Art “Art”-iculated

Map of “Arts Crawl” Event

Congratulations! Bates is presenting its first “Arts Crawl“. Like the smattering of paint onto a blank canvas, the velocity with which arts events are happening also represents the school’s next step in following through with its palate to the art pallet more than ever before. Previously, I felt that the arts had been presented separately (for instance, a dance performance would occur on a different weekend than a poetry reading). But with this junction of venues coming from all of the written, visual, and performing arts, it’s a whole new recipe on the bobcat menu.

What stuck with me the most was the “More than a Rap Sheet” project, featuring an eagle-eye on the life of imprisoned women. Before I formulate my own interpretation of the double message of incarceration via these narratives walking the plank of reality, it hit me how both the camera and the pen liberated these women (and I mean, really hit me- I admit, I got a little wet-eyed after seeing the entire exhibit).

Here are some snapshots (I apologize for the lack of optimal quality; feel free to click on the images):

Cindy Kirlin

Cindy Kirlin’s narrative

Jody Miller

 

Jody Miller’s narrative

Of course, those would question the validity of this exhibit- bringing it yet again back to the ultimate eternal debate of “What is art?” For me, the raw emotion that triggered my response said enough. It is reality, and imperfect as it may seem, there is nothing more artistic than it gets as this.

Unfortunately, as I was unable to “crawl” any farther due to sickness, I didn’t catch the rest of the events. Let’s just say- I can’t help feeling indebted to this exhibit, and maybe just, a glint of contentment knowing that I contributed to this new movement at Bates (and, this as well).

Noonday Concert

Ever needed a lunch study break? I don’t mean to boast, but Bates is the one of the few colleges that offers weekly noonday concerts that are free and open to the public (seriously, Google “college noonday concert” and look at the results). There’s typically a showing of few interested music aficionados, but the majority of those willing to lend an ear are the local residents (of course, this is not to say that Batesies don’t actively take advantage of this opportunity, but to most of us, noon is a precious time for lunch- until the next class starts at 1:10). Sure, I was hungry, but ever since last year, my artistic appetite has been whetted threefold.

So, I decided to catch my first concert. The minute Salome Sandoval‘s vocal presence appeared onto stage, I was left speechless. It was as if I had been whisked away back into some haunting medieval court rendition, lute and all. Unfortunately, I had left my camera somewhere in the past, so here’s a contemporary substitute (YouTube):

Hotel Universe

Never have I ever been so intimate with a theater after last night. I caught the preview of “Hotel Universe“, probably the first and most philosophically overlapping play I’ve attended in my life. Set in the post World War I world, the audience in Gannet Theater became one with the actors- through sitting in the same space the actors performed in as well as relating to their life struggles. Most surprisingly (and embarrassingly), I found myself tearing up during a traumatic moment. Having now completed my theater concentration, I’ve just begun to realize the little things that compose a scene- such as subtle costume choices, positioning of actors, or even how the furniture is arranged.

I’ve always thought plays were a little old-fashioned for my taste, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. The difference between film and stage acting is so much more than technique, as every little movement counts. And as for life as a hotel in the universe, I won’t be checking out anytime soon.

What is the Difference between “Critical” and “Analytical”?

It’s the last day of fall break before classes resume again, and while GREs studying, I’ve stumbled upon two answer choices: “critical” and “analytical”. The process of elimination- it’s 50/50, life or death.

It was a simple test practice test question, but it made me wonder. What really was the difference between these two words? (Side note: Not a good idea to think about this when I actually take the GREs) To me, they seemed interchangeable with lots of murky overlap in between, like “advertising” and “marketing”, or “sociology” and “anthropology”. After painstakingly scrutinizing searches on Google, I guess the gist went something like this:  although both are interdependent on one another, a “critical” approach implies a more subjective or deliberate interpretation, while an “analytical” process simply deals with the facts and concluding inferences from the data given.

In an aspect, this relates to the essence of a  liberal arts education. It fascinates me when I ask what major someone is, because it reveals whether they’re “critical” (for instance,  English or Politics) or “analytical” thinkers (such as Biology or Economics). At a liberal arts institution like Bates, we’re all thrown into the mix and can’t have one without the other. Similarly, a job environment can’t exist without both. For example, if a company occupies too much analysis, then there’s not much room for improvement. Yet if it’s too critical in finding fault with a product, then efficiency cannot be achieved either.

So what would I classify myself as? I think I’m a little bit of both- and this is why I’m here. Process of elimination.