Symposium Fall 2013 by AHSC Publications

SYMPOSIUM Arts and Literary Magazine

Vol. 1 Issue 1

November 2013

ARTS &

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SYMPOSIUM ES STUD NITI EN A TS UM

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Editor-in-Chief: STEPHANIE GRELLA Managing Creative Editor: PEDRO PESSOA Managing Academic Editor: STEPHANIE TAYLOR Copy Editor: STEPHANIE SHEFLER Layout Editor: SABRINA YAU Dear readers,

Cover art by EMILY SIMPSON, 30 Minutes of Infamous-y

On behalf of the Arts & Humanities Students’ Council Publications Team, I would like to welcome you to the first issue of Symposium, the bi-monthly literary and arts magazine. For those of you familiar with AHSC publications, you might be wondering what happened to Propaganda, the former arts and literary publication published annually. As a way to revamp our publications, we decided to create a new, more frequent publication that would feature more of Arts & Humanities students’ remarkable work, including poetry, prose, drama, visual art, and photography. We, however, cannot take full credit for Symposium. A&H students in the early 90’s published this magazine as a source for student writing, artwork, compelling editorials, and film reviews. For almost 20 years, Symposium has been out of commission—until now. Along with student submissions, we are also very excited to feature our events page—a source for arts-related events at Western and in the London community. For many students who are London residents for eight months out of the year, we want to ensure that you take advantage of as many entertaining and inspiring events in the London arts community as well as on the Western campus. We hope you enjoy our first issue of Symposium! Sincerely, Stephanie Grella Editor-in-Chief

World’s Edge

by Emily Groleau

SYMPOSIUM

Letter from our President

Hi! My name is Sarah Emms, and I’m the President of the Arts and Humanities Students’ Council at Western University. We’re pleased to present the new and improved version of Symposium, one of our undergraduate journals. This year, we will be publishing Symposium bi-monthly so that we can keep you up-to-date about all the amazing arts events going on in London, in addition to showcasing the art and creative writing of our talented students. The Arts and Humanities Students’ Council is responsible for representing the interest of Arts students in various capacities on campus, in addition to acting as a resource for our students and running many great events that enhance the student experience. We are known on campus for our great speaker events; in the past, we have brought Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, Frank Warren, and Kal Penn to campus to talk to students and the community. We put on a play each year for campus and the community. Check out this year’s production of A View from the Roof March 26-29 at The ARTS Project. We participate in the campus-wide Arts festival, Reverie, that is held every March to celebrate all forms of creativity. We hold essay clinics and peer review sessions for our students and work with the departments in our faculty to address student concerns. Finally, we publish three other journals the feature student work: Premier, our first-year essay collection that features many academic resources; Propaganda, our creative journal that features student artwork, poems, and short stories; and Semi-Colon, our upper-year essay collection that features student work chosen by professors. As you can see, there’s always a lot going on in the Arts and Humanities at Western! We hope you enjoy the debut issue of the new Symposium. We welcome any feedback or submissions for future issues at ahscpublications@gmail.com.

Arts & Humanities Students’ Council 2013-2014

President SARAH EMMS VP Communications DENA GOUWELOOS Alumni Relations Commissioner APRIL TANNER Editor-in-Chief STEPHANIE GRELLA Fac-at-Large KATE JEFFORD Managing Academic Editor STEPHANIE TAYLOR USC Councillor MARIA LITSAS Managing Creative Editor PEDRO PESSOA Head Soph ARUNA VITHIANANTHAN Copy Editor STEPHANIE SHEFLER Speaker ELIZABETH LE Layout Editor SABRINA YAU Member-at-Large KATE WILLIAMS Blogger ERIK ZADROZNY Member-at-Large RACHEL ELLIOT Promotions Coordinator NORA HICKEY Member-at-Large EMILY SIMPSON Internet Commissioner YEN HONG Graphic Design Commissioner MICKEY BECKER-SEGAL VP Academics ELIZABETH NASH Administrative Assistant ELIZABETH DIEMANUELE Fac-at-Large DIANA BUCURESTENAU English Rep HANA ELNIWAIRI VP Events CRISTINA RIZZARDO Film Rep TRAVIS PULCHINSKI Departmental Committee Commissioner JILLIAN BAKER French Rep HEATHER DAVID Community Outreach Commissioner HALEY EVERITT Visual Arts Rep ALANNA SULZ Fac-at-Large JONATHAN ENGLISH Women’s Studies Rep LAUREN MORTIER Philanthropy Coordinator CAROLINE HENDRICK Classics Rep AMANDA ZAFAR Play Coordinator ASHLEY PATENAUDE Philosophy Rep DANIELLE BENMORDECAI Modern Languages & Literature Rep KAITLYN PURVIS Off Campus Rep NATASHA BUTLER Essex Hall Rep TAMAR BRESGE VP Finance NATALIE CARSWELL Alumni Hall Rep SARAH GILPIN SDF Coordinator ELIZABETH CLEARY Saugeen Hall Rep BETHANY GREER Delaware Hall Rep JILL SMITH Perth Hall Rep KATARINA HUELLEMAN Elgin Hall Rep CAROLYN DENAULT Onatrio Hall Rep OLIVIA NEALE Med-Syd Hall Rep MONICA MCGARR London Hall Rep CARINA WHARTON

Stay

by Helen Ngo

Copyrights remain with the artists and authors. The sole responsibility for the content in this publication lies with the authors and artists. The content does not reflect the opinions of the Arts and Humanities Students’ Council (AHSC) or the University Students’ Council (USC). The AHSC and USC assume no liability for any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions contained in this publication.

Bedroom 2

by Rachel St. Pierre

SYMPOSIUM Not Igloos EVAN PEBESMA

In Canada we say that we do not live in igloos, because to say that we live in houses is far too American. And forests. And maple syrup. – hockey – – sticks – Why are you a proud Ontarian? Seven-year-old Timmy has an assignment to write. His father asks if the question isn’t about being a Canadian or a human being. Can he say he isn’t proud? And father says, “That’s an awful tough question for someone so young.” Then he leaves little Timmy with a box of pencil crayons to colour in his problems. Father goes to think about the question in his rocking chair and he’s still there sitting with a hardcover copy of A History of Canada folded on his lap. The pages feel heavy on his knees, while the question goes unanswered. Maple Leaves on the first of July. How proud it is to see. O Canada, for thee. Our true…our true…our true… The fireworks dazzle for three full days, until we look across the deep grey lake. Then the world is not so small and we are not so big.

Victoria BC MICHAEL GYSSELS Alone she stands at nature’s heart, A sentinel of the luxurious garden: A maple citadel, guardian of the fragile petals And delicate bloomed decorum. In the summer heat her massive frame Challenges the malevolent sun, Casting cool grey over the zealous red roses. Soon the impartial cold and biting frost Shall chase those summery dancers to their shallow roots. For all their vibrancy, they lead false lives— Hollow and heartless, xylem pumping Translucent blood to ever-waning brains; Leaping hastily to life, only to tumble To bitter deaths in crisp autumn air. But as the air grows cold and the sky colder, Her papier-mâché embers drift upon the heavy air, And set the ground ablaze with red, auburn, and gold More exuberant than the stars bearing weightily down, Bathing me in light under shelter of her branches. And when cantankerous old Jack nips At Autumn’s heels, Barking in the lungs of the bare and lonely, Hanging prisms from their noses Like the sublime cliffs and crags to the east, She hoists a great ball of snow about her shoulders—a child’s hero. For her branches bend but do not break Like birches in a frost, and from her trunk Oozes the sweetness that sustains a child’s joyous life. From the horizon stretches her spindly shadow, Softly atop the ivory carpet – Eccentric keys to some shade’s instrument – While snowflakes dance across the skyline As playful notes on a player piano. Children’s laughter resonates— The voices of the jovial choir mingle With the crunching notes from footsteps Filling the night with melodic din. But when the sun again casts its warmth over The darkened land, and Winter’s canvas Begins to melt away, Painted with fresh shoots and blooms shining through – And again I am taken with them – Her storied trunk shall ever remain, Grizzled bark etched with lover’s salutations, Telling tales to any who will listen.

Career Day ELIZABETH NASH

SYMPOSIUM A Face in the Crowd ELIZABETH DIEMANUELE

When I grow up, I want to be a dog.

Cobblestoned memories lose their signatures;

Every meal is the same, but there’s the Oh-joy-oh-joy-oh-joy moment Of just being able to eat.

these cracks are just cracks on a gravel surface.

Waking up, there’s the possibility Of a hug or a pat or a pet And there’s maybe some beauty in that.

I remember when the columns fell Pisa leaned Venice sank Euro died.

Trot-trot into a room, and everyone smiles Eyes half-flick from the TV to you And use you as a fuzzy footrest.

I am lost, the pavement feels cold against the bottom of my leather shoe and the people shove and shove and shove.

When others are sad, just a lick or a nudge Can wipe away the tears or fears and nightmares And leave them with a half-turned grin. Better yet, you get to be a living garbage disposal Of scraps and small pieces of anything That taste finer than any wine. Years later, my mother told me it’s not commercially viable to be a dog So I became a lawyer instead (but I get to be a dog on weekends).

Buildings stain the sun shade the crops shelter the shoves the whispers that curse me Wop. The people are faceless and the sun is foreign, like me. i am but a faceless Wop; feet blistered by cold, leather shoes and these cracks are just cracks on a gravel surface

Satan’s Toy JANET MCGINN Another horror story, evil lurking in your mind. Pain starts at home and growsyou stand there undefined.

shove shove shove

Opaque and unclear, eyes fixed in cold-blooded stare. The spark of life, no longer is there.

(but I still try to remember the cobblestones, and their imperfect lines that told stories of unspoken histories).

In the Silence JUSTIN JIAN-YI TOH

In the silence was my stronghold Where no one could hear The sound of my etching And likewise, I heard no one Not even a resonant hum interfered With the silent warmth And the walls between mind and reality Dissolved Tingling with a tune That spoke of the softest sensations Of a force that never struck Only brushed In the silence was a sun A gushing source of subdued light And from the sun dropped a note That in the endless space Echoed and resonated Magnifying into a polyphonic aria That spilled around me And in this silent note I flowed beyond Into the space outside of space Where no thought or feeling penetrates But the ineffable sense of being cradled That slips around the spirit Like a gel And in the silence I merged into the divine Liquid music flowing through and from my endings Such that existence was singing A low, soft, gentle chord Harmony And so I sat Submerged In a pocket outside life Resting from pulls and pushes of the day To but speak and be heard If only to myself and to God Diffused into this stillness Rocking, drifting Growing, filling Seeing, learning Dreaming Still

A horror story, a tale of body wrenching pain. A home of fightingtears fall from eyes like rain.

For My Niece BRYTON MCKINNON For my niece,

Sprouting, grabbing, choking, his twisting lies do creep. The children that he kills, their families mourn and weep.

I cannot tell you how the world looks during your first glimpses. Aeons separate my nativity from yours; this is all the pretext of letting you know I will be vicariously living through you. You have been my long awaited life benchmark.

Our family is a spider web of caregiving. There is little doubt - as certitudes should be left for mathematics - that you will be one of the empathic few.

Eyes turn, shift and scanthey strike, deadly and wild. The mind of a killer, but the soul of a child.

To give a little background, your gangly - apparently self-effacing uncle - will share whatever wealth he accumulates, all the while in 3rd person.

Hence, don’t feel odd when generations of anguish straddle you from cradle to grave.

Recoiled, and ready for the killa hurt child clutching his gun. The seed of lies has sproutedthe game has just begun.

Please note in whatever dialect of baby-ese you prefer that reciprocity makes a ‘moveable feast’; also; don’t let me forget to read you Hemingway and Ginsberg.

You’ll learn his sense of humor eventually.

I want to read you books: Berenstain Bear will be our life force; Robert Munsch will be our ionic bonds; Le Petit Prince, our moral compass.

His chains are locked tight, a puppet held by strings. He dreams of being loved, and other-worldly things.

I will show you the laws of physics encapsulated in falling tickle-time feathers and a plaque of your feet made from Atlas’ rock. For your formative years, I expect little in return - besides your undivided attention, keen, sponge-like observational skills, and awesome fucking hugs.

It is too late; he thinks it truehe holds the weapon to his head. He knows he can never fail again, or be a burden if he’s dead. The puppeteer has won again, the long and painful fight. Off to find another childto haunt throughout the night.

On another foot, you’ll soon see teeter-totters are rarely balanced; make solace with this disparity despite however many scraped knees arise. Although I am unlikely to adorn you in jewelry that countless consumers will slyly profess you need, do not hesitate to ask me for a shooting star.

Marquisa Barocco by Anna Paily

Please note that lessons like not touching the stove are immune to clasping at the impossible. Our family has a history of blistering palms. Like psalms, we are medics who often arrive too late on the scene; but not all emergencies are noticeable. Trust me; there will be lost teddies & lovers amidst overstayed welcomes from frenemies and turbulent misgivings.

With whatever wisdom I possess, please take this one strand of spaghetti clinging to the wall: Do not run from them; those who have been called bottom-feeders; this anomaly society unknowingly is being judged by those unborn like you by how it treats those on the fringes. Regardless of this, know that wherever you start, there is no such thing as permanence, despite whatever epiphanies about closed eyes and parsed hands may tell you. As you have come, so will we both go. I apologize in advance for likely missing these lightning striking moments; it will likely be a bird or bug’s fatality triggered by your sneakers, flinging reality at you due to your flustered, tactless curiosity. But you will be okay; fear of anything - besides losing the ones you love without making the effort to see them - should never be your guidance. You must understand - so help me ‘whatever deity you may someday choose to worship’ - that the ‘force’ is more than the Star Wars connotation. Also, we will watch Star Wars. But only the 4, 5th, and 6th. It’s a long story… What’s important is that we make those connections between good, and bad. We will our will for those goods and bads. Cognizance of your intention is an education you can never stop furthering. As your schemas transcend your 5, 11, and 16 year old limitations, those faculties must remain employed. I’m counting on you to keep up the struggle, but before we get into all of this, I’ll just start with a wayward tear and awkward “Hello”!

SYMPOSIUM

Upcoming Events

WESTERN UNIVERSITY

November

9 pm Mustang Lounge Calling all starving artists! Western’s Undergraduate English Society, The Coterie, is hosting the first Poetry Slam of 2013! This event features Ben McCabe, professional spoken word artist and categories are as follows: Classical Spoken Word Hip Hop *1st place prizes will be awarded to each category. If you wish to sign up, just comment in the Facebook event with the category you wish to perform, and your name will be added to the list! (Walk-ins are also welcome) This event is FREE and delicious refreshments will also be offered! Tell your friends, tell your parents, tell your grandparents!

November 1: A Moveable Feast: Celebrating 40 years of the Writer-in-Residence

November 11-14: Western International Week

November 5-9 8:00pm Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck (Conron Hall) November 6 LECTURE Ethics through the Monocle: The Moral Philosophy of Elizabeth Auscombe, Dr. Samantha Brennan. Central Library 251 Dundas St. Stevenson & Hunt Rm A 7 pm November 7: 7:00pm Art Now Speaker Series: Geoffrey Pugen (Visual Arts Building 100)

LONDON

November

November 25 1

November 14: 9:00am-3:00pm Engage Western: Opening the Doors to Campus-Community Celebrations November 14: 7:00pm Art Now Speaker Series: Scott Everingham (Visual Arts Building 100) November 21: 7:00pm Art Now Speaker Series: Sasha Pierce (Visual Arts Building 100)

Change of State by Corry Faulkner

November 2nd London Sings for Wounded Warriors – 7:00 pm Duchess of Kent Legion; $10.00/student November 2nd Jeans ‘n Classics – The Ultimate Symphonic Rock Show 8:00 pm London Convention Centre

Fall

November 11th Dancing with the Stars of 911 – 6:00 pm Hellenie Community Centre; dinner & show $75.00; show only $30.00 November 12th-23rd Vigil – 8:00 pm The McManus Studio Theatre at the Grand Theatre

November 2nd Orchestra London Masterworks Series Arabian Nights – 8:00 pm Centennial Hall; $18.00/student

November 13th Orchestra London Classics & Beyond – Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony – 8:00 pm St. Paul’s Cathedral; $18.00/student

November 3rd Amabile Benefit Concert – 7:00 pm The Grand Theatre; $55.00

November 14th Indie Author Night and Self Publishing Q&A – 7:00 pm Central Library

November 6th Just For Laughs Comedy Tour ‘13 – 7:30 pm Centennial Hall; $43.50 November 8th Baseline Press 2013 Book Launch – 7:00 pm Organic Works Bakery

by Shalini Venga

November 8th-9th Orchestra London Red Hot Weekends Down on the Corner: Music of CCR 8:00 pm Centennial Hall; $18.00/student

Tufts

November 8th-23rd Rosecrantz & Guildensern are Dead – 8:00 pm The ARTS Project

by Danielle Sing

November 9th Margie Gillis: Live at the Grand (Presented by The Margie Gillis Dance Foundation) 8:00 pm The Grand Theatre; $35.00

November 14th Gathering of the Artists – 7:00 pm The Innuit Gallery November 16th Honor: True Patriot Love The Canadian Men’s Chorus– 7:30 pm Centrespace for the Arts; $15.00/student November 17th Orchestra London Pops Series Rhapsody in Blue 2:30 pm Centennial Hall; $18.00/student November 16th-17th The Wearable Art Sale at Covent Garden Market 10:00 am Upstairs at Covent Garden Market

Londonfuse is one of London’s most fascinating arts resources. It is a social network that allows anyone to make an account and post their own community events, as well as London and area related articles, reviews and opinions. The site is run by Thread development and spearheaded by urban developer Ryan Craven. Londonfuse encourages Londoners to use the site to connect and promote their creative artistic and business endeavours. Alternatively, by contacting Londonfuse about any event or coverage you wish them to promote, they can refer you to their diverse volunteers who will gladly write up something for you! Viewed by thousands every month, Londonfuse can only get bigger and better the more people use it! Engage with your artistic community. London Indie Underground, Indie Underground what’s the difference? Well if you are looking for a great night out at somewhere that doesn’t play top 40 hits, head to one of London’s most historic bars, Call the Office on Wednesdays to dance your heart out to the newest indie music djed by London’s own Aaron Macmillan. Macmillan is an incredible cultural promoter in the city and tries to engage people in alternative activities to help keep London diverse from the typical Jack’s crowd. Alternatively, London Indie Underground is an exclusively southwestern Ontario project that promotes local bands and aims to keep the musical community thriving. Every Wednesday night from 8-10 hosts Jimi James and Brandon Eedy interview a local band while playing local artists on their podcasts. The night finishes with the interviewees playing a half hour set. London Indie Underground is located at 538 Adelaide St and is open to anyone to enjoy a free show and learn more about their local music scene. November 20th-January 4th Elf – 7:30 pm The Grand Theatre; $25.95 November 21st Author Reading with Craig Davidson– 2:00 pm Fanshawe College Main Campus Room D-1060 November 24th Christmas in Vienna – 6:00 pm St. Paul’s Cathedral; $40.00 September 4th-November 27th Fall Painting Workshops – 6:30 pm The ARTS Project; register online November 29th-December 14th Dicken’s Dinner – Old Cheeseman’s Christmas! – 6:30 pm Fanshawe Pioneer Village; $50.00 November 29th Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody – 7:30 pm Centennial Hall; $39.00 November 30th Orchestra London Masterworks Series – An English Romance – 8:00 pm Centennial Hall; $18.00 (Student)

Published by the Arts and Humanities Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Council Western University London, Ontario, Canada

2013