Scotlight Volume III Issue II by Scotlight Magazine

VOL III / ISSUE II

THE ARTS ISSUE

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TABLe oF CONTENTS

3 Expression

5 Fruit to Friendship 7 Tattoo Art 9 A Taste in Music 11 Protest in Art

MISSION Carlmont Journalism is a nationally renowned media arts program run by the students of Carlmont High School. Our staff of 120 people works to deliver the latest news to our student body of 2,200, their families, and the community. News, within our school and beyond, is important to us, so we are committed to providing timely information, current events, and thought-provoking ideas to our audiences through storytelling, design, video, photography, and other emerging technologies. More than just another high school journalism program, our mission is to think beyond the “Bay Area Bubble” and stretch the community’s mindset to include those of the rest of the state, country, and world. We aim to encourage our community to step up and be educated advocates of change.

Scotlight is Carlmont High School’s spotlight magazine, distributed three times a year to our community. Spotlight stories take a deeper look at topics that are important to our audience and examine multiple aspects and angles. Our mission is to stimulate thoughts in our readers that are otherwise glossed over by offering indepth feature stories that dig deeper into the lives of those around us. We aim to engage our readers through thought-provoking articles, photography, and design.

LetteR From the editor Dear Reader, What is the first thing that comes to mind when saying the word art? Maybe it’s flower paintings by Georgia O’Keefe. Maybe it’s a symphony performing the odes and concertos of Mozart and Bach. Maybe it’s graffiti-lined walls, tattoo-inked skin, fashion runways, or billboard advertisements with a funky, hip aesthetic. I can’t say for certain what may have popped into your head, and that is how it should be. Here at Carlmont, we are blessed with stellar artistic programs — choral, instrumental, visual — which for the most part are lauded, celebrated as they undoubtedly deserve. In this issue, staff member Kimberly Mitchell highlighted two student visual artists, revealing how simply viewing an art piece can help one understand the inner workings of the artist who created it. Our staff takes a similar look at music, comparing several genres and how each one has manifested itself on the Carlmont campus. But then, art is more than just music and painting. It’s more than what we see hanging in classrooms and more than what we hear at winter and spring concerts. Art is everywhere at Carlmont and in the world, often hidden until one knows where to look. Staff members Rachel Matatyaou and Emma Romanowsky honed in on rising tattoo culture in this issue of Scotlight, finding members of the local community to understand the special meanings behind such personal, permanent art pieces. Highlander Editor-in-Chief Sophie Lynd focused on how students express themselves through fashion and beauty choice. And ultimately, looking beyond our own community, staff member Nina Heller examined the importance that art has as a means of protest, be it in signs, symbols, or songs. All of this ties into the idea that art, in its most base and raw form, allows for communication between an artist and their audience. It’s open to interpretation. It’s how we express ourselves. It’s how we, not just as students but as people, decide who we are and who we want to be. Sincerely, Kylie Lin Editor-in-Chief

Staff Emma Romanowsky Kimberly Mitchell Kylie Lin Nihal Karim Nina Heller Rachel Matatyaou Samantha Chu Sophie Lynd taissia Yakovenko Questions or comments? Please let us know: scotlightmag@gmail.com Special thanks to jaleyna lara for cover design

EXPRESSION

NOA GUDELUNAS “I find the best way of expressing myself is by utilizing my liberty to determine what I put on my body when I want. This goes hand and hand with being nonbinary. Some days I feel closer to the female end of the spectrum and other days closer to the male; clothes are how I show that.

Using clothing to express myself has pushed me into a place of newfound confidence where I feel like I can fully be who I am regardless of anyone’s opinion. Instead of conforming to trends in order to fit in, my expression, whether be it gender, mood, or personality, pushes me to be exactly who I am.”

Photography and Design by Sophie Lynd “It’s been less than a year since I’ve been experimenting with makeup. I learned application techniques quickly through watching YouTube tutorials and getting inspiration from beauty vloggers’ Instagram posts to create the looks that I do now. Makeup has not only made me feel more confident, but it’s opened me up to a whole other artistic aspect. When people compliment me, it shows how much

JEREMIAH LATU

progress I’ve made learning new tips and tricks! I love expressing myself through makeup because it shows how creative I can be through different looks. My main makeup looks include harsh contour, bright highlight, ‘dewy’ skin, and glossy lips, which are my signature look. Some brands that I enjoy are Fenty by Rihanna, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Too Faced, and more!”

ART BEars fruit

Four years ago

, Nina Chung and Jaleyna Lara were nothing more than two classmates in the same seventh-grade English class. However, all it took was one flip of a page to transform their relationship from peers to lifelong friends. “I’m always drawing in class,” Lara said. “One day, she saw me and asked if she could look through my sketchbook, and when she told me that she drew too, I got really excited.” While Lara had been involved in the arts for as long as they could remember, Chung had just started drawing. Though the pages of Chung’s sketchbook reflected the lack of experience she held, the few pieces that she had been enough to earn her a compliment from Lara. A compliment that although may seem simple to some, meant the world for Chung and sparked their friendship as well Chung’s motivation. From sketching in class to staying up to until the crack of dawn drawing, art had been the driving force behind their growing bond. “Three years ago, we had this sleepover that lasted for three days straight, and all we did was draw,” Lara said. “We drew so much that

weekend, and I think that’s when we really realized, ‘Yeah, we’re really good friends.’” However, as their friendship grew, so did the pressure on Chung’s shoulders. “I think that because we were known as ‘the people who draw’ at Ralston Middle School, people would compare us and make it seem like we were competing against each other,” Chung said. “But I don’t think that really stressed Jaleyna out as much as it did for me.” Like most new artists, Chung was inspired by those around her. But as she found her work becoming more similar to that of Lara’s, Chung decided she needed to go back to the basics to find herself. “I studied human faces and by continuously drawing, I was able to improve rapidly,” Chung said. “I’ve changed so much that you can’t even compare us. Our styles are just too different.” From the mangos of Africa to the peaches of Japan, Chung’s admiration for culture and love of drawing food bears fruitful works that add to her individuality. While Chung gravitates towards bright colors and vivid details within semi-realistic portraiture where she portrays various cultures through fruits, Lara’s style varies, ranging from simplistic pieces with flat colors to complex surrealism. Unlike artists such as Chung who focus on deveoping one style, Lara draws in more than 37 different styles, as they dream of becoming a storyboard artist. Though their art and style has drifted apart, their friendship remains as strong as ever. “They’re my best friend,” Chung said. “It’s because of art that we’ve become this close, and to me, that’s a huge blessing.”

it to friendship

Design and writing BY kimberly mitchell

it s not what Body art is almost as old as humans themselves. From traditional to modern-day tattoos, it has served as a method of selfexpression. In the past few centuries, a stigma has developed surrounding tattoos and the people who have them. However, above all, tattoos are nothing less than an artisitic expression.

“Tattoos are more about where you are in life. I got it because it was pretty, and I got it with my friends.” -J.D.

“This tattoo is my take on the symbol for survivors of sexual assault. It demonstrates how much I’ve overcome.” -M.Z.R.

Writing by Emma Romanowsky Pictured: Bryce Vaysberg Design by Rachel Matatayaou

“The star on the far left is a Star of David, and it represents my husband because he’s Jewish. The one on my ankle bone represents my brother; the one under that represents my grandmother. The one on the right is an asterisk and it’s for my mom, and the green one is for my dad, who passed away in 2005.” - C.S.

You think This year, 4 million Americans can buy themselves a permanent art installation. This art is unframed. It is not taught in art history nor does it ever reside in museums. Instead, this art is inked into its patron. For thousands of years, people of all cultures marked their bodies. From American Indigenous peoples to the Japanese to tribal Africans, tattoos were sources of pride and evidence of strength. However, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity condemn tattoos, hence the western stigma against them began. Many people have associated tattoos with an outlaw reputation. For some, this stigma still stands. “There’s still a lot of people with the oldschool mentality of people with tattoos being criminals. When it comes to older people, it’s still kind of taboo, or at least in [American] culture,” said the owner of Redwood Tattoo, Jesus Silcido. “But the stigma is absolutely changing. I think it’s getting better as the younger generations come up.” Over the past 20 years, tattoos have become increasingly popular. According to the Pew Research Center, 38

percent of Americans aged 18-39 have at least one tattoo. In 2000, that number was 12.5 percent. Stigma aside, people want tattoos. For many, tattoos are representations of their identity. “I have a tattoo of a rainbow because it represents my sexuality. It shows the gay part of me, which is really important to who I am,” Bella Moore*, a junior, said. “My tattoo means a lot to me. It represents my past and how I have been able to overcome it,” said Maxine Zigmond-Rahm, a Pitzer College student. “I can literally wear my heart on my sleeve, and it is so liberating.” Trauma and the growth beyond it are common subjects for tattoos. Project Semicolon began as a movement on social media where survivors of depression, addiction, and suicide attempts bore tattoos of semicolons to represent their journey with mental health. But for some, tattoos are simply works of art. “You got these people that just want to collect the art and decorate their body. For them, the meaning is in the art itself,” Silcido said. “Collecting Tattoos” is more common than it may seem. According to

Pew Research, over half of those who have tattoos have more than one. “[Getting a tattoo] is addictive. I definitely want more tattoos. I love my rainbow, but I eventually want a tattoo of sunflowers,” Moore said. To meet this demand for more tattoos, 285 conventions are set to occur in 2019 in the U.S. alone. There, thousands of people gather to give, receive, and admire body art. As tattoos become larger parts of mainstream society, their artisticness is even more prominent. According to Silcido, the best type of tattoo client is the kind who asks an artist for their art, not necessarily a specific design. “We love it when people come in and just ask the artist to do whatever they want. Then both [the artist and the client] know that the tattoo is all about the art. [Tattooing] is the oldest kind of art. Sure, people were painting on caves, but right after that, we’re seeing inked skin,” Silcido said. Tattoos have been and always will be a deeply personal form of art. “They are an art form,” Moore* said. “Just because they are permanent or can have a bad

reputation doesn’t take away the fact that they are just as valid as any other traditional medium. They are, above all, a means of self-expression.”

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the student. Pictured: Demarii Blanks

A taste in...

Whatever genre it may be, music has been a part of society for a long time, and has thus influenced a variety of aspects of everyday life for many people. Lasting from approximately 1300 to 1600, the Renaissance Era promoted a revival of ancient Greek and Roman art, literature, and music, according to the History channel. Musical advances throughout that period influenced the genres and styles that emerged later. As the Renaissance Era concluded, the Classical Era began, and lasted from 1600 to 1900. The Classical Era included music from Baroque, Neoclassicism, and Romanticism periods. Classical music has many different characteristics, with some of it having gentler, softer notes, and other pieces being dramatic and strict. Popular composers of the era include Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and more. Prompting the end of Romanticism in

the early 1900s, a variety of new musical genres and styles began to emerge. According to The National Museum of American History, jazz, originating in New Orleans in the early 1900s, can be distinguished by its rhythmic notes, and was often improvised by performers. It is famous for its harmonic structures and blues-sounding tunes. In the 1920s, jazz was followed by country music, with tunes that often sounded similar to many folk songs. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, country music was most often played with string instruments, such as banjos and acoustic guitars, and the lyrics and rhythms were similar to those of ballads and folk songs. Later forms of country music also included blues and gospel rhythms. The early 1950s saw the popularization of rock as well as free jazz. Free jazz, which emerged during the early 1950s, was at its peak during the 1960s. Free jazz tunes and songs were more improvisational, and did not follow the fixed harmonic Design By Samantha Chu Writing By Nihal Karim & Taisiia Yakovenko PhotographY By Taisiia Yakovenko

structures that were prominent during the period of original jazz. According to ThoughtCo, rock music was originally influenced by popular music styles of the 1900s, which included country and blues. Rock music is best known for its use of electric guitars and drums. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, rock exploded in popularity. Rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Pink Floyd began to emerge and gain fans, becoming influential to the popular modern music genres. Pop music is another genre that gained influence in the 1950s and continues to stay relevant now. Popular music, also known as pop, can be characterized by its catchy tunes and repetitive verses. In addition, pop music tends to be more favored amongst teenagers. Music, no matter what genre, has increased in popularity and influenced many cultural aspects. Different genres have evolved over time to include a wide and diverse range of styles and artists.

Classical Music Classical music became popular in 12th century. During that period of time, classical music was generally created in churches and therefore had inevitable religious undertones. As the Classical era came to a conclusion, it became increasingly apparent that the old orchestra styles could not achieve the desired amount of emotional expression. Therefore, following the Romantic Era, with its complex compositions, became the golden age of classical music. “I think that classical music has a great amount of complexity that modern music does not have,” Alex McDowell, a sophomore, said. “I think that there is a lot more variety in classical music than in current music because of how old it is.” From the early 20th century up until today, classical music has become a lot more diverse as composers have started to take different approaches. “Pop is becoming increasingly more popular, but it does not override classical music,” McDowell said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a matter of personal preference when it comes to the preferable music genre.”

Country Music Country music originated in the early 20th century. It was derived from ballads, folk songs, and popular songs of the Scottish, English, and Irish people who settled in the Appalachians. As country music became popular in urban centers, it was exposed to a magnitude of different genres, such as jazz and blues. “I like country style because the music tells a good story,” Dana Knoble, a sophomore, said. “I love how fun and engaging the artists are, especially during live performances.” In the following decades, the gap between country and mainstream music continued to narrow as it embraced many of the popular styles. Despite that, country was able to retain its distinct character from other American genres. “There are a lot of stereotypes about country music and the people who listen to it,” Knoble said. “When I tell someone that I like country, they never really listen to what I have to say about it. People just have a lot of their own opinions that they are not willing to change.”

Pop Music Prior to the 1950s, pop music was only defined by what was popular at that point in time. However, the age of rock ’n’ roll kick-started pop as a music genre that evolved and changed over time, according to the Culture Trip. “I like how different and interesting pop music is,” Shiina Sugioka, a junior, said. “I think that it has some kind of a set standard, but all the pop songs sound unique.” By the 2000s, pop music offered many subcategories and genres that allowed artists to employ their musical creativity. “Many people seem to think that pop is somewhat boring because it sounds all the same,” Sugioka said. “I think that there are so many different types of pop that it would probably suit anyone’s taste.”

PROTEST ART IS CAUSING AN EFFECT Before Donald Glover released his “This is America” music video and artist Shepard Fairey designed the “Hope” poster depicting President Barack Obama, art has been used to protest injustices in society. These creative works produced by activists and social movements are called protest art. Protest art extends across multiple mediums, including music, paintings, and social media. Art has always been a conversation starter, but protest art’s purpose goes beyond being just nice to look at. Rather than for pleasure, protest art is for politics. Walls have long been used to shut out people whose race, religion, economic status, or ideology have been deemed unwelcome by those in power, or simply to “keep the peace.” From the Berlin Wall to the West Bank and the Mexican border, artists see these barriers as a canvas. Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall was one of the most famous structures put up as a means to keep people apart, but it was also home to some of the most well-known pieces of protest art, featuring more than 100 paintings celebrating reunification with messages of peace and freedom. The 1990 graffiti mural “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” on the Berlin Wall pictured Leonid Brezhnev, a Soviet politician, and Erich Honecker, a German politician, in a socialist fraternal kiss, a special form of greeting between the statesmen of Communist countries. The inspiration for the mural was a photo of the two together, and the mural has since become an iconic fixture of the Berlin

Wall, with “My god, help me to survive this deadly love affair” written in German on the painting. In addition, the wall separating the U.S. and Mexico has also become home to some artistic displays. The San Ysidro port of entry that connects Tijuana and San Diego is the busiest land border crossing in the world. While this stretch of land used to be marked by a flimsy fence, it is now marked with rusting steel bars. Mexican artist Ana Teresa Fernandez “erased” the border by painting the fence to blend into the sea, sand, and sky in 2011. Similarly, artist Enrique Chiu is attempting to cover the length of the rest of the existing U.S./Mexico boundary wall with murals created by volunteers, artists, and community groups in border towns across the Southwest. Chiu’s Mural de la Hermandad (Brotherhood Mural) covers a distance of more than a mile. Music can also tell a lot about a time period. Donald Glover, under his musical persona Childish Gambino, released the music video to his song “This is America,” which drew attention to gun violence and mass shootings, as well as racism and discrimination against AfricanAmericans. The video follows Gambino dancing through a warehouse, interacting with a series of chaotic scenes, many of them violent. Gambino’s performance is seen as protest art for the same reasons visual art is: it sparks conversation and debate and brings attention to a larger issue at hand, existing beyond the world of the medium it is created in.

Photography, Design , and Writing by Nina Heller

A TIMELINE OF PROTEST ART THE AIDS CRISIS Diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, Keith Haring’s art became a symbol for the activism sparked by the AIDS crisis. On one of his most famous paintings, the words “IGNORANCE=FEAR, SILENCE=DEATH,” are a call to action. Through Haring’s artwork, AIDS awareness and prevention was brought to the public’s eye, and it opened up conversations about the disease. Haring died in 1990 from AIDS, the very disease of which he fought for awareness of.

THE WOMEN’S MARCH “Put on your face. Know your place. Shut up and smile. Don’t spread your legs,” These are the first words that begin singer MILCK’s song “Quiet,” which became an unofficial anthem of the 2017 Women’s March. MILCK, with the help of D.C.-based acapella groups, performed this song in flash mobs. MILCK’s song, which she wrote about her experiences overcoming traumas, including domestic abuse and anorexia, struck a chord of solidarity worldwide.

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 14 dead, including his son Joaquin Oliver, Manuel Oliver started Change The Ref (CTR). According to its website, CTR “uses urban art and nonviolent creative confrontation to expose the disastrous effects of the mass shooting pandemic,” One of the ways that CTR uses urban art is with a project they call Walls of Demand. These walls trigger people to think about gun violence and the need for change.

DRAW Monty

Design by kimberly mitchell and kylie lin

Sequoia UNion High School District carlmont High School 1400 Alameda de las pulgas Belmont, CA 94002