Arts & Culture: A Reflection
Three years ago, I wrote an article titled “Arts & Culture: Welcome!,” reviving a section of The Commentator that had lain dormant for nearly ten years. In that article, I described two functions of art: the role that criticism plays in enhancing art and the need for art criticism to have its own space. I ended the article by expressing my “hope that we can build a thriving artistic community within The Commentator’s hallowed pages.” Today, I am proud to say that Arts & Culture has achieved its goal of providing a dedicated space for artistic and cultural criticism in The Commentator, and that section will continue next year, with Daniella Karp serving as Senior Editor.
When initially planning on launching the section with fellow editors Rebecca Guzman, Rivka Krause and Sam Weinberg, the endeavor seemed simple. However, writing that first article turned out to be more difficult than I had predicted. As I languished in the Englewood Public Library, dragging myself through the “Philosophy of Art” entry on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, I felt as if the whole project was a futile endeavor. How could I launch a section and motivate others to write if I could not even get this introduction done? Nevertheless, I managed to get that article done, and, with the help of fellow editors and contributors, the Arts & Culture section has since attempted to publish two articles per edition (my article was published alongside a brilliant article about Mary Oliver by Rebecca Guzman).
I cannot say that writing has become a less arduous process since that initial article. Perhaps I have learned to handle frustration and writer’s block better, but I rarely have moments where an article just comes easily. There are numerous ideas written in my journal that have never seen the light of day, whether out of laziness or fear or dissatisfaction. However, I am happy with the articles I have managed to write, and especially with those I have helped others with, whether through editing or recruitment. Any article written and read is a testament to the students of Yeshiva University’s sustained interest in the arts and art criticism, which was my original goal in launching the section.
Writing articles, though often a difficult process, forced me to actually express any ideas or thoughts I had about a book, movie or play cogently; without writing, my thoughts are never quite fully formed. In that first article, I wrote that “critical analysis helps us understand art in a real, substantial manner, and this understanding allows us to revisit a work with greater appreciation and actually incorporate its message into our lives.” What I missed is that this translation process is especially necessary for the critic him or herself. Through this section, I was able to properly express my love for “The Godfather” films, my horror at “Television Logic,” and my admiration for the work of David Foster Wallace.
Besides allowing me to concretize my own thoughts, I’ve also seen the impact my Arts & Culture pieces can have, as they have extended beyond the YU bubble. One of the most striking moments from my time writing for The Commentator was when my David Foster Wallace article appeared in my Reddit feed, posted on r/DFW by a complete stranger. The idea that anyone outside my family and The Commentator’s most dedicated readers actually read my writing and found it interesting enough to share with others was both completely shocking and energizing, and demonstrated to me how our school newspapers can have more impact than I initially believed.
Beyond my own contributions, Arts & Culture has received contributions from others to write about their passions, whether books, movies, plays, museums, music and more. Keira Kahn, Adina Traube, Daniella Karp and Yosef Harkham especially have made brilliant contributions this year, writing articles with topics ranging from life lessons from the book “Tuesdays With Morrie,” bemoaning the Pantone Color of the Year, masculinity in modern cinema and a podcast’s lessons on attention. Such variety encapsulates the section’s vision as a space for free expression and artistic exploration.
Developing Arts & Culture into a stable section was obviously not done alone. Contributors and co-editors have always been there to support the section and help it thrive. Building up this section has been a collaborative enterprise, and I would like to thank Hadassah Reich, our amazing editor in chief, for always pushing me to recruit writers new and old for each edition, as well as Kayla Kramer, my co-editor, for always helping with recruiting and editing and in general being an excellent colleague. I am confident that Arts & Culture will continue to thrive for years to come, as there will remain a supply of and demand for passionate and thoughtful criticism in The Commentator’s pages.
Photo Caption: Writing articles, though often a difficult process, forced me to actually express any ideas or thoughts I had about a book, movie or play cogently; without writing, my thoughts are never quite fully formed.
Photo Credit: Angela Litvin / Unsplash
