November 2009 - 2

the Boomerang a University College Student Association Magazine | November 2009 - II

Perspectives on the Iranian revolts

A change is gonna come Rafaela Peteanu

I

n June this year, Iran was all over the media. Newspapers, TV journals, blogs and Twitter – all were reporting live from the protests that followed the tenth presidential election. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, running against Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mohsen Rezaee and Mehdi Karroubi, had won the popular vote.

The European Union, however, was raising questions about the results, and so did many Iranians, including, obviously, the opposition candidates. As such, a “Green Revolution” emerged all over the world, from Tehran to Chicago, Amsterdam, Toronto, or even Kuala Lumpur, with Iranian citizens expressing their discontent in regard to the newly elected president. What started off as a peaceful protest rapidly turned into violent clashes between the authorities and the participants, especially in the Iranian capital. Soon, mayhem seemed to dominate Tehran, with angry crowds starting fires and closing off streets.

Yet, on August 5, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came into office for the second time. Earlier this month, on November 4th, the 30th anniversary of the storming of the US embassy in Tehran was being celebrated; students took the opportunity and resumed their protests in an attempt to overshadow the official rallies. The problem is far from being solved, and it affects the people in Iran, those who live abroad, and the international community.

Sahand Sahebdivani was born in Iran in 1980, during the Iran– Iraq war. He spent his first three years there, before coming to the Netherlands, where he has been living ever since. At the moment, he runs the Mezrab Cafe and Cultural Center in Amsterdam, a place where “the dream of a Dutch multicultural society seems to become reality”. Sahand told The Boomerang that, except for his parents, who brought him to Amsterdam, all his relatives stayed behind, and that he hasn’t seen most of them since he fled the country.

In regard to the recent revolts in Iran, he believes that their main cause is “the dissatisfaction that has fermented over the decades.”

The government, Sahand argues, “has so structurally oppressed the people that now there is a new generation of dissatisfied students that is taking to the streets.” The situation is not new, but intimidation seems to have stopped people from acting up. Furthermore, he mentions the 1988-government-killing of “up to 10.000 political dissidents,” and the 1999 “small student uprising, after which the government killed a few leaders and sent many others to jail.” All these events may amount to a pattern, as “it seems it takes about 10 years for more youngsters to get up.” Yet another reason for the public demonstrations may be the fact that “many people thought the system could be changed from the inside,” an assumption which turned out to be wrong. As Sahand explains, after the Khatami era, in which “the president that was selected by the people didn’t have the mandate to change what he could, […] even the candidate of choice of many people was swept aside in favor of the supreme leader.”

» Continued on page 06

Founding Father

Laughter & praise

Valentine

On the most recent General Assembly, two matters were the focus of discussion. One perhaps more serious than the other...

Ayana Fabris interviews an Utrecht prostitute: “You have to be very strong to be a prostitute. You have to work with your head”.

Fall of a Wall

» PAGE 02

» PAGE 03

» PAGE 07

» PAGE 10

Interview with Hans Adriaansens, founding father of the University College concept in Holland. Learn about the character of Roosevelt Academy, its current position and differences with UCU COLLEGE HALL

ASIC | UCSA

GLOBAL DYNAMICS

The 9th of November marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall — an “upheaval that transformed Europe”. The Boomerang describes this historic event.

COLOSSEUM

the Boomerang | November - II 2009

02 COLLEGE HALL A Quartier Latin in the middle of Zeeland Rianne Kouwenaar

I

am in a former Town Hall, a beautiful building in the city centre of Middelburg. Across from me is sitting Hans Adriaansens, founder and former dean of University College Utrecht and founder of Roosevelt Academy. I came here to ask him about the character of UC’s younger sister, its current position and differences with UCU. It becomes clear how much affinity he has with ‘his’ college. When you hear him talk about the many ideals and ideas he still has for Roosevelt, you might wish that all colleges in the Netherlands were as independent from University boards as this one is.

Is Roosevelt different from the first University College in Utrecht?

The program is pretty similar: the philosophy, the mix between the American Liberal Arts & Sciences model and an Oxbridge scale. The courses for UCU were designed by people, my friends, and also by the Utrecht University professors who implemented them. I took those courses with me to Roosevelt Academy. The faculty, 50% of whom are from abroad, might be more international than at UCU, simply because there was no way that people could commute from Utrecht to Middelburg. The international climate here not only depends on the student body, but also on the faculty: the instructors come from Berkeley, Cambridge, Sussex, Yale, Germany and Russia, all over the place. They live here; they go to the shops here.

Every night there are lectures where faculty members are present. They make a difference.

The living circumstances are different; Utrecht has a more confined and secluded campus, whereas here we have a city campus.

It has always been my ideal to have a kind of Quartier Latin in the city of Middelburg. That would be wonderful.

Middelburg is often called a Verweggistan [place very far away].“Why would I go to Middelburg?” one could ask. However, once students have seen Middelburg, they like it and they come. The living circumstances, the hous-

ing situation…we occupy the inner city. I think that the café to student ratio is higher than anywhere else in this country. We do get many people from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague. You would expect that they are accustomed with big cities and they wouldn’t want to come to Middelburg, but they do.

Middelburg is a true student city that attracts students from everywhere. I wonder about the type of students that attend Roosevelt Academy. Are they different from students at UCU? Most universities attract 90 to 95% of their students from the immediate region. The first exception was UCU, which attracts its students from everywhere in the Netherlands and abroad. At Roosevelt Academy it is even worse…or better: only 7 or 8% of the student body comes from this region. All the others come from all over the Netherlands, from Texel to Limburg. Another part of the answer is that more graduates at UCU remain around the city for their masters, while here, 75% of Dutch students go abroad for their graduate program and 75% of the international students stay within the country. RA graduates can go to London, Oxford, Cambridge or places in the US; Utrecht is only one out of many options. I can imagine that when you do your bachelor’s in Utrecht, Utrecht is almost always the first option afterwards. UCU students have friends there whom they do not want to leave. Here, they simply have to.

With the budget cuts UCU is currently facing, I would like to know if its sister college is also feeling the impact of the financial crisis.

Of course, we have also felt the impact of the crisis. But our budget is steady. We are financially independent from the UU, which has its disadvantages, but also its advantages. We have no budget cuts from the University of Utrecht and we are always making sure that almost all our money goes into teaching and research. We have a very small administrative staff, which has always been my ideal. The more people you have in all kinds of layers in the administra-

tive management, the more distracted you are from your essential task: teaching. It is hard for any college to find a balance between the primary task of teaching and the secondary task of administrative management, but it is vitally important.

With the recent protests against classes on Wednesday mornings, I cannot refrain from asking about this. Maybe our former Dean can think of reasons why the Wednesday that he originally kept class-free, now has two classes in the morning?

Maybe there are too many students. As far as I’m concerned, six hundred is the absolute maximum. It is possible to know all your fellow students if there are six hundred. Once you get to seven hundred, it’s impossible. What I hear from students is that by the end of the year they know not only faces, but also names. The paradox is that, if you go to a huge university, with twentyfive thousand students, after a while you may know maybe twenty-five students. On the other hand, at a college of six hundred, you may know them all. And this has a couple of very interesting social effects. It creates a sense of responsibility, for the institute as well as for the students. It shows that context is way more important that individual quality.

It appears that this word, context, perfectly embodies Adriaansens’ concept. With Roosevelt’s international atmosphere, small number of students and intimate city and campus life, the context for excellence is created. The apparent competition between UCU and RA students will most probably never cease to exist, but UCU students should probably think twice before they dismiss Roosevelt Academy as a home for UCU’s cast-offs.

Student Jobs in College Hall Folke Eikmeier

T

hey are the front face – and voice of UCU: students working at the Reception Desk in College Hall. What is their work like?

you had to speak Dutch,” an international student now working at the reception said. “When I mailed them to ask about it, they said everyone could apply.”

They take care of mail and packages, reply to e-mails from the general UCU address, help visitors, answer the phone and even make coffee for the staff and meetings in College Hall.

The receptionists receive all student applications and bring them in good order to the Admissions Officer. They also process the course readers in the beginning of the year, which means scanning hundreds of pages. “The workload fluctuates, but it can sometimes be tedious and there are a lot of unexpected questions,” a student working at the reception said. Another receptionist feels that the work can be stressful: “Many things need to be done at the same time: mail, packages, coffee, questions, people and always the phone and the e-mails. You have to multitask.” Before the summer, speaking Dutch was in the job requirement, but this has changed with the start of the semester. “During the summer, they sent everyone an e-mail that didn’t say

How does the first non-Dutch-speaking student cope with the work? “In the beginning I was nervous about it, but at the reception you have so much to do that there’s no time to be nervous. When people call in Dutch, I just ask them “Could you speak English please?” and that’s fine.” She said that she wouldn’t apply for a job at the UU, but doesn’t think that not speaking Dutch is a big problem at UCU. “Last time, the postman came and he only spoke Dutch, but we got along well.” Even though the work at the reception is sometimes stressful, one of the receptionists is happy to have it: “It’s great to have a job as a student that’s only 100 meters away and takes only 4 hours a week.

All in all it’s very feasible. And you really see a lot of people.” So it seems like a good thing that the possibility to take this job is now open to all students at UCU.

A University College Student Association Magazine

03 ASIC / UCSA Laughter and praise at the GA

Spider Robots and recognition Aldona Bermúdez

Students Weigh In On Cost-Cutting Measures Jesse Groenewegen

A

recent survey carried out by the All Students Interest Council (ASIC) shows that the majority of UCU students are in favor of merging the Academic English and Introduction to Academia courses and of introducing larger Methods and Statistics classes to offset a 15% cut in next year’s education budget.

O

n November 9th, the UCSA held this academic year’s third General Assembly, in which two points were discussed—a touching one and a less serious one.

The former concerned a proposal to make someone an honorary member of the UCSA. He is the student who founded Design Co, and he has also been involved in Drama Co and UCTV. He has been Bar Co Chief on the long term, called himself Puppet Master of the UCSA, and was himself a UCSA Board member two years ago. He is also an Advisory Council member, was a parent in introweek four times, paid consistent assistance to GA’s and is in this year’s Graduation Team. To top it off, he was the brain behind UC’s Got Brains for Unity Week. Despite his unit mate’s critics on the dirty socks left around the unit, the proposal concerned commitment to the UCSA, and not units.

Thus, with a majority of votes, Geert Sillevis was named honorary member of the UCSA. The second point on the agenda was a Primus prank, presented by Simon Tak: a petition to introduce the enactment of Spider Robots in Dining Hall. It was filed on October 18th by Joris Swijtink and got 92 signatures, which fulfilled more than the required 10% to hold a GA. Two new Primus members presented the idea of the Spider Robot. To give a taste of what everything was about, they even had Prototype 1.0 made of Lego-like material.

The Spider Robot would get students’ food

in Dining Hall and find their friends through voice recognition. This would avoid long lines and also “assist during the physically intensive tasks” required in Dining Hall. “It’s totally awesome, it provides for organized distribution of food, it gives students a break,” they argued. Those afraid of spiders need not be scared. Spider Robots will move so fast you won’t even see them, so having your spider stepped on is nothing to worry about either.

The only funding they requested from the UCSA was €0.01, and the mass production would take place in India, because it is cheap.

Spider Robots are environmentally friendly since they work on the basis of solar energy.

UCSA members would be assigned robots with a code; but we would not be able to keep them after graduation.

Out of the 32 people present at the GA, 16 were not in Primus. The majority voted in favor of the Spider Robots. Before moving on to any other business, UCSA Chair Oleg Buller expressed his hope of making the next issue of greater concern to the UC community.

Most importantly, he highlighted the importance of the power UCSA members have to petition and call for a GA. On a side note, an anonymous Primus member later confessed the fictional nature of the petition.

There will be no Spider Robots.

Finally, a petition to ban Equites from the bar was rightfully neglected by the UCSA, and the possibility of alcohol-free beer in the UCSA College Bar was approved for discussion. So, if you’re interested in discussing this, come to the next GA!

PAULA ZIJP

LOUISA TLILI

“We had expected that students would prefer a decrease in the number of popular Social Science courses, which could also help rebalance the curriculum a bit,” said ASIC academic advisor, Mischa Schirris, “but many people wrote in the margins of the survey that they do not want any reduction whatsoever in the number of courses at UCU. We think the results of this survey just show that many people do not find Academia and, to a lesser extent, Academic English, to be very useful.”

Remarks from several first-year students on these mandatory courses confirmed this intuition. “I don’t see the point of this

class,” one anonymous source said, who declined to reveal her name, fearing retribution from her Academia class instructor. Various more colorful comments made by students were deemed unfit for printing.

But College Hall considers the prime remedy for the budget deficit to be a significant reduction of courses. In the coming weeks, the UCU management team, consisting of, amongst others, the Dean and the Director of Education, will unveil a more detailed plan for dealing with the budget issue, and it is all but certain that this plan will include a cutback in the number of courses on offer to students.

Meetings of the college administration and the faculty are scheduled to decide on exactly what courses to remove from the curriculum. And, although several brainstorming sessions are open to students, it remains to be seen to what extent students will have any opportunity to contribute ideas and weigh in on the proposed plans. As Schirris said; “The eventual decision will lie with the college administration.”

“Capoeira is about the flow” Aleksandar Feodorov

W

ikipedia says that Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form. Niko Bergsma, chair of Capoeira Co. in UC says it is fun to do. “It’s not only a physical workout; you also do music and dance. It’s the whole thing. A complete lifestyle,” she added.

The training starts with warm-up exercises under the guidance of Devi. He has ten years of experience in the art and four in teaching others the secrets of Capoeira. A year ago, when the committee’s activity on campus started, he

accepted Jo An Ho’s (a UC student currently on exchange and the first chair of the committee) invitation to come and give lessons. “I like the people here,” he said. “They are young and athletic. And they are from different cultures.

They try to put their own culture inside and Capoeira allows that because it is very free,” Devi concluded.

Another trainer is Andre, who has been living in Utrecht for the last two years and comes on campus every week. He has been a regular in the committee since it was established. “It’s

nice here. The group is really cool and everybody picks everything up really quickly,” Andre said. “Devi gave some more difficult lessons to try the people but they could do almost everything,” he added.

Andre also showed me two of the most important music instruments used in the art: a berimbao, which looks like a musical bow, and a pandeiro – some kind of hand frame drum.

While we were talking, he was making a berimbao and the guys were practicing different moves, separated in doubles, under the sound

of a pandeiro played by Devi. Andre compared Capoeira to chess: “You have to see a few steps forward. Now the guys are improvising, but very slowly, so one can think his next move.”

Capoeira Co. has its trainings every Thursday evening at 7:30. Niko said that there is a “hardcore group of regular comers,” but there are also people who only come from time to time and everybody is welcome to give it a try.

the Boomerang | November - II 2009

04 UsCene Initiations to fraternities and sororities at UCU

Mario Karts, Flowery Dresses and Secluded Week-Ends

I

n the past weeks, UCU students had the opportunity to bear witness to a funny sight. Male first-year students could be observed dashing around in long, flowery dresses and taking part in exciting, if a bit peculiar, activities. Sweeping the football field, racing in shopping carts, or marching in formation with candles and banners. These tasks were part of the initiation required to join campus fraternity Disputum Primus Erectus. But why would students want to join the ranks of a fraternity or sorority?

“I thought I had the opportunity to do something special in my life,” one of this year’s dress-wearers said. “So, I thought I should rather go for the experience than regret it later. There was also the prospect of having a close group of friends.” According to him, the Primus initiation was a lot of fun. “The exercises were very creative; there was nothing stupid or pointless.”

While certain parts of this year’s Primus initiation were visible to everyone on campus,, sorority Allure chose for a more private and secluded setting. “It was a weekend from Friday till Sunday afternoon,” two of Allure’s board members explained. “We kept it private because the initiation is meant as a bonding experience between us and the new members.

It’s for us learning about them and not for everyone on campus to get to know them.” They said that initiation was important for new girls to learn to trust each other and to learn about Allure’s history and values. New Allure members are selected by inviting them to a number of borrels and a dinner. “You just talk to them and see how they react to you and you choose girls that you think could be your friends,” the

two board members said.

A first-year who joined Equites, UCU’s other fraternity, said he just befriended some of the fraternity’s senior members at parties and on random occasions on campus. After being invited to borrels, he took part in the initiation, which this year included a weekend in London. “I’m neither allowed, nor willing to say anything about that,” he explained. “Just that it was bonding time. I joined Equites because you get a group of close friends for life.”

According to him, all of this year’s initiation activities for Equites were off-campus. “The initiation is for us and not for the campus.”

A senior Equites member explained that the initiation was important for new members, in order to bond and learn to work together as a team.

Teambuilding, responsibility and leadership were also important in this year’s Primus initiation, as another new member of the fraternity explained. “At one point we had to do an exercise within two minutes, while only one of us was allowed to talk.” Wearing the dresses was no problem for him. “When you have to do something like that in a group it’s not that humiliating. All in all I liked most of the initiation. I had expected it to be worse, although some exercises were physically challenging.”

He joined Primus because he felt it was the right thing to do. “It’s just a bunch of guys having fun together. I like having a drink once a week with just guys around. I also like that Primus is so involved in campus life. During the initiation we had to do exercises dedicated to campus, like sweeping the football field and collecting trash from the units.”

Girls that wanted to join sorority Luna this year had to work for it as well. They jobbed at a stadium, during a football match between

Censorship and film in The Middle Kingdom Jaap Tromp

T

he recently formed committee SilkRoadCo has been very active in its pursuit of bringing countries along the ancient Silk Road under attention. The objective is to engage the campus community with several artistic expressions from these countries. With this in mind, the committee organised a movie night focused on censorship in Chinese cinema.

Drs. A.S. Keijser from Leiden University was invited to discuss this topic. She stressed the human factor in the decision making process of what is to be censored and what not. According to Keijser, it often occurs that civil workers resort to guesswork. Despite the fixed set of rules, many decisions are made on a particular basis.

SilkRoadCo initiator, Sijia Jiang, decided to organise the event in order to increase the understanding of Chinese cinema among the student body. “Censorship is part of Chinese cinema,” Jiang stressed, and “the realisation of that helps one understand both Chinese cinema and China as a whole better”. Jiang also had the intention to convey a political message: “Only by facing the problem of censorship is

there hope of changing it in the future”.

The lecture was followed by a screening of Lust, Caution, a film released in 2007 and awarded with a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. This particular movie was chosen because of its appeal to the Western audience. Also, as Keijser explained in her lecture, it clarified the rules for applying censorship.

At UC, the uncut version of the film was presented. The audience in China, however, was not shown the scenes featuring full-frontal nudity and graphic violence.

Jiang was content with the movie night, as quite an amount of people attended the lecture and the film. The success of this event and other activities in the past encourages the committee to organise more in the future. “We are planning a lecture on the Chinese economy, as well as one on the language,” Jiang explained. “Next to that, we are planning an excursion to Europalia, one of the biggest festivals centred around China this year.”

Despite the large number of events focusing on China, the ultimate aim of SilkRoadCo isn’t to glorify Chinese culture, but rather to “present how it is and why it is how it is, truthfully and deeply.”

JANINA RZEZNITZECK

Folke Eikmeier

teams Ajax and Feyenoord, for one day. Other parts of the initiation were assignments during a night out in town, a dropping and displaying the panel of rival sorority Allure on different places on campus. “That was the largest part of the initiation,” a Luna member said. “Imagine 11 Luna girls dressed in black, meeting on the Quad at 5 o’clock in the morning, carrying around those big panels.” According to one of the new members, the initiation was shorter

and less harsh than that of Primus. “I joined Luna mainly because I wanted to meet new people,” she said. ”As a foreign student, I was also attracted by the idea of having a supportive group on campus.” A member of the Luna board thinks that students join fraternities and sororities mainly because people like to be part of a group: “People that don’t join a sorority join something else. It’s just about the feeling of belonging.”

Keeping it real Sebastiaan Hols

A

fter the usual pleasantries, the “Idealism and Realism in Politics” lecture by Prof. Witteveen on November 5th kicked off, with a handout that stipulated what the lecture would cover.

As you might expect from the title of the lecture, Witteveen weighed the prominent advocates of idealism and realism against one another. Kant was put forward as the main example of an idealist and was opposed to Machiavelli as the main example of a realist.

Both men have had a strong influence on the way politics is conducted. Kant argued that every person is an end in his or herself, while Machiavelli believed that the end always justifies the means, whatever the cost. Witteveen proceeded to give examples of this dichotomy of realism and idealism on a supranational and national level.

During the World War II, no one would have believed in a European Union. Europe is founded on ideology, but it would cease to exist if not manifested in practical realism and power play. The national example concerned the Dutch political parties that bicker during elections and then make up afterwards, to form a coalition.

Witteveen illustrated the permanent duality between realism and idealism, in which both

are essential. He interestingly pointed out that even in the business world, which perceives the political as disdainful, the economic recession brought upon a new need for idealism.

The lecturer argued that democracy had evolved from Greece’s direct democracy, through representative democracy, towards our current Audience democracy. In the Audience Democracy, the politicians would subsist on sound-bites that leaked through to the public. The public’s opinion of the politicians would depend on sweeping generalizations brought forth by these sound-bites. This would explain why people nowadays change the party they vote for so easily. Witteveen’s question was “how can we be good citizens and have good leaders in such a fluid political system?”

The answer would lie in our personal evaluations of our ideas. We should practice Cicero’s perspectivism in forming our opinions.

This means that we should educate ourselves extensively, and then enter a discussion with someone who has done likewise, yet opposes our opinions. While doing so, however, we should take time to let our opinions rest and find as many arguments as we can in the opponent’s favor. Upon completing this mental exercise, we would find ourselves well equipped to judge. We would be able to keep our ideals realistic.

A University College Student Association Magazine

05 PHOTO ESSAY

BRAM DIJKSTRA

Solitude

the Boomerang | November - II 2009

06 COVER STORY Perspectives on the Iranian revolts

A change is gonna come Rafaela Peteanu

» Concerning the achievements of the protests that started this summer, Sahand claimed that, despite not obtaining a regime-change, they succeeded “in many other ways.” To begin with, they have brought Iranians together, working for a common goal. “Students, (moderate) clergy, schoolteachers, workers, grandparents, everyone was in it together,” making it an innovative action in Iranian society. He thinks that “a big message” was sent out to other countries: that the assumption that Iranians “support Ahmadinejad, or that there is not a real desire for democracy in the Middle East” is wrong.

Today, Sahand lives “a great life in Amsterdam,” the city which has been his home ever since he was three. When asked if he would go back to Iran, he replied that he wouldn’t mind “living there for a while, just to meet more Iranians, and to enjoy the art, history and nature,” but that he wouldn’t really return permanently.

On the other hand, Matthijs Maas, a first-year UCU student, provided us with what he considers to be the typical Western perspective on the issue of the current situation in Iran. As he is now working as a journalist himself, he is always up-to-date

with the worldwide news, as well as with the biases that occur in the Western media.

For the purpose of this article, he has played the average European citizen, who takes his or her information from the TV. Matthijs said that “most people think that if you’re Iranian and in The Netherlands, you’re either a refugee or a spy.” The Dutch government considered forbidding Iranian students to study nuclear physics in The Netherlands a few years ago, fearing “they might use it for Ahmadinejad’s nuclear ambitions.”

Furthermore, the common assumption is that “Iranians come to the West to escape the oppressive regime or to partake in the West’s ‘superior’ educational system and career-opportunities,” even though that usually entitles leaving relatives and friends behind.

The reasons behind the revolts and their success are also seen differently by non-Iranians. The latter, Matthijs says, tend to base their opinions on the media, which is not to be condemned, as long as they look beyond the surface of the matter. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and the Western perspective seems to be quite simplistic: the protests were caused by “the Iranian people’s recognition of the illegitimacy of the elections”, which lead to actions meant to counteract “Ahmadinejad’s intolerant and alienating policies.” However, the re-

volt is believed to have failed, “because Ahmadinejad is still in power and the Iranian nuclear program is still underway.”

In June this year, Iran was all over the media. Now, although it might not be on the first page of every newspaper, the situation over there is still difficult. We should do our best to stay updated and to keep an open mind, even when media doesn’t serve us the information with a teaspoon.

For those of you who are interested in Iranian culture and art, or in meeting Sahand Sahebdivani, the Mezrab Cultural Center is located in Amsterdam, at Tweede Laurierdwarsstraat 50.

Iran’s nuclear defense Sebastiaan Hols

T

here has been much controversy surrounding Iran’s bid to develop a second plant for the refinement of uranium for nuclear energy. Skeptics hold that the energy argument is a facade; Iran would secretly be developing an atomic bomb.

The UN Security Council ordered Iran to suspend its enrichment of uranium. But what is the objection to a second enrichment plant, if they already have one?

In the wake of the Cold War the West has been engaged in bringing back its nuclear armament. The plant that has been newly developed is said to be “inconsistent” with this nuclear non-proliferation agenda. The new plant would be too small to enrich uranium for nuclear energy, but large enough to make the material needed for a nuclear bomb. The West has now proposed that Iran allow them to help out. Russia and France will take 75% of the lowenriched uranium that Iran has stockpiled and convert this into fuel rods. Iran can then use these rods in the research reactor they already have. Iran uses this reactor to produce isotopes for use in nuclear treatment.

The row was evoked because the US had discovered the new nuclear refinery on aerial photo’s without Iran giving prior notice to its existence. Iran argues that it had informed the international body responsible for control of atomic energy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency denies this, saying that it had to be informed before nuclear material was present at the site.

President Mahmoud Amhadinejad holds that Iran will not yield to international pressures: “The Iranian nation will not succumb to bullying, invasion and violation of its rights.”

The situation for the meantime seems stable. Iran says that it has no need to develop nuclear weapons. Israel on the other hand does not want Iran to even have the capacity of developing nuclear weapons and oddly enough the

Arab states seem to agree. This situation remains highly volatile and could lead to disastrous consequences.

A University College Student Association Magazine

07 GLOBAL DYNAMICS The Other Side of the Window Ayana Fabris

A

t the age of forty, a Venezuelan kindergarten teacher working in Rotterdam decided to spice up her life and increase the size of her bank account.

Inspired by a fellow teacher who came to work wearing fancy clothes and glamorous accessories beyond the reach of teachers’ salaries, Valentine* began a journey into Utrecht’s bustling sex economy. She then became an independent prostitute.

“I remember my first night. Putting the condom on, I felt so nervous,” Valentine chuckles. “Then something clicked in my mind and I stopped thinking about it. It was a life- changing moment.” For her family, friends and acquaintances she is the mother of two girls and a widow. In Utrecht, however, she becomes Katy or Marta or whoever you want her to be and she costs 50 euros for 20 minutes of her time.

What does Valentine think about her profession? “You have to be very strong to be a prostitute. You have to work with your head.

Men are sly, they try to mess with you, but we have no time to waste. We have to pay the rent on the windows and make a profit.”

“Being a prostitute makes good money, but you’ve got to work it. The crisis is hitting hard, people have less money. And Eastern Europeans are damaging the market. They do it for cheaper prices and without condom.”

On the matter of illegal prostitution Valentine has strong opinions. “I do not believe in the slavery of prostitution. Even if you are oppressed, you still have a mouth. You can report your situation at anytime. But no one can help you think. Girls think they need a pimp to take

care of them because such a person holds the information about the country, its health system and so on. Ignorance is the real problem.”

Valentine believes exploitation occurs there where ignorance takes over rationality.

“Girls come here without knowing anything about Holland, without speaking the language. They do not understand the value of 50 euros and think 30 is good money. Manipulation occurs because of pimps’ monopoly of information. Perhaps there should be courses informing prostitutes about their rights.”

“Also, the problem is rooted in the human trafficking organisations of the countries from which girls are sent to Holland. The problem is not here, it is there.”

Valentine also believes that windows are the best form of prostitution. According to her, they currently represent the only system where women can truly work independently.

“Windows guarantee anonymity. In brothels and private houses anonymity is compromised.

What is worse, exploitation there is more likely as managers have more control over clients’ payments and can take away a percentage.” The idea infuriates Valentine. “It is just unbelievable. I do the work. If they want to get money, they should prostitute themselves.”

Valentine thinks that Amsterdam mayor, Job Cohen’s, plan to close down over half of the red light district in Amsterdam is disgraceful. “If his intent is to reduce crime, he’ll obtain just the opposite result. It is really dangerous to close down so many windows. There will be an increase of illegal activities, which will strengthen the mafia.”

It is hard to foresee the effect of such policies on Utrecht’s prostitution. At the moment

Valentine is enthusiastic about the city. “I think Utrecht is the best place in Europe.

I would not do this job anywhere else. In Holland prostitutes are discriminated against but they are respected. They have rights.”

However, Valentine acknowledges that some people do not respect prostitutes and can be very offensive. She remembers a Moroccan young man who told her that she was not worth more than 10 euros. “I told him for 25 he could lick my feet. At the end of the day women are superior to men, because men have the biological need to fuck.”

PAULA CAAMAÑO SAMBADE “All men are hypwith me at night.” ocrites. The majorEven though Valentine has come to know ity of clients are married. They come and talk the dark side of men, she has not become a about themselves, they say they love their wives pessimist. “I believe in love and I believe in life. but their sex life has become a disaster.”

Ultimately, passion is like hunger, it passes. But “If I ever get married again,” says Valenlove. Love lasts.” tine “I will never prepare my husband a lunch *Names and places have been changed to protect box. As they drive through Holland or Europe, identity. many of my clients share their boxed lunches

From Hero, to Hiding, to The Hague Matthijs Maas

O

n July 21st 2008, a 13-year long manhunt for Radovan Karadzic finally ended as civilian vigilantes apprehended him in Belgrade. The former president and ‘hero’ of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina was indicted in 1995 by the UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for his alleged role in atrocities committed against non-Serbs during the 19921995 Bosnian war. However, for years he eluded international justice by taking on a completely new identity as the alternative healer Dragan Dabic.

November 5th, 2009 saw the beginning of a long and arduous trial in The Hague, where Karadzic will have to answer to 11 major charges, including 2 counts of crimes against humanity and genocide. According to Karadzic himself, the verdict ‘will determine future relations in the region [Bosnia, red.] for at least a century, and perhaps forever.’

Things are off to a bumpy start, as Karadzic, claiming full innocence, boycotted the start of the hearings. Arguing that the tribunal should uncover the ‘final truth’, he has already filed more than a dozen motions, rejected one judge, denounced the tribunal as a ‘NATO conspiracy’, and declined the lawyer appointed to him, saying that he is planning to defend himself. He has also refused to speak English in court, stating that ‘I’m not going to defend myself in a NATO language’.

“Again, it is Karadzic who is dictating what happens”, Esnaf Moujic, a Bosnian survivor

told the Associated Press. In reaction to the November 5th session, where he once again failed to make an appearance, the court, under judge O-gon Kwon, forcibly imposed a lawyer on him, and postponed his trial until 1 March 2010. It might be some time before the final verdict is out; “It will certainly be one of the most extensive cases as the proceedings are ex-

govina. In particular, he is suspected to have had a major hand in the horrifying 44-monthlong siege of Sarajevo, in which 12,000 civilians were killed. In an intercepted phone call from that time, he said that he would change the city into “a black cauldron where 300,000 Muslims will die.” In addition, Karadzic organized the execution of over 8,000 Muslim men and boys

pected to last about 30 months” noted Christoph Flügge, a judge on the ICTY.

The former Bosnian-Serb leader has allegedly been directly involved in much of the violence of the civil war that followed the declaration of independence of Bosnia-Herze-

after the fall of Srebrenica in 1995. In response to this, the US and EU made his capture and that of General Ratko Mladic, his right-handman who still remains at large, the highest priority offering a reward of 5 million dollar.

This inevitably begs the question, how was

he able to stay at large for over a decade? Considering the fact that he lived right under their noses in Belgrade, there have been speculations concerning the willingness of Western and Serb intelligence agencies to bring him in. Nevertheless, just as stunning was the extent to which the man disguised himself. He let his hair and beard grow long, lost weight, changed his voice and posture to appear frailer, and took up a profession which as a trained psychiatrist and doctor came natural to him. He posed as herbal medicine guru and Eastern meditation instructor Dragan Dabic who taught people about ‘human quantum energy’. As if taunting his pursuers, he published a play, a novel, a book of poetry and to add insult to injury, he was a regular columnist in the magazine Zdrav zivor (Healthy Living). He gave presentations before audiences of several hundred people at seminars and even once appeared on television.

In regards to the trial which will deal with the atrocities and how the chain of command stretched back to Karadzic himself, Richard Holbrooke, the US diplomat who brokered the 1995 peace treaty, has said “There will be plenty of witnesses.

This was a guy who liked to pose with the snipers up in the hills. He was a crazed racist. […] He believed in racial superiority, even though Muslims and Serbs were basically the same ethnicity. But they took different religious courses several centuries ago…

He would have made a good Nazi.”

Nevertheless, now that justice has finally overtaken the man, many people, and in particular many Serbians, rather look forward to closing a dark chapter in their country’s history.

the Boomerang | November - II 2009

08 SPECIAL FEATURE Talking about music, salvation, love and power with Maria Thijssen, concert pianist and conductor.

Love to Make People Cry Arturo Desimone

body can take that away from me. It is a great strength, a great gift. I feel I am really grateful to Fate for having given me this life, this profession.

At what moment did you realize that?

The first time I realized that music was something in itself worth living for, I was around 24. At the time I was really low and desperate, and then I heard a Schubert piece, and suddenly realized that if human beings were capable of making such a beautiful thing, that was extremely valuable and life was worth living, if even for that. But I realized this many times since.

T

hijssen studied at the Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands and in Canada . She has performed in the Netherlands , Canada , Germany and France . Here she talks to Arturo Desimone about her views and experiences on classical music and performing, on being a woman conductor and a single mother.

Is classical music elitist?

That idea is something very typical of this century. It’s nonsense. Music belongs to everyone; it’s what is most inherent to mankind.

Unmusical people are extremely rare. Music is like breathing and moving, it is everywhere.

Some music is more difficult than others, of course. I’ve heard many people who don’t know anything about music say that Bach is a very inaccessible composer to them, even though the Mattheus Passion has become a mass entertainment thing.

Why do many people think classical music is so out of reach?

It must be for economic or political reasons. People are kept stupid and have to watch

RTL4 and SBS6 (Dutch TV stations) and the radio is monopolized by commercial interests. For example, hardly any Dutch schools have good music education. It’s just disappearing. Real music, people who actively participate in and make music, seems to be vanishing from mainstream society.

I think music is accessible to everyone, it is just because they are not familiar with it that they see it as out of reach. This may be hubris, but I believe that I can touch everyone with music.

I’ve experienced this in performing, in teaching, in conducting. After I played somewhere people were crying. That’s what I really like. Love to make people cry. That’s gonna be the headline, right?

Has music saved your life?

(Laughs.) Yes. Music has saved my life; I still feel music is saving my life. No matter what happens to me, no matter how much bad luck I have, from my love-life or whatever, I always feel really strong and I feel I have a weapon in music. It makes me kind of invincible. No-

Why are there so few female conductors?

Why is conducting typically a male-dominated field?

You have to assume you have authority.

You have to feel this. Of course it is also a very old fashioned idea that the conductor is authoritarian and uses a whip to flog musicians into performing. Today it’s much more about collaborating with musicians. But still you have to be very firm. You have to not want to please all the time. Females always want to please. Or a lot of them do. You need to have the guts to not be charming. You must have a certain kind of freedom and authority and I guess for men it’s easier to achieve that.

Is it more difficult for a woman conductor to be taken seriously, to exert authority before an orchestra?

Yes. The other day, somebody asked me “what are you wearing?”. I realized when I play the piano I always wear a long skirt but I always wear pants when conducting. I would never wear a skirt. Isn’t that awful? But it’s true.

It gives me a feeling of more power, it’s like what they call “Power Suit.” Maybe it would be a good experiment to try conducting in a skirt.

But I think being taken seriously is more difficult for women. Or maybe it’s just internalized

sexism.

Do the musicians you conduct ever become infatuated with you?

Yes, of course, always. It’s an aphrodisiac, music. It’s a known thing. I have many friends, I have also often fallen in love with conductors.

Many musicians often fall in love with conductors. (Name omitted of a singer we both know) always falls in love with her conductors.

Does this help working relations among musicians?

Of course it helps. It makes you want to give your best. I have experienced this several times. It is quite a common thing.

I understand you’re a single mother. How did this make your career more difficult?

It made it very difficult. When my children were small and I was playing they would come to the piano, take my hands and tear them away from the keys. They wanted me all to themselves, they ate me up. Even Martha Argerich stopped playing for a long time because she was a single mother. You either leave your children or leave the music. My mother is an example of the same thing. My mother was also a single mother and pianist. She was one of the youngest students ever to graduate from the conservatory. She was quite a prodigy. But she had children and a husband who left her.

You cannot leave your children. I think also this fact makes my ambitions stronger now that my sons are big. More focused on what I want. Because I’ve been prevented so long, held back.

Are men sometimes attracted to you because of your music?

Yes, I think so.

Is that a good thing?

Yes because it’s a real thing. It’s not about my tits. It’s real. It’s me. And it’s a human thing.

Out with the Old, in with the New

Art as the Process of Redefining Sebastiaan Hols

A

rt in all its forms, be it painting, movies or music has witnessed some bold strides and blatant blunders in the past century. Some herald modern art as the only true art, as it takes its distance from the realistic aesthetic ideal. When Cezanne set out to pursue cubism, it seemed that he was taking a distance from reality. If you would go to the Municipal Museum in The Hague then they will have you find out that he was actually reaching into our reality in search of the universal forms.

Nathan A. Scott in his “Negative Capability; Studies in the New Literature and the Religious Situation” argues that modern art has lost touch with the purpose of art. “The spiritual depthlessness that is so noticeably characteristic of the style being brought into existence by the new music is by no means an isolated phenomenon in contemporary artistic life.” Scott feels that classic art, in representing symbols and myths portends a higher (religious) world of meaning.

By tearing painting and music away from the reference frames of our surroundings, the artists would have corrupted this cause. Modern

art would concern being rather than meaning.

Though this might hold some truth it need not be necessary that being and meaning are mutually exclusive. It is however apparent that by making the meaning of a painting or piece of music ambiguous, the artist leaves it to the beholder to derive his or her own meaning. If Cezanne was looking for a deeper reality of forms around us, then we can argue that he is illustrating the universal/uniform nature of our being, our humanitas.

According to Roger Scruton’s interpretation of Kant, beauty is apparent when we are willing to offer disinterested attention an object. If we are willing to devote our attention to something for purely mental gain then the object is beautiful.

Now here we have two espoused objections to modern art; “What am I looking at… its not beautiful.” and “What I am looking at… what does it mean?”

These objections can not forego the huge disinterested attention that modern art has in contemporary society. Our contemporary society operates on a global scale. Where paintings used to stay stagnant in one room for hundreds

of years, nowadays a piece of art may see a new exposition three times a year all over the world.

As such the context of the art as well as music has taken on a universal nature.

When Boticelli painted the Primavera in 1482 it was for the marriage of an affluent member of the Medici family. The huge painting, dowsed in proverbial symbolisms, was to hang in the marital chamber of the newly weds and remind them of the trials and tribulations of a married life. The exquisite painting is appealing to the eye but the understanding of the painting can only come when one can contemplate its symbols. Without an understanding of its reference frame the painting loses its meaning, however not its appeal.

In modern art, music, video and painting, the reference frame has been expanded to Cezanne’s universal. The appeal is still there but the meaning has become one that is not vested in specific religious truths or mythical morals, rather it is openness to human experience of the piece. This openness may hold its own in a higher moral conquest; it is to the beholder to pursue this.

In the closing scene of his book Point

Counter Point, Aldous Huxley describes Mark Rampion’s reaction to Beethoven’s Heiliger Dankgesang. Rampion is enticed by the music but resents the fact that Beethoven has tried to make something that is more than human, something that only the upper class would pretend to comprehend.

Spandrell Sighed. “To me it’s the beatific vision, it’s heaven.”

“Not earth. That’s just what I’ve been complaining of.”

“But mayn’t a man imagine heaven if he wants to?” asked Mary.

“Certainly, so long as he doesn’t pretend that his imagination is the last word in truth, beauty, wisdom, virtue and all the rest. Spandrell wants us to accept this disembodied eunuchism as the last word. I won’t. I simply won’t.”

Modern art comes as an answer to the Rampion’s cry for humanity. He wanted the threshold between the art and beholder to vanish, so that everyone could derive his own meaning or feeling from it.

If anything, this is what modern art offers as it continues to grab attention and provoke conversation. In opposition to classical art, the answers are not close at hand.

A University College Student Association Magazine

09 SPECIAL FEATURE “It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.” - Oscar Wilde

Q&A with Guido Storms Sebastiaan Hols

A

n interview with Guido Storms 3rd Autonomous Art Student HKU

2000 years ago. Art has not stopped and we should not be afraid to look for something new everyday.

Q: Do you think classical art is still relevant nowadays?

A: One of the amazing things about classical art is that it stays relevant, regardless of the time it is set in. Beauty is however in the eye of the beholder. I do really think that it is positive that people are nowadays tending towards a more open take on what art exactly is.

This fits the time were border are fading and more people from a wide array of heterogeneous backgrounds are communicating. I think it would be sad and banal to stem our creative adventures by arbitrary rules laid down by men

Q: Do you think modern art can add something to the classical tradition?

A: Modern art can definitely add something to the classical dogma. It is always sad when people get to hung up about aesthetic prerequisites to let there feeling run loose. It seems that many people are taking a far too academic stance on art. As if it should be set in a scheme exactly to fulfill the norm of “beautiful”. The “beauty” of modern art is in its capacity to arouse feelings across the board. When people start asking themselves what do I need to learn, then they are looking for the wrong thing. It

seems everything must fulfill your needs or reaffirm you in your belief of beauty. This is sadly the typically closed minded attitude that you often encounter. I believe that those who say: “I want to see something I can expect” are causing the creative lethargy in this consumer culture.

Q: At the moment, the most expensive painting in the world is Jackson Pollock’s No.5, 1948, which was sold for $148 million.

Do you think the price reflects its artistic value?

A: Have you seen it? It is amazing. Of course the price is ridiculous, but the ride you get from following its energy is unheard of. I like Rothko more though.

Q: How do you think a piece of art is evaluated? Or, can it be evaluated, moneywise?

A: The evaluation of art is personal. A lot of art pieces with ridiculous prices are seen as stable investments for big companies. When an art piece becomes so expensive it seems no one is really talking about it anymore, only its price.

Q: Do you think that art should only hang in museums, or is it okay for it to be available for purchasing? And to what extent does a piece of art become yours after you buy it?

A: Art should be in the streets. Art should be everywhere and belong to everyone.

Lou van Gendt, inspired by Oscar Wilde:

“Those who find beautiful meanings in ugly things are corrupt without being charming.”

Rafaela Peteanu

L

ou van Gendt. The name might not ring a bell to all of you, but once you meet her, you’ll never forget her.

She’s the kind of person who, aside from always saying what’s on her mind, also tends to stand by it. And, in addition to annoying people with her honesty, she also paints.

Q: Do you think classical art is still relevant nowadays?

A: Yes. And it has been for the past 2500 years, ever since the Greek Antiquity. I don’t understand why some people keep trying to pretend classical art is not out there anymore – it is! In fact, our whole society is based on it.

The Socratic method of teaching, the pillars in our houses, the divisions in society, they’re all indicative of the permanence of classical art in our daily activities. Beauty will always be relevant, and that’s what art is all about.

Q: Do you think modern art can add something to the classical tradition?

A: Well, if by modern art you mean some abstract installation, such as a piece of cloth, thrown over in a corner, with some splatter on it, and which is supposed to represent the artist’s anger, then the answer is no. Furthermore, instead of gazing at that…artifact, I say “Go to a shrink!” I find that to be a childish outburst of emotion, which people find a need to expose. I mean, if the idea behind a piece of art needs to be explained, I strongly believe it should be the piece of art that does the explaining. In that sense, I’d say that abstract modern art is a language I do not speak, nor wish to speak, because I think it contravenes beauty.

However, if we are talking about any kind of figurative art, such as Dali’s or Escher’s work, yes, I am very fond of them. The point is, I don’t believe in innovation for the sake of innovation. That is just a vulgar form of art.

Innovation should lead to an ideal of beauty,

like it was the case with the Pre-Raphaelites. At that moment, breaking down from tradition pointed toward the creation of new, beautiful things.

Q: At the moment, the most expensive painting in the world is Jackson Pollock’s No.5, 1948, which was sold for $148 millions.

Do you think the price reflects its artistic value?

A: NO. I do not think vulgarity merits discussion.

Q: How do you think a piece of art is evaluated? Or, can it be evaluated, money-wise?

A: Well, I don’t really know how art is evaluated, but I do know something is terribly wrong with it, when something such as feces on a canvas can fetch over $100,000. In the end, however, I believe the price is whatever the fool will pay for it.

Q: Do you think that art should only hang in museums, or is it okay for it to be available for purchasing? And how much does a piece of art become yours after you buy it, anyway?

A: I think that art which is cultural heritage could be purchased, but that its place is, in fact, in museums.

It’s a common inheritance, really, and everybody should be able to enjoy it, even if they cannot afford to have it hung above their fireplace. In that sense, people who purchase art for it to be enjoyed only by themselves and their friends are committing a criminal act, in depriving the society of something that is equally theirs.

For those of you who would like to see Lou’s art, she is currently preparing an exhibition which will take place this summer. Details will be announced

when the time is due, but I can assure you it is going to be legen…wait for it…dary!

the Boomerang | November - II 2009

10 COLOSSEUM Fall of a Wall, Rise of a People Deniz Dirim

The Politicians spewed their usual rhetoric: Brown told the crowd “you dared to dream in darkness!”, German chancellor, Angela Merkel, spoke of how the fall was proof that the world can tackle new challenges—like climate change and poverty, Obama’s video message recognized the Germans as having “rebuked tyranny” etc.

Utrecht, meanwhile, hosted Niemands Land, a weekend long ‘Cuturele Zondag’ that wrestled with the ideas that create walls and the actions that can tear them down.

Niemands Land had around 17,000 visitors who had come to see the various lectures, exhibitions, and films spread around 35 different locations within the city. Dedicated to the 1989 fall that brought millions together, Utrecht was divided into ‘Zone West’, ‘Zone Mitte’, and ‘Zone

Ost’. This thematic layout juxtaposed Berlin’s state in 1989 with that of our relatively free world today and served to explore the concept of a boundary…on all levels. People strolled around, discussing a lecture they just listened to or a photograph they just saw, seemingly impervious to the biting cold.

The Centraal Museum Studio, in the Dick Bruna House, had an array of art, from experimental German techno to video installations.

The studio exhibited photography by Eric Franssen who was inspired by the truth—“you can tear down a wall but you can’t erase history.” Franssen’s photographs portray that those affected by the Wall are still working through the “process that is memory” and his blurry/sharp images make the “invisibility of the wall tangible again.”

A video I found particularly interesting was, In Between, a fast-motion assortment of clips of rebuilding being done in the area where the Wall used to be.

Several streets down, the Toonkamer had funky interactive media art that played with the confusion of being born in a “post-digital age.” Viewers became creators as they used cool

gadgets to do things such as watching the shapes of mobile phone’s waves’ make watch or bang on drums to create colours on screens.

In my opinion, the most compelling creation of Niemands Land was a collaborative work. Politicians, artists, and random teenagers were asked to write a reason for their inhibition—something that stops them from living their dream—on a brick. Once these bricks had been stacked up to

CLEMENT ADAM

N

ovember 9th marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall—an “upheaval that transformed Europe”. European leaders Gordon Brown, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Dimitry Medvedev gathered at the ‘Brandenburg Gate’ to commemorate the fall.

make a wall of personal boundaries they were all knocked down. Thus beneath the general appreciation for art, Niemands Land inquired into the nature of divisions and how to transcend them.

Sally Mann’s provocative photography on display in The Hague

Beauty in Life and Death Saskia van Henten

W

hether she portrays her own children, the landscapes around her, or the decaying corpses in her latest series, Sally Mann’s pictures vibrate with intimacy and atmosphere. The work of the artist named “America’s best photographer” in 2001 has a timeless authenticity thanks to the use of antique techniques and materials. The photo museum in The Hague is currently exhibiting “The Family and the Land”: a series of photographs from her most famous works which are on display until January.

An American photographer with deep roots in southern Virginia, Sally Mann returned there with her husband after finishing her degree. Her country farm would become the set of her famous “Immediate Family” series, black and white photograph taken using an enormous century-old camera. It features intimate, often nude pictures of her three children – Emmett, Jessie and Virginia –which convey the complexity, sensuality and more disturbing sides of childhood. Many photos capture her children when they are hurt, while some show them looking mature far beyond their years, challenging the camera with provocative

posing. “Candy Cigarette”, the picture used for promotion of the exhibition, is certainly a picture that leaves an imprint on your memory, with tenyear-old Jessie holding a candy cigarette (Or is it real?) and perfectly imitating the look of a twentysomething casual smoker.

In “Popsicle Drips”, Mann’s only son Emmett is displayed nude, with his head cut off the picture.

The liquid dripping down his naked thighs could be anything, if it weren’t for the title of the image.

The question of how the popsicle drips ended up there comes to mind: probably, Mann herself set it up, which led critics to accuse her of exploiting her children. But the title of another shot called “The Last Time Emmet Modeled Nude” indicates that the children themselves decide when to model nude and where their boundaries lie. This picture is perhaps one of the strongest pictures of “Immediate Family” on display in the exposition. It shows Emmett from the waist up, his lower body covered by the swirling water of the river. Vulnerability, modesty and loss of innocence can be read on his face, in front of a mysterious background with a dark river and looming forest.

The second part of the exhibition is made up of landscapes Mann started photographing after

her children reached adolescence. For these series she turned to the wet collodion technique, a 150-year-old method to prepare negatives. The negatives have a long exposure time and are very susceptible to technical imperfections. Interestingly, Mann has said she fears she will perfect it, and thus lose the element of serendipity that the collodion process contains. Her images of “Deep South” and “Virginia” are full of marks made by dust, chemical streaks and blotches, giving them an antique look. They are rather romantic pictures of landscapes, despite these grounds being the place where many soldiers found death in the civil war.

The series are characterized by changes in focus, with large parts blurred by movement captured by the long exposure time of the old camera.

Whereas in the landscape series Mann explored what death does to land, in “What Remains” she starts exploring what death does to bodies, a fascination triggered by a fugitive who committed suicide on her terrain. She turned to study and photograph death through the decay of corpses which were left to rot in a forensic institute. While many visitors of the museum turned their heads at the sight of rotting corpses, the images are anything but tasteless. Black and white,

and often unfocused, they are captured with the collodion process, leading to a softer image with subtle interplay between light and shadow in the antique looking, dust-spotted photographs. She manages to show us the beauty present in death.

Mann seems to want to tell us that we are part of nature, as the picture of herself and her two adolescent daughters peeing naked (“The Three Graces”) illustrates, with death an irrevocable part of it. Through this we can understand why Mann chose to end her exhibition and death series with a series of close-ups of her now-adult children.

These beautiful pictures were also made using the wet collodion technique with long exposure time, which renders the faces emotionless. They resemble death masks, and thus provide a link between her late death series and her early family shots.

They also add a different meaning to the title “What Remains”, referring not only to the body we leave behind, but also to the offspring that lives on. Ending her somewhat macabre series on a hopeful note, Mann opens our minds by reminding us that death, in all its peace and tranquility, is just another part of life.

fishermen, and prostitutes.

The VGM has preserved Van Gogh’s letters dating from 1872 to his final letter to Theo, found in his pocket after he shot himself. The placement of these letters can be considered an art in itself.

How else would you explain a painting of lonely buildings accompanied with quotes praising a brother’s support or a painting of an absinthe bottle with descriptions of the temptation of alcohol in Paris beside it?

The exhibition has quotes from Van Gogh’s letters engraved on plaques placed next to corresponding paintings. It is enlightening to see just how aware an artist is of his/her work. Van Gogh, who would often send canvases to his brother, made mindful comments like that his self-portrait looked “unkept and sad” or that certain contrasts make colours “stand out.”

The actual letters are displayed in vitrines.

They are covered with many comic-book type sketches, or ‘croquis’, some of which are fasci-

nating as they prove to be preliminaries for his masterpieces. The viewer is able to read first hand the sources of Van Gogh’s inspirations. Readers are shown his quest for a style and technique and ended up creating his own.

As a response to his reputation as a raving genius, the current exhibition proves, Van Gogh was “not a brilliant madman but a determined and powerful individual”. He suffered from psychotic episodes with delusions and acute anxiety and committed himself to a mental hospital in May 1889. He left in May 1890, claiming that he “almost died from boredom and sadness.” Again, through his own poignant words, we are provided an understanding of Van Gogh during this period. He said in his final year, “I feel—a failure.”

And riddled with his lack of success he states: “I feel that’s the fate I’m accepting. And which won’t change anymore.”

The Pen behind the Brush Deniz Dirim

T

he Van Gogh Museum’s new exhibition Van Gogh’s Letters: The Artist Speaks provides a unique opportunity to understand the man behind the paintings.

The museum holds the largest collection of Van Gogh’s work and is also in possession of 813 of his given and 83 of his received letters. It is a fact well-known that Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) was an avid letter writer but no one could have foreseen the immense insights his letters offer.

Though some may consider the very idea of this exhibition intrusive it would be unimaginable to not share why, for example, Van Gogh was inclined to paint a particular “neglected garden” as he called it. The exhibition helps fully illustrate the artist’s perception of the world, his work and of himself. From his biggest inspiration to his daily activities its all there—truly a treat for the art historian.

Van Gogh’s chief correspondent was his brother Theo to whom he confided his most trivial to most momentous thoughts and doings. This obsessive writing may have helped Van Gogh find himself and his path as an artist. The first edition of his letters was published in 1914 by Jo Van Gogh-Bonger (Theo’s, wife). Now, after a century of research, The VGM is show-casing Van Gogh’s paintings along with his letters, providing an understanding of his expressive art—and of him—in the context of his emotive writing.

The exhibition itself is designed like a story, explaining Van Gogh’s development as an artist and as a troubled man. Van Gogh did not realize he wanted to be an artist until he reached 27. He had no formal training as an artist and, apart from a few lessons, taught himself entirely to paint. Van Gogh was drawn to depicting the working class and typically painted rural themes in evocative modern contours. Inspired by Millet, he wanted to make art for the people: peasants,

A University College Student Association Magazine

11 COLOSSEUM Flamenco Bohemians Shake the Oudegracht Zoé de Kerangat

T

he black flamenco dress, the clicking heels, the dramatic facial expression and attitude. They were all immediately apparent as the flamenco dancer Susi made her entrance. But if you expected a traditional flamenco music and dance performance, you were at the wrong place. Ojos de Brujo is a Spanish band from Barcelona, born in 1999, which consists of eight musicians. Their creative philosophy relies on a mix of all the so-called flamenco “languages” and other influences from the entire world, each of these embodied in one of the musicians. They have been on tour since the release of their last album Aocana in March 2009, and held a concert in Tivoli at the Oudegracht on October 30th.

The first two songs were, as far as creativity is concerned, a little disappointing. They reminded the audience of low-standard flamenco performances for tourists, the ones that can sometimes be found in Spain. But as soon as Maxwell Wright (the hip-hop ingredient of the recipe) started his flow, accompanying the brilliant and strong-voiced singer Marina “la Canillas”, the dancing spread incredibly among the public, and the first slow songs were quickly forgotten. The long and virtuous rock solo by guitarist Ramón

Giménez added yet another colour to this wonderful melting pot, and each of the musicians got the opportunity to enhance the concert with his or her particular skills. The public was made up of different ages, and included many Spanish immigrants and exchange students. The Spanish popularity of the band needs no further evidence. DJ Panko’s few words in Dutch, remnants of his stay in the Netherlands, did the rest to conquer the “Dutchies”. The concert ended with a boisterous singing and dancing crowd, who shouted occasional Spanish words to the band. Only those watching the concert from the galleries upstairs were unable to feel the positive Bohemian vibe in the pit.

Ojos de Brujo demonstrated the magic of genre fusion, as disparate as their influences appeared at first sight. Their dynamic performance is worthy of a bigger stage, an outside venue or even the most famous festivals. They are definitely worth the effort if one is not too tied to traditional music and not scared of radical changes.

Don’t judge the band on their first albums; Ojos de Brujo is much more impressive and eclectic on stage. For those who are not intimidated by new experiences, the amazing individual talents of each one of the musicians is combined in an outstanding performance that you can’t forget.

Dance-show review - Amsterdamse Schouwburg

Last Touch First Arturo Desimone

L

ast Touch First is a work of great psychological depth. It conveys an important social message. The act uses monotonous music, Victorian setting and costumes conveying an atmosphere of hypocritical conservatism and sexual repression.

The dance consists of languid, incredibly slow movements. This slowness gives the audience a glimpse into the interior lives of petit bourgeois characters at the behest of dark instincts, fears and sinister unconscious forces that the latter seemingly, futilely try to conceal.

Jiri Kylian, who co-choreographs the production with Michael Schumacher, says this latest project draws inspiration from the nineteenth century world rendered in the works of Anton Chekov.

The performance is also reminiscent of Freud’s Vienna. It brings to mind the Viennese middle class circles where psychoanalysis’ founder recruited patients to test out and develop his radical ideas on Sexual Theory, the Death Instinct and the Id. The show conveys these ominous subconscious drives simmering underneath an atmosphere of inhibition and repression.

The dance resembles a poem. It extensively illustrates a vivid story allowing the audience to feel their heart beta rise and fall with the performance The slowness does not diminish the power or impact of the performance. Rather, the pace creates a state in which the movements and their message become more powerful. The lack of concrete sing or verbal text makes the performance more powerful as its left open for the interpretation of the audience.

A Halloween story

Roots

Victor Evink David is a 1st year’s UC student. It’s his 1st time in Holland since early childhood. He went to an international school in Tanzania. His parents are both Dutch but David has never really felt connected to the country. His parents work for an NGO and he has almost always lived abroad.

His parents have lost connection with the family and David doesn’t know why. Until now, he doesn’t really care either.

For him, UCU is a first acquaintance with Holland. Het is in love with Valery, a girl he met during intro-week. His friends are Chris, Charisa, Anthony, Kelly and Jin. His turbulent freshman’s life changes when David suddenly gets haunted by the ghost of a wounded soldier. Nobody believes him. He decides to dig into the mystery himself. Only his history teacher is willing to help him. David makes a horrifying discovery. His search leads him to back his Dutch roots.

Part 1 As I hear Semisonic’s closing time blasting out of the speakers, I realise I don’t have to look on my watch to know that it’s kind of late. Too late. The bar is almost empty. A bunch of guys is still leaning against the pole next to the DJ table, apathetically nodding their heads to the beat. I know who I want to take me home. Back home, they would at least end a party night with a proper floorfiller, one of the Kevin Lyttle classics maybe, to keep you in a party mood until the very end. Apparently, that isn’t necessary for everyone. Two third years’ with enormous plastic sunglasses and psychedelically batiked sarouels are jumping around the dance floor, insanely waving their arms about at the guitar solo. Just the two of them, as if they were attacked by a swarm of killer bees.

I realise that the lights are on. Half of the barstools are still occupied. A longhaired guy with a for this moment way too philosophical wisecrack on his t-shirt has to prevent a loudly laughing girl from falling off. In my glass, there is a tiny layer of beer. It has been there for quite a while because the dried up foam has formed a spongy structure, caked onto the inside of the plastic walls. I down it. That doesn’t really make sense because it’s so little that even swallowing your own saliva during a test requires more effort. That makes even less sense, I think. Never mind. I think I’m drunk. Sort of. I think about Valery. And that fucking douchebag of a Roderick. After three weeks of overtures, the only thing Valery does is looking at me with a smile that says so much as ‘oh, we’re such good friends, I’d so date you if only you weren’t my little brother’. She even waved at me when she left to Roderick’s unit. “Bye David.” I happened to have some more Euros in my wallet which could still be turned into beer.

I am wondering why that bloody Anthony is still not back from the toilet. In the meantime, he must be peeing even longer than Austin Powers.

Bartenders are walking around with piles of empty glasses. The entire bar is slowly moving around, also with empty glasses. The sarouel-hippies are gone. Just gone. I have a headache. I think it’s time to go home.

There’s no one outside. Then it is even later than I thought it was. I check my phone. 4:50Am.

The ballet exhibits a wide spectrum of states and emotions. Among these are lust, frustration and claustrophobia. The looming insanity that these characters who try to hide their insanity but subtly, allow the audience a glimpse of their mental state through facial expressions and erratic behavior: the grotesquely twisted mouth of a woman dancer, a hysterical, staring man jumping and crouching into a square cube window, people hiding under a table as in a Cold War nuclear airraid drill.

Kylian has stated that his production, despite its Victorian setting, is about the present. The hypocrisy, repression and denial of bourgeois circles in turn-of-the-century Europe eventually gave way to the explosion of all the dark, violent drives they had tried to cover up. In my opinion, the surfacing of these forces eventually mani-

I have a text message from Anthony. Dude, i’m gunna go. i’ve class at 11 tomorrow. Later. Sent at 4:10 Am. What had I been doing all that time? I haven’t got a clue. I sense my pockets for cigarettes and almost drop my phone.

I am walking back to my Kromhout room. The trembling glowing cone of the cigarette draws little figures in the dark. I’m only wearing a t-shirt. It must be cold, I think. It is dead silent. There’s just nobody, only the soundless glare of fluorescent lights inside the building.

The unit is moving as well, slowly and then faster. Like a spaceship. Warp III. Ay captain. I need food. The small box with different tea melanges is still untouched on the kitchen worktop.

All prepared for Valery. I slam it off the table.

At least there is… yes, there is a sandwich in the fridge. Not mine, not cool, but I don’t care. I eat the sandwich and let water from the tap plunge into my mouth.

Ten minutes later, I am letting the hot water massage my skin, listening to the steady rattling against the plastic shower curtain. I think that taking a shower might make me feel little bit better.

Vapour is blurring the lights in the ceiling. Black flashes bubble up from the damp tiles on the wall.

I want to sleep. I close my eyes and lay my head against the tiles of the wall. My temples throb. Everything twists. I think I am going to faint.

I hear a short smacking sound but it’s not me.

I’m still on my legs, I notice. Someone is knocking on the door. Lisette, probably… Come on, I didn’t make that much noise, did I? “I’m showering!”

No answer.

Again. A little bit louder. And faster, as if someone wanted to enter. But it wasn’t the door.

It came from the small window. I realise this is a vertical unit. You would have to climb the wall in order to knock on that window. Who was that? My heart starts pounding.

“Hey! Who’s there?”

I turn off the shower taps, stick my head out of the shower curtain and peek into the bathroom.

Empty, of course. Silence.

I grab a tow towel, knot it around my waist and walk towards the window, still covered by blinds.

Suddenly it starts again, almost like thumping.

My heart jumps into my throat. I almost stumble over my own flip-flops. Maybe it’s just nothing, I tell myself. At a stretch, I pull the rope to move up the window blinds.

I petrify. An injured, grey face is pressed onto the other side of the window as if it had just smashed against it. The gaunt eyes look fearful.

The face slowly moves its swollen, bluish lips to mumble something. Dark blood drips from the corner of his mouth and runs down the window.

I try to scream but my voice is stuck. My stomach contracts. I have just enough time to leap towards the toilet. I feel that I throw up a sandwich and lots, lots of beer.

To be continued…

fested, for example, in the form of the rise of fascism, with its cruelty and sexual sadism. Last Touch First perhaps suggests we are at a similar historical moment.

We no longer have Victorian repressions and taboos. But perhaps the setting is a metaphor for the suffocation and the hypocrisy that now seems to be surfacing in a new, repackaged form. This statement, which I think Kylian and Schumacher aim for, will confront viewers who assume all too easily that they have long since cast off their manacles and inhibitions. The slow-motion’s revelatory effect leaves the actors, despite their prudish dress, are all the more naked and exposed. This seems to suggest that audiences today should not comfortably presume they have concealed their ominous drives, secrets and demons effectively.

QUAD

QUERIES

Did anything bad happen yesterday, Friday the 13th?

What do you think is the story behind superstitions of Friday the 13th?

Which movie should UC Arthouse play?

“It must be about vampires.”

“The Underground, by Emir Kusturica. This will show people how to party at the EEP (European European Party).”

Niko Bergsma - 2nd year, Interdepartmental SSC-HUM

Flipo Seilern - 3rd year, SSC

Aleksandar Jacimovic - 3rd year, SCI

What do you think should be done so that the quality of UC doesn’t suffer from the budget cuts coming up next year?

Do you think reduction of courses is a good remedy for the coming budget shortfall?

What did you do last night since the UCSA Bar was closed?

“No, but it depends on which courses. Cut Statistics.”

“I went to Obscene party. I was a pedophile.”

Yaroslav Bashenko - 3rd year, SSC

Zoé de Kerangat - 3rd year, HUM-SSC

Terrance Carroll - 3rd year (exchange), SSC

What’s a book you think everyone should read?

Do you have any tips for instructors at UC?

Do you go to the Uithof Library often?

“They should go to class less.”

“Yes, I like the coffee and cheesecake.”

Ioana Cismasu - 3rd year, SSC

Kelley Boyer - 4th year (exchange), HUM

Sebastiaan Hols - 3rd year, SSC

“ No, actually I had a great day.”

“Stop being stubborn and increase the tuition fee.”

Key of last crossword

“The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov.”

The Boomerang Team 2009|2010: Editor-in-Chief Aboud Hamayel Managing Director Sindhoo Rangarajan Campus Editor & Treasurer Rafaela Peteanu Campus Editor & Secretary Zoé de Kerangat Managing Editor Aldona Bermúdez Art Director Andrea de Ruiter Lay-Out Managers Sarah Wells & Andrea de Ruiter CAO Heike ten Den