ACTivities Magazine
OUR STUDENT-FOCUSED MAGAZINE May 2020
LEN L O &P G IN AIR E SPR H IN T E AR
QUARANTINED CREATIVITY JUST BECAUSE WE ARE INSIDE, DOES NOT MEAN CREATIVITY KNOWS BOUNDS Volume 1 Issue 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3. Painting
22. TikTok Winners
4. Photography
23 Poetry
5. Poetry
24. Kickboxing
6. Photography
25. Video Submission
7. WeACT
26. Club Information
8. Book and Writing Club
27. Student Shoutout
9. Writing Submission
28. Hope
10. Writing Submission
29. Student Spotlight
11. Haiku
30. Honorable Mentions
12. Digital Media Club
31. Self-care Plan
13. Dance Club
32. Mental Health Month
14-19. Nayia K. Painting Collection
33. Painting Submission
20. ACT Webinars
34. #TBT
21. Dukakis Center
35. Regards
Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director: Leemu Kutu Hall Executive Producer: Natalia Alexiou Senior Editor: Heather Funk Supported by: The International Programs & Student Services Offices
Thank you to everyone who submitted their works
To submit your work for the next issue of ACTivities Magazine email: ipofellow@act.edu
This publication was prepared with content submitted by the members of the ACT community named in the edition. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views and opinions of the American College of Thessaloniki. All content is protected according to intellectual property law.
EVENING WALKS May 2020
MARIA ELEONORA THEODORIDI
FINGER
PAINT
HEATHER FUNK THEODORIDI IPO & Student Services Director
ON
BUTCHER
PAPER
Georgia Papoutsloglou
"SHACKLES AND A BREATH OF FREEDOM" She uses photography to express her emotions, thoughts and fears during times both good and challenging (like a quarantine). She finds inspiration in simple things that exude life and love, like a smile, a gesture, a child's toy or a plant.
"...FINDS INSPIRATION IN
SIMPLE THINGS" JOURNEY Georgia Papoutsloglou is a social worker and administrator at one of our service learning partner sites, Soma Filon AMEA.
POEMS
STUDENT
FELLOW
TATIANA PLESS ORIGINAL WORKS
BOXED UP
HINDERED
Self imposed or forced
When one points a finger, someone will be at
Either way, it will run it’s course
the other end.
Plant a seed and watch it grow
Who’s to blame for my lack of progress?
Months from now, look at what you chose.
My lack of friends? My lack of stability?
Did it stretch and extend
My lack of tranquility?
Or wither away to its end? Do not fret, even through regret
All the things I’d have if I acted willfully.
Because you always have a choice
Although it’s easy to point the finger and have
To start over, and forget.
someone at the other end, this time I’m to blame for my lack of amends.
Now plant the seed again.
Looking into a mirror the finger is pointed at
Water it, set it out in the sun.
me.
This time, focus on yourself and your growth.
I’m to blame.
Months from now, look at what you
I’m the one who’s responsible for this atrocity.
chose. Did you reap the benefits of what you’ve sewn?
Photo credits: Strata Chatzivasileiou
Every women deserves her own
Revolution
WORDS HAVE POWER So join the conversation
Why I Don't Want to Be a Mother EIRINI HADJIKAKOU, 2ND YEAR PSYCH
“As the title of this article states, I will discuss why me personally have decided that I most likely won’t become a mother. To begin with, I am not against motherhood. Many women (and men) are prohibited to become parents by society and even the state. For example, in the past people of color in America had to endure mass sterilization to prohibit their reproduction (Davis, 1981). Disabled
women
and
men
are
(not
only)
socially discouraged to have kids. LGBTQ people have the right to adopt children only in the 13 out of the 28 member states of the European Union and the right of one LGBTQ partner to adopt their partner’s child is recognized only in 16 member states of the EU (Rainbow Europe). Furthermore, the Greek state gives money to Greek women to become mothers at a young age but they do not
help
financially
migrant
women
(Aggeli,
Daskalopoulou, Tziantzi, 2019), while migrant women, men, children live in refugee camps under inhuman conditions. Greek society is very strict when it comes to women having children, many Greek people support that a woman’s role in nature is to bring children into the world. However, when it comes to pregnant migrant women and their children, they do not seem to care that much. For example, recently a boat full of migrants arrived at the shore of Lesvos and local Greek people were insulting a pregnant woman inside this boat with hideous language (HuffPost Greece, 2020). Motherhood should
not
be
looked
at
with
a
one-dimensional
approach. Discrimination, racism and ... CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE
References
Why I don't Want to Be a Mother EIRINI HADJIKAKOU, 2ND YEAR PSYCH ....homophobia remove the right to parenthood from many people. This is rooted to the idea of "normativity”, according to which, some characteristics are considered "normal" (eg heterosexuality and whiteness are considered normal) and some others not, resulting to many people being considered as the "other" (Zevallos, 2011). These people are excluded from the society and they don't enjoy the same privileges as the others. Let’s go back to the subject. Why I won’t be a mother. There are more than one reasons...The Greek state gives financial support to families with at least one parent being a Greek citizen. However, in the rest of European countries, the standards that need to be met for a family to qualify for financial support is “the economic situation, the place of residence or the social insurance”. The citizenship of the parents
does
not
matter
in
other
countries
(Aggeli,
Daskalopoulou, Tziantzi, 2019). This fact shows that the “glorification of motherhood” does not
apply
to
whole
motherhood.
It
only
applies
to
motherhood by women who will mother Greek children. The rest of the mothers and children are excluded from the “respect” and “glory” the Greek society gives to mothers and to raising children and migrant women and their kids are insulted as was the case in Lesvos and are denied their rights in Greece. A migrant woman reports her experience: “She remembers that during her pregnancy she was in a state of melancholy and depression, overwhelmed by anxiety and despair, due to her inability to communicate (she didn’t know the Greek language). In the early stages of pregnancy, she visited the Doctors of the World near Omonia….
READ THE NEXT ISSUE FOR PART 2
References
" A H A I K U F R O M M E T O Y O U "
EVEN I F
I
K N O W
I T
I T ' S
T O A S T
E N D S
B E E N
T O
T H E
H E R E
O N E
W I L D
R I D E
M E M ’ R I E S
B Y :
M Y
H E A R T
W I L L
A L W A Y S
B E
I N
T H E S S A L O N I K I
K U T U
H A L L
"Nobody has ever taken a photograph of something they want to forget." REBECCA MCNUTT
JOIN THE DIGITAL MEDIA CLUB All forms of media are welcome
START NOW PARTY HARDER LATER ACT Dance Club
LIFE IN THE TIME OF LOCKDOWN NAYIA KAPLANIDOU The lockdown was an unprecedented experience. We were all shocked at being forced to self-isolate at home due to this dangerous and terrible enemy of mankind. We were unprepared to lose abruptly all those things that form our identities, such as our work, our families, our friends. Fortunately for us artists, our identity lies in our art. During the endless hours I spent in solitude at home, my old friends kept me company almost every day: my pencils and my colour pencils. I love the humble pencils more than any other complex art techniques. Although colour pencils leave a harder mark on paper than a brush, they suit me better because I believe that painting does not need to be soft and velvety to be sensitive and expressive. The exact opposite is likely the case because a combination of hardness in the medium and sensitivity in expression is very interesting. In addition, colour pencils are easy to carry with you anywhere. These are a few of the sketches I made during the quarantine. My inspiration was well-known works of art of different periods. It was a time that I spent waiting to see my students again and to share with them my love and knowledge around painting.
Harlequin was inspired by a
HARLEQUIN WITH A MIRROR
Pablo Picasso painting from 1923. Among the colorful world of circus people, Picasso would find the pretext for his future depictions of human situations.
INSPIRATION
COME TO LIFE
Inspiried by Henri de Toulouse Lautrec 1889 we come upon a young girl with red hair in a garden. It is one of the many portraits painted by Lautrec on the subject of Parisian women. The painter rendered his
GIRL WITH RED HAIR
sensitive works using few and clear colors.
inspired from S.Botticelli painting.
APHRODITE
Portrait of Caravaggio Inspiried by drawing of painter Ottavio Leoni. His intense, revolutionary and bold character is evident on his face. A man who, despite living an irreconcilable, prodigal and bohemian life, and dying just 47 years old, was one of the greatest artists of all time who brought a great revolution in art.
Caravaggio inspired from a Caravaggios self - portrait
Samuel Becket inspired by a photo.
Gertrude Stein Inspired by a 1906 Pablo Picasso painting Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector. In 1903 she moved to Paris with her brother, LeoDuring that time, many great people of the arts would visti her. She stayed in Paris for the rest of her life.This portrait with its sharp lines and hard volumes and with obvious influences from Iberian sculpture, foretells the style of cubism that is soon to become the expressive technique of Picasso's art.
A Bar at the Follie
A flamenco dancer
inspired by a photo.
A sketch inspired by a 1851 painting by French painter Jean Dominique Ingres
Inspired from a 1881 Eduard Manet painting.
Inspired by a 1916 Gustav Klimt painting.
Madame Moitessier
Portrait of a lady.
LE LE DA DA
inspired by a Leonardo Da Vinci drawing.
PAINTER, sculptor, architect, engineer and writer. Scientist and researcher of nature. He studied botany, medicine, geography, anatomy, mathematics.
A Representative of the Homo Universalis ideal man.
HIS painting went beyond the imitation of nature. He studied every painting he made.
Free webinars from ACT Topics for everyone! Space is limited. Register now
THE DUKAKIS CENTER PRESENTS
A video podcast series on YouTube that explores how one's training equipped them to think in a post-pandemic world as the corona-virus has morphed the world we once knew.In addition, find out how different streams of inspiration and the efforts of Hellenes assist their fellow citizen to cope with the lock-down.
"This Day and Age"
WATCH.SUBSCRIBE. LIKE & SHARE
FIND DIFFERENT Politis: The Voice of the Dukakis Center
STREAMS OF INSPIRATION
1st Nicole Mattos
TikTok Winners 2nd Noah Eschmann
3rd Sara Martin
During this quarentine, all I can think about is health, habits, and a never coming future. I dedicate this to
LOSE A POEM BY KUTU HALL
Daily she steps up Hoping to plummet down The cool crisp glass pressing into her frayed feet Melding with her veins, pumping blood to a dying heart Exhale, inhale, Exhale, Exhale Let it all come out Let the molecules dance in the air and form a new tune Continue to go, go go and again... She steps up But she is still there Never falling down, just stuck in the same damn place So she moves, moves,moves Pushing to burn it all down Change is a movement of life Not an catalyst Here she is Ducking and moving and jiving ‘Til once again she steps up And the cool crisp glass turns to charring coals Once again she steps up and seems to inch down But can never seem to fall off the fucking cliff Mounds of Yellow and Red surround her Melting into her core Tracing once sentient beings Again she steps up and again she hopes to tumble down
those that are burdened by the extra weight they carry.
FREE
ACT
KICKBOXING CLUB
Mondays via Zoom 6pm 45'-60' min. sessions
An athletic clothes and shoes are required, and at least 2 X 3 m free space. Having a partner/second person is encouraged. There will be a total of 4 sessions (May 25, June 1, 8 & 15).
Emma Garcia
Student & Fellow
SPRING II 2020 CLUBS
ALL FREE ALL ONLINE
STUDENT Want to share your social media? Want to share that lit pic you took? Want to support ACT?
Then read, comment, share, react, and interact with ACT this semester.Use #act_greece! We will make sure to shout you out and show our thanks!
SHOUTOUT
"HOPE IS SOMETHING YOU GIVE YOURSELF. THAT IS THE MEANING OF INNER STRENGTH."
Uncle Iroh
Student Doing something great? Received an award or special recognition? Then email ipofellow@act.edu with the details
Spotlight
Honorable Mentions Ben Nassif
Angela Quiterio
Self-care tips Always remember to feed your soul Physical Get enough sleep; not too much or too little Stretch and refresh Bonus: add in some yoga and meditation Consume healthy foods and practice mindful eating
Move that body! Go for a walk, jog, workout from home. Maybe a solo dance party at home
Work Time-management Keep work boundaries Make sure you create a positive workspace Breaks are essential depending on how you spend them
Emotional/ Spiritual Find different ways to manage stress: journal, read, breathe or talk with a counselor. Nature is not quarantined. If you can, walk by water or take a hike. Nature is our blessing. Keep time for yourself and stay connected, as much as you can, with those you care for.
Take care of your mental and physical well-being You can still contact our ACT MD, Dr. Kounti (kounxat@act.edu) You can also contact our ACT Counselor, psychologist Ms. Florentin (nefloren@act.edu)
It is mental health month in the States and we are bringing it to ACT. Look out for upcoming events.
A study on this "whole coronavirus situation"
Natalia Alexiou Student Services Coordinator
#TBT
Halloween
ACTivities WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Magazine
OUR STUDENT FOCUSED MAGAZINE MAy 2020
LEN L O &P G IN AIR E SPR H IN T E AR
QUARANTINED CREATIVITY
EMBRACE CHANGE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE INSIDE , DOES NOT MEAN CREATIVITY KNOWS BOUNDS