VOL. CLXXV NO.63
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
College hosts young African leaders
SHOWERS HIGH 80 LOW 59
B y ANNA WILINSKY The Dartmouth
ADRIAN RUSSIAN/THE DARTMOUTH
The College has submitted its west end expansion plans to the town of Hanover for review.
OPINION
CHUN: THE PROBLEM WITH ‘PROBLEMATIC’ PAGE 4
MALBREAUX: ACHIEVEMENT OVER AGENCY? PAGE 4
ARTS
THE HOOD DOWNTOWN CLOSES DOORS IN ANTICIPATION OF REOPENING PAGE 7
Town to review expansion B y Alec Rossi The Dartmouth
Pending approval from the town of Hanover, Dartmouth’s west end construction may begin as soon as the new year. Last week, the College submitted plans to the town of Hanover for its $200 million expansion
Hanover gets extra hunting permits
B y Abby Mihaly
The Dartmouth Staff
ERIC VAN HOWE BRINGS THE MAHJOUBA INITIATIVE TO DARTMOUTH PAGE 8 FOLLOW US ON
TWITTER @thedartmouth COPYRIGHT © 2018 THE DARTMOUTH, INC.
p ro j e c t o n t h e we s t end of campus. While construction has not yet begun, a public hearing will be held on Oct. 2 to review the College’s proposal. The expansion project includes the construction of a new building that will house both the computer science department and
Deer sightings in Hanover may not occur as frequently this year. On Aug. 29, the town of Hanover administered an additional 100 deer hunting permits for use this season. Each additional permit allows a hunter to harvest two extra deer from the town’s Deer Management Area, Hanover senior planner Vicki Smith said.
According to Smith, the population of deer in Hanover causes problems like decreases in plant regeneration, overbrowsing and damage to residents’ gardens and landscaping. S h e a d d e d t h at d e e r overpopulation has also contributed to deer-related vehicle accidents and high levels of Lyme disease, a sickness transmitted through parasitic deer ticks. SEE DEER PAGE 2
the Thayer School of Engineering, restoration of Tu c k Drive, construction of a parking garage and installation of traffic lights or signs at the crossing of West Wheelock and West Street. Vi c e p re s i d e n t o f planning, design and SEE EXPANSION PAGE 5
Dartmouth hosted 25 young African leaders over the summer through its partnership with the Young African Leaders Initiative’s Mandela Washington Fellowship. The Mandela Washington Fellowship has been YALI’s highly competitive flagship program since its inception in 2014. Young leaders are given the opportunity to study, build skills and engage in professional development for six weeks at American colleges and universities. Seven hundred applicants are chosen for the fellowship each year, often from a pool of up to 60,000 applicants. The program is run by the U.S. State Department, which sends the fellows to 28 university partners each summer. This past summer was the College’s fifth year hosting young African leaders with the Mandela Washington Fellowship. The John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding has coordinated the program for the past five years, in which 125 leaders from 38 different African countries have come to Hanover to hone
their leadership skills since 2014. This year’s fellows represented 20 different countries across subSaharan Africa. This year marked the beginning of the Tuck School of Business’s involvement in the fellowship program. This summer, the program’s six leadership seminars, originally hosted by the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, were instead designed by Tuck’s associate director of intercultural leadership Vincent Mack and members of Tuck’s faculty. The sessions focused on intercultural conflict, Africa’s value and potential and practical leadership skills such as communication, negotiation and entrepreneurship. The leadership seminars inspired many fellows to re-adapt their leadership endeavors in their home countries. “I will definitely redesign my business model and focus more on a business that promotes community engagement,” said Clara Silva, a fellow who plans and SEE FELLOWSHIP PAGE 3
Douthat talks about caricatures
B y Anindu Rentala The Dartmouth
“Imagine that an alien from Mars arrives and you can communicate [with] them, inform them, discuss politics with them only through movies.” Ross Douthat, a conservative voice for The New York Times and film critic for the National Review, posited the scenario to begin his speech to a room full of students, faculty and local residents on Monday afternoon. Douthat’s speech, titled “What the Movies teach us about American Politics,” suggested that the U.S. is experiencing
a clash of visions and values, apparent in polarization of parties, elites, and even genders. To caricature Republican values, Douthat suggested that audience members watch “Forrest Gump” — the 1995 Academy Award-winner for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. “It’s a movie about a man from the South, with a low IQ and a distinctive manner of speaking, who radiates American decency and transcends IQ and book learning,” Douthat said. In Douthat’s reading of Forrest Gump as a caricatured Republican movie, the
main character’s childhood sweetheart Jenny’s course of action represents the liberal counterculture, wherein she abused drugs, possibly contracted a sexually transmitted disease and suffered an abusive relationship. Fo r u n d e r s t a n d i n g Democrats, again qualified as caricatured, Douthat suggested “The Shape of Water” — the 2018 Academy Award-winner for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Music Score. “A coalition of marginalized minorities unites against the SEE DOUTHAT PAGE 2
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
A FRESH AND FESTIVE SCHOOL HOUSE START
Deer overpopulation addressed with hunting FROM DEER PAGE 1
MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Students enjoy food at School House’s kick-off community dinner on Friday, consisting of burgers and cookies.
Douthat connects politics with films Douthat said. It reflects the intense ambition and oppressive government,” Douthat said competition among these elite circles, of the film. and the many different forms of privilege The Shape of Water provides that fill them — from the regattas, commentary final clubs and o n r a c i s m , “The Trumpian excess stereotypical homophobia, Wi n k l evo s s ableism and the of the Floridian upper twins to the patriarchy that class or the garish flip-flopped Douthat said he and hooded Vegas mansion shown believes illustrates Silicon Valley modern liberal here contrasts the tech workers. values. As for new money chill and Douthat also the conservative suggested films old money posh that elite, Douthat for the elites of the Obamas and the selected “The both parties, ueen of Clintons appear to be a Q seeing strata Ve r s a i l l e s , ” within the liberal- manifestation of.” a film about conservative a timeshare categories. business tycoon D o u t h a t -ROSS DOUTHAT, NEW married to a proposed “The YORK TIMES WRITER AND former Miss Social Network” Florida who NATIONAL REVIEW FILM to exemplify the own the largest liberal elite. The CRITIC house in the U.S. film is based on “The Facebook’s origin Tr u m p i a n story at Harvard University. excess of the Floridian upper-class or “This isn’t the best movie about the garish Vegas mansion shown here Facebook, but it is the best movie about contrasts the new money chill and old the culture of the modern meritocracy,” money posh that the Obamas and the FROM DOUTHAT PAGE 1
CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com. Correction Appended (Sept. 18, 2018): The article “Where are they now? Following up with six Class of 2018 athletes who are playing at the next level” has been updated to reflect the correct name of the minor league Devin Buffalo ‘18 joined. While the East Coast Hockey League was the original name of the league at its inception in 1988, it was formally changed to just ECHL in 2003 after seven expansion teams from the western U.S. joined.
Clintons appear to be a manifestation of,” Douthat said. Chantal Elias ’22, an international student from Toronto, said she came to the lecture upon the recommendation of her Writing 5 professor James Murphy, who organized Douthat’s lecture. According to Elias, she was curious to hear about American politics from an individual who is actively involved. Growing up in Canada, she said she got most of her news about American politics from the BBC. Elias said she found some of Douthat’s characterizations less intuitive and questioned the premise that Republicans and Democrats have entirely distinct values. “The idea he put forth about a clash of elites — I thought [that] was very accurate,” Elias said. “Even in the short clips he showed in the lecture, I saw how the elites of the right and left are different.”
center, including College property such as Oak Hill and parts of “If there aren’t enough natural Balch Hill, according to Rory predators, then humans have to Gawler ’05, assistant director of … control the population,” said outdoor programs at Dartmouth Philip Bennett ’19, chair of the and a member of the subcommittee Dartmouth Outing Club’s Bait and of the Hanover conservation commission that led the deer Bullet sub-club. The additional permits take project. Gawler noted that deer advantage of the first year of a New Hampshire Fish and Game overpopulation stems from an Department deer management increase in urban development. “Over the past assistance 1 0 0 ye a r s, w e prog ram. The have eliminated program allows “Over the past all their predators New Hampshire 100 years, we and created, municipalities to have elimated all through logging identify where and disturbances, deer densities are their predators w o n d e r f u l too high for the and created, environments for existing habitat them to breed,” conditions and through logging he said. i s s u e s p e c i a l and disturbances, Gawler said hunting permits wonderful that townspeople to “reduce the “used to manage deer population environments for [deer] just fine by t h r o u g h t h e them to breed.” eating them,” but regulated use now that people of recreational have moved away h u n t e r s , ” - RORY GAWLER ’05, from the hunting according to ASSISTANT DIRECTOR tradition, the deer current New population has Hampshire Code OF OUTDOOR soared. of Administrative PROGRAMS I n o rd e r fo r Rules. a town to be The deer approved for management program is largely a result of the additional deer hunting permits, town of Hanover approaching it must submit an application to the the state fish and game offices New Hampshire Fish and Game regarding its high deer numbers Department Wildlife Division, and resulting issues, according to including a written document New Hampshire Fish and Game describing past deer damage to wildlife programs administrator the town, past efforts to mitigate Kent Gustafson. He added that the damage and a map outlining though other towns may take the proposed designated hunting advantage of the additional area. Smith said Hanover will continue permits in the future, Hanover is currently the only town using the to monitor the deer population and will apply for the special hunting special permits. Permit-holders can hunt in permits again in future years should forested areas close to the town it be necessary.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Mandela Fellows visit Hanover FROM FELLOWSHIP PAGE 1
manages corporate events in Angola. The Thayer School of Engineering also hosted courses for the fellows. Thayer’s fifth year of involvement in the program allowed the fellows to learn about design thinking through an intensive workshop. “The design thinking course was a highlight for me,”said Nasreen “Victoria” Yongule, a fellow from South Sudan. “Design thinking enables you to explore and fill in gaps in the business world.” Following her departure from Dartmouth, Yongule applied a design thinking mindset to her work at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. She said she plans to return to South Sudan to continue her work with the Nasvick Initiative, which she founded to empower South Sudanese women through soccer and agriculture. In addition to courses and workshops taught by the two graduate schools, fellows also participated in courses and activities hosted by the Dickey Center, the Tucker Foundation, the DALI lab and the Jones Media Center, which included lessons on entrepreneurial pitches and digital storytelling. The fellows visited local businesses around Hanover such as King Arthur Flour, Timberland Headquarters, Village Industrial Power and Ben
and Jerry’s. These visits taught fellows about local business practices, such as using farm waste to generate power, employee ownership models, social media and maintaining social missions while operating under a larger corporate entity, according to Dickey Center senior program officer Amy Newcomb, who directs the fellowship at Dartmouth. The fellows participated in visits and activities to immerse themselves in American culture. These activities included community service at local non-profits, concerts on the Green, conversations over coffee at the Collis Center and home-stay weekends with local families. The Outdoor Programs Office at Dartmouth also engaged with the fellows through outdoor activities like canoeing on the Connecticut River and visits to the Moosilauke lodge, Newcomb said. “I was always told Americans were cold and were from a cold culture, so in my mind I had a picture of very individualistic people,” Jenny Rasija, a fellow from Madagascar, said. “That was not what I saw. I saw myself welcomed and embraced as I am … For me, this meant the world.” Once the fellows left campus, they attended a summit in Washington, D.C. with fellows hosted by other universities. Following the summit, most fellows returned to their home
countries to continue their own business, entrepreneurship and community outreach efforts. Looking forward, the Mandela Washington Fellowship could face changes. The fellowship began as an initiative of the Obama administration, with funding and programming outlined for 2014. Although the White House has seen a transition in administrations, the fellowship has received support from both the Trump administration and bipartisan support from Congress, who have voted to continue funding the program for another three years. While funding for the fellowship has been secured, the fellows program hosted at Dartmouth could still change, according to Newcomb. “We at Dartmouth had made an original five year commitment,” she said. “Part of what we’re wrestling with now is [the question of] whether we should continue to host.” Newcomb said she feels there are many benefits to continued involvement. “[The fellowship is] a highly impactful summer program, and it’s important to us that we’re not simply running an exchange program,” she said. “We want to make sure our networks with the people we’ve hosted can deepen … and that students and faculty have the opportunity to expand upon that work.”
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THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
STAFF COLUMNIST STEVEN CHUN ‘19
STAFF COLUMNIST TYLER MALBREAUX ‘20
The Problem with ‘Problematic’
Achievement Over Agency?
The word allows an escape from identifying and confronting issues.
“Yeah, I can’t believe they did that. It’s so…”
peoples? If so, are historical power dynamics at play? These are the questions we must ask ourselves if we are to know how and There’s a pause before it comes, an where to respond to injustice. interminable breath where the speaker When we don’t ask ourselves these contemplates the identification of the issue questions, when we don’t identify out loud at hand. Then it gushes forth, bringing relief acts of sexism or discrimination against from weltschmerz. the LGTBQ+ community, we give into the insidious notion that we should accept a “…problematic.” general campus belief of what is acceptable and what is not without understanding That pause is everything. It is the start of a why. Sometimes saying problematic means, long and difficult process “I know many of my of reckoning with friends would find this exactly why something “This is not to say that unacceptable, but I can’t about the world is wrong. those who declare things quite put my finger on the The word problematic problematic are in the issue.” To rely on that old cuts that process short wrong, simply that its friend problematic here and gives people a way prevailing usage dulls is dishonest. It is fleeing out, easing the burden people’s ability to discern from an opportunity to of identifying exactly understand the nature why exactly things are what about the state of o f w h a t g i ve s o n e the word gives people wrong.” unease and by extension, unease. refusing to confront the This is not to say that those who declare complicated, thorny issues at hand. things problematic are in the wrong, simply Let that pause linger. Let it hang in the air that its prevailing usage dulls people’s ability until you either have decided on the crime to discern why exactly things are wrong. committed or are brave enough to admit Problematic captures so many of the ills that that you’re not quite sure how the wrong has plague us: racism, sexism, ableism, twisted been wrought — that is a brave act and the power dynamics, ignorance, discrimination, start of what is likely an incredibly valuable injustice and the intersection of every conversation. Treating actions as binary — one of those evils. But it is vague and acceptable or not — does a disservice to incomplete. It doesn’t the fights to improve the tell us which injustice way we treat each other “Treating actions as has taken place. In fact, at Dartmouth. Bettering it allows us to ignore binary — acceptable or our campus requires the details completely. not — does a disservice to a clear declaration of Problematic means you the fights to improve the the values we hold and know it’s wrong and way we treat each other how they are violated. that’s enough. Problematic does neither. at Dartmouth. Bettering But it’s not enough. our campus requires a It’s a meager substitute Knowing that something clear declaration of the for truly understanding is wrong with the world values we hold and how injustice. It’s a way is barely a start if you for everyone to nod they are violated. ” don’t know how it is their heads in sagely wrong. Where does the agreement without injustice lie and what stepping on any toes. societal values has it We have the vocabulary violated? Is it discrimination on the basis of to identify the ways the world is wrong — race or sex? Is it disrespectful to a culture or we just need to care enough to use it.
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Performance enhancing and study drugs endanger traditional metrics of success. Seeing so many freshmen on campus many specialists in the field agree that the in the past week made me reminisce on number of ADHD diagnoses in the United what my freshman fall was like. Before I States, currently over 3.5 million, are a began looking for any and all club sports severe inflation — one that, if the statistics and extracurricular activities to join, were true, would indicate an epidemic. most of my time was just spent in classes. The number of Americans on ADHD I remember really enjoying my Writing medication is worrying for two reasons. 5, “Contemporary Moral Issues.” We’d First, there are intuitive health risks for spend several weeks tackling big issues those who are not clinically diagnosed with — physician-assisted suicide, capital attention deficit disorder. Prolonged use of punishment, abortion — and consider the these drugs has been linked to problems with legal and moral implications of each. high blood pressure and abnormal heart What intrigued me most was our unit rate. The second reason is less observable, on enhancement drugs. Our discussions but the implications are perhaps even more ranged from issues with steroids used by disturbing. Those who use enhancement Olympic athletes to beta blockers used drugs that are not prescribed to them by competing violinists. One question, a willingly give up their agency in pursuit of central yet elusive and unanswerable one, perfection. In the case of the Ivy League appeared again and again: Is the use of students who participated in the 2012 study, these drugs fair? it was perfecting a GPA or maintaining an Although I had heard of athletes in already over-scheduled, busy lifestyle that high school who injected themselves with balances school and other commitments. mysterious, potentially lethal doses of Other modes of finding ways to be muscle-growing potions, I never had much productive, such as psychodynamic therapy direct experience with them, as their use or counseling, are forsaken for a “quick fix” was a well-known urban legend but always that is destructive and unsustainable in the unverifiable. Some of those athletes, in long run. addition to many other students, used In thinking about perfection and the use drugs to advance in the classroom as well. of technology to alter brain function, I am Though the exact numbers of those who reminded of an episode of Charlie Brookers’ were prescribed pills “Black Mirror” series. like Vyvanse or Adderall The central conf lict was unclear, it appeared “Those who use of the episode, “Men to me that abuse was enhancement drugs that Against Fire,” features a r a m p a n t , e s p e c i a l l y are not prescribed to NATO-esque command them willingly give up around finals periods. of soldiers defending Even then, I never their agency in pursuit of local villager s from thought too much about perfection.” hideous proto-zombies fairness. For me, the called “roaches.” The stakes didn’t seem high main character, Stripe, is enough to warrant any form of drug abuse. a private who quickly logs his first roach kill It was only high school, after all. while out on assignment. But Stripe does Coincidentally, around the time I was not rely on any innate skill as a marksman. taking my Writing 5 class, I became much A software implanted in his brain called more cognizant of enhancement drug abuse “MASS” aids him in perfecting his hand-eye on campus. Any upperclassman knows coordination. Pulling the trigger is watered that one need not look too hard to find down into a high-stakes game of simple underground pharmacies supplying pills point-and-shoot. to improve focus for that all-nighter study I think of this episode in particular session or writing a heavily-weighted essay. because performance drug enhancers and It’s not a problem that affects only MASS are similar technologies, albeit one Dartmouth, although the glut of ADHD is in pill form. Both perfect human abilities medicines is particularly high at elite and ameliorate human imperfections. More colleges. A 2012 study from the American importantly, their use begs the question: Academy of Pediatrics found that 18 How do we redefine what it means to be percent of Ivy League students reported human? As the military psychiatrist in the using these medicines at least once, and show tells Stripe, MASS is able to “suspend” 24 percent of said group used them on the natural urge for humans to empathize at least eight occasions. Perhaps the more with each other by literally disguising troubling finding of that study is that a human faces and turning them into targets. large number of students see nothing wrong And the results are horrendous. with their usage. A 33 percent did not Similarly, in elite academic institutions consider enhancement drug use as a form across America, what does it mean for a of cheating, and an additional 25 percent student to function well only when aided were not sure. by powerful drugs? To whom, or what, does Of course, this is not to say that some one even attribute their high grades and students do not have legitimate reasons success more generally? While the situation to use medication to focus. It would be may be less dire than the one presented in equally reckless to suggest that attention “Black Mirror,” students should be wary deficit disorders are parental excuses for of how easily they brush off performance their children to perform well in school. But drug abuse.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Public hearing to review proposal FROM EXPANSION PAGE 1
construction John Scherding said that the College has provided an abundance of information for the town to review. “[Hanover’s review process] ... ensure[s] that development in Hanover … doesn’t do harm or cause disruption to the town, to the abutters, or to the neighbors,” Scherding said. He added that the process is not an aesthetic design review, but rather a way to identify issues that could be a nuisance to the town. Building noises and glares from exterior lighting are both examples of nuisances that Hanover’s planning and zoning board will consider, Scherding said. Hanover town manager Julia Griffin said that Hanover also considers the impact of construction on current infrastructure, such as water supply, sewers, drains, electrical lines and rain gardens. A c c o r d i n g t o S c h e r d i n g, the College always considers storm water management when completing building projects. “ Wi t h e v e r y p r o j e c t w e bring to the town, we actually reduce the storm water by using more sustainable management techniques,” he said. Hanover director of planning, zoning and codes Robert Houseman said that the October public hearing will provide a space for community members to learn about the project, provide personal testimony, raise questions and speak for or against the project.
Scherding said that although the Thayer renovation does not abut a residential area, residents may be concerned about the proposal to install a traffic light at the crossing of West Wheelock and West Street. He added that a traffic consultant has studied the intersection and the impact of potential signalization in the area. “[The signalization] has been carefully studied by the traffic consultant and is not anticipated to have a negative impact on traffic even at peak commuting hours,” Scherding said. While the planning board may approve the project proposal, Houseman said that the proposed light must still be reviewed and approved by the public works department. Griffin said that the proposal for the traffic light is “probably” overdue as there have long been issues with safe pedestrian crossing in this area. Houseman noted that students who are living in off-campus rental housing use the crossing and that the current volume and speed of traffic is a problem. To e a s e t r a f f i c d u r i n g construction, the College has already begun renovating Tuck Drive. The restoring and reopening of the road will allow one-way traffic to access the west end of campus. After the public hearing, Houseman said that the next step for the planning board is to schedule a site visit. At these visits, the board has the opportunity to
see the proposed construction site, evaluate potential concerns the public has raised and determine if additional considerations need to be made. After the site visit, the board will convene again, either in the form of a deliberation on the proposal or another public hearing. Houseman said that while decisions on proposals are typically made within a 60-day period, extensions are possible. Scherding said that the board will most likely hold a second hearing and that it may take some time for the board to deliver a decision. In the meantime, he said that Dartmouth has been working “very aggressively” on the project and architects and engineers are completing all of the drawings and construction documents. Scherding added that the focus is on what will be constructed first in order to allow for construction to begin shortly after excavation. The College hopes to have the approval process completed by the end of the fall, Scherding said. Scherding added that he hopes to begin excavation on the parking lot right after Jan. 1. Under optimal conditions, the parking garage will be completed a year from now and the new Thayer building will be able to be completely utilized by fall 2021. Griffin said that while Hanover will not expand its tax base from the Thayer building construction, total building permit revenue will be supplemented after the project proposal is approved.
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DARTMOUTHEVENTS
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
SIGNS OF FALL (TERM)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
CECILIA MORIN ’21
TODAY
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast: “Breakfast with the Arts,” sponsored by the Studio Art Department, Nearburg Gallery, Black Family Visual Arts Center
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Telluride Film: “Girl,” sponsored by Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins Center 123 Spaulding Auditorium
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Reception: Eric van Hove’s Mahjouba Initiative, sponsored by the Studio Art Department, Strauss Gallery, Hopkins Center for the Arts
TOMORROW
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Yom Kippur service with Hillel, sponsored by the Tucker Center, Occom Commons
7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Performance: “Ragamala Dance Company,” sponsored by the Hopkins Center, Hopkins Center 114 Moore Theater
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Telluride Film: “Dogman,” sponsored by Hopkins Center, Hopkins Center 123 Spaulding Auditorium Hopkins Center 123 Spaulding Auditorium
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
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THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
The Hood Downtown closes doors in anticipation of reopening B y LAUREN PINCHUK The Dartmouth
The Hood Downtown, the Hood Museum of Art’s temporary exhibition space, closed on Sept.13 after a sendoff reception that included talks by John Stomberg, the director of the museum, and a showcase of what is to come with the new museum building. The Hood Downtown has been an installation on Main Street since the closing of the Hood Museum in 2016. While the smaller space did not display pieces from the museum’s extensive collection, the Hood Downtown played host to a variety of exhibits including French artist Laetitia Soulier’s mathematically-based exhibit, “The Fractal Architectures,” and Chinese artist Sin-Ying Ho’s ceramics exhibition, “Past Forward.” Most recently, before its closing, the Hood Downtown displayed Toyin Ohih Odutola’s exhibition of drawings titled “The Firmament.” Juliette Bianco ’94, the deputy director of the museum, said, “I’ve been at the museum for 20 years and [they’ve] been talking about how and why [they’d] expand for most of [those years].” The expansion of the new building will nearly triple the Hood Museum’s teaching capacity and showcase much more of the Hood’s extensive collection. The museum will host a grand reopening on Jan. 26 for the entire community and a student opening party the following week.
According to Stomberg, teaching is of the utmost importance to the museum. “One way to look at architecture is to read architecture as a statement of value,” he said. “So if you read our building as a statement of value, you’d see that a lot of our real estate is given over to those classrooms. It’s a statement of value. We’re a teaching museum.” The new space was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, who are also in the process of designing the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The new Hood Museum of Art, although not designed for a U.S. president, boasts a collection of around 70,000 artifacts from all around the globe and is depicted by the American Alliance of Museums as a “national model” of museums for colleges and universities. Bianco said that the Hood has nationally been on the leading edge of teaching with its collections. When the Hood was open, it focused on utilizing its extensive collections to enrich students’ experiences with their classes. The Hood staff carved out a section of the museum’s storage space, called the Bernstein storage center, to use as a makeshift classroom where professors and students could engage with artifacts directly from the museum’s collection, she said. Bianco said that when the museum was open, they taught regularly with 30 departments across campus — everything from the earth sciences
to environment studies, women York City, where students collectively and gender studies, the language decide on a piece of art to purchase classes, philosophy, history and studio for Dartmouth’s collection, Stomberg art. Unfortunately, the old storage said. classroom could only cater to a “Other people can get involved maximum of 16 people, so a larger [with the museum],” he said. “We’re teaching area was needed for the not the prima donna staff that does museum. The new space will possess things ‘our way or go away.’” three classrooms, called the “Center for This commitment is shown by Objects Study,” dedicated specifically a new position on the Hood’s staff, to experiential learning, and will entitled “Campus Engagement be equipped C o o r d i n a t o r, ” with flexible “If you read our created specifically furniture to hear students’ and relevant building as a ideas about what t e c h n o l o g y. statement of value, they want to see the Bianco said you’d see that a lot of museum become. she hopes that The new all departments our real estate is given museum will will be able over to classrooms. It’s boast 50 percent to use and more gallery space benefit from a statement of value. than the old Hood the teaching We’re a teaching Museum — and facilities in the staff intend museum.” the new and to use it fully. In expanded the first year, the building. Hood plans on - JOHN STOMBERG, Bianco and showcasing its Stomberg said DIRECTOR OF THE HOOD own collection, that with the MUSEUM both as a tribute new museum, to Dartmouth’s the Hood 250th anniversary will be looking into more ways and to demonstrate the expansive to increase student engagement. collection of art housed on campus. Currently, the Hood engages students Bianco said that in the first year, the with internships, where students Hood will showcase its American, curate exhibitions, and a class titled European, Papua New Guinean, “Museums 101.” This class includes contemporary aboriginal Australian a crash course in plein air, or open and contemporary global artifacts, air, photography and a trip to New among many more. The museum
also hired a full-time Native American associate curator to help with the Hood’s new commitment to permanently display Native American art in its galleries. The Hood also plans to expand outside of its galleries to include more public art. Stomberg said that he hopes that the public, students and staff will have many “accidental encounters” with art that will impact them throughout their day. He expects students to take advantage of the large central atrium to both study and casually view art in the museum. Museum staff are excited about the new building’s opening, Bianco said. The new infrastructure will enable an art history class, taught by art history professor Allen Hockley, that will be conducted entirely in the museum, which has never been done before at Dartmouth. Stomberg, on the other hand, said he is most excited for people to be back at the museum. His favorite memory and piece of art from the old Hood Museum was when artist Erik Van Hove took apart a Mercedes-Benz motor and gave the 367 pieces to over 100 artists to recreate in their handcrafted tradition. Van Hove put this motor back together and after the show was finished, Stomberg said that the whole gallery retained the artwork’s smell. For Stomberg, the whole project came together after this moment, and he’s excited for Dartmouth to witness this gripping piece of art in the new museum.
Review: ‘The Favourite’ surprises with fresh take on period drama B y lEX KANG
The Dartmouth Staff
Walking into Yorgos Lanthimos’s film “The Favourite,” a film that is a part of this year’s Telluride at Dartmouth film series, I knew very little other than that the film was a historical drama featuring actress Emma Stone. I expected a typical historical drama, overplaying archaic customs to pander to the audience’s desire to get a glimpse of what we, in the 21st century, romanticize Europe to have been like hundreds of years ago: exaggerated British accents, dainty china sets and constant tea parties, dabbing at tears with handkerchiefs and the like. I have never been more wrong. I loved the film for multiple reasons, but the very first thing that captured my attention was how the film refreshingly portrayed England in the 1700s, under Queen Anne’s rule, in a humanistic and realistic way. I have preconceived notions about this time period in Britain, particularly among the nobility and the royal court where the film is entirely set. Chivalry, propriety and formality are the first things that come to mind. The stiff, almost
sterile, customs I associate with the other characters), wrestles and royalty at the time is what disconnects punches her suitor to escalate sexual us from that era and makes history tension and can be seen making and historical dramas such a droll for faces and cringing after her own many. awkward moments. But “The Harley, portrayed “The Favourite” Favourite” by Nicholas Hoult, d o e s n ’ t doesn’t hesitate to doesn’t hesitate to hesitate to display the funny, use physical force and display the threats to women. funny, the the crude and the The politicians in crude and violent, a daring move Queen Anne’s court the violent, can be seen engaging for the genre, and a daring in witty and brazen move for the capitalizes on this banter, racing geese genre, and to create characters and drinking rather capitalizes than being concerned o n t h i s who might initally about the ongoing to create seem eons away war with France. characters the from our time period, m o sHowever, who might t shocking i n i t i a l l y but are suddenly character depiction seem eons approachable and in the film is Queen away from Anne herself, expertly our time portrayed by Olivia period, but are suddenly approachable Colman. The queen, who grows and relatable. This leads to a modern, weaker both physically and mentally digestible and approachable film out throughout the film, is constantly of a niche genre. Abigail, portrayed used and manipulated for the political by Emma Stone, is a former lady and personal agenda of those around who enters the court as a maid her, including Abigail, her cousin and after her family’s economic fall, rival Lady Marlborough (portrayed curses constantly (along with all by Rachel Weisz) and literally
everyone in her court. The queen’s intense vulnerability and the pain of being in her position are highlighted by the way the film explores her physical ailments, such as her leg, a stroke and a weak stomach that prevents her from indulging in the sweets she loves. It’s also apparent in her childlike innocence and naïveté, which is illustrated by her inability to do her own makeup or confidently speak to her parliament, and her past — the pain of 17 lost children is made evident by the queen’s obsession with her 17 pet rabbits. It is rare to see royalty depicted as something other than authoritative and bratty, manipulative and cutthroat, or mad. She is lovable but broken and relies on her inner child to help her survive the isolation of her royal personhood. The audience laughs at her juvenile mistakes and dispositions, and feels with her when she cries out as she realizes that she has been betrayed by the few that she truly believed loved her. By the end of the movie, it is made fairly evident that despite her efforts to deny the painful truth, the queen realizes that she is dying, that she has been used by those she trusted and that she is completely alone in her own palace. Because of
the extent to which the queen’s spirit breaks and the film’s ability to make audiences love her character for her innocence, “The Favourite” manages to skillfully balance the suspense of cutthroat political scheming and humor in the witty dialogue with the tragedy and pain from the perspective of the lonely queen. “The Favourite” has more to offer besides plot that makes its two-hour running time fly by: eye-catching costumes and sets, fast-paced, powerful dialogue combined with subtle facial expressions that bring each character to life and, notably, music. The film used exclusively classical music in its soundtrack, and each piece was selected to masterfully control the tone of every single scene. When combined with particularly treacherous scenes, the music also starkly juxtaposes the classy and elegant reputation of the nobility with their heartless and manipulative reality. However, despite other signs of fine craftsmanship, nothing in the film outshines the rich and realistic character development and Colman’s chilling performance. Just for Queen Anne and Queen Anne alone, I would watch this film time and time again.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
Eric van Hove brings the Mahjouba Initiative to Dartmouth Max-esque vehicle that actually works. The Hood Museum of Art The Dartmouth acquired this first moped in 2016, Can a moped inspire change? and the College has since developed Concept artist Eric Van Hove says a relationship with Van Hove, who yes. was an artist-in-residence in 2016 Opening on Sept. 18, “Mahjouba as well as a Montgomery Fellow at Dartmouth: a Collaboration with over the winter of 2017. During Eric Van Hove,” an exhibit that his time at the College, Van Hove will open at the Strauss Gallery in has interacted with students across the Hopkin’s Center, explores the campus to continue developing the College’s relationship with the artist Majouba Initiative. and his new project, the Mahjouba “I think art has that potential, Initiative. not so much because it’s intending The Mahjouba Initiative remakes to do so, but it has the potential to cheap Chinese mopeds popular in inspire,” Van Hove said. “And when Van Hove’s home of Marrakech, somebody becomes inspired, there’s Morocco by using local artisans nothing they cannot do. You can and materials. The moped runs inspire one guy, but you can also on an electric engine, a far more inspire a population, you can inspire ecologically sustainable model than a country.” the traditional explosive engine. After the College purchased his Mahjouba at Dartmouth, curated first piece, Van Hove constructed by studio art professor Jack Wilson, three more prototypes that tells the story of Dartmouth and maintained the sculptural aesthetic Van Hove’s relationship, as well of the original while cutting down on as functioning as an exhibit of his material and production costs. The artwork. Wilson said he began the second iteration resembles an elegant process of curating last winter and American chopper, welding together was inspired by the the Majouba grit and sophistication with surprising Initiative’s ability to cross disciplinary grace. With funding from the College’s boundaries — the purchase, Van project involves Hove focused students across “Working with the on sourcing campus, from arts craftsmen and working local materials, to engineering. with everything T h e e x h i b i t with [Van Hove], coming from w i l l s h owc a s e seeing his drive for within a mile of the initiative’s the production this project, really “goals, explore its site, and was hybrid nature and convinced me that it able to expand connect creativity could be something his team of to real-world artisans. He that would last, impact. then began “What I think that could make a to tackle the is really interesting p ro bl e m difference.” and unique about of mass this project is it production in crosses a lot of -NAT HEALY ’20 order to bring disciplinary Mahjouba boundaries — it’s to Moroccan initially an art project, Eric is an artist, markets. he came as an artist-in-residence The third prototypes employed [and] his primary area of work is in 3D-printing, a large step in sculpture, but when he started [the incorporating technology and cutting initative], it quickly spread out across costs. This third version underpins cultural issues,” Wilson said. Van Hove’s theme of hybridization. Van Hove started this initiative By bringing revolutionary technology two years ago with his first prototype, like 3D-printing to traditionally V12 Larakai. He and a team of low-tech enterprises like craft and four local craftsmen disassembled sculpture, Van Hove both modernizes a traditional Chinese motorbike the crafting industry and increases the and reproduced it using materials project’s economic viability. like copper, steel, wood and bone. With the fourth version of The result is a striking piece of the moped, Van Hove looked functional sculpture art, a Mad outside Morocco for help, asking
B y madison wilson
MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Eric van Hove’s exhibit “Mahjouba at Dartmouth” will be available for viewing at the Strauss Gallery on Sept. 18.
multinational companies to assist in aspects such as technical engineering and frame design. Dartmouth students took on a more active role in the initiative starting around the third prototype. The Magnuson Family Center for Entrepreneurship (formerly the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network), the Tuck School of Business and the Thayer School of Engineering all worked on various projects to bring Mahjouba on the market. Arjun Bhatt ’20, a student active in the Center for Entrepreneurship, worked with a few other Dartmouth undergrads to investigate the viability of massproducing Van Hove’s motorbikes. Bhatt was excited about the possibility of working with a conceptual artist and developing Van Hove’s initial ideas into something commercially feasible. The team of students worked to tell Mahjouba’s story, hoping to gain traction with Western investors. They also had the opportunity to travel to Marrakech in 2016, meet the artisans involved and view firsthand the project’s capacity for economic empowerment, calling the motorbikes a literal “vehicle for change.” “I’m struck by how much they [the Moroccan artisans] believed in it,” Bhatt said. “It’d be very easy for them to do this job just for the money,
but they all genuinely believed in the project.” Van Hove also collaborated with the Tuck School of Business, where Tuck students evaluated Majouba’s viability. Engineering students, like Nat Healy ’20, have also helped Van Hove with the technical side. As a member of the Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering Society, Nat spearheaded the project and traveled to Morocco in the summer of 2017, where he saw the impact of the project in a more tangible way. “Working with the craftsmen and working with [Van Hove], seeing his drive for this project, really convinced me that it could be something that would last, that could make a difference,” Healy said. Healy and his team initially worked on the transmission, braking system and locking system. They have since transitioned to improving the longevity of the moped, even testing using 3D-printed plastics. Their efficiency testing model is on display in the Strauss Gallery as a part of the exhibition. While the Majouba Initiative is an artistic endeavor, Van Hove sees its potential for social and environmental change. Twenty percent of Moroccans are craftsmen, but the craft industry has taken considerable hits since the onset of cheap mass production, he said.
Of Marrakech’s almost 500,000 craftsmen, many are struggling to find stable work. Van Hove said he envisions a world where craftsmen can produce products that everyday Moroccans will actually consume by using local materials and quality production techniques. Instead of selling their goods to tourists for cheap, these artisans will be able to make functional, high-quality art that grows the local economy. The project also includes an environmental benefit: by changing the traditional combustion engine to an electrical version, Van Hove’s motorbikes will decrease emissions and air pollution. When in Marrakech, Bhatt said he gained a better understanding of the diverse values these artisans held and how something so ordinary as a motorbike could change the lives of so many. Healy also found his involvement with the project allowed him to step outside Dartmouth and become part of a larger movement of scientists, economists and artists. This underscores Van Hove’s purpose in the project — not just to create art, but to create a movement, art that inspires social, economic and environmental change. “This whole thing could fail completely,” Van Hove said. “But even if it totally fails, it could still inspire a significant amount of people.”