YU Community Prepares for Arts Festival 2008

A common refrain heard while sitting in the cafeteria or studying in the library is how people wish that their stay in YU could be accelerated. Most YC students search the rulebooks to discover loopholes that would allow them to stay less than the full four years. This general apathy for learning outside the formal curriculum is what drives some people in the university to arrange for interactive programs to create interest in the eclectic learning opportunities that YU offers. Colloquia and discussions in YU are available to anybody interested in learning new things and interacting with their colleagues. And yet, few people take advantage of the various programs.

There seems to be some recognition of this trend in articles that have been written in The Commentator. Immanuel Shalev reported that he finds himself walking by these colloquia daily and doesn't "skip a beat." This is a trend followed by most of the student body. As YC student, Liron Gamzeh puts it, "If they don't have free food, why go?" Excuses for not being involved in the university's elective programs, run from "they don't interest me" to "I just don't have the time," both extremely valid arguments. Most YU students believe that their interests are closely tied to their majors or disciplines and any program not tailor-made to fit their predilections are not worth their time.

The YU arts festival that began on March 30, hopes to change that way of thinking for many of the students by getting them involved in the various arts. Elchanan Clingman is running the WILF campus department of the arts festival and has grand views for its success. He sees the most important aspect of the arts festival as "getting everybody involved." How does he plan on accomplishing this? Elchanan and the rest of the arts festival staff have arranged for ten days of the most eclectic forms of art possible. "There is something for everyone" seems to be the theme that Elchanan is stressing this year.

In that spirit, the arts festival team is working to set up an international film screening in Tenzer Garden on the WILF campus. For those jaded by the number of screenings shown at YU during the semester, there is going to be a short film contest with students entering silent films of two minutes in duration. Everybody is invited and encouraged to enter a film of their making.

Catering to the diversity of the students' background there will be a Sephardic event, with discussions about Sephardic culture set up in a Middle Eastern atmosphere. Also, there will be various shiurim leading up to and during the festival about art in the Torah and the rabbis' views on art in general, as well as a kumzitz workshop, for those of a more yeshivish inclination (and for others as well).

A little bit more off the beaten path, the festival team is working to set up a harmonica workshop to teach people the simple yet beautiful art of music. There is also an architectural aspect to the festival as there may be a tour of Muss Hall and its historical and architectural background. For those who like to be in the limelight or just enjoy free food and entertainment there will be an open-mic night at Dougie Doug's, perfect for my friend Liron. Many other events, competitions, and discussions are being planned but have not yet been finalized.

The main event of the arts festival is the gallery which will be an opportunity for the art students to exhibit their art. This art will include photography, sculptures and drawings, and is headed up by Yitzy Feigenbaum who is collecting the art for display. The aim of the gallery is to give students in YC, and specifically in the arts department, the chance to feel accomplished about their work and for the student body to truly be able to appreciate and create interest in the art department.

There are so many different events in the arts festival, that there will be things happening on both the Beren and WILF campuses at the same time. For those who are looking to find their artsy "bashert," a difficult choice will have to be made whether to attend the Beren or WILF events. Sort of like the seforim sale, the arts festival is an opportunity to mingle with the sophisticated colleagues of the Beren campus. Instead of sidling up to somebody at the seforim sale, glancing over at the cookbook they are perusing, and saying, "Do you enjoy cooking as much as I do?" students can now stare endlessly at a modern painting and say to the nearest person, "This reminds me of dark times mixed with lightness and a touch of sadness, sort of like a René Iché, Van Gogh, and Passantino all mixed as one" (something that cannot be done when looking over the latest Matisyahu CD).

There is a minority of students that believes that to round out their college experience they must dabble in a little bit of everything. These urbane forward thinkers understand the value of having a broader education. An argument that is made against art is that students just do not enjoy it. The students in the art class in YU gain an appreciation of art that helps them enjoy it. Like a good wine, a taste must be developed to open the mind to the more delicate intricacies of the arts. The goal of the festival is to offer that little taste to each student so that a better educated and more discerning student will result.