Celtic Fire brings Irish spirit to Geneseo with personal stories, performance

Students and local Geneseo residents were treated to a night of Irish culture on Saturday Oct. 1 as Michael Londra’s Celtic Fire performed in Wadsworth Auditorium. Sponsored by Limelight and Accents Performing Art Series, the event consisted of a handful of Irish dances and songs, as well as fascinating stories about Londra’s Irish heritage and experiences.

Londra’s Celtic Fire travels all around the globe, spreading Irish culture wherever they go. The performance included world champion dancers from the cast of “Riverdance” on Broadway—a show in which Londra was the lead singer—and “Lord of Dance,” an Irish-American musical and dance production.

The show opened with four energetic dancers leaping to the music in front of the Celtic Fire band. They alternated solo dances and ended in punctual unison. The audience joined in the fun, clapping with the rhythm of the music and the dancers. All of the dances exhibited the two types of traditional Irish step dance: hard shoe and soft shoe.

After the opening number, Londra—who has performed in over 40 countries, and even starred in his own Emmy nominated PBS special “Beyond Celtic”—took the stage for a solo dance. He introduced himself to the audience, explaining his Irish background and offering some Irish humor. Between each song, Londra told stories or discussed his background in order to educate the audience on the meaning behind each performance.

He taught the audience how to say “hello” in Gaelic, assigning each half of the audience part of the Gaelic term dia duit as to make it into a collaborative lesson. Londra also encouraged everyone to get involved in the performances, claiming that there are two rules when listening to Irish music: participating in the music and exclaiming, “Hup!” in the middle of the song when it feels appropriate.

Londra also shared the famous Scottish song “The Water is Wide” with the audience, teaching them the lyrics so that they could sing along with him or on their own. Other melodies included “Zoli” and “One More Day,” which was a slower, more soulful ballad about missing loved ones.

“Flesh and Blood” was more reminiscent of American music than the other more traditional Irish songs performed. Londra even encouraged the audience to let out a “Yeehaw!” explaining the American influence on Irish music.

“We love singing and we love songs. We love traditional songs, we love songs of today that tell a story and they seem to be connected to America,” he said. “A lot of our songs are connected to the country scene in Nashville … and that’s why we feel connected [to America]. We brought our jigs to the Appalachians, and it has gradually filtered out through the whole of North America.”

In the end, it was Londra’s humor and interaction with the audience that made the performance worthwhile. Between the music and Londra’s charismatic personality, the band allowed Irish song, dance and stories to seep into the Geneseo community for one night—but ultimately left the audience with a greater appreciation for Irish culture as a whole.

“Modern Family” makes progressive statement, hires transgender child actor

The hit TV show “Modern Family” is living up to its name with the decision to cast a transgender child actor in an episode that aired on Sept. 28, marking a crucial moment for the future of the entertainment industry. Eight-year-old Jackson Millarker stars as Tom, a transgender child, who has recently befriended Lily, played by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons. Lily is the daughter of the show’s homosexual couple, Cam and Mitchell, played by Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, respectively.

This announcement comes after a giant push from Jeffrey Tambour—who recently won an Emmy for his work on “Transparent”—to hire more transgender actors in transgender roles. Tambour, who is cisgender, urged casting directors to give “transgender talent a chance” in his acceptance speech.

He stressed that it is important to “give them auditions. Give them their story” before adding that he “would not be unhappy if I were the last cisgender male to play a female transgender on television—we have work to do.” Tambour’s own show took his advice by hiring a transgender young actress during the third season.

“Modern Family” has always been about acceptance, tackling issues like LGBTQ+ recognition, divorce and adoption. But with this episode even the most progressive characters, Cam and Mitchell, must “have to take a quick look in the mirror before they teach [Lily] a lesson about acceptance.”

Director Ryan Case is extremely proud of the show’s inclusive decision, posting a photo with Millarker on Instagram with the caption, “This is Jackson Millarker. He’s eight years old, from Atlanta, and just happens to be transgender. He plays Lily’s friend Tom in this week’s ‘Modern Family’ and he’s wonderful. One of the many reasons I love being a part of this show.”

The issue of diversity in Hollywood, or lack thereof, has long been at the forefront of criticism directed toward the industry and has effectively started a conversation about roles for minority actors and the existence of stereotypes in media.

The lack of roles allocated for minority actors contrasts sharply with the use of minority cultures as the basis for entertainment. Minorities are often depicted as stereotypes and producers fail to cast actors who belong to minority cultures, robbing them of the opportunity to accurately represent themselves.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community often experience such disrespect. Transgender characters are often distorted and used to highlight specific aspects of the community that might not necessarily cover the entire transgender perspective. Or cisgender actors are often hired to portray transgender individuals, repeatedly leading to a shallow portrayal of the trans experience.

These practices perpetuate a cycle of misunderstanding. In effect, we believe trans individuals to be the stereotypes that we see portrayed in the media. It is this that has become the focus of many critics.

“Modern Family’s” progressive decision takes the future of the entertainment industry in a different—and perhaps long overdue—direction. To see Millarker in action, check out this season’s second episode titled “A Stereotypical Day.”

“Wicket Ways” exemplifies community history with fictional croquet match

The Livingston County Historical Society premiered “Wicket Ways,” a play written and directed by Conesus resident Ruth Henry, on Oct. 1 at The Riviera Theatre. Henry was inspired to write “Wicket Ways” after a 2014 croquet match. It just so happens that Geneseo was home to the American Croquet Company, which manufactured 90 percent of America’s croquet sets in the 1860s.

Set in 1895, Henry’s play takes local history and historical figures in order to explore the relationships between them. The first of the notable figures is William Pryor Letchworth, played by Brian Lewis. Letchworth lived from 1823-1910 and was a businessman who bequeathed his estate, which is now the heart of Letchworth State Park. He’s known for his humanitarian efforts and various published works.

Clara Barton, played by Hannah May Henry, lived from 1821-1912. Founder of the American Red Cross, Barton worked as a nurse in the Civil War.

Perhaps most well-known to Rochester natives, however, is George Eastman, played by Chris Norton. Eastman lived from 1854-1932 and was an innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company, popularizing the use of roll film.

Caroline Bishop, played by Tamara Albert, was a teacher, secretary and eventual executive assistant to Letchworth. Alive from 1849-1926, Bishop took over as the superintendent of Letchworth State Park after Letchworth’s death in 1910.

Rounding out the cast of main characters is John Rorbach—played by Dennis Dawson—Colonel of the New York 104th Regiment of NY Volunteers and president of the American Croquet Factory.

Gathered in what is now Letchworth State Park’s Glen Iris Inn, the characters are supposed to be enjoying a simple game of croquet. For most—since croquet was one of the few sports in which both women and men could compete equally—the game is an opportunity to flirt and to consider possible suitors.

The show was accompanied by the music of Geoff Clough, who proved excellent in the task of creating historically believable, yet contemporary tunes that kept the audience interested and engaged.

The play entertains the fascinating question of how this particular group of historically important figures would have interacted with each other. Placing the play at the Glen Iris—which is still in operation—allows for the audience to better picture the scene.

“Wicket Ways” provides a much-needed appreciation for Geneseo’s local history and the effect it has had on the country as a whole.

Dutch gallery rewards artists for innovative interpretations

Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum is breaking the mold when it comes to copying artwork. The Rijksmuseum is host to a vast collection of works ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day and attracts visitors from all over the world. As Netherlands’ national museum, what stands out most about the institution is its Rijksstudio Award. An annual international design competition with a top prize of 10,000 euros, the Rijksstudio Award invites artists to produce works imitating those held in the museum. The award gives participants free digital access to the museum’s extraordinary collection: a database of over 250,000 images.

The award program places the museum firmly in a leading position in the world of digital image culture and open design. With importance placed on the interpretation of art and its individualized culture, the museum’s curator Femke Diercks said, “Reproduction of art has been part of the production of art since antiquity” and, “Copying old masters [is] the perfect way for young artists to develop their own style.”

The competition—which is open to anyone and everyone—is in its third year. Last year’s winning entry was inspired by Rembrandt van Rijn’s etchings. The work—created by Lyske Gais and Lia Duinker—showcased 1,400 illustrations from 303 works by the Dutch artist, sewn together using bookbinding techniques to create a bracelet.

The competition, according to Diercks, is looking for novel product designs and a diversity of interpretations, including dance, poetry, food, fragrance and films. It aims to represent the Dutch masterpieces in a new light.

In previous years, winners have included computer-generated images, a makeup line and wooden sculptures. In 2014, the winner created an original makeup line inspired by the color palettes in five portraits from the museum’s collection by Asnate Bockis and Rogier Arents.

A jury of museum staff, local arts editors and international art critics chooses the winner. Winning entries are then showcased at the Rijksmuseum, right alongside the original masterpieces. Entries can be viewed online using the hashtag #rijksstudio. The 2017 competition opened on Sept. 13, 2016 and the deadline is Jan. 15, 2017.

While Amsterdam is thousands of miles away from Geneseo, a handful of people from the community may get the chance to see the winner of the Rijksstudio Award in person. The college offers a study abroad program in the Netherlands at the University of Groningen, a cultural and economic center of the country. Trips to the national museum are feasible from the university with a journey of about two hours.

In any case, distance shouldn’t stop any budding artists from entering their work in the competition—the next winner could be right here in Geneseo.

One Direction inevitably go separate ways, pursue solo projects

More than six years ago, international pop culture was forever impacted by the formation of pop quintet One Direction. This isn’t exactly an exaggeration—since 2010, the boy band continuously topped the charts in over 30 countries, sold out four international album tours, plastered their faces and logo on every possible commodity and cultivated a wild fan base rivaled only by that of Justin Bieber. The extent to which One Direction hysteria spread across the globe led to a fairly accurate—and controversial—comparison to the popularity of The Beatles.

All good things must come to an end, but the fate of One Direction isn’t completely confirmed. Their “hiatus”—officiated in January—is a kind of ambiguously dressed letter of resignation. Now-soloist Zayn Malik left the group in March 2015, leaving the remaining four members to carry out their last album release and tour without him. The hiatus is scheduled to end after 18 months, but since Malik’s departure—and public feuds between him and member Louis Tomlinson—it finally feels like time to pull the plug.

Malik infamously took the first steps toward distancing himself from his former band mates with his solo album Mind of Mine, humorously released on the one-year anniversary of his departure from the band. Although Malik emphasizes his independence from the band—exemplified by tense, if not non-existent, interactions with the remaining four—his album wouldn’t have been as popular without dedicated One Direction fans. The album itself wasn’t enthusiastically praised by outside listeners, proving that Malik’s solo transition is still haunted by his boy band past.

Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Liam Payne have since slowly—and somewhat discreetly—followed in Malik’s footsteps while maintaining their One Direction ties. Horan was the first after Malik to release his own music with a surprise release of his stripped-down single “This Town” and an accompanying music video on Sept. 29. Styles and Payne both signed solo contracts in the summer with the promise of future music careers.

Styles seems to be having the best time out of all of the former band mates during this period of transition and mental convalescence. The singer was cast in award-winning director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Dunkirk, a World War II historical piece that allows Styles to explore a more creative and serious art form. And from the explosive reaction from fans about leaked on-set photos, there is no doubt the film will benefit from some revived One Direction publicity.

Tomlinson had a scandalous final year with the boyband, as the singer had a child in January with a previously unknown Los Angeles socialite.  Fans were in an uproar over rumors and conspiracy theories about the relationship. Tomlinson lucked out—Malik’s solo album eventually overshadowed the scandal. He has been able to stay out of the spotlight to work on his own independent music label during the hiatus.

It must be difficult to enjoy down time and to pursue personal interests when you’re some of the most recognizable young celebrities in the world. But public interest in One Direction will inevitably fade—if it hasn’t started to already—and the five pop stars will someday wear a B-list or C-list celebrity label.

For now, I’m ready to enjoy the sappy acoustic love songs and golf Instagram photos that have come to define this hiatus. But if all the members decide to permanently part ways, it would be for the best; pursing independent goals and dreams is exactly where they belong.

Kinetic Gallery exhibits bio art contrasting man-made, natural worlds

The Kinetic Gallery revealed its latest exhibition—Suzanne Anker’s collection, “Blue Eggs and Spam”—on Tuesday Oct. 4. Anker’s work is known as “bio art,” which combines visual art and the biological sciences. In this exhibition, Anker compares two contrasting perspectives on life: the life of analysis provided by science and technology, and the life found in the natural world.

The collection is made up of four different parts. Three sets of images are mounted on the walls that surrounded the main piece in the center of the gallery.

The first subset of images consists of five large prints titled “Laboratory Life.” These include different images of gardens, all superimposed over images of scientific laboratories. The layering of the two images presents two different forms of artificial life: the findings and the creations that come from labs that can’t be found wholly in nature, and a garden that is a man-made replica of the natural world. Thus two man-made interpretations of life are illustrated at once.

In the back of the gallery hangs two more images, both of petri dishes that hold blue egg yolks. Referencing the collection’s title, these photographs are meant to challenge the notion of what we perceive as “natural.”

The egg is a product of nature, often considered to be a symbol of life. Yet synthetic biologists managed to alter living entities, changing their chemical processes in order to create unnatural products. The results can be intriguing, but off-putting. Scientific research is of course beneficial in many ways, but Anker poses the question: would you eat a blue egg?

The final subset of images is entitled “Vanitas (in a Petri dish).” Here, Anker combines science with Dutch Vanitas art, which includes symbols of death and change—both of which are inevitable. Anker’s images are of petri dishes filled with materials that are used by scientists, as well as organic items like animal skulls. The images pop with bright colors and work to compare elements of science with historical artistic metaphors.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is perhaps the most visually stunning. A large white table stands in the middle of the gallery, on which sit multiple petri dishes. Each dish holds different objects, either man-made or natural. Some only have one item, and some are stuffed to the brim.

But what makes the piece so visually appealing is its use of color. Each dish is color-coded; everything it holds is the same hue. One holds both a yellow flower and a small yellow plastic shoe. Another holds brown, mossy material and a peanut butter cup. The dishes are organized in a sort of rainbow, flowing from white to yellow into green and blue and then all the way to black.

At the opening, Anker gave some insight into her artistic ideas behind the role of color in this centerpiece. “It’s interesting to see … how manufactured objects are the same color as the natural world,” she said. “Second nature.”

And finally, placed in a few of the dishes is a picture of a can of Spam—an item that can be both natural and manufactured, again referencing the title of the exhibit.

Anker’s “Blue Eggs and Spam” is a colorful masterpiece that spurs visitors to question the nature of the world around them. What have we created, what was already here and how is science affecting our perception of the natural world? The gallery was filled with students on opening night, and people crowded around the table of Petri dishes to get a glimpse of what was inside.

Now, it’s our job to point the same curious eye to the world we live in.

Professor Hall explores family history in fictional short story collection

At a college famous for its academic excellence and top-notch professors, two-time Chancellor’s Award winner Geneseo professor of English Rachel Hall has managed to make huge waves with the recent publication of her collection of linked short stories Heirlooms. Although Hall’s work has been previously featured in a number of literary journals and anthologies over the years—including Fifth Wednesday, Bellingham Review, The Gettysburg Review, New Letters and Crab Orchard Review—Heirlooms marks her first solo publication, which has already won the G.S. Sharat Chandra Book Prize.

Inspired by her own compelling family history, her debut book introduces readers to a fictional French-Jewish family during World War II. Through the ups and downs of 15 stories and four generations, the family journeys from the French city of Saint-Malo to the American Midwest, losing the tangible heirlooms that some families hold so dear, but gaining instead an intense family history and lasting memory.

Hall credits the deep relationship she had with her mother, who shared the family’s past with her. Hall’s mother was a young Jewish child during World War II whose parents died during the war, leaving her to be adopted by her paternal aunt and uncle. As a result, she and her family frequently moved around in order to escape detection by the Nazi regime. Life didn’t get much easier, however, when they moved to the United States, as Hall’s mother was bullied for her lack of knowledge of the English language and later for her accent.

“It’s almost like those stories were mine,” Hall said. She also said how, as a young girl, she would place herself within the stories of her family history, imagining herself jumping to her mother’s rescue. Thus Hall was able to “take real life events and embroider around them, invent and imagine.”

With a rich cast of reoccurring characters—many of whom are inspired by her family members—Hall hopes to capture “a different kind of Holocaust story”: one that focuses on the extremely difficult experience of immigration. This is a lesson that Hall hopes will resonate with modern audiences, as displaced people from across the border and across the globe search for comfort and reprieve from their own pasts.

In place of the usual Holocaust narrative—which often consist of gruesome tales of concentration camps, torture and disparagement—Heirlooms provides a window into the heart of one family, whose memories and experiences may seem small in the grand scheme, but are representative of the immigrant experience.

“[The book is] about the war, but it’s also about how we pass on our stories,” Hall said. “I think it’s important to remember that when that many people die—when six million people die—there are going to be about six million different stories.”

At first, “La Possette” looks like a story of class difference, but it is in fact a heartbreaking example of the loss that results from the displacement and social politics of World War II. “White Lies”—a story that Hall admitted was particularly hard for her to write—is an example of the tragic sacrifices that the war forced families to make.

Heirlooms has already had its fair share of success, participating in Rochester’s fifth annual Fringe Festival. With the help of fellow assistant professor of English Kristen Gentry, Hall enlisted three Geneseo creative writing major seniors—Oliver Diaz, Evan Goldstein and Sarah Steil—to present their own stories based on “what gets left behind, what gets passed on.” Hall chose these three students based on their creative writing talent and ability to mold Heirlooms into their own creative content.

The Geneseo community has another opportunity to hear a sneak peek of Hall’s work in Heirlooms. She will be hosting a reading and book signing at the Geneseo Barnes & Noble Bookstore in the MacVittie College Union on Wednesday Oct. 5 from 1-5 p.m.

Photo-sharing app allows user flexibility

Hundreds of United States college students joined the photo-sharing app Switness over the past two weeks. “Switness” means “to witness a story.” You may be wondering, why join Switness when you already use other photo-sharing apps? Unlike today’s popular photo apps, Switness users can keep a profile filled with high quality, full screen photos and videos, as well as maintain the ability to like and comment on others’ photographs.

You may ask yourself, how is this different from Snapchat or Instagram? Switness creators and co-founders Anthony Morgan, a software developer, and Rupali Renjen, a former merchandise planning manager—who met as students at Stony Brook University—describe their app as the first full-screen photosharing application that provides users a platform for both a story and a profile. Switness allows the user to pick and choose what photographs are shown on their profile, letting them keep a consistent theme, if they wish. Conversely, Switness users can also post photos to their stories for friends and followers to see, without displaying them on their profiles—unless they choose to do so.

Switness also includes the ability to friend other users, but that list of friends stays confidential, only for the individual user to see. Some of today’s popular photo apps do not allow users to have this kind of separation between friends and followers. This is great because it gives its users “special abilities” for interacting with friends. For instance, users can send photos or videos directly to specific friends, but not followers.

Similar to Snapchat, Switness includes a “story” feature in which the user can add photos or videos for all of their friends and followers to see. Stories shared by friends are prioritized on an individual’s story feed over stories shared by the people you follow.

Students from the University of North Texas said that Switness allows them to share their stories when they want and with whom they want—all on one platform. Other students said that they are already “obsessed” with the app and its features, claiming the privacy functions give Switness a unique edge that differs from other photo sharing apps. Texas students love that they can easily swipe back and forth through their story feed and that photos don’t auto advance to the next photo—the Switness app keeps you in control.

Morgan and Renjen intend to expand the app into Android systems in the near future. It is currently available for anyone in the U.S. with an iPhone to download for free in the App Store.

London National Gallery involved in dispute over “stolen” Matisse

The London National Art Gallery is facing allegations of theft from a lawsuit filed by the heirs of a priceless family heirloom–an heirloom that just happens to be the famed painting “Portrait of Greta Moll” by renowned French artist Henri Matisse. “Portrait of Greta Moll” is a 1908 oil painting that is considered a masterpiece from Matisse’s fauve period, in which he favored painterly brushstrokes and bold color over realistic qualities. Oliver Williams, Margarete Green and Iris Filmer—who filed the suit against the National Art Gallery—are the grandchildren of Matisse’s muse Greta Moll.

Greta Moll was a student of Matisse along with her husband Oskar Moll, according to the lawsuit. She sat for the painting in Paris and afterward bought the painting from Matisse before moving back to Germany with her husband to sculpt and teach art.

The period in which Matisse and the Molls lived was during the rise of Nazism, which launched a propagandistic agenda against many German artists of the time. Newspapers and media defamed many artists, labeling their artwork as “degenerate” and “Bolshevist,” and they were prohibited from displaying their artwork anywhere in Germany. Consequently, the Nazis were fervently critical of Greta Moll’s artwork.

When Berlin became a frequent target of bombing attacks during World War II, the Molls moved away and relocated the painting to a friend’s house outside of the city, fearing the plunder or destruction of artwork.

They returned after the end of the war to find that the painting and their other valuables had been preserved. After suffering through starvation for a majority of the war, Oskar Moll died in 1947, leaving Greta Moll to fear for the safety of the painting, as post-war chaos often led to theft.

The painting was entrusted to the care of Oskar Moll’s former student Gertrud Djamarani, who was supposed to secure the painting in Switzerland. Djamarani sold the painting instead and fled to the Middle East. By the time Greta Moll passed away in 1977, she was unaware of what had happened to the painting.

From there, the painting was brought to the Knoedler & Co. Gallery in New York and was sold to a private collector before ending up in the Lefevre Gallery in London. It was finally sold to its current home, the London National Art Gallery, in 1979.

After the war, Britain signed an agreement that it would restore and return any artwork that was stolen or lost during any armed conflict to the rightful owners—which is now causing issues of artistic ownership all over the art world.

The lawsuit alleges that the National Gallery failed to perform an extensive background check on the origins of the piece. The court filings reiterate that “Especially because the provenance sheet notes that Oskar and Greta Moll owned the painting until 1945, a date which should have triggered the museum’s obligation for more extensive provenance research, and should have alerted them to the possibility that the painting was lost or stolen during or after WWII, when the allies and Great Britain occupied Germany.”

Moll’s grandchildren ask the museum to either return the painting or pay $30 million in compensation. In a letter, the Gallery stated that a 1992 British law forbids the Gallery from “dispensing any of its objects.”

Director of the National Gallery Gabriele Finaldi responded: “This demand is not new, and it is a demand to which, as you are aware, the Gallery board could not accede because of statutory constraints—even if they were of the view that the circumstances warranted such an action.”

The lawsuit is ongoing and is based in the United States in order to avoid the jurisdiction of the British law.

Female MLB player reshapes classic baseball drama

The Fox television series “Pitch” is just like any other baseball story: it tells of a young rookie pitcher who finally gets a start in the big leagues after an overpowering father pushes his athlete to do his best. In the midst of a defining start, an old-timer veteran gives him the standard inspirational speech. In the end, he succeeds.

“Pitch” follows this exact formula, except for one twist: the young rookie is a girl.

It all begins during the morning routine of Ginny Baker—played by Kylie Bunbury—on her first day in the major leagues.

She stretches her neck, and we see multiple gift baskets of nectarines from famous women like Hillary Clinton and Ellen DeGeneres—which we’ll come to understand later in the episode. As we see her get dressed in her hotel room and walk into the hallway, we start to recognize what’s going on. But it isn’t until Baker gets to the lobby that we see the pomp and circumstance that follow her.

The hotel lobby is full of cheering fans as Baker’s publicist Amelia Slater—played by Ali Larter—informs the athlete of their schedule. Larter—who plays a rather uninteresting and perhaps unlikable stereotypical female publicist—provides a stark contrast to the budding female athlete.

While Slater stomps over anyone who gets in her way and has odd and unnecessary banter with lustful men, Baker is an incredibly likable character who displays real development in just one episode.

Bunbury portrays Baker as a headstrong woman, secure with her place on an all-male team. At the same time, she can show weakness and vulnerability, whether that be from frustration with her athletic performance or sadness from personal circumstance.

A dichotomy between how the press reacts to Baker’s entrance to the majors was already evident at the beginning of the pilot, exemplified by two different reporters’ takes on Baker’s major league success. We hear the voice of a female reporter triumphantly exclaiming, “If you want to say [Baker is] only getting her shot because she’s a woman, go ahead. But let’s be real, if you’re saying that, you’re a man … So bitch and moan all you want gentlemen, but tonight, a girl’s going to be the lead sport story in the world.”

This is followed by a less emphatic male announcer who says, “Now listen, I’m all in on Ginny Baker. It’s the biggest sports story since OJ, and hopefully it has a happier ending. But comparing this girl to Jackie Robinson is preposterous.”

Baker is likened to the first African-American professional baseball player more than once. In fact, the show endorses her as the new Robinson—her jersey number is 43, one up from Robinson’s famous 42. This idea leads into the background behind the show and perhaps will be the future source of conflict for the young pitcher—that she’s only in the big leagues to sell tickets.

It’s interesting and admirable, though, that the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball have plastered their name all over this show. The show was filmed in Petco Park—the Padres’ home stadium—and features actual MLB announcers. At times, it looks as if the show is an actual telecast of a baseball game.

For the most part, Baker’s teammates and managers fully support her and treat her just like any other teammate. After butting heads at first, catcher Mike Lawson—played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar—gives Baker a motivational speech when she needs it the most, filling the role of the charismatic and experienced veteran from the classic baseball story.

“Pitch” may be your typical baseball story with a twist, but be careful—watching Baker enter the field for the first time just might bring tears to your eyes.

Leto controversial choice for Warhol biopic

Everyone loves the movies, and one of film’s most popular genres is the biopic—or biographical film. Following a famous person from cradle to grave can make for an entertaining and enlightening experience, as it allows the audience to gain a new perspective on a household name. It was recently announced that a new biopic on the life of legendary artist Andy Warhol is in the works, with actor Jared Leto suiting up to play the lead.

The spotlight is on this particular project chiefly because Leto will portray the titular role—a decision that is making some question the success of the upcoming film. Leto, for those unfamiliar with the actor’s work, is controversial for his unusual interpretations of classic roles as well as his intense dedication to what is known as “method acting.”

Under this doctrine of portrayal, an actor strives to remain in character at all times—even when the camera stops rolling. During the filming of Suicide Squad—in which Leto played iconic Batman villain The Joker—several stories surfaced on the actor’s methods causing friction between him and his fellow cast members.

Will Smith, who starred alongside Leto in Suicide Squad, recalled one such incident at the movie’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con. “This dude walks in and goes, ‘I have a message from Mr. J.’ And he puts a box down in front of Margot [Robbie], being like, ‘This is a gift from Mr. J in honor of your relationship,’” Smith recounted. Robbie—who played Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad—then proceeded to open the box, horrified to find a live rat and a handwritten note from Leto inside. In the note, Leto had supposedly detailed the Joker’s intimate—and rather creepy—thoughts about his co-star.

Besides sparking drama on set, Leto has also earned a dubious reputation among moviegoers. Despite critical acclaim for his earlier work—such as Requiem for a Dream—his more recent projects have not been as successful. The aforementioned super villain-themed action flick currently holds an abysmal rating of 26 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The concern of those interested in the upcoming biopic is that Leto—with all of the baggage he entails—will do a disservice to Andy Warhol, a cultural icon.

Warhol’s work in the 1960s created a genre of art known as “pop art,” which shined a spotlight on the phenomena of celebrity and consumerism in American society. Some of his most famous works include “Campbell’s Soup Cans,” “Marilyn Diptych” and “Eight Elvises.” Warhol’s work combined bright, vibrant colors with a realistic approach. He also helped define the culture of his era, as well as pave the way for the realm of psychedelics that followed.

Warhol passed away in 1987 after complications from gallbladder surgery. He was only 58 years old. His memory lives on today as his work is studied and appreciated by art aficionados around the globe.

There is hope for the film, however, despite audiences’ hesitation toward Leto taking the lead. The actor recently won an Oscar in 2014 for Dallas Buyer’s Club, in which he played a gay man dying of AIDS. Warhol himself was openly gay despite popular disapproval at the time.

Many hope that Leto’s experience with the subject will allow him to do the pop artist justice when it comes time to shoot the movie. In addition, his presence in the cast lends star power and name recognition to the film, which could help draw audiences to the theater.

At the end of the day, only time will tell if Leto is the right man to step into Warhol’s shoes. The film is currently in production, and a release date has yet to be announced.

Tafel lecture marks first collaboration between college and APOG

Geneseo’s Lederer Gallery partnered with the Association for the Preservation of Geneseo to host a lecture titled “Between College and Village: Architect Edgar Tafel’s Brodie Hall (1964-6) and the Appeal to Tradition in ‘Mad Men’ America” on Wednesday Sept. 28. The event focused on master architect Edgar Tafel and took place in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Lederer Gallery, as well as the Brodie Fine Arts Building as a whole. But the event also signified the beginning of something new: the lecture was the first product of a newly formed partnership between APOG and the college.

APOG was founded in the early 1970s to preserve the history of the town of Geneseo, but has recently begun to shift their programming efforts toward the interests of both the local community and the student population. And what better way to solidify this new partnership than by honoring Tafel?

It was Tafel who laid the master plan for the Geneseo campus in 1964, as well as the specific design for Brodie Hall and South Village. In the lecture, visiting professor of art history Charles Burroughs shed light on Tafel’s architectural philosophy and his role in creating the Geneseo campus we see today.

Tafel’s goal for Brodie Hall was centered on the very notion of making connections. The structure of the building—as well as many of the other buildings on campus—is long and horizontally shaped, as opposed to the high towering structures that were popular at the time. Tafel did not want these buildings to be seen as barriers that differentiated the townspeople from the students, but rather “saw Brodie Hall as connecting the village and the college,” Burroughs said.

The lecture was followed by a reflection titled “Brodie Hall, the Arts, Campus, and Community” from alumnus Chris Mannelli ‘95. Mannelli—who is now the Executive Director of Rochester’s Geva Theatre Center—shared fond memories and light-hearted stories of experiences he had as a Geneseo student, providing a glimpse into another level of connections that can be found in Geneseo: the relationships between students. During the long hours he spent studying and rehearsing with his classmates, Mannelli described how those people became his family.

“[It’s] a place where you belong,” he said, recounting the many nights he spent performing for his friends in Brodie Commons.

This scene—one of students coming together in the common spaces that Brodie Hall provides—is one that continues to be performed today. Mannelli’s reflections added a new level of depth to the lecture, as they connected the past with the present.

Perhaps the most notable moment of the evening was when APOG member Jim Whitehead said a few words about his personal connections with the Geneseo community. “That’s what tonight is about,” Whitehead said.

He also described how impressed he was that he, as a “townie,” could walk up the street and see high-level performances by such talented students and then see the same students getting a slice of pizza at Mamma Mia’s the next day. He recalled approaching students and congratulating them on their performances. “I could see the delight in the faces of those kids that wanted to be recognized by the community,” Whitehead said.

It’s moments like this that depict just how valuable the connections in a community can be. This event was a celebration of the people and places that make Geneseo what it is—and it’s only the first in the partnership between Geneseo and APOG. A second event from the team is currently in the works for the spring, and hopefully there are many more to follow.

Honors Recital highlights Geneseo’s musical talent at Fringe Festival

Geneseo’s top instrumentalists and vocalists performed on Saturday Sept. 24 in the Honors Recital in the Doty Recital Hall and at the Rochester Fringe Festival. Featuring sophomores, juniors and seniors who excel at music performance, a pianist, violinist, two flutists, cellist and multiple vocalists all performed a variety of music with collaborative pianists adjunct professors of music Kevin Nitsch and Jeong-Eun Lee.

Geneseo students have had the opportunity to audition and perform in the Honors Recital for over 20 years, according to associate professor of music Amy Stanley. This is only the second year, however, that the program’s winning participants performed at Rochester’s Fringe Festival, and Rochester’s Lyric Theatre is a much larger performance space than Doty Recital Hall.

“[It’s] an excellent performance opportunity that helps students adapt to different spaces,” psychology and vocal performance double major senior Francesca DiGiorgio said.

The process of putting together this showcase—as led by adjunct professor of music and voice Joan Floriano—began almost six months ago. All students who take private lessons at the college were eligible to compete, but they had to be nominated by a professor and had to go through an audition process. This process involved two outside music professionals who selected the winners that would go on to perform in the fall semester.

At the performance, winners performed the piece or pieces they initially chose to audition with. Piano performance major junior Jason Handy said that he chose hias piece based on feedback from professors and because he felt he had a strong interpretation of the piece. Other students strived to find a sense of balance between their songs, picking pieces with contrasting tempos and themes.

“[The Fringe Festival was] a great opportunity to put Geneseo out there in the Rochester community,” vocal performance and history double major senior Noah Chichester said.

Although this is not the first time some of the Honors Competition winners have performed at the Fringe Festival, many revealed that they were both nervous and excited about this special opportunity. The overall joy that the performers emitted displayed the dedication of those involved in Geneseo’s music department.

The recital itself was a fusion of the old and new, with pieces ranging from the 18th century to contemporary. This included musical theater and communication double major sophomore Katelyn Brooks’ up-tempo rendition of “A Summer in Ohio” from the musical “The Last Five Years.”

The opportunity to hear vocalists and instrumentalists perform material from their individual repertoires—as well as the diverse and contrasting styles of music—provided for a mesmerizing and emotional show. The students selected were not only talented, but also clearly loved to perform, as each one captivated the audience with their presentation and musicianship.

The students’ commitment to performance was evident through their commandment of the stage—even in tender moments—proving that the Honors Recital is a wonderful way to showcase Geneseo’s multi-talented students.

YouTube releases Community feature, fosters creator-audience interaction

YouTube has always been a staple in the world of social media. Along with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Snapchat, it has helped Internet users connect to others all over the globe. YouTube has allowed people around the world to watch any type of video since 2005—from funny clips of people falling down to the latest music videos from popular artists. Over time, however, YouTube has developed into a platform for more than just meaningless videos and popular music.

Nowadays, YouTube is its own separate social media platform. Not only can you watch Ariana Grande’s most recent jaw-dropping music video, but you can also keep up with hilariously entertaining vlogs—or video blogs—or talented cover artists. YouTube has become a space for people to create their own content—with no creative restrictions—and to receive feedback from their peers and followers. Fortunately for those followers, YouTube has finally decided to take it a step further.

Last week, the site released YouTube Community, a new system that allows content creators to interact with their viewers via posts with text, images, gifs and more. Instead of merely commenting on a video and hoping for a response, viewers will now be able to communicate with their favorite YouTube personalities through the Community tab on each account’s page.

YouTube Community has been in the works for the past few months, but so far a select few already love the feature, which is currently in the public beta testing stage. This means that it has only been released to a handful of users who will give feedback on the initial software. Some of these chosen testers include popular YouTube content creators John and Hank Green, AsapSCIENCE, Peter Hollens and Sam Tsui.

On their channel “vlogbrothers,” John and Hank Green explain that they are excited to use their Community page to keep fans up-to-date with their channel and other events. The new feature appears to be a mix between Facebook and Twitter, but for individual YouTube channels. Viewers and fans can leave comments and up-vote or down-vote on posts to interact with their favorite vloggers on a more personal level.

The feature will be available to more users over time, but YouTube has not offered an official release date, as they are currently collecting feedback from its select test users.

Senior Product Manager Kiley McEvoy commented in a blog post that the new addition “is a special release for us because it represents the deepest product collaboration we’ve ever done with creators like you … As creators, your ideas and feedback shape our platform, inspires new features and help us decide what to prioritize. It’s you who ultimately build YouTube, and as the new Community product shows, together, we make YouTube better for everyone.”

YouTube’s constant development over the years has been astounding. It has transformed from a simple video posting website to a tight-knit and collaborative creative community. Social media platforms often make drastic changes, which can ultimately leave users running from the unfamiliarity.

Luckily, YouTube Community seems to be a welcomed change, as audiences and content creators alike will be able to communicate more effectively and directly than ever before.

Painter prompts viewers to consider race relations in American society

The Lockhart Gallery continues to enrich the Geneseo community with access to its diverse art exhibitions as it showcases famed historian-turned-artist Nell Painter’s “Eye Speak” collection of digitalized collage artwork. Students and residents from Geneseo, the Greater Rochester Area and beyond have the ability to view this free public exhibition of artwork from an artist with deep political and cultural significance. Painter is an American historian with various publications centered around southern history of the 19th century. Her works include The History of White People, Creating Black Americans and Sojourner Truth: A Life, a Symbol. As a young girl, Painter was involved in the second wave of the Great Migration when her family moved from Houston to Oakland, California. This was a period of time when millions of African Americans moved from the south to the urbanized and industrialized centers of the north.

Painter has long been known as a vocal critic on the status of American society. Her experiences are reflected through her writing, which showcases a profound awareness of American historical and political truths.

Nonetheless, Painter said, “My art conveys visual sense, but visual sense not only” and “using found images and digital manipulation, I reconfigure the past and revision myself through self-portraits. My work, therefore, carries meaning that isn’t stable, for the viewer makes meaning as well as the artist.”

The exhibition is separated into mini-collections, each with its own central theme. One mini-collection is comprised of four black-rimmed square frames. The first three are titled “He Saw Her” and contain collages with grey, pink and orange color schemes. The last piece is entitled “He Did Not See Her” and consists of a mixture of all three previous color stories. The meaning is vague and unclear—a common feature of most of the artwork in the gallery. As Painter said, the artwork carries meaning that “isn’t stable.”

A similar concept is used in the “Venus + Serena” series, for which she uses hand-colored linoleum prints. Much of the work is just as abstract, employing the use of various methods of creation. “Self-Portrait 16” is an acrylic collage on paper, but other pieces like “Motherwell in the Adirondacks 4” and “Motherwell in Dedham 6” are digitalized collages.

Additional works stray from the collage format entirely, such as Painter’s “Self-Portrait 3,” where she shows herself entirely and without fragmentation by utilizing acrylic on paper. Pieces such as this provide a more concrete and stable representation amongst the diverse collection of colorful and visually stimulating artwork. Included in the exhibition is a book that lies in a glass case, which is turned to a page where Painter highlighted “whatever she saw go on in that barn.”

Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved served as creative inspiration for Painter, who said that the novel “left me devastated by the sheer cruelty of slavery and the way it distorted humanity, even though as a historian I was well acquainted with the institution’s awfulness.” Painter celebrates Morrison’s “visual imagination” and “her insistence on the importance of color,” explaining that her own pieces in grisaille—painting only in shades of grey—are used to represent the meaning of Morrison’s “investment in color.”

Painter’s unique artistic outlook and her insight on American history in relation to slavery and the current status of our society shines through her vibrant and abstract “Eye Speak” collection. Perhaps the most enlightening part of the exhibition, however, is Painter’s view of her own work: “After a life of historical truth and political engagement with American society, my artwork represents freedom.”

“Saturday Night Live” hires first Latina cast member

Fans of the popular comedy sketch show “Saturday Night Live” are in for a treat. The show announced the addition of three new cast members on Sept. 12, about a month after the departure of cast favorites Jay Pharaoh and Taran Killam. While all three comedians are highly commended, Melissa Villaseñor’s arrival to “SNL” is a huge win for the Latino community. The 28-year-old comedian from Whittier, California had already had her fair share of success before becoming “SNL’s” first Latina cast member. She maintains a popular YouTube comedy channel that has amassed over five million views and over 50,000 subscribers, was a finalist on “America’s Got Talent”—where she showed off her hilarious voice impressions—and has worked on popular cartoons such as “Adventure Time,” “Family Guy” and “Trip Tank.” Not only is Villaseñor well known online and on television, but she has performed at over 100 clubs and colleges around the country.

Villaseñor began practicing her talent for voice and singing impressions at a young age, showing off her best Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Shakira impersonations at her high school talent show. Realizing that making others laugh could be her passion in life, a feeling of purpose overwhelmed Villaseñor with happiness and inspired her to work hard and to achieve her aspirations.

Landing a spot on “SNL” has been a lifelong goal for Villaseñor—she started auditioning at age 21, sending in tapes every summer in an effort to get a response. The strength and patience she had while applying year after year comes from Villaseñor’s true love for her work. Each of her impressions holds a personal connection to the comedienne, and she has grown with each character.

Although the past seven years have been difficult—she fell short of winning “America’s Got Talent” in 2011 and suffered some setbacks in her stand-up career—her spirituality and persistence helped Villaseñor reach the highest point of her career so far. Perhaps what Villaseñor did not realize is that her success is shared with the entire United States Latino population.

While we have undoubtedly seen an increase in diversity in the media, a huge gap in Latino and Latina lead roles remains. Although there are around 55 million Latinos in the U.S., only about four percent of TV directors are Latino, one percent of TV producers are Latino and two percent of TV writers are Latino.

Not only is there a severe lack of representation, but the widespread stereotypes of Latino characters bears a great disadvantage to many Latinos. Due to these disappointing statistics and unrealistic depictions, Villaseñor’s role in “SNL” means much more to the Latino community. A Latina woman in such a widely celebrated show helps with visibility of the Latino culture in America, as well as increases diversity in the media.

As the media continues to diversify, typecasts of different minorities are starting to decrease and opportunities are arising for members of minority groups. Villaseñor’s role in “SNL” is not only an inspiration to the Latino community, but it will have a positive impact on removing cultural stigmas in the creative industry, breaking the stereotypes one step at a time.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Francesca DiGiorgio

Senior Francesca DiGiorgio is more than a President’s List psychology and vocal performance double major here at Geneseo. Thanks to her participation in the Community Advocates Ambassadorship in Community Engagement, DiGiorgio felt like she “was an educator, business woman and performer all in one.” By combining her love for music and her interest in psychology, DiGiorgio set out to create a workshop this summer, dubbed Opera Kids, in which she hoped to give students a new and different educational opportunity. DiGiorgio was one of ten selected by the Center for Inquiry and Discovery in Doty Hall to receive a $5,000 grant to create, design and execute a project that would contribute to the community. She believes opera is a wonderful art form that often seems as inaccessible to younger generations. She hoped to demonstrate that students could understand and love opera in the workshop, as well as show the various educational opportunities students have in music programs offered at Geneseo.

The interactive two-day workshop involved nine children ranging from fourth to sixth grade who learned the importance of opera as an art form, were exposed to classical music and attended the Finger Lakes Opera Production of “La Traviata.”

The workshop included games and activities that helped the students understand opera. They would use this new understanding to enrich their later experiences in the workshop. They also learned music with the guidance of DiGiorgio and her collaborators, childhood and special education and vocal performace double major senior Sarah Sharrin and Sara Glover ‘16, both of whom were involved with the music department at Geneseo. In addition, vocal performance majors seniors Jordan Bachmann and Bria Kelly came in for a Q&A session with the students. At the time, the two were working as professional performers in the Finger Lakes Opera Production of “La Traviata.” This unique learning opportunity for young children opened their minds and hearts to the world of opera, elevated their enjoyment of the performance and showed them the many paths available in music education.

This ambassadorship helped DiGiorgio to combine a variety of interests to make a difference. The year-long process was difficult and tedious, but rewarding and eye opening for students at Geneseo. DiGiorgio was not only in charge of running the workshops, but also recruited students to attend, marketed her ideas, created the timeline of events and more. Despite all the grueling work, she described the opportunity as a “liberating process [that] showed me that I don’t have to pick one thing,” and felt empowered to be able to use her skills in music to do something meaningful for others. And although DiGiorgio was the teacher, she learned something as well—even though she will be graduating later this year, she will never stop learning.

As a senior, DiGiorgio is diving head first into graduate school applications.  She is most interested in continuing her education in music, and believes that her work on this project was an integral part in helping her make this decision. “Music is an invaluable and irreplaceable part of education.” Francesca explained. Her goal is to continue learning to better her skills and to be an advocate for the arts in this community and in many others.

Indie rock band Local Natives excites fans with dynamic ensemble of instruments

In California, there is a little blue building that serves as the band Local Natives’ practice space. This is where they produced their indie rock album Hummingbird in 2013. Local Natives is an indie rock band that was formed back when the members were still in high school. Although the band is based out of Los Angeles, they released their first album, Gorilla Manor, in the United Kingdom in 2009, which came out in the United States in 2010. Local Natives has not only opened for bands such as Kings of Leon and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, but have also headlined at popular Chicago music festival, Lollapalooza.

Three years after the release of Hummingbird, Local Natives has finally released their third album Sunlit Youth. To celebrate, they held a surprise concert on the roof of that same little blue building.

Compared to their first album, Sunlit Youth is upbeat, with a style that excites the mind, as opposed to Hummingbird’s more somber and serious tone that causes one to reevaluate their life. Local Natives is the arsenal of musical instruments that bombard your eardrums with harmony. Their new album does this in spades.

As with their previous two albums, Sunlit Youth offers up 12 tracks. The album opens up with “Villainy,” a song with instrumentals reminiscent of fellow indie rock band Panama’s signature style. “Villainy” speaks about wanting to start fresh in a new place, but acknowledging how difficult that can be. The end of the song features a smooth transition that leads to a brief spoken word piece—an essence that feels similar to folk rock.

One popular song off the album, “Past Lives,” discusses our tendency to dream of endless possibilities, although in reality only one thing is certain. This song also pays homage to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles—reminding the band where they come from—in the verse, “Take me/To Dorothy Chandler tonight/And I’ll find you/Reflected 100 times.”

The pavilion was named after Dorothy Buffum Chandler, who was the frontrunner of a movement that worked toward establishing a proper music center in Local Natives’ hometown of Silver Lake in Los Angeles. A reflection pool—later replaced with a fountain—was built in her honor.

“Fountain of Youth” speaks to remembering one’s fleeting youth as they grow older, which is a track that will surely resonate with new students on campus who feel overwhelmed with the transition into college life. Listeners will learn that growing older does not mean you will lose the sense of wonder and joy once experienced in youth.

It’s uncertain to say where Local Natives will go next, but if the past five years are any indication of what’s to come—and if there really are endless possibilities as “Past Lives” ponders—then we’re in for a treat.

Rise of self-publishing lends authors creative freedom

There is nothing more satisfying than cracking open a good book and getting to the tender, juicy story inside. But how does a book get from the writer’s desk to the hungry reader’s lap? Lately, self-publishing has become a common answer to this question. The traditional approach to publishing a book is similar to any other entertainment industry. A writer first has to find an agent, and then they send their fledgling manuscript from publisher to publisher, all while hoping to convince one to consider publishing their work. Putting a book out for public consumption is, and always has been, a complicated process.

In addition to the actual construction and mass production of the book—including printing and binding—one also has to take into account marketing the book to potential audiences through paid reviews and advertising. In an attempt to bypass this cumbersome process for something simpler and more accessible, many authors have taken to self-publishing.

In essence, self-publishing is exactly what it sounds like: someone publishing their own book themselves. Several options exist for the aspiring self-publisher. These include traditional print publishing, publishing to e-book services—such as Amazon’s Kindle—and publishing to an audio-book service—such as Audible or Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange.

In each case, authors can make their own decisions in regard to each step of the publishing process. To many, this is one of the great advantages the process holds over more traditional publishing methods. Authors who may have been turned away by big publishing companies or who are unwilling to alter their original manuscript still have the opportunity to publish their work.

This is not to say that the process doesn’t have its drawbacks. Despite the concept’s increasing popularity and the rise of Internet and digital printing, many within the literary world hold self-published books at a distance.

In her 2011 article “Options for Self-Publishing Proliferate, Easing the Bar to Entry,” New York Times’ Alina Tugend said, “I’m a snob … until recently, I turned up my nose at authors who published their own books.” The general consensus among serious readers has long been that self-published books are only self-published because they are not good enough to have been taken on by “real” publishers. The reality is that many authors choose to self-publish because it allows them greater control of their work both artistically and financially.

While all publishing contracts require some form of royalty for the publishing firm, companies that partner with self-publishers generally require much lower percentages of the book’s total earnings. For instance, Amazon’s Kindle offers 70 percent of all royalties earned to the authors who create the content on books priced between $2.99 and $9.99. This higher percentage of returning income allows lesser-known writers a greater chance to continue doing what they love: writing more books for starved bookworms across the globe.

The art of self-publishing is rapidly changing the way that writers get their work to the general public for consumption. The constant rise of the Internet and services such as those offered by Amazon have made it easier for inspired individuals to reach potential audiences than ever before.

So, who knows? Before long, a self-published author might just write that next great book you crack open on a rainy day.

Lederer Gallery celebrates 50 years with artistic journey through time

Geneseo’s Lederer Gallery is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with “The Permanent Collection at 50,” which will be on display until Oct. 16. Located in Brodie Hall, the gallery was named after Bertha V.B. Lederer, who began teaching at Geneseo in 1945. Dedicated to the appreciation of art, she became chair of both the art department and the division of fine arts. After her retirement, Geneseo returned the favor by naming the Brodie Hall gallery in her honor.

To celebrate the history of the gallery, Lauren Slezak ‘14 curated “The Permanent Collection at 50,” which made its debut on Sept. 14. For this unique exhibition, the gallery functions as an artistic, historical timeline. All of the pieces on display have either been purchased by Geneseo or donated, thus making them part of a permanent collection here at the college. The exhibition is meant to illustrate the growth and expansion of the collection itself, as well as the variety of different works from different time periods that have found a home at Geneseo.

The timeline begins on the back wall of the gallery with an oil portrait by Carlo Falcini Dipye. The portrait—also the oldest work in the collection—was created in 1850 and arrived on campus in 1925. The timeline continues from there, wrapping around the gallery in a chronological progression. The gallery displays a variety of styles and mediums from different eras, working its way toward the present. Each piece is labeled with the artist, title and medium, as well as the date it arrived at Geneseo.

The amount of diversity in the collection is captivating, ranging from daguerreotypes—the first photographic process that involves an image on a silvered copper plate—to digital art, with sculpture and ceramics intermingled. One of the first pieces that meets the eye is an ornate set of silver titled “Tea and Coffee Service Objects,” which were donated by Lederer herself.

Two other notable pieces by Henri Goetz and James Coignard are part of the Silverman Collection, a French collection Lederer obtained with the help of none other than the late Edgar Tafel. Tafel—former student of Frank Lloyd Wright—was the architect of the Brodie Fine Arts Building. This illustrates that although the various forms of art in the collection may seem to be worlds apart, they can all be linked together by the history of Geneseo and its appreciation for the arts.

As visitors walk along the gallery to view each piece, they are taken on a journey through time. After completing the circle, the last piece in the chronology is an oil painting by Cicely Cottingham titled “Now you feel how nothing clings to you (so inconvenient).” This colorful, textured painting was created in 2016 and hangs side-by-side with Dipye’s portrait.

Seeing the two works beside each other—the past and the present—exemplifies a striking artistic transformation. Both pieces are done in the same medium by utilizing oil on wood panel, but show over 150 years’ worth of artistic history and aesthetic—and both have a place in Lederer Gallery.

“The Permanent Collection at 50” is a visual testament to the evolution of art at Geneseo. Lederer’s philosophy on art was to teach her students to be aware of the world in a more artistic way: “Art education … should teach them how to see,” and this collection gives us a magnifying glass.