Five years ago, to put it lightly, I was slightly obsessed with the Chicago Seven. Every school report of choice somehow miraculously resulted in writing about this protest of the Demecratic party’s support for the Vietnam War that took place in 1968 outside of the National Democratic Convention in Chicago. Eight left wing radicals of different groups were charged for conspiracy of crossing state lines to incite violence.
Posts published in “Arts and Culture”
As community events shift to online platforms, Smith’s Boutelle-Day Poetry Center is finding new and creative ways of gathering virtually to celebrate the joy of writing. On Tuesday Oct. 6, the Poetry Center hosted a book launch via Zoom for the newly published book of poems “The Map of Every Lilac Leaf.” The book was published in conjunction with the Smith College Museum of Art, and all of the poems draw inspiration from pieces in Smith’s art collection.
I consumed my fair share of “highbrow” media over Quarantine Summer: I finally watched “Fleabag.” I got deeply into the twisted capitalist world of HBO’s “Succession.” I read a lot of modern literary fiction and finally took advantage of that Smith College New York Times subscription.
But my one true quarantine love, the one piece of media that made good on the promise of important art and transported me out of these Unprecedented Times, was "Riverdale," the CW’s violent, glossy, completely off-the-wall adaptation of the Archie Comics.
In the past few months, we have seen a surplus of mural paintings throughout the nation. The movement was sparked by the commission of the BLM street painting, by the Washington D.C. mayor, Murial Browser. Since then, communities across America have taken to the streets with road-marking paint to cement the statement “Black Lives Matter.”
In the past few months, we have seen a surplus of mural paintings throughout the nation. The movement was sparked by the commission of the BLM street painting, by the Washington D.C. mayor, Murial Browser. Since then, communities across America have taken to the streets with road-marking paint to cement the statement “Black Lives Matter.”
The 2020 Election Through Graffiti on the Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge
Photo courtesy of Bella Levavi
Second in ubiquity only to Spy Kid Two tags, Trump 2020 graffiti has sprung up along the bike trails across the Pioneer Valley. The pro-Trump graffiti on Norwottuck Rail Trail in particular has sparked a conversation throughout the area.
After Smith announced that the fall semester would be held remotely, student organizations that were prepping for in-person events have had to revert back to Zoom meetings and Google Docs. For arts-based organizations, this change has forced them to translate their medium to a digital canvas.
Amrita Acharya ’22 describes her weekly radio show, “413 Ethnography,” as an “exploration of Western Mass niches.” Every Saturday afternoon, Acharya brings in a Pioneer Valley Local to interview. “413” was previously broadcasted over the 91.9FM WOZQ airwaves but is now a biweekly podcast posted on The Sophian website.
The Sophian is proud to introduce its first zine, highlighting student art made amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the switch to remote learning.
Speaking to friends, family and from personal experience, it has become increasingly evident that, perhaps as a way to cope, our days are now being spent in the bottomless inertia of the internet. Alongside the multitude of mainstream media, Smith offers more off-kilter online options for helping students through this pandemic.