Semester 1

Arts TRYathlon #1: NextNOW

September 12, 2023 in the Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building

NextNOW Fest: Video in the Atrium (ViTA)–Natalia Chavarria's Conversation #film

UMD's NextNOW Fest not only celebrates art- it brings together a yearly community of people who understand the importance of creativity in life and the diversity of mediums there are. The event I attended was a screening of a silent short film entitled, "Conversation," directed by artist, Natalia Chavarria. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and it made me think of our first colloquium discussion regarding what exactly can be considered art. The video depicts two women setting up a wooden dinner table that has been engineered to act as a seesaw between the two characters. As they eat together, the rocking of the table with each movement threatens their plates and their wine, and by the end, they are aggravated and being purposefully spiteful, like when they kick away the pieces of wood that catch the table from falling too far. Inevitably, they both fall and their food spills everywhere alike. Without an open mind, one might not consider this art. However, the ingenuity behind the prop use was really inspiring to me, and a theme did come across in my eyes: one of the sensitivity behind actions in a relationship. As an English major, being able to experience themes through mediums other than writing really helps me broaden my sense of concept and get more creative. I really enjoyed seeing unusual art such as this film displayed in a place like the University of Maryland Art Gallery for others to analyze and smile at, because yes, it is silly (it made me smile at the end when they are laughing at the mess they just made,) and good art is capable of having this quality and still being onsidered a serious piece.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

October 5, 2023 in the Kay Theater of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

UMD's School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies performs musical, The Prom #theater #music #dance

The University of Maryland's TDPS performers are amazing. Their vocals were outstanding, the set design was beautiful, and the performance quality was awesome by each and every dancer/actor. What was most honorable of the school, though, was the choice of musical to perform this fall: The Prom, written by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, based on the true story of Constance McMillen of Fulton, Mississippi, a young girl who was banned from attending her own prom by the homophobic school board. Representation in this way is not surprising for UMD, as it is currently named the top college in the nation for LGBTQ Campus Pride, but The Prom certainly was a way of using art to create a more equitable society, teaching lessons of inclusivity while providing a fun outlet of entertainment. It was also very impactful to see the media they had displayed on the stage as the audience was walking in that depicted all of the injustice that is still occurring past this incident in 2010; It served as a great reminder that homophobia lives on today, and that the UMD is always aiming to fight against it. I, for one, have always loved theater and am moved by the catharsis of storytelling, so when I had the option to choose my own adventure this time around, I went straight to the Clarice's website. I am an English major, so this goes hand in hand with my love of storytelling with words. I grew up as a dancer, so that is my other form of storytelling through art and dance is what draws me to theater. I have even considered double-majoring in English and Dance. I think it is an incredible disservice that UMD does not have a dance minor, as I would make that decision in a heartbeat. There is so much value in the performing arts that goes unnoticed by those who did not grow up around it, and I highly recommend to people to explore this medium. If you are a UMD student, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is a great place to start.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

October 11, 2023 in the Bel Air Lounge

Craft & Chat Pendant Making with T.A. Elena Poll #crafting #visualart

Arts Scholars are known for their awesome Craft & Chats hosted by our wonderful RAs. It was hard to pick which one I wanted to attend for my third event, as they were all such creative ideas, but with this one I loved the thought of gifting the pendant necklace I created to someone I love. These events are all about community and bringing different types of people together, and they do just that. While we all share a love for art, each and every one of us is different and a joy of Scholars for me has been meeting interesting and kind people that I now call friends. What we did at this event was so simple, and it made me appreciate how easy it can be to make something beautiful! I have always loved crafting as it is a mindful act that is very de-stressing for me, but I never thought of some of the simpler crafts as art before when they definitely are! We each chose a different color chain and pendant, and then we got to search through magazines for an image we wanted to put on our jewelry. Mine was a French magazine, and I found a beautiful scene of the Seine River, so I love how my necklace turned out; I have always had a dream of going to France, and hopefully one day when I can manage that, I will wear my necklace and think of all the nice people in Arts Scholars that I talked to while making it from scratch.

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