Arts Issue — Friday, March 13, 2015 by Western Gazette

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Presenting the best of student artists The Arts Issue has taken various forms over its time at The Gazette. It has been an issue looking at student trends, culture, fashion or lifestyle. It has also been our opportunity to explore different areas of the City of London. This year, we wanted to put together an issue that focused on student artists, displaying the talent on Western students and giving a platform for their work to be appreciated. In these pages, you will find 140313

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student paintings, sketches and photography. We had a bounty of submissions from many talented artists and have given them several spreads in this issue so that their work may be viewed. We hope that the talent and works displayed in this issue, as well as the articles providing insight into art creation, distribution and criticism, help foster an appreciation for art among our readers. • Brent Holmes & the Arts & Life Editors CORRECTION In yesterday’s front page article, Professors resign in protest from Huron principal reappointment committee, the original article stated that David Conter alleged an improper relationship between the chair of the reappointment committee, Jeff Aarssen, and the principal of Huron, Stephen McClatchie. Conter in fact did not allege this. He suggested there may have been an improper relationship in regards to a previous incident involving a third party, not Aarssen. The online article has since been updated to reflect. The Gazette regrets the error and apologizes to any parties affected by this error.

The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.

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HAVE YOUR SAY

The Gazette asked students what they thought of Picasso’s work, The Dog. What is their reaction to it? Who do they think did it? How much they would pay for it and does knowing it was by Picasso change anything? Hunter Johnson • FIMS I

“It looks like a dog. Actually I think it is interesting because it looks like it was all done in one stroke. It doesn’t look like there was an end to it. So they started some place and then kept going. I wouldn’t be able to do that. No, I’ve never seen it before [so I don’t know who made it. I’d pay] maybe like $12 max, if it had a nice background. Knowing [now] that it’s Pablo Picasso, I feel like the worth would go up because he’s well known, he’s one of those artists where it’s like ‘ah, Pablo Picasso, I need one of his artworks’ kind of thing. But I don’t know if I’d buy it. If the price went up I wouldn’t buy it, even if it was Picasso.”

Cynthia Zhou • Economics II

“It looks like a dog, like a head and [more]. It’s like elementary artwork, like someone who’s in kindergarten I guess would have done it. [I’d] probably [pay] like $10. It’s either someone really childish or someone really profound. Regardless of how I look at it [knowing it’s Picasso], it still looks like a dog to me — it’s still the same. But I don’t really know, I don’t really understand art I guess. [Knowing it’s Picasso, I’d] probably [pay] whatever the market price is. I mean, I wouldn’t pay it but I think that’s the price someone else would pay for it.

Ryan Scott • Finance IV

“It looks like a dog, like some sort of like wiener dog — got a little tail there, and an ear, two legs. I’d say it’s pretty bad art but I’ve never been much of an abstract guy myself so I don’t really get it. Just seems like I could draw something like that — I don’t really get it. I’d pay … $2 maybe. Actually, I can get a coffee with that, maybe like — you know what? Nah, I wouldn’t pay for that. If they gave me $5 too, I might take it. I have a lot of posters up so wall space is pretty crowded right now. [Knowing it’s Picasso now] if other people know it’s by Picasso then maybe I would have it up; I don’t know, impress some really artsy people.

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Big screen dreams Samah Ali GAZETTE STAFF @uwogaztte

Film lovers and filmgoers can look forward to Western Undergraduate Film Society’s annual Film Festival on Friday, March 27. The festival will be playing student made short films and awarding them for their efforts. “It’s the film department’s biggest social event of the year where all the students can get together and celebrate each other’s work and accomplishments,” says festival coordinator Jordana Plotnick. After an extension for submissions was changed to March 13, students still have the opportunity to edit and submit last minute projects in the middle of the busy month of March. It’s definitely not easy being a student filmmaker and fourth-year film student and festival participant Michael Scolaro is the perfect example saying, “Juggling photography, school and filmmaking it’s definitely a love-hate thing but you do it because you love doing it.” Scolaro is no stranger to the London film festival scene. He branched outside of the Western bubble by submitting the short documentary Basis of Hope with Mike Wittig to Museum London’s festival and took home the first place prize. As he balances school and filmmaking, Scolaro was happy the WUFS festival deadline was extended. Scolaro plans on reaching out to film scholarships and grants in the future to continue his filmmaking hobby. With Canada’s wealth of film sponsors and international festivals and the Toronto International Film Festival just two hours away, Scolaro can look forward to various

opportunities for film funding and producing. “I’m always doing personal projects and I’ll probably look into government funding because they’re a lot of opportunities for that type of work,” Scolaro says. Academics and extracurriculars take up a lot of time, especially during peak midterm and assignment season, so the festival is a great way for students to take a few hours to relax at the end of March and watch quality short films from student filmmakers. “We’re really trying to make it as big of an event as possible by improving from the year before with more film submissions and festivalgoers,” says Plotnick, “It’s more about a celebration of student activities.” Plotnick was also last year’s film festival winner with Adam Belanger, Sammy Roach and Joseph Simpson for their short documentary Anyone’s Game. Their documentary, which was originally made for a film production class, shed light on the philanthropic activities of London’s gaming community. Plotnick extended the invitation to Western students outside of the film studies program, affiliate colleges and to the greater London community. She believes the festival is meant for all students and encourages everyone to come out and take part a student driven collective. Any student can submit to the festival and anyone can attend the event. “We always try to get more people from other schools involved along with fellow Londoners. This helps to get visibility to the film department as well,” Plotnick adds. WUFS Film Festival will be on March 27 in the Wolf Performance Hall from 7–9 p.m.

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Jenny Jay • GAZETTE

DON’T TELL ME WHAT THE POETS ARE DOING. Holly Painter performs at the London Poetry Slam in London Music Hall. Painter is a spoken word artist and teacher who took over running LPS after founder Elyse Maltin stepped down.

Poetry perpetuating passion London poetry slams growing in popularity Jenny Jay ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR @JennyAtGazette

In the last few years, London has seen a rise in the interest as well as population of the poetry community. Elyse Maltin founded the London Poetry Slam (LPS) in 2007. The LPS opens its doors to poets and poetry on the third Friday of every month. In recent years it has taken place at the London Music Club, but with increasing interest in the form in the past year, the venue has reached maximum capacity. Now local spoken word artist and teacher Holly Painter runs the scene. “Over the last few years we have seen a large and consistent increase in numbers, both in terms of performers and audience,” Painter says. While there are a number of cities across the country that have a strong poetry community, London distinguishes itself by being an open, safe space that “shows the love.” Emma Blue, a member of the

2014 LPS Slam team, says showing the love is a highlight of what it means to be a part of London’s poetry community. “To show the love is to acknowledge the bravery of the person who steps on the stage. LPS as a scene is incredibly supportive and encouraging, and our ‘show the love’ motto captures that perfectly,” Blue says. The saying creates what they hope is an open environment that encourages all performers to feel comfortable on stage, since the idea of performing might seem intimidating. As scary as it may seem, Blue says that the more a poet performs, the easier it can get. “After attending a lot of slams and workshops, I got more comfortable in front of a crowd. My performance is still always a work in progress, but I went from feeling extremely isolated to being a part of the community,” Blue says. For performers, spoken word poetry has practical benefits in sharing someone’s work but also acts as an outlet for emotional catharsis, explains Painter.

“Spoken word is a way to creatively release thoughts and emotions — it’s a way to speak your truth and share your story. It’s a way to advocate for important causes and add your voice to issues you are passionate about,” Painter says. Blue agrees, explaining that performing her poetry started as an outlet for expression. “Spoken word started out as pure catharsis for me. It was about expressing myself publicly about things I had never had permission to convey,” Blue says. Between the talent of the poets and the receptiveness of the audience, the LPS has developed into a powerful community — individuals who are looking to get involved in the poetry scene will find that London is a great place to start. Those that want to get involved will find it’s also pretty easy to do. “Our slams are all ages and pretty accessible at only $5, and our sign-up to perform happens the night of the events. All you have to do is bring an open mind, your snapping fingers and your poetry if you have any,” Painter says.

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Insta-art: instagram as a new art form Robert Nanni SPORTS EDITOR @RobertNanni

Since its creation in early 2010, Instagram has provided a social media platform on which photos take precedence. With its name deriving from a portmanteau of “Instant Telegram,” Instagram allows for the immediate distribution of life’s shareable moments. The application acts primarily as a pocket gallery for the capturing and distribution of #foodporn, #selfies and #vacation photos, along with countless other hashtags that identify various photo styles. Yet while the app offers a creative and expressive outlet for many, can we really consider these square stills pieces of art? Michael Sloane, a professor for Western in the department of English, teaches a course in which he discusses the cultural approach to social media outlets. “[A museum] is a repository for the rubbish of the past, an institution that is a symptom of our inability to cope with finitude; in this regard, Instagram is no different,” Sloane explains. “Whether it is a family photo or a canted landscape shot, we cannot ignore the fact that Instagram implicitly documents the ways in which we deal with the passage of time.” By defining Instagram as artistic expression, the lines become blurred as to the extent to which any expression is art. “Typically, we think that art should be in a frame on a wall in a gallery, but this is a classist, bourgeois notion, one that ignores the validity of outsider art, installations, or even brute reality,” says Sloane, providing the concept of art as any aesthetic with an expressive, evocative dimension. It would appear to Sloane that the definition of art requires some

sort of reshaping. “Now, it might be blasphemous to utter the word ‘art’ and ‘Instagram’ in the same sentence,” admits Sloane. “Nonetheless, I do so to foreground the nature of this problematic stigma, one that dismisses new forms of technology as viable modes of creative production.” Google Trends shows an escalation of “foodporn” searches since the release of Instagram, as people crave the culture surrounding the presentation of delectable goodies. “Perhaps this is a sort of hyper-nostalgia, or a longing for a past that has not passed – before the food disappears, we need to savour it,” Sloane explains. “Indeed, the act of aesthetically savouring food through photography is how we cope with the fleeting nature of our fast-paced world.” Though perhaps Instagram can only be labeled as art when that is what the artist desires. At least, this is how second-year chemistry student Pamela Libfeld feels. “If someone is posting a picture of something because they want a lot of likes, they will post a picture that they think will appeal to everyone,” Libfeld says. “If they post a picture that they want to convey meaning, they won’t care how many likes they get.” Tim Blackmore, professor in the faculty of media and information studies, seems to agree with this notion, indicating that many people seem to have an interesting obsession with food and they may want to share their food-related moments with the world. “I think that because Instagram is a moment to moment thing, you can only take so many selfies,” says Blackmore. “One of the things that look good during the day is food.” Dispersing one’s selfies with the occasional lobster bisque seems to be a good idea, Blackmore implies, as involving gourmet or “exotic”

foods may increase your social media class, raise your status and even garner you some more followers. Blackmore furthers this idea with the notion that uploading something to Instagram has a thoughtful and time-consuming aspect to it. “When you start to plan and things like that you begin to get involved in aesthetic decisions, and when that happens you’re making art,” he exclaims. While Blackmore may feel that Instagram can be seen as an art form, Libfeld maintains that this view is highly dependent on the user. “Instagram can be a mode of expressing art, but only if that is your true intention,” Libfeld says. This idea continues to resonate throughout various Western students, as expressed by second-year psychology student Sarah Ryckman. “I would say that Instagram is definitely a form of expression,” Ryckman began. “I don’t think I’d personally call it art, but I suppose I can see how some people would.” Concerning the #foodporn label, Ryckman does not appreciate this constantly escalating fad. “Your food might look good, and it might taste good, but it definitely isn’t porn,” Ryckman mentions while laughing. “It just makes me really uncomfortable.” The concept of foodporn originates from the sensual and erotic manner in which food is presented over the Internet, particularly through social media. By involving oneself in the preparation, the presentation and the publication of food, the artist adopts a personal connection that they want to express and have others experience. “Because the way you present the shot of the food is the same kind of attention that goes into presenting pornography,” Blackmore explains. “But it’s really another fetish. Food

has become a fetish instead of something that we do, it’s become something that we use as a status symbol.” Although some individuals are not entirely comfortable with the idea of associating food, a source of nurturing and life, with porn, a more sensual and taboo topic, there is definitely some positivity associated with the combined idea of #foodporn. “I think if anything it’s shifted the dialogue away from fast-food and toward people learning how to cook, which is another kind of literacy, another kind of skill that most of us don’t have and should have,” Blackmore says. He further explains how this hashtag can focus people on being mindful of how and what they consume. Despite the positive outcomes of #foodporn, many are still unconvinced that this form of photography as an artistic medium. “I don’t believe Instagram is an art form,” offers Noor Shakfa, a second-year medical science student. “Instagram provides individuals with an ability to share their life and experiences through pictures, but art is the ability for people to express their skill and imagination.” While Shakfa admits that there are a select few who convey their creativity through thought-provoking, time-consuming photos, Shakfa feels unable to admit to the artistic integrity of Instagram as a whole due because “a large sum of people are not using it for that reason.” Although there are conflicting views on the validity of Instagram and specifically #foodporn as a form of art, there is a definite consensus that using this label requires more than just a photographic snapshot. For more people to objectively accepted as art, whether discussing #selfies or #foodporn, the thought behind the posted photos needs to be evident and purposeful.

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Amy O’Shea History III

Ivy Yang

Visual Arts III

Cara McCutcheon

Biology and Visual Arts V

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Jennifer Collins

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Graduate

Essie Liu

Masters of Music

Robyn Obermeyer

English and Creative Writing III

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Sydney Cowie

MIT and Visual Arts IV

Jacob Freeman

Bachelor of Fine Arts III

Tiallin Zhu BMOS IV

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Michael Haynes

Political Science and English Language and Literature IV

Tabitha Chan

Fine Arts & English III

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Tara Magloire MIT II

Luke Overbeek Social Work IV

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Marie Floryan

Western Initiative for Scholarly Excellence program

Amy O’Shea History III

Jenny Jay

Gazette Arts and Life Editor

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Porsche of London - Where Excellence Comes Standard. Your Weekly Horoscope

Conrad Floryan • GAZETTE

ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 A debate forces you to reconsider some long-held opinions. Use this time to reflect on your point of view and if there is anything you might want to change.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, you will sort out a complex problem in due time. Don’t let any initial struggles to find a solution keep you down. Continue to focus on the bigger picture.

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Life gets better and better as the week goes on, Taurus. Expect a few obstacles, but remember there’s nothing you cannot tackle, especially when you get some help.

SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, use this week to address an unresolved issue. Tackle every project thrown your way head-on and with vigor. Others will notice your efforts.

Hyland: planting seeds of culture in the forest city

GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 A situation arises at work that evokes strong emotions among your coworkers. Stay neutral on the issue until you have had enough time to gather more information.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, try not to over-think things this week. Sometimes the simplest solution to a problem is the best solution. Keep this in mind at the office.

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 A recently started relationship is going great, Cancer. Now might be a great time to take the next step with your special someone. Expect this person to share your feelings.

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, a distraction this week proves so fascinating that you neglect other responsibilities. While you may like a challenge, don’t let it consume your life.

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 A rush of adrenaline this week will help you sail through any projects that need completion, Leo. Take a break every now and then so you don’t burn out.

AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 You yearn for privacy this week, Aquarius. Make the most of any opportunity to seek out a quiet corner and spend some time deep in reflection and thought..

VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you and a superior at work are seeing eye-toeye this week. This could mark the beginnings of a great partnership, so continue to work hard.

PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Chores are completely unappealing this week, Pisces. But they must get done one way or another. Delegate some tasks.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 15 – Kellan Lutz, Actor (30) MARCH 16 – Lauren Graham, Actress (48) MARCH 17 – Mia Hamm, Athlete (43)

MARCH 18 – Sutton Foster, Actress (40) MARCH 19 – Evan Bourne, Wrestler (32) MARCH 20 – Spike Lee, Director (58) MARCH 21 – Gary Oldman, Actor (57)

The week of March. 15 – 21 This horoscope is intended for entertainment purposes only.

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Conrad Floryan ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR @ConradAtGazette

The Hyland Cinema is London’s original art house theatre, showcasing diverse fare for students interested in more than the typical multiplex blockbusters. “We are an independent cinema showing mostly art films and international films — films that are not being shown anywhere else in London,” says Ali Adlan, manager and owner of the cinema. The Hyland Cinema often teams up with the community for various initiatives. Patrons that can arrange a group of 100 people can rent a film of their choice for a screening and the theatre will arrange getting the film from distributors. Hyland organizes screenings of educational films for local schools, such as March of the Penguins and The Queen. They also offer workshops on Saturdays to teach particulars of the film business. The screening room can be rented out as a conference

room for local businesses. Since much of the film-going audience is drawn primarily to big Hollywood blockbusters, it’s a challenge for the Hyland to stay in business. “We don’t make a lot of money from these films,” says Adlan. “When we started, people here in London were not used to these types of films, especially with subtitles.” As theatre attendance overall is in decline, art house theatres across the country are suffering especially. Although it is a challenge to stay afloat, Adlan studied film and he is determined to showcase the types of films he enjoys. “When we first showed foreign films we got very few people, maybe 10 or 12,” says Adlan. “But we insisted to continue so people got used to these films and now we are getting big numbers for these foreign films. Sometimes it is difficult to get the films that we want so sometimes you have to makes a compromise.” The Hyland relies on a dedicated

fan base of cinephiles. They offer memberships with discounted ticket prices, and they now have around 8,000 members. The theatre has a storied history. It originally opened as the Elmwood in the 1930s, offering double features of second-run movies. It was an essential hub of the London film scene, premiering many box office hits in the city such as E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and Field of Dreams. As the filmgoing paradigm shifted towards multiplexes and a sixscreen theatre opened downtown in Galleria Mall, the Hyland closed its doors in 1989. It reopened in 2001. “When we came here we had to start from nothing,” says Adlan. “It was abandoned for a long time so we had to buy projectors, a screen and a sound system.” Looking to the future, Adlan is excited to find more unique films to showcase for the community. The Hyland Cinema is located at 240 Wharncliffe Rd. S. Check hylandcinema.com for showtimes.

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Publishing: getting between the covers Tom Ruess GAZETTE STAFF Every writer dreams of getting published. So what separates those who do from those who don’t? Traditionally, the first step towards getting published was finding an agent. While still the case, finding an agent to represent you carries an unfortunate paradox: agents don’t want to take on someone who is inexperienced and unpublished and, yet, how is one supposed to gain experience if no one will take them on? Michael Arntfield, assistant professor of creative writing at Western as well as a successful writer published across multiple genres, says “This Catch-22 is why I’d recommend using any number of Western’s creative writing anthologies like The Rusty Toque or Occasus as stepping stones. This way emerging writers have something for their portfolios upon graduation.” Submitting your work to literary journals or magazines is another way to gain experience and prove yourself to agents and publishers alike, but there’s more to it than simply submitting your work at random. “It’s important to match your style to the magazine you send it to. Even if your work is spectacular, it won’t get published if it’s not the style or genre they’re looking for. Also, for this reason, don’t take it as a failure if you don’t get accepted. It might just not be what they’re looking for,” Gary Bowmen, published author and Western’s writer in residence, says. It’s also important to have realistic expectations for your writing career. While everyone dreams of their debut novel being a bestseller and overnight sensation, in reality this is almost never the case. In writing, persistence can be as great an asset as natural talent. “The top-selling authors today, from J.K. Rowling to Stephen King, were rejected dozens of times before landing their first paltry author’s agreement,” explains Arntfield. “Most successful writers work a day job for years, often until they’ve

five or six books in print, before they can declare they make a living by writing.” The current change taking place from the medium of physical print to digital shouldn’t be viewed as the decline of literature. In fact, more books are being purchased than ever. What’s more, this shift offers up-and-coming writers new opportunities. “I recommend blogging and having a credible, professional and relevant electronic presence beyond social media,” advises Arntfield. “The startup costs are nominal and can bring a lot of people to your work.” With a market controlled by companies like Amazon and iBooks in addition to the growing popularity of electronic books, self-publishing is becoming an increasingly enticing option. In addition to avoiding the pitfalls of traditional publishing, web-based distribution can often be just as, if not more, financially lucrative. “Independently published works of fiction typically earn 300 per cent greater author royalties per unit sold than the alternative,” Arntfield explains. “The author also retains 100 per cent of the copyrights. Lewis Carroll [author of Alice in Wonderland] independently published his first works and then sold them to publishing houses once they were already bestsellers. There’s countless people now emulating him in a digital market with great success.” Ultimately, however, one won’t find success in the world of writing without passion and determination. At a recent event of Western’s Creative Writing Club, Kitty Lewis, general manager of the publishing company Brick Books, said, “Write, write, write and read, read, read. Know the ecosystem of the contemporary writing world and then write not because you want to be published but because you want to write.” Arntfield concludes that it comes down to “doing what you have to and out-hustling all the others.”

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ArtShare makes campus a permanent gallery Kevin Hurren NEWS-EDITOR-AT-LARGE @KevinAtGazette

For many students, waiting outside of a classroom or professor’s office can be pretty mundane. But did you know it could also be an artistic experience? Thanks to a program run by the McIntosh Gallery, unique art pieces have been displayed across campus – allowing both staff and students to enjoy the work. The program, titled ArtShare, began in 1991 and was initiated by the collections manager Dave Falls. Falls hoped to show the importance of art in everyday surroundings. Now, ArtShare has grown to integrate almost 800 pieces into the campus aesthetic. “A lot of the works that we have in the collection are usually stuck in the vault,” said Brian Lambert, the current collections manager for McIntosh Gallery. “We don’t get a lot of chance to show them and ArtShare gives us a chance to put works in the permanent collection on display.” The process is simple – when staff and faculty request a piece

through ArtShare, representatives from the gallery come to survey the suggested location. A number of factors are considered in assessing a space, explained Lambert. The location of heaters and vents, for instance, can affect an office’s potential to hold art because of the negative effects on image. Intense lighting, both natural and UV, can also degrade the piece’s quality. Because of damages that have happened in the past, ArtShare has become more wary with certain pieces. Watercolours, Lambert said, are one kind of work they don’t send out anymore because of their sensitivity. “Our mandate as a permanent collection is to ensure the continuity of the work, so we have to make sure that anything going out will be safely exposed to light, heat and whatever else is out there,” he said. But the program doesn’t always jeopardize pieces. In fact, ArtShare helps facilitate a number of restorations and other maintenance work. In order to participate in the service, the building or office that receives the artwork pays a small

Winnie Lu • GAZETTE

rental fee. This fee goes towards upkeep of pieces in the vault – including professional repairs or reframing. “There’s quite a lot of expense involved in having a collection this size, so [ArtShare] helps to defer some of our costs.” Currently, the program is

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member curious about a piece currently on display is welcome to contact the gallery for more background on the work. “It’s really a permanent exhibition and there’s very few places around campus where there isn’t work from the collection,” Lambert said.

Critics provide insight into the minds of artists

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working towards re-labeling a lot of the pieces currently on display throughout campus. Special McIntosh Gallery labels will be attached containing information on who the artist is, when the work was done and who donated the piece to the University. Until then, any student or staff

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Art critics are an integral part of the world of visual arts. They make their readers think and reconsider every inch of the canvas in question. Their minds are difficult to understand as they have an abundance of knowledge in art history and composition. To understand how critics work, it is important to understand the arts world. “The art world is a very complicated place, so I can understand why a lot of people would be hesitant to approach it. It’s convoluted with all sorts of rules that are obscure,” Sam Roberts, fourth-year art history and criticism student, says. These rules and complications play into how the art critic views the work. “There has to be some kind of X factor for every critic. A critic could look at any number of things including where an artist started off, the progression of their work and how it fits in the trajectory of their practice,” Roberts says. Not only do critics consider the background of the artist, they are also concerned with things like aesthetics and concept. A lot of contemporary art is conceptual – making it hard for the inexperienced artist to understand. This is why art critics are important in society. “They can explain things that the average person can’t understand. For instance, if I am unable to understand abstract painting, a critic could explain it or make it clearer for the consumer,” Al Stewart, owner of the Art Exchange and the Westland Gallery, says. While critics play an important role in explaining art, they can sometimes be volatile and scathing. “I think critics can be a little too serious. I think you need to judge on your own, whether or not you think something is a good piece. Whether you have an

OR ME, ART HAS TO HAVE A CONNECTION. I LOOK AT WHETHER IT IS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, WHETHER IT WILL CHALLENGE ME. IT’S ABOUT A FEELING INSIDE THAT I HAVE WHEN I’M LOOKING AT ART. SAM ROBERTS

ART HISTORY AND CRITICISM IV

art background or not, you should like an art piece only if it’s important to you,” Stewart says. The opinions of critics are not always tied to exhibition turnout numbers. Sometimes their opinions can have economic ramifications. “Critics will have an impact on how art sells and thus what it costs. The gallery and where it’s being shown makes a difference, but also what the critic says about it,” Roberts says. Many art collectors will simply follow trends so that they can make extra money and in some cases this can mean making millions. “In 2013 the art market was worth $66 billion. Those are big numbers and things were selling for enormous amounts,” Roberts says. Stewart, however, disagrees with placing the value of art on how much it costs. “For me, art has to have a connection. I look at whether it is aesthetically pleasing, whether it will challenge me. It’s about a feeling inside that I have when I’m looking at art,” Stewart says. Simply put, art critics are the intermediaries between those who create and those who observe and often play a large role in the art industry.

thegazette • Friday, March 13, 2015 • ARTS

• 15

ISSUE

The runway is the funway Richard Joseph GAZETTE STAFF @uwogazette

Hot on the heels of the 2015 Paris Fashion Show, we at The Gazette put together our own student-budget sartorial ensemble based on the best of the runway. Fashion shows are a bizarre phenomenon of the 21st-century, where models sport razor-sharp cheekbones and increasingly impractical outfits to showcase the work of leading designers. Robin Procunier, owner of the Richmond Row menswear boutique Andrew Douglas Clothier, offers some insight on the oddities that stroll, shuffle and roll down the catwalk. “Designers have to set new standards,” Procunier explains. “In menswear, they might work with epaulets, button placements, shoulder stance.” Procunier cites Hugo Boss as a clothing company which once had a distinctive and recognizable cut, an “oversized shoulder with

a tapering waist.” Haute-couture womenswear, on the other hand, scorns such subtle adjustments. In this year’s Paris Fashion Show, one of the most highly anticipated events in the designer clothing industry, the company Comme Des Garcons featured a series of outfits involving elaborate black veils as well as one that resembled a mattress. The stark black-and-white contrast on our model is inspired by the monochrome trend that was so prevalent in this year’s lineup, particularly in the collections by Chanel, Givenchy and Stella McCartney. Monochrome is so popular on the runway because the absence of colour lends a much sought-after “washed-out Parisian chic” look to the wearer. There’s just something about the combination of form-fitting black and crisp, flowing white that accentuates sharp and elegant features. The black leather boots and long coat are a homage to the

designer company Chloe, who turned heads this week with their swooping ankle-length jacket with a pair of oversized lapels. The long, draping silhouette is back in vogue, catching every slim-fit devotee off guard. It can be difficult to keep up with this rapid back-and-forth in the world of fashion. “There are very few people with the income to keep up with trends,” says Procunier. “In womenswear especially, fashion comes and goes very quickly.” Finally, the designer A.F. Vandevorst, though notable for an ingenious use of monochrome, stood out for their unique headgear. Our model borrows from the less outrageous and more wearable on the hat spectrum, whereas the Vandevorst models reached Marie-Antoinette levels of elaborate with hats of origami birds, giant horns and enormous fur hoods. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson made a surprise appearance at the Paris Fashion Show this

@MegAtGazette

Spring is the time of year that sees a veritable bouquet of charity fashion shows pop up at Western. Four big names — CAISA, OHM, Purple Spur and the Fashion and Lifestyle Society — draw the biggest crowds, and there are many other smaller productions. The Purple Spur fashion show “isn’t your typical fashion show,” according director Brooklyn McLellan. Her show introduces a performance aspect; it features models that dance, spray each other with water guns and backflip down the catwalk. This year’s CAISA show will also incorporate dance, production and props as it follows three characters through the various scenes, says Rochelle Menezes, the show’s public relations director. Leaning away from the traditional strut down a catwalk is in line with trends in the professional industry, says fashion writing professor Claudia Manley. “If you look at Alexander McQueen, he integrated all kinds of tableaus and scenes and narratives within his fashion shows,” she says. Putting clothes in lived situations can evoke emotion in viewers and perhaps persuade them to buy the outfit, Manley thinks. “The huge draw, at the end of it all, is that it’s for charity,” Rachel Dunford, co-director of the Fashion and Lifestyle Society show, says. Her show raised $3,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation this year. The Purple Spur raised $13,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis London Chapter last year and CAISA’s shows have raised over $100,000 for the Children’s Health Foundation during the 17 years it’s been running. OHM sports a similar figure for total donations to the Canadian Cancer Society. Manley says charity is another thing Western’s shows have in common with the professional fashion industry. “The MET costume ball, which is the event in New York for the fashion

crowd, is a charity event,” she says. So, why are there so many shows at Western? Matt Helfand, University Students’ Council president turned Purple Spur model, thinks these shows are just another reflection of Western students’ engagement with their campus.

HE BEAUTY OF THE CHARITY FASHION SHOW IS THAT IT MARRIES THAT IDEA OF FASHION AND AESTHETIC AND GIVES IT AN OUTLET TO BE PRODUCTIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. ROCHELLE MENEZES

CAISA PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

“Western students are looking to get engaged and they have all sorts of talents and these fashion shows have a little bit of something for everyone,” he says. There’s also a business side to running these productions that sometimes feature upwards of 60 models, say the F&LS co-directors. “You have people that love fashion but prefer the finance side of it — so they’ll do the budget. You’ve got people who love clothing who will style,” Maisha Visram, one of the co-directors, says. Dunford thinks the productions are a creative outlet as well as a source of practical skills for students who want to break into the fashion industry. “You get the hands on experience you don’t really get anywhere else around here,” she says. Another reason these shows might be so successful is because they’re fun, says Menezes. “It’s different than a bar night … the beauty of the charity fashion show is that it marries that idea of fashion and aesthetic and gives it an outlet to be productive for the community.”

Jenny Jay • GAZETTE

To place your classifed ad, please contact us at 519-661-3579 or adoffice@uwo.ca

So many fashion shows, so little time Megan Devlin ASSOCIATE EDITOR

year to promote the upcoming Zoolander 2, their outfits exemplars of the monochrome long-coat trends of the year. As appreciative as the audience was, they served as a reminder of the relationship between celebrity culture and fashion. “There’s a sort of mentoring here,” says Procunier. “These people are responsible for teaching an entire next generation how to look, how to dress, how to present themselves. It’s about showing respect, command and professionalism.”

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ARTS ISSUE• thegazette •

Friday, March 13, 2015

PHOTO ESSAY

E N E C S C I S U M N O D N O L E TH

Kelly Samuel & Jenny Jay • GAZETTE