In the wake of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, Cherwell Broadcasting has been asking students and the general public what their views are on Trump, and what his tenure as president might look
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Who’s in the artistic power seat?
It is easy to feel ambivalent about the V&A’s appointment of Tristram Hunt to the position of Director. On the one hand, his appointment looks like more of the same, yet another man being appointed to the top job in a major national institution.
Sceptics might also wonder at the decision to select Hunt—a politician and a historian— for this role, his experience within the world of heritage and museums is, after all, rather limited. However, Hunt may in fact be an extremely prudent choice to take the helm of the V&A at this moment in time. Hunt’s experience in the political realm could be a real boon to the museum as it navigates the choppy-waters of post-Brexit Britain. Is he the right person for the job in the current climate?
Many will express dismay that a woman could not have been selected for this high profile position, especially given the gender imbalance in top-level appointments within the museums sector. According to a study by Arts Council England published in 2015, there are more women than men working in the UK’s major museums, with 58 per cent of the workforce being female.
Nevertheless, even a cursory glance over the names populating the list of members of the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC) will show you the disparity in the numbers of male versus female leaders in UK museums. The only major national museums directed by a woman are the National Museums of Northern Ireland, run by Kathryn Thomson. The others, such as the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Museum are overwhelmingly run by men.
However, it is not all bad news for female leaders in UK museums and galleries. Following the departure of director Julia Peyton Jones after 25 years of service, Yana Peel was installed at the Serpentine Gallery in 2016. Likewise, in January last year, Frances Morris—a curator at the Tate since 1987—was made director of the Tate Modern.
In more even more promising news from the Tate, Maria Balshaw, the current director of the hugely successful Manchester Whitworth Gallery, has been tipped as the favourite to take over leadership at the Tate from Sir Nicholas Serota. It looks, at least tentatively, as if tides are turning in the cultural sector, with more and more women rising to the top. Whilst Hunt’s appointment won’t do anything to change the status quo, at least it won’t stem this wave of progress either.
Where Hunt really could make serious headway is by being a strong advocate for museums, culture, and heritage, and their importance in the public domain. According to the Guardian, the previous director of the V&A, Martin Roth, resigned from his position as
a result of his “disillusionment at the Brexit vote.” One of the major concerns for the arts and culture industry is the security of their funding post-Brexit, in particular for regional development projects. With plans in place for developments in Stratford and Dundee, this will be at the forefront of the minds of the V&A’s senior management team.
In his constituency at Stoke-on-Trent, Hunt displayed his commitment to regional development by acting as a strong voice in the successful ‘Save Wedgewood’ campaign. The campaign allowed this important collection of UK ceramics, threatened with sale, to remain at the Wedgewood Museum, on loan from the V&A. Hunt’s political experience and contacts, as well as his familiarity with the media, will grant him a unique platform to raise the profile of the arts as a key sector in the UK economy, allowing for these important regional regeneration projects to continue. In its recent exhibitions, in particular the hit David Bowie retrospective, the V&A has proved itself a mover and a shaker in the museums world. Let’s hope that under Hunt’s tenure the museum continues to reach such heights of innovation and ingenuity.
Exclusive: reports debunked, Varsity confirmed to go ahead
Players in both Oxford and Cambridge’s ‘blues’ football teams have dismissed reports that the annual Varsity match is under threat due to a dispute between the two teams.
The Daily Mail this week reported that a debate over when to stage the women’s game was set to derail the entire competition.
Allegedly, Oxford University Association Football Club (OUAFC) wished to hold the men’s and women’s matches back to back in order to boost attention for the latter, while Cambridge University Association Football Club (CUAFC) were more traditionalist and thus wanted to keep the two on separate days.
They quote an “independent, high level” source as saying: “‘Such are the ructions going on, there’s a possibility the Varsity match will not take place and there could be resignations on both sides. It’s got very personal.”
However Gerda Bachrati, captain of CUAFC Women’s Blues, disputed the Mail’s account, telling Cherwell: “Despite having a natural and traditional rivalry, both clubs were able to unite in an effort to reach their collective goal of finally holding the women’s varsity match on an equal level to the men’s.
“The Daily Mail article is false and discredits the hard work put in by the committees of both clubs.”
Varsity football has struggled to find a permanent home, being most closely associated with Craven Cottage.
The fixture was held at Old Wembley between 1952-1953 and 1987-1988 and has been held at many venues, including Abbey Stadium, the home of Cambridge United FC, and Highbury, Arsenal’s former ground.
Cian Wade, acting OUAFC Men’s Blues captain confirmed: “OUAFC are very pleased and excited that the game has now been agreed for Sunday the 19 March at the Hive as a double header!”
The Hive, home of Barnet FC, has a capacity of 5,176. Barnet, 9th in Sky Bet League Two, officially moved into The Hive in July 2013. It hosted international football in March 2015 when England U20 drew 1-1 with Mexico U20.
The matches will mark the 132nd men’s Varsity, and the 32nd women’s Varsity. Last year’s fixtures were both won by Oxford, with the men’s match held at Fulham’s Craven Cottage finishing 2-0, while OUWFC narrowly edged out Cambridge 1-0.
Review: ‘La La Land’
Usually, “they just don’t make ‘em like they used to” is something you expect to hear from a grumpy old man on a park bench complaining about Toblerone shrinkage, but I’ve been hearing it increasingly from people about movies too. In the age of superheroes, CGI, and sequels to everything, where are those old-fashioned movies that moved and inspired us in the golden days?
La La Land is a sincere and heartfelt attempt to recapture the magic of a bygone era: it’s an original musical, filmed in Technicolor Cinemascope, starring two of Hollywood’s most charming actors in the lead roles and featuring a truly toe-tapping soundtrack. It’s no accident that these features sound like they came straight out of the 1950’s—yet the film’s capacity to surprise should not be underestimated after reeling off such familiar ingredients.
The film’s opening dance number is spectacular and fantastically fun, and sets the tone with an ease and a grace, which belies the high-wire act it’s performing. This is a very sure-footed film, fully aware of its cinematic heritage (even explicitly name-dropping Casablanca at one point), yet resolutely remaining its own thing: balancing old-fashioned cinematic notions with a recognisably 21st century outlook, with neat touches such as an extended 1950s-style romantic dance number being brought to an end by an ill-timed iPhone alert. Whenever the film threatens to become saccharine, hints toward a melancholic, harsh undercurrent keep things grounded and engaging.
The film is very aware of its own sweet nature and inherent nostalgia, thematically playing with ideas about respecting tradition, while also creating new stuff, and exploring the trials and triumphs of attempting to fulfil artistic potential. The film is a love song to creativity in its many guises, explicitly spelling out its philosophy in one of its more powerful musical moments: “Here’s to the ones/ who dream/ Foolish, as they may seem/ Here’s to the hearts/ that ache/ Here’s to the mess/ we make”.
The performances from the whole cast are fantastic. Ryan Gosling doesn’t do much here we haven’t seen him do before, but he’s one of Hollywood’s favourite leading men for a reason, dispensing charm and charisma in spades. Emma Stone’s performance is beautifully judged, and the chemistry between the two is engaging and carries the film almost effortlessly. Both commit themselves admirably to their dance numbers, and Justin Hurwitz’s soundtrack contains some truly wonderful tunes for them to sing, with Stone in particular lending her vocals to many of the films more memorable emotional songs with great impact.
Damien Chazelle does a stellar job in the director’s chair, building on the goodwill generated by his previous film, the Oscar winning Whiplash. Justin Hurwitz’s score is so good you’ll be downloading it on your phone before the credits have finished rolling, and a special shoutout must go to cinematographer Linus Sandgren whose weightless, floating camera lends an ethereal grace to everything from the large-scale dance numbers down to the most intimate small scenes.
The whole film is almost one continual highlight—I laughed, I cried, and I was ultimately moved almost beyond words. I know it’s only January, but if this isn’t the best film that comes out this year, then this is going to be a pretty incredible year for film.
Protesters gather in Oxford against Trump’s inauguration
On Friday 20 January demonstrators assembled outside the Carfax tower in Oxford to protest the inauguration of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump.
The demonstration was attended by around 40 people and organised by the campaign group Stand up to Racism. Similar protests have been held across the country today.
Ian Mckendrick from Stand up to Racism said: “Trump’s hate speech has helped to create a climate where Black, Latino, Muslims and women can be treated as objects of abuse. When one of the most powerful people in the world can make these pronouncements there is a risk these dangerous attitudes will become normalised.”
The organisers of the rally lead chants such as “racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump cannot stay” and “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”.
McKendrick added: “Trump has a long history of racist outbursts. He has said ‘laziness is a trait in blacks’, described Mexican immigrants as ‘criminals’ and ‘rapists’, and condoned the beating of a Black Lives Matter activist at one of his rallies. He has also said women should be “punished” for having abortions, and chillingly sought to downplay the severity of sexual violence, dismissing boasts of sexually assaulting women as ‘locker room talk’. He has also indicated he might act to overturn rights to same-sex marriages.”
Catherine, a local resident who attended the march, said: “Trump is the epitome of many things against equality and I’m a socialist. He is a very dangerous man in many ways.”
OUSU condemn Trump presidency
On Wednesday evening, the Oxford University Students’ Union (OUSU) council voted to oppose the policy platform of President-Elect Donald Trump.
The motion to oppose President- Elect Trump was debated for over an hour, and passed with 37 in favour, 11 against, and four abstentions. The official proposition claims that some of the President’s policies during the election campaign of 2016 “represent a grave threat, especially to people of marginalised and disadvantaged… communities.”
Opposition to the motion was wide-ranging but ultimately unsuccessful. Some asked for the Council to wait until the administration was in office enacting policies. Others claimed that the council should not attempt to involve itself in US national politics.
St Anne’s second-year Thomas Zagoria, who proposed the motion to OUSU Council, told Cherwell: “I proposed this motion because, having lived in the US and having friends who are undocu- mented immigrants and from other marginalised groups, I didn’t want Trump’s rhetoric and policies to be normalised and legitimised, which will happen if people don’t actively speak out.
“While I recognise some emphasise respecting the office of the presidency, I also think America especially has a history of change emanating from below, from people standing up for others in their communities through civil disobedience and peaceful pro- test. That history also needs to be respected.”
President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place today at 5pm GMT, a ceremony in Washington followed by inaugural celebrations.
Justin Wang, a first year student at Hertford college told Cherwell: “Whether one accepts it or not, Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States and trying to stymie him is undemocratic. Denouncing a leader before he has even taken office benefits no one. It is best to give him a fair chance, like we would have for Clinton, before we pass judgement.”
This news coincides with ‘Oxford Stand Up to Racism’’s planned protest against Donald Trump today at 5pm.
Breaking: Woman killed in “chemical incident” on Magdalen Road
A woman has been killed in a house on Magdalen Road in what Thames Valley Police are describing as a “fear for welfare” which may have involved chemicals.
The road in East Oxford was cordoned off by emergency services following the incident, which reportedly happened around 8am this morning. Neighbours were evacuated and others were ordered to stay indoors.
Police have confirmed a woman, believed to be in her 20s, was found dead inside a property.
Magdalen Rd is currently closed while police, fire & ambulance deal with a fear for welfare incident. Will update when the road is reopened.
— TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) January 20, 2017
Duty Inspector Paul Coleman told the Oxford Mail the death was being treated as “unexplained” but not suspicious.
Police and the Fire Brigade are still currently on the scene. Firefighters wearing chemical protection suits are still going in and out of the building, although the house has no externally visible structural damage.
A fireman told Cherwell: “It went bang.”
The road was closed for three hours and reopened at 12:30pm in the morning. Police say an investigation into the events is ongoing.
@TheOxfordMail Any idea what's going on on Magdalen Road this morning? pic.twitter.com/1wzXx8UwsL
— Catherine (@catherine_farf) January 20, 2017
Motion condemning NUS Vice President withdrawn from OUSU council after “conspiracy” claims
A motion put to Wednesday’s OUSU council to condemn Richard Brooks, the NUS Vice-President at the centre of an alleged plot to oust its President, was withdrawn after heavy criticism from Oxford Jewish Society (J-Soc).
The motion called for the resignation of Brooks, following Al Jazeera’s publication of hidden camera footage which allegedly shows Brooks admitting to efforts to unseat NUS president Mattia Bouattia.
Al Jazeera also claims that Brooks colluded with Israeli Embassy officials in his effort to remove Bouattia. Brooks referred himself last week for investigation by the NUS UK Board.
The motion, which asked OUSU to call on Brooks for a full apology, stated: “This incident takes place in a climate where student activists, NUS, and the NUS President have been systematically undermined, attacked, and harassed for expressing support for Palestinian rights.”
It said that the actions of Brooks have brought “the Union [NUS] as a whole into disrepute”.
In a statement, Oxford J-Soc described the motion as “disturbing”, stating: “It takes a conspiratorial video series and deduces further conspiracies from it.”
J-Soc claimed the motion aimed to “undermine the allegations of anti-Semitism that Bouattia has rightly faced and failed to adequately respond to. The pressure which has been placed on Bouattia by our own student union, who recently called on her to apologise or resign, and student leaders including Brooks should not be cast aside or undermined by this claim.”
The motion was later withdrawn from the council by its proposer, Sean O’Neill, who said in a statement that he intended to wait for the result of “investigations and enquiries” into Brooks’ actions by the police and other public authorities.
The Al Jazeera’s investigation claims that Brooks and Rob Young, also a NUS Vice-President, were funded by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) to travel to Israel.
Neither declared the trip to the NUS national executive council, which may violate the body’s affiliation with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.
Brooks has rebuffed the charges of conspiracy and receiving Israeli government support—calling them on Twitter “overextended with no proof”—while defending the right to publicly oppose Bouattia’s presidency.
“I, like every other elected officer in the NUS, politically organise,” he told Huffington Post UK last week.
Brooks, on social media last week, wrote: “I hope that a swift and thorough investigation can assure the membership that I have done nothing wrong and that the constant hounding by the press and others will end.”
“After two years of NUS I’m unfortunately not even shocked anymore by the way people conduct themselves in real life and on social media.”
Brooks denied Cherwell’s request for further comment, citing the ongoing NUS investigation.
OUSU, in a statement posted online, stated that it was “disheartened”, criticising the “toxicity” and “in-fighting” revealed by Al Jazeera’s report, though it stopped short of calling for his resignation.
“We are disappointed to see an officer supposedly responsible for supporting union development and democracy of the national body working to disable the NUS by planning to oust a democratically elected president.”
Campaign director for the Union of Jewish Students, Josh Nagli, denied accusations that his organisation conspired with the Israeli government, writing on Twitter: “The insidious suggestion that Jewish students […] conspire with or take direction from Israeli officials, is grossly offensive.”
UJS and others have accused Mattia Bouattia of anti-Semitism in the past, after she characterised Birmingham University as a “Zionist outpost for higher education” and repeatedly referenced “mainstream Zionist-led media outlets”.
She has, however, maintained that she remains committed to fight racism “in all its forms”.
A NUS spokesperson said: “NUS takes these allegations seriously, we are looking into them and, when we have all the information available, the behaviour of NUS officers will be reviewed and appropriate action taken.”
Head to Head: World XI
The UEFA 2016 team of the year was dominated by La Liga BBVA stars; Champions League-winning side Real Madrid made up more than a third of the squad.
If the world was to face an outrageous extra-terrestrial football team today, what players would you choose to have on your staring XI?
Karl Frey’s World XI
I have gone for a 4-2-3-1 formation, which I believe accommodates the perfect balance of attacking and defensive talent.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
In goal it was a very easy decision. For me, Manuel Neuer is the best goal keeper of this generation. Some might argue that De Gea is a better shot stopper and others will tell you that the experienced Buffón is better at organising his backline. Whatever. Neuer is the simply world’s most complete goalkeeper.
Centre Backs: Diego Godin and Matts Hummels
As a centre back pairing I have chosen Diego Godin and Matts Hummels. Defensively, these are a class above Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique. I am willing to make a bold claim in saying that Godin is the best centre back I have seen since the likes of Fabio Cannavaro and Carles Puyol at their peaks. The Uruguayan captain is the keystone of the Atletico Madrid back line; one that never seems to underperform. Hummels has shown his consistent quality throughout his years at Dortmund, Bayern Munich and with the German national side.
Left Back: David Alaba
As my left back I have gone for David Alaba. The Austrian is arguably the most polyvalent player in today’s game, also playing at centre back, holding midfield and left wing. However, this may now change after Pablo Zabaleta proved to be unstoppable at a central midfield position against West Ham in the FA Cup tie last week.
Right Back: Serge Aurier
As my right back I have chosen an underdog. In my opinion, football currently lacks a world class right back. As Dani Alves’ and Philip Lahm’s careers are coming to an end, Serge Aurier has emerged as a growing talent. I am a big fan of full backs that play with a lot of freedom and don’t hesitate to move forward. And that is exactly what the PSG right back provides to my unstoppable XI. In my opinion, Jerome Boateng is too slow to cover that position.
Centre Mids: Marco Verratti and Sergio Busquets
My Centre Mid pairing consists of Marco Verratti and Sergio Busquets. The defensive mid-fielders have incredible passing abilities with a pass completion rate of 90% and 92 per cent respectively this season. The turning point in Verratti’s career came when former PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti scout- ed the Italian at Serie B side Pescara in 2012. Ancelotti fell in love with him and Verratti has been crucial to the success of PSG since. Sergio Busquets has been the first name on the team sheet for 7 consecutive years, of one of the greatest teams in the history of football. That’s all that needs to be said.
Wingers and no.10: Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi:
Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann and Leo Messi appear on both my team and the UEFA 2016 squad. Can’t argue with that. The FIFA Ballon d’Or finalists bring out the beauty of modern football like few others in the game.
Attacker: Luis Suarez
As my (all out) striker I have chosen Luis Suarez. I am still highly perplexed about his absence in the UEFA 2016. In the 2015/2016 season, the Uruguayan scored 53 goals (including 7 hat-tricks) and provided 21 assists in only 49 games for FCBarcelona. If that’s not world class I don’t know what is.
Charlie Gould’s World XI
I have opted for a 3-4-3 formation. This formation is the new fashion item in football. Popularised in Italy by Juventus, it has now been brought over to the Premiership by Conte who has transformed Chelsea into easily the best team in the league. The formation allows a team to both de- fend solidly with five defenders and then break forward with more numbers than most other formations allow.
Goalkeeper: de Gea
De Gea has become the best goalkeeper in the world, almost singlehandedly keeping Manchester United within the top six over the last couple of seasons.He is good with his feet which has become extremely important for goalkeepers in the modern game.
Defender: Pepe
Winner of the Champions League and the Euro’s last year Pepe has matured like a fine wine from a hot-head defender who could not be relied upon into a passionate, reliable centre-back.
Defender: Godin
The captain and leader of Atletico Madrid, a team that has recently broken through the duo- poly of Spanish football and have now reached two champions league finals in three years. He is unbeatable in the air and has a cool, calm person both on and off the field.
Defender: Boateng
Despite being sat down by Messi in the Champions League semi-final, Boateng has become Bayern Munich’s main man in defence as Lahm has grown older. Solid in the air and on the ground, Boateng is physically strong and not often pushed off the ball.
Midfielder: Hazard
This Belgian wizard can cast spells onto any defence. After a disappointing season last year, he has been rejuvenated under Conte and is one of the key reasons Chelsea have equalled the longest winning streak in a Premiership season.
Midfielder: Modric
Outstanding vision and passing ability are what truly define this Croatian playmaker. At Real Madrid, he has become a versatile player who can calmly bring the ball out of defence and into attack.
Midfielder: Kante
The most underrated man in football, this running man was the stand-out star of 2016 for me. After winning the Premiership with Leicester it is no surprise that since his move to Chelsea they are now top of the table.
Midfielder: Pogba
After an amazing season with Juventus, Pogba became the most expensive player in the world when United bought him for £89m. Pogba has shown during the Euro’s, and recently for Manchester United, that on top form he is virtually unstoppable.
Attacker: Messi
What is there to be say? He is the best player in the world now and maybe ever! He glides around the pitch, can nutmeg a mermaid and his goal scoring record needs to be seen to be believed.
Attacker: Suarez
For me the best out and out striker in the world right now. He scored the most league goals in 2016 and recorded the most league assists showing that he can do far more than just aim and shoot.
Attacker: Ronaldo
The perfect athlete, Ronaldo deserved his Ballon D’or this year by guiding Real Madrid to the Champions League title and then winning the European Championship with Portugal. It has been eight years since Ronaldo’s first Ballon d’Or, exemplifying his incredible longevity at the top of his game.
Old&New: Pascal Pinaud, Granny’s modern rival
Sometimes traditions are better left aside in order to make place for real comfort and practicality. This thought, which I weakly argue is taken directly from the good Modernist’s Bible, is often my last barrier against an over-enthusiastic Grandma’s generosity at Christmas.
The affection, meticulousness and varying amount of skill put into the knitting of the infamous Christmas jumper all appear in Pascal Pinaud’s short series of woolly installations.
Humorously, the Southern French artist cites the feared but painfully recurrent gift in three untitled works which altogether took him and a team of specialised craftsmen seven years to complete.
Currently exposed among the artist’s very diverse works—from large sheets of reused and spray painted aluminium to an installation of neon aureoles—in the Maeght
Foundation’s Sempervivum exhibition, these mock-canvas creations use a combination of the typical patterns of knitwork and crochet with patches of striped industrial textile for a heterogenous, disorganised look.
If the irregularity of the knitting, which leaves gaps and sometimes skips a knot or two, seems rather familiar, the two large openings at the centre of one of the works are too similar to sleeves for the resemblance to simply fade.
By placing this feature and other motives of traditional patchwork on the wooden frame supporting the wool, Pinaud invites the visitor’s eye to be attracted against its will to something it knows all too well.
Thankfully free of reindeer or any other recognisable figure, the untitled knits work each work around one base colour. Super- imposed onto this are clashing flashes of bright thread, red, pastel blue and pink, and orange making the outcome a serious rival to any octogenarian’s handiwork.
The series fits in happily with the rest of the artist’s playful work with cheap, common materials, copying directly and without questioning the aesthetic fail