Blemish ISSUE 1
Laura Mason Sub-editor An English and Publishing student, who could spend all day curled up with a cat and a good book.
Emma Oliver Production editor, Editor
Meet team
A creative, coffee-fueled student who will never be found happier than when offered a glutenfree cake or surrouned by Labrador puppies.
The
Honey Debney-Succoia Creative Director Publishing and Creative Writing student. Avid lover of mexican food, oat milk at whites, independent magazines and great music.
Chloe Anderson Marketing Manager An English and Publishing student, who can be found watching The Great British Bake Off with a cup of tea in hand. 2 Blemish June 2018
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Kathryn Bigelow is a multi award-winning director, producer and writer.
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Self-Care Apps Is digital really the enemy when it comes to self-care? We explore the best self-care apps.
Love Your Body What does happy and healthy really look like? Do we even know anymore?
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What I Learned From... Disrupting my daily routines. What happens when we ditch our usual routines?
Conscious Fashion What is the true cost of the clothes we buy? Do we really know what goes into them?
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Contents
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Kathryn Bigelow
Untitled Amy Stirling navigates the tricky world of relationships in this emotionally powerful poem.
Lady Bird We review Greta Gertwig’s critically acclaimed, coming-ofage film, Lady Bird.
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n rso de An hlo e By C
Kathryn Bigelow is a renowned director for films such as The Hurt Locker, Point Break and Detroit. During her career she has won 83 awards, including two Oscars, and has been credited with 59 award nominations. Since graduating from the Columbia Film Program in 1979, she has worked on 19 feature-length films, short films and television programmes.
orn 27 November 1951 in California, Bigelow is a director, producer and writer. As well as being a director, she is also a very talented painter. Kathryn studied at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1970 and got her bachelor’s in fine art in 1972. Her talent was recognised, and she won a scholarship to enter the Whitney Museum independent study program. As part of this, she worked in a small art studio and was critiqued and mentored by acclaimed artists such as Richard Serra and Susan Sontag. After studying art, she enrolled at Columbia University with a scholarship to study her master’s in film theory and criticism. She graduated in 1979 and immediately set to work on feature-length films. What makes Kathryn an interesting director in terms of gender norms is that much of her work involves heavy violence and intense action scenes. When looking at directors in Hollywood it is easy to notice that it is a very male dominated field. Bigelow is skilled in what she does and, as a female, creating such typically ‘manly and aggressive’ films makes her stand out even more against others in her field. She has said herself, “I don’t want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.” Kathryn has included violence and action in her films from the very start of her career. In 1978 she directed her first short film The Set Up, which explores the topic of violence in film, and ever since that, violence has remained a regular feature in her films. After her graduation, she directed a number of feature-length films including The Loveless and Near Dark, both of which were met with a lot of critical acclaim. However, it was Blue 4 Blemish June 2018
Kathryn Bigelow “If there’s resistance to women making movies, I choose to ignore that… I can’t change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies” Steel, her first major studio project, which earned her much respect as a director. Despite the praise that critics gave, some said it was too violent and too intense, something other critics thought was a successful aspect of the film. In 1991, she worked on Point Break with her then husband, James Cameron. This film, amongst all of her others, gave her a huge amount of recognition for the visual aesthetics that she provided. After this movie in 1991, Kathryn divorced James and focused more on directing television work until 2009. In 2009, The Hurt Locker, the movie that Kathryn is probably best known for, was released. The film is based on the Iraq war and the story of an army explosive ordnance disposal team. A lot of praise was given to her for this film, and one of the major things said about it was that it successfully captures the reality of wartime soldiers . It is the immense realism and amazing filmography of the movie that earned her the Academy Award for best director in 2010. In the years since her achievement, there have been no other female winners, making her the only woman to claim this award. Her win for this film is revolutionary as it challenges the underrepresentation of women in Hollywood. She has said many inspiring things about being a woman in this industry, such as, “If there’s a specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can’t change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies.” She has worked on numerous films since, including Detroit, a film about the riots and police brutality that occurred in 1967. This film, about racism, police brutality and a corrupt social system, is another example of the way she portrays realism in an interesting
“What makes Bigelow an interesting director in terms of gender norms is that a lot of her work involves heavy violence and very intense action scenes” Kathryn shows a great care and attention to detail in her films. It is the accuracy that she presents and the tense action scenes that make her stand out as a director, and in particular, a female one. The nature of her films provides a good way for her to introduce troubling issues and present them in an interesting
Illustrated by Honey Debney-Succoia
way in her films. The way that she directs and produces a movie is to create an emotional experience for the audience, which she does extremely well. Presenting her political stories in an unbiased way, she aims to exclude any of her personal thoughts from the film itself. Therefore, her films are an excellent example of providing the audience with a poignant experience. It is the way in which she can educate and entertain the audience which makes her so successful. They are enjoyable as mainstream entertainment, yet they are also sophisticated, informative and very emotionally thought-provoking.
and informative way. As a female, she is able to stand out amongst her peers in the industry. She includes violent and action-packed scenes that audiences can be surprised were directed by a female. As well as this, she typically defies gender norms and focuses more on males in her films, however, she has been praised on numerous occasions for her ability to represent them realistically. When looking at Kathryn’s full filmography, what she has worked on may surprise some people. It is this that makes her such an interesting woman in her industry; her dedication and drive has proven to be a success for her. With all of her awards and nominations, most notably her Academy Award for best director, it is clear that she is highly skilled and talented and is a true inspiration for other females in predominantly male dominated industries. June 2018 Blemish 5
(YOU’RE WORTHY
Photos by Olly Smith
ENOUGH)
By Honey Debney-Succoia In our current society, it is sadly far too easy to feel like everyone else in the world has a perfect body, and you’re left sitting in your bedroom staring down at your wobbly thighs and belly rolls feeling like the only one. This couldn’t be further from the truth, but the meticulously planned and edited world of Instagram can make it easy to believe that it is. e have been conditioned to believe that happy and healthy have one very specific appearance and if we don’t look like that then we can’t 6 Blemish June 2018
possibly be either of those things. In reality, happy and healthy takes on a multitude of different appearances. In order to be healthy, you do not, I repeat, do not, need to have a flat tummy and 19-inch-round thighs. Our wellbeing is defined by far more than just our external appearance. Our bodies are worthy of love and appreciation, no matter what they look like. Whatever ‘healthy’ means for you is what you should look like. I remember I was 10 years old when I first became aware of the size of my thighs. I was sitting on the bench in PE class, my friends
“We’ve been conditioned to believe that happy and healthy have one very specific appearance”
is to live like this, and recognise the reason for it all. Sadly, my experience with body image and food whilst growing up isn’t an unusual one. The number seems to only be on the rise and the blame appears to fall largely upon the toxic world of social media. On a daily basis, we have so many opportunities to compare our unedited selves to highly photoshopped and posed depictions of others. We need to unplug, take a step back and realise that social media isn’t reality, and that our bodies are fine exactly the way they are.
“We’ve so many opportunities to compare our unedited selves to photoshopped and posed depictions of others. We need to unplug”
Illustrated by Honey Debney-Succoia
sat either side of me complaining about how big they thought their legs were. The size of my thighs had never entered my head before but after looking at theirs I realised that mine were much larger. If their legs were too big, I remember thinking, then surely mine were huge? That lunchtime as we sat in the dinner hall eating our packed lunches, one of the same girls leant across the table. “Hey guys, guess what I found out?” She whispered to us, excitement plastered across her face. “There’s this great new way to lose weight. Basically, you don’t eat breakfast, then you just throw your lunch away and only eat your tea because your parents are there!” The idea confused my ten year old brain. Wasn’t that unhealthy? But the enthusiasm with which the other girls lapped up the idea made me question it. Maybe this was a good idea? My entire secondary school experience was made up of a variety of disordered eating behaviours. Years 7 and 8 consisted of one Weetabix for breakfast, a quarter of a sandwich for lunch and as little of my tea that I could get away with without my parents noticing anything was different. Years 9 and 10 were doused with periods of throwing up anything I consumed only to finally give up eating pretty much all together in Year 11. I distinctly remember the pride when I managed to lose ten pounds in one week because all I would have was a small bowl of broccoli in the evening to show my Mum that I was eating. I would lie and tell people I’d already eaten and rush to show my ‘diet buddy’ my smaller than ever stomach. “Look! You can really see my ribs now!” I was so full of glee at the prospect. Disordered eating is still something that I struggle with, but now I have the ability to take a step back and realise how ridiculous it
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Conscious Fashion By Laura Mason It may seem harmless to buy that bargain pair of jeans or that discounted coat but what are the true costs involved? Underpaid workers, polluted rivers, and factory farmed foxes? Whether your priorities lie in saving money or splashing out in the name of fashion there is a conscious choice for you.
How to Shop Wise
Images: Pixabay
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Ethical and Sustainable Companies
When looking for guilt-free fashion one of the first things that will come to mind will be ethical companies. These companies often get a bad wrap as they tend to be expensive, but if you can afford it then it really is worth it. Companies like Seasalt Cornwall, whose products are made from organic cotton and certified by the Soil Association, or People Tree, who are a member of the World Fair
Trade Organisation and who work with Fair Trade cotton farmers, producers, garment workers, and artisans in the developing world. There are so many online shops that you would never have heard of if it wasn’t for the internet. A quick search and you can find no end of companies which put the welfare of others at the forefront of their fashion. Here Today Here Tomorrow works with artisans from the Association for Craft Producers (ACP), a non-profit trade organisation which provides opportunities for low income, primarily female artisans in 15 districts of Nepal. ACP uses an in-house water treatment plant to prevent harmful effluent from polluting local rivers and a rainwater harvesting system which takes advantage of the rainy season and doesn’t add to the strain on water supplies during the dry season.
Ethical and Sustainable Initiatives As consumers are becoming more vocal about issues within the fashion industry, popular online shops and high street chains are finding ways to retain their customers and benefit the world. H&M will soon launch their seventh Conscious Exclusive collection, now featuring recycled silver and ECONYL, an innovative new fabric made from 100% regenerated fibres from fishing nets and other nylons. Since 2010, ASOS has provided an Eco Edit for its conscious customers. The edit compiles items from a variety of brands, including ASOS’ own ranges, which have an ethical or sustainable slant. Made in Kenya is cut and manufactured by SOKO, a self-sustaining business situated in Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary in Kenya, which provides women in poverty with free medical care, hot meals, access to preschool for their children, and the income to send their children to school and to feed their families. SOKO’s eco factory was built in a traditional Kenyan way and was designed with a roof that provides ventilation to minimise the need for electric fans and with guttering which allows rainwater to be reused.
“A quick search and you can find no end of companies which put the welfare of others at the forefront of their fashion” June 2018 Blemish 9
Charity Shops
Vintage clothing has probably never been more popular. There’s no better place to find unique, oneof-a-kind items to compliment your wardrobe than a vintage clothes shop. To achieve the vintage look on a budget, ask friends and family who lived through the swinging sixties, the sensational seventies, and the extravagant eighties. They could well have a selection of hidden gems
Vintage Boutiques
A simple way to avoid the costs of fashion is to make use of charity shops. British charity shops vary in type, standard, and price and in buying from them you can not only unearth quality brands you couldn’t usually afford but you can support your favourite charities whilst doing so. Things like jeans and jackets often look better a bit worn in and distressed. You can even take items back when you’re finished with them, or donate some of your unwanted clothes each visit.
waiting for a second chance at making a statement. When I asked my mum, she managed to find a black velvet pencil skirt from the the 80s and a pillarbox red cardigan that belonged to my grandmother in the 60s!
“To achieve the vintage look on a budget, ask friends and family who lived through the sixties,seventies and eighties”
The MakeDo-andMend Attitude
Make-do-and-mend can be as cheap or expensive as you like. Whilst this practice became more prevalent in the Second World War it has been used by many to create bespoke fashion items on a budget. A rip doesn’t have to mean the end if it can be sewed up 10 Blemish June 2018
inconspicuously and an out of date top can be updated with some dye. You don’t always need a sewing machine, just a needle and thread and some patience. Customising your clothing can help you bring second-hand clothes up to date and make your look more individual.
Lady Bird
By C hloe Ande rson
are also many complications and disagreements. This film is very interesting as it allows the audience to watch the evolution of the relationship between these two characters. It is Greta’s take on the coming of age film that is particularly striking due to its primary focus on this turbulent mother and daughter relationship and how this influences Lady Bird’s life, rather than the typical romance driven films. The film follows Lady Bird’s teenage flings and short-lived relationships which lead inevitably to teenage heartbreak. The exploration of these topics is very important in the portrayal of the imperfect life that she has and Lady Bird’s heartbreak eventually initiates a moving and poignant scene between her and her mother. Greta Gerwig has managed to create a powerful film that will prove heart-rending to anyone who watches it. The accomplished actors and actresses capture perfectly the true-to-life, genuine characters that Greta wrote. Her work and talent, as showcased in this film, is undoubtedly responsible for the success and acclaim that it has received. This film has come at a prime moment as this year has been considered the ‘year of the woman’. The whole film celebrates women and through the highly ambitious protagonist and the strong and hardworking mother it is easy to recognise the empowerment that it offers. In a time when female equality movements are being embraced in the media, Greta Gerwig must not go unnoticed for this masterpiece. In award shows and
Lady Bird is a critically acclaimed coming of age film, written and directed by the incredibly talented Greta Gerwig. The film touches upon relatable subjects in family, friendship, romance and college pressures. It is a stand out film due to Greta’s ability to portray a realistic, imperfect young woman’s life. hristine ‘Lady Bird’ (Saoirse Ronan) is a 17-year-old girl who feels completely out of place in both her small town, Sacramento, and her Catholic high school. Her big ambitions for her future require her to escape her current life and her mediocre town to go to college in New York. Lady Bird’s aspirations and her attitude to her current life put a strain on her overworked mother (Laurie Metcalf) and their rocky relationship is attributed to the fact that they are both strong-willed women. The mother is set on what she wants for her daughter and Lady Bird fights for independence from this. Greta’s portrayal of mother and daughter relationships is so successful because of the realism that it provides. In this film, like any mother and daughter, they have great moments together but there
Illustrated by Honey Debney-Succoia in Hollywood especially, it is clear there is an under-representation and underappreciation of women in the industry. Since The Academy Awards launched 90 years ago there have only been five female nominees in the category for Best Director, and only one winner. For Greta to be nominated in this category comes as no surprise because of the immense amount of effort she has put into the film.
“Greta Gerwig has managed to create a powerful film that will prove heartrending to anyone who watches it” However, these shocking statistics represent the inequality in the industry and for Greta Gerwig to be nominated may just be a step in the right direction for gender equality. This film is recognised for its amazing cast and wonderful direction and the awards and nominations that it has received truly emphasise its brilliance. As a feel-good film, Lady Bird really is one of the best and should not be missed. June 2018 Blemish 11
By Em ma
Ol ive r
Self-Care The new Apps way to unwind
Image by Emma Oliver
Self-care has become a buzzword among Millennials, but nourishing your body and mind is more than just a trend. ne of the first things you’ll read in self-help books and blogs is that you need to turn off all of your digital devices. But this idea has been romanticised, and simply isn’t always practical. Instead, why not change what you’re using your phone for? Sometimes, all you need is a reminder to pause and take time out for yourself… And that’s exactly what self-care apps are offering.
“You never forget to charge your phone, but how often do you recharge yourself?” One of my personal favourites is Calm, the most tranquil and atmospheric app I’ve found for guided meditation and mindfulness. It’s free to access online or on mobile devices, and offers a range of free trial sessions. More advanced content is available for a monthly subscription fee of £7.99, or just £29.99 for a whole year. The selection of background images and soundtracks are fully customisable, creating your own 12 Blemish June 2018
personalised ambience. Each guided session is then tailored to your own individual desire to improve your focus, sleep, happiness, selfesteem, or levels of stress and anxiety. For me, this app offers the most personalised experience, which is essential to improving individual wellbeing. If you’re looking for something a little different, Aloe Bud is a free, customisable self-care app for iOS. When creator Amber Discko noticed her anxiety and depression spiralling out of control, she created Aloe Bud, a tool allowing her to set regular reminders to ‘check-in’ with herself. You can set reminders to drink more water, take a break, eat, take medication, or even indulge yourself. After raising over $50,000 on Kickstarter, Amber was able to develop two new features: a ‘reflection space’ to record personal progress, and the ‘community garden’, where your progress is represented as an aloe plant that grows in size as you complete more self-care tasks. The biggest problem with using self-care apps is the interruptions from notifications. The solution? (OFFTIME), a free mobile app that
allows you to control and restrict your notifications and phone usage. You can block calls and texts, send auto-replies, and view your ‘missed’ notifications. It reducdes distraction, allowing you to spend time offline. Admittedly, we’ve all become victims of an increasingly hyperconnected world, but it’s vital that we allow ourselves time to recharge. After all, you never forget to charge your phone, but how often do you recharge yourself?
What I Learned From... By Emma Oliver
disrupting my daily routines
Typically, routines are associated with structure, productivity and efficiency. But when does a routine become a rut? lowly, our everyday behaviours develop into habits, and slip into our daily routines unnoticed. These habits comfort us and provide basic structures for our busy lives. For some of us, that’s our morning cup of coffee at 7am, or writing a journal entry at the end of a long day. Routines undeniably save time, ensuring that little time is wasted on mundane tasks. Interestingly, Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, admitted to owning around 20 identical grey t-shirts for this reason. Sure, this is an efficient use of time in the morning, but can you still live a fulfilling life when you’re running on autopilot?
For me, routines have always been a way to reduce stress. Or so I thought. I’d spend hours organising and then reorganising my schedule or writing out my new planners and calendars in January. I thought this would increase my productivity... But I was wrong. My to-do list became endless, and my diary became overwhelmingly full. Eventually, it left me feeling overworked, burnt out and unproductive. However more importantly, it forced me to break my routine, even though I’d inevitably return to it after a couple of days. I’ve always noticed a spike in productivity after change occurs, whether it be moving house, starting a new job or simply taking a spontaneous day off. So, every day I now make a conscious effort to disrupt my usual routine. Just one small change,
every day. That’s not a lot of effort when you think about it, and it makes me feel far more content and revitalised. Sometimes I don’t check my phone in the morning, and I’ll spend the time eating breakfast in the garden instead. I might exercise early on a Sunday morning, or do all of the laundry as soon as I get home from work. Similarly, rearranging my surroundings always forces me to break habits. Whether that be moving my alarm clock – so I have to actually get up to turn it off – or simply reorganising my kitchen cupboards. Making these small changes really can reinvigorate you, even when you think it isn’t necessary. Ultimately, routines can be a great way to keep you on track but embracing change can be essential to give your brain the reboot it’s been waiting for.
Illustrated by Lucy Gardner June 2018 Blemish 13
By Amy Stirling
Untitled
It started in a text “I see you’re home, and I’m just around the corner”, you said, “lets go for coffee”. And we all know what ‘coffee’ means, don’t we? It’d been two long years of memories, of me trying to picture your face, your voice, the way you told me we were going to be in love forever, and the way you left me cause I’d sunk too low to be your anchor anymore. I could’ve said no. But I couldn’t stop the hope from filling my lungs when you told me “It’d be nice to see you again.” I’ve always been a curious soul and a hopeless lover, A shipwreck and a lifeboat, I thought Maybe we could save each other this time. So I put on an outfit laced with “I don’t care” but labelled “look what you’re missing out on,” and walked out my door with clammy palms and an electric heart. You were waiting in your car. The same spot you used to when we’d sneak away on road trips You’d hold my hand instead of the gearstick and fuck me on the back seat. We were just kids then. But we didn’t know it. Still ashamed of the way the word gay tasted on our tongues, We put ourselves into each others arms And prayed that the weight didn’t get too much. You looked older now. A part of who you used to be teamed with an energy I didn’t recognise There was something new behind your eyes, could you tell I was terrified? We hugged, and I tried not to let you hold me for too long you used a different perfume now you felt like a different person now. You listed the exes that came after, the girls you’ve been shagging, the hearts you’ve been breaking, I didn’t speak much, Just nodded and laughed and pretended not to give a fuck. You gave me the look after an hour of pointless conversation, The one that rubbed like flesh on car leather It was the first time that night that I recognised you. “Back to yours then?”
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You grinned, looked your puppet down and up again Pulled my strings all the way back to my bed I said between breaths, “It’s been a while.” You told me I looked like I wanted to kiss you, You were always right. Half an hour later I was breathless, resting in your chest feeling like I never left. You dragged the past back with two fingers and a kiss on the neck. It’s not a good idea to fuck your ex. You looked at me with eyes that were yours again, smiled like you always did, said “This is going to mess with your head, isn’t it?” We smoked a cigarette in your car before you left, just like we always did, I watched you fade into the distance. Just like you always did. Scrubbed your taste from my lips for the last time, and realised I was just another one of those girls on your list. That our love was made for back then, back before promises were shattered like hearts, the scars are still there. But some things are better left where we put them, and you can’t breathe life back into something that’s already dead. The fires out. We’ve burnt out all our words and they’ve all turned to ash, There’s nothing left to ignite. But I’m glad that I tried.
Illustrated by Honey Debney-Succoia June June 2018 Blemish 15
“I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” ―Madonna