Arts – Page 4 – The Quindecim

GBSU’s Showcase Offers Electrifying Performances, Transcending Genres

Published on April 23, 2023 by Amita Chatterjee

Dozens of students descended upon Merrick Lecture Hall on Friday evening to witness the Goucher Black Student Union’s first annual Student Showcase, filling almost all of the room’s 228 seats. Pockets of family members, faculty, and staff also populated the audience.

With Goucher’s cooling system still kicking into gear, the evening’s warmth made for an even hotter environment inside the lecture hall, but students still crowded in to see and support the various performers.

Hosts Jordan Abrams ‘25 and Olivia Alexander ‘24, who serve as GBSU’s Event Coordinator and Treasurer, respectively, were charismatic as they introduced each act and solicited audience participation during the show’s contests.

Abrams characterized the showcase as an evening of Black excellence, featuring talented performers and artists across genres. The packed program was balanced out with each type of performance alternating with others.

Left: Rapper KDCD performs his original song “Day Ones”, Middle: Shawn Pelote sings “Mango” by KAMAUU (feat. Adeline), Right: Naomi shares her original poem “Black in the Moon” / Photos by Amita Chatterjee

Goucher’s own Ann West ‘25 allured the audience in her enchanting dance to Rihanna’s Desperado, followed by designer Yovanna Bueno’s ‘24 hand-crafted crochet pieces, which were shown in a runway walk of 10 models.

Shawn Pelote ‘25 eloquently sang “Mango” by KAMAUU (feat. Adeline), hitting exquisite high notes, and first-years Trichelle White, Michelle Hill, and Sierra Stokes later put on an upbeat, willowy dance to Drake’s “Get It Together” (feat. Black Coffee and Jorja Smith).

Two other model walks featured original designs by Antonio Tyler and styled looks by GBSU President Shamira Morgan ‘23 and Vice President Esperanza Tyler ‘23. Each runway had a new dynamic to it, with models strutting in different formations and at times dancing or utilizing the first row of seats to make each act unique from the others.

The showcase also featured Black artists from the surrounding area, including rappers Kijaay, Trillbino, YungTheoryy, and KDCD, and spoken-word poet Naomi, who all attend Towson University.

*The crowd lights up their flashlights during Kijaay’s performance of his song “Walk It Freestyle”*

Every element of the showcase was taken into consideration. The tech crew crafted harmonious lighting to accompany each act and set the mood for the performance, and refreshments were available to attendees. A delectable playlist was paired with and in between each element of the program, exciting the audience and characterizing every dance and model walk.

Not only did the event provide thrilling performances on a campus that is typically a ghost town on the weekend, but it offered opportunities for students to show their non-academic talents and local artists to get more exposure. Perhaps even more uniquely, it created collaboration and intercommunal interaction between Goucher and our neighbor, Towson University.

The showcase was organized by the GBSU executive board, which consists of the members listed above as well as External Ambassador Ty’Aria Johnson ‘23, Internal Ambassador ‘25, Secretary Aeon Edwards ‘24, Social Media Manager Manny Vidal ‘25, and Marketing and Outreach coordinator Lily L’Oiseau ‘26, many of whom also participated in the show.

Feature image of Trichelle White, Michelle Hill, and Sierra Stokes’ dance by Amita Chatterjee

Winter Break

Published on February 26, 2023 by Dom McKinney

Hold Them Accountable: An Interview With DOCC President Leah Gabrielle

Published on February 26, 2023 by Nia Anthony

On December 10th, 2022, I was a dancer and choreographer in a showcase with the Dancers of Color Coalition (DOCC). During the finale of the show, the DOCC stood shoulder to shoulder. President Leah Gabrielle Carroll (23) and other members of the DOCC read a document detailing the racist behaviors and discrimination from Goucher dance faculty and staff. Subsequently, they read a list of demands to hold the Goucher dance department and administration accountable. Later, an email with the document was released to the student body and faculty.

Just over two months after the document was released, Leah and I sat down to talk more about the college’s efforts and the student body’s overall response. This incident has prompted a series of actions and an investigation, and there will be updates forthcoming.

Was there any big catalyst for writing the document or was it just that you had enough?

“I think in terms of last semester the biggest catalyst was in… [a] modern class, in prior years there has always been consistent reporting involving… [the professor’s] teaching style and how… [they] ran… [their] classes so… [they] had already been on the registrars or provosts roster for getting reported by students and honestly… [they were] just talked about in general…”

Leah continued on to explain how… [the professor] had students watch a film, and opened the discussion to talk about the racist themes within the film which made students “uncomfortable.” [The professor] then turned the assignment into a paper, to which some students from the predominately white class reported the assignment, and [the professor]… to the registrar.

“That really set people off…I think the fact that [they] turned a discussion-based assignment into a research-based assignment really just made everyone go on a fritz…professors were telling students to report [the professor]….”

“After that happened it only took people about a month before they started to talk about professor [Mustapha] Braimah in that regard and disrespecting his name and what he’s done and even how he speaks and his accent. There were just various things that happened to professors of color that were not happening to white professors, and they [the white professors] have repeatedly done that are what I would argue are more on the racist end than what… [the other professor] did.”

What do you think about the reactions after the email was sent?

“I think as far as the response from professors and administrations saying that they were wholeheartedly behind us felt performative. Not hearing back from Kent [Devereaux] was the first thing that we expected. As far as the students, I definitely felt the student support from my support system and my people within the DOCC, I even had some mentors that saw the piece I put in the showcase and read the letter and he commended me for that and that felt good, that was a lot. I feel like the most unexpected thing was just hearing and getting the second win of all of the conversation behind me about the DOCC being a ‘dancer-oriented organization’.”

Carroll went on to explain her disappointment that the general population thought the DOCC should not act “politically” although the “of color” part of the “dancers of color coalition” is supposed to be a statement in itself.

After leaving the initial performance I heard conversations between parents and faculty stating that the finale of the show was “unprofessional” and “not necessary,” backed up by comments like “why can’t they just dance?”.

*Photo from the DOCC showcase courtesy of Nia Anthony*

Why do a public reading and then send the demands? Was there a strategy behind that?

“As far as sending out the demands, I wanted that to go to as many people as possible. I mean the reason it took so long is that I was trying to figure out how to attach as many students as I could. I was literally running through my friend’s lists of friends and asking them to think about people in their classes. I just wanted it to be common knowledge, we wanted to make sure people had access to this information. It’s always been customary at the end of DOCC shows to do some kind of performative piece, I found it so funny when you told me about people saying the show was political because DOCC shows have always been political, it’s always been about politics.”

Did people reach out to you after the letter was released looking for support?

“Literally when we came back to campus I had a lot of people want to meet, sit down and talk under the guise of study abroad or catching up but people have been coming to me, some of the issues even about tenure professors or classes.”

What about your legacy as DOCC president, and what are your hopes for when you move on?

“Honestly, it still kind of feels like I’m the new kid in DOCC, being the president has not really sunk in. I’ve been really committed to trying to make sure that this is generational. I love the past DOCC presidents… they did not leave me with a lot of advice or a lot of know-how, so there’s a lot that I want to do in terms of preparation to ensure the DOCC keeps running as an organization. In terms of leaving a legacy, I never expected to get this much attention with this club, it’s always a hope to join the BSU and do a protest and I wholeheartedly came here to do that…I kind of got snagged by the DOCC and I really appreciate them for treating me like family so as much as it doesn’t feel like a large legacy to me, I’ve been able to contribute to the legacy started in 2016 and it’s continued to nurture.”

Leah has stated that following the letter’s release that she has been in communication with President Kent Devereaux to work on the demands, but said there is little progress to be seen right now.

“We know the administration won’t protect us”: Rocky cast members share their experience of the banlist removal

Published on December 11, 2022 by The Quindecim

In the past, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was seen not only as a beloved Halloween theatrical production at Goucher, but also as a safe space for queer and sexual expression. In order to maintain this safe space, a banlist was put in place at the request of cast members to bar the entry of people with allegations of sexual assault or other problematic behaviors.

This year’s performance of Rocky came with news that shocked both the performers and the general student body. On October 26, two days before opening night, Senior Director Emily Ingalls ‘23 was notified of several administrative offices’ decisions to prohibit the banlist.

“I was stunned, I was speechless,” Ingalls recalled, “I didn’t even know what to do at that moment.”

Ingalls said she was the first student to find out about the decision, and was told by the Open Circle Theater Club’s faculty advisor, who had received emails from the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) and Campus Safety about the decision.

After speaking with multiple offices over the last month or so, the directors said they found out the banlist was first brought to those offices’ attention last school year.

Ingalls explained that since Rocky receives funds from Goucher, they are unable to turn away any Goucher students, therefore the banlist was ruled discriminatory by those offices. Ingalls and Halley Price ‘23, Senior Choreographer, said Campus Safety told them in a recent meeting that there was also concern over people on the banlist retaliating against Rocky cast members.

According to Ingalls, this all began following last year’s production when someone who was on the banlist went to OSE to complain that they were not allowed into the show. Thea Roland ‘23, who played Janet, said that to her understanding the individual who met with OSE was banned because one of the cast members had “beef” with them, meaning the list was misused.

The issue got “moved up in administration” and seemingly went unaddressed, until two days before opening night.

“It felt like they were backing us into a corner,” said Roland, “It felt intentional – I think it was intentional. They knew that they couldn’t experience backlash if they did it two days before.”

The short notice left the production team scrambling to figure out how to move forward. When Ingalls informed the cast, which is predominantly made up of female and/or queer-identifying students, who are at higher risk of sexual assault, she said people were crying, having panic attacks, or went outside to scream because they were in fear of who they may encounter in the audience.

During Rocky, which took place at Merrick Lecture Hall, performers typically wear revealing costumes, are in close proximity to the audience, and display bold acts of queer expression, putting them in a vulnerable position.

The directors said they gave performers the option to back out from the show and tried to come up with alternative measures of safety.

“They decided to go forward [with the show] and we were determined to support them in that,” Price said, “we came up with symbols, signs they could do in case they saw something but couldn’t communicate it with anyone immediately.”

Ingalls and Price asked the cast members to not tell anyone that the list was removed, with the hope that people who had been banned previously would assume they were still barred, and therefore would not attempt to come. Ultimately, word got out and the news of the banlist being revoked spread quickly through campus.

In addition to the list being dropped, the show’s previous policies of student bouncers being able to confiscate phones of those attempting to record the show, delete those recordings, and remove disruptive audience members were changed. This year, if a bouncer noticed someone violating the rules, they had to step out and alert the Campus Safety officer stationed outside, who would then come in and handle the situation.

Cast members expressed their discomfort with Campus Safety’s presence in the auditorium, as it was meant to be a student space. They also acknowledged that during the time elapsed between the bouncer stepping out and Campus Safety coming in, further incidents could occur.

Leila Malone ‘24 was slated to be an ensemble member, but switched to being a bouncer following the announcement of the banlist being removed.

“I felt safe in how I could control how people perceive me for my clothing,” Malone said of bouncing, “I also felt more comfortable in being able to see everybody and watch for… people breaking any rules.”

Roland believes that the banlist removal demonstrates a larger issue of administrative offices protecting abusers on Goucher’s campus.

“I can’t believe that the administration doesn’t see the banlist as a symbol of assault on campus,” said Roland, “they said that we were discriminating, yet the people on that list are discriminators. They discriminate on the basis of sex and gender, especially. They have taken advantage of people.”

“I think this was an action of [Goucher] protecting rapists and abusers on campus,” she stated.

“The people who auditioned… did it under the assumption that there would be a banlist so that they could create the safe environment that they needed to perform in that space,” said Malone, “and then all of a sudden, Goucher took that away from them.”

Cast members said they attempted to compromise with these offices, offering alternative safety measures such as phone checks, but felt their pitches were “belittled.”

“We had all these ideas about how to protect each other, but the ones we offered to administration, they shot down,” said Roland.

Roland, Ingalls, Price, and Malone all expressed that the recent turnovers in different offices may have also factored into the decision, as new staff members are unfamiliar with how Rocky has always been run.

“I already feel like this campus and administration doesn’t care about us [students] at all… particularly when it comes to the arts,” said Price, “But this was just turning the knife that was already stabbed in my back… it’s just wild.”

Closing night was on Halloween, which saw the largest turnout and highest number of incidents in the audience, according to Roland. Both cast and audience members noticed a large cisgender-heterosexual presence in the crowd at what is historically a queer space.

“That was the worst show,” said Price, “we were all so on edge and scared.”

Roland described an instance in which a leading cast member was serenading two male-presenting audience members who seemed “uncomfortable” and began “snickering and laughing” at the performer, causing them anxiety and distress.

“If you are uncomfortable with presentations of queer sexuality and gender, don’t come to Rocky,” Roland said.

Despite all the obstacles and harm caused to them, the cast came together and worked to keep each other safe by any means.

Ingalls said that she is hopeful that Rocky will continue in the future, but needs to have a banlist of some form. Price echoed this sentiment and said that the list provides a “blanket of security” to those exploring their identities through Rocky.

“40 plus people with all different perspectives on how this should happen came together and took care of each other,” said Roland of the cast’s unification, “We reacted the best that we could.”

Written by Amita Chatterjee ’23 and Dom McKinney ’23

Mini Photo Collection by Mich Rouse

Published on November 27, 2022 by The Quindecim

These are a mini collection of photos from adventures alone and with loved ones. Taken on my Fujifilm XT-200 with 15-45mm lens.

Hub New Music: a Contemporary Concert Experience

Published on November 25, 2022 by Dom McKinney

Hub New Music, a Boston based contemporary quartet of winds and strings, had their Baltimore debut at Goucher College on the brisk evening of November 14. Hub New Music aims to foster togetherness through new art as a touring ensemble, their season beginning this past October.

The group extends their creativity through commissioned pieces by various artists, the works of this night’s show by composers Dai Wei, Nina C. Young, Aaron Holloway-Nahum, and Christopher Cerrone.

The ensemble performed at Goucher between Philadelphia and North Carolina on their seasonal tour. Musician Gleb Kanasevich (clarinet) opened with a short speech introducing the group and the unorthodox method they used to play their instruments, setting the scene for an intriguing show.

The performance began with an upbeat tune, a playful flute introduction by Micheal Avitabile, followed by fast paced puffs in the clarinet, creating a sound akin to percussion. This was the first method I observed to be unorthodox in the playing of the instruments.

The show held more creative outlets introduced in the experience such as a spoken word recording played over a melody and a short film to accompany another piece.

Another notable manner used to express sharper notes found in the violin by Meg Roher and cello by Jesse Christeson was the use of a wire wrapped bow, bouncing lightly on the strings to create a melodic tapping sound.

The accumulation of these arts exposed the crowd to an immersive listening experience one would not soon forget. Hub New Music can be found and streamed on Spotify, Youtube, and Bandcamp.

Feature image: Hub New Music’s musicians (pictured left to right): Gleb Kanasevich, Micheal Avitabile, Meg Roher, and Jesse Christeson. Courtesy of https://hubnewmusic.org/

A Review and Reflection of This Year’s Riveting Rocky Performance

Published on November 12, 2022 by Dom McKinney

A production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a fond Halloween tradition at Goucher done year after year. This past October’s production was special, being the first fully live and in-person production of the show at Goucher in two years.

The show is an adapted theater performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), a musical-comedy-horror film. The movie plays on a screen and on the stage below, cast members passionately lip-synch their lines and songs while energetically reenacting the movie’s scenes.

After arriving at the show on Halloween night, the last showing, I was astounded to see the line was almost out the door. I was even more surprised after entering Merrick Lecture Hall to see the size of the crowd, leaving almost no empty seats fifteen minutes before the show was scheduled to start. The Goucher community was clearly excited to support Rocky’s return.

The opening act before the Rocky performance began included members of Goucher’s dance program, who did a fantastic job ramping up the energy in the crowd with a flirtatious and enchanting dance number to Beyoncé’s Dance for You.

A disclaimer was given at the beginning of the performance regarding transphobic content in the show as well as instances of sexual assault, in order to provide a safe and informed viewing experience for all. Additionally, during said scenes of sexual assault, a cast member circled the stage holding a sign that read, “This is NOT consent.”

The nature of the show typically invites the audience to be loud and interact with cast members, differing from more traditional notions of theater etiquette. Members of the crowd are encouraged to sing along as well as adlib phrases and cheeky remarks about the actions of the story’s characters, bringing a fun, communal aspect to the viewing experience.

The show’s appearance in Merrick lecture hall allowed for a tightly packed, intimate setting, appropriate for the conversational dynamics between cast and audience. However, Covid safety was not a priority.

With the school’s current mask optional policy, enforcing masking or social distancing in such a small space is mostly out of the Rocky production team’s hands. However, the flyers advertising the show stated that masks are “recommended,” but there was only a small fraction of audience members masked on closing night.

It’s important that spaces be accessible for all, including disabled and immunocompromised people. Due to varying comfort levels regarding Covid safety and rising cases, designating a section of the seating as socially distanced or mask-mandatory could have helped Covid cautious people feel more welcome and comfortable in the space.

Historically, and despite the film’s content, Rocky is known to be a queer space and part of queer culture wherever it is performed. Despite this, there was a notable cisgender-heterosexual male presence in the crowd, which differed from my experience seeing past Goucher productions of Rocky. This presence changed the interactive and queer atmosphere usually expressed in the shows. Cast member Cam Mackay-Smith said that this cis-het presence put his fellow cast members on edge.

In past productions there has been a ban list in place containing the names of Goucher students who the Rocky cast and crew deem unfit for viewing due to past alleged actions or behavior. These students were barred from viewing the show. In the past, this list has been essential to the comfort of cast members due to the revealing costumes and sex being a core theme of the show’s narrative.

Sources within the production say this year there was no list in place due to the decisions of outside officials deeming it unfair.

“We didn’t find out about it [the revocation of the ban list] until a couple days before the show.” said Mackay-Smith.

According to Mackay-Smith, late news of the list being pulled was no fault of the directors, who notified the cast the day they learned of this change. He praised the cast for how they pulled together to support one another in light of this news.

Despite the obstacles, the cast performed confidently, boldly and with heart, providing the Goucher community with a lively return to this treasured Halloween tradition.

The Quindecim is currently investigating the removal of the ban list. Please stay tuned for followup information.

Feature image of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” film cast courtesy of AMC Theaters.

The Independent Music Club is Bringing Much-Needed Liveliness, Culture to Goucher’s Campus: An Interview with Jandro Clemente and Elie Siegal

Published on October 30, 2022 by Luke Macannuco

It’s just like any other Friday night on Goucher’s campus: calm, quiet, and sparsely populated. Take a walk around the Loop, and you’ll probably run into all of Goucher’s usual suspects–handfuls of other students also wandering, perhaps some deer, maybe even that fox who hangs around the athletics field. But walk by the Chapel, and you’ll surely notice something different. From a distance, a yellow light spills out onto the street behind the Chapel, scattered figures loitering around it. Walk a little closer, and a certain energy becomes palpable. The thudding of drum and bass becomes ever apparent as you approach; walk inside, and as though you stepped through a portal, you are transported into a world foreign to Goucher’s typical quiet nature.

Inside the Chapel, in the Undercroft, is perhaps Goucher’s foremost cultural event: an underground concert put on by the Independent Music Club (IMC). Packed tightly together in the intimate venue are Goucher students and non-Goucher students alike– many come from off-campus to enjoy the live music.

The night’s setlist is an eclectic but complementary one: acoustic outfit Es, headed by Goucher alum John Eng-Wong, energetic indie band Fetcher, folk fusion group Plastic Owl, with Goucher student and lead-singer Emma Flanagan, and one-man experimental ambient project, Human Host. It’s a show teeming with energy, excitement, and passion. You’ll see bands going their hardest and the crowd reciprocating with constant dancing and the occasional moshpit.

I sat down the day after this October’s show with veteran IMC members Jandro Clemente (‘23) and Elie Siegal (‘23), former IMC president and current treasurer, respectively, to discuss the club and its ever-essential role on Goucher’s campus. Both Jandro and Elie joined IMC shortly preceding the Covid-19 pandemic, in an effort to rekindle the organization after it died out in early 2019. As one would expect, Covid hitting the same semester made rebuilding significantly more difficult.

Luke: Tell me about how the pandemic affected [IMC]– you said that the club came back in 2019 right before the pandemic, so how did Covid right after impact that, and how was rebuilding?

Jandro: I mean, rebuilding has been hard. It felt like we were blindfolded, crawling in the dark.

Elie: We were also kind of starting over.

Jandro: I know. I think we did have to start over. Not saying bad on anyone else that came before us, but we really did have to start over, because it was like a year-and-a-half of nothing. Because it’s not one of the things you can really do virtually.

Luke: Right. Was there an effort to do virtual shows at all?

Elie: No.

Jandro: Not really. But, to be fair, I’m not blaming anybody right at the start, I mean, [COVID-19] was kind of crazy.

Jandro and Elie credit the return of IMC post-pandemic to Goucher alum and fellow musician Nick Jackson, who originally had the idea to bring it back to campus.

Jandro: When we came back, nobody was restarting [IMC] or anything like that. We kind of waited for something to happen, because we thought someone would start it back up again.

When it seemed like no one was going to start the club up upon returning to campus, Nick expressed his desire to have IMC back. Even if it would be difficult, at the very least, the club coming back would be an excuse for friends to meet up every week to jam out together, something Jandro felt like they didn’t have the chance to do enough.

It’s important to note that IMC is not just about booking and presenting concerts, although that is a central part of the organization. It’s also a community of musicians who meet every Friday afternoon in the Trustees Glass Studio, spending time teaching each other different instruments, casually jamming out, and even forming bands, some of which go on to perform at IMC shows.

IMC does not just export music and culture out to the Goucher community and beyond, but also has formed a community within itself, where student musicians can exercise their creative impulses in ways which have become harder to come by at Goucher over the years. The club is one of the few enduring artistic outlets at the school, one that Jandro and Elie feel could be much bigger if there was more support from the college.

Jandro: If we want to keep music alive on the campus, IMC is one of the best places to do that. I think, honestly, it could be a pretty big club for Goucher. If Goucher really wanted to work hand-in-hand with us, I think we could pull some pretty big stuff off.

Elie: Yeah. Unfortunately, they don’t really seem to care enough about the arts. It’s not just the IMC, it’s [The Rocky Horror Picture Show] and theater stuff that are suffering, too.

Virtually all of IMC’s budget goes towards booking artists, leaving them incapable of improving their currently outdated equipment. They have good reason to argue for more money, too. They saw a record number of outsiders attend on Friday, as well as many students coming out to support.

Jandro: I think the shows are one of my favorite things about Goucher, honestly.

Elie: Me too. I might be biased as a musician, but I feel like– I don’t know, everyone always seems to have a good time at the shows. The vibes are great.

Jandro: I’ve met so many cool people, I’ve danced with so many cool people that I’ve never even met before. It’s just nice.

IMC seems to bring out the best in Goucher.

Jandro: It’s a very loving community.

Elie: Very supportive. No one’s ever going to be like “you suck at music,” or whatever (chuckles).

Jandro: Anytime anyone makes a mistake or anything, everybody’s out there cheering.

Elie: People will clap, yeah.

Jandro: Everybody’s like, “you got this!” Stuff like that. There’s no dead silences, there’s no awkwardness. It reminds me of why I chose Goucher, but I feel like it’s been getting harder and harder for me to remember times like that again. That’s why I like IMC so much: it’s one of the few places left that does make me be like, “this is why I came here. The people.”

Elie: It’s definitely a good reminder of the community that does exist here.

Elie and Jandro feel as though that sense of community is dwindling at Goucher, for a host of reasons.

Jandro: I just think that a lot of choices have been made recently to cut the arts, but there’s a lot of art heavy students here.

Elie: We’re doing this interview in the woods, I mean, come on.

Jandro: I know so many people who left because of that lack [of arts].

Elie: [Goucher] “lost its mojo,” like they said in Austin Powers.

Luke: With that, how do you see IMC bringing that culture back? What do you feel is its importance on campus?

Elie: I feel like a large majority of people enjoy live music. Especially when they don’t have to pay to get in; the shows are free for Goucher students. It’s like a ten minute walk, max, from any dorm. I feel like people will always come together for live music.

Advertising is a huge part in getting people to come together for these shows, another area where Elie and Jandro feel a lack of support from the college. Nevertheless, the promotion on social media has been successful this year, despite the club’s wishes for more school-oriented support, like being included in the “What’s Happening at Goucher” newsletters.

Further support from the school is essential for IMC to expand and do bigger and better things throughout the year. They’re not afraid to be ambitious, either.

Elie: If we got more funding, then we can do bigger spaces, and maybe outside and all that stuff. I’d like to do an outdoor show before we graduate.

Jandro: I have a dream… that one day soon, there will be a Goucher music festival.

Even though Elie and Jandro are graduating after the spring semester, they’re confident in IMC’s future at Goucher.

Elie: David Einhorn, who’s young, I think will eventually become the president. He’s been very very helpful with the club, and did most of the work setting up last night.

Jandro: There’s a lot of people involved.

Elie: Yeah. It’s not gonna die with us.

Goucher’s Independent Music Club is not only bringing much-needed culture to Goucher, but it’s also fostering a deeper community, as well. It serves as a reminder to us all of the great things we do have at Goucher, and the endless potential for furthering these cultural beacons with enhanced school support.

Luke: Okay, I have a bonus question: if you could have anyone come perform, dead or alive, big or small, who would it be, tailoring it towards Goucher?

Elie: Oh, that’s a good question. I want to say Prince, but he needs a big stage to perform… so I’m gonna pick someone else.

Jandro: Oh, ABBA? That would slap, goddamn.

Elie: If we had ABBA in the Undercroft, it would explode… also D’Angelo. Big fan of D’Angelo. D’Angelo, with maybe Questlove on drums, would be incredible.

Jandro: God, it’d be so good to see MF DOOM… I don’t know if I can give a definite answer, because I think it’s always going to change, but right now, I’m thinking a DOOM show in the Undercroft, with the lights, I think that would be amazing.

The Independent Music Club meets every Friday at 4:30 in the Trustees Glass Studio. This semester’s upcoming concerts are on November 4th, featuring performances from Fleece Eater, Human Host, and Precious Little Life, and December 2nd, where Elie and Jandro will be performing together, among others. If there’s something on campus that you really shouldn’t miss out on, it’s these shows. Make sure to come and show your support not only for IMC, but for Goucher’s overall artistic and cultural movements.

By Luke Macannuco ’26

Feature image courtesy of @goucherindependentmusicclub on Instagram

Comic by Dom McKinney ’23

Published on October 30, 2022 by Dom McKinney

Inspired by Alien (1979)

We Care: Works by Corita Kent is a force of positivity on Goucher’s campus

Published on October 16, 2022 by Luke Macannuco

This semester, Goucher’s Silber Art Gallery presents We Care: Works by Corita Kent, a vibrant collection of serigraphs from nun, teacher, political activist, and unsung hero of the 1960s pop art movement, Corita Kent.

Frances Elizabeth Kent was born on November 20, 1918, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1923, where Kent would attend and graduate from the Los Angeles Catholic Girls’ High School. She then entered the Order of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, taking Sister Mary Corita as her religious name. Corita went on to head the art department at the Immaculate Heart College, where she gained a high reputation as both an artist and an educator.

Inspired by Andy Warhol and his famous Campbell’s Soup Cans, Corita began making Pop Art prints in 1962. Her work became increasingly influenced by her political views throughout the decade; anti-war messages and comments on class inequality permeate many of her pieces, such as that they may live (1964) or stop the bombing (1967).

While much of Kent’s art took up specific issues, such as the Vietnam War, a lot of it also focused on her general worldview. Take “life is a complicated business,” for example– the bolded word “LIFE” strikes the viewer with its blue letters set against a bright red backdrop. Intertwined in the blue letters are two quotes: from Phillip Roth, “Life is a complicated business fraught with mystery and some sunshine”; and from Simon and Garfunkel, “Let the morning time drop all its petals on me Life, I love you All is groovy.”

Here, we see how Corita simply appreciated the beauty in existence, finding art all around her. She was known to apply this worldview to her pedagogical practice, often making her students look through a piece of paper with a small square cut out, tasking them to find beauty in the small details of their everyday surroundings.

Corita was able to let this positive outlook shine through her work, despite often dealing with difficult subjects and injustices in the world. This positivity was deeply connected to her faith, too, as is evident in her 1967 work come alive, which tells the viewer in warped, colorful text “you can make it,” while also proclaiming that a human’s life is the glory of God and Christ.

*Feature image: “come alive” by Corita King, Above: “life is a complicated business” by Corita King, images courtesy of corita.org*

This connection of love, life, and God is further exhibited in harness the sun (1967), where Corita expresses her love for all. The piece reads: “So: I see you – a very fresh, unique, wonderful individual… I believe in me through you – I believe in God through you.” Corita was devoted not just to God, but also to a passionate appreciation of the life that God gave her and all those around her.

Like many artists of the Pop Art movement, Corita was motivated to perceive art in anything and everything. She saw beauty in billboards and advertisements, ordinary tenants of modern American life which we often disregard. She especially found artistic value in text. She used text to present a message to viewers, but in doing so, the text became imagery in itself. The texts in her pieces do not simply add symbolic depth, but they also add visual depth, giving a unique texture to each print that further livens the spirit of her art.

Even as a non-faithful person, it is hard to not get caught up in the abundant positivity of Corita’s work. Simply put, Corita Kent’s art just makes you feel good. The vibrancy and messages are hard, almost impossible, to resist. I implore Goucher students and staff to take a few minutes of their day to check out Corita Kent’s works in Silber; you may emerge a little more appreciative of the beauty which surrounds you.

We Care: Works by Corina Kent is showing in the Silber Art Gallery in the Athenaeum from September 10 – December 16, 2022. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.

By Luke Macannuco ’26