Arts

Arts

Senior profile: Panella reminisces on a fulfilling 4 years at Tufts

By Tuna Margalit | May 10

Disclaimer: Chris Panella is an arts editor and a columnist at The Tufts Daily. The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Commencement 2021 that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices. Chris was not involved in the writing or the editing of this article.

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Arts

Senior profile: Eliopoulos reflects on musical journey at Tufts

By Ethan M. Steinberg | May 7

Eliopoulos, a Medford native, joined the Tufts music community in middle school when he participated in the Department of Music's Community Music Program and attended weekly Saturday morning classes in the Granoff Music Center. He continued in high school playing cello with the Tufts Youth Philharmonic, and he even squeezed his way into the back of the undergraduate orchestra for a performance during his senior year. Today, Eliopoulos is the principal cellist of the Tufts Symphony Orchestra and a household name around much of the Granoff Music Center.

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Column

Beyond the Underneath: Starting from an empty dance floor

By Ramona Meng Xi | May 7

A DJ once told me that mixing techno or house during a set is easier than mixing pop or hip-hop songs due to the similarity in beats and repetition, as well as the anti-teleological nature and layering characteristics of house and techno tracks. The difficult part is how to perfectly master the grand rhythm of buildups and drops in order to keep the audience hooked to the evolving repetitions. If the whole night of music is graphed in terms of its excitement, then it should look like a flow of slowly ascending waves.

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Arts

The Brattle Theatre puts on its 8th Grrl Haus program

By Yas Salon | May 6

Despite temporarily closing its physical theater space near Harvard Square due to COVID-19,The Brattle Theatre has been keeping film fans entertained for the past year with virtual screenings of movie premieres and old favorites. Most recently, The Brattle offered viewers "Grrl Haus: Let’s Have a Party!," an eight-day-long program featuring films and videos by female, nonbinary, transgender and genderqueer creators. 

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Arts

Senior profile: Ayyappan dances through her time at Tufts

By Devina Bhalla | May 6

Sowntharya Ayyappanstarted dancing at age six when her parents took her to learn Bharatanatyam, a classical style of Indian dance, from a teacher 30 minutes away from her home.Ayyappan has been dancing since, spending time doing so every weekend throughout high school. So when she got to Tufts, it was only natural that she’d joinTufts Pulse, Tufts’ Indian classical dance team.

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Arts

SMFA looks back on a year of anti-racism activism

By Colette Smith | May 5

“Anti-Racism: A Year of Creative Activism at Tufts” highlighted initiatives that have sprung up across the university over the past year. It was sponsored by the Daynard Microgrant for Collaborations in Racial Justice at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and brought together individuals from all corners of the Tufts community. The event, which took place on April 20 on Zoom, underscored the versatility of the anti-racism initiatives and the power that art has in society to actively fight against racism. 

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Column

Soundtrack to the end of the world: A world post-pandemic, Part 2

By Christopher Panella, Jessica Blough, Stephanie Hoechst and Tuna Margalit | May 5

For this last column, I asked my friends to share a bit of what they’re looking forward to as a post-pandemic world starts to come into focus. They sent me songs of rumination, rest and, most of all, celebration. This is part 2; part 1 is available at tuftsdaily.com.

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Arts

Girl in Red fills the silence with debut 'If I Could Make It Go Quiet'

By Maeve Hagerty | May 4

In her debut album "If I Could Make It Go Quiet," Girl in Red develops her sound and reflects on love and mental illness with an edge and a sense of humor.

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Columns

A Fantastic Voyage: The End

By Drew Weisberg | May 4

I have noticed a common notion that fantasy and science fiction are easy genres to write for, simply because it comes down to making things up as you go. I would argue, though, that it carries the unique challenge of not just rounding out a character, but finding them a place in the strange world you create.

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Arts

Local bookstores celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 

By Devina Bhalla | May 3

Bookstores across Boston celebrated National Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 24. Leading up to the day, bookstores announced their plans on social media, which included author talks, raffles and exclusive sales. Porter Square Books, Harvard Book Store, Brookline Booksmith, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Papercuts J.P. and All She Wrote Books all participated in the day. 

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Arts

Porter Robinson's 'Nurture' showers the world with hope, musical splendor

By Geoff Tobia Jr. | May 3

Seven years of hard work and navigation through life has led Porter Robinson to create another masterpiece in "Nurture."

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Columns

Soundtrack to the end of the world: A world post-pandemic, part 1

By Jessica Blough, Alex Viveros, Robert Kaplan and Kristina Marchand | May 3

For this last column, I asked my friends to share a bit of what they’re looking forward to as a post-pandemic world starts to come into focus. They sent me songs of rumination and rest and, most of all, celebration.

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Arts

2021 Oscars disappoint in more ways than one

By Catherine Cahn | April 28

Any great film needs a good ending, and this was the 93rd Oscars’ greatest downfall. In a typical year, the ceremony ends with the climactic award for best picture. This year, however, the order was switched, with best picture being presented third to last, followed by best actress and then best actor. The clear suspense that was built up for the best actor category led to much speculation that the night would end in the powerful and emotional announcement that the late Chadwick Boseman had won for his exceptional performance in "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" (2020). So it was no surprise that the real winner, Anthony Hopkins, was quite a letdown.

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Arts

Inspirational and aspirational fashion at the 2021 Oscars

By Grace Rotermund | April 28

This year, only about 170 people were granted the honor of attending in person, as even the golden lights of Hollywood are not immune to the lurking threat of COVID-19. Thus, the pressure was on for designers and attendees alike to stun, wow and create a memorable Oscars “moment.” This challenge was, of course, met in true Tinseltown fashion. 

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Columns

Comfort Cartoons: Quirky and smart 'Phineas and Ferb'

By Christopher Panella | April 28

I would consider myself a quirky kid (as pretentious as that sounds). I had a strange sense of humor that came from being the youngest in a big family and often had to find ways to keep myself entertained. “Phineas and Ferb” was my best friend during those years, a show that made me feel less alone. Now, with every re-watch, I’m reminded of just how lucky I was to grow up with the triangle-shaped kid and his quiet British brother.

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Arts

'Nobody' has the action, lacks the pace

By Julian Levy | April 26

"John Wick" (2014) ran so that "Nobody" (2021) could ... walk? In recent years, the creative talent behind the "John Wick" franchise (2014–) have found their way into many different films. "John Wick" co-director David Leitch went on to direct "Atomic Blonde" (2017), "Deadpool 2" (2018) and "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" (2019). Meanwhile, the main director of "John Wick," Chad Stahelski, will be heading the recently announced movie based on the hit PlayStation video game, "Ghost of Tsushima" (2020). And, after penning the first three "John Wick" films, writer Derek Kolstad emerged with "Nobody."

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Arts

'Geiger' #1 is explosive fun

By Drew Weisberg | April 26

“Geiger #1” feels like the beginning of something huge, a cutting-edge blend of superhero comics, science fiction, fantasy and post-nuclear fiction that manages to excite, depress, thrill and intrigue. Plus, it's stitched together by some of the biggest and best names in comics. The book also cements Image Comics as the premier destination for creator-owned books and larger-than-life ideas. 

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Column

Hot Take: ‘Barry’ is the new ‘Breaking Bad’

By Derin Savasan | April 26

It’s equally hilarious, terrifying and heartbreaking, which is a rare (and difficult) combo to achieve. And considering the fact that it’s about a hit man, it has some of the wildest cold opens that I’ve ever seen on TV. These cold opens do not only set the tone for how each episode will play out, but also point out the ridiculous nature of it all — that we’re essentially rooting for a hired killer to succeed, find love and be happy. The concept is ridiculous, but when it takes place in a world that's as ridiculous to the characters as it is to us, you find yourself in the unique position of relating to a hit man.

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Arts

The Aria collection celebrates Gucci's 100th anniversary

By Paul Osmond | April 23

Wow. One hundred years of Gucci. While some would party with champagne and fireworks, Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele celebrates with his Aria collection (2021): a presentation of Gucci’s brilliant historical craft with a touch of modern creativity. Michele vehemently asserts, “Gucci’s long history can’t be contained within a single inaugural act,” and his work certainly reflects the brand's multitudinous inspirations: founder Guccio Gucci’s “horse wear”; former creative director Tom Ford’s hedonist aesthetic; and Michele’s own chic style.

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Columns

Soundtrack to the end of the world: If I can’t have good times and bad times in the summer in the city

By Jessica Blough and Tuna Margalit | April 23

I write this on an abnormal day — white builds up in the corners of windows that should be refracting April yellow-red-orange glow —  but I know these days of light and sunroof-down drives with Spotify are near. My weather app says so. The return of the sun will clear the sinuses of snow, as summer hovers on the horizon. Play these songs as you learn to live again. 

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