The Bowdoin Orient

Senior visual arts majors presented their final work at the Senior Studio exhibition opening in the Robert H. and Blythe Bickel Edwards Center for Art and Dance last night. The exhibit is the culmination of the seniors’ artistic work at Bowdoin. Senior Studio is a semester course offered by Assistant Professor of Art Carrie Scanga in the spring for senior visual art majors—with the exception of occasional juniors who will be unable to schedule it during their senior spring semesters. The studio gives advanced art students the opportunity to work on substantial final projects in a collaborative environment.

Senior Studio is based in one of the larger rooms in Edwards. Students have their own sectioned off space to work in, but also benefit from being surrounded by the other visual arts majors in the class. 

“Art is very independent in some ways, but one of the benefits of having other students and other artists around is that we can critique each other’s work and get feedback,” said Anna Reyes, a senior in the class. “We are able to wander around and see what other people are working on and pick up on how they view things differently and practices. Some people do multiple iterations of one idea, whereas others choose to explore different ideas.”

Senior Studio enables visual arts majors accustomed to specializing in one area of art to come together and experiment with new artistic mediums.

“It’s inspirational to be around so many different people working in different mediums.” said Sarah Haimes ’15. “It has motivated me to incorporate other mediums. I incorporated photography, painting and sculpture into my final pieces, which I never thought I would do. It was really helpful to have the opportunity to run ideas by people who had experiences with different mediums.”

There are also critiques throughout the semester by visual arts faculty and outside artists; artists also come in to speak to students about continuing with careers in art. The freedom and flexibility of the studio lets students develop the projects according to their own artistic style. While some students use Senior Studio to experiment with new mediums, other students use it to continue past projects. 

“I got the idea of continuing on with one idea in terms of the material used from one of my sculpture classes last semester. I was working on a large, crocheted fabric sculpture. I’ve always loved fiber and fabrics and think that’s a fruitful material to work with,” said Reyes. “Last semester, that was my final project and I wanted more time to work on it. I had an idea of the materials I wanted to use and the process I wanted to explore based on last semester’s work.”

Haimes decided to combine new mediums for her final project. Although primarily a photographer, she was able to experiment in the studio. 

“My final project is these three dimensional photo collages, and I ended up going into the woodshop, which I had never done before. It was a nice way to challenge myself before I graduate,” said Haimes.

All the students in Senior Studio have dedicated a significant amount of their time at Bowdoin to their art. The exhibit showcases their final projects and dedication to their work. Scanga described the preparation for the exhibit as a collaborative process.

“Putting together a group show requires teamwork, patience and a willingness to collaborate even when your creative vision is at stake. The seniors pulled together to lay out the exhibition, supported each other in the installation process, and negotiated the design of posters and publicity materials,” she said.

Both Scanga and the artists view the Senior Studio exhibition as a final opportunity to showcase their work in front of the Bowdoin community.

“I expect that viewers will enjoy considering the wide range of media and ideas present in this exhibition,” said Scanga. “I’m thrilled for the seniors. They’ve worked hard this semester, and the reception on Thursday is their opportunity to see how the work is received by their community.”

“I think the turnout for the Senior Show is usually pretty good, which is gratifying because professors, staff and students want to see our work,” said Reyes. “I enjoy making art and love doing it for myself. I hope other people enjoy my work, but it’s also about having that sense of accomplishment and knowing I made something that really matters to me.”   

In just one semester, students in Beyond the Proscenium, a new student theater group, has gone from chartering a club to putting on its first production. 

As the title of the group suggests, the club’s avant-garde performances are not confined by traditional theatrical boundaries. “Spring Awakening,” the award-winning rock musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater that debuted on Broadway in 2006, will not take place on a traditional stage but rather in Chase Barn. Seats sold out within hours for their Friday and Saturday performances, so an open dress rehearsal on Thursday and an additional performance on Sunday were added. 

“Chase Barn is a really intimate space,” said Jonah Watt ’18, who plays Ernst in the show. “All your facial expressions and gestures can be smaller because you’re acting to a more intimate audience.

“The biggest thing for the audience will be adjusting to a new space. We have some blocking and choreography that have us go in and out of the aisles,” said Watt. “For the audience, it will be an interesting adjustment to a small space and dealing with the comedy and tragedy and darkness of the show.”

“There aren’t a lot of big sets or other theater pretenses to remove the audience from the show. As actors, we’re here, five feet in front of you, telling you this story, which I think is going to do a lot for the show,” said cast member Chase Gladden ’17. “I think it will be an intimate but good experience for the audience.”

Beyond the Proscenium aims to eliminate the traditional boundaries of what it means to be an actor and what it means to be on stage. The cast is comprised of both experienced actors who are regularly in Bowdoin shows and students who have never acted before. Their shows are not confined to one stage, but are meant to take place in small, site-specific locations. This creates a more intimate experience for both the actors and audience throughout the performance.

Jae Yeon Yoo ’18 is the show’s musical director and was integral in orchestrating the show’s score. The band consists of six first-year musicians on Glockenspiel, guitar, violin, cello and drums.

Cordelia Orbach ’17, one of the founders of the group discussed how important the cast has been in making this production a success.

“Our cast is extraordinarily strong,” said Orbach. “I think what we’ve seen is that the people who didn’t think they were actors have found great things and would now consider themselves actors. The people who are veterans continue to learn and find new things.”

All of the actors had to learn to adapt to acting in a site-specific location together. Since there was such a short amount of time between casting and production, the cast had to come together quickly as they prepared for the show.

Gladden, who plays Moritz in “Spring Awakening,” was already accustomed to working with the founders of the club. He has been involved in various theater productions at Bowdoin and chose to be part of this student-run production as well.

“It’s volunteer-based, so everyone’s here because they want to be. I really enjoy that,” said Gladden. “It feels like everyone is there for the right reason. That what’s behind this show. Everyone had something they were bringing to the table.”

While the small setting makes the cast adjust to acting in a more intimate setting, the audience likewise must adjust to seeing a performance in a new close-up form. Both actors and audience members will be involved in the show.  

The founders of Beyond the Proscenium were willing to explore a new form of acting and storytelling as they sought to have the audience and actors interact in a smaller setting. Spring Awakening was an attention-grabbing choice as the first production, since it confronts difficult issues including rape, incest and suicide and will be performed in an intimate space.

The production team met with Director of Gender Violence Prevention and Education Benje Douglas about bringing up these issues on campus. The proceeds from the $5 tickets go to the Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine (SASSMM) and the Maine Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC).

“We are in uncharted territory, especially for theater on campus. I think students are the perfect demographic for this show,” said Orbach. “The show is relatable and some of the topics are hard...Some of the issues are hard to tackle so I’m excited to see what kind of critical thought the production sparks on campus. There will be a full range of emotions in the room.”Beyond the Proscenium has a lot of student support, both from actors who were willing to try something new and audience members who are eager to see its first production.

“It’s been such a successful journey so far. We didn’t even know if we’d be able to do this, and now everyone’s looking forward to it,” said Orbach. We’ve gotten good feedback. The campus seems really excited to see it,” she said.

Beyond the Proscenium, a new theater group on campus, received a large audition turnout for what will be its first production, “Spring Awakening.” The cast will include students who frequently act, students who have never acted at Bowdoin before, and everyone in between. 

The group hopes to reshape the way students view theatrical productions on campus. It plans to distinguish itself from other theater groups by staging performances in various campus spaces other than theaters. “Spring Awakening” will be performed in Chase Barn Chamber as opposed to Pickard or Wish theaters.

 Cordelia Orbach ’17 and Sarah Guilbault ’18 were motivated to form Beyond the Proscenium in order to create more opportunities for people who were interested in theater but not more traditional productions. Both Orbach and Guilbault have theater backgrounds themselves and wanted to make acting accessible to more students.

Phoebe Smukler ’17, who was cast as the female romantic lead Wendla Stiefel in “Spring Awakening” has not been in a show at Bowdoin yet and is excited to get involved.

“Beyond the Proscenium presented the perfect opportunity with ‘Spring Awakening,’ a very energetic and compelling show that I have wanted to perform in for quite some time,” wrote Smukler in an email to the Orient.

The demand for a group like Beyond the Proscenium was made clear to Orbach earlier this fall when she noticed first years discussing how they were interested in participating in plays, but weren’t sure about all the opportunities available to them.

 “Everyone started talking about how there are a lot of people who want to be doing theater on campus, but cannot necessarily commit the time to it or are not sure where to find it,” said Orbach. “With only two traditional productions per semester, people who ended up doing theater were either minors or people who were very interested in it.”

Orbach believes that Beyond the Proscenium’s off-stage productions will make the prospect of performing more welcoming for those looking to participate in theater for the first time.

 “The idea was to found a group that did another production per semester and to do theater in site-specific locations, rather than in theaters,” said Orbach. “We thought by bringing it out of the theater and onto campus it would make it more accessible and available to people who might not have been able to find it before or who were intimidated by a theater setting.”

The name of the group also promotes its open nature, Orbach said.

“The proscenium, which is the fourth wall of the stage, captures the idea of pushing through so we can access the people who weren’t necessarily on stage already,” she said.

“Spring Awakening” will be performed later this semester. Although the group is new, Guilbault says the upcoming play is already generating buzz on campus.

“I keep having people coming up to me saying how eager they are to start, and I think that will make it a really good show,” she said.Adam Glynn ’17, who was cast as Melchior Gabor, the romantic male lead, is “psyched” to be part of the production.

“[The leaders] are really committed to diversifying the kind of theater we see at Bowdoin,” wrote Glynn in an email to the Orient.

Glynn performed last year in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” which took place in Ladd House, another non-traditional space for a show.

The group chose Spring Awakening, a spirited rock musical that deals with teenage sexuality and other contentious themes, in part to draw attention to its first production.

Jae Yeon Yoo ’18 will serve as the musical director for “Spring Awakening.” Yoo said she is excited to deal with the the unique challenges presented by the play’s staging.

“Since it’s so location-centered, that relieves a lot of the tech burden,” said Yoo. “I am hoping to get a lot of musicians involved. This is a chance to break out of the more traditional chamber ensemble groups on campus, but still create music together.”

Many of the group’s early members are underclassmen, providing hope that the young company will grow together over the next few years and recruit others to join its ranks.

 “I am hoping new people will try out for new and smaller projects,” said Guilbault. “I hope the people who did audition for this production come again and I hope that they bring all of their friends.”

How did you first get involved in WBOR?I heard about WBOR early on and coming to Bowdoin I knew I wanted to get involved and have my own show. After that, I was hooked. I have been involved with the show since my first semester freshman year at Bowdoin. Why did you name the show Bowdoin Blues?I was influenced by the House of Blues radio hour, which is the XM show that Dan Aykroyd runs. I wanted to do a show like that, and they both happened to start with “B.” Are you involved in other music endeavors here?I am a double major in music and German so I do a lot of music at Bowdoin. I try to keep my show and my music classes separate. My show is the Bowdoin Blues and I focus more on blues, jazz, rock and roll and soul, which is pretty separate from my a cappella group and the chamber choir. Do you play music based on the preferences of your listeners or your own tastes?I go with my own gut mostly. I have gotten requests two or three times, in which case I just had to go running around searching for the song they wanted to hear in order to play it. That turned out well. I hope they were happy! Has Bowdoin Blues been a one-man show from the start?It has always been just me. I like having callers and I am glad someone is listening. If you are listening, I hope you enjoy it. If you could only listen to one song on loop, what would it be?John Cage’s “4’33”.” It is just complete silence, so it would not get too repetitive. Which musician would you want to be for a day?Questlove. He earns so much respect yet always stays true to his own artistic sense. I could learn a lot from how he works. What have been some of your favorite music experiences at or around Bowdoin?The power of the Roomful of Teeth concert last semester was life-changing, and I enjoyed sharing a few words with The Antlers and Surfer Blood when they played here a few years back. But as a Meddiebempster, nothing beats our seventy-fifth reunion during my sophomore year. Meddies from the past seven decades came on stage to sing our standards together. I felt a part of something uniquely timeless.

Since you are in your senior year, what is the future of Bowdoin Blues?I am actually staying here for one more semester, so Bowdoin Blues is going to keep on rocking. It is cheesy, I know. What message do you hope to send to your listeners?I mostly want to expose other people to this kind of music. Most of what I play ends up coming from the new shelf of the jazz and blues section. I end up playing a lot of local blues artists and jazz artists who are somewhat off the beaten path, someone people may not have heard about. If people are listening, I just say be open to those local or lesser known acts and know that I would rather give them the spotlight because they are just as good as something more mainstream.

Tune in to Bowdoin Blues with Haile every Monday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on WBOR 91.1 FM or stream the show online at wbor.org.

To suggest a DJ for DJ of the Week, email Arts & Entertainment Editor Emily Weyrauch at eweyrauc@bowdoin.edu.

Marcel Duchamp—the conceptual artist best known for exhibiting a urinal as a work of original art—was the focus of a well-attended panel entitled “The Legacy of Marcel Duchamp,” in Kresge Auditorium on Wednesday.

 This depiction of a urinal was not immediately accepted into the art world. “Fountain,” the title of the piece, only became well known years later, but the original dismissal of the piece did not stop Duchamp’s success as an artist.

 “This rejection [of the piece] occasioned an opportunity for Duchamp to collaborate with other artists to determine what the purpose of the artwork was,” said Anne Goodyear, co-director of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

“By taking a urinal out of its everyday context…he attached a new idea to the object and transformed it conceptually. Boundaries that had previously been understood between art and everyday world fell apart.”

 The panel featured three individuals, each with a different perspective on Duchamp’s work. Panelists included Scott Homolka, associate conservator of works of art on paper at the Philadelphia Art Museum, James W. McManus, emeritus professor of art history at California State University, Chico, and Michael R. Taylor, director of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College.

“Scott [brings the] perspective of a paper conservator who thinks about the physical evidence of a work of art; Jim brings an academic perspective and Michael has an art museum background as curator and director of the Hood Museum at Dartmouth,” said Goodyear.

The panel was held in conjunction with the Museum of Art’s current exhibition,  “Collaborations and Collusions,” which focuses on networks of modern artists including Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, Mary Cassatt and others. 

 “The art museum is a place where students can be exposed to ideas, speakers and artists that collectively take us beyond Brunswick,” said Goodyear. “One of the goals of this exhibition is to think about ways different artists work together and inform one another. It helps us understand why one might want to engage with the everyday in the modern world.”

 According to the the panelists, Duchamp was a conceptual artist who made viewers question the definition of art in our society. Duchamp’s extreme precision gives his artwork a deeper meaning. 

“Duchamp is an outstanding example of an artist who wants us to challenge our assumptions,” said Goodyear.

“Duchamp, more than almost any other artist in the twentieth century, taught us how to think about and look at works to get beyond the physicality of the object and understand the structure of the work,” said McManus. “This is what makes him so attractive and challenging at the same time.”

Duchamp’s style of art continues to be relevant today, according to Taylor.

“Duchamp remains extremely current because he was so far ahead of his peers that we are still catching up with his ideas, which are still very radical,” said Taylor. “He remains the kind of artist you can still admire and find new ideas from.”

McManus had a similar assessment.

 “The challenges presented by Duchamp are no less critical today than they were in 1917 when he presented “Fountain,” he said. “Duchamp swung the door open to think about what can be art and what cannot be art, and it continues to have an impact.”

 “Collaborations and Collusions” will be on display until February 8.

How and when did you form Bad Karma?Emily Hochman: It was pretty spontaneous. It was born of our souls. We had been friends for awhile.Kelsey Berger: We are all intimately related to music in some form.  Two of us are music minors.

Bad Karma is certainly an attention-getting name. What does it represent?Kathryn Lin: The name Bad Karma comes from a middle school band I was part of and we played really cool covers like Nirvana and White Stripes. We adopted the name as our own for our radio station. It’s pretty funny.EH: It’s not meant to be taken seriously. Definitely not.KB: I would say the extent to which it influences our repertoire is mild. Do the three of you have the same taste in music? KL: No, but we understand each others tastes.EH: I have this campaign to play Pink Matter by Frank Ocean every radio show.KB: But that’s not a whole radio show! Have your tastes evolved because of Bad Karma?KL: I think we usually appreciate each others’ tastes.KB: I have definitely heard things and thought that they were really cool, when I wouldn’t have thought to play them. I go home and add it to my Spotify favorites. How do you incorporate aspects of your personalities into the show?KB: I would say the show reflects our moods more than our personalities. If I have a [tough week] I listen to something grungy, and if I feel upbeat I listen to something very “woo.” We’ll be in pretty different moods so we’ll be listening to one song up in terms of tempo and energy and then something quieter with string music.KL: I would say we listen to too wide of a range of genres to really have it relate to my personality. The genres I like are definitely a reflection of my specific personality.What do you want your listeners to experience during the show?KB: I kind of feel like we are DJing our own party and you can come to the party. I think it’s about balancing the songs I really want to hear right now and songs other people can enjoy. If you could only listen to one song on loop, what would it be?KB: “Sprawl II: Mountains Beyond Mountains” by Arcade Fire.EH:  I do listen to space sounds on occasion. NASA transferred space recordings into sounds we can hear. It’s good to study to.KL: “Clarity” by Zedd. What have been your favorite music experiences at Bowdoin?EH: We loved Wavves. I loved Unplugged. The a cappella ensembles are always really good.KB: I liked the Bowdoin Open Mic Night. We’re big fans of the student music scene. Since you are all seniors, what are your final goals for Bad Karma this year?EH: I think the show will end when we leave. It can live on in spirit.KL: I don’t think anyone could emulate our collective tastes. If you could join one band, which one would you choose?KL: The Smashing Pumpkins.KB: Dirty Projectors.EH: My cousin has a band and I always wanted to be in it. What else do you do on campus?KL: Gospel choir, Bowdoin Chamber Choir, ASA [Asian Students Association].EH: College Guild, the Bowdoin chapter of a non-profit.KB: Bowdoin Chamber Choir, writing assistant, work in the [Hawthorne-Longfellow] Library.

Any final messages for your listeners?KB: Call in! It makes the show more exciting.EH: Join the party! Listen while you’re getting ready to go out. 

Tune in to “Bad Karma” with Berger, Hochman and Lin every Friday from 10 p.m. until 11 p.m. on WBOR 91.1 FM or stream the show online at wbor.org.

After an overtime win last week against Trinity College, the women’s soccer team lost the form it displayed during its 6-0 start, falling to both Hamilton and Williams this past weekend in away games. The team’s first NESCAC losses of the season lowered its record to 8-3-0 (5-2-0 NESCAC)

ln Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Continentals, Katja Dunlap put in Hamilton’s goal early in the game. Although Alexa Yurick ’15 had multiple scoring opportunities, the Polar Bears’ effort was not enough to score.

At Williams, the team played their third double overtime game of the season. It looked as if the Polar Bears were going to lose in regulation when Jamie Hofstetter ’16 tied the game on an assist by Maggie Godley ’16 with only three minutes of regular play remaining. Bridget McCarthy ’15 made a crucial save at the end of the first overtime to extend the game into the extra period, in which the Polar Bears ultimately lost to Williams.

While the team may not have gotten the wins it wanted during these away games, the Polar Bears displayed some of the form that led them to their impressive first month of the season. “Williams was a game we are all definitely proud of. Everyone played for the team, not just for themselves. You could see in peoples’ eyes how determined they were, and everyone went the extra distance to help,” said Jill Rathke ’18.

 Since the team has had to deal with many injuries this season, the first  years have rotated into the lineup.

 “Freshman have been playing in lots of different positions. Versatility is super important and everyone has been working hard as well,” said Rathke. “That’s definitely a team attitude and expectation, always working hard.”

First-year talent in particular helped the team come up with the win last week. Eliza Nitzan ’18 scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Trinity.

 “Eliza helped us big with the double overtime finish. She is always willing to take a long-range shot and has the power to do it,” said Rathke. “When Coach put her in during the second overtime, I had a good feeling about it. The win was so exciting for us and definitely drove a good week of practices.”

 The team will be working hard for its NESCAC matchup tomorrow when it faces one-loss Connecticut College at 1:00 p.m. for  its homecoming game.

 “Coming back from a hard-fought game at Williams, we know what we can do and now there’s an even higher expectation for the rest of the season,” said Rathke.

The Bowdoin Craft Center has struck a chord on campus this fall by offering free, spontaneous “pop-up classes” in Smith Union three times a month. These classes encourage students to drop in and make small decorations for their dorm rooms, and attendees do not need Craft Center memberships.The pop-up classes are new this year, but they are already becoming popular with students as an enjoyable way to de-stress during the week and become involved with the Craft Center.This past Monday night, Lonie Ellis and Rose Nelson, both teaching artists at Bowdoin, offered a pop-up class where students could design their own dorm room lampshades. Although the pop-up class was only supposed to run until 8 p.m., it was so popular that students stayed until 10 p.m. when they ran out of supplies. The quick, “make and take” nature of the pop-up classes allows students to stop by on their way through the Union. More students participate in the pop-up classes than scheduled Craft Center classes because they can stay anywhere from five minutes to the full two hours and do not have to sign up in advance.Bonnie Pardue, who is leading the initiative, is the director of the Craft Center and has been working at Bowdoin for 25 years. She saw a demand for the pop-up classes and wanted to offer them so that more Bowdoin students could take advantage of the Craft Center. She hopes to work with students in determining the future of these classes. “I love talking to the students and getting to know them. It’s the highlight of my job,” said Pardue. “If students send me an email with a project they want to do, we can make sure that happens.”The Craft Center has advertised pop-up classes through the Orbit Digest, and also promoted them through word of mouth. “I am a proctor and I would certainly advise my kids to come here,” said Arhea Marshall ’15, who attended the Monday lampshade class.Nelson said that Bowdoin’s new initiative is part of a larger pop-up trend happening in the art world. “It is really going to catch on,” she said. “It’s a trend that’s happening with pop-up art shows in Portland. It’s just the way things are going. It absolutely makes sense.”In early October, the Craft Center will be offering a pop-up class called “Bees, Bees and more Bees”—with a beekeeping talk and demonstration from a local beekeeper—and a mending class, at which a local seamstress will teach students basic sewing skills.On October 29 the Craft Center will host a “Witchcraft Night,” with Halloween-themed crafts such as cookie decorating and mask making.The pop-up classes will continue to be offered throughout the year, and could become a permanent fixture in Smith Union on weekday nights. “We’ll have to continue running them, now that they’re so popular,” said Pardue, “We ran out of supplies last time, even though we bought a lot of extras.”