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Backward progress
WRITTEN BY
ALEXANDRA HARPER
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Victorian ideals On Oct. 24 in Whiteman Gibbs, Spring Arbor University professors Dr. Jack Baker and Dr. Jonathan Rinck came together to present “Rage Against the Machine,” a lecture on William Morris and the vision of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB). Rinck, a professor in the art department, opened the presentation with a history of the origin of the PRB. Created by three students of the British Royal Academy, the Victorian era’s most prestigious art institute, the PRB originated as a rebellion against the Academy’s strict art aesthetics. These three rebellious students were William Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Rossetti. Joshua Reynolds was the president of the Academy at the time of the PRB’s attendance and believed that all students should paint an idealistic beauty. Creating pictures of perfection instead of reality is a concept that harks back to the painters of the Renaissance, most notably Raphael. It was with this in mind that Hunt, Millais and Rossetti decided to call themselves
Action Jackson
According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters website, children with a mentoring experience are 52 percent less likely to skip school, 46 percent less likely to use drugs and more likely to get along with their families and peers. At Spring Arbor University (SAU) the Action Jackson mentoring program is looking to bring this opportunity to SAU students and children from the Jackson community. Action Jackson pairs two same-sex SAU student mentors with two grade school age children from the Jackson community. The pairs spend two hours a week together. “It’s really about taking our light and spreading it into the community,” said junior Elizabeth Lahrman, a student leader of Action Jackson.
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the Pre-Raphaelites, wishing to imitate the including the accomplished artists and designer Mannerists, a period of art preceding Raphael William Morris, found beauty in simplicity. which celebrated a realistic aesthetic. Baker explained how the PRB ideals of Rinck said the PRB believed the best method simplicity, quality, craftsmanship and the in art was “using your eye to almost take appreciation of local talent were brought to a photograph of the world around you.” America. Baker called Morris the “father of Although they still prefered to portray religious the arts and crafts movement” stating that such scenes and beauty, they made the paintings American designers as Frank Lloyd Wright, more realistic by showing Christ in poverty and Tiffany and Gustav Stickley would take their including items such as grass, dust, and even leads from Morris. vermin. They also flaunted the more natureconscious Gothic architecture in their works. Baker brought the message into the modern Rinck explained this element particularly era by showing advertisements from the 1980s infuriated Reynolds who found the style to be that promised the latest inventions, such as “dark and creepy.” “Crystal Pepsi,” a clear version of the popular soft drink. He noted how ridiculous we find Baker continued the presentation with an these ads to be now and how we still fall prey to explanation of the ideals of the PRB and versions promising to improve an older model. their connection to the day’s architecture and He ended the evening by warning students not literature. He said that the Victorian Period to be “struck by the cult of newness” and to could be described with the Latin phrase remember the PRB’s vision of “doing all that “horror vacui” or “fear of empty spaces,” as you can with all that you’re able.” the period celebrated excessive decoration and embellishment. The PRB and their followers, WRITTEN BY
Lahrman said she first became interested in helping the Jackson area during a spring break trip to Jackson her freshman year when she experienced the hurt and need in the city where 14.9 percent of people living in the city are below poverty level.
BRITTANY BELLAMY
Weidman. “These kids come from broken families. A lot of them just want someone to spend intentional time with them.”
The program focuses on showing love through quality time instead of evangelizing.“Our passion for Christ can really reflect influence the “A lot of children don’t have anywhere to go or trajectory of the kids’ lives,” said Weidman. anything to do when they get out of school, and a lot of them have never heard about Christ,” Action Jackson is currently seeking mentors, said Lahrman. “Part of the SAU concept calls especially male mentors. Lahrman encouraged us to be critical participants in a contemporary students who do not want to be a mentor world. I think this includes meeting needs in but still want to be involved to pray for the the community around us.” program, both in finding kids and matching mentors with children. Students interested in “A lot of students [at SAU] have potential to Action Jackson can email actionjacksonsau@ do great things, but they think they have to wait gmail.com or call 1-260-318-7004. until they graduate,” said junior mentor Jocelyn