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The Year of the Movie Musical

We are 80% through the so-called “year of the movie musical,” and things have not progressed well for the Rachel Berries and Kurt Hummels of the world.

Frida, in a New Pose

Frida Kahlo. Her face, paintings and aesthetics are undoubtedly embedded in our pop culture. But who is Frida Kahlo really? Despite the amount of attention dedicated to her work, to this day, much of her vibrant backstory remains either unfamiliar or oversimplified to the majority of the public who consume her art.

‘We need a resolution’

Content warning: this piece includes frank discussions of sexual abuse and child abuse.

Crossword: To and from

Vaune Trachtman: ‘There’s always a way when you’re an artist to find your way.’

“NOW IS ALWAYS.” Is our past always present and the future already here? On my computer screen I can see the photographs of Vaune Trachtman — a collection of fleeting, evanescent memories. In spite of its immaterial quality, NOW IS ALWAYS is more about permanence rather than loss; remembrance rather than oblivion. Mixing her father’s negatives from the Great Depression with pictures taken on her iPhone, the master printmaker created a series of photopolymer gravures that expand the concept of family memorabilia. Invented in the late 19th century by the photography-pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot and Czech artist Karel Klíč, photogravure belongs to the Intaglio family of printmaking. It consists of capturing an image on a plate that is printed by pressure through an etching press. Deceptively simple in theory, it is a photomechanical process of tactile delicacy and painstaking craftsmanship. Trachtman’s prints were showcased in a solo exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA, from May 26 to July 9. “NOW IS ALWAYS” is a mystifying body of work that unbinds the constraints of time with exquisite texture and electrifying motion.

Warning: spoilers for ‘Succession’ and ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ below

HBO, one of the most respected TV networks of all time, has the biggest, boldest and most discussed critique of the wealthy in their TV show, “Succession.” Yet what HBO perhaps does not know, is that this year HBO has  already been bested in the genre by the “Queen of the Trash” network, Bravo, and its show, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” 

Sheila Bandyopadhyay brings original work, ‘In the Empty,’ to outdoor Brandeis theater

A cast of six Brandeis undergraduate students performed “In the Empty,” an original 2021 theater piece written by Sheila Bandyopadhyay, on an outside stage for a live audience, Oct. 1-3. The piece was inspired by a trip Bandyopadhyay, who also directed the show, took during the pandemic to the desert, as well as reflections on living in New York City in the spring of 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Crossword: Fun with time

A Family Night to remember

The Brandeis Asian American Students Association held their annual Family Night in Levin Ballroom on Friday, Sept. 24. With an excited crowd and a long line out the door, the event was a smashing success, nearly running out of food within 30 minutes of its start.

Shang-Chi: Marvel’s response to Orientalism

One of the concerns when a major American company like Marvel does a film about Chinese or Eastern cultures in general is that they will portray a stereotype of that culture or misrepresent it. In the past, white actors have been cast to play the roles that Asian actors should have played. Instead of being cast in the lead roles, the Asian actors were given supporting roles or extra roles. 

Student Arts Spotlight

Cartoon by Megan Liao

Crossword: Beverages

Brandeis’s 30th Book Forum: “Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness”

Every year, a book forum is held for Brandeis' first-years. A book is chosen by the school, and sent to incoming first-years. It is supposed to be an intellectually stimulating book which the entire class can analyze and connect to. The forum includes receiving the book, reading the book and finally discussing the book in classrooms on campus with other first-years during orientation. On the University’s website, the event is described as “the first of many experiences that will begin to build your community and a sense of belonging at Brandeis. The forum is the only time your entire class will have a shared academic experience, reading the same book, and bringing you together for a meaningful connection with your peers and members of our outstanding faculty. This special experience is the beginning of creating a unifying connection that will last for years to come.”

Moser: engraving stories and faith

Throughout his career, master wood engraver Barry Moser left his footprints in many categories of books, from children’s books to religious texts. He is accomplished not only in watercolor illustrations and wood engravings, but also as an “engineer” of books’ creation, as he described. On Friday, April 30, Director of Brandeis Arts Engagement Ingrid Schorr invited Moser — along with author, poet and gallery owner Rich Michelson — to talk about the new edition of Moser’s classic book, “The Art of Wood Engraving & Relief Engraving,” published by Brandeis University Press. In the event, Moser shared his experience and insights on his career. 

Art lecture: the intersection of tradition and invention in Japanese architecture

On April 29, Professor Aida Wong hosted a lecture with Dr. Robert C. Anderson on the topic of Japanese architecture as part of her course, “The Art of Japan,” and the Brandeis Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts. With the focus on three contemporary Japanese architects, Anderson took the audience on a virtual aesthetic tour, introduced Japanese aesthetic principles and tracked the connective threads of Japanese architectural forms across time. 

Sound of Metal – Sound of Rebel

Being busy with school and everything else for the past few months, I have had little time to watch any movies, or to keep up with the latest movie news. Although I have put several of the nominated films on my watchlist, I was not even aware of the date of the Academy Awards ceremony this year and had not seen any of the nominated movies to write a prediction piece. For that, I tip my hat to Mr. Dinlenc, Mr. Weintraub and those who come after me who can meet the task. Motivated by hot shame, as someone who considers himself to be a “fan of cinema,” I watched “Sound of Metal” this weekend.  

Brandeis creators set up shop at the Create@Brandeis Craft Market

This past week, one needed to look no further than Fellows Garden to shop for jewelry, bags, dishware, soaps and more. On Tuesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 29, Brandeis creators set up booths to sell their hand-crafted goods during the first annual Create@Brandeis Craft Market. The market was part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts, the annual week-long festival which consists of performances, exhibitions and other events that celebrate the arts and highlight the work of artists within the Brandeis community. The Craft Market, which was organized by Brandeis Arts Engagement, hosted more than a dozen student and staff vendors during the two-day event. 

Too Cheap for Instruments members debut original songs at Folkfest

Something that many people have been craving throughout the pandemic is the return of live music. Brandeis’ all-female a cappella group, Too Cheap For Instruments, helped satisfy this desire as a part of Brandeis’s annual Folkfest. On Thursday, April 29, the group put on a virtual concert via YouTube Live, and four members of the group performed their original songs.  

Student Arts Spotlight

Illustration by Amy Chen.

Unbalanced Trade, Literally

There is an enormous imbalance in terms of cultural transaction between China and the West, or even just the English-speaking West.