THE RICE THRESHER
6 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT Capturing the Rise of Rice RAW.photography
RANKING HOUSTON’S HOT CHICKEN RISHAB RAMAPRIYAN & CHANNING WANG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND PHOTO EDITOR
We’re on a mission to find the best Nashville hot chicken in Houston. Here are our top three overall:
#1
Yummy’s Bite
PHOTO BY PASAN SIRITHANACHAI
2829 Chimney Rock Rd, Houston, TX What we ordered: Syrian Fried Chicken (Spicy) Cost: $8.99
Outside the Rice Memorial Center, members of Rice RAW.photography photograph Lovett College senior Christina Lee for a photo series created in collaboration with 6100 Main in March 2020.
JULIA LI
a positive twist on the pandemic and hosted a variety of photo competitions that people could participate in remotely. “It’s grown pretty tremendously, Born from a single, unassuming sketch on a loose napkin, Rice RAW.photography has especially with COVID-19 going on. I was steadily attracted the attention and respect surprised by how many people we kept of the Rice community. Current president and [how many people] joined during the Yi Luo, a Wiess College junior, approached pandemic,” Baldwin said. “One of the her orientation week videographer Daniel biggest events that we’ve done so far has Davis, a Wiess College senior, with the idea been the pandemic diary photography to create a platform for Rice photographers competition. This basically asked students to encapsulate how to connect with each COVID has affected other and create pieces them.We got a ton together. The two ended of submissions, and up brainstorming ideas We really want Rice to it was really cool over dinner with the know that there’s an to see people come help of other Wiess together under a students. One napkin incredible photographer common theme and sketch later, Rice RAW. community on campus. create images that photography was born. helped depict how “In my freshman they were feeling.” year, I found there Yi Luo D i f f e r e n t was a very scattered RAW.PHOTOGRAPHY PRESIDENT companies have photographer community at Rice, but we didn’t really reached out to Rice RAW.photography, and know each other,” Luo said. “I had the the organization has collaborated with onidea of creating a platform to connect Rice campus clubs as well. “We held several photo competitions and photographers, a place where we can shoot shooting events in collaboration with Rice and have fun together.” The current marketing lead, Jacar Chinese Student Association, 6100 Main St Baldwin, said the club’s mission to encourage and Rice Campanile,” Luo said. “This past semester, we received many photography and unify photographers on campus. “The mission is to create that space for and videography requests from student creatives to collaborate and work together on clubs, academic departments, campus campus,” Baldwin, a mechanical engineering organizations and successfully connected graduate student, said. “That’s really all it these requests with student photographers.” This past month, RAW originally intended took. There are so many creative people on campus, but they didn’t have a means of on collaborating with Rice Campanile to hold another photography competition open to going about doing it.” Despite the ongoing challenges of all Rice students. However, the competition COVID-19, Rice RAW.photography has taken is currently placed on hold in order to SENIOR WRITER
WEEKLY SCENES AND SCREENS
give students more time to send in their submissions, as the organization is conscious of student’s workloads and adjusts its events to allow as many people as possible to submit. RAW’s photography contests adopt a unique approach that provides contestants feedback so that they can potentially grow from the experiences. “Photo competitions are not new, but most of the time, the relationship between participants and organizers is one-way. I’ll submit a photo, and weeks later, I’ll receive a notification if I get an award,” Luo said. “Personally, I think this traditional model doesn’t help me grow as a photographer. Thus, RAW includes a professional critique session following the competition, inviting [photography] professors [from the visual and dramatic arts department] and campus photographers to comment on photos.” Luo said that this approach has helped students improve their photography skills and connected student photographers with professionals. A few students have even told Luo that they were inspired to take visual and dramatic arts courses after the critique session. Ultimately, these student photographers are able to come together and capture memorable moments among peers who are equally passionate about the art. With a history of successful engagement and ambitious aspirations for the future such as engaging with landscape, sports and architectural photography, it’s clear that RAW.Photography will continue to cultivate and inspire creatives on campus. “Aside from events, workshops and competitions, we really want Rice to know that there’s an incredible photographer community on campus, and it’s a great resource for the Rice community,” Luo said.
IT IS WHAT IT IS
DIMENSIONS VARIABLE
RICE CINEMA FAREWELL
The visual and dramatic arts department will host its annual Senior Art Show at Sewall Hall (4th floor studios) from April 29 – May 14. This year’s show, “it is what it is,” will feature a diverse array of artwork completed over the course of the academic year by 18 seniors graduating from the VADA department.
The Moody Center for the Arts invites the Rice community to practice mindfulness at “Dimensions Variable,” a free, in-person public event on May 1 from 4-6 p.m. Activities include meditation sessions, a crystal bowl presentation, a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and more. Advance registration is required.
Rice Cinema will bid farewell to the Rice Media Center next week with the final installment of its Low-Fi analog film series on May 6 at 7 p.m., and the program’s annual student film showcase, “Flicks,” on May 7 at 7 p.m. Don’t miss these final opportunities to visit Rice Cinema before the Media Center is demolished later this year.
#2
Bird Haus
1010 Prairie St, Houston, TX What we ordered: Chicken Sandwich with coleslaw (Hot) Cost: $10
#3
Howdy Hot Chicken
3520 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX What we ordered: Howdy Sammie (Howlin’) Cost: $9.99
Read our full rankings in six categories online at ricethresher.org.
NOCTURNAL A CAPELLA SENIOR SPOTLIGHT Nocturnal a cappella will send off its six graduating seniors with a special live concert this Saturday, May 1 from 6-7 p.m. in Ray Courtyard. Each graduating member will be featured as a soloist in songs of their choice. Don’t miss your chance to hear these songbirds before they fly the nest!