The Zine Scene
Flowers and fragments of faces were sketched in muted colors with charcoal and overlaid with text. In the mini narrative, artist Jasmine Guerra likens herself to a garden of flowers. Although some are wilting, they still make up the garden, just as her flaws do....
Lost Identities of the Hijab
For Nur, the hijab is liberation, not oppression. For Dian, the hijab is about having a connection with God. For Mahsa, religion is not something to be worn but practiced, and for Arwa, her commitment to the hijab surpasses fear of harassment in the wake...
Uncertain Attraction
In the space between a committed and casual relationship is a gray area where “hooking up” exists. It’s a place where being coy instead of straightforward creates missed connections and lost opportunities. “Hooking up” is an ambiguous term that can refer to anything from passionate...
Northern Bound
Three bands, three cities and vigor to exceed the boundaries of the music industry took the Catalyst Atrium stage on Friday night — all in the name of rock ‘n’ roll. “For the funkiest part of Northern California, Santa Cruz, this song’s called ‘Drive North,’”...
A Holiday to Reflect
“Blood bursting from the seams of our American dreams like the final rapture — yet the only revelation I have come to is realizing my voice is like the second coming,” said Rainbow Theater member Missy Rae Magdalera, as she recited her poem. “Like a...
A Digital Universe
“Can you imagine organizing on the internet to save your building, stop a war or start a labor movement?” A digital 9-year-old girl urges viewers to consider the possibilities the “world-wide web” has to offer. This fictional character is one of three hosts in the...
Recurring Motifs
On the outskirts of the Felix Kulpa Gallery and Sculpture Garden sits Michael Leeds’ “Junk-yard angel,” a motorcycle-shaped sculpture composed entirely of found materials. Leeds uses scrap metal he collects and melds himself, but also incorporates miscellaneous household objects such as toasters, vacuum cleaners and...
LEDs Over Ivory Towers
When the sun set on downtown Santa Cruz last Friday night, local artists and organizers replaced the darkness with bright lights, interactive digital art exhibits and genre-bending performance art. The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) transformed into an alternate universe for GLOW:...
Dirt, Drones and Cowboys
“When public toilet seat is warm from previous ass, do you become comforted or leap off in fear?” Experimental poet CAConrad posed this question to an audience of creative writing students and faculty members at the Humanities Lecture Hall last Thursday night. It was one...
Snaps and Slams
Tucked into a hallway next to Cowell Dining Hall, you’ll find people hungry for more than just food. There was a full house on Wednesday night inside Stevenson Fireside Lounge — a hidden community of kindred spirits eager to devour poetry. About 90 students and...