Culture

Art Should Not Be Neglected

By Mazu Rakhsha

Nowadays, technology and practicality have become the pillars of a constantly evolving society that puts efficiency and applicable skills first. Working adults need more time to pursue creative hobbies, and professional artists often struggle in life because most careers in the arts are not lucrative or stable. Suppose the subject should be emphasized in schools. In that case, even children may choose more instantly rewarding activities like playing video games or scrolling through social media over pursuing art as a hobby. It can seem like art is withering away–or that, at the very least, its time is coming–but the truth is that in an anxiety-ridden world fueled by technology, art's capacity to provide emotional ease and introduce people to new stories and perspectives away from their screens is more necessary than ever.

Firstly, art has been one of the most vital forms of self-expression for centuries, and an evolving society cannot take that away. Humans thrive when they can communicate their thoughts, ideas, and innermost emotions, which can be challenging to share directly with others. Taking these thoughts and putting them into the physical world, whether an artist shares them or not, can provide a soothing sense of catharsis and relief almost akin to verbal communication between people. The art world is also incredibly expansive; one work can be interpreted and perceived in countless ways. Even if a viewer did not produce the art themselves, it is easy to analyze a piece of art in any way to align it with their mindset. Overall, art is a timeless expression between people without discomfort. If art disappeared, managing emotions, swirling thoughts, and big ideas would become far more complicated.

Moreover, art introduces people to perspectives that could have once been unimaginable in their particular circumstances, fostering empathy and increasing knowledge of the world around them. Exposure to various art forms can increase empathic behavior, as seen in a Tulane University study where "those who reported more interactions with the humanities also scored higher in openness, visual-spatial skills, and the ability to read their own and others' emotions" (Science Daily). Having the capacity to engage with others on an empathetic level can help deepen connections between people and create the meaningful social interactions that people yearn for in the isolating age of technology. Additionally, the thrill of exploring the lives and varying experiences of others, which art (especially literature) can provide us with, can be very entertaining when drudging through a series of mundane days. In this way, the person interacting with the art is getting entertained and becoming more knowledgeable about their world. What could be more of a win-win situation? By enhancing human interactions and lessening ignorance while entertaining those who interact with it, art has proven itself worthy to thrive despite society's fast evolution.

To summarize, prioritizing practical societal advancements is insufficient to deem art "worthless." With emotional and social benefits that can help children and adults alike make the most of their everyday lives, there is no doubt that art should remain a large part of our modern society.

Camille Claudel Exhibition

By Mazu Rakhsha

Camille Claudel—a name unfamiliar to most Americans today–was a remarkable 19th-century woman who not only dipped her toes in the art of sculpting, a field dominated at the time by men, but also went on to become a fierce rival of those same men. However, as time passed, she grew to be overshadowed by her former mentors and other sculptors of her time, resulting in very few of her works being on display outside of France. The new Claudel exhibition at the Getty Center showcases and appreciates some of her most fabulous creations in a new light, providing a personal glimpse at her artwork and some unbiased insight into her formative life experiences.

At the exhibition, viewers can quickly understand Camille Claudel's artistic style, which is full of raw emotion, movement, and mastery of human anatomy. One of her most well-known sculptures, The Waltz, is a prime example. In The Waltz, Claudel uses her natural understanding of human emotion to create a highly evocative love scene while experimenting with flowing veils and dresses to create movement and add life to the piece. Finally, she implemented her knowledge of anatomy to create a brilliantly realistic final product. While The Waltz is one example of her skills, it is certainly not the only piece exhibited where Claudel combines technique, skill, and emotional energy to leave viewers in awe. Even her mentor, Auguste Rodin, was enthralled with her abilities. He claimed that he "showed her where to find gold, but the gold she finds is truly hers," metaphorically describing how he provided her with the training and foundation to produce art but that her art reflected her unique creativity more than anything. Over time, the artist grew increasingly detached from Rodin's influence and went on to mesh together a style centered around bringing life and emotion to some of the most mundane experiences she could think of. Claudel excelled at this style of sculpting as well, but her abrupt transformation of style was mainly due to a shift in her ideas, as she was sickened by the constant claims that she was merely leeching off of Rodin's inspiration. As viewers walk through the exhibit, her style progression is evident in her works and her exploration of her life over the years, displayed behind her pieces to provide context. However, no matter Claudel's artistic stage, her ability to show off her technical mastery of human anatomy while also conveying complex emotions and lifelike action will always maintain its brilliance.

Some of Camille Claudel's most fascinating exhibited pieces, other than The Waltz, highlight love, loss, and aging themes. One of her earlier works, Old Helen, depicts the bust of an older woman speculated to be one of the servants at Claudel's home. While this sculpture features her meticulous attention to detail and knowledge of facial expressions, old age is represented much more in her future works, such as in Mature Age, where a younger woman tries to pull the main character, a man, back towards her. However, an elderly winged woman gently coaxes him away. Some interpret this as the real-life love triangle she experienced with Rodin, who took Claudel as his muse and most beloved pupil while also being in a committed relationship with Rose Beuret, the mother of his children. However, the work is mainly open to interpretation. It could also depict the passage of life and aging, with the younger woman representing a naive, clingy Youth, the center man representing a growing human, and the winged elder woman representing Old Age, taking the man towards her with grace and wisdom. This is a clear example of Claudel using her time working on elderly faces as a young artist and applying the lessons she learned in a more complex, narrative-style sculpture. Lastly, another frequently admired piece of Claudel's Crouching Woman is, on the surface, exactly what it claims to be: a crouching woman. The sculpture depicts a crouching woman, deeply distressed, with her head digging into her knees as her arms wrap around each eye. The intense agony demonstrated by Claudel in this work is more palpable than any other sorrow we can see in her art, hinting that this woman's suffering is either the result of grief or another major trigger in her life. Camille Claudel herself was known to have ups and downs with her mental health, so this piece could also be a representation of her personal experience of being in a harsh mental state.

If you want to get the most out of the exhibit by examining each of Camille Claudel's works, reading the blurbs about her life, and looking through the souvenirs, setting aside forty to forty-five minutes to do this would be ideal. It is also important to note that the exhibit is overflowing with detail, and other features, such as audio recordings that further elaborate on Claudel's works and sketches of the artist's unpolished ideas, are included. If you intend to take advantage of the exhibit's minor details, even around an hour would be sufficient. However, for those who only wish to glimpse some of Claudel's significant works, a short exhibit walk-through can be completed in as little as fifteen minutes.

To summarize, the Camille Claudel exhibition at The Getty Center is a beautiful opportunity to understand the sculptor's life and art without the biases and drama that plague the mainstream media revolving around her. The exhibition is currently on view for the public and will remain this way until July 21st, 2024, for those interested in visiting.

Hip-Hop is Universal

By Mai Mccondichie

Hip-hop started in the early '70s in New York City by African Americans and Caribbean immigrants. Black people also created electric and dance, house music, rock and roll, funk music, and country music, then soon sampled and robbed by other cultures. Although Black people started Hip-Hop, I think it is for everyone because music is universal.

Hip-Hop was created to tell stories. However, everyone has their own story to tell. So Hip-Hop can be for everyone. Hip-hop was a way for black people to talk about their struggles. Many other races try to make their music from where they came from or about hard times. However, Because black people were treated so poorly by society, they were able to express it through their music. Other great Hip-Hop artists like Eminem also talk about the cultural struggles he had as a white kid. It does not have to do with race but socioeconomic status. Being poor, you have to create things you cannot afford. This is also why enslaved people and black people made so many inventions. They did not do it to create something new but to help them with everyday tasks. Hip-hop or rap could be considered poetry. It was a way for underprivileged people to express themselves and tell stories about what was happening around them. While black people may have invented Hip-Hop, we only make up thirteen percent of people in the United States of America, so it is universal because there are far more poor or lower-class people in the USA.

Social Media Influencers

By Jordana Danielpour

Social media influencers are individuals worldwide who construct content, from YouTube videos to new dances or trends on TikTok. They do not just have to be random people who worked themselves up to be well-known and appreciated; they can also be celebrities. Celebrity influencers are trendy today.

Some social media influencers are happy. Mr Beast and FaZe Rug. There, different social media influencers partake and create different types and categories of videos. For example, Khaby Lame is funny and witty, and he reacts to videos demonstrating and showing people simplified watts to do certain things. Mrbeast does specific challenges and many individual deeds to certain people, like giving money away and incorporating people in specific challenges to win prizes and essentials. Faze Rug does something similar by creating videos about challenges, myths, or even conspiracy series like Can the Wedgie Board Attract Demons or Bad Spirits?

Social media influencers have a significant impact on their audience. Whether with specific topics, mindsets, or opinions through their videos and content, it should be random and differentiating opinions and topics or narrowed opinions to what people and their audience think about them. For example, Mr. Beast is well known for giving money and helping people through essential living and new experiences. So, one might think he is kind and understanding because of his good deeds and content.

These three popular and trending content creators make different amounts of money on one of their platforms: YouTube. YouTube pays content creators different portions depending on their popularity, views, likes, and followers. Faze Rug receives 2.2 million dollars a year as a content creator on YouTube and has a net worth of about 8.81 million dollars.

The motive and process content creators go through to enlarge their money base and revenue is quite simple when exclaimed. The process starts with content creators constructing their contacts and videos to establish popularity with their audience and demographic. Once their content is uploaded and people click like or follow their channel, they start by generating popularity and money from YouTube. As they gain followers and begin to grow their channel, YouTube pays more and more to create their content because YouTube makes money to have creators produce videos as well, and the creators make money as YouTube pays and gives them revenue. This is why many creators make big bucks by just creating content.

In conclusion, social media influencers are people on the Internet on multiple and specific platforms who make a certain amount of money depending on their content views, followers, likes, and other differentiating factors. Social media influencers impact how their audience thinks about them and specific topics.

Report abuse