Critical Notices: Exhibition 004
I think the biggest problem was probably getting things to stick.’ This, according to Jacob Byfield, was the greatest challenge in setting up Exhibition 004, Worcester’s student-run, student-led art exhibition. Byfield, the event’s Press Officer, is not speaking metaphorically; the display,
GUILLOTINE: KNEECAP’s hate speech is Fine Art
KNEECAP are the best thing to happen to mainstream music in this country since Thatcher, and they don’t even want to be part of it. The iconoclastic Belfast trio blend heavy rave beats with punk-rap verses in a mix of English and Gaeilge teeming with republican rhetoric, violent outbursts,
Berlin, open city
In military terms, an open city is a city that has abandoned all fortifying efforts. Once a city has declared itself open, the opposing military will be obliged to peacefully occupy the city, rather than destroy it, under international law. As it happens Berlin is an open city,
Icon of the week: Becks Morgan
Many prolific artists are more multifaceted than we might first think. Joni Mitchell thinks of herself as a painter first; Andy Warhol thought he’d be remembered for his cinema. All the most interesting people split their time between many different pursuits. I was reminded of this erstwhil
Prodigies for sale
Sports fans are obsessed with child prodigies. It’s not enough for us to witness feats of athletic greatness; we want our heroes baby-faced. Unsurprisingly, fans see a talented young player and imagine that it portends future success for their team. They think of titles won, records
Fellas, is it gay to read a book?
The Saturday before last was a particularly sunny one. Although I didn’t have much time in my day to spend outside, I decided to take a break and spend half an hour or so reading an actual, physical book. I grabbed my book (On The Road by Jack Kerouac) and opened my window. My […]
Icon of the week: Americans (visiting students)
Hilary is the August of Oxford. In many ways it is the strangest term. It is the summer of the Oxford year, starting in the midst of winter. A liminal road trip that seems to last forever. The turbulence of Michaelmas seems to be over. The doom of Prelims feels far in the distance. […]
Everyone misunderstood the For Women Scotland case
I greatly admire trans people. The process of realising one is trans involves a journey of profound self-knowledge and actualisation. It is an example of the highest level of consciousness and self-love a human being can reach. We owe so much of queer and gender liberation to trans people. I
Coquettes-who-read vs deepfakes
I failed my interview for journalism school. In my application, I had written about my passion for telling human stories—the kind that give depth to reality through narrative. And so, they asked me: “Pitch a human story on the AI Summit” (nothing ironic about that). I panicked and gave