Independent Newspaper of Swarthmore College Since 1881
Minimalist Art
Contemporary movements extend the limits of what can be considered art by pushing the boundaries of canonically accepted forms. Minimalist art, also known as literal art, fought to create a more theatrical stage, one that puts both art and viewer on the
Artist of the Week Olivia Han ’25 on Being Human
A few weeks ago, when I was walking into American Politics, Olivia Han ’25 approached me, asking if she could be an Artist of the Week. Fully convinced that she was a theater major (she very much is not), I was slightly
How Robert Zemeckis’ Contact (1997) Explores Creation
Robert Zemeckis’ Contact (1997) raises several questions about creation. Instead of the universe’s inception, the movie focuses on the beginning of extraterrestrial life and first contact. Ellie Arroway, the protagonist, constructs a device to meet aliens. When she finally sees them, the
Angel Su ’24 on Embodying Art
*Trigger Warning: EDs/restrictive eating.* I love interviewing dancers. Dance is a medium I can confidently admit to having no ability in – to anyone who has seen me dance, this is my formal apology. That being said, I’m captivated by how dancers
Creating, Not Competing
People say that art is a way to “express yourself.” Then why don’t I do it for myself? As a child, the arts were an outlet for me. I was completely authentic to myself while dancing or playing the piano, and I
Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah (1985): The Possibility of Art After The Holocaust
“If there had been – by sheer obscenity or miracle – a film actually shot in the past of three thousand people dying together in a gas chamber … I would have preferred to destroy it. It is not visible. You cannot look
Funding Graffiti: How Philadelphia Became the Mural Capital of the World
When people think of Philadelphia’s art scene, they jump to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Museum, or the Rodin and their picturesque collections of Monet, Cezanne, and Renoir. While the museums are impressive in their own right, in my opinion,
Dear Readers: In Response to Spike Jonze’s “Her” (2013)
Dear Readers, “’Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all.” – Alfred Tennyson, “In Memoriam A.H.H.” Despite its age, Alfred Tennyson’s quote has cemented its role as an iconic pop culture reference in various media,
Artist of the Week Shannon Friel ’24 on Authenticity in Language
I pride myself on knowing a lot about my friends (maybe even at times too much), but when Shannon Friel ’24 told me a few weeks ago that she was heavily involved in the theater department, my jaw dropped. Not because I
Miranda July’s The Future (2012): On Loneliness
This article contains spoilers for The Future (2012). Gabriella (Isabelle Acres) digs a hole in the ground. Sophie (Miranda July), an unemployed dance teacher in her 30s, looks at her. Gabriella instructs her to act naturally and turn around to wave to