Arts & Culture

How the instruments play an important role in community-building   By RUMA POUDELL — arts@theaggie.org   In Western culture, drums are often connoted for their use in bands and other musical organizations. But within many South Asian communities, various drums play a much more intimate role, often responsible for bringing people together in different ways. […]

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more   By Adhithi Anjali — arts@theaggie.org   Book: “Vita Nostra: A Novel” by Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko, trans. Julia Meitov Hersey (2007) The Dyachenkos, a pair of married authors from Ukraine, warp conceptions of time and space by sending readers through the unsettling study at […]

Snobbish characters, disarmingly bold satire and endless culinary humor: Mark Mylod’s recipe for the perfect dark horror-comedy   By VIVI KIM — arts@theaggie.org   “The Menu,” starring Ralph Fiennes as an intimidating high-profile chef and Anya Taylor-Joy as his unimpressed customer, is a playfully dark commentary on class and restaurant culture. A majority of the […]

A step-by-step guide for making the most of your art-viewing experience   By SARAH HAN — arts@theaggie.org   Whether it is a sculpture or a painting, visual art comes in various forms. Regardless of the medium, many viewers overlook the specific and elusive parts of art; therefore, a step-by-step guide on how to view art […]

A deep dive into one of many incredible resources of the UC Davis Arts Department   By ANA BACH — arts@theaggie.org   On Nov. 17, I had the opportunity to check out one installation of the recurring Visiting Artist Lecture Series at the Manetti Shrem Museum.  The lecture was given by Christina Quarles, an artist […]

Breaking down the “obsessed prodigy” trope in popular films and television shows    By VIVI KIM — arts@theaggie.org   Out of all the popular character tropes seen in movies and television shows, one that never fails to paint an intriguing protagonist is that of the “obsessed artist.” This character typically exhibits some exceptional skill or […]

The Art Desk’s weekly picks for movies, books, television and music   By SARAH HAN — arts@theaggie.org   Song: “Blue” by Elina (2020) In honor of rising stars, I thought I’d highlight Elina, a Swedish singer who has co-written songs for Maroon 5, Hilary Duff and Zara Larsson. Out of her songs, “Blue” is particularly […]

Three short stories to immerse yourself in Indigenous art and media   By ADHITHI ANJALI — arts@theaggie.org   While we are all excited to relax over another long weekend this Thanksgiving, hopefully stuffed after a well-made dinner with family and friends, we should also take this time to engage with Native American-produced media.  During this […]

How the showing, as well as others at The Artery, impact the Davis community   By RUMA POUDELL — arts@theaggie.org   The Artery is an artists cooperative located in downtown Davis that features new fine arts and contemporary crafts from local artists every month. From Oct. 28 to Nov. 20, The Artery presented “Cuteware Celebration,” […]

The Arts Desks’ weekly picks for music, movies and more   By CLARA FISCHER — arts@theaggie.org   Book: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) Yes, this book is part of the much-disputed classical canon, and most people probably only know it from being forced to read it during their junior-year English class in […]

The list’s rise to fame is marked by triumphs, controversies and progress   By Sarah Han — arts@theaggie.org   TIME 100 is an annual list, compiled by Time magazine, of the 100 most influential people across the world. From celebrities to politicians, the list highlights individuals who have made a noteworthy impact in their fields […]

A special screening and artist lecture given by the director Xu Bing offers unique perspectives into the realm of contemporary art   By Vivi Kim — arts@theaggie.org   Editor’s note: Quotes attributed to Xu Bing were originally spoken in Japanese but were translated into English.   On Nov. 1, The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist […]