Receiving a book for Christmas verges on one of two paths: euphoria or dread. In our digitised world, one might say books have become redundant as gifts. In the rise of streaming service entertainment, unwinding in the evening has largely become a case of scrolling through social media. ‘But I don’t like reading!’ I hear…
Books
Most important read of the year: Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given
Unless you have been living under a rock this year, (which, with the way 2020 has gone, I really wouldn’t blame you for) you might have seen the book Women Don’t Owe You Pretty floating around the internet, hailed as the ‘bible’ for modern feminism. Feminism is never an easy topic. It’s always met with…
Books
Most important read of the year: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
(Content Warning: discussion of depression and suicide) The most important book I’ve read this year was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The story follows 35-year-old Nora, who makes the decision to take her own life. At the stroke of midnight, however, she finds herself in a place called The Midnight Library, stuck between life…
Arts
The Museum of Bad Art
The Museum of Bad Art was established in 1994 in Massachusetts as a dedication to terrible art, and features an ever-changing display of pieces. With a collection of around 800 works, it boasts an impressive range. Each collection is categorised by a witty label, such as ‘Oozing My Religion’, ‘Look Ma, No Hands!’, and ‘In…
Arts
Subverting beauty: African anti-aesthetics
Although only a temporary exhibition, the Baltimore Museum of Art’s ‘Subverting Beauty: African Anti-Aesthetics’ series of work has left a lasting impact on the art world. Originally held between July 2018 and June 2019, the exhibition has challenged what consumers of art consider to be ‘beautiful’, especially in a Western context. Featuring around two dozen…
Arts
What is beauty? Spotlight on: Ewa Juszkiewicz
Warsaw-based artist Ewa Juszkiewicz has been creating 18th and 19th Century-influenced portraiture for nearly 10 years, but they come with a twist. The subjects of her paintings always have their faces obscured, be it with a piece of cloth, plants and fungi, or elaborate arrangements of hair. The concept of these paintings? They shatter conventional…
Arts
Cristina Iglesias’s work joins the SCVA Sculpture Park
Cristina Iglesias is the latest artist to be exhibited as a part of the Sainsbury Centre’s Sculpture Park on campus. Iglesias is a renowned installation artist and sculptor from Spain and has been the recipient of the country’s prestigious National Award for Plastic Arts. Her contribution to the Sculpture Park consists of two sculptures, Celosía…
Arts
I hate this artwork
When you consider the ‘most famous’ piece of art, what do you think of? I think of the Mona Lisa. And then I think of how much I dislike the Mona Lisa. Yes, it is brilliantly painted, insanely detailed, and very widely loved, but is it not a bit dull? Or worse, smug? Dreary browns…
Main Stories, News
Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine judged safe for use in UK next week
The government has announced coronavirus vaccinations in are scheduled to begin next week. This makes the UK the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for mass inoculation. An order has been placed for 40 million doses, enough to immunise 20 million people because each vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart….