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The Special Committee for Commemoration begins work
Volume 120, Issue 4
October 20, 2021
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Tavie Kittredge ‘24 questions Davidson’s abbreviated semesters going forward
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Vic Fleming ‘73 is back with this week’s crossword, Not a Bad Goal
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The Yowl presents Parents Weekend: Reflections and Woes
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New Sculpture Installed in Wall Courtyard Artificial Rock #119 is the first campus sculpture by an Asian artist
ANIKA BANERJEE ‘24 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER
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he scholar’s rocks are collected by educated scholars in traditional Chinese culture and thus has been a sign of privilege,” said Yunyue Zhang ‘23. The sculpture “transcends time and culture and allows the viewers to reflect on the present,” she continued. On October 22, 2021, there will be a dedication ceremony for Artificial Rock #119. In 2007, Davidson began their Campus Sculpture Project, which showcases sculptures by numerous artists with diverse styles and cultures. This piece by artist Zhan Wang, which will soon join the collection, will be the first sculpture created by an Asian artist in the Campus Sculpture Program. Zhan Wang is a Chinese contemporary artist specializing in multimedia installations, photography, and most notably, sculpture. In 1995, Wang began his series of Artificial Rocks which are a symbol of China’s past and are modeled after scholar’s rocks. These natural rocks have varying shapes and sizes that make them unique. Wang takes these rocks and covers them in stainless steel which puts a modern spin on an ancient concept. His technique showcases China’s reposition from a land that relied on nature to an urban state. There is historical gravitas to an art piece like this one as well. “The appreciation and collection of special rocks to embellish gardens has been well-established since the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) in China,” said Dr. Rosaline Kyo, a professor of art and Chinese studies. “During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), smaller versions, called scholar’s rocks, were collected, displayed, and appreciated within scholars’ studios. Paintings, facsimiles, commentaries, poems, and novels have been created about garden rocks and scholar’s rocks.” Lia Newman, director and curator of the Van Every Smith gallery, addressed this addition to the outdoor sculpture collection. “The outdoor collection is challenging to grow, because there are many considerations when a
work of art will be installed ‘permanently’ on campus,” she said. When acquiring an art piece that is essentially permanent to Davidson, there are many considerations to keep in mind. Newman believes that it is long overdue to have work by a Chinese artist on campus, as well as artists from. “It’s a goal of ours to grow the collection in such a way that the identities of the artists represented are reflective of our campus community,” she said. This sculpture, which was modeled after the Chinese Scholar Rocks, was acquired to commemorate Gill Holland, an emeritus professor of English. “When Dr. Holland’s family expressed interest in helping us acquire a work of art to honor him and his wife Siri, a work by Zhan Wang seemed like a perfect fit given Dr. Holland’s interest in Chinese art and poetry,” said Newman. Newman spoke of how Holland studied Mandarin and classical Chinese at Stanford University as well as in Taiwan and Beijing. On his three sabbatical leaves, he chose to return to China and spend his time there. While Holland taught and studied English and American literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, he also published a book of translated classical Chinese poetry along with two books of his own poems. Kyo broke down the history and artistic significance behind this sculpture. She said that Zhan Wang uses stainless steel sheets to cover large garden rocks, and his goal is to spark reflection on the contemporary world. Kyo referenced a statement from Zhan Wang, in which he said, “The material’s glittering surface, ostentatious glamour, and illusory appearance make it an ideal medium to convey new dreams.” Kyo contends that this addition to our sculpture collection will serve to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. She claims that there is a certain level of comfort that comes from having a piece of your culture, race, or ethnicity displayed on campus—there is a feeling of belonging that can be created by this art’s
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Artificial Rock #119 sculpted by Zhan Wang. Photo by Sydney Schertz ‘24.
New Mental Health Club Combats Burnout, Lack of Counselors BAILEY MAIERSON ‘25 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER
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nationwide pandemic. Online classes. Students spiraling. In the face of such chaos, two sophomores created Davidson’s first mental health club on campus, Minds Do Matter. Annabelle Ross ‘24 and Cece Woo ‘24 were compelled to start the mental health advocacy club after learning how overbooked the on-campus counselors are. Since there are currently only six counselors, one of their first tasks was emailing Dean McCrae about increasing the number of counselors on campus. “Having to wait two weeks to meet with a counselor is not feasible for students, yet paying an outside counselor is also
not financially feasible for many students,” Woo said. “[The students] end up having to choose between financial security and their literal well-being.” Director of Student Health and Well-Being Dr. David Graham is the faculty advisor of Minds Do Matter. As advisor, Graham will meet with the executive board of the club and work to program campus initiatives focusing on Mental Health Awareness. The club’s three big goals—education, awareness or advocacy, and support—will guide Graham, Woo, and Ross as they work to change the course of mental health on campus. To jumpstart Minds Do Matter, Ross and Woo took to surveying students about what they wish to see in the club as it progresses. So far, the two have created a student training series—how mental health is viewed in different cultures and immigrant families, how to support a friend in crisis, how to
deal with mental health and eating houses, sororities, and fraternities—as a means of fostering discussions. “It’s really important to view mental health in the context of a lot of different identities and communities, so within Greek life, athletic teams, ethnic communities, and various gender sexual identities,” Woo said. Minds Do Matter has future plans to collaborate with the Mental Health Ambassadors and counseling department to make resources more available to students. “Unless [a student] signs up for an appointment, [they] don’t really know who the counselors are or what happens in a therapy session, especially if it is [a student’s] first time going to one,” Ross said.
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