The Founder February 2020 by The Founder

The Founder

VOL. XI, ISSUE V | FEBRUARY 2020 |

@RHULFOUNDER

RHUL Men’s Rugby Swap Rugby Boots for Running Shoes to Raise Nearly £5K for The Oliver Wissenbach 100 Schools Project LUCY MORRIS

unday 02 February 2020 saw hundreds put on their running shoes and head out for the Thorpe and Egham Half Marathon and 10K. Among the runners were the RHUL Men’s Rugby Club. 24 of them completed the 10K run in the name of Oliver Wissenbach, the brother of club social secretary, Max Wissenbach. They gave an impressive performance on the day of the run, with two club members (Seb Dean and Callum Millard) finishing in

the top 50 runners. The club smashed their fundraising target of £2,000 and have so far raised £4,698 for The Oliver Wissenbach 100 Schools Project. On 10 September 2019, Oliver Wissenbach passed away while on a family holiday. He was found by his family, having died while taking a midnight swim. The subsequent diagnosis was sudden adult death syndrome. He was 25. Oliver’s father, Stefan Wissenbach, said, “Oliver was a remarkable young man who wanted to...

Continued on p. 10

RHUL Men's Rugby

Index News..................................................................................1 Opinion And Debate..........................................................6 Features..............................................................................9 Lifestyle............................................................................12 Arts: Arts And Culture......................................................14 Arts: Literary Reviews......................................................16 Arts: Film..........................................................................21 Arts: Music........................................................................24 Sports.................................................................................27

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Academy Awards p.21 Doja Cat Album p.26

RIP Kobe Bryant p.27

2 NEWS

THE FOUNDER February 2020

“This is the dawn of a new era” claims Prime Minister as thousands crowd in Westminster to witness Brexit Day celebrations The Founder’s Stylebook 2017-2018

We are The Founder, the Founder Staff. We don’t italicize our name.

Style Format General

composition titles

Put single quotation marks around books (except the Bible), TV

programs, songs, and movies, but NOT reference works (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.) or newspaper or magazine titles. Put single

quotation marks around video games but not computer programs such as Microsoft Word.

with chiming unheard of in the since the clock tower capitalization Capitalize all principalcapital words, including prepositions and conjunctions longer than four letters; capitalize articles and words n Friday the 31st of underwent a renovation, a new shorter than four letters if it is the first or last word in a title. January 2020, the peo- and uncertain future emerged numerals ple of the United Kingdom for Britain. In general, write out the numbers one through nine; use figures for the and London swarmed events rest. However, write outto anythe number that The occursvarious at the beginning of a of Brexit or rewrite the sentence. One exception: you can start heart ofsentence the British governDay reflected the divide still sentences with a figure if it’s a calendar year. Some special case ment innumerals: Westminster where apparent between the Remain celebrators, demonstrators, and Leave voters as numerworldwide press and those ous vigils for the EU deparclambering for a ringside ture were held with Brexit celseat to history gathered for ebrations just streets away. The the final hours of our mem- London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, bership to the European Un- spoke at City Hall where Brition. The 47-year relation- ish and European citizens were ship was brought to a close invited to seek ‘free advice after three years of politi- on the EU Settlement Scheme cal hampering and national from immigration lawyers’ debate forged by the 2016 with ‘emotional support serreferendum and the vote to vices available’ also available. leave resulted in an unprec- The Mayor spoke for some edented turn of events. Fol- time during the evening lowing the voter’s decision, thanking his European friends there has been the resigna- and those that have supported tion of two Prime Ministers, EU citizens in London. During two general elections called his speech, Mr Khan conceded and won by the Conserva- that ‘For me, and I’m sure for tive Party, the prorogation of many of you, the overriding Parliament, and the subse- emotion will be one of heartquent Supreme Court rul- break.’ It is no secret that the ing that the actions of the London Mayor is against leavPrime Minister were unlaw- ing the EU as his ‘London Is ful and that the Queen was Open’ campaign aims to keep misled in order to force the the capital welcome and acBritish exit through. So, as cessible to European citizens, the screen projecting Big a topic he stressed during his Ben lit up at 11 o’clock on Brexit Day address. Friday evening and erupted As evening arrived so did HARRY MEAR

those leaving work and travelling from all corners of the British Isles with scores of press gathering at Parliament Square under the shadow of the Palace of Westminster to witness or join the celebrations organised by the Brexit Party and Nigel Farage. Police forces stood by in watch as Farage spurred his crowd with anti-European jibes until the hour came and the three-year countdown ended with a similar atmosphere to that of a football match. Drinks were sprayed and spilt as some unfortunate incidents tainted the celebrations. A British man harassed a European national for speaking his mother tongue and intoxicated pubgoers shouted obscenities outside Downing Street at demonstrators sporting European flags. As Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered his Brexit Day address internally by broadcasting from No. 10, he stated ‘Our job as the government, my job is to bring this country together now and take us forward … this is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama.’

The Founder Board 2019 - 2020 Editor in Chief Svilena Iotkovska editor@thefounder.co.uk

Managing Editor Rand AlMakhamreh managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk

Publishing & Creative Designer Kaja Matusik designer@thefounder.co.uk

News Editor James Neal

Illustrator Sophie Hinteregger

news@thefounder.co.uk

illustrator@thefounder.co.uk

Features Editor Melissa Nock

Arts Editor Niamh Smith

features@thefounder.co.uk

arts@thefounder.co.uk

Opinon and Debate Editor Niamh Houston

Literary Review Editor Sophie Deaville

opinion@thefounder.co.uk

literaryreview@thefounder.co.uk

Lifestyle Editor Antonia Aluko

Music Editor Keren Tomasoa

lifestyle@thefounder.co.uk

music@thefounder.co.uk

Sports Editor Dominic Taylor

Film Editor Graciela Mae Chico

sportseditor@thefounder.co.uk

film@thefounder.co.uk

The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. This means we are not affiliated to the student union or the college. We pride ourselves on our investigative journalism and aim to keep our readers up to date with news on and off campus. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editor, particularly of opinion and debate pieces. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of its stories. To book ad space in The Founder, contact our managing editor at managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk. THE FOUNDER is printed in Cambridge by Iliffe Print

NEWS 3

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Labour leadership hustings and main contenders JAMES LLOYD NEAL

ith the Labour Party’s Leadership and deputy leadership race well underway, the Founder take a look at the candidates and key talking points of the election so far. At present, four candidates remain in the race to be the next Labour leader after Jess Phillips has stepped down noting that ‘she was not the one to unite the party.’ Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary looks set to be squeezed out of the final ticket, with most of the remaining CLP and affiliate nominations necessary to get onto the final ballot looking to be divided between the other 3 contenders. Thus, the contest is looking to devolve into a three-horse race between Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

Sir Keir Starmer. The 57-year-old shadow Brexit secretary is currently the book- makers favourite for next Labour leader, having received the support of the vast majority of CLP’s and several major affiliates, most notably Britain’s largest Trade Union Unison while also polling very favourable amongst the membership and the wider public. The former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Humans rights lawyer, was a vocal advocate for remain during the 2016 referendum, forcing Theresa May to make her Brexit plans public and setting out Labour's ‘six tests’. He was seen as vital in forcing the leadership’s change in position ahead of the 2019 election promising a second vote. Sir Keir is pitching himself as the ‘unity candidate’, arguing that Labour needs ‘to rebuild

fast to restore trust’, while not losing ‘sight of our values or retreat from the radicalism of the past few years’ and also committing to a continuation of the parties ‘Green New Deal’ policy.

work with our movement, rebuild our communities and fight for the policies we believe in.’ She criticised former Labour governments as adopting ‘Tory- lite’ agenda’s which she alleges to have held the party back for years.

Rebecca Long-Bailey. The 40-year-old shadow business secretary has so far been presented as the ‘continuity’ Corbyn candidate, receiving the public backing from Corbyn’s Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, the proCorbyn union ‘Unite,’ and their chairman, Len McCluskey. Furthermore, in an interview with ITV, she gave Corbyn a ‘10 out of 10’ when asked to rate his leadership. Announcing her bid in the Tribune, she argued that she would be a ‘socialist leader who can

Lisa Nandy. The 40-year-old MP for Wigan has been gaining considerable momentum the last few weeks following a very positive performance at party hustings and a notable interview with Andrew Neil. Nandy, while vocally supporting remain in 2016, was staunchly opposed to another referendum or revoking the Brexit process altogether. Nandy has spent much of the campaign extolling the importance of Labour regaining its traditional strongholds in towns such as Workington and Wrexham. Writing in the Wigan Post ‘Without what was

once our Labour heartlands we will never win power in Westminster and help to build the country we know we can be.’ She has advocated for decentralisation of Westminster power to local communities and has recently come out to call for the scrapping of the disastrous Universal Credit welfare scheme put forward by Ian Duncan Smith. We will find out the winner on 4 April. Regardless of who wins the successor of Corbyn faces a tremendous task, to unite a divided party and to bring the party back from its worst electoral defeat since 1935.

Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’: The Israeli/Palestinian Peace Plan REBECCA THOMPSON

he United Nations still hold their support for a two-state solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict, based on the boundaries preexisting the 1967 Six-Day War, before Israel captured the Palestinian territories. However, since the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 which demanded the immediate end of Israeli settlement building in the occupied territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights was ignored, it became clear that a two-state solution was unlikely. This has been further acknowledged since President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced the official ‘Peace Plan’ on January 28th. The Trump administration has provided the Peace Plan as a proposal which captures the official intentions for reconciling the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. It includes both an economic portion, released on June 22nd, 2019 titled ‘Peace to Prosperity’, and the political portion. While the document is long and detailed, there are four significant components of the recent political proposition: 1) Israel keeps the vast majority of Jerusalem as its sovereign capital with Palestine establishing a capital on the outskirts in the East; 2) Palestinians get no

Conceptual Map Source: The Times of Israel

right of return; 3) it redraws borders mainly between Israel and the West Bank; and 4) Israel maintain overriding security responsibility for Palestine. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas immediately rejected the proposal declaring that it is too biased in favour of Israel. Though Trump’s plan offers a future State of Palestine to Palestinians, which would not be established up to four years into the execution of the plan, it is conditional and limits sovereignty. If the Palestinians recognise Israel as a Jewish state, the ‘Conceptual Map’ illustrates that a Palestinian state would be in 70% of the West Bank, small neighbourhoods in East

Jerusalem, most of the Gaza Strip and some areas of southern Israel. This plan is dependent on the removal and disarmament of the terrorist organisation Hamas in Gaza. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and others, remark that if Palestinian rights to a state within the pre-1967 territories are not granted then there is a possibility of not achieving peace. While this seems to be ignored, Jared Kushner, author of the Peace Plan, said in an interview with CNN that the terms are not final and that there will be flexibility if the Palestinians have some adjustments.

4 NEWS

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Huawei set for limited role in 5G networks in the UK DOMINIC TAYLOR

oris Johnson announced that the UK has given Chinese firm Huawei permission to continue its 5G networks but with restrictions despite pressure from the US and MPs from across all parties to block the firm. Huawei will be banned from supplying kit parts deemed ‘sensitive’ for the network, which is known as the core. Additionally, it will only be allowed to account for 35% of the kit in the

network, which will include radio masts, the government have confirmed. Moreover, it will not be allowed in areas near military bases and nuclear sites. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had previously suggested that using Huawei equipment posed a security concern as it increased spy risks. He said: ‘we won’t be able to share information’ with states that put Huawei into their ‘critical information

systems’. Downing Street said that Boris Johnson had listened to US concerns and explained to President Trump the reasons for the move. Dominic Raab also claimed that the decision would not affect the UK’s intelligencesharing relationship with their close allies – with the US chief among them. In a speech to the House of Commons, the Foreign Minister said: ‘risk cannot be eliminated in telecoms’ and ‘nothing in this review affects this country’s

ability’ to share information. The prime minister had faced pressure from both the US and MPs to block the Chinese tech giant on the grounds of national security. US Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton claimed: ‘the shortterm savings aren’t worth the long-term costs’ and even suggested a ‘thorough review’ into Anglo-American intelligence-sharing. He later asserted: ‘I fear London has freed itself from Brussels only to cede sovereignty to

Beijing’. Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat tweeted that the government’s ‘statement leaves many concerns and does not close the UK’s networks to a frequently malign international actor’. In response to the criticism, Huawei denied that it would help the Chinese government if it were to attempt to attack one of its clients. The firm’s founder has said he would ‘shut the company down’ instead of aiding any ‘spying activities’.

NEWS 5

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Trump’s impeachment trial CARLOTA SANTOS MOVILLA

he current US President Donald Trump was recently acquitted in his impeachment trial, ending a bid to remove him from the office that bitterly divided the US. The Senate, run by the president's fellow Republicans, voted to acquit him 52-48 on charges of abuse of power and 53-47 on obstruction of Congress. He was, firstly, being accused of power abuse because of pressuring Ukraine in order to get ahead in getting re-elected this year as a bargaining tactic. His defence claimed that the Ukrainian President under no circumstances felt uncomfortable and that the US military aid was released. He was also being accused of having blocked Congress’ investigation, thus causing an obstruction which falls under a separate article. This took place the moment he interrupted the inquiry as he ordered his officials to dismiss subpoenas calling for testimonies or documents alike. He did not need to be found guilty of all the

articles since just one having 67 votes out 100 would have finished his presidency. After that, another vote would have to take place to decide if he should be able to run for office again in the future. However, the majority of the Senate is Republican and there was no realistic high hope of him being found guilty. The Democrats, on the other hand, wished to bring in witnesses and new documents during the daily sessions (except Sundays) that are taking place until they come to a decision. However, the Republican’s block opposed calling more witnesses in what has been called a flagrant act of partisanship. Had only four Republicans gone the other way, witnesses may have been allowed - not least former national security adviser John Bolton, whose evidence may well have undermined Mr. Trump's case. Some accusations have been made that this is not a “real” trial. This is the first time in history an impeachment trial has gone forward without witnesses.

Streatham Terrorist Attack: what we know so far AHUZAR DEMIR

n 2 Feb. 2020, around two p.m., a man was shot dead by the police following a reportedly ‘terrorist-related’ attack which resulted in three people injured. The attacker, whose identity was later revealed to be a 20-year-old Sudesh Amman, was seen carrying a ‘machete’ with which he started stabbing at random, whilst wearing a ‘fake suicide vest’, witnesses told Guardian. The moment of the shooting was quickly released on social media accounts as witnesses on public transport and innocent bystanders on the street recorded the moment when the armed police arrived on scene and fired a number of shots at the attacker. It was later confirmed by the authorities that Amman was pronounced dead at the scene. The victims, on the other hand, consisted of a middle-aged man whose condition is no longer considered to be critical, a woman in her 20s, whose injuries are believed to be a result of glass shattered due to police shots, and another

woman in her 50s, who has already been discharged, Metropolitan Police reports in released statement. Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his wellwishes to the injured and thanked the emergency services of Streatham. Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, stated: ‘Terrorists seek to divide us and destroy our way of life – here in London we will never let them succeed’. However, concern for the possible implications of the attack remains prevalent days after the incident, as many have expressed their worry over the security of London as new layers to the story have been unfolded. Following the increasing amounts of information which stated that the attacker had been under scrutiny by the authorities, it was revealed on social media that the 20-year-old had previously been accused of ‘disseminating terrorist material and collecting information useful for terror attacks’ and received a jail sentence for three years and four months, Independent reported, on a news coverage dated back

in 17 December 2018. The articles further state that then 18-year-old Amman was a supporter of ISIS and had been encouraging his girlfriend to decapitate her ‘kuffar’ (non-believer) parents during their online conversations. Amman, arrested May 2018, had been released from prison prior to the completion of the initial three-year sentence. The day after the incident, Robert Buckland, Justice Secretary, told MPs that the Government will ‘introduce emergency legislation to ensure an end to terrorist offenders getting released automatically having served half of their sentence with no check or review’, and the legislation will apply to serving prisoners. Buckland further spoke: ‘The earliest point at which the offenders will now be considered for release will be once they have served two-thirds of their sentence and, crucially, we will introduce a requirement that no terrorist offender will be released before the end of their full custodial term unless the Parole Board agrees’, whilst promising to increase Parole Board efficiency in dealing with risks posed to the public by terrorism.

January 2020 Correction: ‘Pay Up Paul Layzell’ Svilena Iotkovska

Following our January 2020 publication, The Founder was contacted by Royal Holloway’s PR team and we were informed of an error in our ‘Pay Up Paul Layzell’ article. In this article, our writer claimed that “the highest ranking fifteen managers at Royal Holloway have received a 25% pay increase in the last year”; these statistics have been acquired from ‘The Fortunate Fifteen: A 25% Pay Rise for Royal Holloway’s Top Brass’ article on Royal Holloway’s UCU blog. However, we have since been informed by Royal Holloway’s PR that the background information is as follows: ‘There has been a change to reporting salaries in the accounts. This is due to new Office for Student financial reporting guidelines which mean we are required to provide information of all members of staff whose full-time equivalent annual salary is, or would be, over £100,000. As a result, Royal Holloway has been required to annualise sessional payments made to 12 Visiting Professors who were on fractional contracts during 2018-19. The hourly rate at which these Visiting Professors have been engaged is the agreed College rate. This rate has been in place for a number of years and is adjusted each year in line with the annual pay award. Of the fifteen employees reported to have salaries exceeding £160,000, 12 are Visiting Professors working in four schools. The number of senior managers in this bracket remains the same as for 2018, which is three. Senior managers at Royal Holloway receive the same annual salary increase as all other colleagues, which for 2019 was 1.8%. For the last three years the Principal has declined to accept the application of the 1.8% increase to his own salary.’

6 OPINION AND DEBATE

THE FOUNDER February 2020

On Trump, Bibi and the Deal of the Century ZAFIR ZAFIROV

xactly a week ago, United States President Donald Trump unveiled his proposed remedy for the Middle East's deepest wound – the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and their territories. Trump and his good friend PM Netanyahu both seemed ecstatic and proud. The incredibly detailed 180-page proposal, named ‘the Deal of the Century’, made it clear that a new Palestinian state would not have any military capabilities, would be heavily dependent on Israel if it wants to establish diplomatic relations with other states, and would receive a piece of land with "high-speed transportation links". Needless to say, Jerusalem would remain capital of Israel while settlements and the Jordan Valley will be up for grabs

by the Israelis. As for Palestinians – the plan outlines not only the territory that will be granted to them but also a guide as to how the newly formed state should be organized in terms of government and economy. Furthermore, bold promises of billions of investments and flow of capital were also made. It is not a hard task to distinguish between what sounds like reality and utopia. What is even more concerning is that the whole premise of the plan, albeit honourable in its roots, does not seem to escape the vicious cycle of Israeli-Palestinian actuality. Israel and the United States will order, and Palestine will follow. Whether it be about settlements, refugees, or basic human rights that should not even be debated, it is clear who has the carrot and who has the stick. The current US administration has sided with Israel on multiple occasions

Image: American Herald Tribune

leading to the Deal, thus making it impossible for Palestinians to see a beacon of hope in this occasion. Aid to Palestine was exponentially cut, leaving thousands of people close to starvation. The now called 'Trump Heights' (The Syrian Golan Heights) were also recognised as part of Israel,

and not to mention the historic moving of the embassy of the United States in Jerusalem which only solidified the Trump administration's position regarding Palestine. Unsurprisingly, Palestine rejected the so-called deal of the century, cutting all ties with both the United States and Israel. What is more interesting

here is that the powerful Arab League also rejected Trump's proposed plan, siding with Palestine. Their argument was clear; this will not lead to peace and stability. Given the circumstances, it is indeed hard to believe in anything else. After all, peace is not something that should or can be imposed. Only time will tell what the consequences of the Deal will be. Nonetheless, one thing is certain – fairness is a strange concept, especially in world politics. The fact that the Deal of the Century was proposed by an impeached (by the House) president and a prime minister charged with corruption somehow does not make the matter easier to comprehend; in fact, it leaves us with more questions than answers. Who knows, maybe this is the deal of the century. At least for some parties.

Should private schools exist? NIAMH HOUSTON

ducation is an imperative element in raising an informed society. Access to education has been recognised as a basic human right by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); this is a treaty by the United Nations General Assembly that has

been signed and ratified by the United Kingdom. Articles within this treaty appear to be contradictory to each other regarding the subject of private education. For example, one article within the treaty states that primary, secondary and higher education must be free at all levels and equally accessible without discrimination. Contrastingly, a further article states that there

must be a respected freedom of education, whereby parents can choose to send their children to private educational institutions. The paradox in this lies in the fact that not every person has the financial means to send their child to a private school, which should force us to question: are private schools a form of educational discrimination?

One could argue – such as the treaty does – that if a parent or guardian believes that a private school is the best option for their child, that they should have the unquestionable right to send them there accordingly. For example, if your living circumstance means that your local schools are of a poor quality and you can alternatively send your child to a good private school, you

would naturally choose the best option. The troubling part of this scenario is that the schools of a poor quality will still exist, and with them a large group of children that are put at a clear disadvantage due to their social circumstance. By creating an elitist system within what should be an equally accessible human right,

THE FOUNDER February 2020 society becomes complacent in not improving the current education system when better options exist for the more fortunate members; this thereby encourages a sense of class divide, and perpetuates it by systematically ingraining it into the minds of the next generation. If we as a society feel that the

OPINION AND DEBATE 7

education system is lacking to the degree of needing “better” alternatives, then this is something that must be addressed at a systemic level. According to an article published by The Guardian in 2018, ‘Private day schools now cost, on average, £14,500 a year – more than the

annual disposable income of the average English family’. Furthermore, the educational advantage given to privately educated students has long been known to be disproportionate as according to a 2011 report by the Independent Schools Council Private, privately educated pupils are six

times more likely to receive A* grades at GCSEs than their state school educated peers. This discrepancy in educational standards is simply unacceptable, and does not attest to the right to free education without discrimination that the United Kingdom has agreed to. Before encouraging a system

that benefits the few, not the many, we as a society should question why we continue to give the fortunate even more social advantages whilst leaving the less fortunate in a struggle just to keep up.

Austerity is Not Over: There is Still a Fight Worth Winning

Image Source: BBC IZZI VAUGHAN

here is nothing radical about striving for a fairer and more equal society. There is nothing radical about wanting to eliminate poverty. And, most importantly, there is nothing unachievable in doing so. Since 2010 reforms to welfare and taxation have had a disproportionate impact on the

poorest in society, pulling more people into poverty because of it. Despite reports of rising employment levels, employment can no longer guarantee a decent standard of living, with in work poverty on the rise. Increasing levels of homelessness across the country have resulted from a lack of affordable housing and cuts to local

authority budgets (EHRC, 2018). Absolute poverty in the UK sits at around 19% (IFS, 2019), an unacceptable figure for any society, but particularly outrageous for such a wealthy nation. While absolute poverty has remained relatively unchanged for the past few years, child poverty has been on the rise (EHRC,2018), with recent figures showing

26.5% of children living in absolute poverty, an increase of 1% in the space of a year. This rise in child poverty comes hand in hand with a 6% decrease in benefit income for families with children, as well as the introduction of the ‘two-child limit’, meaning families are no longer able to claim child tax credit or universal credit for any child after their second born from April 2017 (IFS, 2019). A system which allows such poverty to persist, while having the resources to end it, is not a civilised society; it is a corrupt one. We are just starting a four year stretch of a Conservative government with a powerful majority, meaning that this situation is not going to improve any time soon. The government has already broken their election promises to end Austerity, with budget cuts of at least 5% ordered at the end of January (Financial Times). Conservative governments will never prioritise the

poorest in society. They have no interest in preserving the safety net of welfare spending and a benefits system which helps those unfortunate enough to need it. But what needs to be understood more than anything when it comes to Austerity cuts, is that this safety net is not just for the poorest in society. It is for every single person in this country, no matter how rich you are. It is impossible to predict what will happen to your job, your assets or your savings. You never know what challenges lie around the corner. It doesn’t matter how much money you have now, one day you might need that safety net which is slowly being eaten away by Austerity; but if it has been cut out of existence, what do you do then? Even if you are lucky enough to never need it, aren’t we all duty bound to make sure that others have access to that security when they need it?

8 OPINION AND DEBATE TATE’s New Job Ad Raises Questions: Are Art Professionals Paid Fairly? SVILENA IOTKOVSKA

owards the end of January, TATE advertised the position of ‘Head of Coffee’, a role which was listed to earn £39,500 per year. Following this job ad, TATE faced great backlash as this role highlighted the shocking pay discrepancy between the advertised position and most curatorial jobs; that is, according to Art News, curators earn about £5,000 less per year than the advertised coffee expert role. What is more, according to Art News writer Zachary Small, this pay discrepancy illustrates the ‘lack of respect for people who organise exhibitions at one of the world’s most prestigious museums’. TATE responded to the backlash it received by claiming that the roles which were being compared are at ‘different levels of seniority’ and that one cannot compare the salary of a head of department with that of a lower ranking curatorial job. Nevertheless, this does not change the fact that employees in the arts industry are severely underpaid and can barely keep up with London’s costs of living. Celeste Wong, one of London’s top baristas, wrote for the Art Newspaper stating that ‘what we should take from this is not that coffee experts are paid too much but that museum professionals are paid too little’. This

statement resonates not only with the curators at TATE but also with other curatorial roles. Taking a case in point, in October 2019, staff of some of the top science museums in London called for industrial action, demanding an increase in wages; this is as, according to BBC, findings showed that ‘25% of Science Museum employees earn less than the “London living wage”’. These statistics are appalling and action must be taken immediately in order to resolve the unfair pay of many workers in the culture and heritage industries. Furthermore, in response to TATE’s ‘Head of Coffee’ role and the industrial actions in October, Alan Leighton, national secretary of the trade union Prospect commented: ‘This cannot continue. Without these qualified specialist workers there would be no galleries and no museums. It’s time that was recognised and those roles rewarded accordingly’. When applying for a university degree, most students are told to study a subject which will prove to be financially rewarding; as a result, fewer and fewer students are applying to arts-oriented degrees. In the long run, consequences will prove to be severe if action is not taken to improve the pay of arts specialists; if wages are not increased, there will no longer be a demand for the jobs which preserve a country’s culture – and without arts and culture, we have nothing.

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Is water the new petroleum?

Image: Unsplash AMY GERVASIO

ater is something we undeniably take for granted. Despite this, it is arguably our most valuable resource as humans; primarily as the source that sustains us. By 2025, there are estimations that 2 billion people worldwide could face water shortages, according to UN water information. Whilst inevitable and looming unless we make global changes, this crisis is already offering immense investment opportunities, and has forced investors to question: is water really the next big commodity? According to the US geological Survey, 97% of all water on earth is saltwater and renders it unusable. The remaining 3% of water is freshwater, but 2% of this is frozen, leaving us with 1% for the entire globe. This miniscule percentage is split 90% used in agriculture, and the rest is used industrially and for drinking. This water is obviously scarce, but we continue to enhance its scarcity by valuing it incorrectly. This is painfully visible in how cheap water is to both simply have running in homes, and in the price of everyday goods. We are blissfully unaware of how much water it takes to produce goods. 130 Litres of water goes into the process

of one cup of coffee. It takes estimated 3000 litres to create a 1/3-pound burger. Harvard Business estimates that by 2030, our water supplies will only be able to satisfy 60% of all water needs. How do we manage this issue? There are two main avenues which are most commonly promoted which illustrate perfectly the dilemma of valuing this invaluable resource whilst ensuring that everyone has equal access to it. The first potential option is increasing the price of water, an issue opposed by human rights activists who highlight the inclusion of the ‘human right to water and sanitation’ as adopted by the General Assembly of the UN in 2010. The other option is to limit the water availability users can draw, as exhibited in the ‘day zero’ concept used in South Africa. Conversations exist concerning both investing in prevention methods to help use water efficiently, and investing in controlling the water supply. Impax Asset Management for example, are focusing on investing in resource scarcity and has investments in precision irrigation and pipes and water-treatment systems, yielding an over 400% increase for the Aqua fund it manages. This clear play towards resource efficiency

has proved profitable and beneficial to the wider public with less water being wasted. Similarly, Kleinwort Benson has currently $1.5billion in assets under their ‘environmental strategy’. In wealthy western countries like the UK and the US, continual lack of investment in pipe systems has created a void companies have pounced on. Pure Technologies is currently using their acoustic technologies to uncover pipes that need repairs. Buying land to obtain water rights and developing expensive technologies to desalinate water are other methods firms are employing to control the global water supply. There is a huge market, that is being utilised by savvy companies and will inevitably be increasingly used in the future. It is not just poorer, drought-prone countries which are affected by this water crisis. The UK is affected too. The ripple effects of the scarcity of water are huge. Whilst we can only wait to observe how water is managed for the next few years to determine the future cost and availability of our life source, in the waiting time it would be advisable to really consider how you’re actually consuming water and invest time in finding out ways of using water sensibly and sustainably.

FEATURES 9

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Is There a Place for Technology in the World of the Arts Today?

LUCY MORRIS

heatre has existed for thousands of years - it was integral in the society of the Ancient Greeks, who had a social duty to regularly visit the theatre. But the Ancient Greeks, and even people in British society 30 years ago, did not have smartphones. Is there a place for such technology in the world of the arts today? Undoubtedly, theatre has also moved on with the times, and the special effects in productions today would not exist had technology not evolved as it has. Moreover, social media has become vital in the marketing campaigns for theatre companies. It is a great way to promote

new, upcoming productions and it is often free advertising – perfect for companies battling the underfunding of the arts industry today. In a time when the arts are being squashed further and further out of the curriculum of mainstream education, it is vital to keep the arts accessible. Today’s technology plays an important role in this. People do not have to go to the theatre to see theatre anymore. With the evolution of technology, performances are often live screened to cinemas, televisions, even right into people’s hands on the screen of their smartphone. This is great in that it provides opportunity for theatre to reach people who would not otherwise have access to

Image Source: Commons.Wikimedia.org

it, tackling the issue of socioeconomic barriers around the arts, but are we losing the unique experience of going to the theatre? Turning off my phone seems a basic part of theatre etiquette. To go on my phone, in my opinion, would ruin the experience not only for the poor soul sitting next to me (who will inevitably have the light from my phone in the corner of their eye distracting them from the show) but also for myself. Yet, despite the announcement to the entire theatre before every performance to “please switch off your phone”, some people seem physically unable to survive the two-hour long experience without their phone being part of it. When

I recently saw the West End production of Wicked, I could not help but notice

act. However, the interval used to be a time for people to discuss the show so far, to stay in

Image Source: Pxhere.com

the young woman two rows in front of me who spent the entirety of the first act scrolling through Instagram. This, to me, seemed a blatant waste of money. With the price of theatre tickets reaching upwards of £200, surely the very least one ought to do to get their money’s worth is watch the show. And if you are one of those people trying to film it on your smartphone to save for later, I can assure you that it really just will not be as good as the reallife performance happening on the stage in front of you. When the safety curtain comes down to mark the start of the interval, the first thing that many people do (or those who had actually managed to turn their phone off) is check what messages they might have received over the duration of the first

the bubble of the theatre and enjoy it with their fellow audience members – and of course have an ice cream. Without trying to sound like a theatre snob, it seems to me that, these days, some people just do not know how to behave in a theatre. I cannot help but wonder whether this is related to the ongoing domination of smartphones and technology over real trips to the theatre. If someone has never been to live theatre before, then maybe you cannot blame them for not knowing the proper etiquette. But it seems a shame for future generations if we lose the magical escapism of going to the theatre. For those two or so hours, you can forget the outside world exists, so do not let it in through the portal of your smartphone. Just enjoy it in the moment, and make the most of that pricey ticket.

10 FEATURES

THE FOUNDER February 2020

How Social Media is Changing the Publishing Industry KATHRYN SAUNDERS

he publishing industry is renowned for being arduous for graduates and other young people to enter. The issues lie in the notable lack of entry-level jobs which do not expect years of experience which most young people are unable to obtain because of the classic cycle of not being able to get experience because everywhere you try to get experience from demands that you already have experience. This, whether intentional or not, sets the industry against young people and has been accused of exploiting them for their desperation to enter the industry – and it is by no means the only industry with such a problem. With Margaret Busby, a Royal Holloway University of London alumni and the first black female publisher, giving a talk on campus in November, this concern is coming to the attention of many. In the last few months, however, social media has been used to challenge this with the hashtag # B o o k J o b T r a n s p a r e n c y. Companies who post job adverts without listing salaries, requiring years of experience for entry-level jobs, and generally vague descriptions of expectations within advertisements are all factors of which people have noticed within the publishing industry, and are all things which the Book Job Transparency campaign aims to decrease. Popularised in 2018 on Twitter by Aki Schilz,

Director of The Literary Consultancy, the campaign began by encouraging companies to improve the clarity of communication in their job listings, claiming this would open their applications to 30 percent more jobseekers who had been deterred by a job listing not including a salary. Additionally, the campaign addresses the debate on whether unpaid internships are ethical – the general consensus being that an unpaid internship of under two weeks is essentially work experience, and anything longer is believed to be exploitative. This is the argument that people should not have to suffer financially in order to enter the industry they aspire to have a career in and that experience should not be a luxury when it is a requirement for nearly every application. While it received some backlash claiming that job hunting has always been difficult and not all jobs are accessible to everyone, the campaign makes it clear that social media is pivotal in specifically targeting those searching for entrylevel positions and to gain experience and encouraging others to share their advice on things, such as which skills to highlight on your CV, to make job hunting a more positive experience for the future generation of aspiring publishers. Resulting from this, the campaign is utilising

social media to promote companies who demonstrate transparency, and question those which do not. Certain sites which compile job advertisements have been refusing to publicise any which do not list a salary or are unpaid for over two weeks. Likewise, scrolling through the hashtag #WorkInPublishing acts as a highlight reel for the best opportunities and advice on getting into publishing which celebrates companies who are doing it right. Twitter accounts have been made with the purpose of gathering current opportunities around the country for everything from work experience, jobs, and employability workshops, making them accessible from one source and frequently updated. Penguin Random House, the biggest publishing company in the UK, have been a forerunner in making the publishing industry more accessible to young people. During Work in Publishing Week in Nov 2019, their Careers team published eight detailed and informative blog posts explaining the ins and outs of eight sectors within publishing; Marketing, Design, Technology, Production, Publicity, Editorial, Sales, and Distribution, all from a rarely-heard entry-level standpoint. This inspired others to do similar, opening up the publishing industry to be more transparent while still maintaining fairness.

Continued on from front page make the world a better place”. The Wissenbach family are determined to continue his legacy of making a difference to the world. Hence, The Oliver Wissenbach 100 Schools Project, run by The Magic Future Foundation. Oli was an educator – he was a qualified English teacher – and the family are honouring him and his legacy by building 100 schools in his name. Together as a family, Stefan, Diana, Oliver, Alex and Max Wissenbach built a school in Africa in 2013. Having witnessed the impact, they hoped to build more, and Oli and father, Stefan, spoke at length about one day building 100. The morning he died, Oli’s younger siblings, Max and Alex, said they wanted to build a school in Oli’s honour. Stefan’s response was that they wouldn’t build one – they would build 100. This is the aim of The Oliver Wissenbach 100 Schools Project: to build 100 schools in less than a year. After consulting BuildOn - the most successful organisation in the world for building schools, having built over 1,600 in the last 25 years – the family realised that this feat is, in fact, possible. They are now completely committed to making this happen. However, they cannot complete this alone, and the hope is that a whole community will be formed,

united around this mission. The impact of the project will be huge, with far-reaching and longterm socio-economic effects. Providing these villages with schools will result in generations of educated people, and, when you educate people, you break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations. The experience of building a school is also hugely transformative for the people, families and businesses that attend. So, the ripple effect will be huge, from the people who benefit directly from the school, to those involved in the school-building experience, and the fundraisers who can also get involved. Following his death, the family discovered anonymous writing on Quora, written by Oli, and decided to turn this into a book. Within five days of Oli’s passing, Sam Leaper’s Little Book of Wisdom was published, written and illustrated by Oliver ‘Felix’ Wissenbach. The book is currently available to buy on the Oliver Wissenbach website, and proceeds will go towards The Oliver Wissenbach 100 Schools Project. It costs £30,000 to build a school, so this project is big, but one that is possible, and fundraising will be a key part of the campaign. To donate, buy the book, or find out more about the project, visit oliverwissenbach.com.

FEATURES 11

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Forget Navarro Cheer, it is all about the Royal Holloway Bears Level Two and a stunt team. I have seen all of the teams and I can say the improvement from the beginning of the year is insane and I really really hope these athletes realise what they can do because it is amazing.

MELISSA NOCK

fter the success of the recent Netflix series Cheer (if you don’t know what that is, get to know it), I decided to interview our very own Katrina Rutina, president of Royal Holloway Cheerleading and Dance to see what our cheer team has been up to. It was a brilliant interview with lots of laughs and Katrina even gave us a sneak peek into some upcoming events. MN: So, have you been watching the new Cheer series on Netflix? KR: Absolutely, I binged it in one day. MN: (laughs) and what do you think? KR: I think that it is wonderful they have made it. It is created in a way where you can really understand what cheer is like without having to learn the rules of cheer. It shows how important it is that everyone comes to training, that everyone gives their 200 percent and how important attitudes are. It really shows the hard work, pain and stress we go through, and so maybe now people will understand why we take it so seriously. MN: Is being a member of the Royal Holloway Bears as intense and physically demanding as it is made out to be on Netflix? KR: Let me say this, it is as challenging because we have a different background. Rarely do we have professional athletes coming in who have done cheer for the past 13 years, so it is just as intense for us when you compare the levels.

MN: What do you think are the main differences between cheer in America and cheer in the UK? KR: I think the main difference is that cheer in America is respected a lot more. People do not see cheer as girls in uniforms on the side line screaming for their university; they see it as a sport on its own and that is what we are trying to achieve. Usually when people ask me: ‘Who do you cheer for?’, I say, ‘We cheer for ourselves!’. People have not quite grasped the concept of us having our own thing competing against other teams. MN: What are you guys up to at the moment and how is this season going? KR: We have got a lot on our plates. This year, just like every year, our Sideline team are smashing it already!

MN: I have heard that (laughs). KR: Yes! They are our noncompetitive team and it proves how much you can learn without doing it before. They come in thinking they are not going for the competitive team, that they are not going to make it and then they learn these skills and stunts, build their confidence throughout the year and really show us all up at Showcase! It is a shame that they are sometimes underestimated as they can really do a lot of things and this year they have a chance to prove that outside of Showcase. They will be performing at the American Football game on the 9 th Feb – if the weather is good. It is a home game and we are doing a half time show for them so it is nice they will get to feel that experience of performing in front of

spectators. MN: How are the competitions going? KR: We have not had any yet but we had Snowcase in December which went really well. Right now, all the routines are finished and athletes are getting used to performing. Our first competition is on the 16th Feb and it is FC Nationals. It is a big competition so it will be interesting to see how well we perform. This year, instead of having just four teams – two competitive cheer teams and two competitive dance teams, we also have two stunt teams. This is a completely new division – we have not had a stunt team in six or seven years so I am very curious to see how we will perform. As well as being President, I am on four teams which cover all bases – Jazz, Hiphop, All Girl

MN: I have seen great things from the charity side this year too! KR: We have got an absolutely amazing charity secretary - Abby White. We have hit our £500 target and collected a total of 258 products for Beauty Banks UK. Snowcase brought in a lot of financial support and we had a great turnout. It is so encouraging seeing everyone on committee and in each team supporting. Three of our committee members, Abby White, David Larbi and Mima Farr will be running the Thorpe and Egham half marathon for charity. There will also be a beer pong tournament, hosted by us in March, where people get to compete for prizes, medals and cups all whilst fundraising for charity. MN: Finally, the new uniforms look amazing but no one has seen them yet – are they going to be debuted for Come In Your Kit? KR: (laughs) No! We have said that no-one is wearing them for Come In Your Kit - they are too beautiful. However, we are filming a promo video for them and we will film it at nine panel which is this Saturday (1st Feb) and will come out very soon. MN: Well, cheer is certainly doing great on campus. Congratulations and I wish you all the best in your upcoming competitions.

12 LIFESTYLE

Being Alone ANTONIA ALUKO

The Perks of Revising Early ISABELLE (ALEX) MECCANO-THOMAS

ately, I have learned the importance of being alone and having time to yourself. Never have I been able to stand my own company and although this may seem depressing, it was a fact that I lived with and was content with for a long time. I associated being with friends to happiness and derived my happiness with being surrounded by like-minded individuals and although this was okay for me for a long time, you cannot always be around people twenty-four hours in a day. From Christmas onwards, I became overwhelmed by people and having to interact socially and honestly it was draining. I love my friends and I enjoy being around them, but I had not been alone comfortably for a long time. Often, my private moments were consumed with making plans to see someone or going to places where a lot of people would be. The only time I would be in solitude was when I was home alone, in the bathroom or asleep and trust me that is not adequate time to one’s self. So, I had enough, I was burnt out by coursework, exhausted socially and could not stand my own company, and I was going to change that. I waited till I had handed in all my deadlines and I took some time out for myself. Some real time alone where I was comfortable and relaxed and here is how I did it:

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Image source: Pixabay

by a twenty-minute shower. Try out a new soap or scrub, spend a few minutes longer washing your hair, put on some lo-fi hip hop beats in the background and pretend you are in a YouTube tutorial. Whatever floats your boat. Step 2: Candles Or even just soothing smells really. I know most student accommodation is not candle or flame friendly so perhaps consider plug ins. Yankee Candle sell a wonderful plug in that lasted me over a year for two bottles which I used weekly. Even if you leave it on in your room at full blast it lasts quite a while and manages to be cost-friendly at £6.99 per refill on http:// amazon.co.uk. The black coconut and lavender scents are my personal favourite.

too. I found that I am at my happiest when I am making pancakes by myself. However, you can make anything that you know will bring you joy. Have your cake and eat it too. Step 4: Audiobooks Being alone is not being alone if you immerse yourself in an audiobook. Reading has never been easier when you have someone read it to you like a bedtime story. Some of my favourite reads have been transformed into tranquil sessions of listening to a soothing song and I have http://audible.com to thank for that. Giving it a try is definitely in your best interest.

All in all, being alone is okay. You only have yourself at the end of the day and that is not Step 3: Pancakes sad but comforting. Being Cooking is a great way to alone is not necessarily being Step 1: Showers There is nothing sweeter spend time by yourself and alone but being at peace with than the relaxation followed enjoy what you are making yourself.

n my lifetime, I have failed 4 exams: 2 in Maths, 1 in Psychology and 1 in Archaeology. All of these exams were different, but they had one thing in common: I tried to cram. For some people, cramming for exams is the best way to get all the information into your head in a very short period of time before it is instantly forgotten after the exam. But for others, it is a timeconsuming way of achieving nothing that leads to failure. I had heard this over and over and always rolled my eyes or swore it would not happen to me. It was only after watching as I tripped myself up for the umpteenth time, that I realised the only person I was hurting was myself by not trying it. I know how easy it is to say “one more episode” or “I’ll start next week”. But all these excuses build up and you are left kicking yourself when you look at that final grade. So, here is my advice:

Tip 1: Look at what you need to do. Look at the syllabus or the course outline. Write a list of everything you need to do. It is going to look like a lot, but once you have

Image source: Unslpash

somewhere to start, you are halfway there. Tip 2: Take it slow. Some people want to jump straight in and make a large dent immediately but this can often lead to you being burnt out and disappointed. Let yourself rest. My best advice would be to divide each task up into subtasks so that you can tick off something small every day. It might not be significant, but it will be something that helps motivate you to do more. Tip 3: Ask your teachers for advice. Lecturers and seminar leaders know more about the exam than any classmate or graduate. And they are literally paid to help you. Ask them for advice on how to start revising and what techniques to use. They may even be able to hint at key pieces of information or themes that need extra work. Tip 4: START EARLY. This is the biggest one that people often underestimate. For my exam in May, I started revising in November. It may seem ridiculous to some people, but in a world where so much of what happens is uncontrollable, the things in our lives that we can control are worth controlling. If I can give myself a little extra time to achieve a higher grade then it seems foolish not to. A little day makes the exam period a little less stressful, and a lot more productive.

THE FOUNDER February 2020

LIFESTYLE 13

Students Supporting Students COURTNEY MCLAVEN

niversity can be an overall stressful time for anyone. What can make or break your university experience is having support from your fellow students. As we are all in the same boat, we should all help one another to ensure everyone has a positive university experience, even through the stress of deadlines, exams and heavy workloads. There are many ways in which this can be done. Communication: Communication is key. If you can have an open conversation with your friends, housemates or

even someone who may be showing signs of struggle, you can have a better understanding of what they are going through and how you may be able to support them. Actions: After having this conversation, you can then decide what can be done to help. For example, if someone is finding it difficult to keep up with lectures, make some time to help them understand and ease their stress. It may not even be academic help, just take them for a coffee or a drink to wind down and destress for an hour or so.

Results: If you can do any of these things, even for one person, you will really be able to help someone. As students, we are all going through the same emotions and experiences, so helping each other through the tough times will improve university life for everyone. I spoke with Sammy Miller, the chair of the Disabled Collective at Royal Holloway. I asked her how she would like to be supported by other students. Her response was, “I think the most important thing when it comes to supporting disabled students, or any students really, is feeling able to ask questions”. So,

we should never be scared to ask people what they need. If we can help someone, even just a little, and make their day easier then you would be making a difference for someone. She continued, “A lot of the time people know I have a disability but they try to tiptoe around it – so one thing I would say is definitely know that it's okay to speak to us about our disability. Even someone saying to me 'do you want me to send you my notes after the seminar' or offering to carry my bag for me on days when I am on crutches can make such a difference. I remember once I was in class and I was in a lot of pain and was clearly struggling to concentrate,

and the girl sat next to me, who I knew a little, messaged me on facebook saying 'I can see you are in pain. Is there anything I can do?’ That meant the world to me”. From Sammy’s personal experience, we can see that there are students already on campus doing their best to be an ally to students. At Royal Holloway, we should strive for a campus which supports every student through the hardships which are synonymous with university life. If each of us can take small steps to help each other out, then we are well on our way to creating a safe and friendly environment for everyone.

Why you are allowed to stay in the closet SIMRAN GREWAL

very other comingof-age young adult movie or series set to a punk-pop soundtrack with dark humour, a ragtag team of friends and diverse interests is guilty of this: Romanticisation. And that is absolutely fine – I have a pair of pink sunglasses that I like to wear when things need a little bit of help from a splash of rosé to make them as smooth and beautiful as possible. However, I think that coming of age films take it a little too literally. When Love, Simon came out in cinemas in the spring of 2018, my friends and I went absolutely feral. Of course, we went to see it together. This progress doesn’t mean people have to come out.

I know many people who haven’t come out to their parents because they know it doesn’t always end well. “Life isn’t like a movie” we sigh as we go back home, telling our parents we went to see a different movie – not the gay one – just in case our own sexualities come into question. They never do, the beauty of heteronormativity I suppose. For those of my friends who have come out to family, there has been a mixed reaction. Siblings are typically the ones confided in first, the ones who steadfastly and silently support you until you are ready to come out to your parents. But for a lot of LGBT young people, they would rather only tell their parents about their sexual orientation when they enter

into a serious relationship and honestly, that is okay. Usually the reason that people stay closeted with their families is due to religious or cultural differences; many BAME communities barely talk about heterosexual relationships and discussion of same sex relationships or gender is rarely a hot topic for discussion. People should respect that. Boundaries are put in place so that people do not get hurt or put in a position where they are open to becoming vulnerable. Always put your own safety, wellbeing and peace of mind first because only you know what is best for you at the end of the day. Even if your family or friends are the most supportive allies in the world you do not have to feel obligated to tell people

in the closet if that is where you feel the safest. There is nothing shameful about it. Hug your friends, watch a Netflix young adult coming of age film set to a punkpop soundtrack with dark humour and a ragtag team of friends with broad and diverse interests. Do not ever be ashamed to be you, even if that means you need to stay in the closet to do so. If you need support with LGBT issues do not hesitate to contact the following charities:

Image source: freesvg.org

– straight people never have to come out so why should you? You are allowed to stay

- Just Like Us - MIND: LGBTQ - LGBT Foundation

14 ARTS & CULTURE

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Impressions of Modern Life at Royal Holloway NIAMH SMITH

or the duration of this term, Royal Holloway has the immense honour of being home to works by some of the greatest artists of all time. Courtesy of the Courtauld Institute of Art, which is closed for refurbishment until next Spring, a collection of twenty-four prints from the Impressionist and PostImpressionist movements will be on display in the Exhibition Space until the 3 rd April. I was lucky enough

to attend the opening of the exhibition on the 22nd January, where I was able to talk to the co-curators of the exhibition, Dr Rachel Sloan and Dr Imogen Tedbury. They struggled to choose their favourite pieces, but both expressed an admiration for the works of Berthe Morisot. The sole female artist in the exhibition, Morisot’s etchings are intimate portrayals of Parisian domesticity, and were not exhibited until after her death in 1907. Married to the brother of Edouard Manet, whose groundbreaking work Olympia is featured in print

form, Morisot’s reputation has grown especially in recent years, with her work making her one of the most valued female artists at contemporary auctions. As well as Morisot and Manet, Impressions of Modern Life is also notable for containing two Paul Cezanne prints, which account for a quarter of his total printmaking output, as well as works by ToulouseLautrec and Paul Gaugin. Lautrec’s The Jockey was highlighted by Dr Sloan as one of her favourite works in the collection, and the print

beautifully demonstrates his fascination with the human body. The exhibition also contains a strong collection of Post-Impressionist works, by the likes of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Dr Tedbury pointed out how the Picasso print is not what most visitors would expect: the gentle, slender lines of The Nude Model are in sharp contrast to the sharp, brutal edges of works such as Guernica. It is truly amazing to have such a wealth of artistic treasures here at Royal Holloway, and I

Miss Havisham (Tiwalde Ibirogba-Olulode) and Estella (Alice Franziska)

Images Credits: Niamh Smith

would implore everyone at the university to visit the collection before it closes. Following on from last year’s fantastic Christiana Herringham display, it is to be hoped that further outstanding artworks will be shown in the Exhibition Space in the future. As Dr Ernst Vegelin, the Head of the Courtauld Gallery, said in his opening speech, ‘hopefully, this exhibition will be the beginning of a long partnership between the Courtauld and Royal Holloway’.

THE FOUNDER February 2020

ARTS & CULTURE 15

1,000 Words:

‘Borne back ceaselessly An Eyewitness Representation of into the past’: The Great Gatsby the Execution of King Charles I Immersive Experience

by John Weesop

CIARA QUINN

An Eyewitness Representation of the Execution of King Charles I by John Weesop NIAMH SMITH

his gruesome work of historical painting depicts the execution of King Charles I, the ruler of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1649. He is the only British monarch (to date) that has been executed, having been found guilty of treason against the government on the 27th January that year. Three days later, in front of a large crowd that had gathered outside the Banqueting House at Whitehall, Charles was beheaded with a single stroke. With the head roughly sown back in place, the king was buried, without a funeral, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on the 8th February. This oil painting, by the Dutch painter John Weesop, was completed in the same year. A work in the classical style, An Eyewitness Representation is unusual for having four separate sections displayed around the central picture. The first shows Charles before he was

beheaded, wearing his Order of the Garter Insignia. The Order, the precursor to the modern-day OBE (Order of the British Empire), was an honour bestowed upon the nobility for chivalrous acts, having been founded during the reign of Edward III. An ardent Royalist, who left Britain for the Netherlands after Charles’ execution, Weesop, in displaying the king’s insignia, is highlighting the generosity and gallantry for which Charles was celebrated amongst the Royalists. The next section shows the executioner's assistant holding up the head of Charles after his execution. There is a certain formality in the way that Weesop depicts the executioner, whilst Charles’ motionless face is drained of colour. This juxtaposition continues in the other two sections of the painting, which show Parliament arriving on the left and the people rushing to dip their handkerchiefs in the king’s blood on the right.

Parliament, who signed Charles’ death warrant, are seen walking in a formation, wearing funeral black, whilst the picture of the ordinary populace is enlivened with more colour. Not only was staining fabrics with the king’s blood seen as a keepsake of a momentous event in British history, but it has been widely recognized by historians as being symbolic of the sympathy that many ordinary people felt towards Charles, and the subsequent grief that followed his death. Indeed, in the central section of the painting, a fainting woman is depicted slumping to the floor. In the background, five men, almost resembling actors on a stage, hold up Charles’ decapitated head, whilst blood pours from the corpse. The theatre of the past is very real, and through Weesop’s eyes, we can experience, even just fleetingly, what it would have been like to witness this terrible milestone in British history.

couple of weeks ago, I attended an immersive production of The Great Gatsby, as part of a trip organised by the Royal Holloway Drama Society. Based upon the timeless novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the premise of the performance is that the audience have been invited to attend one of Jay Gatsby’s infamous house parties. Lively jazz music fills the room and a bar offering an array of themed cocktails sets the scene for the evening. The actual experience commences when Nick Carraway, the original narrator, recollects a tale about the first night he met Gatsby from his hidden place in the audience. Following this captivating introduction, the actors perform an energetic and upbeat Charleston, inviting the audience members to join them on the dance floor. This creates a real party atmosphere, as almost everyone in the room interacts and dances with each other. Audience participation is

Image source: LoveTheatre.com

something that truly drives the show forward, due to the fact that everyone is guaranteed to have a unique experience among the cast members. The audience members can choose which cast members they would like to spend the evening with, and which perspective of the story they would like to hear. For example, one of the most memorable aspects of the evening for me was when Daisy, played by Lucinda Turner, called my friends and I to her bedroom after the tragic car crash near the novel’s climax. The room was scented with roses and there were several personalised antique trinkets, making the experience even more believable than it already was. Each of the different rooms in the venue perfectly fitted the era and the style of the 1920s. Truly like stepping back in time, I would recommend this experience to anyone with an interest in literature or theatre, or simply someone looking for a fun, unusual night out. One of the most memorable and exciting pieces of theatre I have seen in a while, The Great Gatsby is an experience that I am definitely planning on seeing again in the future.

16 LITERARY REVIEW

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ALEX MECCANO-THOMAS

s Charlotte Brontë’s (rightfully) most famous work, Jane Eyre follows the journey of a young woman leaving her broken home in search of a new one. Her childhood was agonising and painful, as she faces living in a family who despise and bullies her whilst the threat of being sent to an institution that barely tolerates her looms over her. Jane’s journey goes full circle, starting with her

childhood in the red room – the room where her uncle died – where, filled with panic, Jane hallucinates a ghost and faints. This ghost haunts Jane for the rest of the book, in various forms, and represent her fears and loneliness. She does eventually find a home in need of some tender love and care, in the form of the Rochester household as the governess. Within this role, she touches the lives of every character and builds them into real people in our

Image: Poster of 1921 Jane Eyre film (Wikimedia)

lives. The shy young Adèle Varens, Mr Rochester’s ward, who lost her mother, and relies on Jane to fill that role as no-one had done for her; the stern but caring Mrs Fairfax, who watches the madness of the house with worried but knowing eyes; the imposing Mr Rochester, who is dashing and wild and more than meets the eye. Jane’s kind and (often brutally) honest attitude, puts her in unpredictable circumstances, where she must choose between her

desires and her moral duty. Full of twists and turns, this dark novel draws you in to the ominous presence of Thornfield manner, and makes you question the senses and honesty of all the characters, as things start to go bump in the night. With a convoluted narrative, dark themes and complex characters, Brontë brings Jane’s hopes and fears to life in a brilliantly confident way, and makes you question your own sanity.

The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara – A Review MATTHEW SMITH

he Guevara is certainly a controversial figure. He is viewed by some as an emancipator and by others as a brute, but this review is not an analysis of the Cuban revolution. In 1952 Che Guevara embarked on a journey across South America with his friend Alberto, and this short work documents that experience. Che paints a vivid picture of a vibrant continent of breath-taking scenery and colourful characters as he travels on his motorcycle from town to town. As trained doctors, Che and Alberto are received as mild celebrities in impoverished areas and this status gets them gifts of food, accommodation and warm words from the locals. Nevertheless, these young men often found themselves

camped at the roadside with nothing to warm them except a couple of blankets and a crudely assembled fire. Guevara was still in the process of forming his political philosophy, and while he had read extensive works to develop a sharp intellect, it was these firsthand experiences which transformed him into a communist. On his travels, Guevara observes a young couple who have ventured across Chile in search of menial work to support their family. Ostracised for the husband’s communist beliefs, they were going to the dreaded sulphur mines where conditions were so poor, anyone who was willing to do the work was given a job. One can see Guevara’s sympathy for the couple as he gives them one of his two blankets

even though he had to sleep in the cold air huddled with Alberto. Those readers who perhaps finds themselves intimidated by political works should consider this as the perfect introduction to political thought as these diaries grew naturally from experience and can be read as mostly poetic rather than revolutionary. These diaries have a unique truthfulness to them precisely because they were not written with the specific intention of convincing the reader of any one line of thought, although Che’s socialism clearly becomes more determined. What is surprising about this work is how impressively Che Guevara recreates the people he met, such as the drunken police sergeant who insists on shooting a cigarette

placed in Alberto’s mouth to light it, or the man who chased Guevara from his village when he got a little too familiar with his wife. Once more, I must point out how honest this work is as Guevara makes no attempt to be a conventional hero. He

is honest about his flirtations with a married woman, his attempted theft of a couple of bottles of wine and his failure to defend a group of indigenous people who were being repeatedly insulted by some men travelling in the same truck. Che will always be a divisive figure so this book might be condemned to cause arguments for years to come, not for its content, but simply for its existence. However, I would encourage readers to see it for the simple and sincere tribute to South America which it seems to be. Image: Che Guevara (Wikimedia)

THE FOUNDER February 2020

LITERARY REVIEW 17

Casino Royale Maurice: A Review by Ian Fleming: A Review E MERCEDES-GEORGIA MAYES

DANIEL RIDDLE

“

You know the name, you know the number” remains an ionic tagline for the 1995 Bond film Goldeneye, but the James Bond presented within Ian Flemming’s first iteration of the 007 novels cuts quite a different image to the hero shown on the silver screen. The first impression we are offered of the protagonist is not that of a hero, or even a loveable maverick, but simply a chain-smoking gambler with a predilection for certain alcoholic drinks. One of the reasons that Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan remain my favourite actors to portray Bond is that they manage to retain a certain level of grit and ruthlessness of the character, but throughout the novel I found myself almost wishing for the omission and softening of the more unsavoury aspects of Bond’s character that is inevitably provided by the glamour and spectacle of Hollywood and blockbuster films. While Bond’s treatment of women within the film franchise has always been problematic at best, the opinions on female colleagues and women in general he expresses within Casino Royale are not simply dated, but openly misogynistic and potentially triggering for any reader with a history of sexual assault. However, aside from the protagonist remaining at best an irredeemable misogynist, Casino Royale presents a genuinely engaging read, as the novel avoids much

of the high-stakes saving the world type shenanigans that too often pervade the film franchise, and instead focuses on a much smaller scale mission of economic sabotage, a concept that remains relevant to the politics of today. Bond is sent by the secret service to bankrupt the foreign agent Le Chiffre through gambling to prevent him from reamassing funds owed to rival nations, but finds himself inevitably drawn into a complex web of espionage and assassination attempts on his own person. This relatively small-scale premise enables Fleming to deeply explore the psychology of his characters and maintain a relatively high level of believable tension, as the reader becomes invested in the stakes and reparations of the card game between Bond and Le Chiffre. On a side note, in the interest of avoiding spoilers, I shall not go into details but Chapter 17 “My dear boy”, although not graphic, remains unpleasant (anyone who has watched the film is probably aware of the scene I am referring to) and may be skipped with very little progression of the plot omitted that the reader would not be able to deduce from the context. Overall, Casino Royale presents the main character and plot of the Bond franchise as Ian Fleming intended: engaging, thrilling but with several dark points that arguably deserve to be omitted.

.M Forster’s Maurice was published a year after his death, in 1971. The book details the sprouting love of a young man, Maurice Hall, at Cambridge University, and the trials and successes of his relationships thereafter. The main obstacle to his romantic endeavours? Through a slow process of self-discovery, Maurice comes to the realisation that he is attracted to members of his own sex. Written in 1914, Maurice is one of the first pieces of literature to openly portray the navigation of a homosexual relationship in a favourable light. Forster traces the development of Hall through his younger years up through adulthood, delicately broaching his slow discovery of his transgressive sexuality and his even more gradual journey of selfacceptance. Maurice must fight against the prejudices of others as well his own prejudices against himself as he comes to grips with his desire and what it means for him. The historical context in which the story is based, and in which Forster himself grew up, spectacularly highlights the difficulties of navigating a homosexual relationship in a time when it was villainised and criminalised, without alienating modern audiences. However, what Maurice does most strikingly is present homosexuality in a progressive light. In its autobiographical detail, Forster comes to terms with

Image: E.M. Forster (Wikimedia)

homosexuality as something which did not deserve the opprobrium it inspired at the time in which it was written. Instead of the myths surrounding homosexuality that were propagated during his lifetime, Forster draws attention to the tenderness and passion that exists in homosexual relations as in any other. He investigates the supposed problems of reproduction and self-loathing that many experienced in the early twentieth century as a result of the mythos of what it meant to be attracted to a member of the same sex, as well as the inherent fear of being caught, which confined many to heterosexual relationships. It is unceasingly blunt in its assessment of what people thought of and how they reacted to the concept of

homosexuality, and as a result paints an unforgiving picture of the prejudices upheld in Britain for far too long. Recounted in a wonderfully poetic prose, it is a passionate and sensitive story: at times deliriously joyous, and at others devastatingly heartbreaking. It is a tale of growing up as much as it is a tale of finding love, with a message of self-discovery and self-acceptance that anyone can find some of themselves within. Altogether, Maurice offers an insightful, delicate, and uplifting account of what it was to be gay in the early 1900s and stands as a staple of classic LGBT literature that should not be forgotten with haste.

18 LITERARY REVIEW

THE FOUNDER February 2020

The Seven Husbands of Wuthering Heights Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Review Jenkins Reid: Review D SOPHIE DEAVILLE

Image Source: Waterstones MEGAN WATSON

aylor Jenkins Reid’s novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, offers much more than your typical romance novel as it discusses key themes of discrimination, race, sexuality and equality. I was pleasantly surprised at the extent to which this novel forces you to consider life for a woman in the ‘50s and that it is written in a way which captivates and entertains the reader from start to finish as the mystery of Evelyn’s story unravels. The novel focuses on the life of Evelyn Hugo, a highly successful Hollywood movie star of the ‘50s. The story begins in present day with the protagonist Monique, a woman in her thirties, dissatisfied with life, going through a messy divorce, and working for a magazine company. She

dreams of becoming chief editor of the company, Vivant, but unfortunately only produces minimal pieces. One day, Monique receives an intriguing request from Evelyn Hugo to write her life story and publish her memoirs in a book. As the novel unfolds, we discover the mystery behind the star and delve deeper into Evelyn’s seven husbands and which one truly was the love of her life. Reid does not shy away from discussing important themes of race and discrimination which is evident from the exploration of Evelyn Hugo’s origins and her struggles with keeping her Cuban heritage. As part of adapting to the ideals of Hollywood, Evelyn is forced to conform to North American society, leaving her Latin heritage behind her and no longer speaking in Spanish. Evelyn’s transition into the Hollywood world is a stark example of the toxic discrimination in the early ‘50s within the film industry. Evelyn’s struggles do not stop with her race as she is denied the opportunities which her male peers receive, leading to her manipulating men to become successful. However, it also leads to

men using her in return for her body and her fame. The novel is complex and leaves the reader questioning each character’s morals. In fact, they are all flawed characters and it’s hard to pick a side, but this only makes the story more compelling as we relate and identify with these very human characteristics. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel was fascinating. It is a page-turner with a narrative that flows from story to story of Evelyn Hugo’s seven husbands. In fact, the novel itself is divided into seven sections for each husband, with the occasional interruption transporting the reader back to present day to see Monique and Evelyn interact with one another. I found the Monique subplot just as enjoyable as Evelyn’s story. Though, there is something captivating about being placed in Hollywood in the ‘50s, behind the glitz and glamour of the movies, to the darker reality of oppression and injustice. At the heart of this novel is Evelyn’s life of romance. Her life story is sprinkled with heart-warming and loving moments. I highly recommend this novel to anyone drawn to romance novels but wanting a twisting, thought-provoking plot that has a mystery to uncover.

ue to its fame as ‘lovestory’, I recently decided to read Wuthering Heights in the hope that it would get me in the mood of February, the month of love. However, I found the opposite to be the case as I was increasingly disturbed by the development of the story of Heathcliff and Catherine. Whilst I have no doubts that ‘love’ is a main theme in this novel, the type of love between Heathcliff and Catherine is a toxic and creepy one, which draws a dark, shadowy cloud of distaste over an otherwise brilliant novel. I cannot deny that Wuthering Heights is a fantastic novel, and I can see why it has been enjoyed through generations since its publication, but the types of love within this novel did not sit well with me. Published in 1847 by Emily Brontë under the name ‘Ellis Bell’, Wuthering Heights begins in the present day and focuses on a Mr. Lockwood who visits his landlord, Heathcliff. When in Heathcliff’s home, Mr. Lockwood has a nightmare about Catherine, a girl whose graffiti he discovers in the room he is staying in. When Heathcliff hears Mr. Lockwood’s cries, he rushes to his room, and remains there in the hope that Catherine will come back. When Mr. Lockwood returns home, he becomes ill, so he stays in bed whilst the nurse Nelly (also known as Ellen Dean) tells him about the family at the Heights some 30 years earlier. The main ‘love-story’ in Wuthering Heights is that of Heathcliff and Catherine, a pair who grew up together when Catherine’s father,

Mr. Earnshaw, adopted Heathcliff when he visited Liverpool. There is speculation that Heathcliff was Mr. Earnshaw’s illegitimate son, which makes the love between himself and Catherine that little bit creepier. As Catherine and Heathcliff grow up, their relationship dwindles, especially when Catherine begins to stay with the Linton family. Wuthering Heights does not just focus on the love between Heathcliff and Catherine, however, as their respective children develop various love interests to the point where Cathy (Catherine’s daughter) and Linton (Heathcliff’s son) form a romantic relationship. Heathcliff’s version of ‘love’ that he has towards Catherine is both toxic and infantile (i.e. that he is only infatuated with her) and when she rejects his advances, he seeks revenge on her. *SPOILER ALERT* Catherine dies in childbirth and Heathcliff digs up her corpse to hold it. This is just a small example of the sociopathic behaviour of Heathcliff. Overall, Wuthering Heights is an amazing, timeless novel, but it is most definitely NOT a love-story.

Image source: Flickr

THE FOUNDER February 2020

LITERARY REVIEW 19

The Last of the Wine – Mary Renault KIARASH GOLSHANI

he magnificence of books lies in their nature to transform paradigms or the reader into a character from the story itself. Never have I been as transformed

– being young – I instantly interpreted it as a war book. While war is omnipresent in this text, it is not a catalyst, but more of an antagonist. Morals decay, society withers and people suffer under the cruel yoke of conflict. The

Image source: Wikimedia

by a book as I was with this one. The year was 2015, my classical interest was fledging, and I had become persistent in scouring the bookshelf for hidden gems. I found this one set during the famous Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta during the zenith of Classical Greece and

protagonist must navigate in this world and attempt to find a place within the confusion. The protagonist/narrator in question is Alexias, an Athenian youth, raised in a dying city who faces his trails of manhood on the field of battle - becoming an ephebe (male youth).

An athlete and a soldier, the fires of war permeate his life, but he still thrives as an ideal young man of Athens. He meets with many famous and rambunctious figures of the age like Alkibiades and becomes a disciple of Sokrates (yes, THE Sokrates) and a contemporaneous student with the likes of Plato and Xenophon. However, the crux of his story is with his friend and lover Lysis, a fellow student of Sokrates. This was the first novel I read where the romance was between two men, and Renault portrays their growing passion and affection brilliantly. The two men become symbiotic and go through their lives together, only for their fates to be intwined in the city they inhabit. It took me a few Mary Renault novels to realise that she is the master of the bildungsroman, the education of the young man. This book is no different. For the nonclassicist, this book offers a lot in terms of the sheer prowess of the writing. The childhood images of Alexias are relatable to all of us: the strong smell of flowers, the size of the trees, the endless fields – the wonders of the countryside and the magic of childhood are

masterfully related. While the environment that these are experienced in differs a lot, with famine and sorrow prevalent, the wonders of the Ancient Greek world seem to be preserved in a time capsule encased within this book. This is a book that transforms. It removes the inhospitable boundaries of academia in favour of a more emotional and restrained piece. The portrayal of male

Socrates Image source: Wikimedia

love during the Greek era is fascinating, to see it so alive and colourful was an experience. If you have a small interest in Ancient Greece or wish to indulge in LGBT fiction from the 1950s, then The Last of the Wine may be your salvation. If you are a classics student and wish to immerse yourself in the era, then this will also satisfy. Highly recommend.

20 LITERARY REVIEW

THE FOUNDER February 2020

The Time is Noon: A Journey into Womanhood During the Interwar – A Review RUXANDRA VRABIE

s Valentine’s Day has just passed, a review on a book about an unforgettable love would seem more suitable for this month’s celebration. There are hundreds of books out there that present readers with perfect fairy-tale love stories, however, in many cases, they do not necessarily represent today’s reality. Consequently, I decided to review a book that is about the challenges we must face by growing into adulthood and the need to

Image source: Pinterest

learn to love ourselves first. Pearl S. Buck’s novel is set in 1920s America and the college graduate Joan Richard prepares to head back home to the Presbyterian town of Middlehope in Eastern Pennsylvania. Being a collegeeducated girl from a good family, she always had a carefree comfortable life, up until now. Unexpectedly her mother becomes very sick and Joan needs to put her own plans on hold to take care of her terminally ill mother. However, when she gets home, she finds out that her sister is to be

married and travel overseas as a missionary, whilst her brother has fallen out with their very religious parents. She soon realises that she is the only one able to take care of her parents and, therefore, she decides to extend her stay and take care of her ageing minister-father. As her siblings leave her, Joan decides that she needs a change in her life, and she decides to settle down and accept Bart’s proposal and they move in into his parents’ house. However, as time goes by, she becomes unhappy and feels trapped in her own home and marriage. She places her hopes into motherhood believing that she will gain a sense of hope and fulfilment from it, but as months past, her only joy becomes a source of grief and she develops post-natal depression. In desperation to free herself from her unhappy marriage, Joan breaks loose from her marital chains and divorces her husband. Soon after, she realises that now she can take back the reins of her own life and Joan becomes a strong

Pearl S. Buck Image source: Wikimedia

independent woman who people rely and depend on. She looks back on her life and contemplates on all the joys and hardships and for the first time in a while, Joan feels content with who she has become, who she is and what her life is like now. We leave a version of Joan who is still young and has a whole life ahead of her and who is now fully prepared to tackle whatever lies ahead. Buck contours an exceptional story of transition from girlhood

to womanhood and of a woman whose life takes a wonderful turn of events when she realises that she is the only one who can improve her own life. In this elegant novel, Buck beautifully contours a powerful and interesting character, whose life struggles resemble that of many other women in 1920s America – as well as even women of today – and who learns the hard way that self-love is the most important love of all.

ARTS: FILM 21

THE FOUNDER February 2020

1917 [REVIEW] Bong Joon-ho Makes History HARRY MEAR

f you didn’t already know, the critical and commercial success of 1917 can be largely attributed to its much-lauded style of being one seemingly continuous tracking shot. But a gimmick for sales and the studio this is not, no false praise can be awarded to Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins for the film begins and climaxes as a feat of filmmaking par excellence. From the opening image, Mendes reveals nature to be the chief continuation of his work with different environments and senses adapting to the camera lens. Marching on through the fields of France, an abandoned rotting farmhouse, the burning ruins of a town or the muddy squalor of the trenches and the fear that lurks within their cavernous tunnels, the camera tracks two young men, one a soldier (George MacKay), the other a boy (Dean-Charles Chapman), as they bravely

A still from the film

pursue their mission through enemy lines and foreign territory to prevent thousands of British soldiers from running to their deaths in a trap laid by the German forces. It is undeniable that upon first viewing I had two reoccurring thoughts with the first being, this is the perfect style and format for the narrative of not just trench warfare but the atmosphere of the First World War. And the second, isn’t everything just so beautiful? In hindsight perhaps picturesque would be better suiting as the images of rotting corpses, both human and animal, and the destruction of Europe are not visually appealing or to be appreciated outside of the context of 1917 as an art piece. The story in itself is simple and executed with precision by an all-star British cast involving Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Andrew Scott, and Royal Holloway alumni, Mark Strong.

at the 92nd Academy Awards

GRACIELA MAE CHICO

he new decade’s first rendition of film’s most lauded awards ceremony occurred on February 9, and it seems like the Academy did get Bong Joon-ho’s memo about embracing subtitles after all. The South Korean filmmaker continued a triumphant awards season at the 92nd Academy Awards, his dark comedythriller Parasite winning four of its six nominations. Parasite’s sweep brings the film’s journey to an incredible close; from its premiere at last year’s Cannes Film Festival — where it took home the Palme d’Or — to its Best Original Screenplay, Best International Film, Best Director, and Best Picture win at the Oscars, to the joy of #BongHive members everywhere. Bong Joonho’s awards season streak, winning against his heroes like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, makes him the first Korean filmmaker to win and only the second director to win for a film not in the English language. Parasite’s success signals a change from last year’s controversial Best Picture, GreenBook, and the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag back in 2015. There are glimmers of the conversations in regards to diversity in cinema finally

Bong Joon-ho at the 92nd Academy Awards

starting to pay off. Just a day before the Oscars, Lulu Wang took home Best Feature at the Spirit Awards for The Farewell, once again, illustrating a long-overdue embrace to Asian cinema and stories. Another man that made history during Oscar night is Taika Watiti, his Best Original Screenplay win for Jojo Rabbit makes him the first person with Māori background to win a competitive Oscar. While Joker did not take home as many awards as its eager fans hoped it would, it did make history with Hildur Guðnadóttir becoming the first woman to win Best Original Score. The acting nominations received their fair share of criticism in regards to snubs and representation. Early awards season favourites, Joaquin Phoenix (Best Actor), Renée Zellweger (Best Actress), Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor), and Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress) won their respective categories

for unabashedly great performances. BAFTA favourite 1917 (directed by Sam Mendes) took home Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, and Roger Deakins’ unsurprising win for Best Cinematography. The World War One movie did not receive as many accolades on Oscar night as initially expected — same goes for Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Other noteworthy wins include Best Animated Short for Hair Love (directed by Matthew A. Cherry), a beautiful tale of an African American father learning how to do his young daughter’s hair for the first time. While film fans questioned the Academy’s snub of films such as Wang’s The Farewell and the Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems (especially Adam Sandler’s much-acclaimed performance), the muchneeded update to what can equate to an Oscar-winning film seems to finally be taking place.

22 ARTS: FILM

THE FOUNDER February 2020

The Color out of Space [REVIEW]

The Stan-is-back-ski Method: Bide Your Time Until You Make a Solid Lovecraft Horror

LUKE HETHERINGTON

ichard Stanley has spent the last two-and-a-half decades as a professional pariah. Nicolas Cage has spent the last two-and-a-half decades as both a laughing stock and resilient, committed actor. In combining the two, the producers of 2018’s psychedelic horror Mandy have boldly decided to give creative carte blanche to a director whose promising career was waylaid by the disastrous production of The Island of Doctor Moreau and the knotted-antlers of its egotistical actors. Stanley returns hereafter time under the radar, swapping the bloated maniac Marlon Brando for the more cooperative Cage. The Color Out of Space (an American adaptation disregarding the ‘U’, so put away the pitchforks) takes the quaint, archaic horror of HP Lovecraft, a writer who too often relies on descriptions – such as they are – of indescribable horrors. The colour here

is a malevolent pink that crash lands on the Gardner family’s property visualised as a bioluminescent creature that gradually terraforms the land and unnerves the family. The family are recovering

developed into firm subplots, they are left lingering on the edge of the action that unfolds. It is very much a tale of two halves; the kick-off is followed by a languid,

quite impressive effects and intimidating galactic stakes. Stanley’s gory work on Hardware and pre-production on Moreau hinted at his keen eye for the palpably horrible, and Space confirms

unpromising build-up that lacks much in the way of character development or mounding tension, but Stanley rallies his team at half-time before a ballbusting second half. The clunky dialogue and static camerawork are replaced by

his early potential. As skin is fused together and alpacas are brutalised, comparisons with John Carpenter and David Cronenberg will likely be made, particularly The Thing. However, if you are being compared to two of the best horror directors,

something must be being done on some effective level. The performances are less convincing, oscillating between amusing and disturbing. In his humblerbudgeted latter-day career, Cage has taken on brave but rewarding roles that have let him show off his acting chops (Mandy, Joe, Mom and Dad) and similarly unchanged roles where he has taken a big swing and a miss, either due to his methods or the film’s weaknesses (Left Behind, Army of One, and many others). Here, Cage cannot reconcile his legacy as an internet meme with his legacy of being one of the boldest actors in Hollywood, too often undercutting the horror with humour that only occasionally lands. Nevertheless, he and Stanley make a mostly productive combination on a film where the predominant thought when leaving the cinema is that Stanley has pulled off one of the better career comebacks. It is not quite Paul Schrader but is certainly more welcome than Mel Gibson.

undefeated, by its potential for unspeakable evil. The narrative is relatively straight forward. Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), a high-spirited and chauvinistic ten-year-old, seeks social acceptance from Nazi peers of the German Youngsters in the Hitler Youth and senior instigators of the regime through his scheming and collaboration with a deified imaginary friend, one Adolf Hitler (Taika Watiti). However,

his plans are subverted by his mother (Scarlett Johansson), a member of the German Resistance, and the revelation she has granted asylum to his enemy as a young Jewish girl is hiding in refuge within the walls of his home. Everything is not all it seems, as the Nazi dystopia soon begins to unravel and the regime collapses, Jojo is caught in dilemmas of moral conscience and indoctrinated authority.

A still from the film

from the cancer treatment its matriarch (Joely Richardson) has undergone, have recently moved from the city and in Nathan’s (Cage) case, harbouring vague concerns about becoming like his father. These plot threads never feel like they are

Jojo Rabbit [REVIEW] HARRY MEAR

ojo Rabbit treads a fine line between an endearing coming-of-age tale and a grotesque parody of the genocidal and fanatic Nazi dictatorship hell-bent on the totalitarian rule of Europe and its minorities. Perhaps not an accustomed fit in principle, authority that fails to adhere to the moral and rational standards it vows to uphold should be subverted by the

likes of Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, The Death of Stalin), Ian Hislop of Private Eye, Christopher Hitchens, and Taika Waititi who now joins that ranks of political satirists taking stabs at the regimes of recent history. Although more rudimentary than the mannerisms of these aforementioned prolific satirists who embellish cynical wit in a classically anarchic style, Jojo Rabbit is not to be snubbed as juvenile

mocking despite its slapstick nature. Waititi and co tackle the subjects of Nazism and radical anti-Semitism with the innocence of boyhood and the dwindling war-torn struggles of a splintered yet proud nation crumbling under Allied victory through a light-hearted yet emotionally loaded context. To view Jojo Rabbit is to remind oneself of the atrocities of genocide, war and ultimately, the joy of the human spirit defiled, yet

ARTS: FILM 23

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Miss Americana [REVIEW] she made, the stances she

REBECCA MUNDY

took were all with the public ana Wilson, two-time

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24 ARTS: MUSIC

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Artist Spotlight:

Hayley Williams (Paramore)

Image source: consequencesofsound.net RENÉE LEWIS

n December 2019, Paramore’s front-woman Hayley Williams announced her first solo project, Petals for Armour, due for release on May 8th. Since the band’s formation in 2003, Williams has been the only consistently present member whilst other band members have changed over the years. Their first album, All We Know is Falling, was released in 2005 when the members were still teenagers, and Williams has constantly displayed her versatility as an artist over the years. Paramore is one of my favourite bands and after seeing them perform live at the O2 in 2018, I

noticed how comfortable Williams was on stage with fellow bandmates Taylor York (guitar) and Zac Farro (drums), the latter of which departed from the band in 2010 but returned in 2017. However, her recent interview with Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe has revealed how her battles with depression, as well as being scrutinised by the public has left her exhausted – Paramore is now on an extended break after nearly fifteen years of music-making. Despite this, both York and Farro, as well as those who worked with Paramore, have helped with the production and composition of Petals for Armour, this time with Williams in the spotlight.

Williams’s first solo releases in January have been a breath of fresh air. Although she has previously collaborated with various artists sans Paramore – including B.o.B, Zedd and CHVRCHES – her latest songs are much more personal. ‘Simmer’ leans towards an indie/alternative style as opposed to the pop-punk genre that is so characteristic of Paramore. It focuses on rage as an emotion she mentions feeling when looking back at her parents’ divorce when she was younger, as well as her own separation from New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert a few years ago. This is most evident in the second verse: ‘If I had seen my reflection/

As something more precious/ He would've never/ and if my child needed protection/ From a f****r like that man/ I'd sooner gut him.’ These gritty lyrics present a vulnerable side to Williams that was not seen in the songs she wrote with Paramore. In her interview with Lowe, Williams details how ‘Leave it Alone’ was written about her grief following her grandmother’s trauma to the brain and subsequent memory loss. The song has been likened to a sonic mixture of Radiohead with Bjork, with the poignant

Image source: Wikimedia

lyrics ‘Now that I really want to live, the ones I love are dying’ highlighting how the maturity into adulthood comes with the realisation that we will one day lose those who cared for us whilst growing up. Even though Williams has only given us a little preview of her debut solo album, ‘Simmer’ and ‘Leave it Alone’ demonstrate just how much she has grown from the fourteen-yearold girl she was when she entered the industry to the thirty-one-year-old woman she is now.

ARTS: MUSIC 25

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Poppy’s ‘I Disagree’: Album Review

executing

TAU NELL

her

failsafe

nyone partial

sweetness

YouTube

binges

will

have

fresh

and

exciting fashion.

come across her.

Her

The arrow-straight

adopts a new

platinum hair,

assertiveness in

the naïve doe eyes,

Anything

the disarming baby

Me,

voice. I refer, of

authenticity

course, to Poppy,

Sick of the Sun,

whose

and

eccentric

sound

Like mature in

assured

videos have been

independence in

sparking

Nothing I Need.

frenzied

discussion

since

Here,

her 2015 debut: a ten-minute clip in which she repeats

Poppy

truly comes into Image source: Wikimedia

‘I’m Poppy’ from multiple angles. Since then, Poppy

as one of her occupations. I

Disagree

her

Image source: Album of the Year

Poppy’s

own;

not

antagonising

some numbers on I Disagree

limbo; the old and new

her former manager, and

almost

Poppy existing in parallel

not desperately maintaining

unlistenable

consistently

third studio album, but the

standalone songs. Concrete

rather than in harmony. Fill

her

producing

addictively

first in which her former

suggests a sheltered teenager

the Crown opens resembling

The title track epitomises

unnerving

content,

manager,

Sinclair

first discovering GarageBand

a traditional Poppy ditty,

the album: seething death

such as the 27 minute

(once speculated to be her

and composing the most

proclaiming ‘You can be

metal, lost in Tokyo’s bubbly

episode

appropriately

captor), has had no influence.

shocking

can

anyone you want to be / You

Ginza Strip. Whether it will

Laughing’.

After their messy separation

think of, hidden from their

can be free’, but this sweet

plough through the colourful

She intermittently spouts

in 2019, Poppy was freed

parents’ prying ears. This is

warbling is followed by

street and crash out the other

inanities (‘I like Wednesday

from Sinclair’s bubblegum

apt given Poppy’s youth and

demonic accompaniment as

side, or merge symbiotically

because it’s in the middle

pop vision of her future, she

recent emancipation, but the

Poppy commands ‘Poison

with

of the week’) and jarringly

longer chants ‘P-O-P-P-Y I’m

confused medley of energies

the children / Watch from

up to its master. While

acute

(‘likes

Poppy!’ or ‘The future is so

(Billie Eilish meets Queen

behind’. In tracks like this,

somewhat

are the currency of my

pretty!’. Try ‘I need the taste

meets Slipknot) does not

Poppy

Disagree is an encouraging

generation’). Poppy’s utter

of young blood in my teeth’ for

make for easy listening.

her new sound, jumping

glimpse of an independent

inscrutability gives her all

a change.

between sugary familiarity

Poppy: a porcelain enigma

the allure of a cult priestess;

This

and uncharted territory.

dismounting her cotton candy

Wikipedia has only three

change

lines on her personal life,

divide

long-time

has

titled

been

‘Me

comments

Titanic

song

they

While tracks like Sit / Stay whiplash-inducing direction

and BLOODMONEY also

seems

unsure

will

overstep their efforts to depart

listeners

from Sinclair’s Poppy, others

tracks in which the new

and lists ‘religious leader’ and newcomers alike, with

are trapped in a perplexing

Poppy shows great promise,

This

said,

there

are

cloud.

sugar-dusted

its

image.

environment, disorienting,

is I

26 ARTS: MUSIC

THE FOUNDER February 2020

Doja Cat – Boss B*tch Track Review

/ I’m not a cat, I don’t say

KEREN TOMASOA

meow’ were literally about (and

her looking down at her

Fantabulous

cow-patterned top whilst

Emancipation of One Harley

establishing her identity as

Quinn) (2020, dir. Cathy

Doja Cat.

Yan)

irds

the

has

Prey

star-studded

‘First thing a girl did was

cast -- and its tie-in album

a bop’ in Boss Bitch’s first

features

are

chorus cements her status in

equally as impressive. Amala

the industry; and the entire

artists

that

Image source: Pinterest

Image source: Genius.com

‘boss babe’ being thrown

about ‘being barbie’, her

also be her paying tribute to

around as a form of tokenism,

voice transforms into a

how Mooo! brought her to a

Doja Cat rises above it all

cloyingly

tone,

place where she is creating

and just tells you that she

akin to Nicki Minaj in her

music for the DC universe,

is here to stay. ‘Don't need

Barbie era. It is almost

which is certainly not a

a report, don't need a press

as if she’s dismissive of

small feat. The music video

run / All of my bad pics been

whoever

the

is indulgent in the best way

sweet

dominates

known

music video is a spectacle

all my best ones’ revels in her

charts at the minute, and

possible, and her presence

Doja

of chaotic feminine energy.

dismissiveness of old media,

the synths hammer that

feels so natural amongst the

Cat, rose to fame with the

The

beat

perhaps, considering her rise

in -- ‘Said b*tch, I';m the

characters in the film. In the

track Mooo! in 2018 with

stutters

introduces

has largely been attributed to

after, you been the before / I

video, she is out there firing

music

Doja as a violent force. She

meme culture.

been the stallion, you been

bazookas, and in an all-

video where she raps about

taunts the audience -- ‘Are

The track itself is only

the seahorse’. She also

female soundtrack, perhaps

being a cow in a matching

you tryna -- are you tryna?’

two minutes and fourteen

nods to fellow female artist

that’s a perfectly apt way

suit. It was an instant viral

and immediately we are

seconds long, and every

Megan Thee Stallion, who

to describe her presence --

hit, with her disclosing to

thrown into her breathless

second is absolutely full of

also features in the Birds of

powerful, disruptive, and we

Noisey that Mooo! propelled

anthem. She’s that b*tch.

her frenetic energy. There

Prey track.

are absolutely left with her

her to fame. ‘B*tch, I’m

In an era of neoliberal

is clanging throughout the

The

a cow, b*tch, I’m a cow

feminism with the phrase

track, and when she talks

Zandile

Dlamini,

professionally

tongue-in-cheek

introductory and

use

cowbell

throughout the track could

presence lingering among us.

SPORTS 27

THE FOUNDER February 2020

R.I.P KOBE BRYANT ARI CELA

feeling felt as one of a family

member passing. For me, and

obe

Bean

5-time

Bryant. NBA

Champion. 15-time All-star. Former league MVP, and a sure- fire first ballot Hall of Famer sadly passed away along

with

his

daughter

Gianna Bryant in a devastating helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on the 26th of January 2020. This death sent the sporting world into a downward spiral, with Twitter crashing as a result of millions scrambling to enter the site to confirm the news. Along with many others, I was in complete denial

over

the

news,

assuring myself that TMZ is unreliable, or their account had been hacked. Despite my prayer, other news outlets began breaking the news, and it slowly began to sink in that one of my childhood icons had suffered such a horrible death. I can only describe the

Image source: Flickr

every basketball fan around the world, Kobe was in our living rooms almost daily, speaking to us, performing for us, and would even make an appearance on our TV screens during

Christmas

Dinner,

despite our mothers wishes to have some 'family time'. Kobe Bryant was family to millions around the world, and was taken from us far too soon. Kobe Bryant was best known

for

his

basketball

career, and was drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. Kobe was actually drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, not the

Kobe Bryant with his daughter Gigi Image source: The New York Times

Los Angeles Lakers despite

starting

many believing the contrary. The General Manager of the Lakers at the time Jerry West, had seen Kobe Bryant in a few pre-draft workouts and immediately saw the potential in the young mamba. He traded

his

centre

Vlade

Divac for Kobe Bryant,

Bryant as an NBA icon. Kobe Bryant's life is a

Animated Short Film' in 2018, with the film Dear

even

legacy that most would not

Basketball,

playing an NBA game

achieve in the space of ten

first African-American and

for the Hornets. The fairy

lifetimes. Kobe Bryant's sheer

the first professional athlete

tale career began then,

desire and competitiveness in

to achieve the award.

with Kobe beginning the

the game of basketball gave

most famous stretch of

birth to the 'mamba mentality',

his career with Hall of

a mantra that millions attempt

Famer Shaquille O'Neil,

to abide by even today. His

dominating

league

love for competition, meant

only

his opponents loved playing

the second team

against him, as they knew

modern

they were getting his all on

NBA era to win

a nightly basis. Kobe was by

three championships in

no means a one-trick pony

a row. This duo is widely

however, with his mamba

regarded as one of the

mentality applying off the

top 3 duos of all time,

court too. Kobe is an academy

and really solidified Kobe

award winner, winning 'Best

without

and

Kobe

the

becoming the

becoming

the

Kobe Bryant was a role model to his daughters, and millions around the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; myself included. He will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Happy New Year all RHUL students! We hope that you had a restful and enjoyable festive break. The start of the New Year brings some exciting news. Having already provided nearly 400 rooms at the Pad and Podium for RHUL students, we are proud to announce our most prestigious and ambitious project to date, The Garage. Launching in September 2021 and situated in a quiet location very close to the RHUL main campus, The Garage will provide high-end accommodation for 166 students. Ranging from stylish studio rooms, standard studios, large executive studios to cluster en-suites with a communal kitchen and living space, The Garage will have all your needs covered. With a focus on exceptional quality and detail, the accommodation will include private study rooms, a large common room, a gym/fitness room and much much more. Watch this space for more updates on The Garage and find out how you can become a part of this new, inspirational living space. What a great start to the New Year!