Varsha Iyer
Arts Scholar
Semester 3
Art can encourage us to empathize with people that we may not find a connection with otherwise. After watching the Art & Activism Panel as part of CPSA200, we discussed how art might be used for social activism. I said that art can move us; it can create emotion where there might have been apathy, and this is incredibly important to activism. Someone with an emotional attachment is moved to act on those topics. In CPSA, we also discussed strategies for engaging in the creative process. We discussed the research aspects, the development of the vision of a piece, but we also discussed peer feedback. We followed a step-by-step guideline on giving effective feedback; this included ways to give constructive but still positive comments. Using constructive feedback, we can take a step back from our own work and see it through others’ eyes, gaining different perspectives that can help refine our own ideas.
Recently, I read an article about the artist Labrinth from Esquire, called “Labrinth Comes In Again.” He used to be a successful rapper, but remade himself into a pop artist and started to sing about the things that really mattered to him. He talked about how being Black made people categorize him into certain genres, and that being considered a pop artist was extremely difficult in that respect. As the artist behind the soundtrack of HBO’s Euphoria, he won an Ivor Novello and an Emmy. In regards to the soundtrack, he said, “Euphoria is me with no holds barred.” He was able to find himself in his music, and it was successful—awards-level successful. It reminded me of Leyla McCalla, a guest performer at a CPSA event I attended. She was once a part of a group called the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and she won a Grammy with them, but she left the group to begin her own solo career. She talked about reconnecting with her Haitian roots through the language and folk songs of her culture, similar to Labrinth taking a new path and finding his genre and his own sound. This connection makes it easier to see what Labrinth is doing; he may not be trying to work with folk songs of his culture, but he is still looking within himself and his life to express that self through musical means.
I took a course called “Why Good Managers Make Bad Decisions” (BMGT289I), and it wasn’t at all what I expected. In class, we looked into the latest news stories about decisions businesses were making, whether that was a new product, new outlet, new look, or even current climate for their respective industries. We looked at those decisions, and then we critiqued it—did we think this was a good decision? Would you purchase this product or service? What could the business have done instead? This is something we do all the time in CPSA: it’s constructive feedback! The only thing different was that we were evaluating a company rather than a peer. We did this exercise every day; by the end, it was easy for me to see a business decision and immediately have thoughts on its use and longevity. Similarly, in CPSA, I’ve learned to get better and better at evaluating a peer’s work in a valuable and constructive way. It’s truly an unexpected connection between the classes, but definitely one I valued in both.
Being able to interact with other Arts Scholars made me feel like I wasn’t alone. Especially during this pandemic, it’s easy to sink into this isolated place and feel lonely as a result, but through Zoom discussions in small groups of Arts Scholars headed by one TA, we were able to have engaging discussions that allowed us to be open to each others’ ideas, and feel a real sense of community. These smaller groups made me feel less shy about my capstone project ideas, and the people in my group were extremely kind; though I was initially hesitant to speak too much in the group, the people in it helped me open up more and gain the confidence to converse regularly. These conversations were incredibly valuable to me during these isolating times, and I think this is where I contributed most to Arts Scholars. Once I opened up, I stayed engaged in the conversation, suggesting new ideas as they occurred to me. At the same time, I wish I had asked more questions when we had guest speakers, because although I enjoyed what they presented I would find myself blanking on what to ask; in the future, I hope to be more engaged with Arts Scholars in that respect.
I think I am fairly likeminded to my peers in Arts Scholars in beliefs and opinions. However, I know the value of exploring others’ perspectives, especially when those perspectives differ. In class, we only ever differed on light topics like whether we liked the artist 100 gecs. On heavier topics, though, witnessing a different perspective can be eye-opening. I have a friend that grew up in a very conservative family, and upheld those beliefs when we entered high school. Our high school was a more liberal space, and during that time this friend slowly changed his views regarding LGBTQ+ rights, and in fact discovered himself to be bisexual and later on, transgender. If he had continued to live in a conservative environment, he may not have been able to experience a different view of LGBTQ+ communities, and discover this about himself. I think about this often, because I remember once trying to argue the topic with him and thinking that it was hopeless to try and change his mind. I was proven wrong, because by simply being in a more liberal space, my friend did change his views and beliefs. If I didn’t believe before in the power of exposing oneself to opposing viewpoints, I did then.
Semester 4
Through the pentathlon events I attended, I was able to find new ways to explore artistic mediums, and new art forms I had never experienced before. For example, though I like to dance, I had never learned the bachata dance style specifically. I was able to go to a Latin Dance Monday event and learn some of the basics of bachata as part of pentathlon. I also went to an event called "Colorful Playlists," where we created collaborative playlists centered around a specific color. That was something I had never done before, and it was something I began to do after the event, on my own and with friends. In Arts Scholars, we also created video presentations to present our work, and I think that those helped me work on my oral communication and gain experience in creating video presentations, which I think will be really useful in the future.
I went to a Concert in Close Quarters as part of my pentathlon events, and the performer was Leyla McCalla. She infused her culture and folklore being of Haitian descent into her music, and played multiple instruments with prowess as she sang. I was so amazed by this. The music felt deeply personal; I think everyone in the room was moved by both her skill and the stories she conveyed through her voice, even when we didn't understand the lyrics that were in French or Haitian Creole. I think I experienced a very special way in which art was used to not just entertain but also inform and share the emotions of a culture through a very rich fusion of genres, instruments, and styles. I also witnessed a dance performance at the Clarice for pentathlon. I had seen one before, but it was seated farther back in the audience; this time I was seated almost right next to the stage. A dance performance up-close is a totally different experience. You feel immersed; you can see the facial expressions, you can see every move they make in detail. As someone who dances as a hobby, it was enlightening. I could see that they were enjoying themselves on stage, even as they performed complicated footwork and impressive stunts. I could see individual styles between each person, and how the choreography still came off as cohesive because the styles did not interfere with the choreography. I felt more educated about dance, watching this, like my understanding of it was redefined.
Throughout our two years in the program, we were prompted to share out work with our peers. We shared our ideas when brainstorming, our drafts while working on our art pieces, and our final products with each other. At the same time, we learned to provide and receive constructive criticism at all those stages of the artistic process. I think this practice with constructive criticism, providing it in an encouraging manner, as well as receiving constructive criticism with grace and an effort to understand and incorporate those suggested improvements, was really important in the capstone process. We shared our progress throughout the semester, every week, and we also provided constructive criticism to each other. I think because we had done it so many times I was able to understand and focus on the constructive criticism given to me and use it to focus my improvements on my capstone.
I experienced new artistic mediums with Arts Scholars. For example, I went on a field trip to learn how to create zines. I had no clue how to make one, but we were guided step-by-step through the process and were also informed on how zines can be used: to convey information in a quick, consumable manner, and also potentially for political and social activism. I also attended a sewing workshop this past semester, and we learned many different types of stitches and techniques that I think will be incredibly useful in the future, both as an art form and also a handy skill for creating, repairing, and revamping clothing.
At the end of our first year of Arts Scholars, we created and presented an art project as a group, each creating individual pieces in various mediums to portray certain themes and ideas. Our group had three themes, and we were in groups based on mediums as well; some people chose to create music, others created art, and a few even did photography. We communicated each week about our progress and shared our works-in-progress with our group, both receiving constructive criticism for our piece and preparing for the final presentation. I created an art piece, and with constructive criticism from my peers, I was able to create something that fit cohesively within my theme and the overall project. Our presentation went well, and each contribution was done with care and presented in a way that demonstrated our collaborative efforts to portray our themes.
Art Scholars taught me to observe artistic mediums, and learn that combining different things into something more creative and nuanced is very much possible, even with unconventional mediums such as spoken poetry and improvisational music from a single instrument. I think my understanding of creativity changed because of this; I discovered so many different types of art that I became more appreciative and knowledgeable about art as a whole, and this will definitely carry into future pursuits. Additionally, gaining an understanding of the role of art in expression, politics, and so many other fields will be incredibly useful to any profession, as art is a way to communicate in every field. Communication was a huge part of Arts Scholars, and I think I will definitely carry that new perspective on communication into my future academics and career, as well as at a personal level.