Commencement 2012
The Tufts Daily
23
Arts & Living
‘AcornHead’ melds natural and manmade worlds
Alex Kaufman and Jacob Passy | Sassy Cinema
All things must end
ACORNHEAD
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Tufts students, but also by the 43,000 people who visit the univer sity each year for tours of the campus. Because of the sculpture’s prime placement, the gallery, as well as the sculpture, may gain more exposure. According to Hannah Swartz, administrative associate at the Tufts Art Gallery, some people are unaware that Tufts even has an art gallery due to its downhill and somewhat remote location. “This is another way of getting people’s attention. It gives the art gallery visibility,” she said. In order for “Colossal AcornHead” to withstand the outdoor elements, its original plaster material had to be changed, so Fry recently had it cast in bronze. Working with bronze is an elaborate and expensive process. Due to the high costs, Fry fundraised for the project through United States Artists, an organization that offers financial support to artists to increase art production across America. Bronze was chosen not only for its aesthetic qualities but also for its durability, something that Schlegel said is a huge factor in public art everywhere. She cited the previous Shepard Fairey paper-paneled mural as an example of a work made from a “very ephemeral material.” Fairey’s mural underwent three separate restorations, but the bronze composition of “Colossal AcornHead” will require significantly less maintenance.
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s we say farewell and good luck to the Class of 2012, we in our stylish way want to wish them off well. How do we at Sassy Cinema do this? By talking about movie graduation speeches of course! (You thought we were going to write our own?) It’s too hard to choose just one speech, however, so we decided to discuss our favorites.
Ashley Seenauth / the tufts daily
Leslie Fry’s ‘Colossal Acornhead’ is on loan to Tufts for one year. “Colossal AcornHead” is essentially an experiment for the art gallery, the first trial run for what will possibly become a series of public art installations at Tufts. The gallery is hoping to receive positive feedback from the student body about the sculpture, and
there have already been some encouraging reactions. Rising junior Sara Hanneman was definitely excited about the artistic venture. “I think we need more art at Tufts,” she said. “It adds a little bit of life to the campus.”
Summer 2012 promises more great TV SHOWS
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mium cable over the years, some of the most innovative and intriguing shows now come from these networks, released specifically for the summer months. This summer looks more promising than ever, so the Daily has compiled a list of five shows to keep an eye out for over the vacation. AMC’s “Breaking Bad” has swept the critical field every year since its creation with a combined four Emmy awards in acting from leads Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. This fifth season promises to be their last, and expectations are high for the show that many, if not most, have deemed the best program on television. Whether it’s cooking meth or evading murder, “Breaking Bad” thrills, and though it might keep you on edge while watching, it’s well worth it. Make sure to catch up before the July premiere; otherwise you’re making a huge mistake. USA’s “White Collar” may not be as dark or understated as some of the best AMC shows out there, but this witty take on the procedural cop-drama is sure to please. With swift-moving scripts and a brilliant performance from the sleek Matt Bomer as white-collar art thief Neal Caffrey, each episode maintains viewer interest with ease. After a season finale that left the show’s future up in the air, there is much thieving, scheming, humor and heart to look forward to in the series’ fourth season, which arrives on TV screens July 10. FX’s “Wilfred” came to us from overseas after the original series of the same name
FallingSkies.com
Noah Wyle leads a militia as the fight alien invades in TNT’s ‘Falling Skies.’ finished up in Australia. While we all know how shows born of such a process can spiral downward in quality (cough, cough, “The Office”), “Wilfred” promises to be a witty, heartwarming series that holds just enough intrigue to please all types of viewers. The eponymous Wilfred, played by Australian Jason Gann in both versions, steals the show as the drug-addicted, alcoholic dog that Ryan Newman (Elijah Wood) sees as a human. Despite his odd methods, Wilfred aims to teach Ryan how to live a fulfilling life and the balance between humor and moral learning is the perfect blend. Season two begins on June 28. TNT’s “Falling Skies” may seem to be
WEBN-TV via Flickr Creative Commons
Noted writer and producer Aaron Sorkin is behind HBO’s ‘The Newsroom.’
just another alien/sci-fi program a la “The War of the Worlds” (2005), but critics and audiences would disagree as this program has been one of TNT’s biggest successes in years. “ER” (1994-2009) veteran Noah Wyle leads a group of survivors in a quest to fend off an alien invasion that threatens to bring Earth’s human population to an end. Throw in a slew of U.S. history references, a production credit from Steven Spielberg and some fantastic TV graphics, and you have a scifi series worth watching. The show starts back up with its second season on June 17. HBO’s “The Newsroom” is the only new series on this list, as it appears to be one of the most promising summer releases of 2012. Created by none other than Aaron Sorkin of “The Social Network” (2010) fame, this series focuses on fictional cable news anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) as he and his network set out to tell the public the truth for once. With neat writing and what seem to be powerful performances from a diverse yet tremendous cast -- Sam Waterston, Olivia Munn and Dev Patel -- among them, “The Newsroom” deserves quite a bit of hype. To see if it lives up to expectations, catch the series premiere on June 24. While you could certainly catch another mindless season of “Big Brother” or “Wipeout,” why not forget the reality television for a moment and look to cable for a show actually worth watching. Drama, humor, intrigue, action, fantasy this summer seems to boast almost everything. In fact, all it’s missing now is your attention.
Alex: Honestly, the best movie commencement speech must be Elle Woods’ from “Legally Blonde” (2001). It’s short (just under 30 seconds of actual speaking), succinct and delivered with the perfect balance of perk and circumstance. Jacob: This is so true. I remember watching this for the first time, feeling like it was my actual farewell with Elle (and the other characters seen throughout those 30 seconds). Unfortunately, the ill-fated 2003 sequel had to come along. A: I still think that pivotal moment remains untouched for moviegoers like me who didn’t dare see the sequel, and based on your description, I’m glad I didn’t. Another film does come to mind, however. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? J: I’m thinking “Billy Madison” (1995). A: How did you do that?! J: Sassy minds think alike. I honestly love “Billy Madison’s” graduation speech because it really reflects what was so great about Adam Sandler’s films back then. It’s the spoken equivalent of slapstick. The jokes may be obvious, but they really make you laugh. After all, shouldn’t these speeches leave us smiling? A: Well, if all graduation speeches ended with, “Peace! I’m outta here!” I’m certain everyone would be grinning. What I love about that speech is the comic incongruity. No one ever said college was easy, and no character Sandler ever played has been an intellectual. J: And not every graduation speech supplies the answers or acts as the ending. Take Winona Ryder’s graduation speech in “Reality Bites” (1994). Ryder lays out her contrarian views by trying to point out all of the flaws within the society her fellow graduates were being thrown into after college. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the solutions. A: That’s because she didn’t have the notecard with the remainder of her speech on it, Jacob. J: True, but that’s a telling metaphor about graduation. For many of us looking to a post-Tufts life, the future isn’t clear. Just like the handheld camera aesthetic of that opening sequence in “Reality Bites,” nothing is ever as perfect as the movies. Life doesn’t come with quips, and that’s what I love about that opening scene. A: That’s a great way to word it. We, unlike life, do come with quips. But like you said, life after college, and many moments during college, doesn’t come with a prescribed script or stepby-step instructions. We hope that the lessons taught to us in college and those we learn on our own will guide us afterward. The life-altering decisions we face as we mature are portrayed to us in film time and again to prepare us for what lies ahead. J: I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there. Like Diane Court said in her graduation speech from “Say Anything” (1989), “When I think about the future ... I am really scared.” It’s hard to know what lies beyond the Hill. But when I need guidance, or maybe a release, there will always be a film there to lead me. A: Or a song from a movie like, “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” (1995). J: Either way, the real world isn’t so bad as long as we have sassy cinematic treasures awaiting us beyond the Memorial Steps. And with this, dear friends, family, graduates, faculty and honored guests, we bid you adieu. So long, farewell, for now. (We did it!) Jacob Passy is a rising senior majoring in international relations. He can be reached at Jacob.Passy@tufts.edu. Alex Kaufman is a rising junior majoring in sociology. He can be reached at Alexander.Kaufman@ tufts.edu.