Nr 16 by Simona Mihalca

Interview

Teen Art Out nr 16 ISSN 2284 – 6549 ISSN–L = 2284 – 6549

Our editorial team Editor-in-Chief: Editors:

Simona Mihalca Andreea Bădeu Aubrey Joy Songcog Julia N. Hamermesz Kasey Rae Michela Sereni Andreea Albulescu Courtney Jirsa Amanda Shepard Irina Iliescu

Photo credits:

Al Stewart Andrei Apostol Andrei Dragomirescu

Cover design:

Ruxandra Marin

Cover graphics: Design:

Andrei Dragomirescu Ioana- Mădălina Sterpu

We reserve the right to select the submissions received before publishing. Contact:

www.artout.ro redactie@artout.ro

Interview

SUMARY LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Read all about it, Andreea Bădeu, Simona Mihalca

INTERVIEW Paul Ilea

READ ALL ABOUT IT Young adult literature, Amanda Shepard

How to teach AP literature, Courtney Jirsa

Read!,

Andreea Albulescu

Hydra, Julia Hamermesz

Mission: Erasmus Part I/ II, Irina Maria Iliescu

Where the monsters hide, Aubrey Joy Songcog

Your story, their story, Andreea Bădeu

TEEN EVENTS About nature duality !, Augustin Ioniţă

IDEAS ON CELLULOID The Importance of Fear, Kasey Rae

SOCIAL WATCH I’m not dying to be kissed: Asexuality in short, Michela Sereni

Interview

Letter from the editor

by Andreea Bădeu

here are things you’d rather keep inside, hidden from the rest of the world, but this is all right. Everybody is entitled to have their secrets. How about the serious issues, that may regard not only you, but plenty of other people? We all have a story waiting to be told, a revolutionary idea or a problem for which we cannot find a solution and we are too scared to ask for help. Think that many might have come across the same obstacles when trying to tell their stories: fear, shame or even their own pride. Still, what if you found the courage to speak your mind? The 6

truth would come out, the guilty ones would be punished and the suppressed would recover selfesteem. Yes, you might shatter the “peace” in the world a little bit, but it will definitely be worth it. Therefore, it’s time we made a change, it’s time we got some airplay of our version of events. Turn this into your chance to shine and let them read all about it!

Andreea Badeu, Issue Coordinator

Letter from the editor

Read all about it

by Simona Mihalca

foto: Al Steward, Erice

“You’ve got the words to change a nation but you’re biting your tongue […] You’ve got a heart as loud as lions So why let your voice be tamed? “ (Emeli Sande- Read all about it)

hose were the lyrics that inspired the title for this issue. It has so much emphasis in it, it seems so utopic, so generic. However, it is so true. We are teenagers, the new generation expected to be mature, to be the future. People say we have a voice, but do we really? Who invests in us? Who lets us speak? Should we really be fearful? We plan to find out this in our articles. More than the desire to stand for yourself, the title holds

more attractions to us. While, obviously, we are a magazine so “Read all about it” is quite a good advice, it also means read everything you can! Read about everything! Be informed! Learn about people and society, history and civilization, human nature and fantastic stories. Learn to be free, learn to create and to be a creative. Learn to be everything you can humanly be! And that is all doable by reading. 7

Letter from the editor We have taken different approaches to reading, whether it’s one of the readers, of the students or of the writers. We are all in one. Because every soul needs to express itself in a way, and for some is writing, while others simply enjoy reading that. We’ve done our part. Now it’s your turn to be involved and be pro-active! I am most obviously not talking about sports here, though that is really good for your health, too. I am talking about being involved in your community, being self-aware, noticing changes and trying to adapt, knowing how you sit in the world and how you can change.

foto: Al Steward, Erice

And most of all, if there is one last thing I want to leave you with: speak up! Don’t let your voice be tamed! You might fail at first but you are brave in doing so! Have more confidence in yourself! You can create your own destiny and by doing so you shape other people, too. You are important and you matter. The world would not be the same without you. Yes, you, the one who is reading this. So love yourself, love the world and then go out there and say something! React to what you see. Tell people about it. Be involved in anything. And of course, Read all about it!

Simona Mihalca, Editor-in-Chief

Psych(o)

inter view 9

Interview

Interview:

Paul Ilea

Simona Mihalca: Hello. How are you? Paul Ilea (Sensor): Hello J Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re much better these days, thanks for asking! Stepping in to the new year with positive fresh vibes J S. M: What can you tell us about Sensor? Paul Ilea (Sensor): We started the group 15 years ago, did a lot of multi-art shows (percussion, contemporary dance, electronic 10

music), MTV awards winners, in 2013 nominated in the US at AIM Music Awards for Best Electronica artist, 4 albums, concerts and shows in Singapore, Spain, Budapest, Paris, Belgium etc, opening acts and sharing stage with artists like The Prodigy, Busta Rhymes, Kelly Rowland, Chase& Status, Kylie Minogue, Scorpions, Faithless, Chicane etc. The rest of the info you can find on facebook.com/ sensorband

Sensor

Interview

foto: Andrei Dragomirescu, Graffiti

S. M: Where does the inspiration for this really unique sound of yours ? Paul Ilea (Sensor): Our source of inspiration is a mystery for us also, we can’t really point it out:) What we know for a fact is that we’ve been always interested in the complexity and originality of music, therefore we are big fans of artists like Aphex Twin, Dream Theatre, Debussy, Everything Everything, Bugee Wesseltoft, etc.

S. M: How do you think this fits on the Romanian music scene, which quite honestly, isn’t one as well known or developed as the German one, for instance? Paul Ilea (Sensor): Funny you mentioned about the German music scene, we’re planning some gigs in Berlin these days , we really think our music fits perfectly there. On the other hand, the Romanian scene is evolving every year , so we’re positive about the future. S. M: You are launching now your new album. Tell us a bit about it? Paul Ilea (Sensor): The album is called U.S.B., short for Urban Symphonic Beats. 12 crazy tracks featuring 3 of the best lead singers in Romania (Mara, Lora, Mc Tina). Symphonic vibe mixed with urban sounds and some really cool beats , with a large range of bpm, from dnb to broken downtempos. S. M: How does the creative process work for you? What comes first, lyrics or instrumental? Paul Ilea (Sensor): The creative process starts usually in the studio on keys and daws, making the instrumental and deciding if “this would work with vocals or not”. We always seem to think different about this :) Lyrics are usually 11

Interview made by our vocal collaborators, but sometimes I have a small contribution also. S. M: What are your expectations for the launch itself?

professional football player like Julio Iglesias (hehehe), we still don’t know who convinced him to drop that for music:) and Melak’s passion for music was inspired by his father, piano teacher and player.

Paul Ilea (Sensor): We don’t recommend anyone to have expectations of any kind when it comes to music industry and in when it comes to life. You’re usually wrong :)

S. M: Do you watch any TV series?

S. M: Do you plan to start an extensive tour afterwards?

S. M: Which is the last album you have bought?

Paul Ilea (Sensor): We plan to start the U.S.B Tour on early 2014, hopefully in 5-6 major cities in Romania and some clubs abroad. We uploaded the album on Youtube so all the fans can listen it for free!!

Toni Iordache’s Cemballo for a friend in Paris.

S. M: And now some questions for our readers to get to know you: Favourite food and drink? Paul Ilea (Sensor): We are often junk food slaves, because of our long sessions in the studio and production company we own, but we’re all in when it comes to italian, lebanese or asian cuisine. J S. M: When did you know you wanted to be a musician? Paul Ilea (Sensor): I started music when I was 6 but and still want to be a musician, Sasha started as a 12

Paul Ilea (Sensor): Yes, big fans of Weeds, Family Guy, Little Britain , Reno 911 and many others

S. M: Who was the last person you have asked for an autograph? Paul Ilea (Sensor): In 1996 I had the opportunity to play with Yehudi Menuhin as a conductor on stage and I asked him for an autograph at the end of the show. We played Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in front of Schonbrun Pallace , Wien. Thanks and follow us! J https://www.facebook.com/ SensorBand http://www.kultstudio.ro/

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Young Adult Literature

by Amanda Shepard

foto: Andrei Dragomirescu, Graffiti

s a scholar of young adult literature, and it being my future profession, the general portrayal of this genre really irritates me, especially about its inaccuracies. People brush it off as “not as good” as the classic literature, not worthy of study, something I’ve especially noted from other English majors. I feel I get judged when I tell someone I’m studying children’s and young adult literature, because it’s not as prestigious as something like world literature, American literature, or British literature. It’s not as “complex.” However, the reality is young adult literature, while mostly portrayed as romantic paranormal romance, especially in large chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble and in movie adaptations of the books, deals with many different complex and difficult issues, because that stage of life is complex and difficult in and of itself. Young adult novels deal with things like depression, anxiety, suicide, sickness, homosexuality, 14

rape, mental disorders (to an extent), and many others. It’s not just about the romance. Is that a large aspect of the young adult genre? Yes. It’s a large aspect of young adulthood in general. But this doesn’t represent the genre as a whole. There are many different faces of young adult literature that are worth analyzing and looking at. Literature is one of the most powerful avenues for teens to realize they are not alone, by seeing themselves portrayed in the literature. Literature can create communities, it can connect teens with other teens who are going through the same things. Those that brush it off as something trivial and not worth looking at are missing a lot. Young adult literature is a continuously growing field, one that can only get better from here. So the next time you brush off a book because it’s classified as young adult, think again. You could be missing out on some great literature.

Amanda Shepard

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How to teach AP Literature foto: Andrei Dragomirescu, Graffiti

o not interpret every single book literally. You cannot discuss fate and free will and simply pass off the entire concept as an “internal struggle” without boring your students to tears. Assume from the start that they are all bored. Assume that you can vastly improve this situation through a healthy dose of philosophy. Tell your students that they cannot appreciate reading comprehension until it is 9:00 AM on a hot day and they are forced to not only read, not only understand, but also explain Heidegger’s Being and Time and the depths of the very essence of their being. Know that at first you will have to force them, but they will come around. Let them read Nietzsche, make them read Kierkegaard, back off and give them Plato. But do not set them loose on classical literature without at the very least having identified influences. If you set them loose, they will flounder. Do not allow them to flounder. And do not stop at philosophy, if you have made it past

by Courtney Jirsa the Advanced Placement barrier of the “classics.” Sit them down and read them poetry. Do not rely on the bulky reading anthology provided by your school district. Allow that volume to gather dust in the back supply closet. Read them real poetry. Read them underappreciated poetry. Take them through a one-line poem in a class period; notice those who are bored and those who are enthralled. Take the bored students and introduce them to modern poets, to minimalists. Make poetry accessible in the same way you made philosophy accessible. Write your own poetry. Do not tell your students that it is your own because they will take it as autobiographical, and it probably is. After all, you write what you know. Do not read it all out loud to them, do not make them read their own to you. Cast off the shackles of the Advanced Placement system. Do not let your students shut down, but do let them drop your class. Recognize that the AP English exams could be completed by 15

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trained monkeys with typewriters seeking to emulate Shakespeare. Tell this to your students. Admit that you, for the most part, are not interested in preparing them for the exam. You already knew this and they already knew this, but they will appreciate your honesty. Those who do not are the ones who are not thinkers; they are the ones who will drop your class. They have the goal of a 5 and for the rest of the year they will focus solely on earning that number a place on their transcript. It may be sad, but you cannot save every student. Admit that they are a lost cause. Drink a little at night. It will be good for your writing. Acknowledge that not all of your students have the background necessary to understand everything you assign. Acknowledge that you are helping them build that background. SMILE. CRY. BE A HUMAN, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH SCIENCE TELLS US WHAT MAKES US HUMAN, WRITING IS WHAT HELPS US TRANSCEND. AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. BEGIN.

Courtney Jirsa 16

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Read! foto: Andrei Apostol

f we were all born with what some people call “full knowledge”, we wouldn’t need books anymore. We’d know everything about anything, and we wouldn’t need to learn a thing. Unfortunately, in our first months of life, our general knowledge is between 0 and… 0. The capacity of memorizing and learning is limited for a normal human being, and this is why all we can do is read! Read as much as we can! There’s nothing more beautiful than the hunger for knowledge (ok, maybe the only better thing is chocolate :) ) Surely, all of us have a favorite book. Can you remember the way you almost got hypnotized by a certain story? The way you wanted to read more and more, but at the same time you didn’t want the story to end? When you read a novel, the brain’s activity increases greatly and after you finish your lecture, the “side effects” last for about two to five days. You get to work more efficiently; you can stay focused more, learn new things and expend your vocabulary beyond the common “street talk”. Reading is actually a booster for brain!

by Andreea Albulescu Instead of just watching a movie, reading involves your own creativity and imagination. This is the main reason why people who read a lot tend to be disappointed by the movie made after a certain book. It is fascinating how the words seem to get absorbed by the eyes, swirling inside the mind where they shatter, creating unique reflections of the story. Sometimes we blend feelings and personal memories along with the story, making it more realistic. The only painful part of reading is the moment when you finish the book. You start asking yourself “What am I going to do with my life now?” or “Why did it end that way?” The worst part is when you imagine different endings for the book, burning your mind until you find another good book that you simply cannot put down. As long as the books keep their doors open and allows us to walk on their paths paved with wisdom, all I can say is… READ IT ALL!

Andreea Albulescu 17

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Hydra by Julia Hamermesz

foto: Andrei Apostol

magine you are in a room full of people talking about their problems. With the buzzes of the disconnected conversations around you, it is hard to distinguish any of the voices or their claims, but you know all of them want help. Do any of them have important observations? Is there anything being said that could be of your interest? Let us assume, for the sake of the metaphor, that you are not the only one wondering what 18

else is spoken around the room, and little by little everyone starts to lower their voices, not only to hear what others are discussing but because suddenly the place is awfully silent. We do tend to say a lot when we think no one is listening, and the loudest of the complaints can turn into a silent room in a blink of an eye when no one says the same things. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now assume that the

Read all about it majority of the people have also reached this conclusion, and that none of you can solve your own problems. How do you get the word and ideas to flow again? How do you find solutions? One may suggest turns to speak, but the plan would prove itself faulty when in a big number how do you define who speaks first and whose problems get more attention? After all, none of you are aware of what others may say and want your own business dealt with. Then, maybe, the answer would be to categorize the problems and choose the best people possible to discuss them with representatives of the other problems. This way there would be focus and the chances of solving things quickly are increased. You may have understood that this was a quick example of non-dictatorial governmental engines. This is what it’s there for: to organize people and solve problems – of course though, in a country you would find many other layers of power and more complicated relations. But the idea is the same: too many people with different views and priorities would make the organization of what we call society extremely hard, so you divide the problems and get people to focus on each of them. Someone good to deal with this then would be someone with an open mind,

someone who can look the same situation from several different angles and find the best approach. And as the layers of power go higher, so does the spectrum of things that have to be dealt with. Much like climbing a mountain, the higher you go the better the view – and the higher the fall if you don’t carefully watch your movements. I found myself here struggling to differ what comes with power and what actually is power. Ultimately, it means influence. But also for some it can be a fly of freedom or heavy chains of responsibility, the strength to manipulate others weighting against principles, a thin line between duty and privilege. In a dream world your responsibilities, duty and principles would be the ones to bring you privilege. However, we must acknowledge that today those who seek power rarely seek the listed above, but downright the influence in order to privilege oneself, especially economically. Then It came to me that the distinction I looked is not what matters. In fact, it is what power brings that everyone cares about, and ironically what most forget. As I wondered how did we go from electing people to take care of us, to solve problems, to organize society to what I see on the streets 19

Read all about it nowadays (and that is, here, a total lack of hope in anyone with power), the answer came as the room full of people. Truth is, we forget: we forget that we are the ones to put people up there, we forget that we are the ones that were making noise and that can still be louder when united, we forget that those people were supposed to be our voices and problem solvers and only that – we forget why we made the decision of separating things in layers of command in the first place. We forget because it stops working and it stops working because power, without pressure, corrupts. And that’s what happened here. It is very easy to let others deal with your problems and overlook your role in society. In a way or another, we created a country in a vicious cycle of people who think they can do nothing about a government that does way less than expected. Now, I could write another ten paragraphs explaining how our own history is to blame and how people have been manipulated into thinking they are powerless, but I will let you take your own conclusions based on your country. I do now know from where you are, dear reader, and I’m aware of the absurd differences that our countries probably have. I also understand if this is not something to which you 20

can relate at all. But seeing the reality I see, I could think mostly of one thing to change in the world when I was told what this issue of the magazine would be about: our selfish sense of individuality. Yes, we should worry about ourselves – but why forget that we might as well be stronger together? There is not a society that can be damaged by a stronger sense of collectiveness, much the opposite. If you (find the courage to) scream and shout by yourself chances are very little people will care. Now try scream and shouting with a whole country on your back – not only it is easier to get people to stand up in the middle of a crowd (remember how people stop talking when there’s no noise around them, when they feel observed? The crowd is like the noisy room, it gets people to raise their voices) but the impact it has is also obviously bigger: cut one head off… you all know the ending. Power is a corruptive illusion, strong enough to make millions believe they can be silenced by a few hundred. Remember, remember: It is the government that should be afraid of their people. And a Happy New Year, everybody.

Julia Hamermesz

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Mission: Erasmus

Part I/ II

foto: Andrei Dragomirescu, Graffiti

fter two failed application attempts for the Erasmus grant, I was finally given the chance to study for a semester somewhere in Europe, in my second year of my MA study (I applied in the first year so I would leave in the second year). The country of my choice was Italy, and the city - Milan. I chose Italy because of the things I heard about its wonderful treasures, and so I decided that I must see for myself, despite the fact that most of my professors said that art universities in Italy aren’t what they used to be, in the sense that they are outdated. I didn’t want to be completely ignorant of the advice I received, so I tried to pick the city that was

by Irina Maria Iliescu the most modern and cosmopolite – and so I decided Milan fits the description. Milan is the economic capital of Italy, it is known as the fashion capital of the world, but it is also an important meeting point for design, architecture and arts in general. The academy I am attending is called Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, and I was informed that it’s one of the most famous in the country (and most expensive). It has been an art institution of great importance since the 1770. The building also houses one of the oldest observatories, the Braidense Library, the Pinacoteca di Brera - a 21

Read all about it very rich art collection (which has free entry for art students) and it is surrounded by a beautiful botanical garden. This academy is, in comparison to my university in Bucharest, and because of its fame, enormous – around 3500 students attend its courses every year, and it has 600 teaching staff. One third of the students are foreign – most of them asian and iranian, but here are also spanish, swiss and french students. I haven’t met too many romanians, except for other Erasmus students. The fields of study at Brera are mostly the same as back home, only that they have New Technologies in the Arts, where you can learn about multimedia arts in video and cinema – you can study lighting design, sound design etc, and also multimedia in relation to performative and interactive arts. My field of study is graphics. As an Erasmus student, MA level, I am allowed to choose any course from any department that I want, even if it was a BA level course – the only requirement is to have 32 credits max per semester. In Italy Bachelor Level is called Triennio, and Masters Level is called Biennio. I wanted to enroll in many courses that I couldn’t find home, but I was pretty unlucky – most of them are held in the second semester 22

(like serigraphy) and so I ended up picking 4, that I could synchronize with, and that sounded interesting to me. I chose Grafica d’arte, where you are given a subject to develop during the whole semester, in any graphic technique that you wish. You have to be present every day, to sign the attendance sheet, in order to be allowed to take the exam at the end of the semester. Another course is Experimental etching techniques, which isn’t as experimental as the name suggests – we do the classical etching techniques according to the work you want to do. The professors that teach these two courses collaborate because their courses overlap – they are in the same days and at the same time. So you can develop the project from Grafica d’arte in etching, with the second teacher. This overlapping of classes is a frequent problem in Brera and so students and teachers have to come to an agreement regarding the attendance of the courses. The studios are very well equipped – there many etching presses that you can use, you can make an etching whenever you want, because there is enough acid and space for everyone (most of the times). But you must buy almost all of the materials - like metal plates and paper and whatnot. The

Read all about it teachers are patient and ready to help you, despite the language impediment – they are used to talking to students who don’t speak too much Italian (especially the chinese students), but this doesn’t mean they speak English – it means that they use simple and efficient Italian expressions and words and they talk slowly so you can understand what they are saying. Another course I attend is Papermaking – where you learn how to make handmade recycled paper. My personal use for this course is to make paper to use for printmaking – but you can also make many creative types of paper, that could stand on their own as works by themselves. The last and my favorite course is Stampa d’arte – where you learn various printmaking techniques that don’t imply the use of acid in the process. The only problem is that many students like this course and there isn’t enough space for all of us - everything can get very chaotic and dirty (reminds me of home). Of course, every Erasmus student has to attend an italian language class as well, but it isn’t difficult. There you have the chance to meet all the other Erasmus

students. Since it is a big academy, there are quite many. I heard that most universities included in the Erasmus Program organize different events for the students – like a basic welcome party when you arrive, or they assign a local student to guide you around the university or the city in the first few days – but it’s not the case with Brera. The Erasmus Office at Brera deals very well with the burocratic side of the Erasmus stage – which is of course vital – and answers a few questions about how to get for example a monthly transport card for Milan. They are very polite and friendly, but you are mostly on your own. Also, they don’t provide any kind of housing – Erasmus students don’t get a bed in a student dorm – they have to find accommodation on their own. But fortunately, in Milan, there is a free agency that helps students find a place to rent – it’s called Agenzia Uni – and that’s how me and my roommate found a place to stay at a decent price (decent for Milan) Milano is a very expensive city and that’s its only disadvantage. The first few days here were a horrible realization that everything costs almost double in comparison to Romania – if you constantly compare euro to lei, you may get terribly depressed. To give you an 23

Read all about it insight – to rent a single room in an apartment close to a subway station is minimum 400e – excluding the utilities. A double room is between 300-400e , depending on the neighborhood. Well, otherwise Milan is a city where you can never get bored – there are many art events taking place all the time, important exhibitions to see, concerts, opera (at the famous Scala Opera), theatre many bars, some of them more expensive, some of them studentfriendly (a beer is minimum 3e). There is also this great milanese tradition – the aperitivo – you pay 5e for a drink and you can eat as much as you can. The center is full of high fashion stores, that compete with each other in window design. Most people say that Milan is one of the ugliest cities in Italy, but I tend to disagree. I would rather say it’s less touristic – it’s a place where people are always in a hurry to go to work, it has a cold atmosphere – everybody is minding their own business – its similar to Bucharest in that way. But just like Bucharest, it has a lot of beautiful views to offer – like the Duomo, Galeria Vittorio Emanuelle and the Sforza Castle.

Irina Maria Iliescu 24

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Where The Monsters Hide by Aubrey Joy Songcog foto: Andrei Apostol

“This is gospel for the fallen ones Locked away in permanent slumber Assembling their philosophies From pieces of broken memories” (Brendon Urie, This is Gospel)

onsidered a misfit, a square peg in round hole. Criminal without a vindication, condemned by ignorance. If you’re a holy person, or a worshiper of the conventional standard of goodness, stop reading now. The following words are just arrays of unholy oaths. As this for the renegades, a confession of apostasies. A gospel for monsters. “I stand often in the dark cracks, under the deepest pit, where centaurs, titans, and behemoth dwells. Yes, I do fight against them, but more often, I just play along with them.”

When we were kids, our parents would always tell us not to be afraid of monsters, as they only exist on fictions. But as we grow older, we realize what is fiction and what is not. That heroes does not really exist in real life --no Hercules nor Percy Jackson. And the funny thing is that, the real world is where the monsters are. This sphere is nothing but a collection of monsters. Not the kind of monsters with bulging eyes, nor tentacles, nor gnashing teeth. Some monsters that disguise themselves so well that you don’t realize that they are until they grip you with their claws and fill you with their toxoids. However, you believe the myths that they hide under your bed, inside your closet, or around that suspicious, dark corner of your room. But no, the true monsters are not those who creeps under the bed, but rather the one who sleep on it. In fact, sometimes they wear ties and coat. They wear heels. Together, 25

Read all about it matching with their lockstep, they shape the world according to their thirst and eat the soul of those powerless. And in order for you to protect yourself and defeat them, you have to be the bigger one. Almost everyone classify themselves as glorious savior of this world and showcase their halos. Condemn the dissident evils by pushing them outside the borderline and punish them by considering them as a misfit. But that’s hypocrisy. We don’t have halos nor crown of light. What we have is an empire of beasts inside us. Evilness are always with us and we got baggage of vice that inhabits on our deepest abyss. Our desires are created by our demons. Specters always trigger us for errors, calumny and lies. It breeds inside us. Sometimes people are aware of it, but more often they don’t. It’s impulsively that being a monster makes people feel safe, or at the very least, better. We find tranquility in breathing with the air our demons give out. They excite us in this way or that and make our pulse thrum. Yes, they’re formidable creatures but once you peek, you’ll see how hellacious they are. So stop crying I-don’t-seemonsters-monsters-don’t-see-me. That’s ignorance. You see them, and deep inside you know they exist. So don’t elude yourself with 26

the illusion that you’re innocent and divine. Saints are all just made of stones and gold. Whatever we breath, we are still made of greed. We all have tails and fangs. So don’t be sickened with the thought of monsters --it is who we are. We coexist with it. So give what it wants and it will return the favor. “Ever since I could remember, everything inside of me just wanted to fit in. I was never one for pretenders. Everything I tried to be, just wouldn’t settle in.” Are you scared now? Does it sound dangerous? Could you believe it? Your tense nervous laugh tells me you disagree with all these shits. Would you still push the misfits outside the borderline, or would you join us now? Gaze into it and it will gaze back into you. Beware of the dark realm inside your soul. We are all monster, dear. The thing to decide is what kind of monster to be. Bare your teeth and wag your tails. Stop hiding inside that closet, stop hiding in that dark corner of your room. Instead, showcase the world how big monster you are. The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, they just grow.

Aubrey Joy Songcog

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Your story, their story by Andreea Bădeu foto: Andrei Apostol

en minutes to seven… Dinner is ready. Neither too hot, nor too cold- just as he likes it. The house is clean and tidy. Fortunately, this time you have remembered to hide away that old vase from your grandma, otherwise he would break it into pieces, as he has warned you. You cast an eye over the room to make sure that everything is all right for his arrival. But how about you? You most definitely are not all right. Sit down. You still have a few minutes left for yourself. From the wall in front of you, the huge mirror is staring at your face. Your ruffled hair is twisted into a tight knot at the back of your head; the wrinkles on your face have deepened noticeably, since you haven’t used a crème for quite a while; your eyes are surrounded by dark rings and you cannot tell whether they are caused by your overwhelming fatigue or by his blow with his fist from last night. Oh, how you wish you could erase that night,

that outrageous fight, his abuses and your pain. Suddenly, you feel a warm tear coursing down your cheek. Were you free, you could sob your heart out, instead of hiding your fear and your resentment in a handkerchief. Do you remember that gorgeous, little girl you used to be? How joyful, how resolute, and yet how silly! You used to dream of a perfect love and got lost in your illusions. Absent-mindedly, you married “Prince Charming”, who drastically turned into your most dreadful nightmare- a peremptory, hardened, cruel man because of whom your dreams have ruined thoroughly. Still, what if you had the bravery to tell your story to the world? I understand that this thought terrifies you, but one day you will eventually succumb to his abuses-don’t let that day be the end of your story. You matter just as much as everyone else, so it is time we heard your version of events! 27

Read all about it Open your soul and set yourself free from the foul prison where he has hidden the lively woman you used to be! Furthermore, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you ever for a second get to thinking you are on your own in this difficult

situation. There are countless other women just like you, bereft of courage, suppressing their sorrow, living thus an every-day ordeal. You are not alone and therefore you have to consider that, by letting your words be tamed, not only do

Read all about it you prolong your agony, but you also maintain theirs. Two minutes and he will arrive home. This time, when he begins to raise his voice, do not lower yours! Stop being afraid of severing this oppressive relationship and keep

in mind that, by taking action, you can become an example for other millions of women. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All for one and one for allâ&#x20AC;?, remember? After all, if people make cultures, they can also change them. Come and help us make a change for the better!

Andreea Badeu

foto: Andrei Apostol

Teen projects

About Nature Duality ! by Augustin Ioniţă

foto: Augustin Ioniţă, Chappel

“Photography is a current occupation for me as an artist, Isee this area as a necessary skill of a visual artist .”

ature Duality is that set of pictures that I gathered a year ago when I visited Australia for six months. I worked there as a sculptor, redecorating Sea Life Sydney Aquarium.

unique moment which i lived.

Meanwhile every time i was out of my sculptor job, i had moving either the city or on the outskirts of Sydney ‘s but always with the camera at me, shooting.

So images are formed by doubling a reflection image .

I can say geography Australia impressed me deeply , I visited other places but Australia is an

Duality Nature Project is a digital processing photography a symmetry exercise that our brains many times it does it automatically.

The result image is subjective but definitely worth the one minutes each .

Augustin Ionita 31

Psych(o) Teen projects

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, Flesh

Teen projects

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, Holle

Psych(o) Teen projects

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, The creature

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, Piramid

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, Sacru

Teen projects

Foto: Augustin Ioniţă, The face

Ideas on celluloid

The Importance of Fear

foto: Andrei Apostol

by Kasey Rae

hat could possibly be scarier than admitting your vulnerabilities and fears? When doing so means giving anyone out to harm you an easy target. One never goes into battle without their armor! A fear of spiders will leave you in a Ron Weasley situation as fast as a vulnerability to silver bullets will lead one right to your chest. Just as humans have vulnerabilities and fears, characters do too. Pick any character and try to see their vulnerabilities, their

weaknesses, maybe even find whatever they are trying to hide. It can also be interesting to see what fear can lead to. Sometimes it’s obvious, especially in children’s movies. Mufasa’s vulnerability lies in his lion cub. Ariels secret desire is to have legs instead of fins, and in a sequel is afraid to tell her daughter what she once was. Cinderella is afraid of being a servant all her life. Snow White is afraid to be alone. Dory has an embarrassing memory disorder. Mufasa, Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White and Dory all of them try to hide their vulnerability from 37

Ideas on celluloid

others; knowing that if discovered it will certainly be used against them. Mature movie characters still have those vulnerabilities of course! Joel and Clementine ( Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are afraid of the positive memories of their ex, fearing they are so powerful they will never except the end of their relationship. Nina Sayers (Black Swan) weakness lies in her refusal to let her dark side exist, leading to her darkness taking over her completely and literally taking her life. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Fight Club) has a sickeningly normal life

that leaves him in fear of every tomorrow, leading to the uprising of a group that brings anarchy and demolishes a city. While they should be kept to ourselves, there is so much power and motivation to be found in fear! Fear can take our voice or give us legs. Fear can create a beautiful ballet or lead to suicide. It can hold us in the wrong relationship or help push us out. It can bring a group of men together or destroy buildings. And in the right world it can turn a slave into a princess. Hope can only exist with fear, for there is no need for light if there is no darkness.

Kasey Rae.

social watch

Letter from Social watchthe editor

I’m Not Dying To Be Kissed:

Asexuality in short

by Michela Sereni

exuality and love interact more often than not, and just like there are some aspects of affection that aren’t well-known to the masses, there also are endless types of sexuality that are hardly ever talked about. Some of them don’t even involve sex, or revolve around with it in different ways. Sorta like that thin and happy aunt that only brings vodka at Christmas dinners and forgets you’re not her son. Or not. Asexuality, exactly like any other form of sexuality, is not welldefined, but it characterized by a spectrum, a list of traits that are usually common. It’s important to remember that those are not rules, but merely guide points to the El Dorado of self-knowledge, except you’re not in a DreamWorks’ cartoon (or perhaps yes? After all, even Timmy Turner was in a show). 40

Social watch

foto: Andrei Apostol

Letter from Social watchthe editor By one-of-a-thousand-definitionsfound-on-the-amazing-Internet, “An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. This does not necessarily mean that they do not experience sexual arousal, or romantic or aesthetic attraction, or that they do not want intimacy from their relationships. You can even be an asexual and masturbate or have sexual encounters” (Asexuality - Everyday Feminism). Because of the lack of debates on this arguments, one usually finds it hard to identify as an asexual, unless they’re somehow aware or close to the queer community to begin with. For this, too, Our Great Emperor, Google, offers a cheap and ready to go solution you can fill your freezer and heart with: the previously mentioned list of possible sings (to be read while always keeping in mind that sexuality, if anything, is fluids, and doesn’t follow precise standards). These guidelines are meant to be helpful for those who are seeking something that feels right for them. You know, that time you bought those Harajukuish red heels with Hello Kitty, and found out, after a week maximum, that they didn’t really fit you any more (did they ever?), and you decided to look more into it? Yeah. Multiple points can be found 42

about sex being seen as a routine: “You had sex because that’s what you were “supposed to do”; when you encountered the naked body of someone for the first time in a sexual situation, you looked at it like a real-life anatomy lesson, rather than an object of desire; you focus on the motions, not emotions” (Possible Sings Of Asexuality: Part II). Attraction and arousal, however, can still be found in many asexuals. “For some sexual arousal is a fairly regular occurrence, though it is not associated with a desire to find a sexual partner or partners. Some asexuals will occasionally masturbate, but feel no desire for partnered sexuality. Other asexual people experience little or no arousal” (AVENWiki). “Asexuals may regard other people as aesthetically attractive without feeling sexual attraction to them. Some asexual people also experience the desire of being affectionate to other people without it being sexual” (Asexuality). Specifically, anyone who still enjoys sex, or isn’t totally uninterested, may be a grey-a. “There is a spectrum of sexuality, with sexual and asexual as the endpoints and a gray area in-between. Many people identify in this gray area under the identity of “gray-asexual,” or “gray-a.” Examples include an individual who does not normally

Social watch experience sexual attraction but does experience it sometimes; experiences sexual attraction but has a low sex drive; experiences sexual attraction and drive but not strongly enough to want to act on them; and/or can enjoy and desire sex but only under very limited and specific circumstances” (The Asexuality Visibility). Another piece of the ace-cake goes to Demisexuals, who require a strong bond before contemplating sexual intercourse. In today’s over-sexualized and sex-focused society, asexuals may feel out of place. “All asexuals can be subject to being ostracized, especially as adolescents when most of the talk revolves around sex and relationships, for being unable to relate or understand why sex is this coveted topic” (Life Without Sexual Attraction). The pressure to get physical is reminded and highlighted by almost everything in the media, including songs and videos: ads try to define sexuality, setting standards, and not following them might provoke a sense of inferiority, a caged feeling. Most of TV’s contents are somehow linked to sex, and anyone who doesn’t like that, or wouldn’t “hit that”, is often looked at with a mixture of pity, surprise, and the magical words “You just haven’t found the right person yet” (a phrase that seems to show up, uninvited, way too

often, leading an army of unaskedfor tips on how to “find that special someone”. Nobody ever tells you how to train a dragon, create an underwater world, or where unicorns live. Personally, I’d much rather have a notion of ‘How To Get Over Les Miserables’, than about what Sassfrass does in his bedroom with his girlfriend. But then again, it’s just me). An exception to asexuality’s under representation in society was Edward Gorey. The famously twisted and marvellous cartoonist/writer and full time fabulous creature used to identify as an asexual. He had very little interest in romance, as well, and stated in a interview that he saw his “sexless work” as a product of his own sexuality. The journey to selfdiscovery is one hell of a trip, and it lasts longer than Christmas shopping on the 24th of December, and just as messy. Know, though, that this process is most likely worth the struggle and the swear words you’ll use. There’s one point that saddens us all, but we can’t change it. In all honesty, maybe we’ll never get over “Les Miserables”. Maybe you just can’t. It’s science. Trust me on this.

Michela Sereni 43

Ideas on celluloid

foto: Andrei Apostol