The Collective Magazine: Issue 007 by The Collective Magazine

Creative Director Russell Green Vice-President Exec

Event Planner Elle Terrado President Exec

Community Outreach Conal Abatangelo Treasurer Exec

Editor-In-Chief Eunice Alpasan Secretary Exec

Graphic Design Team

Event Planning Team

Writing Team

Ilan Elenbogen Magazine Design (Pages 19-23)

Jenna Glassman Co-Host/Producer

Madeline Blair Magazine Writer

Peyton Cecil Assistant Producer

YooJin Son Magazine Writer

Ronald Gonzalez Multimedia Producer

Farrah Anderson Magazine Writer

Bella Scott Social Media

Anna Pevey Assistant Copy Editor

Eva Galper Event Planner

Karina Belotserkovskiy Event Writer

Jeremiah Mukanda Event Planner

Annamarie Olsen Event Writer

Valerie Morrice Magazine & Web Design (Pages 34-41) Kendall Arellano Magazine Design (Pages 48-52) Emily Hoover Magazine & Poster Design (Pages 60-61) Ethan Switall Poster Design Dev Kumar Social Media Design Daria Zelen Social Media Design

THE COLLECTIVE

Casey Daly Artist Q&A Writer Rachael Menke Artist Q&A Writer Elizabeth Wilson Artist Q&A Writer Julia Youman Artist Q&A Writer

Note Since this time last year, the Collective has gone through substantial changes. We have lost our access to in-person events, member meet-ups, and even the founding Execs of the club. However, the new members of the Collective have worked diligently to build off of what was generously left behind for us. We have transitioned online, held houseshows in our own homes through social media, and most importantly, we have gathered a team of fresh and excited designers, writers, and event planners who have put forward their skills to make one of the most difficult years the Collective has faced into one of the most rewarding. This magazine is the culmination of months of hard work from the entire Collective’s efforts and as you can see is already different from past magazines. We hope to give you a reflection of this year’s transformation by providing an equally fresh and exciting take on the foundations of what has made the Collective the Collective. Enjoy, Russell Green Creative Director

6 Interview with Cover Artist Julia Morrison By Eunice Alpasan

12 Artist Maggie McKelvey

6 -10

19 - 23

34 Being Black in Art By YooJin Son

12 -13

24 - 25

19 Creativity in the Time of Covid By Madeline Blair

CONT

34-41

48 - 52

53 48 A Generation of Guinea Pigs By Farrah Anderson

53 Artist Ilan Elenbogen

15 Artist Vince Park

17 Artist Bella Scott

KEY Yellow : Digital art Red : Traditional Art Purple : Poetry Blue : Photography *Stories are not congruent with categories

ENTS

29 Artist Amelia Huske

46 House Show Questions

32 - 33 32 Artist Saint Robbery

Sonnet 1 Anonymous

42 - 43

54 - 55 56 - 57 56 Artist Josh James

58 - 59

46 - 47

60 - 61 60 Thrifting: How-to’s & How-not’s In a Not-so Sustainable World By Anna Pevey

LOOKING INWARD

& UNLOCKING

PORTALS

An Interview With Cover Artist

JULIA MORRISON

By Eunice Alpasan

Julia Morrison is a senior majoring in art and minoring in Spanish at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. I spoke with Julia on the phone about her inspiration for this issue’s cover, her experience living abroad in Spain and how the coronavirus pandemic has affected her art. You can find more of her work on Instagram at @juliakmorrison.

ow does it feel to be graduating soon, especially in light of a pandemic?

“I spent my year abroad in Barcelona, and kind of got a taste of the world. And then I came back, thinking I was going to have my last run with the underground scene and have a good goodbye. But now it’s completely different, and I’m kind of forced to look inward and reflect on everything I learned and really logically ask myself: What matters? What do I actually want to do in the future? How can I use this time to make projects that still have meaning despite everything being taken?” “I also know that after this is over, my senior year, I am blasting the fuck out, and I’m going to every longitude and latitude that’s ever been pinpointed.”

What did you learn about yourself as an artist during your time living abroad in Spain? “I think I learned how truly capable I am, and we all are as humans, of adaptability. Then also the universal truths that come with traveling, which is, we’re all the same deep down; we just have these incredibly fascinating histories that have molded us. Once you get hooked on those histories, learning about ‘em, it’s a drug to just keep on moving.” “I went there saying, ‘I’m going to be fluent in Spanish.’ And I did it. I became fluent in Spanish, but it was hard as shit. [...] Learning another language truly changed the way I think about the world and about treating art as this language in itself. How one style should never limit you, one language should never limit you. You can connect to everyone if you experiment, if you tap into different elements.” Is there a specific moment in your life that led you to want to be an art major, a moment where you realized this is what you want to do? “I think we are all artists, as humans. We’re always leaving our mark whether intentionally or unintentionally, and we’re always analyzing and juggling ideas. So what really separates me from being an art major is just some paperwork. But, I think I’ve lived an artistic life, and will be an artist, an artistic soul until I die. [...] I think it’s like this accumulation of ways of thinking and ways of acting that allow you to put something on the page and not be apologetic about it. To be curious about the world and explore that through materials. It doesn’t make me special, but it’s something everyone can tap into.”

“

I’ve lived an artistic life, and will be an artist, an artistic soul until I die.

“

Have you noticed any main themes throughout your own body of work? “I think in my previous work, pre-abroad, I really was exploring ideas of feminism and Neoliberalism and my resentment towards our university even, and how integrated racist and capitalistic and abusive systems are just thriving. My art was exploring those ideas in the least literal way I could and exploring it through surrealism and brutality even. I think a lot of my work has been polarizingly in your face, which I love, because I think that’s also how I live, I’m not afraid of being in your face. But I think it’s transitioning right now because I’m just so in awe about everything that art has done in the world that artists are capable of. I feel like I’m much more spread out in my styles. I’m working on a lot of film stuff right now and also, I’ve been doing lots of music, and my drawings have been different.” How do you go about that transitional phase where you’re changing up your style and picking what to experiment with? “I think you kind of got to go by what inspires you. It never works to do something because you feel like you should, like it’s a duty. I think that applies to so many things like picking a major, picking a job, picking to go to grad school or not. I think what I’m doing is allowing the inspiration to come to me and seeking inspiration from so many different facets of the world, which we have such crazy access to with the internet.” “I think when you are able to see your potential and see your ideas in a multitude of forms, in a multitude of projects or mediums, I think it’s a reflection of the freedom that your brain has. I think once you start only thinking in one way, like, ‘Okay, I have an idea, and it has to be a cartoon, and if it can’t be a cartoon then fuck, I guess I can’t do anything with it.’ You’re limiting yourself. [...] I think all these art forms inform each other. And I have proven to myself that I am capable of telling a damn good story. But so is the whole world, honestly, so I’m not special.”

What is the inspiration behind your cover art for this issue?

“As an artist, I think I’m kind of like, sifting through this mountain of shit and realizing what inspires me, but acknowledging that I’ve done so much in my life. I don’t have to produce like a painting every week without my soul being in it; I think that would just be dumb. I have to use this time to make sure I don’t get depressed. How can I maintain the liveliness inside of me is both a mental health thing and an artistic choice. I think I’m doing a pretty good job, I’m super motivated right now. I think it’s also kind of my role as a person and artist to give that enthusiasm to others.”

“I wanted to address the insane changes we’ve had as students and as humankind to the digital realm, and how this blue light constantly on our faces, this absorption into the digital world of these algorithms that are so anti-human and so manipulative, and all based on advertising and consumption. How is this affecting our psyche? Through that, I’m having this creature typing on a keyboard with the blue light just on him so hard, and it’s kind of grotesque and scary. We’re kind of talking about the numbness of this connection What advice would you give to your younger with our new best friend: this screen. I hope it can kind self as an artist given all you’ve learned about of be part of the memory of this time period. I think it’s yourself up until this point? important sometimes to not ignore what’s in front of us, not just always escape.” “Oh my God, I would say Julia, little Julia, learn Arabic, learn Mandarin, learn French. I would probably list How do you think the pandemic has affected every language and just hope that my younger self your process making art and the art itself? would say ‘OK’ to three of them because damn, does that unlock portals. I think, truly, that shape shifting, “When your sexual energies arouse, I think your being invisible, flying — all of these superhero things creative energies arouse. It’s the same thing, they’re we attribute to superheroes — are basically possible working together. [...] I’m filming projects all the time, once you’re able to travel and speak the language of and taking on new digital projects. I’m changing as the that place.” pandemic is changing, but I’m also trying to maintain this sexual energy that’s out there. I think that comes “Research is not a bad word. I was gonna say don’t from analyzing other work and figuring be afraid to experiment, but I’ve never been afraid out who is inspiring out here because to experiment. I’d say I’ve been afraid of researching there is so much that’s already been because I just don’t want to sit still. But I think that being done, and I think you can either able to look deeply into a subject — deeply — like choose to ignore that, really investigate something, gives you this toolbox or tap into it.” that is unlimited. I think research has a bad name in academics and with artists because it implies extra work, but it’s not work once you get into it, and it can help in so many ways.”

A No-Go Daniel Brown Digital

MAGGIE MCKELVEY

I’m Maggie McKelvey, an experimental animator and digital/ traditional artist! Huge inspirations of mine include Jim Henson and Sam Gurry, both stylistically and their approaches to story telling. A lot of my work centers around identity/ feeling so I love incorporating practical textures and a childlike touch to my work. In my eyes, it provides a perspective that my audience can see themselves in. I love this feeling of connection and I feel it’s one of the driving forces behind human nature; the desire to connect, to feel understood, and to not be alone. I wish to deliver this to people.

Just About Morning Ink & Digital

Porchlight Digital

Adventure Timing Michelle Soltys Digital

Crossing Your Mind Vince Park Ink on Paper & Digital Collage

Lovers Victor Avita Digital

My Life’s a Drag Bella Scott Digital

Making Love at the Edge of a Knife Madeline Blair Digital

Creativity in the Time of COVID By Madeline Blair

Artists of all types have suffered huge “.losses since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March earlier this year. ” On a normal day, if 2020 hadn’t come to naught: Veronica would be producing her next collection for her slow fashion brand, unhindered by the lockdowns in Australia. Paige would be apprenticing at a tattoo shop. Shravan would be bouncing around music venues playing jazz and other genres. The Virgin Jerry boys’ moms would be hanging out while the band records its sophomore album after finishing its first tour. Artists of all types have suffered huge losses since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March earlier this year. Inspiration is best made out in the world, interacting with people in physical spaces, and this has been greatly fettered by the disjointed global efforts to mitigate the pandemic. Record unemployment numbers have also led to the unfortunate truth that many people cannot afford to spendheir money on nonessential items right now, despite the fact thatcreatives rely on the support of

My experiences with creating during COVID have been somewhat of a dichotomy of one another. The stayat-home order early in the pandemic inspired me to take up knitting again, but by the time I was skilled enough to be making sweaters and started my own business called Skye Made (skyemade. com), the economic fractures that occurred meant that people were no longer in the market to be spending on slow fashion; the prices are a lot higher for luxury, handmade products.

To offset this less-than spectacular premier, I decided to self-publish my début poetry collection “Halcyon” earlier than I normally would have (msblairpoetry.com). Of course, $11.99 a more plalatable price, so I generated more sales but coming up with ideas for adding more current poems has been a challenge in itself. To get a range of perspectives on just how widely devastating this pandemic has been for creators, I had conversations with two small business owners, two visual artists, and two musician groups who I personally know and have inspired me a lot during this time. Photo by Author

1919

Veronica Tucker Veronica Tucker owns a small, self-titled fashion label based in Melbourne, Australia creating textile designs and womenswear — she also has a baby boy on the way and plans to teach him sewing too! She left her full-time job in March to focus on her label, right when the pandemic hit.

with a specificity only months on end of sitting at home could provide. She sees this time as a “blessing in disguise” because she has the opportunity to self-reflect and find inspiration within herself despite the fact that venturing out into the world was once her greatest muse. She told me gratitude is her main driver nowadays, especially putting into perspective that she had to postpone the production of her upcoming collection until now because the lockdowns made her lose access to her studio. She also said she feels lucky to have been versatile with what she was able to do in the meantime at home.

This has actually been “bizar-rely fortuitous” for her, given that she was able to adapt a versatility for her clientele to create cloth masks and loungewear. Being in lockdown for a seemingly endless amount of time gave her a platform to connect with a wider base on Instagram, where I actually first heard about her brand, and curate the core of her brand

Find her at @veronicatuckerthelabel on Instagram and veronicatuckerthelabel.com.

When I spoke with Akua Darkwa, a junior at UIUC and owner of her small handmade crochet business Nyancoaa, I noticed a lot of the same sentiments as Veronica when it comes to getting inspired to create new products at home. She started her business about a year ago after going viral on Twitter, and she is best known for her work with crocheted t-shirts with album cover designs on them. She told me about how her inspiration comes in waves and it can be difficult to not

get stuck in a rut, but spending a lot of time alone to herself has been beneficial for her creativity as well because there is an introspection that comes with it. Crocheting is a very meditative process in itself, even acting as a grounding anchor due to the patience required to complete a project. I asked what keeps her driven to keep creating during this year and she replied succinctly, “Black women inspire me.” Akua has a beautiful new collection coming out later this fall/winter that features décor pillows with the album covers of iconic Black women like SZA and Solange.

Find her at @nyancoaa on Instagram and nyancoaa.com

Paige Love

Find her at @paigelgarland on Instagram

Another friend, Violet Moyer, is the artist of my book cover and creates oil paintings as her usual medium. When she was a child, she lived between parents in Chicago, Illinois and Rome, Italy, which provided an interesting “geographical dynamic” in her artistry. This proved to be very useful for her these past months, since she had learned how to seek creativity all around her and, most importantly right now, within herself. All things considered, her greatest artistic challenge during the pandemic was simply the delivery time for painting materials and having to wait to begin a new piece. She told me, “As a joke, I often compare a strong art idea I have as a sneeze that needs to be let out, and being

My lifelong best friend Paige Love is a freelance artist and tattooer with a job in interior design. This pandemic has completely transformed her creative process; in the Before Times, she was selling art for fun and taking her time with it, but once the pandemic hit she went into “survival mode” and had to change her pace. It has been extremely difficult for her to make money solely on creating because more people can no longer afford to see art as a necessity, so now she spends her days exploring many different creative avenues to round herself and make ends meet. Her schedule is a mixed bag of activities: her interior design day job in the morning, mid-day oil portrait commissions and moderating

another artist’s Zoom lessons, and evening tattoo appointments. She always makes time to take breaks with her “sassy cheerleaders,” as she calls them — her two cats Milk and Luna — who often make it into her work as her muses, sometimes even leaving their paw-prints in the paint. What drives her to keep going the most is remembering what she does is undoubtedly essential; “creative people make the world go round.”

Violet Moyer

without a canvas was like being without a tissue.” Painting with oils, for her, is like creating a physical space in itself, sculpting together a harmony of brushes and colors and Turpenoid on the canvas. Much like Veronica had mentioned about the driving factor of her business, Violet remembers above all how grateful and aware of the good things she is. I appreciate the sentiment she honed in on, almost like a mantra, reminding herself that she feels healthy, she has the resources she needs, and she is comfortable being home from her New York college.

Find her at @vi.o.l.et on Instagram and violetmoyerart.com.

2121

Shravan Raghuram

Shravan Raghuram is a poetry “colleague” of mine at UIUC and a multifaceted musician who plays both solo and in different groups. He produces his own music and primarily plays drums, but also dabbles in guitar, vocals, bass, and even the piccolo trumpet. For him, drums are the most important support player in a given song (the “Scottie Pippen of music, if you will,” he said), so their collaborative nature has made it quite difficult to

jam out how he would in the Before Times. He was used to having a broad variety on the day-to-day, trying new techniques with a wide variety of people — playing with a jazz saxophonist on Friday, a reggae guitarist on Saturday — but has been forcedinto the habit of honing into the small things. Producing music has brought the same challenges; what was once a fun collaborative process of inviting different people

over to share new ideas and build upon them live has become him creating instrumentals on his own and sending them virtually to people he thinks might like them. Inspiration and revenue have been two great difficulties he has faced, but learned to find the good in. He now looks at the little differences in daily changes, those golden moments, and blows them into a large proportion to make a more abstract and ambiguous track; he also draws from art around him — poetry, movies, artwork — to make a “musical

mosaic.” Instead of playing large shows at well-paying venues with different groups every night, Shravan and one other bandmate take to the South Quad and play for tips, now mostly driven by the joys of playing music spontaneously in any public setting he can find and receiving genuine appreciation from those who stop to listen.

Find him at @sunswan_ on Instagram and “Sun Swan” on Spotify/Apple Music/Soundcloud/ Bandcamp.

A couple old friends of mine and my boyfriend are in a band called The Virgin Jerry, and three out of the five guys in the band were able to chat—Stas on drums, mandolin, viola, guitar, and production; Sam on songwriting, vocals, guitar, and piano; and Brian mainly on keyboard (and “keyboard-like products”) and artwork (Leo does lead guitar and bass, and Franklin does lead vocals and bass as well). They began the footwork of their sophomore record a year ago and had to put it on pause when leaving for college, so this pandemic ironically gave them more time to work together once they figured out how to meet and rehearse safely. Sam notes that they became a “great creative resource” for each other, eventually working for seven hours a day, five days a

week to meet the deadline for their album that released on October 30th. Seeing each other so often was transformative for the way they’d collaborate together; on their first album they would write their songs individually, but this one actually focused more on building from each other as a unit and reshaping their songs to reflect their chemistry. The intimate approach of teaching each other their individual songs was “a lot easier and a lot sexier,” as Brian put it, but the newfound collaboration led to a great cohesive chemistry among the group’s work. Playing around with improvisation is a positive trend they’ve noticed, and there has been a lot more encouragement to add fun, niche flourishes to their songs (for encouragement, see: “fuck it, mandolin in the intro!”). They had a tour around Illinois

planned for this summer that was unfortunately cancelled, but this also allowed them a lot more time to perfect their next album instead of rushing it. The biggest disappointment was actually the fact that their moms couldn’t hang out like normal as they would during the last album’s recording, when they found a cute little friend group in each other. As Brian so eloquently said, “How am I supposed to get in the studio and put my best foot forward when my mom’s back at home sad as shit?” The band made the work happen though, masks on and six feet apart every day.

Find them at @virginjerryband on Instagram and “The Virgin Jerry” on Spotify/Apple Music.

23 23

MICHELLE SOLTYS Hello, I am a college student just trying to make time for my creative side when I can. I am a junior at UIC majoring in Biology and minoring in Biomedical Visualization. I’ve always been drawn to illustration, especially the human figure and portrait. I like to to strive for accuracy in many of my drawings, but at other times I like to do the opposite and exaggerate and distort human features. My style is at times inconsistent, but I’m okay with that. In trying out different styles, I’ve explored a number of mediums and found out a lot about what I do enjoy. I hope to continue to pursue illustration and get closer to my niche in the field of medical illustration in my future.

See on page 14

Daze Michelle Soltys Pastel

She Nakya Ferrel Acrylic on Canvas

Madame Fancy-Toes Poses for her Morning Portrait Ari Kelo Gouache

Liar! Shannon Li Intaglio Print

Near and Dear Amelia Huske Illustration Comparison is the Thief of Joy Amelia Huske Illustration

Baby Earrings Rachel Menke Earrings

Work Day Rachel Dohner Installation

Hey Momma 1 Ink

Leo Ink

Hey Momma 2 Ink

Hey Momma 3 Ink

SAINT ROBBERY

I make art of many sorts, but right now I consider myself a cartoonist. I take inspiration from my own past and present, the people I surround myself with, strangers in passing, wack corporate media, literature, skateboarding, and some of my favorite cartoonists, such as Michael DeForge, Simon Hanselmann, and O. Schrauwen.

Image is Earth & Sun by Kymani Jendaye Davi-Williams

By YooJin Son

The Complex Progression In a Billion Dollar Industry “Oh, America’s racist,” said Dud Lawson, a Chicago printmaker, on the reasons behind America’s delay in Black art appreciation.

Lawson recognizes a shift in exhibitions of Black artists. Spaces have been created just for Black artists, taking initial steps to steadily reduce issues of representation in the industry. In the U.S., more than 70 Black-owned or Blackfounded museums, art galleries and spaces have been created to increase visibility.

“It’s really interesting to me, because when I was a child … the thing that I would always do is go through, look at the Renaissance paintings and, just look for Black people depicted in them, because it was rare that they were there,” Lawson said.

sales, according to a 2019 report by The Art Basel and Union Bank of Switzerland. Of the works in major U.S. collections, only 1.2% belong to Black artists, according to a study by scientific journal PLOS One.

iste l Tr ge Án

“There’s a negative side to anything. At the end of the day, everybody’s just trying to make money,” Lawson said. “And plus, the fact that it comes back to giving opportunities to folks and that’s — I’d say, there’s an overall positive there.”

Britta ny Cru The U.S. art industry is invested in creative tch minds, reaching nearly $30 billion in e r-

Gallery exhibitors, a lot of the time, when they showcase Black artists, they make sure it is obvious that the pieces are by a Black artist, Lawson said. It is his hope that these exhibitions were produced by newly hired people of color working behind the scenes. In reality, Lawson knows that exhibits of Black artists are produced predominantly for the work that showcase their racial background. The exposure, while the intentions are not ideal, can be beneficial.

“And it was just really interesting to see them depicted that way. And so, the fact that there’s a museum where you can just remove any of that, and it’s just like, yeah, I’m gonna see myself in all of this. But even if there’s not figurative images right there, you know who’s creating it, you know the mindset behind it.”

The force of the Black Lives Matter movement over the past summer is making progress toward its mission “to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes,” according to the official Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. Almost a decade has passed since the movement rose; over half a century since the Civil Rights Movement ended, yet the U.S. art scene remains unhinged. Brittany Crutcher, University of Illinois junior in studio art, believes underlying censorship is actively delaying the U.S. from reaching the rest of the world. It is not a matter of whether Europe is less racist, but its ability to separate the art from the artist. Although the mindset opens museum doors, creative work empompasses both the art and the artist; without this acknowledgment, the full story would not be told. “Americans are very sensitive. And in other countries, they just appreciate art for what it is,” Crutcher said.

An Artist Who Happens to Be Black

Joi Fulton - Show Off

J. oi Fulton, 2D/3D illustrator based in Chicago, centered her work on what she felt was expected from her creations as a Black artist. Relieving internal pressures to produce pieces on trauma, Fulton created emotional and visually dark pieces centered around her Blackness.

“I wasn’t just seen as an artist who was Black, I was seen as a Black artist ... it was kind of expected that I was sharing a story through my work, like constantly. And it was this expectation that was brought on me without my consent, in a way,” Fulton said. The young artist was only creating what she thought she had to: her life as a Black person, the struggle, the negative. The artwork that presents powerful Black stories in history holds great strength. At times, these pieces’ execution calls for numerous requirements keeping artists like Fulton from creating. To be an artist, just an artist, is not simple for Black artists. Critiques Crutcher receives from her peers and professors frequently link to Black oppression, regardless of her intentions. It is unavoidable, these comments are now embedded into her. Part of Crutcher’s education includes how to be quiet and listen to professors. It’s a lesson she knows needs to change. “I just want to draw a picture,” Crutcher said. “We don’t have a lot of like literal, more freedom when it comes to our pieces and it’s really, it’s very annoying because they expect us to reflect our oppression throughout our art. Sometimes we just want to be free.”

Joi Fulton - Inner Light

Originality: Appropriation or Inspiration? Ghetto, unprofessional, ratchet. The list goes on in various demeaning forms. Acrylic nails, hoop earrings, bagging clothing, braids were all oppressed until someone, most likely a white person, decided it was trendy. Marginalized groups have been stigmatized for their cultural practices for too long and it has only recently started to peel away. Cherry picking, shopping elements of Black culture and slapping an “inspired by” label on their “new style” feeds into big money industries continuing the toxic cycle of cultural appropriation.

Kymani Jendaye Davis-Williams is a junior studying dance at the University of Illinois. While dancing keeps her busy academically, fashion is another outlet for her creativity. The appropriation in the fashion industry is nothing new for Davis-Williams, it’s an issue that needed to be addressed from the beginning.

Kymani Jendaye Davis-Williams - That’s So Raven

It is not just celebrities and large corporations that are profiting from and supporting the appropriation of Black culture. For decades, nameplate necklaces have been a statement for coming of age and asserting a sense of self for Black people and other ethnic minorities. Today, it is most likely you or someone you know has a nameplate necklace without realizing where the “trend” started.

“I see a lot of like, high-end fashion artists, or Instagram stars like Kylie Jenner, people that they so called, started the trend or just started wearing it. And this is like, that’s been here and started by Black artists a long time ago. So I feel like we should have been credited for that,” Davis-Williams said.

37 37

Brittany Crutcher - Ophelia

Expanding her art to fashion, Crutcher drew paintings onto acrylic nails. Drawing inspiration from the abundance of acrylic nails she saw on social media that contradicts previous negative connotations, Crutcher recreated John Everett Millais’ “Ophelia” onto a full set. The original piece portrays Ophelia’s madness, hopelessness and powerlessness after her father, Polonius, was killed by Hamlet; realizing the power the men in her life hold. Crutcher interprets the painting as a story that follows the lives of Black women that are dictated by what a white man allows, expecting them to “live through the overwhelming feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness that Ophelia died with.” The influence of Black art in mainstream art scenes is a win for her, but the execution needs work. “The difference between the appreciation of the culture and the appropriation of the culture once you (wrongfully) claim it — that’s the issue,” Crutcher said. “If they acknowledge that it’s from Black culture and stuff like that, I feel like it’s fine. But other than that, it’s a little sketchy.” There is no excuse for appropriation, but in the art community, the line is quite different.

“I feel like, most things are inspired by something else, nothing’s created in a vacuum. And when you’re looking and seeking out things to be inspired by, the likelihood is that it’s probably going to lead you to a Black artist. Not necessarily American,” Lawson said. For Lawson, it is more important to create something nobody else can, even if it’s his handwriting. This is not an excuse for ignoring the credits. Recognition is essential. Fulton, however, does not see “trend setting” in the art seen in masses. The pointer is closer to appreciation under a microscope. Extensive research and call for a history conscious mindset is a significant part of creating art. Recognition is not a strong suit for the art scene but does exist.

“At the end of the day, nobody’s really that original, like somebody can do something in a way that hasn’t been done specifically that way before,” Lawson said. Originally is very rare. Lawson believes inspiration can look a lot more sinister than it actually is, yet numerous forms of art in mass media are most likely produced pulling inspiration from a Black artist.

”Every piece of artwork is just essentially expressing something or telling a story. And there’s a limited range of human emotions. So it’s like, what exactly are you showing probably isn’t something that nobody’s ever felt before.” Brittany Crutcher - Adonis

39 39

Kymani Jendaye Davis-Williams - She is Such A Bratz

The wave of Black Lives Matter The politicized human rights issue, Black Lives Matter, has gathered more people, educated generations and created a wave of positive force to the Black community all within the past summer. The 2020 Black Lives Matter protests influenced not only Americans but all global citizens like no other in the past. The movement’s measurable impact is undeniable. Social media has played a pivotal role in the BLM impact. Blackowned businesses are being highlighted, microaggressions are being addressed and Black creativity is being celebrated. “People are starting to understand that we should be recognized and that we should not be looked over. Because we are mostly, the main influencers of a lot of arts,” Davis-Williams said. In all honesty, Crutcher believes that people are just “tired of white people’s bullshit.” This has happened before, in a comparatively minor way, and disappeared quite quickly. How long this will last before the nation loses another innocent Black life, goes back into the 50s is never out of the question. “No, I don’t think it’ll last,” Lawson said. Black squares on Instagram quickly moved down profiles and were replaced with brunch pictures. Lawson said it was as if people were scared to post anything that wasn’t woke enough; it was “performative wokeness.”

“I really don’t think that the intent behind exposing or giving more light to artists of color really matters as long as when somebody sees it. Because at the end of the day, that’s what art is, like you’re trying to make something that somebody likes,” Lawson said.

Doors opened for Fulton. BLM forced companies and the art industry to confront neglected issues on diversity and inclusivity. However, it isn’t all positive. During Black History Month, Black illustrators like Fulton were asked to create illustrations of BLM. The intentions were good and Fulton was grateful to have been asked, but the frustration of being told to only create on Black stories was conflicting. The focus on Black artists is what’s important to Lawson, regardless of how genuine the intentions are.

41 41

Sonnet 1 A silent gentle violet paints the sky as spritely clouds dance across its canvas. And, by some divine will, I fluttered my eyes, and raised my body off my mattress. Alas, this bed of mine whispers such sweet songs, and I, being no man to fight such fair words, collapsed into the silky sheet beneath my back, melting at its warm touch. Oh, but such gentle violet quickly fades, as the heavens make way for its sun’s rise. Carelessly draped in its halycon shade, such brilliant rays did not pierce my eyes. Day gives way to night, and I, lost in sleep Let the silent violet sky gently creep. —Anonymous

Since the Collective began, a tradition has been to visit house shows and ask people a question for the magazine. With the pandemic, this was impossible, so instead we asked our followers two questions and recorded their responses. These are the results.

Back Scratcher um

Plutoni

Leaarning new hobbies and excelling at them sors

cis

ith s hicken w c w a r p utting u

pape

WHAT SCRATCHES THAT ITCH?

Straw

berry

Lemon

ade

When songs in an album blend into eachother

Foraging in

Sand

the thrift sto re

ectly

ing perf

ies load 123mov s

Q-tip

hethan W r e v y Fore

Sta 2 2 Cool

Anna Care -

Nak ed -

Waterloo - Abba No Dig

Burch

gity -

Blacks

treet

WHAT SONG DO YOU DANCE TO WHEN NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND?

Bick

an Dawson

Goodbye My Love

Triple Double - Je r - James Blunt

Es Por

Ti - Ju

anes

mix) - Boney M.

Rasputin (Club Re

Out Movin’

Billie Jo

A GENERATION OF GUINEA PIGS By Farrah Anderson

As the first generation who grew up with unyielding access to social media and technology, the effects on GenZ can spur people into spirals of dystopian speculation.

WELCOME TO THE LAB

ithin our modern society, people are being introduced to social media and technology younger and younger, and the effects are still coming to fruition.

As users producing data and information for tech companies, young people on social media say that targeted ads and data collection make them feel like the products themselves.

“Four years ago, technology companies were widely seen as having a positive impact on the United States. But the share of Americans who hold this view has tumbled 21 percentage points since then, from 71% to 50%,” according to the Pew Research Center.

“You are basically giving consent to them sharing your data as a product,” Frankie Gaynor, a junior studying Political Science at Tulane University, said. “Instagram is not the product, you are the product.”

While social media algorithms continue to dominate our online world, young people are recognizing their overreaching influence and the glaring lack of transparency within technology giants.

Social Media and the Metric Obsession In 2012, UIUC art professor Ben Grosser had an idea. In just four months, he built the Facebook Demetricator, a browser extension that hides all numbers and metrics from users.

“We’ve created an entire global generation of people who are raised within a context where the very meaning of culture is manipulation,” Jaron Lanier, an “Make an email. Create an American computer science writer, account. Verify that email. said on “The Social Dilemma.”

Upload your profile picture.

Grosser said users of the browser extension have reported that by taking away the metrics, their online experience was completely changed.

After watching the hit Netflix Snap your friends. Follow documentary, the world was exposed to the reality of social for follow. Doomscroll.” media and technology on youth culture. As the world continues to grapple with the grip of social media and technology “(It) reveals to them that the numbers had been making on their lives, the concerns over privacy, addiction and them anxious, and compulsive, and competitive,” transparency trickle down to the generation of young Grosser said. “And that they even had created rules for people who know nothing but complete immersion. themselves about how to act on these platforms based on what the numbers say unconsciously.”

Terms and Conditions

In April of 2019, Instagram began experimenting with taking away visible metrics from users. Instead of seeing To operate as a member of our modern society, social the number of likes on a post, users were only able to see media and technology are essential. Because of the “liked by this user and thousands of others” on a post. monopolies that tech giants have built and maintained, This controversial choice was cited by creators as a way the terms and conditions are basically non-negotiable. to break away from its parent Facebook and promote user wellbeing. But in order to log on and reap the benefits, users have to consent. Although Instagram continues to hide the number of likes on other people’s posts, users are still able to see “How much falls on us though? I can’t tell you a single their own metrics. Grosser says that by employing visible time I’ve ever read the terms and conditions,” Gloria metrics on social media sites, they create an obsession Sermersheim, a college senior studying Elementary with the numbers. Education at Eastern Illinois University, said.

“The effect, intended or not, produces a desire to optimize for those numbers,” Grosser said. “To get more likes, to post things tha get more likes, to post things that produce more followers.” After legal battles with Facebook, Grosser has created a Twitter and Instagram demetricator, other browser extensions which hide all numbers and metrics on the platforms. But for the masses, the effects of visible metrics of social media sites aren’t completely known yet. “The way a piece of software is designed can have dramatic effects on those who use it- on individuals, on communities, and on society,” Grosser said. “The effect, intended or not, produces a desire to optimize for those numbers,” Grosser said. “To get more likes, to post things that get more likes, to post things that produce more followers.” After legal battles with Facebook, Grosser has created a Twitter and Instagram demetricator, other browser extensions which hide all numbers and metrics on the platforms. But for the masses, the effects of visible metrics of social media sites aren’t completely known yet. “The way a piece of software is designed can have dramatic effects on those who use it- on individuals, on communities, and on society,” Grosser said.

Mental Health When Gloria Sermersheim’s phone broke, she said she knew she had a problem. As a result, Sermersheim was forced to spend 13 days without her phone. She said she found herself reaching for her phone even though it wasn’t there and that she felt incredibly disconnected from the world. After watching “The Social Dilemma,” she said she now knows why. “They have these crazy ways of studying psychology in order for us to be addicted to social media and I truly believe I am addicted,” she said. “It’s something I use every single day and if I don’t, I feel like I’m missing out on so much.”

After watching the documentary and realizing how addicted she was to her phone and social media, Sermersheim said she’s been trying to limit her screen time. “I’ve been trying to limit my time on social media but it is hard because it is addictive. It’s designed to be addictive and manipulate you psychologically, so it’s hard to break that addiction,” she said. “Some 45% of teens say they use the internet ‘almost constantly,’ a figure that has nearly doubled from the 24% who said this in the 2014-2015 survey,” according to the Pew Research Center. “Another 44% say they go online several times a day, meaning roughly nine-in-ten teens go online at least multiple times per day.” Professor Ben Grosser says that the visible metrics can feed into our social addiction and deteriorating mental health surrounding our online performance. “How we’re valued by ourselves and others is a quantifiable thing reported to us continuously and attached to every single thing we post,” Grosser said. Almost 25% of adolescents believe that social media has a mostly negative effect on their mental health, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Health Research.

But with the added pressures of social media and technology on young people’s mental health, young people can also empathize with others and destigmatize their struggles with mental health.

“This outcome reinforces not only the ability, butthe need to examine unintended consequences of algorithmic systems that affect the majority of our population today,” Karahalios told the ACLU.

“We all have a level of compassion and empathy for our fellow humans because we all know what it’s like to be anxious and depressed and have social media be the cause of that,” Frankie Gaynor said.

As machine-learning and algorithms are designed to become more intelligent, there is a greater urgency for both consumers and researchers to critique tech companies.

Transparency

“(We need to) be able to unpack and critique what’s going on inside these businesses and inside these computer programs,” Steward said. “In a regime where they’re able to keep all of that secret, it’s hard to know what’s going on.”

As algorithms recommend content and govern our online lives, many technology consumers have called for more transparency within media companies to reveal how their algorithms work and what they’re using consumer data to do.

Misinformation and Sensationalism

“Even if they don’t have any nefarious purpose, if the algorithm is not transparent, there’s going to be trust issues,” UIUC Sociology professor Dan Steward said. UIUC freshman Serena Palacios says that social media changed her life. As a TikTok creator with almost 1800 According to the Pew Research Center, 74% of people followers, she’s had some videos go viral and amass did not know that Facebook used their interests for over 700k views. advertisers, and 51% said that they were not comfortable with this kind of data collection. “Before it (social media), I was quiet and didn’t talk to many people, but then I got on social media and I started Because consumers don’t know how their data is being meeting more people and reaching out,” Palacios said. used, it’s easy for technology companies to protect their algorithms citing intellectual property laws and evade After navigating TikTok’s algorithm by perfecting her global scrutiny. hashtag use and post timing, Palacios said that sometimes she just knows when a video is going to do well or end “In Silicon Valley, a lot of the algorithms that get up on the “For-You page,” an intelligent algorithmic feed developed are proprietary. They’re protected as trade basically spelled out for you in the name. secrets,” Steward said. “Only a small group of people, even in one of these tech-giant companies, are going to But as videos of conventionally attractive creators be able to see the algorithm and know what’s going on.” dancing and tours of massive mansions curate the most views, the For-You page can get crowded with content So, let the legal battles commence. from celebrities and Youtubers. UIUC Computer Science professor Karrie Karahalios joined her colleagues, media companies, and the ACLU to sue the U.S. government for the rights to be able to collect data and conduct research on the company’s data collection and the effects on people.

“If you post something crazy, you’re bound to be on the For-You page,” Palacios said. “I feel like it doesn’t give small creators enough space and time to be on the For-You page.”

This March, they won.

And as sensationalist content spreads online, so does misinformation.

Looking Ahead

In a survey conducted in February and March of 2018, 56% of Americans said tech companies should take steps to restrict false information online, even if it limits freedom of information.

Although social media and technology have undoubtedly blessed us with unwavering communication and platforms to learn and inform others, the ways that companies look to profit off of consumers leave young people wondering where the power really lies.

“Misinformation is spread more widely than facts are,” UIUC Professor Karahalios said. The misinformation wildfire can spread with just a couple of shares online, but learned technology might have armed young people in Generation Z with enough cynicism to combat widespread misinformation and “fake news.”

“74% of people did not know that Facebook used their interests for advertisers, and 51% said that they were not comfortable with this kind of data collection”

“As the first generation to grow up with social media, Gen Z has an innate understanding of how to create and move online content, which makes them less susceptible to misinformation,” Axios journalist Stef W. Kight wrote in “Gen Z is eroding the power of disinformation.”

“We are the ones making them the money,” Gloria Sermersheim said. “Without us, they’d be nothing.”

At the end of the day, these platforms are tools, and powerful tools at that. Their power is unrelenting, persuasive, and hounding. But there is pride to be taken in that as young people, we also yield power against these giants. From Tiktok stars on billboards to targeted ads, it’s as if these entities need us just as much as we need them. It’s David and Goliath, sure, but who’s to say who’s who? You made the email, created the accounts and checked the boxes under the terms and conditions. By consenting, you opened yourself up to an online world full of information, connection, and unforeseen effects.

Ilan Elenbogen Out of doors Photography & Digital Collage

NATALIE LEONFFU I’ve been drawn to photography, video, and visual arts, throughout my life, I always go back to them. Through these mediums, I’ve been able to experiment freely finding compositions or portraying life in different ways.

Yas Portrait #2 Darkroom Print - Photography

Yas Portrait #1 Darkroom Print - Photography

American Summer Photography

JOSH JAY JAMES I am a photographer/videographer with a multidimensional stylistic vision. I shoot with simple goal in mind: tell a story with each image. I find inspiration for photos in the moment-- I always carry a camera with me so I don’t miss it. I also seek inspiration from music, other photographer friends, and art related to whatever creative pocket I may find myself in.

Quadrangle Photography

Trapped in your Universe Digital Photography and Collage

VINCE PARK 21-year-old artist currently studying finance & political science at Marquette University. Doing my best to translate feelings into something visual Looking back at it now, I am most creative in periods of isolation and emotional distress (such as corona times)probably a coping thing.

See on page 15

ld or

Pe ve y

t’s

T Ho h In w ri a -to f no ’s t t-s & in o su Ho g st wai n : n o na

Thrifting.

It has become a phenomenon on social media and with people of all ages. The overwhelming amount of clothes on the shelves and the time it takes to thrift can be a little intimidating. But, I’m here to tell you it’s easier than you think. It’s sustainable and fun.

Sustainability.

Thrifting is one of the most important and sustainable ways to shop around. In the fashion industry, so many textiles, patterns and clothes are wasted and overproduced. When you thrift, you are buying recycled clothing and not buying from fast fashion companies that are overproducing cheap clothing, only to end up in thrift stores or the trash. According to EDGE Fashion Intelligence, “nearly 20% of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry.” The amount of water needed to produce one kilogram of cotton, 20,000 liters, is equivalent to a single t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

Where to thrift: 1.Thrift stores 2.Online thrifting 3.Vintage stores 4.Flea markets 5.Estate Sales

“There are so many different types of thrifting. Not just types, but different places.”

Thrifting is not only a way to find clothes as unique as the wearer and is not only a way to get cheap, vintage, sustainable clothing, but can also be a way to give back while you purchase clothing. It is one of the best parts about thrifting and is what makes thrifting as sustainable as it is. When you purchase items from the thrift store and then donate your own clothes simultaneously, it creates this chain that helps keep thrift stores with current and new clothing. It’s important to always choose clothing that you can wear for a long time and keep in your closet for as long as it’s meant for. The clothing itself, if it’s made right, will last a lot longer than the time people give it. Before we get to the How-to’s, it’s integral as a thrift shopper to think about intentional thrifting vs. careless thrifting. Depending on where you are shopping, the people who live in that area may really rely on “thrifting” and do not have the luxury of shopping at “name brand” stores or malls. Many lower income households and families rely on shopping at places like Goodwill and Village Discount stores, while thrift shoppers are going to these places and buying clothing in bulk to resell. Keeping this in mind while shopping is key to being an intentional and respectful shopper.

5 Things to think about when you pull a piece you like: How often will I wear this? Can this be a versatile piece of clothing? Would this benefit someone else more than me? How could I style this? Could I alter this or refashion this piece? Making a List

Part of being an intentional thrift shopper is making a list. It is so important to go into thrift shopping with somewhat of a game plan. Having an idea of what you are looking for before you go is super needed. Thrift stores can often be an overwhelming place if it is your first time and having a plan of action is going to ease that feeling.

Shopping by Item/Brand As well as shopping by a specific item or brand, lots of thrift stores or flea markets have sale sections or sale days, which are often filled with new types of clothing every week. As well as shopping by a specific item or brand, lots of thrift stores or flea markets have sale sections or sale days, which are often filled with new types of clothing every week.

Main Things that are popular to find at thrift stores: Sweatshirts Jeans, Pants, T-Shirts, Lingerie, Sweaters,

Now go thrift!

61 61

ARTISTS ARTISTS MEET THE

Michelle Soltys

IG: @junk.trunk Just a college student trying to fit art into my busy schedule. My favorite medium as of late is digital art.

Daniel Brown

IG: @danbrown.keep I practice drawing, digital + pixel art, graphic + game design, music, sound art, and video art. I wish to promote selfreflection and observation.

Victor Avitia

Maggie McKelvey

Bella Scott

Vince Park

Nakya Ferrell

Ari Kelo

IG: @victoravitia Sophomore majoring in Graphic Design and pursuing the Fashion Design concentration.

IG: @bella.jolie I’m bella and my favorite twitter account is Cher’s.

IG: @kyawrites Painting gives me a chance to let my hands tell the story they want to tell. This medium allows me to explore parts of myself I don’t often encounter.

IG: @maggiisapcepanda_draws Website: MaggieMcKelvey.com Animator/Illustrator based in LA, with a love for stop motion and miniatures pursuing her BFA in Experimental Animation at CalArts.

IG: @art.vins 21-year-old fartist

IG: @artsy.ari | @zoom.zoooom I’m a junior at UIUC studying Theatre and Environmental Sustainability. While mainly a movement actor, I also paint to share fun visual ideas. Cheers!

Robyn

Amelia Huske

Rachel E. Dohner

Cosmo

IG: @robunnie I’m a junior in Art Education & enjoy creating art that personally intrigues me, often relating to my personal interests like anime, guro art, or SEL.

IG: @aehuske.studio Amelia is a multimedia artist from the West side of Chicago currently attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

IG: @feltgirlworld Website: racheldohner.com Rachel is a Chicago artist studying at SAIC. Her work springs from intricate stories, maximalism, and the desire to make her inner world tangible.

Saint Robbery

IG: @Red_potatoes4 I would love to collect your art and steal your dog.

IG: @st.robbery At one point, I’m fairly confident I was born, and now I’m here.

IG: @jani.na Twitter: @okeggnog Future psychologist, writer, abolitionist. Urbana’s bad bitch from the brook.

Madeline Blair

Josh Jay James

IG: @m.s.blair Website: www.msblairpoetry.com Chicago-based writer, artist, and knitwear designer. I want everything I create to feel like a dreamy cloud.

IG: @joshjayjames Wesbite: www.joshjayjames.com I am a photographer & videographer seeking to capture beautiful moments in time- moments that will make you think twice about what you are seeing!

Ilan Elenbogen

Janina Rojas

IG: @ilan__e Website: ilanes01.myportfolio.com Photography + Graphic Design.

Natalie Leonffu

IG: @pixlated.arts Through visual arts, I’ve been able to experiment freely finding compositions or portray life in different ways.

Special thanks to everyone who submitted their art. We could not have made this without people like you.