•
va·sunSllC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
Me, myself and 'eye':
1ljllill!!11 1
Art exhibit peers at many images of self
I i t i 11)! ~~~~ '!
149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367
[l!
by Danielle Lord and Jennifer Gong "Eye: A Vision of Self," the third annual art exhibit mounted by the Art Club, opened after school on May 29 in the main lobby. The artwork, including photography, sculpture, and painting, will be displayed until the end of the semester.
All interested students could submit their work. Emily Fishbaine said that the exhibition uncovers "a lot of artistic talent that people don't know about." "It proves that we here at Townsend Harris are more than just 'brainiacs, "' said sophomore Michael Borress. "We
Cookies, ~
The larger-than-life balloons of a rat and Uncle Sam<lramatize the message of the union members picketing outside the Queens College gate near Townsend Harris.
Unions protest hiring policy for Queens College construction by Sarah Schnee The giant icon of Uncle Sam, and the huge, long-nosed rat that tower over Melbourne Avenue's morning rush, are there to protest the hiring of non-union workers in the renovation of Powdermaker Hall on the Queens College campus. The inflatable patriot and rodent were placed there by the Bricklayers Allied Craftworkers Union and Local One, New York. "I was wondering what that weirdlooking rat balloon was doing in front of our school, " said Inessa Khaimova, sophomore. "We're not saying they don't have a right to work. They do, but we also have a right to picket," said Zack Winbush, field representative, Local One Bricklayers. According to Mr. Winbush, the rat is symbolic of DASNY, the Dorm Authority of the State of New York, which owns all the real estate on the Queens College campus and is responsible for hiring the workers for the construction site. The Uncle Sam, which is sometimes inflated next to the rat and sometimes by itself, represents traditional American values such as fairness. The unions believe that DASNY is being unfair by not paying workers the prevail-
ing rate. Although they admit they cannot prove this, the Bricklayers Allied Craftworkers and Local One, New York say that by not hiring union members, the Dorm Authority is in any case cheating workers out of medical coverage and pension plans. "The City University and Dorm Authority do not require that every worker be a union member. They do require, however, that every worker be paid prevailing wages, which is what we do pay," said Bob Landesman, Director of Facilities, Queens College. According to Mr. Landesman, the reason the protestors are stationed so close to Townsend Harris is that Queens College identified the entrance where the picketers were allowed to protest. The one adjacent to Townsend Harris is away from the main gates where most students and faculty enter and exit. The two unions began demonstrating over a month ago and do not plan on stopping until they have a meeting with Queens College. "They want to make trouble. They are against the hiring of anyone who is not a union member, even if they are being paid fairly," said Mr. Landesman. "The rat really creeps me out," said Katrina Yee, sophomore.
punch and piano music played by junior Ilya Kalinik helped create the atmosphere of a professional art show opening. "I admit the food draws you in at first , but then you see the great works of art and you really want to stay to look around," Emily Rivlin-Nadler, junior, sporting a homemade shirt promoting exhibit "Eye: A Visiol! of Self' is standing next to one of the many said sophomore art portraits created by her on display during the opening. Ericka Joseph. The exhibit was created under the actually have some artistic talent and it auspices of Assistant Principal of Fine shows.·~ Arts Joan Walsh, Project Arts CoordiMs. Polansky explained that the annator Lois Polansky, art teachers An- nual art exhibition is an essential part thony Morales and Elizabeth Crawford, of the student experience. "It is so imand the Art Club, ic!d by co-presidents portant that students are able to share Emily Fishbaine and Emily Rivlin- their own artwork and experience the Nadler, vice-president Frank DeBellis, artwork of their peers," she said, beand secretary Rachel Nepomuceno. cause art is part of "the basic core of all Annie Yan, Class of 1999, played an in- our learning." fluential role in the inauguration of an The show was the beginning of what annual art show and came to the open- Ms. Walsh called "Project Arts Week," ing this year to lend her support. which ended with the Spring Concert Previous art exhibitions, "Our Birth" May 31. "It was timed so that the par(1999) and "The Seedling" (2000) laid ents coming from the concert would see the groundwork for this year's show. the work," she said. The themes of the earlier exhibitions re''I'm happy to see it all come tofer to a symbolic cycle of life and gether, " said Emily Fishbaine. "I've growth which has been expanded upon seen it all progress so much and it'_s rein the current title. "All art is a repre- ally great to see the work that's resulted. sentation of self," said Emily Rivlin- But this is just the opening. I hope Nadler, "and the title [Eye: A Vision of people stop by to see the work throughSelf] incorporates that." out [the rest of] the year."
rr
u.
Comic Muse pageS
Cell Phones pageS
Pizza page9
Autism page 11