Bringing the arts back to the youth

THE FOUNDER November 2022 OPINION AND DEBATE 7

HANA NABIZADA | CONTENT WRITER

The arts provide some of the richest experiences and livelihoods to individuals, but it is a shame that over time, the engagement and interest of youths in arts have declined. To tackle this, many famed organisations and institutions have opened opportunities to reclaim this engagement, even so far as turning to popular apps, such as TikTok, to capture the intrigue of young audiences. Such opportunities seem too good to be true, and yet they most certainly exist, all for the benefit and enjoyment of the youth. The Royal Opera House, for example, have a Young ROH scheme, in which anyone aged 16-25 can watch any show (ballet, opera, etc.) in any seat for only £25. The British Film Institute also have a similar scheme for 16–25-year-olds. Not only this, but museums have taken a digital directive, turning to TikTok to showcase artefacts through an immersive approach. There is huge value in the arts not just because it is culturally enriching, but because it allows people to come together through a common interest and can even help aid in some mental health challenges, such as stress, loneliness, and depression. The Covid-19 lockdowns have had a paradoxical effect on the arts with the youth: whilst museums and shows were cancelled and closed temporarily, at-home arts became popular and more common. Activities such as painting, watching movies, crocheting, and learning a new type of dance became a coping mechanism to deal with the loneliness and anxiety-inducing reality that lockdowns brought with them.

Now that lockdowns are over, there have been many more opportunities to engage with and appreciate the arts. Exhibitions such as the Van Gogh Immersive Experience introduced a new digital approach that allowed for a new way to explore and soak in Van Gogh’s works. The popularity of the immersive experience has led to more of the same style exhibitions but featuring different artists, such as Monet, Frida Kahlo, Klimt, and Dali. The Young Barbican gives 14-25 year olds discounted tickets of only £5, £10, and £15 for arts, music, film, theatre, film, and dance events. For fashion and jewellery lovers, past exhibitions such as the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams at the V&A, and Van Cleef & Arpel’s The Art of Movement are all examples that you will certainly find something for you. Take advantage of these opportunities now as they will only certainly be a magical experience. The festive season peeking just around the corner will really add to the magic!

Source: The Nutcracker, showing from 6 December 2022 – 14th January 2023, The Royal Opera House.

THOMAS MCLINDEN | CONTENT WRITER

It is always said that a week is a long time in politics. The resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister and the installation of Rishi Sunak as her successor in just under a week proves just that. It would be fair for those not keeping a close eye of the Westminster chessboard to be entirely confused by these events. The emergence of Liz Truss as Boris Johnson’s successor, only weeks before Sunak’s arrival in Number 10 is certainly a lot for anyone to keep up with. Whilst the dust settles on seismic changes at the peak of the Tory party, the aftermath provides questions. These are questions, Sunak’s predecessors before him have not had aimed at them quite so vigorously. It is of course the age-old question – Is it democratic? Truss’ short premiership was not short of political turmoil. A disastrous fiscal event, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s illfated mini-budget, and the most damning turmoil. A sharp fall in the value of the pound coupled together with extremely volatile market instability made Truss and Kwarteng’s positions extremely untenable. Kwarteng then found himself sacked in an attempt to salvage Truss’ premiership. The mini-budget U-turn sparked little surprise given pressure from parliamentary colleagues and the markets. The scale of crisis leads to no surprise that Truss followed Kwarteng out of Downing Street so soon. Whilst Sunak’s arrival in Number 10 is certainly not outright undemocratic, he was elected by his party’s MPs after a short leadership contest.

It is more the decision to remove Truss from the post that sparks questions of democratic integrity. The economic turmoil, caused by her flagship policies of tax cuts without a reduction in spending, placed Truss under insurmountable pressure. History tells us that once authority is lost, power is soon to follow. The sharp turnaround of Truss’ premiership laid bare the dynamic of power within the Conservative Party. The clear majority of support in Truss was shown with her winning 57.4% of the membership’s vote. There were however clear differences between the party’s membership and MP’s in where support lay, while Sunak’s popularity amongst Tory MPs in the first leadership contest is obvious, winning each round of MP’s voting comfortably. Polling amongst Party members consistently placed Truss significantly ahead of Sunak. So much so, when the announcement was made on September 6th, it was more a coronation for Truss, than a victory. The pressure was placed on Truss from the outset. It was almost as if Tory MPs had knives out for Truss from the very beginning and that her removal was a correction by MPs of a mistake made by the membership. The suggestion that the party overturned the wishes of the membership is clear and obvious. Given the vast turmoil and ever-dwindling electoral chances, Tory MPs can be justified in withdrawing support for Truss. However, Sunak arguably lacks the enjoyment of a democratic victory as large as Truss’.

Source: Getty Images With Labour holding an unassailable lead in current opinion polls and questions over the integrity of Sunak’s mandate, more questions should be expected. However, after such turmoil, the last thing the Conservative Party will want is a new leader or a general election.

JOEL DAVIES | OPINION AND DEBATE EDITOR

As polls closed on the eve of Tuesday, November 8th, it had seemed to be a foregone conclusion to many across the United States that a “red wave” was imminent. Republican candidates, especially those championed by former US President Donald Trump, were expected to trounce their Democratic counterparts in competitive Senate, House, and Governor races across the nation. An ailing economy, an unpopular president, a drawnout war in Europe and sky-high commodity prices had made a Democratic victory unlikely. However, as votes were counted, the media narrative slowly switched to one of Democrat resilience and the result has been hailed as a success for the Democratic Party on a night predicted to be a disaster.

While, at the time of writing, results have not been confirmed, the Democrats seem to have held a slim majority in the Senate, with symbolic wins in various states. Most notably, the Democrat candidate for the Senate in Pennsylvania, John Fetterman, was declared early as the surprise winner, beating Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, known commercially as Dr Oz. This was one of the first declarations of the night, and one of the most unexpected in a state that voted for Donald Trump in a surprise upset in 2016, a win that CNN has termed as possibly “decisive” for Congressional Democrats. There is a multitude of reasons that could be attributed to Fetterman’s win. The decisive factor, if the media narrative is to be trusted, could have been abortion rights. The Supreme Court, dominated by Republicannominated judges, recently struck down Roe v Wade and endangered the right to abortion across the nation. Media pundits have roundly concluded that the “abortion factor” was key in many of the crucial suburban areas of these races, increasing the turnout amongst suburban women and young voters. It could also be argued that Fetterman’s win, along with the victories of multiple left-wing House members, was helped by the embrace of economic populist stances. Left-wing policies which deviate from the centrist norm championed by Joe Biden have proven to be extremely popular with many swing voters, and even some Trump voters. The radical difference from the norm that this politics embrace is exactly what many dissatisfied voters are searching for in these trying times. Perhaps the Democratic Party needs to take a closer look at embracing once-maligned leftist stances, instead of sticking to running centrist candidates, a tactic which conclusively failed them in the Florida elections this year. A wave of anti-Trump sentiment also surely helped the Democrats succeed in this year’s midterms, where they may set a record for the best performance of a governing party since 2002.

Source: Candidates Stacy Abrams and Raphael Warnock championed by former President Obama in tight Georgia midterms, Getty Images

While many Trump-endorsed candidates succeeded, there were symbolic wins like the apparent defeat of incumbent Lauren Boebert (recognised as one of the most extreme and vocal supporters of Donald Trump’s politics) in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. Trumpism appears to be on the decline in many voters’ minds in the USA, especially with generational change on the horizon.

The Democratic Party may still lose control of the House of Representatives with the final vote tallies, but the resilience demonstrated by the Democratic vote is unexpected, unheard of in a midterm, and inspiring at a time of democratic decline. The control of the Senate may still be decided by an upcoming Georgia run-off election, but it is clear that whatever the result, the Republican party’s “red wave” failed to materialise.

NAJAYAH RAHMAN | CONTENT WRITER

The coldest time of year has officially arrived. Dark mornings, grey skies, and terribly inconsistent rain. There is nothing we want more than to get a hot drink to warm our numb fingers, wrap ourselves in blankets for a cosy nap, or do anything that involves staying inside and keeping warm. Exercise might not be on that list. Moving around keeps us warm, boosts our immune system, and lifts our mood. Yet the struggle to maintain a fitness routine in the cold is real. So, here are a few reminders about why you should get up and keep going. Firstly, fight the winter blues. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or seasonal depression can be eased immensely when the body routinely releases endorphins after exercise. Find fun activities that suit your schedule, so you can view them as something you look forward to doing. Simply taking a long walk wrapped in layers, with headphones on and a flask of a (preferably healthy) hot drink of choice is better for your body than sitting at home all day. Romanticise the hell out of it. Take a friend with you. It feels productive, healthy, and you will definitely come home feeling a lot happier that you did it. Secondly, become superhuman. Have greater mental resilience. We can already imagine the shock of the cold shivering in our bones before we even go outdoors. Our body's natural impulses are alerting us to stay indoors (therefore accumulating fat rather than burning it at this point). The ability to mentally prepare ourselves to ignore our bodies' hard-wired impulses is astonishing in and of itself, but consistently mustering the willpower will also strengthen your capacity to meet obstacles head-on. On top of that, your body works harder in the cold. The immune and cardiovascular systems especially, making it a lot easier to build endurance than it would be in warmer seasons. Performing the same indoor exercise outside, undoubtedly burns more calories, due to the additional work your body will have to do to maintain a comfortable internal temperature. Your metabolism goes into overdrive as it tries to keep warm, enabling you to burn more calories and fat. Lastly, if these reminders are not good enough reasons on their own, do it to smash your personal body goals. There is no one ideal body type and everyone has various objectives. If you put in the work now, you might achieve that image for summertime. Looking back, you will be so grateful and proud that you pushed through. However, always be careful. By focusing only on the end goal, you run the danger of feeling defeated week after week when you don't reach it, even if you made fantastic progress. Keep smaller goals in mind and celebrate yourself for little victories. They'll give you the impression that you're moving forward continually, which will keep the momentum continuing. Exercise is important, we all know that. We just need to remember why. So please take care of yourself.

Source: Stock Adobe

CHLOE PLUMMER | CONTENT WRITER

Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all forms of caffeine in the colder months, a latte in between lectures or a cup of tea in the morning. Caffeinated drinks bring me so much joy and are embedded into my daily routine. However, when my doctor recommended a caffeine ban for a month I was intrigued and somewhat surprised by how much caffeine can really affect your health down to your skin complexity and your overall mood. So hopefully all these positive health benefits of going cold turkey on caffeine will convince you to pick other beverages in the future. As a student, I can completely understand that sometimes coffee isn’t just an enjoyable beverage but instead a necessity. After the cycle of consuming caffeine, our bodies begin to rely on the energy that the caffeine seems to give us. However, as most people are aware caffeine is indeed an addictive substance, therefore as Healthline explains “sustained caffeine consumption can lead to changes in the chemistry of your brain, producing positive feelings towards caffeine, which encourages you to repeat the behaviour”. This addictive cycle is not healthy and somewhat encouraged by cafes on campus bringing in loyalty and stamp cards for one free coffee after ten stamps. Not to mention coffee can make you severely dehydrated. Since banning caffeine, I have been drinking substantially more water, which has not only properly hydrated me but left me feeling less lethargic throughout the day.

Drinking an increased amount of water has so many health benefits, most importantly boosts concentration and attention, so next time you are trying to push through an essay in the library instead of reaching for a caramel macchiato, enjoy some water and experience the health benefits of kicking the caffeine. Drinking water will create a more positive cycle, your body will begin to get used to hydration felt through the consumption of water and crave water rather than coffee which usually causes dehydration. As mentioned earlier, caffeine can be considered an addictive substance, as well as this, caffeine is also a stimulant. Therefore, consuming caffeine throughout the day can intrinsically affect your sleep schedule. As coffee can encourage alertness through the interfering with adenosine (chemical key in making us fall asleep), your sleep schedule can be interrupted as the body is still alert. When cutting out caffeine, I have experienced uninterrupted sleep and woken up feeling well rested, something that as a student has so much value and allows me to use my days to their full potential. If you are wondering why you have suddenly started breaking out more frequently than normal since returning to uni, your answer could indeed be caffeine. Not only is caffeine a trigger to anxiety which can increase acne, caffeine has also been proven to slow your body’s production of collagen. Collagen creates glowing and healthier-looking skin, paired with the increased consumption of water, my skin became clearer within a fortnight. So, if none of these health benefits convince you to cut out caffeine in your life, think of the savings. A coffee from any café on campus is around £3, therefore, if you get a coffee every day that’s £15 a week, £60 a month, need I go on? Whereas water is totally free and so much more beneficial to your body. Give it a go and quit caffeine for even a fortnight and watch the benefits occur!

MOLLY AINLEY | LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Source: Instagram, @rhfoodanddrink The phrase “if you love someone, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were” is applicable to your friends. For if you are able to let each other go, for whatever reason, they will come back or return (whether it be years later or just a couple of days after moving). This doesn’t mean physically either, it means they will call you, check in when they are home, and make an effort to know you are okay. Leaving does not mean you or them are gone. It is just an opportunity to see how much they mean to you. On the other side, there is a guilt I have felt when making new friends. Like I am in primary school all over again and I am believing I can only have one best friend. I often fail to acknowledge that as you grow, as you move, as you build a whole future for yourself you meet people. I think one of the most fearful things is what happens to your existing relationships when you move to university, and I imagine we have all felt it. Even you, the first years, may have started to notice it. The changes, the worries, the anxiety over if you and your home friends are still friends. These lingering concerns are all normal and it is time we spoke about them, especially now we enter winter which is a season we need friends. We are told that during university we will meet friends for life, but what if our forever friends are those we left behind? I have a few friends which know me inside and out, but they are in my hometown, which is 214 miles from Egham. I feel this sense of guilt from time to time because why haven’t I made the same exact bonds? If I love them so dearly, why did I leave them? There are a few things I must remind myself when this aching sense overtakes me.

We are supposed to move, and this applies physically and mentally. We as people have needs and wants that are separate from those we love, and this does not mean we are neglecting them or leaving them if we fulfil these needs and wants. In fact, it is an opportunity to grow all together, and celebrate one another’s successes.

Source: Taken by Paul Harrop, of my home town Beverley. Highlighting the natural and historical beauty of my roots.

These people have only known you as a university student, as a flatmate, as someone building their life separate from their hometown. There is something extraordinarily beautiful in this. It would be an unforgivable crime to deny yourself the chance to embrace this. Make friends, talk to new people, cry on your flatmate’s shoulder, and know at home there are people who are happy for you. Let yourself have new bonds with people who only know you in this life and let the home friends and your new friends all co-exist. You’re not betraying anyone in doing so, and you are only harming yourself if you don’t let things develop.

BY CHLOE PLUMMER | CONTENT WRITER

When entering the upper stalls entrance at the The only choice that personally I did not enjoy was the decision to include well-known pop Piccadilly Theatre, I was transported into a world of all things bourgeois and vibrant. As we took our seats there was a faint sultry tune humming on stage with two actresses flaunting in beautiful, embellished cabaret outfits. This musical was unlike anything I have ever witnessed, and the preshow certainly set the tone for this scandalous performance. Audience members were dressed smartly mimicking the Parisian night of attending the Moulin Rouge, it was truly an all-encompassing experience of crushed leather, vibrant outfits and so much sparkle. Jamie Muscato who played the protagonist, Christian, gave a stellar performance throughout. Muscato had impeccable vocal skills, he effortlessly changed his expressive tone when dealing with a variety of different vocal numbers (one being under the influence of absinthe). Not to mention the exquisite harmonies that Muscato and his co-star Melissa James, who played Satine executed. The emotional turmoil that this character portrayed was heart-wrenching as a viewer, through numbers such as Come Way May it further added to the character development of our main relationship in the musical. Ben Richards, our Duke and antihero, conveyed the stage with such ambivalence throughout which successfully shifted the plot into a direction of passion, drama and true theatre. songs. For me, it dampened the burlesque and grandeur feel to somewhat of a singalong to the greatest 2000s hits. In contrast, the iconic song El tango de Roxanne must be referred to; the lighting design, the sublime vocal range and the choreography left the whole theatre in awe, this moment in the musical is truly an admirable piece of theatrical art.

The set design for this musical is stunning and intricate. Christian’s apartment includes a vast dusty window that depicts the view of bustling Montmartre, down to the details of lights inside the windows in view, the scenery does encourage a sense of escapism that you can really get wrapped up into. The pop of a red in a neon sign reading “Lamour” in sight from our protagonist’s room twinkles at the cohesiveness of all this set design.

LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR Source: Moulin Rouge! The Musical London, Gallery

The half a tonne glitter encrusted elephant looms over the stage left for the duration of the performance. The musical was programmed to an exceptional level of detail, with an amazing integration of modern Glasson fixtures with classic tungsten fixtures. Moulin Rouge was a triumph of set electrics and practicals. Derek Mclane’s design was certainly the sparkling diamond of the show.

The choreography throughout this performance oozes sensuality. Sonya Tayeh, the choreographer simply evoked a French provocativeness that worked to accentuate the lust between characters. The ensemble worked seamlessly to convey the cabaret scene revolving around our protagonists, as well as creating an atmosphere of cohesion and a dazzlingly outrageous Montmartre club scene, that truly epitomises the Moulin Rouge musical.

As someone with a love for elaborate sculptures and beautiful historic paintings there has always been a city I have wanted to visit. Renowned for its rich history and beautiful architecture, Florence takes the cake as one of the most artistic cities in the world. Home to the Renaissance and some of the most famous paintings in the world, every corner you turn is a magnificent building with hundreds of years of history in its walls. Though I was only there for four days, I tried to do and see as many things as possible. On my first day I went to the Gallerie dell’Academie, best known for housing Michelangelos sculpture of David. This magnificent sculpture is 17 feet high made of solid marble, and is over 500 years old. This museum (photographed) is Duomo di Firenze. The Florence cathedral stands in the centre of the Duomo square since 1436. The gorgeous and gothic revival looking exterior is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of pink and green. Underneath the Duomo there is a whole underground cave with sections of the original flooring and tiles and decorations. The highlight of my trip and the thing I was looking forward to most was the Galleria degli Uffizi. The Uffizi gallery, built in 1581, is the one of the oldest and most famous galleries in the world.

Source: Lily Birch. Piazza del Duomo, Florence.

This gallery holds some of the most famous paintings in the world, including Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus. The museum itself is stunning, with frescos of renaissance cherubs and biblical stories covering the walls and ceilings.

One of the biggest aspects of Florentine history and architecture is the palaces built for the wealthy families who lived in Florence. Most of these palaces are now open to the public, in order to display their private art collections and for people to embrace the beautiful architecture of their houses. The two palaces that I visited belonged to the Picci family, and the Vecchio family. Filled with luxurious frescos and extravagant four poster beds, these palaces feel straight out of a movie set. Florence itself is an amazing city, with everything being within walking distance and beautiful architectural structures around every corner, it is hard not to fall in love with the setting. If you have a love for the arts, and in particular the Renaissance, Florence is the perfect cultural city break.

LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR

Source: Just Stop Oil protesters as they throw cans of soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London, inews

Harming, or threatening to harm art, is not a new method of trying to draw attention to a political cause. Activists and reformers have targeted the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world to cry out for climate change of political reform, and it seems to work. The uproar surrounding the most recent protest has been significant, with people across social media hurling abuse at the activists, whilst some praise them for taking a stand. But why subject these works of art to the forefront of the protest? And how effective is this method of forcing people to listen? It is clear to see that it creates a response loud enough to draw people to look, even if they may have been unaware of what the piece looked like before it was covered in tomato soup. Sometimes it has little to do with the actual artwork, but the response to which humans have to art. Think of the cathartic response you get from ripping up a photo of an ex, compared to how it feels to shred a piece of office paper. The anger that fills a human when a piece of history or beauty is destroyed is exactly the way that the protesters feel about the climate emergency. It is a form of non-violent protest that forces higher officials to see them and recognise their anger, giving them a spotlight in front of the most famous paintings in the world. Obviously, it would be devasting if Van Gogh’s Sunflowers had been ruined by some soup, yet the activists of Just Stop Oil (the organisation behind the recent food hurling) have explained that they knew their actions would cause no harm to the paintings, as they are safe behind glass. This type of protest is allowing them to break through into mass media, their protests are making headlines, but not in the ways that they would like. People seem to be paying more attention to the potential disfiguration of a $900 million painting rather than the message of the climate emergency. But then, what is the solution to make people listen? Museums are powerful cultural institutions, and the continued disruption of function will take a little more than just soup. However, the value of the pieces inside does not decrease.

These actions of protest may be forgotten, but the value of these pieces will not be. If these activists are not taken seriously, they will continue to protest and eventually things will get violent. Nowadays, this is one of the most non-violent ways of protesting while still raising significant attention to the cause and forcing those art lovers, and the general public, to look at these ‘destroyed’ pieces and reflect on how it makes them feel, and perhaps more pressingly, how the protesters must feel to be going to this extreme.

THE FOUNDER November 2022 ARTS & CULTURE 13

ALEXANDRA LOMAS | CONTENT CREATOR

Kanye West, who legally changed his name to Ye, has fallen from the list of the world’s richest billionaires by a staggering amount. West, who was ranked 1,513 on the list created by Forbes Magazine, has lost almost three quarters of his reported net worth as companies distance themselves from him. Ye has been the subject of online controversy for a while now. It started out by making a plethora of hateful posts on social media platforms, but has since turned into West making antisemitic and anti-Black statements which have influenced a group of antisemitic protesters to hang a banner over the 405 Interstate in Los Angeles in support of him and his comments. This is a direct result of Ye boasting on various social-media platforms, TV shows and podcasts about the fact that he “can say antisemitic shit, and Adidas can’t drop [him]”. West made these claims on October 16th, during an interview for the podcast Drink Champs. Following these claims, Balenciaga, Gap, JP Morgan, his talent agency CAA, as well as Adidas, have all cut ties with Yeezy and Ye. Adidas had placed their huge partnership with Yeezy under review in early October after West was seen wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt at his Paris Fashion Week show. Ye then made an array of now-deleted socialmedia posts condemning Vogue’s global contributing fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson by mocking her shoes and saying how she “is not a fashion person”. Many celebrities came to the defence of Kafera-Johnson, namely model Gigi Hadid who left comments on the now-deleted post. After his recent controversy, Adidas ended their partnership effective immediately. In an official statement, the brand stated that “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech”. Adidas assured that production of all Yeezy branded products is to cease immediately, and they would be stopping payments to Ye. In the statement, Adidas admitted that they would have short-term Q4 losses from the termination which values at €250 million. This is obviously a major financial loss, as Ye generated $1.7 billion for Adidas in 2021.

The reaction to West’s comments has had his personal accounts restricted from posting, commenting, and messaging on Instagram, and his Twitter account is locked. West replied to this retaliation and said that he would buy social-media platform Parler, which prides itself on being a “viewpoint-neutral social media app dedicated to freedom of expression, civil discourse, and user privacy”. After all this loss, Kanye tweeted on November 3rd speaking out saying “I’m taking a 30 day cleanse. A verbal fast. No alcohol. No adult films. No intercourse. In god we praise. Amen. But my Twitter still lit” and saying that he is “not talking to nooobody for a month”. West has been locked out of his Instagram account for 30 days for violating their policies. We can only hope that he is sticking to his word and getting the help he needs.

Source: Wikimediaю Photograph of Kanye West at the Met Gala in 2019