’Tis the SeasonThe importance of music in

setting the holiday moodp. 8

Heading Over the CliffWhat the fiscal cliff is and why we’re at the edge of itp. 17

Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1

Disney Buys the Galaxy Far, Far Away

The LucasFilm buyout and what it means for the beloved franchise

p. 20

Front cover photograph by Anniken Eidem

TABle OF COnTenTS

Letter from the Editor 3VASA Update 4Streets and the City 6’Tis the Season 8Artists Don’t Wear Cleats 10Strong As Atlas 12Heading Over the Cliff 17Disney Buys the Galaxy Far, Far Away 20

Editor-in-Chief

Jake Shillan Assistant Editor

Jennifer KeyesLead Designer

Katie NarduzzoDesigners

Laura NgHea Kim

Untitled is written by students of SVA and edited and designed by the Untitled staff. The content of each issue is not necessar-ily a reflection of the ideas or beliefs of the Untitled staff or the School of Visual Arts.

Submit comments, questions, and content to SVAUntitled@sva.edu

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3SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1

From your friendly neighborhood Editor-in-Chief,

Jake Shillan

leT Te r F rOm THe e DiTOr

Hello School of Visual Arts!

Happy holidays and a merry end-of-the-semester to all! And, if you’ve picked up this issue after the holidays, then we’re wishing you a Happy New Year.

A lot has happened since our last issue. Aside from Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a Presidential election, we’ve had an immensely powerful natural disaster hit us and I would like to take a moment to address it. Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast in a way unlike any disaster before. Whereas Louisiana has levees, the Midwest has basements, and California has earthquake-proof buildings, New York City is fragile. We have low elevation streets and subways to be flooded, bridges to be closed, and old buildings to collapse. Hurricanes of this magnitude were never safeguarded against because they were never imagined.

This will most likely not be the last natural disaster to come. Nature is beautiful, but it is also deadly. Last year was Irene, this year was Sandy, and next year it may be something else; there will always be something else. But if Sandy has shown us anything, it is that we, as a people, are resilient and adaptable. This place and these people can take anything that comes at them. We can take anything that comes at us.

With the holidays coming up, there is a lot on our minds. While we’re combing department stores for scarves and television sets, there are people out there still trying to rebuild a home to have a holiday in. Staten Island, The Shore, and a multitude of other beaten-down commu-nities are still trying to recover. While I cannot comprehend anyone else’s financial status, I would urge you to give a little extra this holiday season. Websites such as FeedingAmerica.org, InterOccupy.net, and, of course, RedCross.org will accept donations of any value that go to food, shelter, and general support to those affected by Sandy. As an alternative, get involved with a shelter or a rebuild service, donating time instead of funds. Anything, even the smallest gesture, is appreciated by those in need.

But, we endure, recover, and move on. Enjoy this issue of SVA Untitled, and again, happiest of holidays from myself and the rest of the staff!

Illustration by Chris Kwon4 SVA UnTiTleD WinTer 2012–13 VOl. 1

VA SA U pDATeVA SA U pDATeA word from your student governmentby JUSTIN MELILLO

SVA’s annual Halloween Party at Dave and Buster’s was a huge success. We sold out at 1000 tickets and had 95% of ticket buyers in attendance.

We offered discounted tickets to the Radio City Music Spectacular and Spiderman: Turn Off

the Dark and they sold out in a matter of days. Students should look for more discounted Broadway tickets in the spring.

VASA is still selling discounted gym memberships for Synergy Fitness. Students can come to our office on the second floor of the George Washington Residence Hall to purchase one.

We held another successful Student Senator meeting, where we discussed different ways senators can stay in touch and connect with students in their respective departments. We are currently looking for more senators in various departments from any year. If interested in becoming a Student Senator, students should email vasa@sva.edu for more information.

We are still exploring ways in which SVA can be more environmentally savvy, and have come up with a few interesting ideas for student involvement that we will explore in the spring.

The Office of Student Affairs and VASA held two Days of Service in which students had the opportunity to clean up homes in areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy. We were very happy to see the high number of students who volunteered, and students should look forward to more opportunities like this in the future.

As always, VASA continues to sell discounted AMC movie tickets and periodically offers free passes to advance screenings of new movies. Students should keep an eye on our Facebook page for alerts about advance screening passes, or stop by any time between 9:30am–5:00pm Monday–Friday to purchase AMC tickets for $7.

Remember to stay connected with VASA through our Facebook page (VASA SVA) or visit our office on the second floor of the George Washington Residence Hall, 9:30am–5:00pm Monday–Friday. If you have any suggestions for events, activities, or new opportunities for student involvement, please email vasa@sva.edu.

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6 SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1 Photographs by Anniken Eidem

ST reeTS CiTyAn ongoing spotlight on NYC’s best free events by ANNIKEN EIDEM

If there is no shortage of one thing here in the Big Apple it is street-based events. In fact, there are so many of them that one could argue that they are an

integral part of what makes New York City what it is. The biggest ones, like the Saint Patrick’s Parade and the Village Halloween Parade, are well known and attract thousands of tourists every year, but there are many other, lesser known events that are just as amazing, such as the annual Zombie Parade or the International Pillow Fight Day celebration.

This new running article is an attempt to bring attention to all of the fun, niche street events going on nearby. Any and every event that finds its way into this series is FREE to participate in—yes, that’s right, dear college student, you can have fun for free! New York City hosts an enormous amount of free events every year, and now you don’t even have to spend those 20 minutes on Google to find out when and where to go. Just grab a copy of the latest SVA Untitled and you’ll have a list of free events at your fingertips!

“Streets and the City” will include an overview of events taking place in the near future (however, any information is subject to change at any time at the discretion of the organizer, so please keep an eye out for these changes if you plan to participate). If there are events you feel should be included on these lists, or if you know of mailing lists that one can join to get information about the lesser-known events here in New York City, please feel free to share by emailing us at SVAUntitled@sva.edu and be sure to put “NYC events” in the subject line.

See you on the streets of this marvelous city!

7SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1

What: New Year’s Eve Ball Drop

The annual New Year’s Eve show and ball drop will take place as always, and with over one million visitors annually you will enter the new year with lots of new friends! Happy New Year!When: Monday, Dec. 31Where: Times Square

What: Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival

This parade celebrates a traditional Chinese holiday that marks the new year of the Chinese calendar.When: February 10 marks the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2013. Parade scheduling TBA.Where: Sara Roosevelt Park on Canal St. & Forsyth St., Chinatown

What: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade

The third Monday of January observes the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.When: 1:00pm, Monday, Jan. 21Where: 61st St– 86th St & 5th Ave

What: 3 Kings Day Parade & Community Celebration

A celebration with roots in Latin American and Carib-bean culture, which celebrates the Biblical story of the three wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.When: TBAWhere: 106th St. & and Park Ave.

8 SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1 Image courtesy of FanPop.com

The holidays are here and they bear their tunes with itby JENNIFER KEYES

As soon as the first set of holiday decorations are up, now normally a day or two after Halloween, I begin to feel a familiar excitement

for the upcoming season. Christmas often brings about sentimental feelings for many and I’m no exception. I love all the different aspects—the lights, the snow, and the overall joyous moods—but it’s the music itself that means the most to me.

Growing up, my dad strongly enforced his rule of no listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. This concept confused and frustrated me as a child, since I couldn’t comprehend how anyone would want to wait to celebrate the greatest holiday of the year for a

’TiS THe SeASOn

family dinner that didn’t even involve a single present. I found delight when I defied my dad by loudly listening to 93.9, the radio station that began playing holiday music on November 1.

As I got older and started to enjoy Thanksgiving, I also began to appreciate my dad’s rule of waiting to listen to Christmas music. It pays respect to the preceding holiday, a time where family gathers together for reasons that aren’t fueled by consumerism.

My extended family participates in what may seem like a strange tradition every Thanksgiving, where one member receives the title of Master or Mistress of the Revels. This particular relative wears a crown, proceeds

9SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1Image courtesy of DouglasWhaley.blogspot.com

down the steps, and has the honor of choosing the first song of Christmas. This tradition has reinforced the importance of Christmas music to me by showing how something as simple as a song can invoke a holiday mood.

Once the holiday tunes start playing, they don’t stop for well over a month. Never one to skimp on anything

Christmastime related, my dad has somewhere near 100 different playlists made solely of seasonal songs. There are categories ranging from basic collections, like “Christmas Standards,” to more specialized selections, such as “Wintertime Nap Songs.” There’s a mix of songs for whatever mood the holidays may bring about.

Holiday music has always had (and will always have) a special place in my family’s home, but it also found its way into my school life as well. I attended a Catholic grade school, so the Christmas season meant many celebrations, shows, and services to participate in. Every year there was a standard Christmas pageant held in the school’s church where our principal enforced a rule that we could only sing songs pertaining to the religious aspect of the holiday. Of course, as young kids, we didn’t understand why we couldn’t sing our favor-ites, like “Jingle Bells,” instead of songs that pertained to the actual reason for the season.

Another long-standing tradition at my grade school is the annual St. Nick’s Bazaar, a holiday market held on the first weekend of December in the school’s gym. On Sunday morning, there’s a pancake breakfast fundraiser where kids from the school and parish sing carols during the meal. Nothing got me more excited as a child than preparing to sing alongside all my school friends for this event. We dressed up in festive sweaters and belted out all the standards side-by-side with the old basement piano. I’m well past the age of the average participant now but I still love watching the

new generation take part in this event, something I still associate with joy and the holidays.

Much of the Christmas music I enjoy now is not just the classics, but also things I’ve discovered on my own. Many people reject new holiday songs, although I’m not one of them. In seventh grade, when I went

through a small 1970s punk rock phase, I obsessed over the fact that one of my new favorite bands, The Ramones, had a Christmas song. I downloaded a Christmas album by She & Him last year, which I listened

to on repeat nonstop during the holiday season. My dad once tracked down a song he heard on a Target com-mercial, thinking it would be the perfect addition to his latest holiday playlist. These new songs may not have nostalgia attached to them, but over time, they may find their place in my permanent Christmas music library.

Christmas music transcends borders of musical preference. Even hardcore rap fans have a soft spot for an Irving Berlin classic. My family’s obsession with all things Christmas has always made the holiday a special, happy time for me, and their love for the season extends well beyond music. But, as my dad likes saying, “Christmas isn’t a holiday; it’s a mindset,” and I’ve found no easier way to get into a festive mindset than with some classic Christmas songs.

“As soon as the first set of holiday decorations are up, now normally a day or two after Halloween, I begin to feel a familiar excitement for the upcoming season.”

10 SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1 Photograph by Ian Thompson of The Soccer Observer

There are plenty of well-known stereotypes about art school: no teams, no spirit, no sports. You might even find yourself agreeing with the senti-

ment. Soccer games in an art school? Would anyone show up to something like that? Is there even a soccer field in New York City? Well it may surprise you, but the answer to all of those questions is…Yes! So for all you sports skeptics out there, allow me to show you the light.

About a month ago, I organized a pick up game of soccer and was amazed to see how many people decided to show up just for the love of the game. We ended up having around twelve people at the field, and even those who came just to watch could not resist the urge to kick a ball around in the mud with some friends. I could see the passion in their eyes and a smirk of satisfaction when we turned in for the night. Who are we to say that art enthusiasts can’t be sports fanatics as well?

In high school, activities can be very selective in their auditions and sports try-outs can be too intense, so it is understandable that some college students never had the chance to be part of a team. That’s why it’s important to recognize all the sport-like activities offered here (such as Alexarobics and the Quidditch team) and take advantage of them.

After speaking to a few classmates about this, it came to my attention that, despite the constant Facebook updates in our news feeds and awesome posters hung in our residence halls, not everyone takes the time to stop and read about upcoming clubs and events. However, when it comes to word of mouth, we SVA students have it covered! Those who do participate in such activities are more than willing to invite anyone and everyone to join them each week; knowing that there is a great variety of sports and clubs available here is something that we should all be grateful for.

Just like any collaborative art piece, it is about people coming and working together. Hopefully you’ve realized that art and sports are not polar opposites as you may have originally thought. They both offer people an enriching experience that includes a chance to break out, try new things, expand their knowledge, and socialize while achieving a common goal. So, you had better believe that people at SVA love sports just as much as the next college. Join a sports team, start a club, help disprove the art school stereotype, and have some fun while doing it!

A piece to break stereotypes and encourage fitnessby SAMANTHA FRIEND

A r T i ST S DOn’T We A r

“Who are we to say that art enthusiasts can’t be sports fanatics as well?”

S T rO n G A S

AT l A SA review of Tom Tykwer and The Wachowski’s filmby SASKIA COHEN

so powerful that with the right budget and willingness, filmmakers can visually create anything and everything they would want to see onscreen. Every set is lavishly deco-rated and every scene a feast for

the eyes. The settings range from the Chatham Islands in the South Pacific in 1849, to post-apocalyptic Hawaiian Islands in 2321.

I was absorbed by the multiple

stories told in the film. They are futuristic of course, they seem prophetic, they assert universal meanings—but I haven’t figured out which ones… We are transported by six different stories, intertwined with each other throughout this 2 hours and 43 minutes of film. Two of the narratives in particular replayed in my mind after the screening.

The first alternates between Cambridge, England, and Edin-burgh, Scotland. It follows a young, gay musician named Robert Frobisher, a literary assistant copying manuscripts for the famous composer Vyvyan Ayrs. Over time, Robert creates his own master-piece, “The Cloud Atlas Sextet,” but a jealous Ayrs wants the credit, resulting in an unexpected and

“every set is lavishly deco-

rated and every scene a feast for the eyes.”

Some movies take us to faraway places, others touch us close to home, and some,

like Cloud Atlas, do both. Based on the novel of the same name by British writer David Mitchell, this film was directed by three indi-viduals, Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run, Perfume) and the Wachowski siblings, the post-modern, philosophy-imbued creators of The Matrix Trilogy. Certainly, it shares with the Matrix movies (1) a big budget, (2) places you’ve never seen before, and (3) varying questions about the connections between molecules, beliefs, space, time, and everything else.

Visually, Cloud Atlas is magnificent. It confirms once more that technology has become

use of clones because they believe that, “there is a natural order to this world, and those who try to upend it do not fare well.”

This long film does have its share of troubles. Overly ambitious imagery may daunt viewers; that there is never a slow moment can, over time, become dullish. That the screen time is shared by six enticing stories creates an unusual competi-tion for the viewer’s attention. I felt that some of the stories deserved their own full-length develop-

ment, and not to be mashed into a cacophony of cinema.

The actors appear in different disguises, roles, places, and times, but despite the diversity, we feel the longing chemistry between them in each sequence. In one such sequence, spoken aloud is the main theme of this well-woven film: “Fear. Belief. Love. Phenomena that determine the course of our lives. These forces begin long before we are born and continue after we perish.”

terrible brawl that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.

The second occurs in “Neo” Seoul, Korea in the year 2144. We meet Somni-451 (played by the lovely Korean actress Doona Bae), a clone waitress who is detained by the authorities and interrogated. She recounts how she was rescued from her compliant clone status by Hae-Joo Chang, a member of the local underground. Somni’s eyes are opened to the world she has missed—a strange and beautiful city that, like all great cities, also hides horrific realities. Her enlighten-ment parallels the viewer’s shock—what we discover is too potent to be missed, too haunting to be forgotten. Somni’s final spiritual message to Chang expresses one of human beings’ hopes throughout the ages: “I believe there is another world, a better world. I’ll be waiting for you there.”

A thought-provoking quote, phrased by some of the movies’ villains, echoed in my mind. They are viewed as villains, not simply because of their selfish interests, but because of their views that rationality endangers human prog-ress. They support slavery and the

“That the screen time is shared by six enticing stories creates an unusual competition for the viewer’s attention.”

Photographs courtesy of FilmSchoolRejects.com

16 Photographer/Illustrator/Etc.SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1

17SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1Photograph courtesy of WorldPropertyChannel.com

What the fiscal cliff is and why we’re at the edge of itby JOSH BARCLAY

A couple billion dollars were spent, over a million campaign ads aired, and then the dust settled: the vitriolic spectacle known as the

2012 Presidential Election came and went. Now that he has defeated Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Barack Obama will embark on yet another four-year term as Commander-and-Chief of the United States. The problems Obama faces are the same: high-unemployment, a polarized congress, and perhaps the most important problem facing America—certainly the most immediate—the “Fiscal Cliff.” Understand that this is not the kind of cliff Sylvester Stallone conquered on the silver screen back in the 90’s. The “fiscal cliff” is a cute term used to describe the Budget Control Act Of 2011, set to take effect on midnight of December 31st. With this comes the single most fought over issue by Democrats and Republicans, the “Bush Tax Cuts,” and whether or not they should be extended.

Obama has stated repeatedly he has no intention of extending the “Bush Tax Cuts.” “What I’m not going to do is extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent, that we can’t afford, and according to econo-mists, will have the least impact on the economy.”* Before one can objectively base an opinion on the aforementioned tax cuts, it is important to understand what they mean, as well as their implications.

HeADinG OVer THe

According to Investopedia, a leading investment education website, the Bush Tax Cuts are:

“A series of temporary income tax relief measures enacted

by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003. The tax cuts

lowered federal income tax rates for everyone, decreased the

marriage penalty, lowered capital gains taxes, lowered the tax

rate on dividend income, increased the child tax credit from

$500 to $1,000 per child, eliminated the phaseout on personal

exemptions for higher-income taxpayers and eliminated the

phaseout on itemized deductions and eliminated the estate tax.”

If Obama and congressional Republicans fail to reach an agreement, these tax-cuts, under currently signed legislation, will expire—but only for the

wealthiest Americans, or those making 250,000 dollars a year or more.

This means, if the impasse in congress continues, with Democrats and Republicans failing to strike a deal, the wealthiest Americans, those in the top two income brackets, will be forced to take on a larger share of the

“If ‘we must get our fiscal house in order,’ surely, with a

$4 trillion deficit reduction, we would be doing just that.”

CliF

F

18 SVA Untitled Winter 2012–13 Vol. 1 Photograph courtesy of The Chicago Sun Times

tax burden, in an effort to raise revenues. And with the national debt soaring an average of 3.88 billion per day, according to the U.S National Debt Clock, that is exactly what this country needs: revenue, revenue, and more revenue. The majority of Republicans disagree with fundamental idea of raising taxes on the rich;

while President Obama said, “A modest tax increase on the wealthy is not going to break their backs, they’ll still be wealthy.”*

Members of the GOP—for example, Paul Ryan—coined a “deficit hawk” (a person with ambitions to keep the federal budget under control) by the media

“If the Republican Party truly cared about economic prosperity, they would embrace the elimination of the Bush Tax Cuts (raised

taxes on the rich), as well as advocate for spending on social benefits.”

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and members of his own party, have expressed a frustrated antipathy toward the U.S National Debt. Republican house majority whip, Eric Cantor, has said, with obtuse repetition, “We must get our fiscal house in order.” He and his fellow Republican cohorts have suggested cuts to social benefits, such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare—even cuts to public education. If a deficit reduction plan, the plan most emphasized by Republicans, were truly that important, they wouldn’t have discrepancies with an increased taxation of the wealthy.

According to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, the elimination of the Bush Tax Cuts, coupled with the already-in-place spending cuts, the deficit would be reduced by $4 trillion. If “we must get our fiscal house in order,” surely, with a $4 trillion deficit reduction, we would be doing just that. Now however, the party ideology has shifted, with Republican Eric Cantor saying, “We must get our fiscal house in order without raising taxes.” Translation? We must get our fiscal house in order without taxing the rich.

The Republican agenda is clear and has been since the summer of 2011, with their obstinate refusal to accept anything less than an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts, they are effectively dangling the uncertainty of a looming debt ceiling over President Obama’s head like a carrot, ultimately coercing him into extending them another year. If the Republican Party truly cared about economic prosperity, they would embrace the elimina-tion of the Bush Tax Cuts (raised taxes on the rich), as well as advocate for spending on social benefits.

In February of 2012, in a written testimony, Chief economist and co-founder of Moody’s Analytics, Mark Zandi, did a comparison between the Bush Tax Cuts and other forms of government spending. He concluded that they resulted in far less economic output than spending on food stamps and infrastructure.

People on the left—Democrats included—though dissenting with the Republican ideology, aren’t asking for much of a compromise. “I’m not proposing anything radical here. Allowing the Bush Tax rates [to end] for

earners over $250,000 would affect only 1.9 percent of the population,” said George Zornick in a recent article for the Nation Magazine. And the majority of the American population agrees: top earners should be paying more in taxes, as an effort to raise revenues and let the deficit recede.

In America, we live in a Democracy. In Greek that means “the rule of the people.” President Obama and the people have spoken: the wealthy, the top 2 percent, should pay more in taxes.

*East Room Press Conference, Nov 14, 2012

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The LucasFilm buyout and what it means for the beloved franchiseby MAX SEILER

Does true entertainment have a price? Can any amount be assigned to classic tales of good versus evil with endearing, timeless charac-

ters? Yes, apparently they can, and at four billion dollarsto be exact.

By now you would have to live under a rock not to have heard of the massive purchase of the Star Wars famed Lucasfilm by the tycoons of entertainment at Disney. This is not the first time in recent history that Disney has successfully made a grab for an enormous pop culture franchise. Back in 2009 Disney bought the rights to the Marvel Comic Book company for the same $4 billion price (the apparent, standard price for beloved childhood icons).

There are always mixed feelings throughout the affected public after any two large companies finish purchasing and being purchased, respectively, but the news didn’t end there. The very same day that Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, they announced their plan to add another trilogy (and beyond) to the series. Episodes VII, VIII, and IX will continue the story of

the original trilogy from the 70’s and 80’s with new protagonists. They have further plans to introduce a new feature film every few years after their newly announced trilogy ends as well.

What does this mean for Star Wars? Fans have been vehemently debating it since the news hit on October 30th, but lets quickly take a look at what Disney did with their purchase of Marvel. To do this requires only two words: The Avengers. Though enjoyable, I personally did not find The Avengers to be a great film. In spite of my opinion, The Avengers broke box office records by millions of dollars on it’s opening weekend. It now holds the number three spot for top grossing films of all time, which, adjusting for inflation, would also be Star Wars: A New Hope’s spot as well.

In a time of rampant and uninspired sequels, perhaps Disney has given the world of entertainment a silver lining. I am hopeful that this new era of Star Wars will create a new generation of loyal fans as well as cater to the one’s from a long time ago.

“The very same day that Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, they announced

their plan to add another trilogy (and beyond) to the series.”

“In a time of rampant and uninspired sequels, perhaps Disney has given the world

of entertainment a silver lining.”

Photograph courtesy of Wisc.edu

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