Pictures Worth A Thousand Words

Before coming to college, I’d never really thought of myself as an artist. It wasn’t until our sociology class undertook a project last year in collaboration with arts faculty in the Visual Culture, Music, Dance, and Theater departments- to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the role of arts at Bates and to present our findings to the public. Based on our conclusions, we discovered that although Batesies engage in some form of artistic activity (via chorus, radio, orchestra, or even just listening to music during a study break), not enough credit was given to the promotion of the arts here on campus.

After conducting the study, I decided to make it a personal goal to involve myself more in the visual arts. An “artist”, I’ve learned is not one who possesses the talent to produce it, but simply does it for the sheer aesthetic pleasure derived from the experience of seeing art and yet not even physically touching it. And so, I’ve signed up for an art class, “Visualizing Race”, where we examine artworks, performances (yes, we even watched and discussed this recently famous VMA moment), and even brand names such as Aunt Jemima and Abercrombie & Fitch- to explore the underlying racial contexts behind these entities and identities.

In addition, I decided to visit the current exhibition featuring local Maine artist Joel Babb who dissects the themes of cityscapes, nature, and bodies.

"New England Towers" (Joel Babb), an oil painting from 2002.

There is also a separate exhibit in Olin, Collection Project 4, that displays significant works donated by Bates alumni, by famous artists such as Cezanne, Homer, and Picasso.

As Andy Warhol aptly put, “Art is what you can get away with.” And art is most certainly not necessary for translation, let alone a thousand words.

V-Day

No, this isn’t about Valentine’s Day, and has nothing to do with World War II; as much as I want it to be, it isn’t a self-proclaimed holiday for voracious bobcats either. Hark the “Vagina Monologues“! For those who aren’t familiar with this commemoration of female body parts, the “Vagina Monologues” was originally a play written by Eve Ensler and performed at the Westside Theatre and Here Arts Center in New York City- specifically to both raise awareness and stop violence against women. The monologues are composed of numerous, short pieces relevant to the vagina. The “V” word may cause extreme discomfort, especially for boys, due to its graphic imagery and language. Nevertheless, it’s a step towards mending the barriers between men and women and redefining gender stereotypes that still fragment our society today.

Batesies have decided to honor vaginas in Gannett Theater this February 5th through the 7th, with admission of $5. Proceedings from tickets will go towards supporting the Abused Women’s Advocacy Project, a local women’s domestic abuse center in Auburn.

Age is Nothing But a Number

Traditionally,  Bates has long been associated with “academics”, “sports”, “snow”,  “Commons”, or “party”. There should be one more name added to that list- who happens to be 94 years of age: Frank Glazer. Frank, an artist-in-residence, renowned pianist after debuting at Carnegie Hall in 1936, and  professor of 30 years here, has been with us since almost the beginning of Bates’ time.

Frank Glazer (then)

In addition, Frank Glazer founded both the New England Piano Quartette and the Saco River Music Festival which is held in Cornish, Maine.

Currently, his mission is to perform all 32 piano sonatas composed by Beethoven, for whom he greatly admires his innovation:

“Beethoven had the ability to extend a simple idea and have it continue and evolve. He also had such a sense of proportion that, at the point when you are just about to become bored, he changes — he knows just where to change so that you’re always alert to what he’s doing.”

Frank Glazer is a remarkable icon at Bates. As  music is both highly and seriously regarded by us Batesies, we consider him an honor to share the same love of one simple chord of artistic expression.

Asia Night

Last night, “Asia Night”, an event showcasing various aspects of Asian culture, was kicked off with a swift bang. Traditionally, this spectacle usually incorporates dance exhibitions (ranging from a medley of Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian motifs: both folk and contemporary) , karate stunts,  instrumental musical arrays  (with gamelans, taiko drums, pianos, cellos, and violins) and fashion models representing garb from different Asian countries such as China, Nepal, and Burma.

This year due to popularity of this annual performance and to help raise donations for the rebuilding of villages in India for the Auroville Village Action Group Fund, Asia Night has been set on two nights. Like any other major project, the process of planning has been a tremendous task- from coordination of acts to advertising the event to production rehearsal. As I’ve long accustomed to performing in the spotlight before the public, I decided to switch roles- to remain backstage in  ensuring that everything runs smoothly (ex. assisting with light, curtain, and music cues)

What I’ve learned is that every second truly does count, especially since timing is crucial in any show. Having now seen both sides of the picture, the lesson I’ve gained from this experience is the value of team effort! It’s like the process of producing a film- the work can’t be complete without both the actor and the director.

Either way, the energy shared and felt by both the performance and the audience was enjoyably larger than life. I admit,  I found that watching the show from another perspective was a lot more satisfying, amidst of all the chaos. Truly, this was where the real action was.

Having been a “techie” where I’d never thought I’d “play” the part, I admit- it felt kind of cool wearing a headset.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Puddle Jump!

It’s that time of year again, when Batesies commemorate a special tradition: Puddle Jump. This event occurs every January, when the pond is sufficiently frozen, and a hole is cut in the ice for courageous souls to swandive and cannonball into. Sure, the pond’s full of muck and other dirty unnamable entities, and oh yes, the water is close-to-twenty-degrees freezing. But, once you go bold, you can never be cold.

Two warriors take on the Battle of Ice.

Having jumped in twice my freshman year, the rush of excitement felt certainly does overpower the fact that you’re shockingly numb from the water and can’t feel a single body part. I think it’s safe to say that I can graduate from Bates knowing I’ve taken part in a special ritual, and that I’ll do it again..in a few hours!

My experience freshman year.

“You May Say I’m a Dreamer, But I’m Not the Only One.”

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Although classes were not held today in observance of this occasion, and despite an ongoing raging snowstorm, workshops were in session to discuss and to commemorate the importance of the civil rights movement in American history. This year’s topic was “Faith and Ethics in the Public Sphere: What is the Dream?”. Most talks and forums were held in P-Gill, where many faculty took the opportunity to participate alongside students to broach such topics of race, gender, religion, and slavery- issues that are still taboo to approach today.

I decided to attend a workshop titled “Allies, Townies and Terrorists: The Politics of Representation on Halloween”, in which the theme dealt with the “importance of context, dressing as self or other, the boundaries between intention and reception, and distinction between the appropriateness of wearing costume from everyday clothes. We were presented different images and asked what stereotypes came to mind, debated whether it was “politically correct” to dress up, and were questioned what constituted the difference between costumes and normal garb.

We were shown a clip from popular television show "America's Next Top Model", where during a fashion photo shoot, Tyra Banks casted each model to "look" like a certain nationality.

In addition, there was also a dual-screen video exhibit of videos about social identity showcasing local Maine independent media filmmakers. The intent of each video was to diversify images typically shown today in our popular media culture, and to explore how identities are not only individualized but constantly evolving.

Having started a diversity club in my high school, I was thrilled to carry on the torch in contributing to how we can improve our social issues by coming together as a community, regardless of differences in background. It is so refreshing that not only students, but also faculty, are just as hopeful and active as I am- to bring and inspire change for the better!

All in all, a very productive and progressive day.

Haiti Update from Bates

This is just a brief catchup on the Haiti disaster.

As you may have seen or heard on the news, Haiti was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 on January 13th, 2010, resulting in serious loss of buildings and lives. The effects of the catastrophe weren’t just felt by the people there, but on a worldwide scale- as the presence of its aftermath is felt here at Bates as well. As a number of Batesies have family or acquaintances there, it’s clear that we’ve all been affected in some way. (As a New Yorker who was displaced for a month during 9/11, I sincerely empathize with those who have been impacted in these circumstances)

Students have started rallying for donations and for other aid to help ameliorate the situation abroad. There will also be a chapel service held tonight, Sunday, January 17th at 7 PM, in honor of the victims.

Some images from the tragedy in Haiti, if you’re interested:http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/01/13/world/20100113-HAITIQUAKE_index.html

All the best for a speedy recovery and hope to do all that we can.

-V

Who Said Libraries Were Archaic?

It’s a new year, and in our digital age of revolution comes the perks of a newly advanced technology.

Welcome to Ladd, Bates’ go-to for all academic resources.

With our reference system, I’ve never had to experience frustration navigating any complexities from my searches. Ladd Library is probably the simplest research tool I’ve ever come across; when I need to look something up, I’m in and out of there in seconds rather than spending hours lost in a maze of books. If the resource isn’t available, I don’t have to worry; I know that NExpress or MaineCat will deliver it in 2 or 3 days after I’ve requested an order.

Inside our cozy library.

Furthermore, Ladd also has staff standing by via instant message chat should you have questions (indeed, our librarians are pretty “hip” and up-to-speed with innovation, unlike what you may think!) And, not only do we have reference assistance, but with thesis tips, peer writing, and computers as well.

Recently, I noticed that the library has updated in terms of accessibility. Now, if we want to borrow a book, film, music score, or government document, the  new catalog, called CBBcat, combines a collective list of search results from Colby and Bowdoin. This way, it’s much more convenient to obtain the object of your scholarly desires a lot faster.

It’s great to know that looking up something in a library no longer is a daunting task, but rather a team effort to remind you that call numbers can be your friend too.

You couldn't miss this distinct-looking building from anywhere on campus.

For “Auld Lang Syne”

Welcome, all, to 2010.  I hope everyone has managed to unwind during the vacation, and made their New Year’s resolutions! I admit: although I haven’t been very effective about keeping most of my resolutions, I’ve been able to get down at least one each year.

2009 was a spectacular year of change. Reflecting on 2009 in the Bates mirror, the class of ‘09 made their mark (Here’s a link if you’re interested: http://www.bates.edu/commencement.xml). The ever-popular annual Bates Dance Festival took place. Nancy Cable was newly elected as vice president and dean of enrollment and external affairs. We had a short outbreak of the swine flu (see local news coverage here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6a5RP1PM4Y.

Here’s also a visual throwback of the “Kodak Moments” that were captured in 2009.

On a personal level, I’m aware we’ve all had our ups and downs. Having experienced different classes, professors, and relationships, the biggest lesson I’ve learned from the past year is that change denotes challenge (even as I speak, we’ve been preparing to move out of our apartment, where we’ve lived for ten years)- all for the sake of progress and growth.

So, here’s to new beginnings.

-V the Voracious Bobcat

Deck the Halls

As finals wrap up, the semester starts to unravel to its last threads. Commons has been open longer lately, as the Dining Staff have been generous enough to host Late Night Breakfast for those who need a study break (and a healthy dose of food for temporary brain revival). The “finals” experience here at Bates typically involves a couple of successful all-nighters, and plenty of late night library or P-Gill dates. Exams usually are around 2 hours long, and are generally scheduled in the same room the class was taken, to avoid any last minute scrambling hassles for students whose greatest nightmares are to end up in the wrong room for their test (although there are a few exceptions, especially for economics or a science-related major).

On a festive note, here is how decked out the halls of my dorm are, in true holiday spirit:

A door covered in Christmas wrapping paper on the left, paper cut-outs on the walls, and light displays hang above.

After furiously scrabbling non-stop for 4 hours in Blue Books in 2 English finals back-to-back, I think it’s time to give these fingers a short rest.

Happy holidays, everyone, and enjoy the longest break of the year!