VOL. CLXXVI NO. 143
CLOUDY HIGH 42 LOW 30
NEWS
FEDERAL REGULATION CHANGE LEADS TO DASH POLICY ADJUSTMENT PAGE 2
OPINION
KIM: MISSING THE POINT PAGE 4
ARTS
DARTMOUTH FSP EXPLORES THE LIFE AND WORKS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI PAGE 7
MUSICAL EMPOWERMENT WRAPS UP ‘STRIKE A CHORD’ CAMPAIGN PAGE 8 FOLLOW US ON
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COPYRIGHT © 2020 THE DARTMOUTH, INC.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Small fire at Phi Delt Student groups implicated in forces relocations report of hazing, alcohol violations B y THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Local fire departments on Sunday afternoon responded to a fire at Phi Delta Alpha frater nity. The fire was confined to the third-floor bathroom of the fraternity and quickly extinguished, according to Hanover Fire Department captain Michael Gilbert. The fire tripped a heat sensor on a third-f loor sprinkler of the fraternity, leading water to spread and
seep to the lower floors of the building. He said that representatives from the College will determine the implications of the damage — namely, if residents will be able to continue to reside in the building. Associate director of residential operations Bernard Haskell said residents of the building would be rehoused in residence halls until the Hanover Fire Department confirms that SEE FIRE PAGE 3
DDS does not charge fee for ‘assumed theft,’ director says B y DEBBY COBON
The Dartmouth Staff
Contrary to popular belief, Dartmouth Dining Services does not charge students a fee for assumed theft as part of their dining plans. Many students believe that DDS charges a fee of $100 to $200 to make up for the price of stolen goods from dining facilities — such as taking extra fruits to-go or a coffee mug from the Class of 1953 Commons.
Arnold Fuentes ’23 said he first heard this rumor at the beginning of his freshman fall. “I don’t know how it started, but people started telling me, ‘Oh, you know you’re charged for stealing, so you might as well just steal something anyway,’” Fuentes said. “I was told that you’re already charged in the event that you might steal, so that leads you to assume it’s not SEE DDS PAGE 5
SYDNEY GILLMAN/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
A report published by the College listed violations by seven Dartmouth student organizations.
THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF A termly report published by the College on Monday revealed alcohol and hazing policy violations by several student groups, including the men’s basketball team, women’s track and field team and five Greek houses. Many of the violations, listed in the Fall 2019 report of the Organizational Adjudication Committee, occurred in previous years and were the subject of an external investigation after a 2018 report in a student publication made specific allegations of hazing against several student groups. According to the OAC’s
report, the men’s basketball team admitted responsibility for activity that occurred during the summer term of 2019 that violated the school’s alcohol policies, including the hard alcohol policy, causing the team to be prohibited from engaging in social activities for a term. Another athletics team, the women’s track and field team, admitted to activity in the fall term of 2018 that violated the hard alcohol and hazing policies, and was also prohibited from engaging in social activities for a term. This activity, as well as that of the basketball team, came to the College’s attention through the Department of Safety and Security.
The five Greek houses that committed violations are Alpha Phi sorority, Chi Delta sorority, Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity, Psi Upsilon fraternity and Zeta Psi fraternity. Both Chi Delt and Psi U admitted responsibility for activities in the fall terms of 2016, 2017 and 2018 that violated the College’s alcohol and hazing policies. The two Greek organizations, according to the report, are required to “engage with Greek Life and their local leadership to implement educational initiatives.” Tri-Kap likewise admitted responsibility for activity SEE VIOLATIONS PAGE 3
PAGE 2
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Federal regulation change leads to DASH policy adjustment B y PIERCE WILSON The Dartmouth Staff
Earlier this month, Campus billing and DartCard services announced via email that as of March 16, students will no longer be able to overdraft their DASH Discretionary accounts. Currently, students are able to overdraw up to $100 on this account without the transaction failing. Going forward, all purchases and transactions made using the DASH Discretionary account will have to be made via prefunded deposits, which can be deposited online via the GET website. According to director of campus billing and DartCard services Kathryn Page, the changes to DASH were made in compliance with a federal policy called Regulation E. Regulation E is a set of rules established by the Federal Trade Commission to carry about the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. “While the DartCard currently allows students to overdraw their accounts up $100 before declining transactions, Reg E requires financial institutions to obtain affirmative consumer consent if an overdraft is permitted and if there are any fees or costs associated with that overdraft,” Page said. “So, really this is about consumer protection.” Page said that Dartmouth falls under a ‘lite’ form of the regulation because it provides an electronic fund transfer service while not holding a consumer’s account. She explained that this ‘Reg E Lite’ refers to the fact that the DASH allows students to access funds by prefunding money onto DartCard through the GET system but does not actually access student’s or parent’s bank accounts. Page said that there was recently a change in Regulation E legislation that caused Dartmouth to change the DASH policies. “What we can’t allow students to do anymore is use it as kind of like a credit card,” she said. The practice of allowing students to go into the red is, according to Page, is no longer permitted by the federal
government. She added that campus billing and DartCard services will begin mailing out disclosure statements to students similar to how a real credit card agency would. Page also explained that her office chose March 16 as the effective date for changes in an attempt to be sensitive to student needs and stress. She said she hopes that students who rely on the overdraft feature will be able to complete the term and final exams without worrying about prefunding their accounts or coming up with that money. Page also said that although students use their DartCards to make purchases at Collis Market and at vending machines around campus, the changes should not affect food insecurity on campus. “Although we have to do this for regulation, it’s not keeping a student from eating on campus, as DDS charging is still possible,” Page said. She said that Regulation E does not apply because DDS charging does not fall under the umbrella of a prefunded card, but under the umbrella of a university meal plan, which is subject to different regulations. According to Page, in order to assist with laundry, the Office of Residential Life may be installing machines in laundry rooms around campus that accept debit cards. This way, students will have the choice between quarters, prefunded DASH and their own debit card for the cost. Additionally, DartCards will retain the $20 GreenPrint allowance, which is factored into tuition. However, if a student spends more than $20 on printing in one term, the transaction would go DASH and would need to be prefunded. According to Page, the current overdraft policy caused much confusion among students and parents, and limited transaction to preloaded funds should make the process clearer. Page stressed that this policy comes from regulations outside of Dartmouth’s control, and there is not much her office can do in terms of reversing it. “We had no choice,” she said. “CampusbillingheardfromDartmouth’s
CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.
NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Students will no longer be able to spend money on their DASH accounts without preloading money first.
general counsel exactly what we had to do.” The day after the changes to DASH were announced, Student Assembly began circulating a link to a Google Forms survey about the policy via email and GroupMe. The survey asked students to provide feedback on the changes, with the option for respondents to respond anonymously. Student Assembly president Luke Cuomo ’20 said that Student Assembly sent out the survey out of concern for how the new policy might impact low-income students. Cuomo hopes to present the responses to the administration. As of press time, Cuomo said that around 350 students had responded to the survey. “We remain concerned about the perhaps unintentional effects and difficulties the new policy places on students, and we are committed to exploring ways in which perhaps there can be new changes or opportunities made available to students who do need financial flexibility that is not currently provided,” Cuomo said. According to Cuomo, a majority of the student responses so far oppose the
changes. Cuomo also expressed concern that these changes, which affect the student body, were not run by Student Assembly before being announced. He added that he feels as though the explanation offered in the email from campus billing was less than adequate. “I’d also think changes that take effect and changes that affect the student body at large should be well explained to the student body before they take place,” Cuomo said. “I think that is also part of the issue — that many students do not understand the reasoning behind the changes, and that kind of opaque nature of policymaking can sometimes engender a negative personal response.” Diego Perez ’23 said that he felt blindsided by the policy when he first received the notice in his inbox. Perez said it was wrong for the College to change a policy that many students rely on for laundry. “I feel like it’s going to affect lowincome students the most, because they do rely on being able to overcharge it overdraft,” Perez added. “To make purchases either at the Collis Market or for laundry I never think of, ‘No,
I’m gonna have to pre-load my DASH account.’ I just know that I can swipe it and then at the end is going to be charged to me once I have all the money for tuition.” Perez also suggested a potential solution to the financial flexibility problems presented by the new policy. “I think that $100 charge at the beginning of the term would be better, instead of just running an overdraft, because we already know that we have $100,” he said. “So instead, if we pay for that $100 upfront, then we still have $100 throughout the term that we can use.” Cuomo emphasized that the policy is still a major concern for Student Assembly. “Regardless of the origin and the reasoning for these changes, the fact is that it is a concern for some students and that is something that we have to address,” he said. “The comments we’ve collected from the student to the administration really sheds a lot of light on the concrete effects of this policy change will have on the daily lives of a lot of students.”
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
PAGE 3
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Five Greek houses mentioned in report Fraternity repairing damage after minor fire FROM VIOLATIONS PAGE 1
occurring in the summer term of 2018 that violated the alcohol and hazing policies, resulting in a deferred suspension. The Dartmouth first reported last fall on the violations committed by APhi and Zete, which resulted in one- and two-term suspensions, r e s p e c t i ve l y. A P h i a d m i t t e d responsibility for activities that occurred in the fall ter ms of 2016, 2017 and 2018 that violated hazing and alcohol policies. Zete, meanwhile, received its suspension — as well as alcohol probation during the current term and College probation in the spring term — due to the possession and service of hard alcohol during the summer term of 2019. All of the organizations listed, with the exception of Chi Delt and Psi U, are required to complete the Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention for College Students program and engage with the College to implement educational initiatives. The report also states that the
College investigated allegations of possible hazing activity by the men’s crew team. While the investigation did not discover sufficient evidence to support the claims, the athletics department will review relevant College policies with the team. According to the report, several of these activities came to the College’s attention due to an article published in a student publication, which prompted the College to hire an external investigator in fall 2018 to evaluate the allegations. The Dartmouth reported at the time that the investigation, involving allegations against 13 total student groups, was prompted after several anonymous reports made through the LiveSafe app as well as Safety and Security reports, first-hand accounts and an op-ed briefly published on the website of the Dartmouth Radical that made specific allegations against several organizations based on anonymous sources. Community standards and accountability director Katharine Strong wrote in an email statement to The Dartmouth that the findings published today came in response
to reports of behavior both in fall 2018 and summer 2019. “In each case, the available infor mation was reviewed, a determination of responsibility was made, and a determination of how to respond was made,” Strong wrote. “To be clear: these are outcomes delivered in the fall and not behaviors that occurred or were reported in the fall.” Strong noted that it is not typical for the College to receive reports covering multiple years or organizations, but that it is standard to review and investigate reports regardless of when they occurred. “We will continue to respond to any report that is submitted by following our process and working with organizations to review expectations and consider the safety of their members and the Standards of Conduct,” Strong wrote. Re p r e s e n t a t i ve s f ro m t h e organizations listed could not i m m e d i at e l y b e re a ch e d fo r comment.
FROM FIRE PAGE 1
the building is safe and the fraternity decides to allow students to return. Phi Delt is taking measures to repair damage done by the fire in order to make the house habitable again, according to Haskell. “ T h ey ’re re a ch i n g o u t t o contractors now,” Haskell said. As of press time, Phi Delt
president Sean Keough ’20 said that he did not know about the extent and implications of the fire. The Hanover, Hartford and Lebanon fire departments all responded to the incident. Savannah Eller contributed reporting. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
PETER CHARALAMBOUS/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Three fire departments responded to the fire on Sunday afternoon.
PAGE 4
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST SHEEN KIM ’23
Missing the Point
“Parasite” is about capitalism, not inclusivity.
DEBORA HYEMIN HAN, Editor-in-Chief
AIDAN SHEINBERG, Publisher
ALEX FREDMAN, Executive Editor PETER CHARALAMBOUS, Managing Editor
PRODUCTION EDITORS TEDDY HILL-WELD & MATTHEW MAGANN, Opinion Editors KYLEE SIBILIA & NOVI ZHUKOVSKY, Mirror Editors ADDISON DICK & JUSTIN KRAMER & LILI STERN, Sports Editors LEX KANG & LUCY TURNIPSEED, Arts Editors NAINA BHALLA & LORRAINE LIU, Photo Editors SAMANTHA BURACK & BELLA JACOBY, Design Editors GRANT PINKSTON, Templating Editor JESS CAMPANILE, Multimedia Editor
ANTHONY ROBLES, Managing Editor
BUSINESS DIRECTORS JONNY FRIED & JASMINE FU Advertising & Finance Directors HIMADRI NARASIMHAMURTHY & KAI SHERWIN Business Development Directors ALBERT CHEN & ELEANOR NIEDERMAYER Strategy Directors VINAY REDDY & ERIC ZHANG Marketing, Analytics and Technology Directors
ELIZA JANE SCHAEFFER, Social Media Editor WILLIAM CHEN & AARON LEE, Data Visualization Editors
SUBMISSIONS: We welcome letters and guest columns. All submissions must include the author’s name and affiliation with Dartmouth College and
should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.
“Okja, Snowpiercer, Parasite, they’re all stories about capitalism,” said acclaimed Korean director Bong Joon-ho of his films. “Before it’s a massive, sociological term, capitalism is just our lives.” Bong has been doing this for a while now. His “Memories of Murder” (2003) tackled crime and protest in a newly democratic South Korea. His 2006 film “The Host” showed the suffering that Korean people go through at the hands of American militarism . “Okja,” from 2017, focused on the commodification of people under capitalism. “Parasite” — which won this year’s Academy Award for Best Picture — does not deviate from this pattern. A black comedythriller, it focuses on the impoverished Kim family and their infiltration of the elite, wealthy Park household. “Parasite” critiques idealizing globalized capitalism, arguing that for every family like the Parks, who have access to all the opportunities in the world, there is a family like the Kims, who are unable to escape their status due to severe economic disempowerment. There is even a dream sequence in which Kevin, the son of the Kim family, pictures himself buying the Park’s house before flashing back to his basement home, reminding us that such class mobility is nothing more than just that: a dream. The disillusionment and despair that permeate the film have worldwide appeal, regardless of the film’s Korean setting. As Bong puts it, “... in the end, it’s as if we’re all living in this one country of capitalism.” It’s hard to ignore the hypocrisy of celebrating “Parasite” at the Oscars. Attendees receive $225,000 gift bags and will likely be greeted after the ceremony by the very servants and drivers the movie centers on . It’s unclear if the Academy awarded “Parasite” in recognition of its appeal to those disillusioned with global capitalism or in spite of it. But the Academy cares little about this critique — Bong’s victory was nothing more than an opportunity for the Academy to virtue signal its inclusivity. The Academy’s commendation pacifies Bong’s criticism, because it diverts the focus from the film’s confrontation of economic hegemony, class warfare and violence — issues equally pertinent to the power of recognition wielded by the Academy — in favor of simple diversity. Since the Oscars, “Parasite” has been praised as a victory for Asians and foreign filmmaking. But this praise
reproduces an understanding that American, mostly white, upper-class recognition is what legitimizes a film’s success, crowding out the film’s very real critique. Many critics recognize that “Parasite” is both an achievement for all foreign filmmakers and is still a sharp criticism of income inequality. But just as many have turned the cast and crew’s racial diversity into the focus of their analysis, ignoring the complex socioeconomic issues at play. Many journalists and influential Twitter figures have used the all-Korean cast’s recognition to glorify the potential that Asians have to succeed in the American market, without considering if the prestige and value of Asian cinema should be evaluated on American terms in the first place. These perspectives fail to recognize that “Parasite” is set in and driven by the tension of South Korea’s rapid economic development and widening inequality after foreign intervention . South Korea’s very creation was staked on it becoming an ally of capitalism and the United States through its incorporation into the global market. Because American commentators can easily ignore the complex history behind the film, moderate analysts have adopted vague ideas of cultural and economic when discussing its victory. Such perspectives stem from an acceptance of a hollowed-out liberalism that continues to uphold the flaws of global capitalism — one that would rather place bandages on problems as they appear, rather than confronting the endemic failures of the system that cause them. Engaging with “Parasite” in a way that allows for the critique of structural inequality — rather than viewing it from the assimilationist paradigm of “American success” — is a seemingly radical but necessary act that is faithful to Bong’s message. To frame “Parasite” in terms of multiculturalism alone is to forget the uncomfortable truth of how American imperialism has enforced the globalization of capitalism. A Bloomberg writer, Noah Smith, argues we should understand “Parasite” and its popularity like the rise of K-pop supergroup BTS: as a reflection of South Korea’s “successful” ascension in both cultural and economic power. Takes like this drastically miss the mark. South Korea is a warning SEE KIM PAGE 6
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
PAGE 5
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
DDS not interested in punitive measures for student stealing FROM DDS PAGE 1
wrong to steal.” However, according to DDS director, Jon Plodzik, this is a myth. “There is no such charge from dining, and there’s never been such charge from dining,” Plodzik said. “The price of our program is really based on the variables that make up our expenses which are labor, food and the general supply that goes into providing the goods you all enjoy. We have no budget line associated with the assumption that you’re taking stuff with you.” Plodzik said he does notice that some items “disappear,” especially at the beginning of a school year, but that many items return toward the end of a term. Utensils that most often disappear include coffee mugs, salt and pepper shakers and flatware. The end of the year sees returns ranging from students bringing back a “surprising number” of Green2Go containers to flatware found in kitchens around campus. He added that DDS would prefer not to spend on items already purchased, but if something is not returned in sanitary condition, it is thrown out. DDS associate director Don Reed added that it is difficult to estimate the number of items that are stolen from the College’s dining facilities since there are other reasons that contribute to a decrease in inventory.
“We don’t do a physical inventory at the beginning or end of the term, so there’s not a specific number we can attribute to possible misplacement,” Reed said. “With coffee mugs and plates, there is a level of breakage — if they are dropped, they will crack. Some of the items that are gone are the cause of use or wear and tear, which may not be a result of someone taking it out of the building.” However, some students cite the higher prices of many food items as incentive to steal. The prices of some food items at the College are comparable to prices in Hanover. For example, a bag of chips or a cup of pineapples are priced at around $1 and $5, respectively, at the College’s dining services as well as the CVS in Hanover. But Dartmouth charges almost twice the price that the Hanover CVS does for other similar goods. At the Courtyard Cafe, the price of a fresh fruit cup is $5.85, but the prices at CVS range from a cup of fresh mixed fruits for $3.69 to strawberries for $6.49. Additionally, both CVS and the College sell eight-ounce bottles of the same brand of kefir, but charge $1.49 and $3.00, respectively. The prices of cold sandwiches also contrast; at the College, a cold sandwich at the Courtyard Cafe costs $9.75, greater than what is covered by a lunch meal
SEAMORE ZHU/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
The director of DDS said that, despite what many students believe, a fee is not charged on the assumption of theft from dining halls.
swipe, and at CVS, a cold sandwich costs at most $5.79. Plodzik said that the goal of DDS is to deliver a program that is inclusive of the Dartmouth community — and that there are better alternatives to stealing. “Any time you take something
without paying for it, it’s not right ... You should let us know if you’re having trouble accessing food,” Plodzik said. “Food and education go hand-in-hand; you can’t focus if you’re hungry. When folks don’t play by the rules, everyone else picks up that tab.” Although many dining facilities on campus have security measures such as camera systems, these are not often utilized for the purpose of identifying students who steal. Reed said that these are mostly helpful for “theft of a non-food nature, like a computer or an expensive jacket.” Plodzik added that DDS is not interested in punitive measures against students who are caught stealing. He said that the profit loss associated with the misplacement of items is not a primary focus, and that a more communicative approach is taken if a student is found “about to make a bad decision.” “To help curb poor choices on some of the weekends that are celebratory, we’ll have Safety and Security join us that evening,”
Plodzik said. “We have staff that care, so if we run into a problem, someone will go and talk them out of it.” Dartmouth’s dining program is not the least expensive, nor is the most expensive program among comparable schools and other Ivy League institutions, according to Reed. Additionally, when items are not in season, prices tend to be higher. Thus, DDS often makes the decision to not provide certain food items if the prices are “prohibitive,” Reed said. Plodzik added that high prices also reflect the wages and benefits provided to DDS employees — an entry-point of $17 per hour and meal-plan credits for student workers. “One thing that makes us unique is that those who work with us are earning a living wage ... it costs us more to provide services than others might since we’re recognizing people need to live and can provide for their families without working four jobs,” Plodzik said.
PAGE 6
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
DARTMOUTHEVENTS
TODAY
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit: “The Ties that Bind: Slavery and Dartmouth.” Sponsored by the Library. Rauner Special Collections.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Talk: “Victoria Garrick: National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.” Sponsored by the Student Wellness Center. Floren 125.
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Talk: “Technologies of Abundance: On the Possibility of Unlimited Energy,” with Lynn Badia. Sponsored by the Irving Institute, Leslie Center and Revers Center. Haldeman 41.
4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Event: “Mardi Gras Dinner.” Class of ‘53 Commons.
TOMORROW 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Talk: “Democratizing Haptics,” with Hasti Seifi. Sponsored by the Computer Science Department. Dartmouth Hall 105.
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Talk: “Conservation, Indigenous Communities and Recent Community Forest Legislation in India,” with Neeraj Hatekar. Sponsored by DAMELL, Asian Societies, MES and ENVS. Haldeman 41.
FROM KIM PAGE 4
to everyone that a system built on unrestrained profit motives inevitably causes us to turn against one another. Bong’s criticism is about how all nations under global capitalism share and exacerbate these issues of inequality, feeding off of each other’s exploitation. Smith and others praising the Academy’s inclusivity are stuck in a paradigm where the only victory is market-validated cultural power. Bong doesn’t constrain himself with such a paradigm. Parasite is supposed to be an interrogation of the system. But
letting our own cultural biases frame the way we think about the film does a disservice to Bong’s piece. Parasite’s victory is an empty one if onlookers fail to appreciate the layers of critique at play. Simply celebrating the film as Korean cinema breaking onto the scene of “global” culture both fails to recognize the film’s biting critique of capitalism and actively effaces the material violence done to maintain America’s position as the arbiter of universal values. Realizing its deeper message can help us consider the possibility of a world that is greater for everyone, not just those who put themselves at the top.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
PAGE 7
Dartmouth FSP explores the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci
B y SHERA BHALA AND MACY TOPPAN The Dartmouth
PARIS — Paris is the bohemian, romantic, pulsing heart of arts, architecture and culture. The 20 arrondissements of Paris offer the recognizable monuments of the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Panthéon, Sainte Chapelle and the tragically damaged Notre Dame. Paris is a city of museums, with the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée Rodin, Centres Pompidou, Fondation Louis Vuitton and Fondation Cartier, just to name a few. One could spend weeks in the artistic palaces of the Louvre, which is the largest and most-visited museum in the world since the end of the 18th century. Perhaps the most anticipated exhibition of the year, the Leonardo da Vinci collection at the Louvre Museum, honors the quincentennial of the death of the illustrious artist in France in 1519. Feb. 24 marks the last day of the da Vinci exhibit, which opened on Oct. 24, 2019. The exhibit attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the glass pyramid of the Louvre, with 150,000 tickets sold before the exhibit even opened. The last three nights of the exhibit were free, encouraging even more visitors. Curators spent 10 years creating an unprecedented collection of da Vinci works, in terms of size and breadth. This collection includes over 160 pieces of art, including drawings, paintings and sculptures. The pieces are borrowed from a variety of museums, such as the Vatican and the British Museum in London. Spotlighted in this exhibit are the 22 drawings and five da Vinci chef d’oœuvres that belong to the Louvre: the “Mona Lisa,” “Virgin of the Rocks,” “La Belle Ferronnière (Portrait of an Unknown Woman),” “Saint John the Baptist” and “The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist.” The flow of the da Vinci exhibit aims to guide the viewer through the stages of the Italian artist’s life as a youth in Florence, a sculptor in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio, his studies of line and movement, the artistic and mathematical drawings of hydraulic engines and the world-renowned Mona Lisa — seen through an HTC Vive
virtual reality experience to uncover the intricacies of the painting. This is the first time the Louvre has mingled virtual reality with its art collection. The virtual reality tour offers a new facet in which to regard the 30-inches tall by 21-inches wide portrait — which is the world’s most famous and visited painting. In addition, to facilitate crowd control and allow maximum access to all tourists, the painting itself remains open to the public in its original room. The exhibition includes a rich collection of 150 of da Vinci’s drawings, scientific manuscripts, sculptures and 11 of the 20 paintings that he completed in his lifetime. Traditionally, da Vinci’s life is divided into six parts, based on his travels and the areas where he worked. However, during the 10 years of compilation and composition, Louvre staff established an exhibit structure based on the artist’s creative evolution. The new Louvre structure is instead split into four parts: Light, Shade, Relief; Freedom; Science; and Life. The first of these, Light, Shade, Relief, focuses on the early days of da Vinci’s career. It includes his recorded piece, “Study of a Tuscan Landscape,” as well as a number of sketches from his apprenticeship with the sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio. Freedom expands into his explorative period, wherein he began establishing his distinctive style and painted a number of his most famous pieces including the original painting of “The Virgin of the Rocks” as well as an infrared reflectogram investigating the numerous layers and original plans for the painting. In order to master an understanding of the exterior of the human body, da Vinci sought to learn about its inner workings as well. The anatomical studies from his Science period include the renowned “Vitruvian Man” study, which, after a court battle to allow the fragile piece to leave Italy, was on display. The final era of the exhibition includes the virtual reality study of the “Mona Lisa” as well as a number of other paintings that demonstrate the culmination of his years of practice and scientific study. For students of Dartmouth’s Language Immersion FSP in Paris, art and the Louvre specifically has played a significant role in their experience. The program provides students with
a pass to the museum for the duration of the ten weeks and includes a course in Art History that asks students to explore the museum and discuss a number of pieces. Additionally, Clos Lucé — the house where da Vinci lived and worked during the last years of his life — served as a final stop for a few art history-centered day trips. Like the exhibit, the home and grounds display a number of sketches and paintings in the setting where he likely created them. It also incorporates designs and models of his numerous inventions, including the wing mechanism for his proposed helicopter and the outer structure of his ‘tank,’ to be tested and enjoyed by visitors of all ages. Such excursions contribute to the cultural and historical education of the study abroad program. While the overarching purpose of the FSP is to improve students’ grasps of and familiarity with the language, it also incorporates a comprehensive study of French history, dating back from current events to the Middle Ages. Furthermore, a large part of the education received is in the hands of the students; living in Paris places the Louvre, le Marais, Saint-Denis and other cultural and artistic hubs at their fingertips. An attendee of the much-anticipated
and attended exhibit named Alexandre said he appreciated the new structure through which the Louvre presented da Vinci’s works. “I was quite surprised about everything this man did in his life,” Alexandre said. “I was only thinking of his paintings and some science, but I didn’t know he was thinking about mathematics, nature and so much more until I saw the drawings in this exhibit.” He also remarked on the content of the exhibition; it was, he said, heavily focused on the artist’s sketches and drawings, with less attention on the paintings. Iuke, another attendee, loved the pieces and the composition of the exhibition, but found it difficult to appreciate with such large crowds inside. “It’s very beautiful — he was so passionate,” she said. “But you’re surrounded by many people, so it was very hard to see.” While the exhibit includes more than two-thirds of da Vinci’s 15 paintings, it lacks the magnificent “Salvator Mundi.” This stunning painting depicts Jesus, in Renaissance garments, making the sign of the cross with his right hand and holding a clear, crystal orb in his left hand, which represents the world and his role as Salvator Mundi, or the savior
of the world. “Salvator Mundi” is the most expensive painting sold at public auction in history, sold at a Christie’s auction in 2017 for the price of $450 million. The painting is in the hands of Mohammad bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The current location of the painting is unknown, but believed to be on one of the Crown Prince’s super yachts, sailing on the Red Sea. While curators were hopeful that the chef d’oœuvre would be present at the da Vinci exhibit, going so far as to advertise its anticipated presence, it has failed to appear. The tragic absence of Salvator Mundi is tangible, like the empty frames of Vermeers and Rembrandts that hang in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston following the greatest art heist in history. Offering an unprecedented glimpse into the life of da Vinci, the Louvre gathers together a rich collection of his works as an artist and creator. This exhibit is special in the manner it presents da Vinci as a true polymath. His talent is not bound to the Mona Lisa, it extends to engineering, anatomy, cartography and mathematics, among others. Despite the immense crowds (or even more immense than usual), it is truly extraordinary to study the ingenuity of da Vinci.
SHERA BHALA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Tourists walk through a hallway gallery of the Lourve Museum in Paris, France where the exhibit is being held.
PAGE 8
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
Musical Empowerment wraps up ‘Strike a Chord’ campaign B y SATHVIKA KORANDLA The Dartmouth
Last Saturday, Dartmouth’s chapter of Musical Empowerment held its second annual benefit dinner at Skinny Pancake. The event was organized by the executive board of Musical Empowerment as a part of its 10-day long Strike a Chord fundraising campaign. Strike a Chord is the national organization’s fundraising program, and it ran from Feb. 14-24. The proceeds from the benefit dinner will go towards funds for the Dartmouth chapter. Musical Empowerment aims to foster a love for music in students, who might not otherwise have access to musical education, through pairing elementary school students with mentors who are college students. Dartmouth’s chapter works with students at Dothan Brook Elementary School in Hartford, VT to teach them in instruments ranging from violin to voice. The students at Dothan Brook work with their mentor over the course of several terms. T h e b e n e f i t d i n n e r eve n t featured performances from various undergraduate groups and students. Among the performers were the a capella group The Dartmouth Sings, a string quartet consisting of Raymond Hsu ’21, Bryan Shin ’20, Kimberly Tan ’22 and Elaine Young ’22, singers Leah Casey ’21 and Cecilia Zugel ’21 and cellist Jonathan Lim ’23. Archita Harathi ’22, a member of The Dartmouth Sings, said that her a capella group chose to perform because the group thought it would be a great way to interact with and support other musical organizations on campus. “Music is something that we really
love, and we think that the mission of Musical Empowerment is great,” Harathi said. “We wanted to help reach out and be a part of it and show our support for a cause that we believe in.” Lim, who plays cello with the Chamber Orchestra, feels similarly about the organization’s goal. He said he picked up cello in elementary school and understands the importance of starting music at a young age. “ I t ’s g r e a t t h a t M u s i c a l Empower ment is giving this opportunity to students who are interested in music when they’re young, but don’t necessarily have the resources to take up music,” Lim said. Members of Musical Empowerment’s executive board noted that the goal of the fundraising campaign was not only to raise funds, but also to bring awareness to the club. Tan, who is on the executive board, said they hope to use the money raised to buy instruments and books for the students. Though Strike a Chord is largely an online fundraiser, she said the in-person benefit allowed the group to spread the word about their mission throughout the Upper Valley. Dartmouth’s chapter of Musical Empowerment was created recently, and it is the newest chapter of the national organization. It was formed in 2016 by Matthew Goff ’18 and Magdalena Raska ’20, who is now the president of the chapter. “This was an idea that Matthew and I had started working on together, but he graduated,” Raska said. “I managed to find a couple of really good leadership team members and kept pushing through. Eventually we broke some ground
and we were able to form our chapter.” She also noted that she was motivated to form the club because she was a classical violinist all through high school but tore a ligament in her hand. She couldn’t keep up with the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra’s practice schedule and tried to find another way to stay involved with music at Dartmouth. “I heard from Matthew that he was trying to start this program here,” Raska said. “I thought that this would be a great way to engage with music in another form.” Last year, Musical Empowerment had seven student-teacher pairs, and it currently has 14. In addition to increasing the number of teachers in the org anization, Musical Empowerment hopes to spread to more schools in the Upper Valley. Each year, Musical Empowerment
holds a recital for its students around the end of Week 9, where students can show parents, teachers and other students what they’ve been working on. “It’s not high-pressure, and whether the students just go up and play a chord or an entire piece, they’re still able to show that they’ve learned something,” Raska said. The recital also allows the students in the program to get to know each other at school and it helps them form more friendships with each other. Coco Chu ’21, one of the co-vice presidents of the club, said that the organization focuses on mentorship, growth and connecting college mentors with younger people for empowerment purposes. “The development and mentorship aspects of the studentteacher relationship are more important than learning music
techniques,” Chu said. “Forming really good relationships with students is essential because they see you every week and they look up to you.” Additionally, Chu said there is a two-year minimum commitment for teachers and students, which gives the duo room for growth. Tan also said that seeing her student grow over the year and a half that she’s worked with him has been valuable. “I started teaching him when he was in third grade, and we’ve developed a good relationship,” Tan said. “Initially he was really shy and didn’t want to open up, but now we’re really close. Sometimes he tells me about stuff going on at school or at home and it’s nice to be able to support him. It’s really nice that he comes for lessons every week and we get to talk and play music together. I find that really fulfilling.”