LaKisha Michelle Simmons writes in “Geographies of Pain, Geographies of Pleasure” that “segregation was tied to progress, not simply to tradition” (Walking Raddy 32). When the Supreme Court legalized segregation in the South through Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, segregation was institutionalized, through the guise of progress and the phrase “separate but equal,” as its definition suggests, to separate, to demarcate the black person. These words show just but one instance in which language has been euphemized or manipulated to justify, and veil, injustice. The newly developed urban space was an open space only to certain people. New public restrooms only served “the white people of New Orleans” (32). In 1902, progress in New Orleans and its modernization project was created in part by black people, the exploitation of their labor, but this “progress” and wealth was of and for only certain white people. Continue reading “Segregation & Progress”
(in)visibility
Just because you don’t see something does not mean that it does not exist.
Fulfilling the Absence of Art at SUNY Geneseo
When I transferred to Geneseo the fall of my sophomore year, I did not realize that there was no art department at the college. In the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year, Geneseo not only cut out the studio art department— but the computer science and speech pathology department as well. So when I saw the opening for an interdepartmental class with the title, The Art of Steve Prince I was immediately interested and knew that at some point of the course, the absence of the department would have been recognized.
According to the Lamron article titled, Geneseo should restore studio art major, offer more resources to creative students by Malachy Dempsey, “the greatest reason to restore studio art is to demonstrate a commitment to the arts that many students feel Geneseo lacks.” It article continues to persuade the college by stating, “If the college does want to support the arts and, by extension, fulfill its commitment to a liberal arts education, it should consider restoring the studio arts program.” The deletion of the program also sets off the tone that the administration may not listen to the desires of the students.
Continue reading “Fulfilling the Absence of Art at SUNY Geneseo”
Kitchen Talks: The Steve Prince Way
Recently, and by recently I mean three weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to hear Steve Prince himself give a lecture in Doty Tower Room. On my way to the lecture, I tried to think about what I would learn and how I could apply it to what I already know about Steve Prince and his works. By the time I finished hearing the lecture, I felt that Steve Prince both met and exceeded my expectations. I think it was because what I learned in that lecture was not only in connection to Steve Prince’s works but it also helped me to form connections in my own life which is what I will explain in this blog post. Continue reading “Kitchen Talks: The Steve Prince Way”
Ceci n’est pas une artiste
By Lindsey “Yee” Kriaris and Abby “Haw” Ritz
Last semester, we participated in an independent art exhibit with some of our mutual friends (Marty Benzinger, Clio Lieberman, Sabrina Saleta, Maddie Walker, and Natalie Hayes). This was actually how Lindsey and I first met! We all had certain things in common: we liked art and we liked to make art in our free time, but none of us had ever participated in an art exhibition before. We gathered as a group throughout the semester, and brainstormed potential themes. Something that could not only apply to all of us individually, but something that could also apply to all of us as a group; a theme that would not only allow us to express all those things which we wanted to express but would allow us to express through the various different mediums with which we all worked. Everyone in the group had a different style, different medium, and different point of view. However, we all appreciated having a chance to promote art-making on campus. This was an entirely different artistic experience for both of us, predicated as it was on sharing what we made and considering what we made to be art, and thus, in turn, considering ourselves to be artists. Continue reading “Ceci n’est pas une artiste”
Spirituals
There have been many different names over the years for the genre of music known as spirituals. In addition to the names listed above, they have also been known as “sorrow” songs and “freedom” songs. I am interested in why these two adjectives, seemingly contrasting in meaning, have been used to describe the same type of music.
Bad Weather For Our Sins
I’ve been pondering weather over the last couple weeks, mainly because our weather has been less than pleasant lately. In the not so distant past, humans didn’t have expansive scientific knowledge and understanding of geography, an aspect of which is the study of weather. Instead, in seeking to explain natural phenomena, past civilizations attributed these extraordinary events to the will of the gods or other supernatural beings. By the time the Abrahamic faiths rolled onto the scene, the basic default was to presume that it was God who controlled the weather. During the Middle Ages, Christianity was widespread throughout Europe along with the idea of divine providence or God’s intervention in the universe. This led to the belief that God was an omnipotent force who judged each person’s earthly deeds and respectively punished or rewarded within the mortal lifespan. An assumption was then formed that it was God’s will that the poor were poor because they were being punished for their wickedness and that the rich were rich because they were being rewarded for their piety. Thus, bad weather was a result of disfavor from God.
Old Lady in the Upper Room
Upon first analyzing the picture below during our collaborative blog post, I did not know what to make of it. My group and I started off by trying to make out specific things we saw in the picture such as the watch in one of the horseman’s hand and what looks to be a shadow of a person behind the little girl. As I explained in our blog post, I stated that the older woman was reaching for the little girl while Alexis thought that the woman was reaching for the watch. I tied both of our assumptions together with Kazon and Devin stated that the little girl could be a depiction of the older woman. This made me think of how we are oblivious to what is around as children because we have yet to experience what the world has to offer. As we grow older and become wiser through things we have faced in life, we start to wish that we can go back in time and use what we know now to change the past. Continue reading “Old Lady in the Upper Room”
An Artist’s Dilemma (Response)
Brian recently posted a blog posting discussing the lack of appreciation for the arts. He talked about “the lack of interest in the funding of those who create” which is something I particularly notice in school settings. Through middle school and high school, my experience of seeing the way most students view art has been the “easy A” perception. The various art classes were equivalent to gym class where it was seen as fun, stress relieving, and easy to pass as long as you attended. Some schools would not even have art as a class but as an afterschool activity. These examples display how the arts are often overlooked, especially in the light of a challenging subject. Moving forward to college, some students decide that they want to attend a college that is specifically designated for the arts. In most cases, the students are seen as taking the easier path because studying something such as painting is not seen as challenging compared to studying biology. The reason that most people tend to overlook the arts is because they do not understand the process and dedication it takes to become successful in that field. Continue reading “An Artist’s Dilemma (Response)”
Champloo
I am now going to publicly admit that I like to watch anime, and I refuse to feel embarrassed about it.
I like to watch anime.
Moving on!