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Written by Jenny Zhu
October 07, 20173:04 pm
0 Comments
Alma would tell you to click on the pic to zoom in.
While statuesque, noble Alma Mater might just be the furthest thing from basic, we can all still dream about what she’d be like if she was just an ordinary student of Columbia University like us.
As a student, Alma would be the type of girl whose rinsta is 100% filled with professional-looking snapshots: her and some intellectual pals next to the Columbia subway sign, her reading the Odyssey with some caffeinated drink in Butler, her in her business casual finest when she ran for (and won, of course) for student council president. But this story isn’t about her rinsta.
Alma would also be the girl with the realest, shadiest finsta. You just know that her perpetual spot on Low Steps means that she has seen sh*t go down, unspeakable matters that even you and I can’t possibly fathom. She’d probably post pictures of her having fun on a Thursday night, but she’d also dish out some seriously great advice to half the student body, half-ironically. Curious about this topic and ignoring my massive piles of Genesis reading anyways, I took it upon myself to imagine what one of her post’s captions would probably read like.
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Written by Bwog Staff
October 07, 201711:57 am 0 Comments
This pattern is still less confusing than my calc office hours
In the age before Pinterest, some of the original DIYers were 19th-century soldiers who repurposed fabric from old military uniforms to create some unique, dynamic quilts. New York’s very own American Folk Art Museum, just a short hop on the One train from Columbia itself, currently hosts an exhibit displaying some of these recovered quilts. Bwoggers Levi Cohen and Abby Rubel took a peek at this dynamic artwork:
The American Folk Art Museum, located just across from the 66th Street One station, is currently hosting War and Pieced, an exhibit of quilts assembled by quilt historian Annette Gero and museum curator Stacy C. Hollander. The quilts on view were sewn primarily by 19th-century soldiers and were made from the fabric of repurposed military uniforms. Some of these quilts are being shown in the U.S. for the first time.
The quilts were grouped both by technique and by where they were made (most of them being the products of British soldiers stationed in colonies). Some were designed for decoration, while others served more practical purposes: a pattern of squares in the center of one was a portable chessboard, for example.
The exhibit explores a number of themes brought out by the unique situation of the artists. These anonymous soldiers took up quilting either out of boredom or as a method of occupational therapy while recovering from injury. Personal touches abound in the quilts–artists used the colors of their regiments, embroidered on symbols of their nationalities, and one featured the initials of the artist’s wife stitched across from his own. These moments of humanity tell us something about the identity of one soldier out of thousands; they personalize the experience of war.
It was also interesting to see how the artists made quilting, typically treated as “women’s work,” into an acceptable art form for men to practice. The exhibit describes quilting competitions, and even exhibits a medal awarded to one winner. Some officers thought quilting could be a good way to teach men how to patch up their uniforms. The exhibit’s focus on the repurposing of quilting for war is an unusual, alternative look at a traditional artform.
I would 100% buy this as wall art
Generally, we enjoyed the exhibit. It was fascinating to imagine a soldier sitting in a hospital bed as he sewed one of the beautiful quilts displayed. While the difference between the quilts made by professional regimental tailors and those made by convalescing soldiers was obvious, it was equally obvious that each quilt was the result of massive amounts of time and effort. Thankfully, the museum did not cover most of the quilts with glass, which allowed us to scrutinize each little stitch and appreciate that effort.
However, the exhibit could have done a better job explaining the techniques used to create the quilts. For example, the notes on many quilts referenced a technique called “intarsia,” but failed to adequately describe how the technique was different from applique. The exhibit was also rather small, though this is less a fault of the museum than it is a result of there being so few surviving quilts of this kind. Lastly, we felt slightly out of place–we lowered the average age of the visitors by at least 10 years, though this may have been because we were there in the afternoon of a school day.
Given that admission to the exhibit is free and transportation is easy, we would encourage people to check it out. If you’re the kind of person that needs a cool store as an incentive to go anywhere, the gift shop has some offbeat stuff, like intricate temporary tattoos and calendars with pictures of “vintage owls.” Our personal favorite was a wall hanging that said “Mother’s busy. Take a number.”
If you’re stressed about upcoming midterms and want to imagine being wrapped in the warm embrace of a handmade quilt, there are two reasons why this exhibit might not be for you. Firstly, you can’t actually touch the quilts, making opportunities for actual snuggling scarce. Second: one of the uniforms used in those quilts definitely belonged to a dead guy.
Photos via Bwoggers
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Written by Jenny Zhu
October 07, 20179:55 am 0 Comments
Abstract representation of the temperature in my dorm room (2017, Colorized)
Happening around the World: North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile to reach the west coast of the US, according to Russian officials who visited Pyongyang on October 2-6. In a report by Russia’s RIA news agency, Russian lawmakers said that “their mood is rather belligerent.” Understatement of the year. (Reuters)
Happening in the US: The Trump administration has allowed employers citing religions reasons to deny contraceptive access, through its Friday rollback of a Obamacare birth control mandate. According to a study commissioned by the Obama administration, the mandate provided contraceptives without co-payments to more than 55 million women – hundreds of thousands of these women, including those of low-income backgrounds, could lose coverage. (NYT)
Happening in NYC: If your dorm decor still lacks that “it” factor, a Brooklyn startup has begun selling a subway countdown clock as home decor. Aptly called NYC Train Sign, the company aims to provide both utility and nostalgia for residents “who love New York City and NYC living,” according to Director of Sales Dara Denney. Prices start from $159. (Curbed)
Happening on Campus: Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is hosting a free open house, starting right now and ending at 4! The open house includes dynamic exhibits such as “Anticipating Earthquakes,” “Changing Ice, Changing Coastlines,” and “Climate and Life.” Free shuttle buses are provided, meeting on 120th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway, in front of Teachers College) every fifteen minutes until 1:15 pm today.
A Yahoo Answers question for your reading pleasure/intellectual fodder:
Overseen: On the windows of Lerner. In the October humidity, what better way to beat the heat than to chill with Bwog?
Sun via Pixabay
Tags: bwop tart, columbia doesnt celebrate columbus day, columbus day is a lil problematic, columbus who?, fdt, fdt also comprises my entire tinder bio lol, i would deadass buy that sign if i could afford it, remember cheezi boi #neverforget, sucky trump saturdays, the earth observatory is so cool go visit
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We love Night Market!
New York City is packed with amazing culture and inspiring art, but sometimes it’s difficult to break the Morningside-bubble and experience it all first-hand. “Where Art Thou” is a weekly guide to interesting and notable lectures, events, and performances for the literary/musically/theatrically-inclined on campus.
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Night Market poster via their Facebook event