MARCH 11, 2014
Magazine
OVER MY DEAD BODY A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN TRINITY
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MARCH 11, 2014
Magazine
Features 5 Digging in Hillgrove We retrospectively look at one of the key events in the Garda whistleblower controversy. BY EDMUND HEAPHY
6 On the Defence We question the reasons for young college graduates joining the Irish Defense Forces. BY JANE FALLON GRIFFIN
8 Over my Dead Body We take an in-depth look at the history of women in Trinity, juxtapositioned with a collection of photos depicting times in Trinity across the twentieth century.
PHOTO SHOOT 8
Music
Film
20 Reviews
18 Reviews
Le1f Kimono Kult
“The 86th iteration of Hollywood’s biggest night was seriously lacking in edge”
Muppets Most Wanted 300: Rise of an Empire
What We’re Listening To 21 How American Music Took Over the World BY EOIN HENNESSY
JACK O’KENNEDY 19
19 An Oscar Night Devoid of Substance BY JACK O’KENNEDY
Bits 17
Fail Better BY RACHEL LAVIN
23 Sigh: Separating Artist from Art
Fashion
BY CHARLOTTE RYAN
22 Moschino BY MEGAN BURNS
Rafi Ridwan BY CAOIMHE GORDON
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EDITORIAL
ZARDOZ HEAD ILLUSTRATION: LAURA FINNEGAN
I
n his famous work of criticism on the short story form, The Lonely Voice, Frank O’Connor writes extensively about marginal voices in fiction. He argues that short stories are full of “figures wandering about on the fringes of society”, who are neither valued nor listened to by those around them. For O’Connor, the best short narratives derive their power from “an intense awareness of human loneliness”. When we stop and listen to these lonely voices we see more clearly than ever the tragic beauty of the human condition. However, the lonely voice is not just a literary and aesthetic concept. It can also be a powerful agent for justice and social change in the real world. One quick glance across this issue of the magazine illustrates this. We have several pieces featuring people shouting at those in power from the edge of society. Maurice McCabe and John Wilson, two Garda whistleblowers, faced intense hostility and real physical danger when they began to bring up misconduct in the force that people much more powerful than
Magazine EDITOR James Bennett themselves would have liked kept secret. In the feature that accompanies our photoshoot, we narrate the struggle for equal gender rights in this university. The voices of women were ignored for years in Trinity, and it was only when they took radical action and did things such as storm the GMB repeatedly that they were finally listened to. In our back-page opinion column, we discuss the separation of art and the artist, making reference to Dylan Farrow’s accusation of sexual assault made against Woody Allen. Dylan Farrow’s accusations were first made in 1993, but just like the Garda whistleblowers, she has persisted, and neither story is going away any time soon. It would be wrong to suggest that through sheer hard work, any person that is marginalised can make themselves heard and achieve justice or change. It would be equally wrong to say that this never works. Young journalists are often told to listen to the crazy person, because the story that no one wants to hear often turns out to be the best one. By making an effort to listen to
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Edmund Heaphy DEPUTY/MUSIC EDITOR Eoin Hennessy ONLINE EDITOR Clementine Yost FILM EDITOR Jack O’Kennedy FASHION EDITOR Elizabeth Brauders
the lonely voice, we can learn a lot about ourselves as well as helping someone else.
JAMES BENNETT EDITOR @james_bennett92
ILLUSTRATIONS Laura Finnegan WORDS Edmund Heaphy, James Bennett, Jane Fallon Griffin, Rachel Lavin, Megan Moriarty, Louise Lamb, Jack O’Kennedy, Eoin Hennessy, Megan Burns, Caoimhe Gordon, Charlotte Ryan
DETAILS Quotes
Photo
Corrections The caption underneath the photo in the Details section of the last issue of this magazine was incorrect. The sunrise was not displayed on a screen due to smog, but was instead filmed as part of a tourism video.
“Go to our stores, and you can buy any uniform.”
The University Times Magazine welcomes suggestions, comments, and complaints about errors or omissions which warrant correction. These may be addressed to the editor of the magazine by emailing magazine@ universitytimes.ie.
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN DENYING THAT TROOPS IN CRIMEA WERE RUSSIAN BY SUGGESTING THAT THEY HAD BOUGHT THE UNIFORMS IN A SHOP.
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” STEVEN FURTICK
If you are dissatisfied with a response from the magazine, you may reach the editor of The University Times by emailing editor@universitytimes.ie.
Tweet
A RELATIVE OF A PASSENGER FROM THE MISSING MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT CRIES
Statistic
247
25%
NUMBER OF MARKETING MESSAGES WE EACH RECEIVE IN A DAY
AMOUNT OF IRISH PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE
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Anon: ‘Senior figure commented on my progress in a society saying it must be because I “seemed like the type to sleep my way to the top”. @TCDSEXISM
DIGGING IN HILLGROVE EDMUND HEAPHY According to the Tribune piece, the complaint alleged that Byrne prevented McCabe from leaving a second time with the files, and that Byrne took the documents into his own possession. It was also reported that a fourth Garda, Chief Superintendent Terry McGinn, was present in the room. Speaking to The University Times Magazine, John Wilson, another prominent Garda whistleblower, known for last year’s
to hand over the documentation, which contained a large number of Pulse printouts, detailing offences that had never been prosecuted.” Wilson used an example of falsification in relation to an illegal lock-in in a pub, and the expunging of records to remove evidence of such an event, to explain the type of falsification in the Pulse system that McCabe had evidence of. Regarding the specific evidence that McCabe had, he said: “Hundreds of records were allegedly falsified. The material that Byrne seized was sent back to the various Garda districts and then after that they were allegedly all altered.” The Tribune reported that they understood that the then-Deputy Commissioner, Nacie Rice, was appointed to conduct an investigation into the criminal complaint McCabe had filed regarding the alleged incident at the Hillgrove Hotel. In a response to a University Times Magazine query regarding any conclusion to
“it became obvious to McCabe that the whole investigation had been a farce” penalty points scandal, gave some brief additional details regarding the event, although he insisted that as he was not at the meeting, it was second-hand knowledge: “As far as I know, what happened was: he met the investigation team at night to get the results of the enquiries made into certain allegations he had made. And it became obvious to McCabe that the whole investigation had been a farce. And he brought in boxes of material to prove that there had been no real investigation into the allegations. And then he was forced
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such an investigation, the Garda Press Of-
“The practice of Gardaí investigating Gardaí is perverse really” fice declined to comment, as they claimed the incident “may form part or [sic] one or more of these [ongoing] enquiries and as such we cannot comment.” Wilson was critical of the means of investigation used by the Gardaí in cases such as this: “The practice of Gardaí investigating Gardaí is perverse really. I mean one senior Garda investigating another senior Garda who works down the corridor from him is absolutely bizarre. It’s no longer acceptable in a modern, democratic society: police officers investigating police officers.” Wilson also said the apparent lack of findings from investigations surrounding the Hillgrove incident was not surprising: “That’s understandable when you have guards investigating guards, and senior guards investigating senior guards, and senior officers investigating senior officers. What do you expect, really?” James Bennett also contributed to this piece.
PHOTO BY SEAN MACENTEE, USED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 2.0 GENERIC LICENSE
I
n November 2010, Ali Bracken reported in the Sunday Tribune that Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe had filed a criminal complaint with the Garda Commissioner alleging that Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne had physically restrained and falsely imprisoned him at the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan, on October 11, 2010. The article stated that McCabe had brought with him three Boxes of documents printed from the Pulse system, containing evidence of Garda misconduct, and alleged abuse of the Pulse system, the computer records system used by Gardaí. McCabe then told Byrne that he would pass the information on to an independent third-party, and allegedly attempted to leave with the boxes of documentation. According to the article, the complaint alleged that Byrne then “restrained him by the arm and shoulder to prevent him leaving the room”. The article in the Tribune said that a member of the AGSI (Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors), a Garda Sergeant, then attempted to calm the situation. The University Times Magazine now understands that this Sergeant was Dominic Flynn, the current Mullingar Branch Secretary for the AGSI.
ON THE DEFENCE JANE FALLON GRIFFIN ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA FINNEGAN
I
n schoolyards around the country, amid the football matches, talent competitions and vast varieties of chasing games, a small playground military force tends to exist. Whether it is a khaki-covered Action Man, pistol-inspired hand gestures or a proposed afterschool super soaker insurrection, some form of imaginary military activity always been a feature of the primary school realm. However, as we grow up and lose our dreams of pop stardom and Hollywood, the army still remains an attainable childhood goal. While a career in the army may not be the obvious career choice for those born outside the traditional military family, the perceived quasi- exotic atmosphere of the military has evidently retained its appeal, with sporadic recruitment drives proving inadequate to cater for the amount of applicants. The roots of the Defence Forces in Ireland go back to the Irish Volunteers, a force established in 1913 during a period of popular militarisation in Ireland. The crest of the Irish forces evokes the interwoven histories of the army and volunteer movements, with the design originating from the volunteer crest created by early leader Eoin MacNeill. The Irish army’s official name, Óglaigh na hÉireann, also bears this heritage. Modern day reports into the strength of the force indicate that across all corps there are currently 9,359 serving personnel out of which 7510 are active in the army, 791 in the air corps and 1058 in naval service. The choice of corps and station (cadet, recruit or apprentice) is a personal one
for the applicant depending on what role they deem most appealing. While the army continues to attract young male recruits both post-Leaving Cert and as graduates, the same figures are not seen among the female population with current figures reporting 562 female personnel. The Defence Forces feel that this problem stems from stereotypes regarding the role of the female in society, which are reinforced by parents and educators. An attempt has been made to combat this by sending speakers to girls’ schools to give a positive, genderequal portrayal of modern military life. The creation of the position of Gender Equality Officer in the forces has also addressed female under-representation. Furthermore, minimum height restrictions have been lowered to 5’2” to encourage the generally slighter physicality of the female . Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter has spoken of efforts to ensure that the forces reflect the diversity in modern Irish society not only of in terms of gender equality, but also involving newer Irish citizens: “With the changes in the makeup of Ireland’s population, it is important that we raise awareness and attract recruits from all backgrounds, including the new Irish, so that our Defence Forces, Permanent and Reserve, reflect the society that they serve.”
“
it is important that we raise awareness and attract recruits from all backgrounds, including the new Irish
Before being accepted however the candidate must undergo psychoanalytic tests, medical checks and physical investigations check in St. Bricin’s Military Hospital in Dublin. Endurance is tested with timed sit-ups and press-ups, and finally a timed
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distance test which is gender appropriate. Males must run 2.4 kilometres in eleven minutes and forty seconds, while females must complete the same distance in thirteen minutes and ten seconds. Following this the prospective soldier attends overnight training . Failure to perform leads to dismissal. Those who progress past the fitness test are introduced to the realities of military life through interaction with serving cadets. Teamwork exercises feature prominently throughout the trial, in order to test leadership and communication skills. The final stage is an interview which tests discipline, communication and understanding. Applying for the role of cadet puts one on course for a future as an army officer. Selecting the position of recruit expresses a desire to enter the general ranks of the army while an apprentice focuses on maintaining military supplies and machines. Entering the rank of cadet requires official educational qualifications such as minimum leaving cert requirements, or a recognised college degree. Those entering at the rank of recruit are simply required to satisfy the recruitment officer of adequate intelligence. Cadets must be aged between 18 and 28 upon entering the Defence Forces. In most conversations about the Irish military, the Curragh will be mentioned. I decided to visit this historic site to see if I could learn more about military life in Ireland. The presence of barrier checks and warnings of active shooting ranges add an organised atmosphere to what at first glance appears
to be a small town complete with a post office and shops. The Defence Forces aim to engage civilian interest in its military history and as such have erected a military museum in the heart of the camp. The Visitor Centre is surrounded by an array of military vehicles used by Irish troops. While examining one such vehicle I was joined by a man in his late sixties. What began as an offering of snippets of information on the armoured car evolved into a full-blown conversation, in which I got a great insight into military life. Reluctant to be named, he spoke proudly of his experiences serving in the armed forces, many of which took place when he was still in his teens. He came from a military family, and grew up in the Curragh watching his father serve. He eventually followed suit and enlisted, while his three sisters married soldiers. Female recruitment was not as prominent in his experience. The army had allowed him to see the world through tours of
“
He grew up in the Curragh watching his father serve. He eventually followed suit and enlisted, while his three sisters married soldiers
duty in the Middle East. He mentioned a colleague called John, who was illiterate when he joined the army at the age of fifteen, and within a few years of service had completed his state examinations and assumed an administrative military role. As in the case of John, the military continues to give soldiers access to new educational opportunities. Entrants without a degree have the opportunity to attend university while housed in army accommodation and in receipt of an allowance, under the condition that they agree to a term of service afterwards. For each year an officer spends in university an extra two years of service is required. For those pursuing a career more suited to the civilian lifestyle, it is possible to register with the reserves. The reserve forces offer the recruit the experience of army life without requiring the same level of commitment
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as permanent soldiers. The force is separated into the first line and the second. The former accommodates previously trained troops while the later comprises of army and naval reserves. While the armed forces may not have the same central role in Irish society that the do in the United States or the UK, they are still an important organisation. Irish demands for soldiers are naturally less than those in countries engaged in ongoing combat. Although many people I spoke to who were interested in a career in the defence forces seemed disheartened by the sporadic recruitment drives, there is cause for hope. Last Friday afternoon at the citizen ceremony in Waterford saw Alan Shatter announce the creation of a further nine hundred jobs between permanent and reserve forces. For those interested this may be their call to arms.
Over my Dead Body A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN TRINITY
O
ver my dead body will women enter this college”. These are the words of former Provost George Salmon. It is quite fitting then that the statue of Salmon has him with a slightly peeved look on his face, as sixty per cent of the undergraduates that walk past him every day are now female. Salmon was not the only adversary to admitting women students. In 1892, when a petition demanding the abolition of the three hundred year old ban on women students, signed by 10,000 Irish women, was submitted to the board, they received a refusal including this response: “If a female had once passed the gate, it would be practically impossible to watch what buildings or what chambers she might enter, or how long she might remain there.” Women were proclaimed “a danger to the men” and officials in Trinity fought the request for twelve years, with Salmon its chief adversary. Almost immediately after he died in 1904, Trinity College, under Provost Dr. Anthony Trail, finally brought in female students and was the first of the historic universities in Britain and Ireland to do so. Despite academic resistance women began to succeed in the university. The first female lecturer was appointed in 1909 and the first professor in 1925. However, they were not eligible for Schols or Fellowship nor were they permitted to dine at Commons in the Dining Hall. Socially, women faced more ingrained discrimination and were subject to strict rules. They were not allowed to live on campus, so Trinity Hall was founded in 1908 to house the female students. The ‘Rules for Women Students’ required them to a wear cap and gown at all time on campus, for fear of being marked absent in classes as ‘academically naked’. They were not to visit private rooms without a chaperone and had to leave the College grounds by six o’clock, which seriously limited their ability to study or join societies. Women were relegated to separate cloakrooms and dining rooms in House 6 and could not join the major societies such as the Phil or the Hist. To counter this exclusion, they set up the Elizabethan Society, an all-female debating and social society. The society rooms, in House 6, offered all kinds of services such as “sewing rooms, a telephone, a wireless set, an iron and an ironing board, two sewing machines, and a typewriter.” Stationery was provided for members use also: “a library of novels and books of general interest…papers, women’s magazines, journals and periodicals”. Every year the Elizabethan Society members were treated to a garden party in the fellows’ garden, which was considered “the highlight of the
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1900s OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL WOMEN ENTER THIS COLLEGE – GEORGE SALMON
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1920s THE ELIZABETHAN SOCIETY MEMBERS WERE TREATED TO A GARDEN PARTY IN THE FELLOW’S GARDEN, CONSIDERED ‘THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR’.
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academic year”. It provided a haven where women could socialise freely, free from caps and gowns, and away from the male-dominated atmosphere of Trinity.
the Trinity Handbook called it “one of the world’s last masculine strongholds”. Between 1962 and 1968, the issue was debated seven times and repeatedly voted down. An incident in 1961 sparked the rebellion from female students. An invitation was For the first few decades, women in their small issued to Dr. Henry at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital to numbers accepted their inferior position and kept speak at the inaugural of the Hist. This honor was a low profile because they were grateful for their gladly accepted by Dr. Henry but when it was relong-sought admission and feared offending the vealed in the reply that that the doctor’s first name College authorities. Issues like the War of Independwas actually Mary, a “red-faced Hist Officer hastily ence, the Civil War, the Great Depression and World dispatched a letter of apology withdrawing the inWar Two all detracted from women’s issues of the vitation”. This event spurred the first of many “inday. However as the decades passed and numbers vasions” by women into major Hist events. The folof women swelled, opposition to restrictions on lowing week, eight women hid in rooms in Botany women began to grow. Bay and crept into the Hist Chamber in the GMB. In 1967, Rosemary Rowley, dressed as a man along By the nineteen fifties, the proportion of women with with eight other women, invaded a Hist meetwas about a third of the ing. She was “carried out 3000 students attending unceremoniously amid Trinity and yet they were loud cheers”. The invasion still restricted to the limwith the greatest effect, ited facilities of House Six. however, was in 1968 durThe Phil and the Hist still ing a major inter-collegiate strongly opposed female debate with students comfull membership and it appeting from Ireland, Scotpears the Elizabethan Soland, and England. This ciety had grown apathetic incident, recorded by Dato change. President of vid Ford, recounts how the 1953/54 Alison Bond said chair on the evening was “we had no ambition to join Conor Cruise O’Brien and it the Phil and the Hist”, and was his daughter, Kate who in a 1955 Elizabethan Adsnuck into the event with a dress, President Eve Ross group of women students announced that “a woman’s “in disguise”. During the first duty is to be a woman, debate “and with the acotherwise she ought to be a tive support of the Auditor man”. An opinion piece in and some of the commitTrinity News, written by a tee, [the women] jumped woman student contended up, the meeting dissolved TRINITY NEWS, 1954 that “the thought of a world into chaos, and [Kate’s] fafull of women burning with ther supported her”. In the ideas is a sobering one. Life ensuing chaos Censor Joe would become too tense and we would all begin sufRevington, who had been “vocal in support”, was fering as many gastric ulcers as the Americans”. expelled. The Auditor was almost impeached (131 to 132 against) and half the committee resigned. ShortHowever, disquiet was beginning to grow among ly afterwards women were finally accepted as full individual female students and it appeared the members. Earlier rhetoric by a Hist member statGMB would become the battleground for women’s ing that “not until man walks on the moon will a equality. In 1963 the Phil welcomed women, not woman set foot in here” proved to be self-defeating, just as spectators, but tradition was broken when as by the time Neil Armstrong touched down on the President of the Eliz, Rowan Blake-James, was the moon in 1969, women were finally members. first woman to speak at a debating society in the GMB. In A Danger to the Men, a book chronicling Other sanctions on women began to be lifted such the history of women in Trinity, Blake-James reas the Midnight Ban in 1969. The infamous six called of the night: “[It was] so memorable in fact o’clock rule had been gradually moved to 7.30 pm, that some bright spark decided to fuse all the lights then 11 pm, then 11.30 pm, and in November 1965, in the building just as I got to my feet to speak.” She to midnight. This meant that women students could was forced to read her speech by candlelight, yet stay in the men’s rooms, which was a radical move concluded that “an important principle had been at the time. A cartoon on the front of the Trinity established that night that women could debate News at the time depicted a young man carrying a alongside men”. However, women were not admityoung woman who was throwing her clothes off as ted as full members until 1968, and even then, only they ran into Botany Bay. after the resignation of the conservative president and secretary. The society eventually merged with Furthering the cause for the women’s movement in the Elizabethan Society and as a symbolic gesture, the seventies, Kathy Gilfillan and Cathy de Hartog the Phil’s highest-ranking female officer was given set up a women’s liberation group, hosting Sunday the honorary title of Auditrix of the Elizabethan Solunches with a group of women every week to disciety. cuss women’s issues. This was at a cost, as Gilfillan recalled in A Danger to Men: “One Sunday a jealThe College Historical society proved a more difous crowd of male students broke down our door ficult obstacle. Up until 1966 women weren’t even and smashed up the bedsitter.” Instead of retreatallowed to attend debates as spectators, and in 1963 ing from their cause however, Gillifan explains that
THE THOUGHT OF A WORLD FULL OF WOMEN BURNING WITH IDEAS IS A SOBERING ONE
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1940s A WOMAN’S FIRST DUTY IS TO BE A WOMAN, OTHERWISE SHE OUGHT TO BE A MAN’ – EVE ROSS
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1950s
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‘NOT UNTIL MAN WALKS ON THE MOON WILL A WOMAN SET FOOT IN HERE’
1960s THE MIDNIGHT BAN WAS LIFTED IN 1969. THIS MEANT THAT WOMEN STUDENTS COULD STAY IN THE MEN’S ROOMS, WHICH WAS A RADICAL MOVE AT THE TIME.
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1980s
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IVANA BACIK RECALLED IN A TRAILBLAZE SPEECH HOW DIFFICULT THESE TIMES WERE AND HOW THEY HAD PREPARED THEMSELVES FOR MOUNTJOY WOMEN’S PRISON, AND EVEN HELD A ‘LAST NIGHT OF FREEDOM’ PARTY BEFORE MARCHING TO THEIR TRIAL IN THE HIGH COURT THE NEXT DAY.
they were “strangely empowered by this”. Gillifan went on to become the Welfare Officer in the year 71/72. During this year she produced a contraception guide for students, including information on contraception, information about sexually transmitted disease, and the addresses of abortion agencies in the UK, which was illegal in 1972. The Students Representative Council feared a police raid after The Irish Times printed a piece about it. They avoided prosecution, however, by making the entire student body the authors of the guide, and thus were allowed to distribute it within Trinity but not outside it.
and it is clear that the women and men of Trinity College have large shoes to fill. Though Trinity has a vibrant feminist community, many submit to the idea that women and men have reached a level playing field and that feminism is no longer necessary. A look at the WiSER (Women in Science & Engineering Research) office’s facts and figures clearly shows a different reality. While women make up fifty-nine per cent of the undergraduate student population, as they climb the ranks of academia to the position of professor, the proportion of women shrinks to fourteen per cent. Trinity has a strong glass ceiling when it comes to academia.
AS THEY CLIMB THE RANKS OF ACADEMIA TO THE POSITION OF PROFESSOR, THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN SHRINKS TO FOURTEEN PER CENT.
A similar incident occurred again in the academic year 1989/90, when then SU president Ivana Bacik provided the names of abortion clinics in Britain in the Trinity Guidebook. The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) took TCD and UCD Student’s Union and USI to court and they were threatened with prison. The SU representatives were questioned by detectives, told they were under investigation for the crime of “conspiracy to corrupt police morals”, and were subject to extensive media attention throughout the year. In fact, they generated so much publicity that the number of calls to Trinity SU from women desperate for information increased hugely, with up to ten calls a day at times. Mary Robinson, then a senior counsel, originally presented their defense, handing it over to others as she became president of Ireland.
gender segregation. Recent figures show a large amount of female students depend on escort websites like Sugar Daddy for financial support and beauty competitions like Miss Trinity are still run by Afterdark. Recent controversies in the Historical Society exposed endemic sexism. Across societies, particularly in the SU elections, women are highly underrepresented in positions of power. The SU took years to adopt a stance on abortion, even when in the 1980s SU leaders were willing to go to jail to support a cause they felt important to women’s rights.
RECENT CONTROVERSIES IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY EXPOSED ENDEMIC SEXISM
The issue of freedom of information was eventually bypassed by the importance of the X case in the early nineties. The case finally resolved after seven years and they eventually made legal history before the European Court of Justice. Bacik recalled in a Trailblaze speech how difficult those seven years were and how they had prepared themselves for Mountjoy Women’s prison, despite knowing conditions would be tough, and even held a Last Night of Freedom party before marching to their trial in the High Court the next day. Such radical action and bravery in the face of adversity is certainly inspiring to today’s students,
Sexism in Trinity’s social sphere is pernicious as well. In 2011 student media reported everything from Law Soc’s playboy party to sexual assaults on the infamous ski trip. In 2012 an all-male fraternity was set up in the college and 2013 saw an accompanying sorority established, reinforcing
Trinity has a long way to go to achieve gender equality, but it has still come very far. DU Gender Equality Society has a strong presence on campus and feminism is alive and well in student discourse, both academic and social. The Hist, once notoriously anti-women, recently established a forty per cent gender quota for their debates, and Trinity’s WiSER is designated to working toward improving academic inequalities. All of these efforts bring women and men further toward gender equality in Trinity College, helping our generation of Trinity women live up to the brave and admirable female students who have gone before us.
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WORDS: RACHEL LAVIN MAKE UP ARTIST: HELEN MCGINTY PHOTOGRAPHERS: HAYLEY K. STUART ERICA COBURN STYLISTS : ELIZABETH BRAUDERS RACHEL LAVIN LUCY MULVANEY AOIFE CONSIDINE KAT CLINCH DANIELLE COURTNEY BOSE ALLEN CARLA KING-MOLINA MODELS: MICHAELA HOGAN CAL GRAY ANNA O’CALLAGHAN LORENA FLYNN EVIE CLARKE ELLIE HENDRY CHLOË KEOGAN AOIFE CONSIDINE FIONA SHARKEY KATHRYN KEENAN AOIFE CLEARY SPECIAL THANKS TO: FRESH, TEMPLE BAR DUBLIN VINTAGE FACTORY TAHITI VINTANGE OM DIVA
FAIL BETTER RACHEL LAVIN
E
ntering the Science Gallery’s Fail Better exhibit on the opening night you are handed a lemon and while you spend most of the exhibition carrying it around with a slightly perplexed look on your face, by the end of the exhibition all is revealed. They take your lemon and turn it into a glass of lemonade. It is touches like this that make the Science Gallery such a uniquely stimulating experience and their latest exhibition Fail Better is no exception. The exhibition is centred around exploring failure as a theme, something surprisingly refreshing in the hyper-competitive environment of Trinity. The exhibition chronicles the failures of iconic individuals such as Samuel Beckett, Sonia O’Sullivan and Christopher Reeve. The curator of Fail Better Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh explains that “the idea is to explore the idea of failure and particularly its role in innovation and creativity.” Rather than portraying failure negatively, as we are so accustomed to do, the Fail Better exhibition takes a more open-minded approach. Introducing the exhibition, the first sign reads: “It is frequently suggested that rather than bury our failures we should wear them as a badge of honour. In Silicon Valley, entrepreneurs who have notched up less than three major failures are viewed with suspicion. ‘Fail early. Fail fast. Fail often’ is a common phrase in the start-up community, in a new twist on Samuel Beckett’s ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’” Each exhibition contains an item that symbolizes or was indeed an active ingredient in somebody’s failure, as explained
by famous figures, of science, medicine, sport and the arts, and each is more intriguing than the next. Some of the highlights are Christopher Reeve’s wheelchair, Samuel Beckett’s original manuscript drafts of Westward Ho, and most intriguingly, a human birthing machine that earned itself an Ig Nobel Prize. The machine has been rebuilt for viewing and is available to stare at in utter disbelief at in the exhibition. It was originally intended to help women deliver babies through centrifugal force. For all you non-physics students, this basically involved strapping the woman to a bed and spinning her until the baby popped out, into a somewhat inadequate net that resembles a small goal. This is a must-see for the sheer ludicrous nature of its invention. As Ní Dhulchaointigh explains ‘ the message is that failure can lead to all kinds of interesting things’, and there is certainly no shortage of those at this exhibition. So, if in the coming weeks of exam preparation the fear consumes you, take a study break and visit the ‘Fail Better’ exhibition. You might just end up reminding yourself that, far from being the worst thing that ever happens to you, failure can sometimes be the best. Above all, this exhibition teaches us that failure is not to be feared. Admission is free to the Science Gallery and it is open to the public from Tuesday - Friday 12:00 to 20:00 and Saturday & Sunday 12:00 to 18:00.
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film Muppets Most Wanted MEGAN MORIARTY The Muppets are ‘Together Again’…again, in this sequel to 2011’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful comeback. Charged with the success of their antics in the last film, the Muppet crew are looking for a new project to embark on. After eventually settling on making a second film, the gang decide to embark on a world tour. The inconspicuously named Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) steps in as their tour manager, a role which suits Gervais to a tee as he plays comical henchman to Constantine, the World’s Most Dangerous Frog who, aside from a telling mole on his upper lip, is a perfect doppelganger for our hero Kermit the Frog. Kermit is facing new struggles in his leadership role as he finds himself being slowly edged out by Dominic while simultaneously being threatened with ensuing nuptials by Miss Piggy. Piggy is fabulous as always, except this time with added Eurochic costumes à la Marlene Dietrich. However, her character has been relegated to the role of wedding obsessed girlfriend for the most part, leaving us deprived of her regular sass. Changed from her usual role of hard-as-nails blonde bombshell, she becomes increasingly soppy and secondary to her green companion, who is the main focus of the film. In short, the Muppets is
300: Rise of an Empire LOUISE LAMB After an eight year hiatus, 300 returns with another Frank Miller adaptation, this time based on his unpublished graphic novel Xerxes. 300: Rise of an Empire (or, as I prefer to think of it, 301) tells the story of Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), who leads a Grecian naval defence against a massive Persian fleet led by the beautiful Artemisia (Eva Green). This classic story of the charismatic commander going against the odds to defend his country has a lot in common with 300, but 301 definitely suffers from the loss of Zack Snyder in the director’s seat. Although expectations were low, the film’s narrative is even more shockingly
not passing the Bechdel Test any time soon and it would be nice to see a more predominant female lead, whether it’s a woman or a muppet. Kermit’s situation gets severely worse when he is brandished with a mole, mistaken for Constantine and wrongly imprisoned in the Siberian jail from which his evil lookalike has recently escaped. All of this is part of Constantine’s fiendish plan to steal the Crown Jewels with the help of an old map and the stolen identity of the worlds greenest variety show host. As we have come to expect from any Muppets movie, celebrity cameos abide, from media superstars to the lesser known
B-listers. More substantial roles are afforded to Tina Fey and Ty Burrell and with their considerable comedy chops, both come up trumps. Fey plays the strict Russian jail keeper of Kermit’s Siberian gulag who hides a heart of gold under her tough exterior and harbours a secret love for Kermit. Burrell plays a similar figure of authority in his role as French Interpol investigator Jean alongside his American counterpart Sam the Eagle. Jean is a complete Franco caricature who drinks from the tiniest coffee cup in the world and drives the tiniest car. This is all in good fun though as Burrell, with his ridiculous and purposefully inconsistent foreign accent (much like Fey) has
no shame in mocking his own efforts to be anything other than his American self. Music is once again penned by Flight of the Conchords frontman, Bret McKenzie. The songs add an enjoyable break to the narrative and are humorous enough to keep even the most half-hearted musical enthusiast entertained. Familiar pop covers are included in the soundtrack as well, with a few recognisable voices adding to the vocal stylings of the Muppets themselves. All in all, Muppets Most Wanted is a tongue-incheek farce with great comic writing and performances, that has something to offer to all ages. This is one movie franchise that could happily live on for years to come.
poor than one would have anticipated. As with its predecessor, the plot is very simple, which, in and of itself, is no problem. Both films are driven more by spectacle than by narrative, and neither claims to be high-brow drama. However, 301’s half-hour setup and intrusive voice-over narration instantly reveal the clumsy storytelling on
good dialogue are all thrown aside in an effort to deliver fantastic battle scenes, most of which the film struggles to justify. That is not to say that 301 is a total loss. The fight scenes, albeit poorly introduced and a tad wearying, are spectacular. Noam Murro, the director, opts for an aesthetic that is both true to Frank Miller’s Xerxes and reminiscent of a hack-andslash video game. The film delivers shot after shot that I’d happily hang on my wall as a poster. Use of ‘bullet time’ (think The Matrix and Sherlock Holmes) and a penchant for bright red swathes of blood that arc across the screen create shots that lovingly simulate the panels of a graphic novel. It’s clear that, if nothing else, the film is beautiful. Everything one could say about shot composition and special effects aside, the cast offers a lot in
the way of ‘cinematic beauty.’ Eva Green speaks for herself, but for those interested in men there’s literally an entire army to look at. This, ladies and gentlemen, is as good as 301 gets. Despite its failings, and the fact that it would arguably be better as a PowerPoint than it was as a movie, 300: Rise of an Empire delivers exactly what it says on the tin. The action well choreographed, wonderfully shot, and as needlessly violent as you could possibly want. Murro does incredibly well in delivering that graphic-novel style Frank Miller fans everywhere will have hoped for, and it even surpasses the first film with full-scale naval warfare (complete with horses and explosions) that goes beyond anything we saw at Thermopylae. Ultimately it seems harsh to disregard 300: Rise of an Empire given these qualities, but if you’re looking to really enjoy this film it will certainly be necessary to take it for what it is and forgive it its shortcomings.
the fact that it would arguably be better as a PowerPoint than it was as a movie
show and this continues throughout. Character development, quality acting, and
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An Oscar Night Devoid of Substance Jack O’Kennedy The most remarkable thing about the 86th Academy Awards was just how unremarkable the whole affair was. The three and a half hour ceremony, hosted by America’s sweetheart Ellen DeGeneres, was a decidedly bland affair. The lack of inspired gags, shock winners or memorable speeches resulted in a telecast that, despite a strong start, never really took flight. After the controversy of last year’s show which came under severe criticism for host Seth MacFarlane’s unabashed sexism, it is unsurprising that the organisers sought out DeGeneres as their first pick for this year’s master of ceremonies. DeGeneres is a talented comedian who has Oscars experience having hosted the show seven years previously. Her opening gag addressing how different things are in Hollywood now, before pointing out that multiple people nominated that night are also awards hopefuls again this time round, was a wry one. The Oscar monologue is always a tricky thing to get right as it sets the tone for the entire evening, but DeGeneres nailed it. Though it was marred by a lazy swipe at Liza Minnelli, referring to her as a man in drag, Ellen had a great riff on Jennifer Lawrence’s tendency to fall over at major awards shows, suggesting that should she win tonight it might be best if they just brought the Oscar to her. She finished up by declaring that there were two possibilities for the evening’s proceedings: “Either 12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture… or you’re all racists.” It was a sprightly and energetic start to an evening that quickly descended into preening drudgery. This wasn’t helped by the fact that every time Ellen reappeared thereafter, it was nestled among some celebrities in the crowd (Leonardo DiCaprio and Harrison Ford amongst them) making non-jokes and awkwardly introducing presenters. Though a selfie with the likes of Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep and Bradley Cooper went on to crash Twitter and become the most retweeted image of all time, the taking of the picture did not make for good television. An overlong sequence where Ellen ordered pizza before dispensing it to some of the more famous faces in the audience was another moment which seemed like it was aimed at those following the event online or catching up the day after, rather than serving
those who slogged through the marathon broadcast. Hopefully this trend towards viral content starts and ends here. Supposedly the theme of the 86th Academy awards was “Heroes in Hollywood” which was relayed to us rather awkwardly by two film montages during the ceremony: one of real life heroes in the film world, and the other of purely Hollywood creations. Supposedly this motif was to have been brought home by a bit involving Andrew Garfield and Batkid (Miles Scott), but the segment with the five year old cancer survivor who played Batman in his hometown for a day was cut hours prior to the awards show for reasons that are still unknown. The musical performances were all typically solid with U2 compensating for their rather generic song Ordinary Love with an excellent acoustic arrangement. More notable than any of the acts however, was the moment when John Travolta fluffed Let it Go singer Idina Menzel’s name so badly that it quickly became the talking point of the entire evening. As for the awards themselves Alfonso Cuaron’s amazing space survival film Gravity was the night’s big winner taking home seven wins from ten nominations. Although predictable, its domination of the technical awards was thoroughly deserved, with the pictures stunning sound design and visual effects making up for its weakness in narrative and some very clunky dialogue. After what was a fouryear undertaking that almost fell apart on numerous occasions, it was nice to see a genuinely humbled Cuaron pick up the award for best director. Conversely, the night’s big loser was David O. Russell’s American Hustle which managed zero wins from an astonishing ten nominations. The second Russell film in a row to receive nominations for all four of its lead characters, the films best chance at an Oscar was Jennifer Lawrence, who lost out on the night to Luptia Nyongo in 12 Years A Slave. The Great Gatsby took home the Oscars for best costumes and production design which served to highlight the beautiful shimmer and gloss that covered up what was ultimately a very shallow and empty viewing experience. Spike Jonze won best screenplay for his script for the technological romance Her and writer John Ridley took home the gong
Meryl Streep enjoys a slice of pizza, ordered by Ellen DeGeneres.
for best adapted screenplay for his work on 12 Years A Slave. The usually reserved British director Steve McQueen broke out into bunny hops when accepting the award for Best Picture for the same film. The speeches on the night were disappointing. McQueen rambled, as did Cate Blanchett when picking up her award for Best Actress in Blue Jasmine. Anyone who knows Jared Leto’s work with his band 30 Seconds to Mars wouldn’t have been surprised with his reaching out to Venezuela and the Ukraine, but it didn’t make his grandstanding whilst accepting the prize for best supporting actor in Dallas Buyers Club any less grating. Matthew McConaughey was a worthy winner for his lead performance as Ron Woodroof in the same film but his speech was a bit of a shambles. A lot of people took exception to his extended thanks to God because they thought he was “cool” (make of that what you will) but the garbled final moments of his acceptance speech when he described chasing his hero, himself, who was always ten years away, came across as a weird mixture of smug and confused, however well-intentioned it may have been. His decision to say “Alright alright alright” in tribute to his role in Dazed and Confused would have been a lovely moment had he not revealed to every talk show host in the United States and mainland Europe that he was going to do it beforehand. Lupita Nyongo’s emotional speech felt like one of the few genuine moments in a night of pure artifice and
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back-slapping. Winning best supporting actress for her role as the tragic Patsy in 12 Years A Slave, the young Kenyan performer was overcome with emotion while acknowledging that “it doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to the pain in someone else’s.” Ultimately the event’s organisers are never going to pull off a ceremony that pleases everyone but this year’s proceedings felt very incidental indeed. From the on the nose song choices like “Wind Beneath My Wings” (sung by Bette Midler during the In Memoriam sequence) to the endless stream of over-earnest presenters (we’re looking at you Anne Hathaway) coupled with a host as warm, fuzzy and safe as Ellen, the 86th iteration of Hollywood’s biggest night was seriously lacking in edge. Whilst Seth MacFarlane may have over-egged the pudding last year, the Academy would be doing themselves a favour by finding a some hosts that can strike the right balance between playing to the crowd and injecting proceedings with a hearty dose of barbed cynicism. Ricky Gervais said he wouldn’t go for it, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have categorically stated that they’re not interested. My suggestion? Give Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum a crack at it. The Jump Street duo have great chemistry and their combination of old school Hollywood glamour and a youthful irreverence might just be the kick up the backside that Oscar needs. I’m off to pray to Korean Jesus to make it so.
MUSIC Le1f Hey EP
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO
REVIEW EOIN HENNESSY New Yorker Le1f has been on our radar for quite some time now. Khalif Diouf, as his mother knows him, released his debut mixtape entitled Dark York in 2012 to great critical response. Dubbed as alternative hip hop, the mixtape saw Le1f combine his unique lyricism with some fairly obscure beats constructed by the likes of Nguzunguzu and 5kinandbone5. What followed was a collaborative EP with American producer Boody and two more mixtapes in 2013 entitled Fly Zone and Tree House. Thanks to this large body of work, he was soon picked up by a label. Two labels in fact. Both Terrible Records and XL Records made a joint venture deal for Le1f to release his debut album. First, however, we have the arrival of the Hey EP. A five track extended player comprised of songs both old and new. The Hey EP may come as a surprise to most Le1f fans as it contains one of the most successful songs off his debut mixtape. “Wut”, the lead single off Dark York back in 2012, was a super infectious dance floor killer full of hand claps and repetitive horns. Even the video to the song reached pretty mainstream success and has had two million views since it was uploaded in July of 2012. Strange then that they should include it on his most recent EP. Nevertheless, the Hey EP still contains four other original tracks, all demonstrating Le1f’s diversity. The EP begins with “Hey”, a beat based on early West Coast hip hop influences and modern grime. Le1f’s word-play is as on point as ever as he weaves in and out of parody and sincerity. As always, gay life is a big theme in Le1f’s lyrics. However, references to actual sexual activity only occur as
Bok Bok feat. Kelela Melba’s Call It’s been a while since we have heard from Night Slugs’ Label boss Bok Bok. His most recent venture sees him teaming up with upcoming American singer Kelela. The result is an electrifying blend of funk-influenced rhythms and a typical Night Slugs’ sound. Kelela’s vocals work brilliantly with Bok Bok’s abrasive beats and the song is definitely one of her finest to date.
Chubby Parker King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-me-o
often as in tracks by heterosexual rappers. Instead, Le1f tries to combat the fact that he is viewed as a gay man rather than an African-American man. In one of the lines of “Hey”, Le1f declares “Ask a gay question/ Here’s a black answer”. These lyrics along with the song’s beat would be perfect if it were not for the short periods of pitched down vocals throughout, a one trick pony that too many MCs are using recently. The next track “Sup” sees Le1f try his hand at mainstream American Rap such as Wocka Flocka Flame or Chief Keef. The heavy Trap beat and auto-tuned vocals make the track horribly unoriginal. However, there is something quite enjoyable
Kimono Kult Hiding in the Light REVIEW EOIN HENNESSY While they may sound good on paper, supergroups are more often a catastrophic failure than a blistering success. Many of us thought the combination of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones as Them Crooked Vultures would be groundbreaking. Instead we were left with a one hour bore of over produced tripe. Others thought they would enjoy the work of SuperHeavy, an amalgamation of Damian Marley, Joss Stone, Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart. Again these people were left listening to some of the worst music ever conceived, perhaps
even worse than Mick Jaggers’ collaboration with David Bowie. Forgive us then, when we say we were not hugely excited about the world’s most recent supergroup, Kimono Kult. While its lineup may not be as star studded as some other supergroups, Kimono Kult cannot be described as anything else. It justifies the name through its inclusion of John Frusciante of Red Hot Chilli Peppers fame and Omar Rodríguez-López of Mars Volta and At The Drive In. The fact that Kimono Kult only has two “supers” gives it a moderate
about hearing lyrics about homosexuality in a genre that is always viewed as quite homophobic. The two final songs on the album “Boom” and “Buzz” make desperate attempts to mimic the success of “Wut”. Although neither “Boom” nor “Buzz” is quite up to the standard of “Wut”, they are very infectious and would definitely go down a storm live. Ultimately though, they just sound like hype tracks. In fact, most of the EP just sounds like hype. Hopefully Le1f ’s debut album on Terrible/XL will be better than the EP, but for the time being we must abide by the immortal words of Flavor Flav:“Don’t believe the hype”.
advantage over other supergroups. Unlike a group consisting of big-headed rock stars, Kimono Kult will be able to express their ideas without the intense pretentiousness. The efforts of this not-so-super supergroup have resulted in a four track EP, only about fifteen minutes long. From the opening notes of the first track “Todo Menos El Dolor” we can hear that Hiding in the Light is not your run of the mill supergroup release. Instead we get a sprawling, genredefying array of sounds mostly consisting of effects pedals and extended guitar riffs. Most surprising, is that the first track actually sounds quite pleasant. Lead singer Teri Gender Bender’s vocals work brilliantly with the intricate guitar playing of Frusciante and Rodríguez-López
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Recorded in 1928 and released on Harry Smith’s famous collection, the Anthology of American Folk Music, Chubby Parker’s take on the English folk song “Frog Went A-Courtin” is an absolute delight. Parker’s incredible whistling mixed with precision banjo playing will bring a smile to anyone’s face, while the raw recording quality of the song only enhances the experience.
Movement Like Lust Sydney based band Movement may have the framework of a rock group with a drummer, guitarist and bass player, yet their sound couldn’t be anything further from it. Their blend of ambient, R&B and electronica, sounds like they could be a crossover between Portishead and Nicolas Jaar.
while the songs don’t sound over produced at all. Ultimately, however, the group’s downfall is that the tracks are almost too raw. While this problem has never been encountered by a supergroup before, Hiding in the Light has ended up sounding like a long lost 10” left in a charity shop by a local band. Even if this is the sound Kimono Kult were going for, the fact that we know that the group contains two of the best contemporary guitarists leaves us wondering why they didn’t really get any room to shine. In an attempt to not sound like an ostentatious supergroup, Kimono Kult have limited themselves by not showcasing their talents. If only this could have been said for Them Crooked Vultures ...
How American Music Took Over the World
HARRY SM I TH , A N THOLOGI ST
EOIN HE NNESSY
T
hrough a wide range of genres, America has become the supreme leader of modern music. The nation has shaped the way we listen to folk, hip hop, punk, pop and many more, for better or for worse. Although these may sound like contrasting genres, punk’s roots originate within folk music catalogued and compiled in America in the 1950s. Indeed, most American guitar music culture has its origin in a single collection of records. That is the 1952 compilation album entitled Anthology of American Folk Music compiled by Harry Smith. The album contains eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings and is the staple of the nation’s musical history. It created a chain reaction of musical styles that can still be heard today. Even recent years have seen a slight folk revival with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters And Men. Although Mumford & Sons are from England and Of Monsters And Men are from Iceland, both bands play music that is clearly based around the American folk and blues movement created by Harry Smith. In addition to its influence on folk music, the Anthology of American Folk Music spawned a whole new generation of sounds trying to improve on the genre. Beginning in the 1960s, bands like the Holy Modal Rounders and The Fugs began to take folk music into new territories, with distorted guitars and risqué lyrics. From this, groups like the Velvet Underground, The Stooges and David Peel & The Lower East Side emerged, turning folk music more raw and electric. While London based bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash did very well in the seventies, punk was still an American creation impacting on global music trends. Even the Clash’s famous reggae crossovers were an American invention, first spawned by David Peel on his
1970 song “I Wanna Kill You”. The impact of American punk can be heard today from the likes of Scotland’s Biffy Clyro and Brazil’s CSS to name but a few. While folk and punk represent one element of American influence on modern music, the greatest influence has probably been jazz. Jazz was an art form that differed significantly from all of its predecessors. It was the opposed the European symphonic tradition, that strictly abided by sheet music. Instead the jazz performer was the ultimate bohemian, relying on spontaneity and improvisational talents, and on constant experimentation. In some senses jazz is the seed from which American globalisation of music grew. It began the new era that was able to fuel folk, punk, hip hop and many other groundbreaking American genres. Despite not achieving chart success, jazz has been enormously influential and America’s position in music culture would be nothing without it. From it grew other genres like soul, R&B and funk, which in turn have had their own impacts on American musical culture. Part of the reason for America’s success in music, could be the country’s consistent output of new sounds and genres. Just as punk grew from folk, so hip hop grew from funk. Hip hop is perhaps the most recent genre to be added to the list of original American music. Its origins lie in the Bronx during the early 1970s. Weekly block parties would be thrown where DJs would mix percussive breaks over free styled vocals. By 1980, hip hop was beginning to make its mark with DJs like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash leading the new genre. Over the next ten years, hip hop began to take off around the globe with Blondie’s 1981 hit “Rapture” introducing this underground culture to the masses. Since then hip hop has gained huge success around the world and now dominates much of the music charts. Despite being an American
phenomenon, it was not long before other nations tried to copy the styles of American hip hop. The 1990s saw the rise of Europe’s hip hop stars with many trying to recreate this American sound. Hip hop reinforced the idea that America is the cultural leader of the world when it comes to popular music. Recent years have also seen hip hop change to become one of the most profitable genres of all time. While it may have started out as a mixture of poetry and drum breaks, hip hop is now dominated by narcissistic ideals of wealth and power. America’s current dominance in the music industry is largely thanks to this genre’s profitability. Not only is it one of the few genres still making money but it also sells products. Hip hop artists are paid millions to endorse brands of alcohol, clothes, foodstuffs, electronics etc. This, in turn, allows these artists live a lavish lifestyle to which ordinary people aspire. America’s power over the 21st century music industry would definitely be far less if it were not for hip hop. In February, the IRMA (Irish Recorded Music Association) showed that fifty per cent of the top ten singles in Ireland were from America, while Irish music took up a mere ten per cent. Despite half of the songs in the top ten being non-American, they still primarily use American genres such as R&B, hip hop and folk. American music dominates the charts, while other nations try to imitate it in order to sell records. Perhaps this overwhelming American influence is based on the amount of money American artists put into the production and promotion of their music. For the last fourteen weeks Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” has been number one on the Irish charts. While most will credit the track’s success to its catchiness, the real reason for its success is down its promotion. Firstly, the track premiered with the world’s first ever 24-hour music video featuring celebri-
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ties such as Jamie Foxx, Steve Carell, Magic Johnson and many more. This alone was a very strong marketing move. Secondly, the track has been licensed to several ads including that of the very popular Beats Headphones and also to the film Despicable Me 2. Lastly, after the song’s release, cities around the world were encouraged to recreate the song’s music video, leading to a global YouTube trend of various cities imitating Pharrell’s dance moves in a joyous fashion. Thus, it is unclear whether the song’s global impact has anything to do with whether people actually enjoy it or whether they are under the impression that they do, thanks to the song’s clever marketing campaign. Either way, the song is a perfect example of America’s global dominance over the music industry. American music is heard everywhere. Its influence on other countries has surpassed that of all other nations. If one looks at how exactly it came to such supremacy, one will discover that it was probably a combination of a very diverse culture, mixed with large-scale economic backing. America’s power over the music industry even transcends language barriers. Americans held seventy-one per cent of Germany’s top hits between 1965 and 2006, while they also held a staggering seventy-eight per cent of the Netherland’s. American success could also be explained by industry developments. The 1980s saw the boom of cheaper forms of music (CDs and tapes), while channels like the newly emerged MTV only showed American artists. These two developments alone could have greatly helped the US music scene take centre stage. However, with sharp declines in music sales over the past ten years, we could see a reversal of how the world views music culture. For all we know, countries could return to local music, uninfluenced by large American corporations and tacky sales gimmicks.
fashion Moschino – Fast Fashion
Triumphing over Adversity … in Style
MEGAN BURNS
CAOIMHE GORDON
SCOTT PARODIED THE MCDONALD’S BRAND TO MAKE A COMMENT ON FAST FASHION
So let’s face it, if you’re anyway interested in fashion, by now you have course seen Jeremy Scott’s first runway collection for Moschino, as it hit the runway and simultaneously went viral. The designer, already known for his love of incorporating mass culture into high fashion, has certainly made a memorable debut to the Italian fashion world. Although he has been somewhat divisive among the fashion industry, the outlandish, often controversial designer already seems a suitable choice for the fashion house whose founder was not averse to provoking the fashion world, using his designs to mock and make a self conscious comment on the industry itself. Enter Scott’s 2014 Fall/Winter Collection. McDonalds not so much inspired as was his capsule runway collection. Models wore glorified employee’s uniforms, carrying red and yellow bags on trays, and red jumpers with a yellow Moschino ‘M’ emblazoned on the front left nobody guessing as to what he was referencing. Elsewhere, he showed tight leather pieces branded in gold, in an again not so subtle nod to the mainstay of Italian fashion, Versace. SpongeBob Squarepants made an appearance in an official collaboration, as did dresses that appeared to be made out of well-known American confectionary brands ( Jourdan Dunn managed to pull off a dress made out of a giant Hershey’s wrapper). The finale was a wedding-style dress printed with nutritional facts. Now this may all seem a bit like eccentricity for its own sake, an attempt to provoke the fashion industry simply for the sake of controversy. However, Scott’s collection goes deeper than this. He explained how, particularly with the capsule collection, he
was playing on the idea of ‘fast fashion’. Like the consumer culture out of which arose our obsession with instant gratification when it comes to our food, so too has fashion developed a similar trend, and this is exemplified not only by the ‘fast food’ design of this collection, but of the actual marketing of it. As a fall/winter collection, traditionally we would have to wait months to be able to purchase anything from this show. But various items from this capsule collection are already available online, some have even sold out. The T-shirt dress from the collection is to appear on the cover of the Hong-Kong based magazine Ketchup, usually unheard of so soon after the show, a sign of the industry’s increasing focus on fast turnaround from unveiling to sale. We can therefore see how Scott has encapsulated the modern world of fast fashion. The modern customer will not wait until September to buy from the fall collection, it has to be instant, it has to be now. This culture of fast fashion is further exemplified through the collection by the fact that almost immediately, cheaper imitations of this collection have emerged. ASOS are selling a near-identical replica of the Moschino ‘fries’ iPhone cover for 16 Euros instead of the 55 needed to acquire the real deal. This is the modern fashion industry, where almost instant production is required to keep up with the consumer’s every whim. If you’re not fast, the consumer finds a new trend to lust after, and rapid tapping into their desires has become key to the present fashion industry. Scott has wittily encapsulated this in his collection, and then, as a final touch of irony, sold it back to us. With instant availability, of course.
Rafi Ridwan: remember that name. He’s about to become fashion’s Next Big Thing. Despite the fact that Rafi was born deaf, he has not been stopped from following his dreams. He has embarked on a gloriously colourful fashion career with the type of early success that his fellow designers could only dream of: fashion shows, collections and meeting his idol, Tyra Banks. All this, and he is only 11 years old. Rafi was born in July 2002 with some serious health issues. He was born deaf and constantly suffers with respiratory tract infections. He has spent his childhood in and out of hospital. His creative side flourished after a poignant exchange with his mother, Shinta Ayu Handayani, when a five year old Rafi asked what sounds sound like: “So I tried explaining to him that sound is made up of various colours like red, yellow, green and blue in the hopes that my answer would help him fill the emptiness in his life.” His childhood pictures became full of vibrant hues. He became fascinated with watching the fish in the aquarium at home and began to sketch them with artistic finesse beyond his years. In an interview with the Jakarta Globe, he further explained his fascination with all things aquatic: “I love fish a lot. Then I watched The Little Mermaid movie, and I saw that fish have their own kingdoms, with kings and princesses. So I started drawing mermaids.” He pitied the little Mermaid as she did not have any clothes so he began designing outfits for her. His passion for fashion was sparked. When he was bedridden for two years, he
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spent his time sketching. However, it was when he met Indonesian designer Barli Asmara that initial success occurred. After showing Asmara some of his designs, Rafi was invited to Asmara’s workshop. The designer was so impressed with his uncultivated talent that he helped him realise his dream to hold a fashion show on his 9th birthday. Under Asmara’s tutelage, Rafi designed seven outfits. This fashion show brought his talent to the attention of designer Nonita Respati and accessories designer Ariani Pradjasaputra. The three collaborated together to establish PuranaAarti-Rafi (PAR). Their collection debuted at Jakarta Fashion Week 2011. In celebration of his 10th birthday, Rafi designed a childrenswear collection and chose his deaf schoolmates to model the ensembles. 2012 brought further joy to young Rafi as he finally received a cochlear implant in his right ear. For the first time in his life, Rafi can hear vibrations and with regular therapy sessions, he is beginning to recognise sound.In 2013, Rafi’s success continued as he was brought to international attention after his designs were featured in an episode of the popular reality show, America’s Next Top Model. If the first few years of his career are any indication, it seems that Rafi will continue to triumph over adversity to become the famed designer he has always wished to be. As his father Mohammad said: “Most of us are afraid to dream. We’re limited by our own complicated logics and fears. But Rafi’s a child and he simply believes in his dreams. And slowly but surely, his dreams are coming true.”
RAFI RIDWAN: REMEMBER THAT NAME
Separating Artist from Art CHARLOTTE RYAN
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE Woody Allen movie? This is the question that opened Dylan Farrow’s open letter in Vanity Fair published on the first of February in which she detailed the alleged sexual assault at age seven by her adoptive father Woody Allen. Her account reignited the debate regarding the allegations first released in the 1993 divorce proceedings between Allen and her adoptive mother, Mia Farrow. Allen was never prosecuted and the battle ensues. But I’m not going to write about that. This piece won’t attack or defend Allen, nor will it try to influence your opinion. With the abundance of such articles and blog posts I think it’s far more pertinent to consider whether or not we should believe an artist to be distinct from his or her work. All I ask is that if you are a Woody Allen fan, you keep in mind your favourite Woody Allen movie. The question of art and artist is in no way a modern concern: literary theorist Roland Barthes argued in his essay “Death of the Author” that an audience shouldn’t take into account the personal opinions and lifestyle of an artist as art is drawn from a well of cultural concepts rather than one person’s experience. That’s what makes great art great: universality. As an English student, I’m inclined to agree: we can never know exactly what an author intended to write about or what exactly their personal beliefs were at any one time and that is what makes this all so fun… depending on your idea of fun. However, it cannot be denied works of art are influenced by artists’ mindsets, their value systems, their ideas of what justifies creating a novel or a poem or a film. These people felt so passionately about a topic that they put it at the core of their artistic endeavour. Or maybe not. Maybe they didn’t even think about it yet still it weaves through the art. Whether a conscious decision or not, in creating something artists draw first and foremost on the closest resource at hand: themselves. Art in all its forms is predominated by a few recurring themes: life, death, love and power. Generations have been linked, consoled and reassured by the works of women and men living centuries before our time. We’ve been given insight into the progression of the human condition in all its glory and gore by a language of letters and images. This conversation through time is a gift and a privilege but for some it’s also an enormous responsibility. Our cultural leaders take it upon themselves to give us a shout in the dark and guide us, be it negatively or positively. Here is where Woody Allen makes his cameo appearance. It’s no secret that sex features prominently in his work, granted often as a vessel for much loftier themes, but often not. Sex sells after all and who wouldn’t want to see a balding Allen in his white Y-fronts and horn rimmed glasses pondering life, death and the female orgasm? Sex is possibly the most human of all topics and worthy of discussion. This is, however, where the biography of the artist becomes problematic. As he’s never been prosecuted we must assume Allen to be innocent. But what if? Take for instance “Manhattan”, arguably Allen’s masterpiece and a stunning testament to New York and love that also happens to portray Allen’s character having a sexual rela-
tionship with a seventeen year old girl. Regardless of what you believe concerning the allegations, this provides a quandary for the average filmgoer. As a cultural and artistic icon, Allen is adding to the conversation about the appropriate age gaps for sexual relationships. There is a responsibility to that which is all his own. The writer John Green recently said that “Books belong to their readers”, echoing Barthes ideology. This only reiterates my point: such a belief strips the author of responsibility of what he puts into the world and leaves interpretation entirely up to the audience. We are all human. We’re depraved, troubled, damaged and united in our search for comfort. Art is of course the perfect provider for that but there are limits to our acceptance of what is “artistic”. We cannot accuse or speculate about things we may never know the full extent of but equally we can’t ignore the what if ’s regarding the lives of artists. There are those who were punished and ostracised for their crimes: Roman Polanski, another respected filmmaker who was charged with drugging and sodomising a thirteen year old girl and fled to France to avoid being extradited, being an example of one. Yet too often we turn a blind eye to not only rumours of extreme misdeeds but also these proven cases. On numerous occasions I’ve recommended Polanski’s “Carnage” to friends and I swoon every time Gershwin’s score swells over the New York skyline in the opening to “Manhattan”. Statutory rape. Murder. Molestation. Where is the boundary between tolerable and loathsome in art, and why is it that the crime proves more contentious than the supposed criminal? Is it just a sad fact that some crimes are worse than others, or must we always check our morals at the cinema doors? So what do we do? Do we boycott these artists, label them fiends and miscreants and banish them to the wasteland of “immoral art”? Do we advertise their misdeeds, ensure every fledgling thinker and culturally aware child is knowledgeable about these crimes and misdemeanours of art? Or do we dismiss them as hearsay, say “innocent until proven guilty” in time to the sounds of popcorn being eaten, insisting that we’ll never know what really happens behind the camera lens? I’m not advocating for people to scrutinise every film or painting or novel they come into contact with or deny yourself the chance to experience the wonderful pieces of art they are. You can like art and not the artist, but accepting that that art is problematic is not a solution. Enjoy the art that makes you happy, gives you peace and teaches you something about our world. Just be mature enough to at least keep in mind where that art came from. So I ask you, what is your favourite Woody Allen movie? Mine was “Manhattan”. I never minded the age gap between Allen’s character and Mariel Hemingway’s character even though I was seventeen when I first saw it, just like her. In the light of Dylan Farrow’s account, however, this film doesn’t sit right with me anymore. Watching it again last week, I found myself wondering how Dylan would have felt as a 17-year-old hearing Hemingway’s final affirmation of “You gotta have a little faith in people” less as a credo to love by and more as a sneer.
Is it just a sad fact that some crimes are worse than others, or must we always check our morals at the cinema doors?
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