Artist blends heritage, feminism into Lockhart Gallery exhibit

The practiced hands of artist Camille Eskell have managed to stitch protests and
feminism into layers of embroidered, lace Indian silk. Her exhibit, “The Fez as Storyteller,” was
erected on Sept. 6 in the Lockhart Gallery on Main Street, as she was present to discuss her
work.

The plain front room of the gallery will be transformed into a multi-media exposé until Oct.
5 on the various cultural restrictions for Jewish, Middle-Eastern and Indian individuals —particularly regarding women.

Eskell chose a fez cap—which is a type of headpiece that embodies the Middle-Eastern
aspect of her exhibit—as the basis for each work of art in her series. Both of Eskell’s
grandfathers worked to manufacture and sell fez caps in Bombay, India, so on a fundamental
level, her art acts as a tribute to her family’s history and culture.

Every fez cap is three-dimensional and features images on each side, which allows the
audience to interact with the work by walking around it. Such an innovative design to the
exhibition forced observers to notice every graphic and their equal role in the piece.
Eskell applied other mediums over the top of her fezzes, such as tassels, decorative
dangling plastic pieces, printed digital images and such objects as “evil eye” beads—a tribute to
Indian culture—to compose a representation of her culture.

“[This] work has always been ... an emotional landscape and a psychological
exploration,” Eskell said.

She has discovered familiar themes that she is passionate about, such as the
subordination of women to men in many religions and traditional belief systems.
“Every culture and every family has their own way of behaving and moving through the
world,” she said. “[My family] are Iraqi Jews ... my parents were born and raised in Bombay in
India.”

Indian influence, like the use of Indian silk, and Jewish symbols, like the Star of David,
are subtly incorporated in many of Eskell’s works. These effectively demonstrate the mixed
emotions that she experiences in her daily life, including cultural pride versus protest against the
limitations placed upon female freedoms.

For instance, Eskell’s piece “Red Fez: Boy, Woman” is an excellent expression of her
conflicting feelings. It depicts Eskell’s father in front of “the holy zones of a synagogue” as a
young boy, which takes her back to her roots. Eskell spoke of how at these synagogues the
women—of all ages—were forced to go upstairs and be segregated from the men and boys.
To Eskell, “Red Fez: Boy, Woman” represents the advantage and superiority of males
over females and the second class stature of women in Judaism.

A large theme that appears throughout Eskell’s work is gender bias, particularly
regarding occasions where women are restricted to the household and are seen as subordinate
to men. She was raised with two strong, rebellious sisters, who emboldened her to take a
stance against the religious and domestic oppression that was forced on her and the people of
her gender.

“Daughters listened to their fathers,” she said. “Men are very dominant; the male is seen
as supreme.”

Eskell hopes that her art shows women that they need to get away from the idea that
males dominate the world.

Several pieces of her work depict women being told that they are less than men, but
these craftily hand-sewn and printed works seem to whisper that women should rebel against
this traditional mindset.

Eskell is drawn to the idea of art communicating concepts to a variety of different
individuals, which she hopes to portray in her own art.
“Art has the power to go beyond the ... political nonsense ... to share [ideas] with other
people,” Eskell said.
Eskell believes that individuals should examine her art on their own terms, however, so
that they might discover the messages peeking through the hems of her fabric for themselves.

Camille Eskell’s exhibit “The Fez as Storyteller” opened in the Lockhart Gallery
on Sept. 6. Eskell uses her art work to pay tribute to her family’s history and culture and also
convey messages of feminism. (Ellayna Fredericks/Assoc. Photo Editor)

Shakespeare on the Green modernizes “Romeo and Juliet”

Shakespeare on the Green produced a rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” from Saturday April 22-23 on the college green. The show featured a contemporary twist on the classic romance by switching gender roles and modernizing the characters. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)

Geneseo was treated to a classic Shakespearean tale with a modern twist on Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23, as a group of talented students presented Shakespeare on the Green: “Romeo and Juliet.” The play was directed by sociology major sophomore Hunter Simms and communication major sophomore Emily Arpino and was narrated by Jeremy Jackson ‘16. 

The rendition was mostly consistent with the original play, but with a few modern changes. The two feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets, both disapprove of any positive interaction between its members. The play opened with an entertaining sword fight that portrayed the already-present tension. 

Amidst this conflict was a budding and hidden romance between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The most interesting part of this reenactment, however, was that Romeo and Juliet were both female characters. Romeo’s name remained, but the character’s pronouns were changed from “he” and “him” to “she” and “her.” 

Additionally, Juliet called Romeo her “lady,” as opposed to her “lord.” Romeo was played by geological science major senior Tanairi Taylor, while Juliet was played by musical theater sophomore Skye Rose. 

Despite this change, the show went on according to script and the plot was treated with humility, thus making that small change so much greater—Romeo and Juliet still got married secretly with the help of the friar, as played by anthropology major junior Blain Shinkle. 

To make the reading stand out even more, the cast and crew integrated edgier elements into the performance’s costuming and music. Juliet wore a leather jacket and fishnet stockings, and garage punk played at the party where Romeo and Juliet first met, rather than classical music.

Some other main attributes that made this retelling shine were the subtle details sprinkled throughout the production. For example, Lady Capulet—played by biology and theater double major junior Leeann Bruetsch—carried around a glass of wine for the entire play, occasionally taking sips, only to have it finished by the end of the play. 

Romeo’s trusty companions Mercutio and Benvolio—played by international relations major junior Rachel Gdula and biochemistry major Quinn Johanson respectively—were comical and lively, bounding into every entrance they made. Every time they stood onstage, they gave the audience a spectacle to see.

Additionally, Paris—played by international relations major freshman John McDermott—offered some comic relief amidst the tragedy of the play with his over-the-top character. In fact, a highlight of the performance was Paris’ death scene, in which he was killed instantly, leaving McDermott to flail on the ground crying out, “I am slain!” all the while garnering a great laugh from the audience. 

“Romeo and Juliet” has been adapted countless times since its origin, and the twists from this cast and production were admirable, making for an enjoyable weekend activity on the green.

Scientists and writers unite to create approachable content

Have you ever been confused by a science report? Were you perplexed at the scientific jargon, not knowing what any of it means? Or on the flip side, have you ever had difficulty trying to explain your scientific research to an audience? 

Amongst the many Geneseo Recognizing Excellence, Achievement and Talent Day student presentations on Tuesday April 25, NeuWrite featured 12 students who discussed their work combining science and creative writing. The students worked in pairs, with one writer and one scientist. Under the guidance of distinguished teaching professor of mathematics Olympia Nicodemi and assistant professor of English Lytton Smith, these students concocted scientific research essays that are both factual and creative.

The participating students include biochemistry major junior Ryan Carpenter, biology major senior Jeffrey Doser, English major senior Maya Bergamasco, biochemistry major senior Adam Wegman, English major senior Sarah Steil, chemistry major junior Brandon Mehlenbacher, biology and vocal performance double major senior Hannah Loo, comparative literature major senior Emily Ramirez, mathematics major senior Shayne O’Brien, biology major junior Rachel Powers, English and economics double major senior Brendan Mahoney and English creative writing major senior Oliver Diaz. 

The students began their presentation by discussing their overall writing progress and the background of NeuWrite. Started in Columbia in 2009, the NeuWrite program created a collaboration between the graduate level neuroscience and the creative writing programs. The goal was to make the content of science research accessible to people who are not necessarily science-minded.

“I think [Neuwrite] lines up very well with what you might consider a lot of our school’s values,” Mahoney said. “Liberal arts really lends itself to a breadth of education and this program is all about that breadth. Science is central for us to graduate, but I think that more broadly it’s essential just to engage in the world around us.”

The process of writing these scientific creative essays mirrored that of any other creative writing process at Geneseo: workshops and rewriting. The science students felt that not only was workshopping helpful for editing purposes, but it also was beneficial hearing feedback from fellow scientists.

 “[The creative writer’s] goal is to make ourselves more critical as thinkers, but also as communicators and collaborators,” Diaz said. 

They also wanted to get people who normally would not gravitate toward scientific research to become engaged with the subject area, according to Steil.

After a discussion on the program itself, the writers and scientists shared excerpts of their work. Together, Carpenter and Powers authored “Color-coded,” a scientific essay analyzing the reasoning behind the colors of bowls that attract certain insects. The piece neatly combines science and literature, as Powers described Carpenter’s findings at his summer internship at the Smithsonian Museum.

It was especially insightful to notice the distinct perspectives from the writers, most of who had little experience with the scientists’ work. Diaz offered a unique perspective on his collaboration with Mehlenbacher. Diaz wrote their “Quantum Dots in Six Easy Chapters” from an inexperienced perspective, offering some humor and relation to a non-scientific audience.

The Geneseo NeuWrite students certainly achieved the goal of their program—all essays were interesting, informative and easy to understand, regardless of the audience’s background. Whether the readers of these papers are scientists or creative writers, the work of these students is fascinating and intriguing to read—even if you still don’t understand what quantum dots are.

Bosch-Burroughs delves into history of Emmeline the Bear

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Professor of art history Lynette Bosch-Burroughs (above) offered a lecture entitled, “Emmeline: A World of Bears,” on Friday April 21. She explained the history of the bear sculpture and its connection to global culture. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)

The art history department’s year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Brodie Hall and the Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery came to an end on Friday April 21 with professor of art history Lynette Bosch-Burroughs’ lecture, “Emmeline: A World of Bears.” 

The lecture, which was sponsored by the Association for the Preservation of Geneseo, addressed how Geneseo’s statue and fountain serve as a “point of intersection between Geneseo and the rest of the world.” 

Bosch-Burroughs began with an overview of bear statues present throughout Canada and Europe, which can be found in Berlin, Madrid, London and Berne, Switzerland. She finds many similarities of style and design between these bears and Geneseo’s statue, Emmeline. These historical bears often serve as religious and mythological symbols of intelligence and power. 

In Native American cultures, on the other hand, bears often signify wisdom and healing; they are seen in totem poles of the Iroquois and Seneca tribes. Bosh-Burroughs explained that these two symbolic uses for bears merged when Europeans colonized North America. In this way, Emmeline can be seen as a totem for Geneseo, symbolizing both wisdom and power. 

Commissioned by Herbert and William Austin Wadsworth and installed in 1888, Emmeline was originally a memorial to Emmeline Wadsworth, the two brothers’ mother. Emmeline Wadsworth is described as an animal lover and a “feisty” woman. Given that she was also the head of the most powerful family in Geneseo, it seems that a bear is a most fitting representation of Emmeline Wadsworth. 

Emmeline the Bear is more than just a local point of pride. Believe it or not, she has broader and impressive connections to the nation as a whole. Richard Morris Hunt, the architect of the fountain monument, also designed several high profile projects, such as many Fifth Avenue mansions in New York City, the base of the Statue of Liberty and the façade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This not only suggests that the monument was a desirable commission, but also that Geneseo itself was a desirable area. 

To drive this home further, Bosch-Burroughs read a review of the monument written by the New York Times. The columnist’s review of the bear was favorable, only expanding on Bosch-Burroughs’ thesis of Emmeline the Bear’s intersection with the broader American culture. 

Our little bear is not without controversy; there are still questions as to who exactly created her. Common opinion is that Antoine Louis Barye created the statue, since the Wadsworths called for “one seated bear by ‘Barye.’” 

The issue is, as Bosch-Burroughs note, that Emmeline the Bear does not resemble any of Barye’s other works, one of which is housed at the Wadsworth Library. They do, however, resemble that of Christophe Fratin, a fellow animal sculptor. 

The issue with both artists, though, is that neither were alive at the time of the commission. To solve this issue, Bosch-Burroughs explained that casters and manufacturers used molds and casts of both Barye and Fratin’s works to create one composite sculpture. 

Of course, Bosch-Burroughs’ presentation would not be complete without mentioning the three accidents that the monument recently suffered within a 10-month time period. After being housed at the Livingston County Historical Society for a brief time, Emmeline the Bear is now in safe hands, awaiting her return to her pedestal atop the fountain, which is currently being reconstructed. The $200,000 project is set to be complete by May or June, according to APOG.     

Until then, Geneseo historians and Emmeline fanatics can learn about the fountain’s history through an exhibit up in Milne Library’s lobby. The exhibit, curated by visiting assistant professor of art history Alla Myzelev’s museum studies class, is up until Thursday May 4.

Buffalo poets share award-winning work

The Geneseo Poet Society and the Department of English celebrated National Poetry Month with a reading on April 19. The event featured Buffalo area poets Ben Brindise, Justin Karcher, Megan Kemple and Aidan Ryan, who read pieces dealing with diverse topics ranging from grief to social justice. 

Assistant professor of English Lytton Smith opened the reading, praising the performing poets for their excellence with both spoken-word and written poetry. 

“There is a sense of energy, possibility and necessity [in their poetry], and especially now in America there’s a need for that,” Smith said. 

Fiction and poetry writer Brindise was the first performer of the night. A teaching artist at the Buffalo Literacy Center, Brindise was voted Best Poet and Best Local Writer at the Best of Buffalo Artvoice Awards in 2015. He recently published his first spoken word chapbook, Rotten Kid—which is a collection of six poems and two short stories—with Ghost City Press. His writing has been featured in many publications, including Foundlings Poetry Magazine, Ghost City Review and Artvoice.

“Almost everything we write can be brought back to our environments, societies and experiences,” Brindise said. 

His first poem of the night, also featured in Rotten Kid, was a beautiful piece that discussed growing up and making one’s mark on the world. 

“You Became a Flower in the Most Poetic Way” and “To See Them Weightless” are products of new experimentations in Brindise’s writing—but all of his work deal with similar themes, including childhood trauma and imagination. He closed his portion of the reading with his final poem featured in Rotten Kid.

Playwright and poet Karcher followed Brindise’s performance. Karcher is the co-artistic director and playwright in residence at Theater Jugend in Buffalo. His recent works have been published in The Rain Party and Disaster Society and Funk Fiction.

During his performance, Karcher spoke with enthusiastic hand gestures, as he shared five poems with the audience, most of which included hilarious images. Karcher still, however, maintained a visceral and emotive quality throughout the reading.

Next was Kemple, a Just Buffalo Literary Center teaching artist. Her plays have been produced by Buffalo United Artists, American Repertory Theatre of Western New York, Road Less Traveled Productions and Niagara University. Additionally, Kemple’s poetry has appeared in Foundlings Poetry Magazine and Feminspire. She is also the author of two chapbooks, American Blasphemies and Accidental Intimacies. 

Kemple shared four poems with the audience, including “The Birthday Card” and “America, My What Big Teeth You Have.” Her final poem discussed the Brock Turner sexual assault case. Kemple’s poems kept to a socially conscious motif, which was received with much approval.

The final poet of the night was writer and educator Aidan Ryan. Ryan, too, is a teaching artist at the Just Buffalo Writing Center and a co-editor of Foundlings Poetry Magazine. Ryan has had pieces published in various journals and magazines, including Octavius, The Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle and The Public.

Ryan shared eight poems at the reading, covering a wide range of topics, from office life to grief. He included poems from his book, Organizing Isolation, which will be released on Friday April 28. The entire work has no type, but is made of individually cut letters, showing that each poem has a different “voice.”

The reading was an inspiring success, which was evident in the silence that could be heard during the poets’ pauses between stanzas. The audience was captivated by their words and images—left unable to stop thinking about the power of poetry.

OGX wows in annual showcase

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Orignal Xpressions dance crew performed its second annual spring showcase on Sunday April 23 in Wadsworth Auditorium. The performance was filled with vigor and life, as it celebrated dance across five different decades. (Annalee Bainnson/Assoc. Photo Editor)

Geneseo’s Original Xpressions dance crew delivered an exuberant and inspiring performance on Sunday April 23 for their second annual spring showcase, “Dancing Through Time.”

OGX officially became a recognized club by the college in spring 2015, a year after being founded by six friends who performed together during a benefit concert. Their members and reputation have both grown exponentially since then. With an aim for diversity, OGX covers a broad range of styles, including hip-hop, Latin and Afro-funk, to name a few. 

“Dancing Through Time” consisted of several dance numbers, each with a unique style and story that corresponded with five different decades of music and dance styles. 

The showcase, however, was not limited to just OGX members. The dance club invited several other groups to join their performance, including Geneseo Shakti, Latino Student Association, G-STEPPAS, Geneseo Bhangra and Rochester Institute of Technology’s Velocity. Each group contributed to OGX’s value of diversity through dance, as they shared their own unique interests and cultures. 

It’s safe to say that there was never a dull moment during OGX’s showcase; even the intermission had the audience bobbing in their seats to Bruno Mars’ hit “24k Magic,” as a charming video showing the history of the club played in the background. From their humble beginning to the current powerhouse group that they are today, OGX showed how much fun they have with each other doing what they love—dancing.

Jam-packed with energy and power, OGX’s showcase kept the excitement moving. Whether it was their creative and funny Taken-inspired dance story or the sarcastic banter between the two masters of ceremony, the showcase went above and beyond in deliverance. 

The audience also wasn’t entirely just a spectator. At one point, the master of ceremonies invited a member of the audience to come on stage to demonstrate and to teach them the technique of stepping. 

OGX was also nice enough to provide a Snapchat geo-filter, helping audience members become the envy of all their friends for attending such an awesome performance. The inspiring energy and humor didn’t have to stop at the showcase, either. OGX provided their Snapchat information, telling the audience to add them so that they never have to miss any of the team’s notorious practice shenanigans.

While the showcase was full of intensity, the ending was bittersweet for the OGX dancers. Though they put on a thrilling performance, it was sad to have their last show with their graduating seniors. Many of the dancers graduating at the end of the semester are also some of the founders. 

The president of the crew senior Christina Alli ended the night by giving a heartfelt speech that highlighted the ways in which the club and its members had an impact on her college career and on her heart.

OGX is a team of friends who all share a passionate love for expression through dance. Whether you enjoy dancing or music, look out for next year’s showcase—it certainly is a must-see performance and should be added on every Geneseo student’s college bucket list.

MiNT Magazine kicks off year-long project

Geneseo’s student-run literary magazine, MiNT, has recently widened their output and begun a year-long ekphrasis exchange project. One of the first of MiNT’s larger efforts, the ekphrasis project pairs visual artists and writers and allows them to inspire one another.

Ekphrasis is essentially “art inspired by other pieces of art and writing,” according to co-assistant editor, junior Rachel Britton. 

“It can extend to all different kinds of mediums,” Britton said. 

Many well-known poets such as Ann Carson and Kevin Young use ekphrasis in their works, and Britton herself is a fan of using visual arts as an inspiration for her own writing. 

The project was inspired by Britton’s discovery of a digital literary journal, combined with her passion for keeping the arts and creativity alive on campus. 

“It’s a response to the Campus Canvas project,” she said. “I really think that the arts are something that needs to continue on the campus. I like seeing everyone inspire each other.” 

In fact, she has found great inspiration from other creative efforts at Geneseo, including a recent study abroad trip to Iceland in which students wrote pieces based on geologic data. Next fall, Britton will be a teaching assistant for assistant professor of English Lytton Smith’s visual art writing class—another source of inspiration for the mastermind behind the ekphrasis project. 

“Seeing that was the trigger. I thought, ‘I need to do this now,’” Britton said. 

Submissions for the project are already underway. Once Britton receives submissions and samples from those interested in participating —writers and visual artists alike—they will be paired together, one artist and one writer. 

The process will begin this summer, as the student artist makes the first move by creating any piece they wish without any guidelines or restrictions from MiNT. Britton will then send their work to their paired writer, who will create their own piece in response. In the third and final round, Britton will take the creative writing pieces and send them back to their artists, who will again create work inspired by what they receive from their writer. 

In the 2018 spring semester, MiNT will publish a special edition of the magazine dedicated to the project and the pieces produced by it. 

“I’m interested in seeing any and everything,” Britton said. “I really want open doors.” 

Everyone from incoming freshman to alumni are welcome to join the project, according to Britton. Submissions are currently open until May 9.