Westworld issue 3

February 2013

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Exploring Arts, Culture, Music & Film within Bristol.

WESTWORLD INCLUDING

FREE

McCullin Les Miserables Stitching and Thinking DrunkenWerewolf

FEATURED

Robyn Liebschner Bethan Mure

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Featured Artist / Robyn Liebschner

ROBYN LIEBSCHNER Robyn Liebschner is a character designer fresh out of UWE. Likes to use strong shapes to help create new and interesting designs.

Robyn's graduate film 'Don't Step on the Crack' was screened as part of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival 2012.

bogeyman2012.blogspot.com

Editor Emma J. Hardy emmajhardy.co.uk westworld@westerneye.net

Join us on Facebook Twitter

Creative Direction & Design Myrna D’Ambrosio mybitsnpieces.tumblr.com

twitter.com/westworld_news

myrna.dambrosio@gmail.com

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Monica Giunchi monicagiunchi.com

facebook.com/westworlduwe

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design@westerneye.net

Contributors Robyn Liebschner Emma Hardy Nadia Atget Tiffany Francis Bethan Mure Chloe Anderson Dixon Sarah Majhutiak

Special Thanks DrunkenWerewolf

Contact Western Eye Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol, BS16 1QY www.westerneye.net

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Film Reviews

MCCULLIN David Morris

Tiffany Francis

Chloe Anderson-Dixon ‘War is partly madness, mostly insanity, and the rest is schizophrenia,’ utters Don McCullin in the recent documentary about his life as a war photographer.

Screening at Bristol’s independent cultural cinema The Watershed, McCullin is a thought-provoking portrait of a man humbled and haunted by the photographs he has captured.

Directed by Jacqui and David Morris, the film provides a visually stimulating archive of McCullin’s photography since the 1960s, accompanied by news footage and a commentary

by McCullin himself. Having been raised in London’s Finsbury Park, he found physical freedom through photography, allowing him to leave his violent hometown and embark across the world with his camera and a few rolls of film. His travels have taken him through the Suez Crisis and African AIDs epidemic, as well as conflict in Biafra, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and the Congo.

On the suggestion that he relishes warfare, McCullin clarifies that he sets out to bring back the truth from the front

lines: he wants to show people the devastating consequences caused by violence, and the real victims of religious and political conflict. He has always felt that he was born to be a photographer, but the haunting effect of living through more than fifty years of warfare becomes apparent in the film. At one point he describes his sessions in the dark room, with classical music playing and a soft, red light bathing his latest harrowing photographs, and he feels as though he is in a womb, or ‘drowning in a deep ocean’.

McCullin is a beautiful and chilling documentary of the traumatic wars around the world since the 1960s, and the photographs that opened the eyes of Sunday Times readers across Britain, who until now had been almost blindly unaware of the suffering of other nations.

The Watershed is situated on Bristol’s Harbourside, near the Hippodrome. For future independent film screenings, visit their website at www.watershed.co.uk. Students have access to concession prices.

LES MISERABLES Tom Hooper

Chloe Anderson-Dixon

Les Miserables, a long-running stage show based on the book by Victor Hugo has been a phenomenal success over the years. With 32 years on stage, and 60 million viewers worldwide, director Tom Hooper was always going to have a lot to live up to. A global phenomenon such as this could not be done half-heartedly. The story follows Jean Valjean, a man who stole a loaf of bread to save his starving sister and her son.

Valjean is sentenced to nineteen years imprisonment under the watchful eye of police officer Javert. When released, he breaks his parole and begins a life on the run creating a new identity as mayor and factory owner. It is here that Valjean's path crosses with poor employee Fantine, whom he vows to on her death bed that he will take care of her daughter Cosette. Later, the adolescent Cosette is set to fall in love with young fiery revolutionist Marius, just as Paris erupts in violence and rebellion whilst Javert continues his lifelong pursuit of Jean Valjean. Tom Hooper by no means does this film half-heartedly; with heart-breaking performances from every member of the cast, Tom Hooper has created a global phenomenon not to be missed.

The thing that stands out most about this film is the phenomenal and faultless acting and singing from every member of the cast. Hugh Jackmans portrayal of the tormented hero Jean Valjean, from the outset is completely faultless, the loneliness and heart break that fills his entire being is well and truly felt by the audience, and there is not a dry eye in the entire house whilst he is singing his final song.

One of the most affecting scenes comes from Anne Hathaway’s

portrayal of Fantine. Her rendition of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ is one of the most memorable, heart-wrenching and Oscarworthy performances, even though her total screen time was only fifteen minutes, those were fifteen minutes of the most amazing screenplay seen in the past decade. This is heightened as she is singing live to the camera, with only a piano playing in her ear-piece. This gives the audience a taster of raw talent, something which we are not often subjected to. Additionally, supporting roles such as Sacha Baron Cohen and Helen Bonham-Carter’s portrayal of M and Mme Thenardier, the comical innkeepers/ con-artists who neglected Cosette, are a breath of fresh air and an incredible comic release throughout this heart-breaking film.

One actor whose performance has been highly debated -and at times faulted- is Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Javert.

Some critics have stated that his performances seemed void of emotion, weak and with no variation throughout the film.

However, I believe his portrayal of Javert was the opposite.

Javert is depicted as the villain throughout this story- he is an emotionless character throughout with no sympathy of those around him. Yes, it is true we do not see any extreme emotion through Crowe’s singing, but this is true to the character of Javert; He is supposed to have soullessness about him, and Crowe portrays this to perfection.

The setting and special effects of this film is another thing to be praised. From the opening, when the prisoners are hauling in the ship, it sets the bar to what is going to be a fantastic viewing. The dirty streets of Paris, and the poverty and suffering surrounding the working class are presented to precision. The most effective scene, however is the final one, in which a barricade is built high around the entire city, completely made up of furniture. All the cast are stood at the top of this barricade, laden with flags singing “Do You Hear The People Sing?”. If this doesn’t make you want to jump out of your seat, climb right on up there and join in, I don’t know what will.

Overall Tom Hooper has created a masterpiece, which will be talked about and celebrated for years. This has truly heightened the bar in which future directors have to live up to.

This block buster phenomenon has definitely given way to a new age of cinema.

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Featured Artist / Bethan Mure

BETHAN MURE Bethan is a second year illustration student originally from Mansfield in the dark, murky depths of the East Midlands. She illustrates, animates and embroiders and has made and sold comics at various zine fairs. She has a fascination with the imagination and particularly anything that is a little bit soft hearted or has a devilish streak of humour. Her doodlings and ramblings are available online at http://muredraws.tumblr.com and she wishes you the very best in all your endeavours.

Featured Artist / Bethan Mure

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Exhibition Review

STITCHING AND THINKING Emma Hardy Nadia Atget Is it easy to mend a broken heart? Can you achieve this through learning how to stitch? The exhibition “Stitching and Thinking” in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery provides the answer. It shows with great clarity and simplicity how the mind is connected with hand-made objects. The exhibition is the result of a 3 day workshop, organised by a group of artists alongside staff from the Department of Creative Industries at UWE. Inspired by the examples of mending from The Georgian House Museum in Bristol, artists came to understand the importance of mending. They were surprised by what they found: they realised that the way people used to repair things says a lot about their attitude towards life. The tradition of repairing is relatively old, sometimes people would carefully mend, trying to imitate the original material. In other cases repairs would be done by a person who knew little about it, this may be explained as a desperate attempt to save things.

For example, a smith would put rough metal rivets on a ceramic plate, whereas other times mending was done in such a way that it deliberately shows it was mended to emphasise the vulnerability of things and to teach others hold them with a greater care. This attitude can be applied to our own lives and feelings: mended hearts learn much, in addition those around you who know your pain would try to be more careful

and understanding. If we start to pay attention to all the things around us, everything will gain value. Nowadays we easily part with unwanted thing, our society is based on consumerism; why not try to give broken things a new life, just like a housewife would do a few centuries ago?

The works made from different materials gives us more to consider. For instance, there are forks that have wax handles, so the owners must always be careful about keeping them away from the fireplaces or warm rooms, thus encouraging us to consider more of our actions.

Stitching can also be a form of therapy. By putting a proverb on a handkerchief, stitch by stitch, you perpetuate this little truth and make yourself believe it. “Those of us who have been broken become experts at mending”, says one of the artists at the exhibition. You only need some patience, and you can acquire this mastery of waiting through sometimes laborious act of embroidering or mending.

The artists, who created their works for “Stitching and thinking”, were particularly interested in reviving hand-making skills, which are now in decline. It is an attempt not only to preserve past, but also to show how stitching may find use in your emotional life. Come to the exhibition and you may become inspired and find a new way of looking at things.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING A GIRL WOULD SAY Emma Hardy

Consider your favourite historical artists. Van Gogh?

Matisse? Da Vinci? It occurred to me recently that I couldn't think of one single famous female 'master' who is celebrated in the way that these great men are. Of course this is most likely due to the emancipation of women only being a relatively new thing, so instead I turned my attention to contemporary artists. Still I struggled to think of even one great female's work that I really loved. How can this be? I'm in a university full to the brim with female art students, and no doubt it's exactly the same in every other university around the country. Women have been studying art for years and years now so why is it that the only famous female artist I can think of is Tracy Emin?

Even in the industry of buying and selling art women's work goes for considerably less. The most valuable female artwork sold in the last ten years is Louise Bourgeois' bronze sculpture Spider, which went for $10.7m - which seems like a lot, but is overshadowed by the $259m that Paul Cézanne's The Card Players sold for.

So what's the reason behind this? Women have equal access to education, I would argue that the women in my class are just as good as the men, so something is clearly still going wrong for us, and I think it's down to the general attitude present in our community of artists.

Before we go any further we also need to address the stigma around raising this kind of issue. The word 'feminist' has become a loaded one, bringing to mind man-hating hippies who don't shave their armpits. All labelling oneself as feminist really expresses is 'I am a person who wants women to be equal to men in our society'. If you agree with this simple statement, then you are a feminist (men included). If you do not agree with the statement, better hand over control of your bank

account, body and mind to your husband or father now.

The art world likes to consider itself a very free and open minded place, so the lack of female work in galleries and female presence in my influences really bothers me. The fact that, on average, art museums only present 15% of artwork by women in curated exhibitions and of the work they acquire only 4% of it is from female artists should be setting off alarm bells in everyone's heads. However as Donald P. Eckard argued in his research, Artists' Income and Gender that by singling work out purely because of the gender of the artist, we run the risk of female work being presented in its own little section of a gallery under 'female artists' thus placing it in a category that is judged differently to men's work. No, we need to introduce and reinforce the belief amongst our own social groups that female artists are just as good as male artists. Eventually the gender bias in galleries' selections would even out. This might sound obvious but I've heard countless comments on pieces that are centred around seeing femininity as a negative: "their story lines are too girly", "that looks like something a girl would do", "women just can't make funny art, because they're just not as funny as men". This drives me mad. How will we ever be seen as equal competitors when there is this kind of attitude in our own university?

Even whilst writing this article, I came across some horrific sexism; on a google search for 'sexism in art' one of the first listings was from the mainstream website Zazzle, selling tacky tops with slogans on. I found lines such as “if you are a woman and reading this get back in the kitchen”, “women are good for one thing: making me a sandwich” and “cool story babe, now go make me a sandwich”. As if all this wasn't offensive enough, it was listed under the category sexist gifts on the

store website. To find that people are so openly sexist and even willing to wear their sexist opinions on a t-shirt really worries me. What is perhaps even worse is that these slogans aren't new to me; they're frequently circulated on Facebook and Tumblr with thousands of 'likes' and people rejoicing about just how funny it is. Maybe I just don't have a good sense of humour, or maybe I worry too much about what people think of women, but when I come across something like this that other people clearly find funny I try to decide whether it is actually sexist or whether I'm just being oversensitive. So I swap the word 'woman' for 'black person' and see whether I think that's offensive. Surely if it would be racist then it would also be sexist. Suddenly the 'joke': "if you are a black person and reading this get back in the kitchen" or "black people are good for one thing: making me a sandwich" doesn't sound so funny does it? I'm not sure how many men would be brave enough to wear that around town, and such a slogan posted on Facebook might even be removed. Racism and sexism are issues with very different histories, but at the core both are discrimination on arbitrary basis, and as such both are wrong.

So girls, we've got the right to vote, we have almost equal pay in the work place, we have the pill - it's safe to say the big things are being tackled, but we've still got a hell of a long way to go with the small things. The every-day-affects-you-a-littlebit-but-it-all-mounts-up-to-a-lot things. So be brave enough to fight our corner, don't put up with offensive jokes that inevitably undo all the good progress that women and men have made towards equality. Next time you see some really great female work, make a note, show other people and help spread the word that we are just as good at art as the men.

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Music interview: DrunkenWerewolf

DRUNKENWEREWOLF DrunkenWerewolf began as an online music blog with the aim of highlighting and supporting the up and coming talent and touring artists Bristol has to offer. Currently in its sixth year, the blog has expanded dramatically over this period and a team of around fifty writers all contribute to bring the best music to attention through features, interviews and reviews. Last year saw DrunkenWerewolf successfully publish its first print issue in Bristol; here creator Tiffany Daniels explains the journey from blog to magazine, organising Bristol's Ladyfest last year, the highs and lows of running a blog and the future of DrunkenWerewolf.

Interview by Sarah Majhutiak As Editor and creator of DrunkenWerewolf, in one sentence, can you explain what you do all day in your job?

I answer a lot of emails, drink a lot of coffee, generally organise everything flung in my direction and try not to smoke a lot of cigarettes!

DrunkenWerewolf is currently in its sixth year. Has its success surprised you or did you always hope to expand this far?

Honestly, until fairly recently I was just bumbling along hoping for the best but not really putting much thought into where I was going. It wasn’t until I graduated that I saw it as a viable career and it wasn’t until last year that making money out of it seemed plausible.

Its success has definitely surprised me – I never imagined the blog would be followed by anyone other than partially interested friends and nosy family members. On the other hand, I’m a critical person so I don’t think I quite realise how lucky I am, and dare I say it, read the site and magazine are.

Once a week I have this epiphany moment when someone from the other side of the world adds me on Twitter, then I forget again... In that sense DrunkenWerewolf ’s success hasn’t surprised me because I’ve not even realised it.

Are there any perks of working in media and running your own blog?

The biggest perk of music journalism is definitely getting to hear new music and going to gigs for free. I would have bankrupted myself a long time ago if it weren’t for that. I invest in the music that I hold in high regard, though. I feel like I’m taking advantage otherwise.

What do you like most about living in Bristol?

I was born here; it’s part of me. I feel like I’m qualified in saying it’s the perfect city, because I tried another one for six years and constantly felt like my soul was being ripped in half. I think it’s the combination of ethical cultures ultimately. That leads to a really interesting and productive arts community, amongst other things.

What I found most refreshing about your blog is it isn't all nice, passive reviews but at the same time you and your writers aren't unfairly harsh just to be controversial.

There is a good balance of honesty and accessibility to a variety of readers. Do you think this is an important quality of a music reviewer?

Ladyfest is a global music and arts festival to celebrate and embrace women in the music and creative industries.

In 2012 you took on the role of Project Manager and brought Ladyfest back to Bristol after five years away.

What inspired you to bring this back? Did you enjoy the challenge of putting on and creating a live event?

Oh God, absolutely! I have some friends that are of the frame of mind you shouldn’t write about music if you don’t like it.

That’s bull. Music journalists aren’t paid to promote music, they’re (not) paid to be honest and articulate about their opinion. So I can’t have an opinion on One Direction because I don’t like them? I can’t be interested in the corporate aspect but prefer independent businesses? I’m not going to lie; it’s fun to be negative sometimes, but it’s also interesting to read constructive criticism and actually analyse music. On the other hand, like you say, it’s not fun to rip someone’s work up just for the sake of it – you have to be justified otherwise you’re just being a bully.

I’d thought about putting on a Ladyfest in Liverpool but the feminist community wasn’t strong up there at the time and I knew it was too much work for one person, so when Emma Thompson asked me to put on Bristol Ladyfest with her I jumped at the chance. I’d put on a few gigs before so it wasn’t an entirely new experience for me, but it was the first time I had worked in a committee for a charity cause, and on an event of that scale. It was hard work, but I was very happy with the day-long gig in particular. I think the line up really reflected the fact that women don’t have to fall into a stereotype to make a valid contribution to the music industry.

Through DrunkenWerewolf you have had the chance to interview some of the best up and coming bands, but out of all the musicians in the world who would you most like to interview and why?

I used to say Melissa Auf der Maur, but then I interviewed her!

I would probably crack up in front of Tori Amos and Spencer Krug but I’d still love to speak to them. I’ve also been trying to corner Laura Marling for years, but she’s mainly on my list out of stubbornness and a refusal to stop trying.

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Have there ever been any downsides in running DrunkenWerewolf?

The hours, though that’s more of a personal fault, I have a hard time shutting down! Also, owning your own business can be stressful as the buck stops with you, but I like working for myself, it's very rewarding.

In 2010 Bristol was named the top music city, where is your favourite venue to see a gig in Bristol and why?

Oh, it’s definitely changed over the years. The Louisiana and The Fleece have always been staples for me. I miss Anson Rooms as it was in my teens. They seemed to get just the right caliber of bands back then – I’ve seen Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Futureheads and Hot Hot Heat there. But now I think we’re lacking a venue of that size with the pull to get in exciting up-and-coming bands - Thekla makes the right choices but it's not quite big enough. As for smaller venues, the Grain Barge is lovely and intimate, and Mr Wolf ’s obviously.

You were nominated in the Best Blog category for Record of the Day’s Music Journalism Awards 2010 and 2011 what else do you hope to achieve with DrunkenWerewolf in the future?

We were forgot in 2012 so hopefully we’ll be nominated again in 2013 ha! In all seriousness, it’s nice to get a thumbs up from the industry, but I’d like to see DrunkenWerewolf team up with some of the other personas out there, like Gold Flake Paint and Fear of Fiction, and really put Bristol on the map for music fans. We’ve got the capacity to do it, we’ve got the bands on our side… it’s just a matter of time before London listens.

You are currently making your third issue in print form, how have you found the transition from blog to magazine? Was it an important decision for you to keep the magazine free?

I kept the magazine free because I want it to be accessible to everyone. The website always has been, the zine always was, so it made sense for the magazine to be the same.

The transition from blog to magazine was a very slow one; we moved to a bigger virtual space and tested the water with a three year long zine, so by the time the magazine came around, in terms of knowing what I was doing it was fairly easy sailing.

I was also very fortunate to get funding from the Prince’s Trust otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to do it at all. That bit, the funding, was an uphill battle, but it came good in the end!

Did having a University background prepare you at all in making and sustaining DrunkenWerewolf or have you found it's been an on the job learning curve?

I studied Archaeology and English Literature so it didn’t prepare me at all, not really. I remember being jealous of the BSc students because they got interview training and their tutors helped them write their CV, but we got sod all – apparently knowing how to spell sets you up for life! I think reading and contributing to other publications was the crucial learning curve, though of course I’ve taken what I learnt about 50,000 word essay writing and referencing with me.

What advice would you give to people thinking of starting their own music blog?

Never lose sight of why you’re doing it. For DrunkenWerewolf, that was to give an honest opinion no matter what the cost.

Music interview: DrunkenWerewolf