fashion Week has its runways but Parisians have their rues. The streets speak for themselves on the trends for spring.

try pattern blocking

nstead of color blocking, . Stripes and spots?

No problem! But of course, there’s a way to do everything tastefully. Layering can be one way to tastefully pattern block and it is made easy this spring and summer with the incorporation of a chiffon top or long chiffon skirt, just transparent enough to see a patterned undershirt or pair of leggings underneath. Of course, don’t forget to pattern with your accessories: a colorful patterned fabric backpack for school or a great shoe to zest up one of your more monotonous outfits.

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nimal print is definitely very prominent on the streets of Paris. Everyone is wearing leopard and it’s in all of the stores. Adding leopard print to your outfit can be an easy way of adding pattern. But there’s so much more than animal print! Try a crazy legging, a floral scarf, or even stripes. There’s paisley, pin stripes, herringbone, gingham and army fatigue, just to name a few. It’s a great way to make an outfit stand out. I see patterns being the fur coat of spring and summer.

Photography by Jocelyn DeGroot-Lutzner

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f you haven’t yet noticed, the streets of Paris are dotted with reds and oranges. From small accents to full coats, Paris seems to be having an obsession with these rainbow jewel tones.

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Photography by F. Ford Leland

Gradually the jewel tones will be getting lighter and lighter, changing to pastels for the summer.

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here are many ways to wear these jewel tones and don’t be afraid to even combine a few! One of my favorite ways to see these colors are in the small accents: the interior of a bag or coat, a bright pair of tights under a dress, a bright red flat, heel or sneaker, a scarf or hair accessory. Play with the idea of a bright jewel color. It can spice up a black or earth toned outfit.

I see accessories as the way to go.

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aybe it is the large influence of that Hermès orange, or maybe people see red as an easy color change from their regular black; it is still sophisticated but also has the potential of being playful. Red can also be sexy so what better place to wear it then in the city of love!

red

The you see in today’s street fashion is not the recent aftermath of Valentines day, it is a color we see being very prominent for the rest of this cold spell.

Photography by F. Ford Leland

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Color Crazy

By Dari Goldman Photography by F. Ford Leland

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anish Arora has an unabashed love for color.

In his more restrained work for Paco Rabanne, you find that perhaps Arora is really letting loose under his own line. While the eye may be trained to see graffiti as the defacement of structures, the designer forces us to see art differently. On black velvet pieces with brick print were green embellishments resembling the kudzu or ivy that decays old buildings. This flourished into bright pinks and reds, small flowers dotting sweater, jackets and skirts. Bold stripes of color decorated maxi skirts. Billowing skirts made the looks larger than life.

It was quite an experience just watching the clothes. But whilst the models walked down the runway, behind them graffiti artists were presenting art of their own. At the end of the show the line “Life Is Beautiful� was spray painted on the wall in the same bright colors that Arora used for his show. The final model walk comprised of completely different outfits to match the mural they stood before.

This was a beautiful show, uninhibited beauty.

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Fleathers

By Dari Goldman Photography by F. Ford Leland

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t’s not a particularly rare occurrence when designers’ ideas cross. There’s a whole field called trend analysis devoted to tracking converging themes in the fashion industry. But it’s always fascinating to see when designers from such dissimilar aesthetics somehow form similar motifs though inspirations may differ. The collections of Peachoo Krejberg, Ann Demeulemeester and Arzu Kaprol were three that produced such collections. Here’s a short look through what caught our eye.

Leather stays. It’s been several years that the fall and winter seasons have brought us leather everything. And that won’t be leaving us anytime soon if these designers have anything to say about it. Jackets, shirts, gloves, trousers, boots, even hair was susceptible to a leather treatment on the runway. While many designers may use an majority-leather look very masculine or overtly sexy, Peachoo Krejberg (top left) softened the look with flowing silks or furs, giving the collection an almost ethereal feel. While the tough girl look was present, there was an elegance in the long leather gloves and hidden hair. The designers explored what leather could mean, and it clearly isn’t exclusive to the dominatrix of the world.

Anne Demeulemeester (bottom left) took a more masculine approach to her collection inspired by the Dark Ages perhaps more in color than actual construction of the pieces. Her woman was more aggressive with dagger-like hair accompanying her leather pants and tall boots. Off-centered zippers on tightly cut jackets bore resemblance to the standard fencing uniform. These women were ready for battle.

Arzu Kaprol (right) took the most feminine approach to her leather pieces.

She began her collection as an exploration into the “internal maze of the self.” Whereas the first two designers may have created for a woman already certain of her being, Kaprol’s looks varied from the vixen to the party girl to the businesswoman. But it was clear from the musical choice of “Genesis” by Grimes and “Hypnotized” by Oliver Koletzki that Kaprol’s was certainly alluring, if nothing else.

Following their leather act, all three designers worked the feather into their collections. Arzu Kaprol used green-tinted black feathers in the most realistic fashion of all the designers. Feathers graced the outsides of jackets, peeked out of blazer and provided the final touch to little black dresses. Kaprol’s girl fully supports the art of “peacocking,” and I can’t argue with that.

Both Demeulemeester and Peachoo Krejberg used feathers in more inspirational aspects. The former style the models’ hair with sharp feathers. There was little inviting about the look. Don’t expect to see the standard feather clip or extension in the hair of this girl. She takes simple trends to another level.

The feathers in Peachoo Krejberg came toward the end of the show in three looks. They felt like more of an ascent to some higher form of being after the more spiritual looks had walked down the runway.

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It’s no secret that the fashion world works off the trend. One is either bringing it in, following the pack, or riding the wave. Interestingly, these three designers seem to be working in step, each in their own way, but clearly putting forth similar ideas.

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Elie Saab

Paco Rabanne

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his collection built itself on the foundations of structure. Designer Elie Saab took a very architectural hand to this season, finding inspiration in urbanity and perfectionism. It came through in the serious tones of the clothing. Though the pieces retained the femininity that Saab is famous for, the dark greys and blacks of the beginning looks created a very “business-only” atmosphere. The show transitioned into more of the usual fare of floorlength dresses and cocktail wear, but the architectural aspects were present throughout. Of particular note would be the floor length dresses that were accented with strips of metallic and jeweled fabric. The effect was anything but subtle, highlighting the curves and creating a statuesque column to silhouette the body. Of course, there is no better choice to show the work than top model Anja Rubik who closed the show in a long-sleeved pearl version of the dress (top right).

he steady beat of the runway’s soundtrack set the stage, or discotheque, to present this season’s collection. In this season’s outing, creative director Manish Arora combined the disco fever of the ‘60s and ‘70s with the glitz and get down of the ‘80s. Difficult to describe, but the music played an important role in providing a groove for the models and an emotion to the clothing. Everything shined. Arora employed different techniques to create movement in the metal pieces used. Chained pieces moved seamlessly under fabric, giving an added luxury to party dresses. That’s what this collection is all about: the party. There were none of the theatrics that last season brought, but the collection spoke for itself. If you’re not having fun and living it up in these clothes, you’re just not doing it right.

By Dari Goldman Photography by F. Ford Leland

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he metallic similarities between the Saab and Rabanne collections show that glitz isn’t going anywhere. If anything, designers will be taking a much more adulterated hand when it comes to their shiny metals.

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the Ren

Trend

By Dari Goldman

Photography by F. Ford Leland

Hexa by Kuho

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ften current fashion revisits already familiar time periods.

In the past several years, the runways have revisited the roaring ‘20s, the housewives of the white picket fence ‘40s and ‘50s, the liberal period of the ‘60s, the disco era of the ‘70s, the garish fashions of the ‘80s, and the minimalism of the 1990s.

That’s right, we’ve gone through nearly a century of retakes. This season, many designers are moving the focus back a few centuries, to the costume of the Renaissance period.

Designer Jung Kuho of Hexa by Kuho stated his classical inspiration most clearly with press packets containing images of Renaissance menswear, playing off the story of Romeo and Juliet. Billowing shapes and hanging drawstrings gave that romantic but royal feel. You could easily see the shirt of a knight being the preferred object of his lover’s wardrobe if such things were allowed back then. Thankfully, today those rules don’t apply.

Damir Doma of his eponymous womenswear line also borrowed from the same time period, putting his models in menswear-inspired looks. In contrast to the romanticism of Kuho, the Croatian designer’s collection had a jauntier feel. That is not to say that Doma’s softer side didn’t come through. Dresses in blush pinks floated down the runway.

Though the rebellious daughter was ever-present, Doma didn’t forget the damsel in distress.

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Damir Doma

Aganovich

Corrado de Biase

The newest collection by the designer duo behind Aganovich presented a more royal perspective on the trend.

Oversized coats and long skirts and dresses in stark whites added an angelic quality to the hopeful half of their collection. After a model in clown makeup walked through as the court’s jester, deep blacks infiltrated the pieces until a more sinister atmosphere ended the show.

Not all kingdoms are heavenly.

Corrado de Biase followed suit with a more abstract and contemporary twist. Instead of identifying with the shapes and styles of Renaissance dressing, he extracted the popular prints from the period. Like many designers this season, de Biase made more basic pieces, like a quilted jacket, shine with baroque prints in silvery metallics.

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A short story by Lydia Abbas

In the Dead of Night

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idnight was approaching and the old lady was finishing her grim task. It had taken her several hours to wipe off all the blood, to conceal the body and to be cleared of all suspicions. She had repaired the ghastly wounds of the victim like a novice surgeon, which then made the corpse look like a blunt, ugly rag doll. The blows had been of such force that hematomas still gleamed on every inch of her skin. Her eyes, still open, seemed to look over an eternity of horror.

The lady scanned the damaged body, a look of profound contempt in her eyes. This woman had been less than human to her. She had a good reason to slaughter her. She deserved what she got, served her right. The old lady lifted the lifeless body and threw it over on her shoulder, its motionless limbs swinging in the air like a marionette.

it was not difficult to conceal her nasty business.

Nevertheless, the old lady knew that sooner or later, the cops would make the macabre discovery and find whoever had committed the murder. Her opinions about the cops and justice were beyond fear, yet she did not want them to blame her for she felt that justice had been served. Besides, who else would do justice to a criminal? The old woman continued walking and soon plunged in the depths of the forest, making her way through the thick and rough branches.

She left the room, walked across the dark corridor, down the stairs, and out into the thick darkness of the night. The surrounding forest was wide so

Without looking back, she turned around and left the forest as quickly as possible before suspicions rose.

Thai Green

Curry

by F. Ford Leland

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his is a great recipe that I learned from my favorite Thai Restaurant back home. It is simple, and very student friendly. To find your ingredients visit the Tang Frères grocery store in Paris’ Chinatown, or for a smaller selection, the Asian food store in front of the AUP library. Look for the small Maesri cans of curry paste that resemble a small can of tuna fish, and select the flavors you would like to try. Follow the recipe on the back, but for a better taste, add salt and use 2/3 the amount of coconut milk that it calls for. Enjoy!

After several minutes of walking, she found the hiding place she had previously selected. She laid, or rather threw, the inert body on the ground and kicked mud and dead wood on it with a formidable violence, unsuspected for a woman of her age.

Directions

Photo courtesy of Christopher Walker

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Stir fry 1 can of Maesri Green Curry Paste in 2.5 cups of coconut milk until it boils. Add 700g of chicken and one chopped, medium sized eggplant cooking over medium-high heat. Add a generous few pinches of salt, and 6 crushed fresh basil leaves. Stir to keep the bottom from burning, and cook until the eggplant is tender. Serve over rice, with fresh basil leaves and birds eye chili peppers for a spicier taste.

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Puzzles

Website Visit our website for e-versions of our magazine articles, as well as exclusive web only features such as music selections, fashion show coverage, and much much more.

We also provide a wealth of easily accessible information about events and clubs at AUP Have a great band or movie that you think the campus should know about? Learn how to write a quick review and post it on our website.

Contact: thepeacock@aup.edu

ThePeacock.Aup.Edu Julian The Peacock

Julian works out in preparation for AUP’s Mascot Auditions. Vote Julian!

Across

3. Supports the art of “Peacocking” 6. Country represented at MUN 9. A well dressed metaphor for a poem 12. Museum with sacrificial altar in Berlin 14. Number of groups in SGA 16. Performed Napoleon’s autopsy 17. G. Sand’s Lover 19. Daphné 20. 33 cl of beer equals 15 cl of ____

Down

princess, milka, cobblestone, key leather, carpet, cougar, sweet, bluegoo, heroes, illuminati, noodle, stalker, jade, vintage, honeybadger, dandy, lion, tease

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1. An important vaccination 2. Alternative to color blocking 4. Grocery in the 13th 5. MUN Location 7. Birthplace of our leader 8. Stands tall with greenish domes 10. 3 out of 4 women contract 13. Brand designed by Manish Arora 15. Where to party in Berlin 18. Its not always bad to be.

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