Weekend A&E Briefing

Pre-Fun Day Concert and Open Mic

April 24, 2:30 p.m., Case Green

Open mic concert: Come listen to good music and play!

Dyno’s Pool Party: A Spring Jam

April 24, 8 p.m., Wilson Chapel

Come to this pool party of awesome music.

Late-Night Pre-Fun Day Comedy Special

April 24, 9 p.m., Spa

Presenting Alison Grillo, “NYC’s Woman Trapped Inside a Woman’s Body”. Come to the Spa and have some fun, food, and a few laughs.

Drastic Measures Presents: ‘Twas the Night Before Fun Day

April 24, 10 p.m., Wilson Chapel

Come and see the seniors’ last performance, listen to some good music, and sing along if you know the lyrics.

Fun Day

April 25, All Day, Case Green

Bouncy Houses. Food. Free Sunglasses.

Music.

“The Salmon of Knowledge” with Trash Johnson (Allan Brown) and Queen Ambrosia.

“Los Elk” with Karate (Noah Prebish and Mike Rudinksi).

“Dope Mosely”.

Fun Day: Day of Fun.

UJIMA After Fun Day BBQ

April 26, 2-5 p.m., Case Green

Join UJIMA for their last event with BBQ, games, and fun. Music presented by DJ Simon.

Student Film Showcase

April 27, 5:30 p.m., Tang

These films are created by Skidmore students enrolled in the first Project VIS (Visual Storytelling course). The filmmakers spent seven weeks developing, directing, producing, and editing these films. The pieces range from documentary to experimental and the narrative structure.

Ad-Libs Big Show: Digital Shawties

April 28, 9-10 p.m., JKB Theater

Come watch the Ad-Libs as they perform new improv forms and some old favorites, along with some comedic videos.

Reel Talk: “Ex Machina” is one of the best artificial intelligence movies ever made

By Sean van der Heijden

I know that is a bold statement, but hear me out. “Ex Machina,” written and directed by Alex Garland, is essentially a three-way mental game between Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), Nathan (Oscar Isaac), and Ava (Alicia Viaknder)—who’s basically a female robot. The whole movie centers around Caleb, a young computer programmer, participating in an experiment testing the human-like qualities of a female A.I. It’s a deceitfully simple premise that raises hundreds of philosophical questions and leads only to shocking twists and turns.

The film is sleek beyond belief—streamlined down to its essentials, the camera never lingers a second too long, and mimics the hyper-modern research facility that acts as the setting. Nothing within the film is wasted, and nothing is superfluous. In that sense, it’s a refreshing break from all the CGI-heavy, dumbed-down Hollywood blockbusters. “Ex Machina” is way smarter than that.

It actually cares about its subject matter, and it cares about its audience. Artificial intelligence is tricky to portray, but Garland makes it seem so plausible that it becomes a terrifying possibility of our near future, and at the same time, a glaring critique of our present. Ultimately, the A.I. is presented as a living, sentient being, raising questions such as: do A.I.’s have consciousness of their state of being, or do they simply perform tasks? Is it humane to mistreat an A.I.? And, most importantly, how do A.I.’s react to us.

I’m not saying that the films offers any answers, but it lets you come to your own conclusion in a finale that literally had me on the edge of my seat with my mouth agape, totally unable to process what was happening before me. It’s Hitchcockian-style psychology and intensity, taut direction, and incredible production design, soundtrack, visual effects, sound effects, and cinematography easily make it the best film of 2015 so far.

Also, the acting. Isaac and Gleeson are very good as the drunken, billionaire creator of the A.I. and the bewildered computer programmer, respectively. But Vikander easily steals the show as the manipulative and sensual Ava. She simply disappears into the role and makes the A.I. so incredibly life-like and yet so distinct at the same time. She steals the screen every second she’s on it.

So if you want a thought-provoking, well-made, highly entertaining, and unbelievably gripping film away from the mainstream movies we’re fed today, I highly recommend this one. It’s just mind-blowing.

Overall: 9 out of 10.

Blood Wedding Review

By Cara Dempsey '16, Pulp Editor and Staff Writer

There's something to be said for harmony, that perfect noise produced when different notes and instruments come together in a way that is unquestionably intentional and lovely. When the ensemble cast of Blood Wedding opened their mouths to sing for the first time during last Friday night's show, it all became clear. The vocal arrangement was haunting, and in combination with the impeccable choreography as well as the poetic dialogue of playwright Frederico Garcia Lorca, the result was beautifully unified. Scattered throughout this production of Lorca's original 1932 play, these musical additions to the original story resonate powerfully. Other additions and directorial choices did so much less.

The show, directed by Carolyn Anderson and Will Bond, follows various members of two wealthy families as they prepare for the doomed wedding between an unnamed bride and groom (Patrick Stanny '15 and Alex Chernin '15). Despite the ostensible tenderness and innocence of their love, darker forces threaten the day of their union. Leonardo (Henry Hetz '15), the bride's former sweetheart and a man already married to a loving wife (Miranda Park '17), arrives on the day of the wedding to declare his undying love and passion for the bride. As the moment of "I do" draws nearer, repressed desires are revealed, years of deception start to unravel, and the traditions that have so long held a culture together begin to crumble. Set against the backdrop of the Spanish civil war, the play is a beautiful marriage between Lorca's storytelling and his poetic voice.

Skidmore's production of Blood Wedding is the product of a Lorca-centered class taught last fall by the show's directors. For the cast and crew, producing this play has been a collaborative effort involving countless hours of research into the life of the man who wrote it. Despite the fitting tragedy that Lorca's life ended in, their attempt to incorporate it into the plot was one of the few unharmonious additions to the script. Scenes were periodically interrupted with brief radio clips discussing the Spanish Civil War and Lorca's grizzly end. Though an interesting idea, the actual words spoken during the clips were difficult to hear and the significance of an additional scene that represented Lorca's actual death was lost on much of the audience. These were a few of the productions less harmonious additions.

In spite of that, much of the ensemble cast gave terrific performances. In particular, the female leads were a pleasure to watch. As the neurotic, grief-stricken mother of the bride, Hallie Christine was successfully frightening, the misery and disgust over the loss of her son audible in every word. Her strong presence carried the show's awkwardly staged opening scene impressively and her rare moments of humor, playing opposite the bride's father (Woodrow Proctor '16) were perfectly absurd and lightened the heavy show. Park played Leonardo Felix's long-suffering wife with an impressive, quiet intensity. One of the finest moments of acting was when Park stood alone on the stage after a fight with her husband, her face that of a woman faltering on the edge of tears as she holds both hands to the unborn child in her womb. Her small but powerful displays of emotion were a well-executed contrast to Chernin's wildly passionate, deeply disturbed bride. During her fits of outrage toward Leonardo as well as her strained moments of sweet, politeness to her betrothed, Chernin projected an air of danger. Watching her character gave off an effect similar to watching someone wave a loaded gun, wondering when and at whom it will finally go off. The final scene between Chernin and Christine was as fiery as it was gorgeously quiet and sad.

Will Clark '16 also had an incredible performance. Never before has a person performed so well underneath so unfortunate of a costume choice. The sparkly top and flared pants, not to mention body glitter, that he donned for his role as the moon looked more like very excited disco dancer than the moon.

Still, the vocal arrangements stole the show despite these fine performances. Orchestrated by Madeline Emerick '15, the music was beautiful, unsettling, and perfectly integrated into key moments of emotional potency. The ensemble sung so softly and so beautifully blended that notes and words seemed to linger in the air, resonating even in the moments after they'd stopped singing in a way that perfectly complimented the poetry of Lorca's words. Ah, harmony.

Reel Talk: Woody Allen—a case of art imitates life

By Sean van der Heijden '16, Copy Editor and Staff Writer 

With Woody Allen’s latest film, “Irrational Man”, just announced to premier at the Cannes Film Festival in late May, there are once again lengthy conversations resurfacing regarding Allen’s personal life. In case you aren’t aware, Allen was accused in the ’90s of molesting his then seven year-old adopted daughter, a claim that has never been conclusively proven and for which Allen was not charged . He also ran away with his then-girlfriend’s adopted daughter, whom he’s been married to since 1997.

Now there are more claims being made by Mariel Hemingway in her autobiography “Out Came the Sun” which was released on April 7. Here, she claims Allen flew to her house once she turned 18 and tried to seduce her into flying to Paris with him. “I didn’t know what the [sleeping] arrangement was going to be, [and] I wasn’t sure if I was even going to have my own room,” she says. Some have labeled this as a publicity stunt; some say that Allen acted responsibly by waiting until she was 18 and asking for consent, and others just say he’s a creep. I think the answer lies in his films.

This incident came two years after Allen and Hemingway filmed “Manhattan” in 1979, in which Allen’s character is dating Hemingway’s Tracy—a teenager who’s still in high school—until he starts an affair with his best friend’s mistress. If that’s not sexually convoluted then I don’t know what is. What’s interesting, though, is that throughout the film, Allen consistently acknowledges how inappropriate his relationship is with Tracy, even going so far to say that he’d be arrested if her parent’s found out.

There are also works such as “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1987), where Allen starts a relationship with his ex-wife’s sister; “Crimes and Misdemeanors” (1989), about two men having extramarital affairs; “Match Point” (2002), about a woman who falls for her fiancé’s brother, “Vicky Christina Barcelona”, concerning a sexual relationship between a man and two women; and “Midnight in Paris” (2013), where a man has an extramarital affair, is dumped by his mistress, and then leaves his wife for a different women.

All of this is to say that Allen is interested in sex—like, a lot—and how it influences and changes us as human beings. A lot of the actions and escapades in his films are either immoral or societally questionable, but what’s interesting is that all of them—bar “Manhattan”—are legal.

But I’m not saying you can answer any questions about Allen’s private life by studying his films. In fact, I don’t think anyone can answer those questions at this point; what I do know, though, is that art is a reflection of your inner self, and Allen’s art cannot be ignored in relation to the rest of his life.

I do think it’s ridiculous, though, that some people boycott his films because they believe him to be a creepy pedophile. Yes, he pushes the boundaries what’s considered acceptable sexual behavior—that’s for sure. But the rest has never been proven, and so far as I’m concerned, it never will be. And his films are really great, if you haven’t seen them.

Worlds Collide at Raíces Art Festival

By Chelsea Nuesi, Contributing Writer

On April 3, Raíces brought Latin America to Skidmore with their Arts Festival, including work from Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, and Puerto Rico. The primary goal for the event was to recognize Hispanic ethnicities as well as the many cultures and traditions associated with them. Some students recognized the foods, places, and songs as parts of their identity. The Arts Festival was also an opportunity for students to be immersed in Hispanic culture if they had never visited Latin America or engaged in its traditions.

When I heard Hispanic music entering the halls of Case Center, I knew that I was still at Skidmore, but at the same time I felt that I was somewhere else. Raíces played many dance numbers that included Bachata and Merengue from the Dominican Republic, Bossa Nova from Brazil, Cumbia from Columbia, and Salsa from Puerto Rico. There were cooking tutorials for beans, plátanos (plantains), rice, tortillas, tacos, yucca, and different types of meat, including carnitas (shredded pork), chorizo (pork sausage), salami, and pollo (chicken). I was excited to see traditional cuisines that were not cooked in d-hall. One of my favorite dishes from my home in Puerto Rico is pasteles. Pasteles are made with ingredients that I saw in Raíces’ cooking tutorials, including green plantains, olives, and pollo. I was disappointed when I realized how much I missed these comforting tastes.

Raíces also provided a stage for talented artists to share their talents and stories. Many students of different artistic and ethnic backgrounds were welcomed to express themselves through their passion for dance and singing. Zimkita Mpumpula ’18 and Kiana Doumbia ’17, whose fast and precise dance moves were very impressive, took risks as they jumped, shook, and twirled, unconscious of the small space that should have limited their performance (you can check out their talent showcase earlier this year at the Ujima Fashion Show on Skid TV). The Secretary of Raíces, Arelis Cruz ’17, sang Si Existe (If There Is), originally performed by Venezuelan singer Evaluna Montaner. This song recognizes Spanish as a romantic language, especially with the lyrics that speak of chance and hope after trouble occurs. By the audience’s cheerful response, I could tell that they also identified Cruz’s command of the song’s message and her passionate sways and powerful voice.

Students spoke about their stories from home and their experiences at Skidmore through poetry, which was an excellent leeway to Raíces’ mission to promote diversity and unity. Rashawnda Williams ‘17 shared her personal spoken word piece Black Butterfly and Lebogang Mokoena ’17 shared her original poems Sounds of Home and Spoken. Lebogang interacted with the audience when she asked them to chant with her: speak, truth, voices. She reflects on her performance: “We communicate in language and word; everyone can relate to them. I only share work that has been inspired by real experiences in trying to understand my identity and belonging. I share them hoping people can relate and be caught, even for just a minute, in a moment of connectedness.” Raíces and its performers had a lot of support from the crowd, whose final reaction was exuberant.

Overall, with their thoughtful display of HIspanic food and music, Raíces offered a diverse experience that students enjoyed as they learned more details about the Hispanic ethnicity. The Raíces Arts Festival was a great event, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for students who miss the cultural traditions of home while they are away at school. It was also a fun opportunity to introduce students who are unfamiliar with Latino culture to the vibrant experience that it is. Skidmore has aimed to offer more diverse experiences by recognizing different ethnic and racial communities with events and lectures, like the Woman of Color Conference and the screening of They Call Me Muslim. The multicultural clubs on campus—ACA, Hayat, Ujima, and Raíces—have been contributing to this increase of cultural awareness with past and upcoming events. With the accepted candidates visiting over the month of April, these clubs and events are great ways to show prospective students Skidmore’s value of art, culture, and diversity.

Weekend A&E Briefing

Line Launch Party 

April 10, 4p.m., Tang

Skidmore’s Line, a club dedicated to art review publications, will be hosting its annual Launch Party this Friday, April 10 in the Tang. The event is the culmination of a year’s work on behalf of Line to create the 2015 Magazine, comprised of student reviews of exhibits on and off campus. The event will include free food, musical performances, and copies of the annual publication. It will follow the Jeffrey Elgin Artist Talk in the Tang at 4pm. To learn more about Line, click here.

Skidmore Theater Presents: Blood Wedding

April 10-19, 8p.m., JKB Theater

Skidmore Theater’s main stage production, Blood Wedding, opens this weekend. Federico Garcia Lorca’s play is presented as a staged adaptation, directed by Will Bond and Carolyn Anderson. Tradition, passion, and violence are at the core of this true story about a love that can never become a marriage. Blood Wedding is rooted in the land, and in its people’s desire to cling on to tradition in changing times. Underneath the landscape of this play is the rumbling of the early days of the Spanish Civil War and Lorca’s poetic resistance. Tickets are $8 for students & seniors, $12 General Admission. Reservations are a must: call 518-580-5439.

Minute to Win It: Spring Fling Weekend

April 10, 10p.m. – 11p.m., Spa

The Sophomore Class Council presents Spring Fling Weekend! There will be tons of fun one-minute games, all with amazing and funny prizes.

Skidmazing Race: Spring Fling Weekend

April 11, 1p.m.-4p.m., Library Green

Come celebrate spring! The sophomore class council has prepared some thrilling and exciting activities and games for you all. There will be outdoor inflatable laser tag, Mega-Monster inflatable obstacle course, an inflatable Defender Dome, and of course free food (BBQ style).

Skidmore’s Got Talent: Spring Fling Weekend

April 11, 8p.m., Filene Hall

Want a chance to perform or watch performances by your peers? Then come to Skidmore's Got Talent! This show is open to all students with both solo and group/club acts welcome!

 

Tim Lok Chan Performance

April 11, 9:30p.m. – 11:20p.m., Putnam Den

Tim Lok Chan takes the stage at Putnam Den the night of April 11th with the local legends, Let's Be Leonard and The Basic Brothers. Come down at 9:30pm and check out the other cool bands! Free for drinkers, $7 for underage.

Powerfunk band coming to Putnam Den April 9

 

By Blair Warren '17, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Turkuaz, a nine-person "powerfunk" army hailing from Brooklyn, NY, is coming to Saratoga Springs to play at Putnam Den on Thursday, April 9. Turkuaz adds some jittery doses of world-pop-dance grooves, with a refreshing funk that is a definite must-see.

David Brandwein, guitar/vocals, said that whenever they played music for fun, “it was always funk or dance music,” inspiring their current genre. In the beginning, they spent a lot of time doing home recordings, leaving the house on occasion to stop by the Turkish market across the street (named Turkuaz!). Eventually, they submitted demos to Heavy Rotation Records, naming the band after their favorite Turkish market.

Generally, they categorize their music as “Powerfunk,” while still drawing on a lot from Classic Rock, the standard Rock and Roll and occasionally delving into some 80’s synth elements. “But,” Brandwein said, “at the end of the day it’s Powerfunk.”

When asked what inspires their music, Brandwein explained, “I think musically the only rule is it has to be something exciting that hopefully will fit into the live show eventually. For lyrics, it’s really mostly stream of consciousness and words that sound good first and foremost, though I’m always trying to slip some actual meaning in there somewhere.”

Their favorite part about performing is when something unexpected happens and ends up being the best part of the show. “Or on a particular night, a certain song will just get the whole band and audience excited for some intangible reason. You can’t explain those things sometimes because it’s just magic. That’s the best part.”

Come see their performance on Thursday, April 9 at Putnam Den, and get their new EP “Stereochrome”, coming out on April 14 (turkuazband.com, facebook.com/turkuaznation).

Cabaret Troupe's Upcoming Show, Urinetown

By Blair Warren, Arts and Entertainment Editor

Skidmore’s Cabaret Troupe has been filling up this year’s calendar with a variety of performances, showcasing a plethora of impressive talents. A member of the Cabaret Troupe expressed her appreciation for the club for how it draws all kinds of performers, from theater majors to first-time actors alike, giving them the space to discover their own talents while being a part of something.

Earlier this semester, the club decided to try something new, creating the musical, “Topsy Turvy.” This was not a preexisting musical, but rather consisted of a set of songs from various shows that they thought fit well together. The idea was to take a group of actors, who were often “typecast” (always playing the same sorts of roles), and pushing them in a completely different direction. Age and gender were thrown out the window in this show, presenting something completely unexpected and excitingly entertaining to its audience.

The Cabaret Troupe’s main performance this semester is “Urinetown,” a political satire musical. The title of the show in itself is provocative and intriguing, and frankly a little disturbing, but so is contemporary capitalism. The club has been working hard this past semester to present something to Skidmore’s community that is both meaningful and gets people talking while also providing some comic relief. It is directed by Callum Lane ’17 and goes up this weekend, April 2-4, at 7 p.m. each day, in Filene Hall. All shows are free are open to the public!

Weekend A&E Briefing

Breakbeats Final Show

March 27, 8p.m., Filene Hall

Come by and see a lot of dancing with performances by Skidmore Breakbeats, 213 Crew, Rithmos, Ujima Step Team, Skidmore Sonneteers, Skidmore Circus Club, Stompin’ Soles, and Pulse.

The Jacob Perlow Event Series Presents: “Life in a Jar”

March 27, 3p.m. & March 28, 7p.m., Filene Hall

This play is based on the true story of Irena Sendler, a Holocaust hero who saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust. It also tells the story of the Kansas students who discovered her story and transformed it into a play. Suggested donations are $5-$10 for Skidmore students and $10-$20 for the public. Proceeds go to the Life in a Jar Foundation towards the work of Holocaust education and the Children of the Holocaust Association in Poland.

The Feminist Monologues

March 28, 2p.m., Wilson Chapel

Every year the Feminist Action Network (FAN) produces and sponsors a production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues." But this year is different. Instead, it is a performance of monologues and poems written by Skidmore students themselves. It is about feminism, sexuality, body image, womanhood, self-love, and survival. Tickets are a recommended $5 donation and all proceeds go to Wellspring (formerly known as Saratoga DVRC) and GEMS: Girls Educational & Mentoring Services. The Feminist Monologues are directed by Clara Moser, Mariah Guevin, and Isabella León-Chambers.

 

AKT& Ad-Libs Improv Comedy Mega-Show

March 28, 9-10p.m., Davis Auditorium

Two comedy groups come together in one joint show.

 

TuftsMORE: An A Cappella Jam

March 28, 10:30p.m., Wilson Chapel

The Skidmore Dynamics and Tufts SQ perform in one must-see show.

Scientology exposed in new documentary

By Sean van der Heijden '16, Staff Writer/Copy Editor

We all know scientology as that weird religion Tom Cruise and John Travolta follow, but how much more do you really know? In Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Oscar-winning documentarian, Alex Gibney explores the religion’s origins in the 1950s, all the way through it’s transformation into one of the biggest cults ever. It’s fascinating stuff, and even if you think you know a lot about scientology, it’s well worth a watch.

I was personally surprised with how much archive footage they had—inside looks into scientology conventions (which are totally insane and include way too many fireworks), private recordings from scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, and a bunch of behind-the-scenes photos into how the religion first started. Additionally, they got a ton of people to speak out—from Crash director Paul Haggis, to actor Jason Beghe, and four of the former top executives.

All the stories are fascinating and tragic—the church tries to recruit vulnerable people and convinces them it can solve their problems. Then, only once you’ve invested years of time and thousands of dollars in the church, they tell you about their founding belief—a bizarre science fiction tale involving aliens and ghosts, based on Hubbard’s pulp fiction novels from the 50s. It’s really weird, but is integrated so sneakily into the church’s lessons that a lot of people believe it.

There are also, of course, allegations of abuse on many occasions. There are stories of people being locked up in small rooms together, forced to clean bathrooms with toothbrushes, of children being separated from their mothers and kept in urine-soaked cribs. There are stories of bribery in order to get tax write-offs and donations, of stalking and attacking former members, and one accusation that the church orchestrated the divorce between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

Some of these stories and claims have been heard before, but never have they been compiled together in such a concise way and with such damning evidence to back up all of the claims. The stories of those who have left the church, too, are truly heartbreaking—I was left wondering, in the end, how the church is still functioning today. Why has there been no government intervention? No official investigation into the church’s wrongdoings? They truly are a powerful entity—a whole religion that really is stranger than fiction.

Going Clear premiers on HBO on Sunday, March 29 at 8:00 pm, and opens in select theaters on May 16.

Overall: 9 out of 10.

Explore the history and legacy of Indian painting at the Tang

The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College announces tours, talks and workshops in conjunction with the exhibition Realms of Earth and Sky: Indian Paintings from the Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century. All events are free and open to the public.

Public Tour

Thursday, April 2, 6 p.m.

Tour of Realms of Earth and Sky with Gabriela Perez-Dietz '15 as part of her spring 2015 Independent Study with Saleema Waraich, Assistant Professor of Art History. An Art History and Anthropology double major, Perez-Dietz has been exploring museum education and the Realms of Earth and Sky exhibition.

Lecture with Molly Aitken and Dipti Khera

Thursday, April 2, 7 p.m.

Two leading scholars of Rajput painting—Molly Aitken, Associate Professor of Art History at The City College of New York, and Dipti Khera, Assistant Professor of Art History at New York University—will lecture on pleasure in Rajput painting, and will discuss how pleasure was both invoked within and also extended beyond the confines of the page. Made possible by the Alfred Z. Solomon Residency Fund.

Curator’s Tour

Tuesday, April 14, noon

Rachel Seligman, Assistant Director for Curatorial Affairs, and Saleema Waraich, Assistant Professor of Art History at Skidmore College, lead a tour of Realms of Earth and Sky.

Talha Rathore and Hiba Schahbaz

Talk: Thursday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.

Workshop: Friday, April 17, 12-2 p.m. and 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Artists Talha Rathore and Hiba Schahbaz will speak about the traditional techniques in Realms of Earth and Sky and the ways in which each has modernized and personalized the miniature tradition in their practice. Made possible by the Alfred Z. Solomon Residency Fund.
Reservations are required for the workshops and may be made by calling 518-580-8080.

About Molly Aiken

Molly Emma Aitken Ph.D. is a specialist in Asian art history, in particular the arts of South Asia. She has curated traveling exhibitions on South Asian jewelry and contemporary folk quilts, and has published numerous articles on Mughal and Rajput painting. Aitken received CAA's Charles Rufus Morey book award in 2011 and the AAS Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Book Prize in 2012 for her book The Intelligence of Tradition in Rajput Court Painting (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010.) Currently focused on the late 16th and early 17th centuries, she is looking at Mughal receptions of Rajput court arts in the context of social pleasure. She teaches at the City College of New York.

About Dipti Khera

Dipti Khera earned her Ph.D. in South Asian art history. She has published articles and essays on 19th century Indian metalwork and early 19th century Rajasthani painting. She has worked with several museums including, most recently, the Arthur M. Freer and Sackler Galleries, Washington, D.C., and the City Palace Museum, Udaipur, India, with which she is developing an exhibition that reveals the major shift in Indian art represented by Udaipur painters’ engagement with conceptualizing place and representing reality in large-scale works in the 18th and 19th century. She teaches at New York University.

About Talha Rathore

Talha Rathore graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan in 1995, specializing in the art of miniature painting. Currently based in Brooklyn, her work explores a variety of anxieties and dichotomies that emerge out of the immigrant experience and the quest to belong, poignantly articulated in a series of works made on New York subway maps. Her work has been exhibited widely, including at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan; the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Connecticut; and World Bank Art Gallery, Washington DC. Her paintings have been shown in various galleries in Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, Malaysia, Japan, Morocco, Dubai, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

About Hiba Schahbaz

Hiba Schahbaz trained in the art of miniature painting at the National College of Arts (Lahore, Pakistan) and graduated in 2003. In 2012, she completed a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Museum Studies from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Through the language of miniature painting, she pursues issues of self-identification, and in the process, she contemporizes and re-contextualizes “traditional” miniature painting. The subjects of her work derive from personal narratives and her relationship with her surroundings. Merging the symbolism and iconography of the contemporary world with the traditional techniques and styles she learned at NCA, her paintings fuse the real with the imagined, resulting in fantastical landscapes. She has exhibited her work internationally, in addition to curating exhibitions of miniature paintings in Pakistan and India.

About Realms of Earth and Sky

From the opulence of the Mughal court to stories of gods in human form, from battle scenes to intimate depictions of courtly love, the historic South Asian paintings in Realms of Earth and Sky offer visitors a chance to explore important cultural narratives that remain central to living belief systems on the Indian subcontinent. Portraiture, religious and literary texts, ragamala paintings, and works from both Mughal and Rajput traditions are represented in meticulously rendered tableaux contained in the small scale of manuscript or album pages.

Theater Review: The Penelopiad

By Andy Shi, Managing Editor

You're left with the unsettling knot in your gut that you have misunderstood not only one of antiquity's most famous works, but the nearly three thousand years of history subsequent to its first telling. That, of course, was the intent of The Penelopiad, Emily Moler '15's rendition of Margaret Atwood's famous feminist work, itself a reinterpretation of Homer's The Odyssey.

The Penelopiad tells the story of Penelope, Odysseus's wife, during her husband’s twenty-year absence—a story that Homer himself only offers snippets of during his epic. The play follows Penelope's story from her marriage to Odysseus to her faithful attempts to delay remarriage to one of the many suitors who come to her while Odysseus is lost at sea and presumably dead. The story ends with his return, although not under the joyous circumstances found in the original.

While Penelope narrates the play, it eventually becomes clear that the story is not about her, but rather her 12 handmaids—the ones who are hanged in The Odyssey for licentiousness, connivance with the suitors, and betrayal of Penelope and Odysseus. However, in this rendition we learn the handmaiden's connivance with the suitors was instead reconnaissance at Penelope's request so that she could thwart their plots against her and keep them behaved. Their promiscuity was not depravity, but sexual assault, misperceived by Odysseus's son and faithful maid, Telemachus and Eurycleia, respectively. Rather than the opportunistic whores they're made out to be in The Odyssey, in this retelling they are epitomes of loyalty, innocence, and martyrdom. Their sacrifices are made to buy Penelope time while Odysseus takes his time returning, making a one-year pit-stop with the beautiful enchantress Circe and a seven-year dalliance with the nymph Calypso.

Thus, the 12 maids not only sacrifice their bodies for Penelope but also their lives for a guilt borne by Odysseus. Penelope, too, is guilty, culpable for not only allowing their torture, but encouraging it so that she can remain faithful to a faithless man.

The lugubrious Penelope was wonderfully played by Lily Donahue' 15, who deftly carried the narrative through its hour-and-half-plus run and movingly delivered some of the most heart-wrenching and dismal scenes. She displayed an immense comfort with the focal role and did justice to the leading lady.

Special attention must also be given to Evy Yergan '16, who portrayed the arrogant Odysseus and provided the much-needed comic relief along with the brutish and boisterous suitors, most notably Antinous, played by Rebecca Zipursky '15. Their caricature male behavior—exaggerated ball-scratching, nose-flicking and Neanderthal-like swagger—was some of the show's most memorable and enjoyable moments.

And one would be remiss to not give due consideration to the production staff. The stage (designed by James Barber '15), with its chipped edges and faded mosaics, invoked the Attic amphitheater where the original Odyssey might be presented. Costumes, skillfully designed by Alli Green '15, aided greatly in delivering the Hellenic authenticity, and along with carefully cued music (Margo Chanin '16) and lighting (James Kuzio '15), generated a powerful experience for the audience.

The Penelopiad was a masterfully mixed cocktail of humor, intelligence, and tragedy. The terrible fate of the 12 maids, unjustly vilified, has echoes in a contemporary world that is encountering its own transforming social narrative. Those marginalized, silenced, and slandered—blamed for crimes they did not commit, but were in fact the very victims—are speaking up. The justice which the 12 maids call for, delivered from the dark shadows of Hades where they have been abandoned, is perhaps finally being heard in the twenty-first century.

The Penelopiad ran from Feb. 27 to March 4 in the Black Box Theater. Congratulations to Ms. Moler and the cast and crew for a smart and dazzling performance.

Reel Talk: Spring Film Preview

By Sean van der Heijden

With the awards season just having come to an end, the spring isn’t exactly known for it’s good releases. However, things have been changing lately—last year, both Wes Anderson’s, The Grand Budapest Hotel and critical darling, Under the Skin premiered in March. This year too, there are a couple of promising releases that may have gone under your radar:

3. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter: dir. David Zellner, starring Rinko Kikuchi

This one’s a bit odd. Based on a true story, it’s about a lonely Japanese woman who discovers a copy of the film Fargo, and then heads to the U.S. to hunt down the large case of money that appears in the film. Kikuchi was mesmerizing in Babel all the way back in 2006, and looks just as haunting and atmospheric in this. It opens in limited release on March 18.

2. Ex Machina: dir. Alex Garland, starring Domhnall Gleason, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac.

About a researcher who gets involved in an artificial intelligence experiment and must evaluate the human-like qualities of a female robot, this film looks like a cross between drama, sci-fi, and psychological thriller. It’s getting really positive feedback right now, and looks way smarter than it’s making itself out to be. Ex Machina goes wide on April 10.

1. While We’re Young: dir. Noah Baumbach, starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, and Adam Driver.

Centered on a middle-aged couple (Stiller and Watts) whose lives get upended upon meeting a much younger couple (Driver and Seyfried), this movie looks like a witty, hilarious dramedy. Dealing with the generation gap between the two couples, Stiller and Watts—who’s won raves for her performance—slowly descend into childish hipsters as their relationship with the younger couple grows. This one comes out on March 27.

Other wide releases include the Kenneth Branagh adaptation of Disney’s Cinderella and the Liam Neeson thriller Run All Night, both of which come out on March 13. The Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart prison comedy Get Hard comes out on March 27, and Furious 7 premieres on April 3. Another promising sci-fi thriller, Self/less, opens on the April 17, and is definitely one to check out. Lastly, the Blake Lively romance The Age of Adaline comes out on April 24 and definitely looks like a decent date movie.

"Dance Delight" Illuminates Skidmore's Best Performers

By Madeleine Freundlich, Contributing Writer

This past Saturday, Skidmore students got to experience an impressive array of incredible dancers. Performance groups and soloists joined forces to create the spectacular show, "Dance Delight." This collaboration was the first of its kind, and included every student-run dance group on campus, as well as a talented hip-hop group from Siena College. After the first half of the show, Skidmore and Siena dancers independently faced off in one-on-one dance battles. Officiated by break-dancer and hip-hop pioneer "Crazy Legs," dancers of all different styles each had a minute to improvise their best moves to a variety of pop, dance, and hip-hop music. The competitors primarily performed in a style that could be categorized as a fusion of hip-hop and breakdance, although jazz and even ballet influences could be seen.

The show was designed and executed by Daniel Li of 213 Crew. When asked about the performance, Li said he was very happy with how the event turned out, and the best part was to watch the dancers "communicate and inspire each other with their moves, and free themselves within diverse styles." Every competitor was in fact quite unique, from Prince Tsabedze's impressive micro-isolations to Michaela Ritz's funky and graceful moves. All of the competitors exuded joy and confidence, responding to each other with playful mimicry. John Li, well known for his sensual yet sharp style, was crowned champion of the competition after several very intense battles. Li's performance showed off both his technique and passion. Students watching the dancers said they were surprised and impressed by the sheer amount of talent displayed. Daniel Li says he would love to make this show an annual tradition, to "teach the history, concepts, and foundation of hip-hop" to Skidmore students for years to come.

Weekend A&E Briefing

Ad-Libs Improv Audition

Feb. 27, 3:30 p.m., JKB upstairs studios

Newbie Show

Feb. 28, 9:30 p.m., Wiecking Basement

Try some improv, audition to join the Ad-Libs, or just enjoy the newbies in their first mini show.

American Flute Performance

Feb. 27, 8 p.m., Zankel

A concert of American flute music is to be performed by Jan Vinci and pianist Reiko Uchida. It is free and open to the public.

The Penelopiad

Feb. 27 – March 4, 8 p.m. (Sunday at 2 p.m.), JKB Theater

Written by Margaret Atwood and directed by Emily Moler, the Penelopiad is a play that takes on a modern twist of The Odyssey. Atwood has chosen to give a voice to Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and to her twelve maids. In this dazzling, playful retelling, the story becomes as wise and compassionate as it is haunting, and as wildly entertaining as it is unsettling. With wit and verve—drawing on the story-telling and poetic talent for which she herself is renowned—Atwood gives Penelope new life and reality, and sets out to provide an answer to an ancient mystery. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for the general public.

South Asian Festival

Feb. 28, 3 p.m.-6 p.m., Tang Museum

Come celebrate South Asian culture, organized by Hayat Skidmore College and the Tang in conjunction with the exhibition “Realms of Earth and Sky: Indian Painting from the 15^th-19^th Century.” There will be performances by Veena Chandra and Devesh Chandra, as well as art-making activities, Henna, and Indian food!

Sketchies Sweet Sixteen

Feb. 28, 10:30 p.m., Gannett Auditorium

The Sketchies present their Alumni in a one-night only performance.

BANFF Film Festival Review

By Hannah Fowler '18, Contributing Writer

Thirty-five hundred miles, two men, and one boat. James Addair and Ben Stenning attempted the seemingly impossible: to row across the Indian Ocean without a support boat. This was just one of the incredible stories in the film productions featured at the Banff Film Festival World Tour. The Outing Club hosted the event on Friday, Feb. 15 in Zankel, featuring a total of 10 film productions.

It opened with a brief voice-over announcing the mission of the film festival: "...To reveal and protect our amazing planet…” The films then displayed breathtaking views and images of people performing all types of stunts such as flipping, paragliding and purely appreciating the outdoors.

The first film was from Sweet Grass Productions. "Afterglow" captured the sensational feat of skiers in neon suits skiing down all types of Alaskan slopes at crazy speeds. It was all filmed at night and the skiers wore custom-made light emitting diode (LED) suits that contained over 7,000 LEDS. It took nine planes to haul all the equipment to the mountains. One of the skiers commented on how they couldn't even see where they were going because it was so bright. The film truly demonstrates not only the amazing effects of technology through the LED suits and innovative filming experience, but the pure love the skiers have for the mountains and sense of trust they place within the environment and themselves enough to ski down the dangerous slopes practically blind to demonstrate the beauty of them.

The next film was an Uncage the Soul production called "Mending the Line." The film told the story of Frank Moore, a 90-year-old World War II veteran and an exceedingly talented fly fisher. The story shares his journey back to Normandy to return to the rivers he saw as a soldier to fly fish.

The two other films presented were "Happy Winter" and "Touch" which were great and had beautiful aesthetics. But the film featured right before intermission, "And Then We Swam," told the incredible story of James Addair and Ben Stenning. Having never rowed before, it was almost comical at the beginning thinking that these two relatively unexperienced men were going to row 3,500 miles across the Indian Ocean with no back up or support. Following the ups and downs of their travel as their set sail from the west coast of Australia, one could not help but root for them every step of the way as they pressed on despite broken equipment, only being able to listen to the call to prayer on the radio and a huge wave that knocked them both off the boat forcing them to swim three miles to a nearby reef. Experiencing hypothermia and all types of shock and exhaustion, the two almost didn't make it until a rescue boat picked them off the reef. They both discussed the awe and wonderment they now have for the water, environment around them and their lives in general. Addair stated, "It gives us a new focus to life."

The festival concluded with five more film productions all of equal wonder, breathtaking scenery and life changing meanings. The event was an overall success and the Outing Club did an excellent job hosting and facilitating the event.

Reel Talk: Oscar Predictions 2015

 

By Sean van der Heijden

Here are my official Oscar predictions for the 2014-2015 season. Last year I only got one wrong, but this year’s way harder. It’s basically come down to Birdman vs. Boyhood for both Best Picture and Best Director, so those categories are a complete toss-up. As for the acting categories, I’m judging based on on-screen performance alone. I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.

That being said, in addition to who I think will win (WW), I’ve occasionally included two subjective categories of who I think should win (SW), and who I think should have been nominated (SN). If you want to check out the full list of nominations, click here.

BEST PICTURE

WW: Boyhood

SW: The Grand Budapest Hotel

SN: Gone Girl; Interstellar

BEST ACTOR:

WW: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

SW: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

SN: Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler; Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST ACTRESS:

WW: Julianne Moore, Still Alice

SW: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

SN: Scarlett Johansson, Under The Skin

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

WW: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

SW: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

SN: Riz Ahmed, Nightcrawler

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

WW: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

SW: Laura Dern, Wild

SN: Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer

BEST DIRECTOR:

WW: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman

SW: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman

SN: Pawel Pawlikowski, Ida; James Marsh, The Theory of Everything

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

WW: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness

SW: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

WW: The Imitation Game, Graham Moore

SW: Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

SN: Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

WW: Birdman, Emmanual Lubezki,

SW: Ida, Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski

SN: Selma, Bradford Young; Under the Skin, Daniel Landin

BEST EDITING:

WW: Boyhood, Sandra Adair

SW: Whiplash, Tom Cross

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST SOUND EDITING: American Sniper

BEST SOUND MIXING: Whiplash

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Interstellar

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

WW: The Grand Budapest Hotel

SW: Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

WW: The Theory of Everything, Jóhann Jóhannsson,

SW: Interstellar, Hans Zimmer,

SN: Gone Girl Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross; Under the Skin, Mica Levi

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

WW: “Glory,” Selma

SW: “Lost Stars,” Begin Again

SN: “Big Eyes,” Big Eyes

BEST DOCUMENTARY

WW: CITIZENFOUR

SW: CITIZENFOUR

SN: Life Itself

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

WW: Ida

SW: Ida

SN: Deux jours, une nuit (Two Days, One Night)

BEST ANIMATED FILM: How to Train Your Dragon 2

BEST ANIMATED SHORT: Feast

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT: The Phone Call

Reel Talk: Yes, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ is that bad

By Sean van der Heijden  

I don’t even really know where to begin. As a movie, it’s watchable. It’s basically just the most expensive porno ever made: terrible acting, terrible plot, but that’s not really the point. If you go in expecting any of that, you will very obviously be disappointed—the two leads are terrible actors and have no chemistry together. The writing is so bad it’s laughable. The script—famously based off of Twilight fan fiction—embodies every cliché ever of the “boy-meets-girl” narrative. For a while, I thought it was the most unintentionally hilarious movie I’ve ever seen, until it stopped being funny.

The problem with this movie isn’t how bad it is—everyone knows it’s bad (except, apparently, the filmmakers, who actually strove to make it serious). The problem is everything this film embodies: naïve girl falls for rich, powerful man; innocent girl loses her virginity to more experienced man; man wins girl over by buying her expensive things; girl is submissive and completely controlled by man; girl is possession of man.

None of these tropes or stereotypes are good to uphold. You can read it that the main character, Anastasia, has control over the relationship and that it is consensual the whole time. You can also read it that she is manipulated into a harmful relationship and raped by him. I can’t say if either of these readings is “right” and the other is “wrong,” but either way—if you need an extensive written contract in order to maintain a relationship, you’re doing it wrong.

Also, as I said above, the film tries to take itself seriously, which is honestly just cringe-worthy. If it wants to be some sort of BDSM, sexual empowerment movie, I didn’t get it. Anastasia goes along with Christian Grey’s excessive relationship requirements because “that’s just the way he is,” which is honestly the poorest excuse possible for “I have emotional scars left over from my childhood.” The thing is, nobody ever tries to fix his problems or suggest therapy—they just go along with it and submit to him, which I didn’t find realistic and, again, makes Anastasia look weak.

So I honestly just walked away really annoyed. If you want to watch a film that actually tackles sadomasochism, watch Secretary (2002) with the fantastic Maggie Gyllenhaal or David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method (2011) with Viggo Mortenson as Sigmund Freud. Also—instead of spending money on movie tickets—if you want to donate money to helping out women in abusive relationships (and watch “Fifty Shades of Buscemi, which I can promise you is much better), click here.

Overall: I can’t give it too low of a score just because I know how much effort goes into making a film which was, at times, unintentionally amusing. I’d say 2 out of 10.

Weekend A&E Briefing

 

Ensemble ACJW, presenting musical valentine

Feb. 13, 8pm, Zankel

This program features Roussel’s Trio for Flute, Viola, and Cello. Also includes the world premier of “Backlight” by Meredith Monk. It’s $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, retirees, faculty, and staff, and free for students and children.

Winter Dance: Rio!

Feb. 13, 10:30pm – 2am, Falstaffs

Carnival style dance, Rio de Janiero themed! There will be chocolate fountains.

Comfest, 26^th Annual National College Comedy Festival

Feb. 13 & 14 in JKB Theater, 7 & 10pm both nights

The professional lineup this year includes comedy from Grammy Award nominated stand-up Tig Notaro, improvised musical group Baby Wants Candy, sketch comedy from Gentlemen Party, and stand-up from Chris Thayer. Plus, 16 college sketch comedy and improv groups will be performing including Skidmore’s own Skidomedy, Ad-Libs, and The Sketchies! Visit http://www.nationalcollegecomedyfestival.com/ for more details on the festival and ticket sales.

Winter Carnival

Feb. 14, 3-7pm, Case center

Free food, games, and club performances will take over all levels of Case. Performances by the Circus Club, Pulse, Dynamics, Raices, and Breakbeats! There will also be a huge bouncy obstacle course.

Sex Toy Bingo

Feb. 14, 6pm, Gannet Auditorium

Brought to you by the Skidmore Feminist Action Network, there will be several rounds of bingo, and the winner of each round wins a sex toy. The quality and value of the toys increase with each round!

Reel Talk: Whiplash is an exhilarating, thought-provoking indie drama

By Sean van der Heijden

Finally got to see Whiplash this weekend and my suggestion is—catch it while it’s still in theaters, you won’t be disappointed. Despite hearing rave reviews from a bunch of people, I was blown away by how taut and impressive this movie is. Shot in just 19 days by first-time writer-director Damian Chazelle, the movie charts a college freshman’s time in music school under the instruction of his satanic band teacher, Fletcher.

And “satanic” is probably the nicest adjective to describe him. Played with fierce determination by the ubiquitous J.K. Simmons, Fletcher is a tormented genius who abuses his students in pretty much every way possible—verbally, physically, emotionally, psychologically. While his inventive curse words and raging antics are certainly a sight to see, his mind games are far more terrifying and really add depth to the character. It’s one of the best performances of the year.

Also fantastic is Miles Teller as Andrew, the young drummer determined to be one of the “greats.” While most of the time he comes off as cocky and self-righteous, I found myself rooting for him nonetheless—if only because of what he goes through. With blistered, bloody hands, he certainly has the drive to practice, but needs to be pushed in order to truly achieve greatness.

This brings up one of the central questions of the film: how far is too far? How much is too much? Is throwing a chair at someone’s head considered too excessive, or is it a necessary step in helping someone be the best they can be? The film offers no definitive answers to these questions, but I would say: are the great musicians, students, or people the ones that need to be pushed, or the ones that can push themselves?

You’ll have to watch the film and decide for yourself—Chazelle certainly did a fantastic job at blurring that line. Also fantastic: basically everything else. The direction, the editing, the music, the sound, the cinematography—all are done to perfection. If your foot doesn’t tap to all the swinging jazz ensembles or if you’re not on the edge of your seat at one point or another, well, you must be watching a different movie. Whiplash sucks you in and holds you, breathless, till the very last second.

Overall: 9 out of 10.