“There is no one, predetermined way we should all look, act or feel. We are all individuals...�
INSIDE: A visual investigation into what empowerment & identity means to different people
ISSUE 16
Identity
EDITOR’S LETTER
fills me with immense pride to have worked alongside such passionate individuals. I would like to extend my gratitude to the POP Creative team, the social media team, management, and, of course, my interns.
Dylan Dartnell
As co-editor for this issue, it
This issue is the culmination of articles that empower the young people of our city—and, ultimately, our country— to take responsibility of our future and continue the good work of those who have laid the foundations for real social, environmental, and political change. Take note of the proactive language. The writers endeavoured to uncover the unhelpful and unhealthy paradigms that block our social revolution and negotiate a solution that we can all be proud to be a part. I would also like to bestow my best wishes to the supportive Colosoul community and to the new and promising editor, Michaela, who succeeds me.
Content
SOCIAL DISMANTLE ........................................5 MENTAL HEALTH .................................7 HECS ...................................................9 EXPLOITATION OF INTERNS .........11
TRAVEL STUDY ABROAD ................................13
ENVIRONMENT CHECK OUT THE CLEANUP CREW ..15
FASHION SUSTAINABLE FASHION .................18
OPINION FOR THE LOVE OF ARTS.....................21 FICTION .............................................23 IDENTITY ...........................................25
IDENTITY PHOTOSHOOT..............28 MUSIC DEADSPACE ......................................36 IN THE PINES ....................................40 CONCEPT ALBUMS .........................43
BOOKS, THEATRE & FILM TEAR JERKER ...................................47 IMPROVEMENT CLUB .......................49 TULLY ................................................51 ANT MAN AND THE WASP ...............53
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About the Front Cover
ISSUE 16 Editor: Dylan Dartnell Co Editor: Briana Walker Assistant Editor: Michaela Gail Creative Director: Karina Smeets
Artwork by Erin Cunningham
“It’s like Fish is stuck somewhere. Not all the way stuck in time and space; he’s in another stuckness altogether” Tim Winton, Cloudstreet pg. 69
Inspired by the character Samson Lamb, or “Fish” from Tim Winton’s novel ‘Cloudstreet’, my digital illustration explores a character who is stuck between physical and temporal worlds. Winton’s character, after a near death experience, becomes lost between these two realms and simultaneously develops an obsession with the river, always wanting to become at one with the water. Water bodies; seas, lakes and rivers, by many cultures, are believed to be sacred places of limbo, where the spiritual and the physical meet, Winton emphasises this in his novel, and also develops a more meaningful and beautiful attachment between his West Australian characters and our local Swan River.”
Graphic Designers: Karina Smeets, Sarah-Lee McCully & Renae Rabel Front Cover Artist: Erin Cunningham Contributing Writers: Amy Walsh, Belicia Tjendera, Caleb Harders, Dylan Dartnell, Ethan Hughes, Hannah Hall, Hannah Whittaker, Harriet Olivia, John Blackburn, Michaela Gall, Mira Burayou & Rachel Yeo
Check out our online articles at
www.mag.colosoul.com.au
DISCLAIMER: No part of this publication may be
reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The views expressed in Colosoul Magazine are those of the respective contributors and may not necessarily comply with the publisher or staff. Colosoul Magazine is a publication of Colosoul Group Inc. @2018 Colosoul Group Inc. All rights reserved.
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WHO IS COLOSOUL? The Colosoul Group Inc. began in 2005 as a response to the
growing need for hands on youth participation within the arts and media industry. With the difficulty of attaining the right skill development due to the lack of mentorship available, Colosoul opened its doors to youths aged between 13-25 years old. Over the years, Colosoul has helped hundreds of youths to find a pathway that best suits their individual personality through giving guidance, encouraging self-confidence and empowerment. Colosoul enables youths to be expressive though the arts whilst mentoring them within business, marketing and leadership roles. We also pride ourselves in building our social enterprises alongside our mentorship programs and encouraging small business initiatives. These unique facets of the organisation mean Colosoul is able to support the ever growing ideas of those involved and it is exactly how Colosoul has evolved over the years.
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SOCIAL
DISMANTLE
For most youths, seeking professional help can be a daunting and intimidating experience. Dismantle, a non-profit organisation situated in Leederville, introduced a unique and fun program for youths to reconstruct bicycles whilst talking about their feelings.
“[The youths] they don’t want to talk to professionals, but they do want to ask them where to put this nut to the bolt,” said Dismantle CEO Pat Ryan. “Automatically you have this trustbuilding between the teacher and the student… and that teacher is providing a therapeutic caring environment.” 5
The program aims to build a firm foundation of confidence, social skills, self-esteem and teamwork for the future of young people. Youths are instructed to dismantle and assemble two bikes; the first of which goes to charity and the other is a reward for them to keep. The Buzz mentors from The Shack Youth Space, who invited Dismantle to host their program in 2017, were especially impressed by how easily the staff engaged with their youths.
“I think it’s really important for young people to learn to give back to people in the society, and this program gave them the opportunity to and I think it’s one of the best parts of the program,” said City of Gosnell’s Youth Development Officer Harry Clark.
SOCIAL
MERGING THEIR PASSION FOR
Youths
AND BICYCLES. 15-year-old Sean Coetze, a previous participant from the youth space, developed a passion for giving back to the community through donating his first bicycle to charity. Since attending the program, he has decided to start volunteering for Dismantle. The end-goal of BikeRescue and the Dismantle program is to link youths to an alternative education system, apprenticeship or training at BikeDr through an individual pathway plan. BikeDr is an independent bike shop opened by Dismantle in 2014 to create work opportunities for graduates and generate funds for the youth program. Dismantle’s next step is to launch BikeRescue training programs for teachers, youth workers and other relevant community members licensed facilitators.
Article by: Belicia Tjendera Image credit: Sheldon Ikin
To f i n d o u t m o r e a b o u t Dismantle, visit their website:
www.dismantle.org.au
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SOCIAL
LET’S BE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
Real
Mental health issues and suicide are prevalent issues in society that need to be discussed and de-stigmatised.
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SOCIAL
Earlier this year, A 14-year-old girl committed suicide due to bullying, sparking the increase of initiatives targeting bullying and mental health here in Australia. Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett was a 14-year-old girl from the Northern Territory who was bullied to the extent where she took her own life to escape. The NSW Mental Health Commission outlined study problems, body image issues and stress as other factors of mental health that lead to suicide ideation.
The Black Dog Institute, a mental health institution, says suicide is the second leading cause of death of young adults aged 15-24, with men being the most at risk. One in three women and one in four men aged between 1824 suffer from mental illness. These numbers convey just how much focus needs to be on these issues and to make resources more known.
The Black Dog Institute also says anxiety and depression are amongst the most common mental illnesses. From that, it is estimated fiftyfour per cent of people with a mental illness do not seek help, and this is a problem. With the continued rise of social media and communication platforms it is harder than ever to escape and easier than ever for young adults to be the targets. Getting help is something that is difficult to do; however, there are a number of online, over the phone and in person options that can help our young adults not feel so exposed in a time of vulnerability. If you are concerned about a friend or family member, reach out, because this issue needs to be addressed. Lifeline - 13 11 14 Kids helpline - 1800 551 800 Mental Health Emergency Response Line- 1300 555 788 Article by: Hannah Whittaker Illustration by: Karina Smeets
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SOCIAL
Don't let HECS
LEAD YOU ON
WITH ONE IN THREE AUSTRALIANS DROPPING OUT OF UNIVERSITY, IS IT TIME TO REASSESS OUR PATHS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE? Leaving high school, I had waves of excitement and a shiny ATAR to match. But in all honesty, I didn’t have an inkling of what I wanted to do. For most, university presents itself as the next stage in life, but perhaps for all the wrong reasons. In my first semester, I realised I was not able to put the knowledge I had accumulated to practical use. Then came a harrowing revelation: had I stepped back into the static world of academia? It’s not uncommon for high school graduates to enrol straight into a course for the sake of it. Contrary to the norm, following the crowd and blindly throwing yourself into a tertiary education is less fruitful than you think.
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According to a 2017 report by the Federal Government, one in three university students drop out or fail to complete their studies within six years. Of course, there are many reasons as to why students are opting out, but indecision stands as one of the main contenders. In a world where a degree doesn’t guarantee you employment, this creates more complex issues to navigate. With HECS conveniently kept out of sight, travelling this uncertain path proves to be more of a curse than a blessing. Chances are you might not even know what your exact debt figures are.
SOCIAL
It’s a common mindset that we need to have our career mapped out. Instead, we need to utilise our freedom to explore our options. While diving headfirst into a generic course might seem like the only way to move forward, there’s no shame in taking the time to figure it out. Albeit a cliché saying, and one that many already act upon, perhaps we don’t grasp its full meaning. While many are satisfied with their current tertiary choices, finding work is still a real concern. 15 per cent of students remain unemployed after four years of graduating, and we need to take the initiative to lower that number – by picking up skills in an internship, accumulating work experience or involving ourselves in career-related pursuits. In the case of a degree, it’s easy to get comfortable in a routine and convince yourself to hang on, even if none of it commands your interest. However, clarity comes from exercising your own agency. If you’re not confident about where you’re going, don’t be afraid to make a change. Getting swallowed up by the unsatisfying status quo will inevitably lead to misery.
More importantly, the journey in education doesn’t always need to follow a linear timeline. If you need time out to rethink your path or take a break and travel, then why not take a semester off? Stepping away can give you the chance to realign and discover your goals. It also doesn’t hurt to remember that experience is highly sought-after by employers, so always keep on the lookout for jobs or opportunities relevant to you. Life itself is a trialand-error process, and there’s no excuse to not try things out. There are more resources than ever to pursue what you want to do, and with the right mindset, that can prove to be a comfort more than a burden. WHEREVER YOU ARE IN YOUR JOURNEY, TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR PATH. WE ALL NEED TO STEP UP AND BETTER OURSELVES IN WAYS THAT MAKE US PROUD.
Article by: Rachel Yeo Illustrations: Karina Smeets 10
SOCIAL
EXPLOITATION OF .
Interns
Internships and work experience are generally considered the epitome of landing your dream job – the most practical move in getting where you want to be in the working world. But to what extent have organisations used this to unreasonably outw ork the young, naïve and hopeful? As kids, we’re always told
“good things come to those who put in the work,” “you reap what you sow,” and “put in the hard yards to uncover the benefits.” This has been at the forefront of our minds, subconsciously telling us it’s the best and sometimes only way of reaching our career goals.
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SOCIAL
It instills a competitive root and makes us almost fully susceptible to any opportunity merely advertising our aspiring duties. In saying so, has it gotten to the point where organisations not only know this but use it to their advantage in primarily getting their dirty work done?
Of course, it’d be frivolous for an intern to think they’d go from being an inexperienced student with a couple units under their belt, to being treated like the Steve Jobs of the company, but the degree at which cheap work is sold as “internships” remains bleak.
Students are now coming into their internships where employers are eager in having their coffees fetched for free, paperwork filed during hours they’re not around and sloppy seconds completed when they just can’t be bothered. Making matters worse, this is personally catered to the desires of the employer and students can be conditioned to complete this in their own time.
Not to say skills can’t be brushed up on or educational theories can’t be put to the test, but it’s almost as if assigned tasks and added pressures have unethically redefined the realities of the working world, competently sabotaging the “hard-working” motive driving students to get to that point in the first point.
While there is a general expectancy of being under some sub-hierarchy, the lines between free labour and organisational experience value have become blurred with borderline exploitation. Employers can go on without giving recognition or having the intention of incorporating the student’s ideas or helping them grow, potentially and understandably turning the young people away from the sanguine trust they once had in their chosen industry.
This isn’t to say there aren’t places that provide useful experience while incorporating the goals of their internees, but commonly the true value of an internship such as an insight into the real world, expectations of upper management and virtues of patience and persistence become seemingly camouflaged in the mentally and sometimes physically straining equation. Article By: Mira Burayou
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TRAVEL
You Think Study
SO YOU WANT TO ABROAD Be okay with doing things by yourself.
Be prepared to fly! Pro-tip: airports are hectic places. Take note in advance of how long you have between flights, which gates you have to be at and what the luggage policies are for different countries and flights. Knowing these things before even stepping foot in the airport will lessen your anxiety, trust me!
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Have you ever taken a day to go to the movie cinema by yourself? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. Going out to movies and events by yourself can be a liberating experience and can give you a real sense of freedom that you potentially don’t have back home. Embrace it. The second you start making plans to do things you want to do, the more independent you’re going to feel. I’m not saying never go out with friends, because that would be dumb. But become okay and comfortable doing the things you want to do by yourself.
TRAVEL
Find your fellow international students.
Travel if you can, but don’t stress if you don’t.
Yes, you are not alone. By going to North America, I ended up with friends from China, Germany, the UK and Korea – it’s a package deal! Remember what we were talking about before, with local students already having their own friend groups? This is your automatic friend group where everyone is always ready to bond over the confusing trials of being in a new and different country.
Everyone has a very romanticised version of studying abroad. You’ll do work when you have to and travel every weekend and break. Well, that can be a reality, depending on where you’re situated. If you’re in Europe for example, where you can drive for an hour and be in a different country, definitely take advantage of it! So it’s okay either way. Don’t let other people’s expectations make you feel like you wasted your time away!
Living on campus is a blessing. As someone who lives a good hour away from their place of study, living on campus was a miracle. Have an 8:30am class? No worries, roll out of bed fifteen minutes before class. Need to get a book out of the library at 10:00pm? Sure thing, just go for a short walk and you’re set. Basically, it’s the best.
Was it all a dream? This is a big one. No doubt, before you leave for your trip, you’ll hear people talk about how hard it is to adapt to life in a new country. But don’t be fooled, it’s just as hard settling back into life back home when your time away is up. Things happen and you’ll realise you’ve changed, you’re handling things more confidently and independently!
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ENVIRONMENT
Check Out
THE
CLEANUP CREW
WESTERN AUSTRALIANS LOVE OUR BEACHES. THE WARM SAND, THE DIRTY, RUBBISH-FILLED WATER…WAIT, WHAT? Enter, the Coastal Cleanup Crew. Created by Daisy Kermode in 2017, the ever-growing group cleans our beaches in the hopes of reversing some of the horrific damage that’s been done to our marine life. I caught up with Kermode to get her views on the state of our oceans, as well as the important work she is doing to help it. MG: How did this interest in the environment and the oceans start for you personally? DK: Because I heard sea birds have their bellies full of plastic, whales are washing up dead with their bellies filled with plastic bags, fish flesh is poisoned with plastic toxins. This makes me so sad! Thanks to documentaries like A Plastic Ocean and Mission Blue, my ocean activism has been fuelled. 15
MG: Why is this a topic so close to your heart? DK: The ocean has been my favourite place for my whole life, it brings me so much happiness. And I believe as a dominating human race, we need to live in balance with all organisms on this planet, instead of causing extinction and pollution. I want to keep exploring this earth and experiencing pristine, clean nature! MG: How did that extend to this group you’re now a part of? DK: It was World Ocean Day last year and I had been doing beach clean-ups by myself, and decided to make a group event on Facebook, inviting anyone who was free to join me all day. It was so successful and FUN I decided to make a group! And we do it really often!
ENVIRONMENT
MG: What’s your group’s goal? DK: We clean beaches! I make Facebook events of a beach to clean, somewhere between Fremantle and Yanchep, and then my friends and I, and anyone from the public, head there to do a clean-up! MG: More groups like this one are popping up, it’s become a bit of a trend. Why do you think it’s caught on? DK: I believe people have good in their hearts. The majority of people agree that we need a clean planet to live on, and to sustain clean water and air for future generations of
not only humans but all life on earth! Social media has been so brilliant at expressing this issue of plastic pollution through videos from all over the world! MG: How important is it to stay educated and active when it comes to our environment? DK: VERY IMPORTANT! We want active conservation, not just talk of how we are going to fix this. No, we want to get our hands dirty and do the hard work by personally picking up the litter from the natural environment. Whether it is cigarette butts, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, rope, netting, microplastics.
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ENVIRONMENT
MG: Where can people find you and contact you if they have questions? D K : L O O K U P C O A S TA L CLEANUP CREW ON FACEBOOK! We post out events on there. Like the page and click events to see what is coming up! Or look-up and follow Coastal Cleanup Crew on Instagram! MG: Any other comments, anything you’d like to say to encourage people? DK: ALWAYS REMEMBER, TAKE THREE FOR THE SEA! Even if you don’t feel like participating in an organised beach clean-up, anytime you’re near the ocean or on a hike, aim to remove 3 pieces of rubbish, whatever they may be. And together with lots of individuals, these actions are very powerful and impactful!
Article by: Michaela Gall Image credit: The Coastal Cleanup Crew
f/ C oa sta lCle an u pCrew 17
FASHION
SUSTAINABLE
Image Credit: TENCEL™
Fashion
SUSTAINABILITY AND FASHION, TWO WORDS WE DON’T OFTEN SEE TOGETHER.
Do we ever stop and think that what we are wearing has an impact on the environment and an impact on our future? Unfortunately, the fashion industry’s environmental impacts continue to rise, and this poses the question, how are we meant to look good if we don’t feel good? TENCEL™’s Lyocell and Modal fibers fight to combat this growing rise by offering a sustainable biodegradable material and manufacturing process. These
fibers originate from raw material wood, which is powered by photosynthesis. They also received the European Award for the Environment from the European Commission in the category ‘The Technology Award for Sustainable Development,’ so they must be onto something!
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FASHION
Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer, Lenzing Group states that “We are committed to building a sustainable fashion industry and together with value chain partners and retail brands, we will bring TENCEL™ branded collections closer to stakeholders and consumers at around the world. Textile products made with TENCEL™ make a significant contribution to an improved environmental footprint for the textile industry.” TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers are harvested responsibly following the guidelines of the Lenzing wood and Pulp Policy. The wood is sourced from sustainable forests in Austria and surrounding countries, providing a reliable, competitive and sustainable option for fashion companies to use. And some companies are utilizing this sustainable option.
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Image Credit: TENCEL™
Los Angeles based brand Bella Dahl is already well known for its soft apparel and has a cult-like following among females who like style with reliable comfort and ease. Bella Dahls denim line is now crafted with TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers, utilizing a unique fabrication and wash process that boosts an ultra-soft hand and smooth finish. TENCEL™’s fabric is biodegradable and uses a nontoxic solvent, which is recycled during production. Jennifer Vathanadireg, Bella Dahl director of marketing states that TENCEL™ fibers fit right into the Bella Dahl collection, ‘Bella Dahl crafter denim with TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers.’
FASHION
“With its incredible soft hand, lived in look and lightweight construction, our denim fabrication allows our designers to create clothing that is not only easy wear, easy care but timeless and versatile.” Another company using the TENCEL fibers is Bestseller who are launching the BLACK FOREVER concept in July 2018, claiming that the technological innovations in these signature black fabrics are durable, with lasting color even after repeated washing. BLACK FOREVER uses less water, chemicals, and energy than conventional dyed products. TENCEL™ Active, using TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers, look good, feel good and do good amongst the rigors of a rapid lifestyle. Often active people spend time enjoying the great outdoors, and they want to minimize their impact on the environment so that future generations can enjoy these same outdoor activities. TENCEL fibers give us peace of mind that we are doing our bit to give back to the world that we take so much from. Be sure to try out the range of clothing, sporting the TENCEL fibers, and support change! Article by: Caleb Harders
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ART
FOR THE LOVE OF
Arts ...
If you’re an Arts student, you’ll understand what I’m talking about: the constant struggle to reassure your parents it’s a good idea, the subtle eye rolls of those enrolled in business or science, and the never ending, ‘I wish I were an Arts student so I wouldn’t have to do exams’. The arts are everywhere in our world - the Internet, social media, languages, music and literature just to name a few. Without the arts, we wouldn’t have anything of substance or colour; our society would be bleak and meaningless – empty of our hopes or dreams. Just think about it: without people excelling in their Arts degrees, there
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would be no Game of Thrones, no Lord of the Rings, and no Harry Potter; just three of the biggest franchises in the world. The arts are a form of communication: visual, aural, verbal and non-verbal. People crave connection; people want to find pleasure and happiness in a world riddled with chaos. You listen to music. You take photographs. You read books. You watch Netflix – and probably more than you should.
OPINION
These are everyday pleasures often used as procrastination tools to avoid pesky university assignments – and these activities would not exist without the arts and the people who excelled in them. Tim Minchin, Oprah, J.K. Rowling and Emma Watson, are amongst a plethora of successful people in the arts. Studying an Arts degree isn’t just an easy ride through university. It is subjective, and requires a different mindset than all other faculties of study.
So, if you’re still a non-believer, I leave you with this quote from someone whose life was all about science, not the arts: Albert Einstein.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” And if anyone should know, it would be Einstein. Article By: Hannah Whittaker
And guess what? You can make money! That’s right, you will not have to live in poverty. And if it is truly your passion, the money won’t mean a thing.
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OPINION
FICTION
The importance of FICTION in a MODERNISED WORLD It’s difficult to comprehend that we are currently undergoing a revolution that will change the course of human history. From smart phones to artificial intelligence, modernisation has radically changed the world as we know it. In the wake of this technological revolution, however, has fiction become redundant? Many would believe so, but I say that this revolution makes it more important than ever.
capacity. In the words of Albert Einstein,
A genre sadly overlooked, fiction is the gateway through which humanity can be understood. In an era where man and machine are intertwined, it has never been more important to understand what it means to be human. Fiction allows us to access our culture, history, and humanity. It serves to explore the human psyche through a fictional guise, enabling an immersive experience into a perspective other than our own. Aside from eliciting emotions and influencing empathy, it enhances our imagination and creative
Fiction inspires creativity, which sparks innovation, without which the world would cease to move forward.
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“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”
Whilst science presents us with the facts of life, fiction encompasses aspects of the human condition that cannot be reduced to science. It alone is the portal through which we can understand and explore our nature as humans. As such, fiction will never become redundant.
Article by: Amy Walsh Illustration by: Jason Van Den Bergh
OPINION
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Identity
OPINION
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AS OF JUNE 2018, THE WORLD POPULATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 7.6 BILLION, SO DISCOVERING WHO WE ARE AS INDIVIDUALS CAN BE A DIFFICULT TASK. We are heavily influenced by our society, which tells us how we should look, what we should do and who we should be. As young people, we often adopt the values of others in order to cohere to societal norms. For some of us, not fitting into a group can fill our minds with self-doubt and negative thoughts, affecting our self-esteem and sense of belonging. We don’t seem to understand that misrepresenting ourselves within a society and valuing other people’s opinions of ourselves over our own is detrimental to our physical and emotional health. I have personal experience with this struggle. I had no clue who I was, but after constantly being called worthless, fat and unlovable by peers, I began to believe that was all I was destined to be. I lost what little self-confidence I had left and my school attendance had gotten so bad I was required to see the school Psychologist, who told me that I needed to conform to the mainstream representation of girls, wear makeup and dresses in order to have friends; needless to say, I stopped seeing him after that. Desperate to be accepted by my peers I listened, pretending to be someone I wasn’t and it was devastating for my selfesteem; I hated who I had become.
OPINION
By putting so much emphasis and value on what others think of us, we put ourselves in danger of succumbing to harmful habits like eating disorders and entering abusive relationships with drugs and alcohol, all in the name of being considered acceptable by others. But society’s definition of what is acceptable is ever-changing and often contradicts itself. We live in a society that promotes equality and being true to who you are yet censors those who are seen as different; we will legalise gay marriage but we won’t take responsibility for the increasing numbers of LGBT citizens struggling with mental health issues.
Huge steps forward were made in favour of the LGBT community in December 2017 with the legalisation of same-sex marriage, however they’re still facing harassment. LGBT citizens are twice as likely to be diagnosed and treated for mental disorders in Australia, with a study conducted in 2015 by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society showing that 37.1 percent of LGBT citizens aged over 16 were diagnosed or treated for various mental disorders.
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OPINION
In terms of Identity, 39 percent
of LGBT people hid their sexual identity at work and a further 42 percent hid their sexual identity at social and community events. Evident from this study, people who are seen as different in the eyes of society feel the need to distance themselves from their true self which is unfair and inhumane. THERE IS NO ONE, PREDETERMINED WAY WE SHOULD ALL LOOK, ACT OR FEEL. WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS, CONTRIBUTING TO OUR SOCIETY REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, SEXUALITY OR GENDER. YOUR IDENTITY, YOUR TALENTS, AND WHAT YOU VALUE IS FOR YOU TO DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF.
Friends, family and peers may help you on your journey but ultimately, finding your identity is up to you. Meeting the real you — the you you’re meant to be — is a neverending process of trial and error that continues each and every day, and if you live just one of those confined in the boxes others put you in, then you’re denying the best parts within you to shine through. Article by: Hannah Hall
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SHADIA What inspires you? I find inspirations in the everyday, for example my friends, family, places that I’ve visited but most of all creativity. The way nothing can be turned into something so beautiful and innovative, reminds me that anything is possible. What does empowerment mean to you? Empowerment to me means having confidence in taking responsibility for my life and gaining more knowledge along the way. What are your goals in life? My goal in life is to be unapologetically happy. I would love to also give back to my country Rwanda by building an Arts and Media Organisation, which caters to supporting all the young talents in the country.
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CALEB What inspires you? I draw my inspiration from the world and the subtle but complex things we take for granted. Also my mum, she’s pretty cool. What are your goals in life? I’ve always said since I was a kid that when I grow up I want to be a father so I guess my goal is to become the best possible dad and person I can.
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KIM What inspires you? I’m inspired by my family and friends, books, music.​What I aim for by my family Compassion for others is so important because you can never know by looking at I was taught to work hard and persevere to reach someone what they could be going through. In the society we live in today, understanding diversity, accepting the differences in others, is how we progress. Music, no matter the genre, always draws out an emotional response. It motivates me to work or it brings comfort, or it livens up my day. Books bring knowledge; of a fictional world where you can immerse yourself in an exciting adventure or a heartbreaking journey, and it can bring you facts of the world we live in. To put it simply, it makes me happy.
What does empowerment mean to you?
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Empowerment to me is confidence and strength. The strength of my beliefs and the confidence I have in myself to reach my goals as well as the control I have over my life, being able to choose the path my life goes in as a direct result of my actions. It’s being able to have the opportunities and choices, the resources, open to me to help me accomplish what I want to and/or need to. Empowerment is standing strong in what you believe in even when others may contradict or mock you your faith in it, will not waver.
KIMBERLEY What inspires you? That is a very good question that I actually have to spend some time thinking about it. I think that people around me inspiresme. It can be my parents who worked hard to provide for their children, my friends who are willing to help a person in need and maybe even strangers who share their own personal story to the light in an attempt to help make the world a brighter place. It is the humility and humanity that any normal but great person have that inspires me. I am inspired by people who are willing to take a role in life just to make the world a better place for everyone around them.
What are your goals in life? My goals in life are: 1) To be a better person than I was yesterday. 2) To specialise my skills and talent so that I can become the best. 3) To have a career that I would not need to feel like dragging myself out of bed just to make it through the day.
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AMY What are your goals in life? Most people have a direct line of sight as far as life goals go, however, I guess I’m not most people in that regard. My life goals are quite simple , I just want to be happy and healthy, as well as to give back as much as I can (a little cliche, I know, but I find it to be incredibly rewarding). I don’t have a dead set career path that I want to go down, because I feel like that’s limiting myself to all the amazing things that may come up along the way that are worth going off route for.I just want to be happy in and of myself, as well as healthy and able bodied so that I may give back to those who have given so much to me.
What does empowerment mean to you? To me, empowerment means to rise up. Take that as you will, but I believe that the most empowering thing is to rise up above the things that tell you that you can’t, whether that be yourself, or others around you. Having the strength to defy the naysayers is, to me, empowerment 33
EVA What inspires you? Knowledge inspires me to keep learning, to keep absorbing information and it makes me hungry for more. It makes me strive forward to keep satisfying my curious nature and to keep learning. I find that strength, both physical and mental, inspire me. The world is a challenging place and strength of any sort to conquer the world is impressive and inspiring. My journey to acquire both knowledge and strength has been long but inspiring; I have learnt many lessons both about myself and the world around me; I have learnt coping techniques to be more effective with my journal towards mental strength.
What does empowerment mean to you? Empowerment, to me, means having the confidence, motivation, and strength in pursuing goals. To empower others would mean to support their goals in any way possible be it instilling confidence in them or providing help so that they may be stronger and more motivated. 34
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Music 35
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DEADSPACE
w e i v e R A By Amy Dwelling within the realm of Depressive Black Metal, Deadspace has taken Perth’s Metal scene by storm. Known for their distinctive musical and visual artistry, Chris Gebauer, Oliver Royer, Thomas Major, Shelby Jansen and Herb Bennetts form the group. With an emotionally raw performance, Deadspace brings forth a sensory experience like no other. “Emaciated chests and matted hair amongst a sea of fog,” (Gebauer) their visual embodiment resembles the concept behind their name: a departure from reality.
Walsh
THEIR SOUND is that of a “melancholic
melody fortified with percussive rock inspired rhythms and distorted by a punklike execution.” Chris Gebauer describes the musical experience they offer as one in which “the confines of the human condition are eradicated through a vessel of unlimited expression, where moral codes, social constructs and earthly burdens become ghosts of a world left abandoned temporarily.”
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"the most unifying factor of Deadspace’s music is that it’s so emotionally charged, which people seem to connect with.” The band debuted in 2015 with The Promise of Oblivion, described by the Metal Temple as what “could easily be one of the best Depressive Black Metal releases ever heard.” With Gravity being released in 2016, it was obvious there were no plans to slow down, as the group continued to wow crowds. Taking the opportunity to “experiment with the envelope of sound,” Reaching for Silence was released with Happy Days, which aired in 2017. The Liquid Sky soon followed later, being what Hysteria Mag labeled as “ambient, atmosphere black metal at its finest.” The group has had its fair share of changes, coming a long way from its conception. Their evolving aesthetic “reflects both the 37
newer material and Deadspace’s roots”, as the band evolved from “an androgynous phase, which pertained to glam and flair” to their now grimmer aesthetic. Gebauer ascribed their distinctive style to “an obvious extension of the dark art expression,” wherein being on stage is “the one time we get to embrace the inner beast of human kind, uninfluenced by modern expectation,” The chaos, however, is organised within its musical constraints, only seeking further extension through its visual expression. The band stands firm in their belief that “you need to deliver an aural and visual experience for anybody who watches a show.” Their creative process takes the form of “an introspective exploration
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Photo credit: JV Photo and Film, 2018 of human experience”, with their music touching on existentialism and the human condition. Their thematic focus has shifted to that of the destructive nature of mankind but “the appropriate material is embraced to foster the desired emotion at that present time.” Embodying raw authenticity, their lyrics are comprised of “despair and ecstasy interwoven with self-reflection and disgust at human nature.” (Jansen) Whilst notions of desperation, fury, and self-destruction are intrinsically familiar to us all, “the most unifying factor of Deadspace’s music is that it’s so emotionally charged, which people seem to connect with.” It wasn’t long before the band took their unique style to the world
stage. What began as touring on home soil soon became a tour of Japan, and whilst other Australian tours are in the works, they also plan to visit the US and Canada later this year. Their latest release Mouth of Scorpions (2018) is “a pointed, stark and cold observation of humanity’s place in the world.” (Deadspace) Apocalyptic in tone and fueled by hate, the latest album is definitively their own, with layering of melancholic euphonies, haunting screams, flying guitar riffs, and ecstatic blast beats. With all the tours and plans in the works, it’s clear that Perth is not a city to shy away from its talent. 38
MUSIC
AD
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IN THE PINES
A Review By Amy Walsh
Nestled within UWA’s ‘cathedral of trees,’ the iconic Perth festival ‘In The Pines’ celebrated its 25th anniversary with 20 of Perth’s best. Held at the Somerville Auditorium, RTRFM gifted us one of Perth’s most anticipated local festivals and did so with astounding success.
The 10-hour stretch of local talent began with Phil Walley Stack’s ‘Welcome to Country’. This incorporation of Aboriginal culture and clear demonstration of inclusivity was the ideal way to kick off the festival.
The impressive line up included performances from: Treehouses, Pipeline Band, Terrible Signal, Grievous Bodily Calm, Demon Days Bolt Gun, Em Burrows and Web Rumors, Thee Loose Hounds, Lucy Peach, Furchick, The Tommyhawks, Umpire/Mukaisake, Nerve Quakes, Mathas, Mile End, Sex Panther, The Kill, Devils Hills, FOAM, Stella Donnelly, Abbe May. 40
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UPON ARRIVAL, the aesthetic setting was definitely one to note. Tables were set up to imitate the nostalgia of familial picnics; and food trucks lined the venue, all working to create a kind of eclectic charm. The grounds themselves had ample room for families to comfortably arrange themselves on picnic blankets for the day. Despite the abundant space, I did note a lack of actual seating. The alternating stage set up worked brilliantly, with seamless transitions between sets maximising entertainment value. Each and every diverse band brought their unique tone and presence to the stage, each just as memorable as the last. 41
My favourite performance was that of Grevious Bodily Calm. Dwelling within the realm of progressive jazz and beat music, the quintet’s incredible performance had the entire crowd on their feet! A truly electrifying performance, it was impossible not to appreciate the talent on display, with mesmerising saxophone solos and enticing rhythms. The excitement of the audience was indication enough of their success. I can’t go, however, without mentioning the unique musical style of the Pipeline Band; a multigenerational Indigenous group from Northam. I was particularly impressed with their sound: a fusion of Aboriginal instrumentals and rock.
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Their confident stage presence only complimented their unique style, and their Australian character was a quintessential addition to the festival. Furthermore, I have to applaud the effort and detail that went into the inclusion of child-friendly activities. The happiness and pride beaming from the kids’ faces as they held their hand crafted “instruments” said it all. It didn’t take long before they were annoying their parents with their new creations, but their excited faces made the overall experience endearing, as did their cheeky smiles as they sat atop their parents’ shoulders blasting their make-shift whistles.
Whilst the bands weren’t to everybody’s taste, the diverse display of talent really showcased what WA has to offer. Accessible to all and inclusive by design, the event was a huge success, made possible through RTRFM. The bar has been set high for the future of In The Pines and if this year’s event was any indication, next year’s festival is one you will not want to miss.
By nightfall the venue was absolutely packed. Fairy lights made for an intimate atmosphere, despite the size of the venue. Appetising scents wafted from food trucks, which had everybody’s stomachs grumbling. The food was slightly overpriced, however, and the serving times were long, but I can’t say this was unexpected of a music festival. For a pleasant surprise, Chicho Gelato gave out free ice cream! Made exclusively for In The Pines, the pine flavoured ice cream went down a treat.
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3 RECOMMENDED
Concept Albums
Concept albums have been created by musical artists throughout the years as an effective way of telling a story, making a point or anything else between these margins; ultimately they are curious examples of music’s versatility and effectiveness as an art form, and one of the most creative facets of the music world. Below I have listed three of my personal favourites:
1. NIGREDO, DIARY OF DREAMS The German-darkwave band Diary of Dreams released ‘Nigredo’ in 2004. It was a fascinating album based upon a multilayered story that had required the band to spend a lot of time researching different topics; combining fiction with truth, mythology and religion and telling the story of a person travelling the world in search of the origin of a voice that he keeps hearing in his head; eventually going into aspects of today’s life and confusing the character. A question was asked about this concept, regarding 43
‘Nigredo’ and its continuations ‘Nekrolog 43’ and ‘Ego X,’ in an interview between PeekA-Boo music magazine and Adrian Hates, the frontman and founding member of the band. He replied that the story is far too complex for him to go into detail about, and that it would be an interview of its own...
So, overall, I would have to say that this is my favourite concept album. It is highly inventive and it captured different facets of my imagination and the way I felt, having me thinking, and also writing poetry in a similar style. The album had an impact on me that I can’t overlook.
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2. 10,000 DAYS, TOOL
‘10,000 Days’ is the fourth album recorded by the experimental rock and metal group Tool. It’s about the 27 years between the day that the frontman’s mother suffered a
stroke that left her permanently paralyzed in 1976, and the day that she had died, later on in 2003. She maintained a strong sense of will and faith during these 10,000 days; believing in a god and the promise that what she was going through was with good intentions. The album is a message of hope to those going through rough times, and it is known by comments from Maynard, the frontman in question, that he wanted to share the path out, with songs that detailed the process. The album to me, is a reminder of how much control you possess over your circumstances. The map is not the land, time is not forever and your pain is onehundred percent negotiable. If you’re feeling down, I recommend this album. In fact, even if you’re absolutely fine, I recommend it.
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3. DELÌRIUM CÒRDIA, FANTÔMAS ‘Delìrium Còrdia’ was the odd, horror-themed record curated by the Avant-Garde Metal band Fantômas, in 2004. The technical side of the previous albums weren’t talked about, but I make a special exception here, as Delìrium Còrdia is as niche as it is unorthodox. The album contains a single hour-long track of shifting genres, abrupt changes in intensity, creepy noises and lyric-less vocals; all organised to the theme of surgery without anesthesia, with the sound of the instruments, and Mike Patton’s voice, telling the story.
Article by: Ethan Highes Image Credit: Alex Brisbey, Jodie Walton, Jordan Connor
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It’s a great and original album that I thoroughly enjoyed. It carried me away for an hour and 17 minutes, and I believe that it’ll do so with you, if only you give it its well-deserved chance.
You can find it, along with the other recommend albums, on YouTube and Spotify.
Books
Theatre & Film 46
BOOKS
THE RACE TO WIN THE HEART
)3102 ,ydnaL ehT-zaB(
Set in the harsh Australian bush
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BOOKS
BOOK REVIEW
Tear-Jerker: J E S S I CA
BY BRYCE COURTENAY Ignoring the lack of design finesse of the book’s cover design proved difficult as I geared myself up to read the present I was given at Christmas. The book lay on my bed side table, shiny gold lettering gracing the top of a Eucalyptus branch. And as I stared I found myself with lowered expectations, ready to take on the mammoth of a novel. The story begins with a young girl waiting with a shotgun to avenge her little chicks killed by venomous snakes. Set against the backdrop of the harsh bushland, Jessica reminisces of the lessons she was taught by her father, Joe. Joe is a hardened man, weathered by the hard work that comes with working the land and has raised his daughter to be the son he never had. Living in a small town inevitably means that several lives are entwined and played off against one and other. Jessica and her sister, Meg, are at the heart of the story, with their mother Hester favouring the latter.
There is a race to win the heart of Jack Thomas, future owner of Riverview estate, and unbeknownst to both sisters, is in love with Jessica. Dirty tricks are played by Hester that include taking a child away from its mother and murdering a witness. Although the book often reads as a soap opera, it is easy enough to become engrossed in the lives of the characters. You will find yourself enraged with the treatment of Jessica, by her own family and the treatment of Aboriginal people and their lack of rights as people. Set just before the outbreak of World War I, journeying up to the American financial crisis of 1929, we see lies and deception that accumulate and result in more than one broken heart. Throughout Jessica’s life she is faced with abuse and hardship that cuts close to the bone. It isn’t difficult to relate to her struggles when heartache, pride, love, loss and prejudice is experienced by most young girls. You’ll close the last page with tears in your eyes.
Article by: Harriet Condron 48
FILM/THEATRE
IMPROVEMENT CLUB,
Jeffrey Jay Fowler
Image Credit: Daniel James Grant, 2018
As part of The Last Great Hunt comes Fowler’s latest surrealist comedy, the Improvement Club. Described as the brainchild of Being John Malkovich and The Office, we are buried head first into the anxious sands of self-improvement, and with it, all things awkward and lonely. The
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leading character, Adam, embodies our very best intentions to answer the big questions: where do I belong? What is my purpose? What does it mean to succeed? Whatever the answers, his anxieties motivate him to at least try to outrun—outlive—the prowling lion of dread.
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Adam assembles a club that strives for improvement: fitter bodies, larger vocabularies, more money, and better sex, but it begs the question, how much improvement does it take to equal the experience of fulfilment? Adam attempts to make something of himself; to prove his robot-mother and elusive girlfriend wrong and that he does have what it takes to pick that wet towel offof the floor, but his demise is a string of alternative, but inevitable, failings.
The delightfully colourful origami set matches the bursts of comedy that ebb and flow throughout the dialogue and slapstick-action, but it also provides a functional layout that contains each scene and allows them to grow organically. Nothing about the show feels contrived and I think that is a testament to the actors and, again, Jeffrey Jay Fowler’s writing. Article by: Dylan Dartnell
The performance certainly caused you to think reflexively about your place in society, in the universe and the role of fate—an existential reckoning—but the barrage of panic is controlled by the expertly-timed comedy. Improvement Club might pierce the human psyche at an unexpected level, but it also pokes fun at the mediocracy of our day-today lives; especially within the workplace.
THE LAST GREAT HUNT For more works by Jeffrey Jay Fowler and The Last Great Hunt check out: TheLastGreatHunt.com 50
FILM/THEATRE
TULLY
A Review A movie about the unspoken struggles of motherhood, Tully reveals the life of a woman consumed by the ironic instability of her routine life. After her third pregnancy, Marlo (Charlize Theron) hires a nightnanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis) and builds an infallible yet inevitably limited bond with her. Inspired by writer Diablo Cody’s own post-partum vulnerability, the movie peels off decades of false perfection emulated by and expected of mothers. 51
Tully is a thought-provoking, confronting and captivating film unveiling the internalised turmoil of a woman in her 40s. Despite it being a highly reflective film, Cody did not include any narration. Instead, she relied on Jason Reitman’s filmography to articulate Marlo’s every thought. There was a detail in every silence; Theron’s acting, the setting, lighting choices and muffled background voices screamed anxiety and frustration.
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The storyline itself is about the mundane, however, there is nothing ordinary about this film. It exposes serious damaging struggles of a woman growing in both motherhood and womanhood with hints of cheeky humour to show her buried youth. I found Marlo and Tully’s relationship perplexing— I have always loved a good plot twist, but unfortunately, Tully’s was not one I could appreciate. The last moments were defining pieces of this movie, which made it powerful. However, Marlo and Tully seemed too different and their instantaneous bond unrealistic, that even after their relationship was explained it was still incomprehensible. Tully is undeniably one of the rawest films I have seen. It gave me a newfound appreciation for mothers and was a personal warning for young women, like myself, who often view motherhood through a ‘fairy-tale happy-ending’ lens. Cody conveys that, despite life’s unpredictability, there is strength in oneself and others which pushes us to get through. Article by: Belicia Tjendera 52
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AN T-MA N and the WASP Left the cinema completely depressed over the deaths of your favourite heroes in Avengers: Infinity War? Need something in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to cheer you up? Ever wondered what the hell Ant Man was doing during one of the most epic wars in cinema history? Well, look no further than
Ant Man and the Wasp.
THE
Prozac
NEEDED AFTER INFINITY WAR 53
In the 20th instalment of the Marvel franchise, Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang aka Ant Man, who has spent the last two years under house arrest for illegally assisting Captain America in Captain America: Civil War. He gets back into contact with Hope (Evageline Lily) and her father Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) after getting visions and messages from a woman trapped in the quantum realm like he was in the first film, but for thirty years – Hank’s partner and Hope’s mother, Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer). So, they take Scott back to their shrinkable and portable lab and use him to help bring Janet out of the realm. This task proves a bit more difficult when they also have to deal with a vengeful woman that has the ability to walk through physical objects known as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and a gangster named Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), both who want the lab for their own reasons.
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This film also features the debut of Hope’s superhero ego named The Wasp, and Lily brings a lot of fun energy to this character. I even enjoyed the first energetic fight sequence she has, and the other action scenes are just as entertaining. Rudd, Douglas, Michael Pena as Luis from the first film, and Laurence Fishburne as Pym’s old friend on a past science project, Bill Foster, are incredibly likeable with a lot of great performances and chemistry. Each character does have a moment to shine, but they do also deliver some jokes that don’t land as well as the original. Also, the effects used in this film are surprisingly better than the ones in Black Panther. In very first scene, the younger versions of Douglas and Pfeiffer are incredibly convincing thanks to the CGI. Furthermore, the quantum realm actually does look colourful and interesting, and the green screen is more convincing than in other films. However, some of the characters – like Scott Lang for example – are a little inconsistent. Once being a pretty intelligent thief and competent fighter in the first film, Scott is now a little more goofy and idiotic in this sequel. While we’re on the subject of characters, the main villains Ghost and the one-dimensional gangster Sonny Burch – felt more like distractions from the hero’s main goals.
It doesn’t have a story that’s as deep as Black Panther, or epic as Avengers: Infinity War (both released earlier this year); and like Thor: Ragnarok, some jokes are awkwardly placed during more serious scenes, upsetting the tone. But despite those flaws, Ant Man and the Wasp is exactly what is needed after the devastation of Infinity War. But I am certain that this would more satisfy fans that want light-hearted Marvel fun (that is until the mid-credits scene), over the deep and epic Marvel stories we’ve seen earlier this year.
Article by: John Blackburn 54
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