SCENE THE
THE
Fall Issue 4
Nov. 1, 2019
THESCENEFP.COM
Dressed for Halloween
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St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Student’s artwork focuses on STLCC license growing problem of plastic waste plates now available
By Ethan Tutor The Scene staff A peculiar figure has taken up residence on a bench on the fourth floor of G Tower. He’s made of clear packing tape and surrounded by milk jugs, egg cartons, water bottles and plastic bags that flow into the hallway. There’s even a pizza box. “The person represents a man looking into the ocean at the trash that pollutes the sea,” said Christy Lin, 39, a fine arts student who created the sculpture. Lin wanted to bring issues of plastic waste and other pollution to the forefront at Forest Park and spur conversation. “I’m not trying to create guilt for people, just raise the question of what we can do to make a difference,” she said. “Can we refuse plastic bags? Do we have to depend on plastic every time? Can you use one bag to carry everything instead of five separate bags?” Students, faculty and staff can’t help but notice the sculpture, titled “Reflecting on Creation.” It measures 8 feet wide by 8 feet deep by 4 feet tall. Next to it is an artist statement that explains Lin’s philosophy and process. “It’s immersive and very provoking,” said studio arts major Brian Hogan, 38. “It kinda grabs you and pulls you into it.”
1,000 years to decompose
The Ocean Conservancy estimates that 6.4 million tons of garbage are floating in the world’s oceans and that an additional 15,000 pieces of plastic are dumped in it every day. The environmental problem is made worse by the fact that it takes more than 1,000 years for some plastics to decompose. Lin created the sculpture for an assign-
By Mackenzie Gregory The Scene staff
Provided photo
Fine arts student Christy Lin poses with her sculpture, “Reflecting on Creation,” on the fourth floor of G Tower.
ment in her Design IV “I used lots of packclass. Art professor ing tape and had my “I’m not trying to Mario Carlos asked stufriend wrap it around dents to pick a site on create guilt for people, my leg multiple times just raise the question and cut it again and the Forest Park campus and transform it into of what we can do to again to make the their vision. body,” she said. “So make a difference.” “I think Christy’s art the person in the hallinstallation was very – Artist Christy Lin way is actually, literalsuccessful,” he said. ly my body.” “Not just for the craftsPhotography promanship, but also for its form and relevant fessor Jamie Kreher shares Lin’s envicontent. It opened up an important conver- ronmental concerns and praises the sation and intense discussion during class sculpture. critique.” “It definitely deals with a serious issue,” Lin spent two weeks to create the sculp- she said. “This conundrum with humans ture, including five hours for the man. He’s is that (plastic) allows for incredible consitting on the bench, so she had to squat for venience but with lots of flipsides. We’ve up to 40 minutes at a time. grown so dependent on it that we don’t know how to stop.” Others just like the looks of the sculpture. “It was really neat, how the whole body was made out of plastic,” said office information systems student Kaitlyn Franklin, 20. General studies student Tyrell Smith described the sculpture as “mysterious.” “He looks like he has some problems,” Smith said.
Immigrant from Taiwan
Photo by Mark Ngunjiri
Pizza with the dean
From left, Liberal Arts Dean Debra Harper-LeBlanc chats with dental hygiene majors Angelica Paroski and Laura Manzotti at the Pizza with the Dean event Oct. 30 in the Highlander Lounge.
Lin goes by “Christy,” but her legal name is Tz Cheng Lin. She emigrated to the United States from Taiwan in 2008 after already earning a marketing degree and working in business. Her husband is American. She became a U.S. citizen last year. Lin is studying art and English as a second language at Forest Park. She hasn’t yet decided what to do next, keeping her options open. “I really enjoy painting and drawing.” Lin said. “I like to create with my hands, you know. I like doing something physical.”
The wait is over. Forest Park students, faculty and staff who want to show school spirit on the road can now get St. Louis Community College license plates. In fact, they’re available to any Missouri resident. “Our chancellor, Dr. (Jeff) Pittman, has already sent his forms in,” said Colleen Phillips, coordinator of alumni relations and annual fund for the St. Louis Community College Foundation. The license plates are being used as a fundraising tool for the foundation, which distributes scholarships and otherwise helps students. A vehicle owner can get an STLCC Phillips license plate by making a $25 donation to the foundation and paying an additional $15 personalized-plate fee to the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. The STLCC license plates became available on Oct. 21. The left side shows a small emblem of the city’s Gateway Arch with the name “St. Louis Community College” overlayed. Along the bottom is the college’s slogan, “Expanding Minds. Changing Lives.” “We had over 450 people show interest in the license plates,” Phillips said, speaking of those who already donated $25 to register their support and help persuade the DMV to offer them. To get an STLCC license plate, you can go to the foundation’s website at bit.ly/36p2jEr, apply for an Emblem Use Authorization Statement and pay the $25. You then mail your authorization statement to the DMV, along with an Application for Missouri Personalized and Special License Plates, the regular plate fee and an additional $15 personalized-plate fee. You will be notified when your STLCC license plate is available for pickup at the DMV office that you specify.