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Month: November 2019

Opinion: Formula E is the future of motorsport racing

Formula 1 racing has a grand history, with masses of stars and sponsorship money, but its younger sibling, Formula E, might be the future.

To the untrained eye, Formula E cars look the same as Formula 1 cars but under the hood is where the differences lie. Rather than the fossil-fuel burning petrol engines, driven by Lewis Hamilton and others, they are powered by twin electric motors.

Alongside Formula 1, the sport is now held worldwide, not just in Europe like Formula 2 and Formula 3.

But why is this the future of racing?

Unlike in Formula 1, every racing driver is in the same base car (sponsorship and other additions make them look different), creating a sense of equality and fairness so the best driver can be revealed.

Formula 1 has been often criticised for being predictable because it is extremely likely that one of the big-hitters out of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull will win as a result of their superior cars.

Another plus point for Formula E is that it is free to watch on the BBC, unlike Formula 1, whose TV rights are held by Sky Sports.

“But what about the noise?”, yell the fans of the traditional sport.

Fear not, the cars still roar around the track despite their electric engines.

Though it has the potential, Formula E is still a baby in the sporting world. Formula 1 is sure to keep all of its money and stars and, as a result, it will prove a difficult fanbase to swing around.

The likelihood is that, as we keep looking for more environmentally friendly options, in order to save the sport, electric racing will gradually gain more power and credibility. The Formula 1 Group keep updating the rules of racing to try and make the sport more exciting, but this is often without success.

Formula E, on the other hand, is extremely exciting and has proved very successful in the UK. In the most recent e-prix, Britain’s Alexander Sims won the 2nd race of the season after his compatriot, Sam Bird, won the first.

A noticeable name in Formula E is Stoffel Vandoorne, who has raced in Formula 1. This shows that Formula 1 drivers are interested in the sport, adding a certain pedigree to the competition.

In summary, Formula E has the potential to be the future of motor racing, but this is not a change that will happen overnight.

Brutal knockout from Deontay Wilder sets up Tyson Fury rematch

It was repeat rather than revenge in Las Vegas, as the WBC heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, floored Luis Ortiz in the 7th round on Saturday 23rd November. In doing so, the ‘Bronze Bomber’ became only the sixth man to successfully defend his heavyweight belt ten times, with all eyes now turning towards a clash of the ages with Lineal champion Tyson Fury.

Having got the better of his Cuban opponent late on in a New York bout last March, Wilder once again sent shockwaves throughout the heavyweight division with another display of his explosive punch power in the world capital of boxing.

This came after the Alabaman fighter was outclassed for much of the encounter. The veteran Ortiz showed every ounce of his experience in the early rounds, causing Wilder problems to the body from his southpaw stance. Wilder was patient, however, and waited until the end of the 7th round when he saw his opportunity to land his signature right hand straight. He connected explosively and Ortiz could not beat the referees count; this gave Wilder his 42nd win, with a monumental 41 victories by the way of knockout.

This was the final test for the ‘Bronze Bomber’ as he readies himself for one of the biggest fights in recent times againgst Tyson Fury. The clash is pencilled in for 22nd February although a venue is yet to be confirmed.

Fury, who hails from Wythenshawe, overcame underdogs Tom Schwarz and Otto Wallin to set up the much-anticipated rematch in early 2020. The result of the first fight between the pair proved to be highly controversial. The Mancunian dominated the encounter, evading Wilder with seeming ease, landing more successful shots and winning the majority of the rounds. In the 9th and 12th rounds though, Wilder scored knockdowns, the latter which looked for the world to have finished Tyson Fury off. This late flurry from the WBC champion saw the fight scored as a split decision draw, much to the shock of many leading experts who had Fury ahead on points.

This is what makes the rematch so mouth-watering to the boxing world. There is bad blood between the two and, with neither of the pair content with the outcome of last year’s contest, both have scores to settle. Fury has the superior technique, head movement and footwork, but Wilder is seen as the best finisher in world boxing with power in his right hand that is unrivalled by any fighter in this era.

There is also so much on the line, with Wilder defending his WBC title, whilst Fury is seen as the man to beat in the division as the Lineal champion. On top of that, neither fighter will want to lose their unbeaten record, but as the old saying goes ‘someone’s 0 has to go’.

The winner of this fight is expected to go into another world class fight with the winner of the Joshua vs Ruiz scrap, which takes place in December, as the favourite. This fight could see an undisputed heavyweight champion who holds all the available belts for the first time since Lennox Lewis.

Searching for Beefheart in Berlin: A record store tale

It was in a record shop in Berlin — and, yes, I am cognizant as to the horrible cliché framing this whole piece — where the following took place:

I asked the curmudgeonly clerk how much his copy of Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica was — the copy, to be precise, that was sat nestled atop his glossy library of hazel-coloured crates of repressed vinyl.

‘€50.’

I had, however, misheard him.

‘€15! Oh, sound mate. I’ll have that one there please then bossman. Nice one, ta.’

‘€50!’

‘Ah — right — er — I’ll just nip out and get some cash.’

‘We take card.’

‘Er — it’s fine, mate. I might have that one already.’

My travel companion had sheepishly scuttled out. We had not left empty handed, though: my friend was very excitable as he managed to get his hands on a copy of Ronnie Laws’ 1981 jazz-funk LP Solid Ground. He later left it on a flight to Glasgow, though, where I’d like to imagine it is now in the hands of a disgruntled Glaswegian air traffic controller who developed a newfound love for overproduced ‘80s saxophone solos.

We went to a bar across the road and drank an over-elaborate pint of IPA and, whilst my mate was buzzing about his frankly bang average record, I checked Discogs for that Beefheart record. I felt like the worst person in the world. 

Though my anecdote is imbued with a hue of cynicism, record shops are things to be cherished. Interactions, both good and not so good (such as the above), are part of what makes the whole process of buying records so enjoyable.

Just make sure you don’t get ripped off by these super deluxe dusty basement recordings of CAN, Funkadelic, Zappa, Hendrix etc. where the likelihood is they were previously unreleased simply because the producer was too strung-out to set the bass levels right.

As for Berlin? You don’t need it, honestly. Manchester is a fantastic place to spend your time (and money) this Record Store Day: Black Friday. The Northern Quarter serves as a vibrant hub, combining a number of vinyl-hunting crate-digging subcultures including BBC 6Music dads, indie kids, and chin stroking jazz fans.

My favourite record shop in the Manchester area — also a perfect spot if you’re looking to escape the early December throng of the Christmas Markets — is SK1 Records in Stockport, with its plush interior and encyclopaedic selection of music.

Live Review: Emeli Sandé at the O2 Apollo

Emeli Sandé is an artist I have wanted to see for years.

Her debut studio album Our Version of Events is one of my favourites, so you can imagine how glad I was at the tour poster stating that she would play “all the classic hits”. I imagine this is because she doesn’t experience the chart success she once did, having swapped arena performances for smaller venues.

The opening act was Ben Monteith. He thanked Emeli for allowing an “unsigned busker” to go on tour with her. While not my type of music, I can’t deny the obvious talent. His voice was beautiful, and though his songs were emotional and, at times, solemn, he was both friendly and funny.

Emeli had four backing singers (two men and two women) and a live band. One of her male singers bravely took Labrinth’s place in the song ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’, and he did a fantastic job. She was also joined by Manchester’s own mental health choir, Bee Vocal, for an encore of ‘You Are Not Alone’, which she recently performed at the Royal Variety.

To begin the show, Emeli casually walked onstage and sat at the piano. It was such a simple entrance: Emeli is an artist, but no diva. She had no costume changes; her outfit was pretty but simple. The performance started a minute early, and she only left the stage for a few minutes before the encore. This created a chilled, relaxed atmosphere and allowed the audience to properly appreciate Emeli’s angelic voice.

However, she is not just a singer: she also knows how to perform. Emeli went from standing to playing to rocking her body and getting everyone into the groove, always welcoming, entertaining and charismatic.

It was lovely to see Emeli play the piano, which she did a few times, including the entire performance of ‘Clown’. However, this resulted in her having her back to most of the audience, except when she looked outwards. Similarly, when singing ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’, she faced her backing singer, which created an intimate vibe, but also resulted in much of the audience being unable to see her face.

Hits such as ‘Heaven’ and ‘Hurts’ sounded incredible. Emeli gave a groovy rendition of her song with Naughty Boy, ‘Wonder’, complete with flashing rainbow lights. Her performance of ‘Read All About it, Pt. III’, a solo version of her hit duet with Professor Greene, gave the entire audience chills. She finished the main act with a beautiful ‘Next to Me’. I wanted both to live in the moment and record the performance, so I could relive it vicariously through my phone.

I was disappointed that the setlist did not include the chilling ‘My Kind of Love’. I love Emeli, and this performance was wonderful, but she is not an artist I would need to see every time she toured. If she promises to sing ‘My Kind of Love’, however, then I might have to go back.

9/10.

Opinion: Jeffree Star thrives on beauty YouTube’s drama-industry

From top to bottom, the beauty community is a complete mess and has been for years. When I say ‘beauty community’, I mean a network of influencers, reviewers and ‘gurus’ who put out content on YouTube, Instagram or Twitter. What started as a place where people could connect with other make-up lovers has descended into a cesspit of never-ending drama. Backstabbing, social climbing, call-outs: given the sheer amount of controversies, spats and ‘shading’ that have occurred, following the drama often feels like trying to understand Game of Thrones from season eight. 

While this toxic behaviour can be put down to influencers hungry for the limelight, anyone with an interest in the community will know that most of its prominent figures have been ‘cancelled’ at one time or another. From lies over faulty products to accusations of racism and predatory behaviour, the ‘drama’ can be both extremely trivial and deadly serious. One of the community’s most controversial (and successful) figures is Jeffree Star. 

Star began his career on Myspace, posting music and blogging about life and fashion. When this was no longer successful, he put his life savings into a make-up company, Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Star originally joined YouTube to promote the brand, and has now amassed over 16 million subscribers, selling an estimated $100 million worth of cosmetics in the process. His most recent collaboration with fellow YouTuber Shane Dawson broke the internet, with many of his online stockists unable to cope with demand from fans.

Clearly, Jeffree Star’s make-up empire isn’t going away any time soon, but neither is the beauty mongrel a stranger to controversy, putting a rather big question mark over his success. 

Since he first rose to fame, Star has been dogged by criticism over insensitive and racist comments. Most were sourced from Star’s Myspace days, including a ‘skit’ in which he says he wants to throw battery acid over a black woman to lighten her skin. He has also faced allegations from former co-workers, who came forward with messages supposedly showing him using the n-word and calling fellow YouTuber Jackie Aina a “gorilla.” Star released a video in 2017 addressing his past behaviour in which he apologised for his language and told his audience that he was a changed person. 

The attempt to cancel Star didn’t really make a dent, however, and since then, he has gone from strength to strength. He was helped massively by his first docuseries with Shane Dawson (they have since done another), a look into his life and past which certainly softened his image. Considering many have been ‘cancelled’ for much less, is it surprising that Star was never made to account for what he said? No, not really. 

The beauty community is now known less for its make-up and more for the drama it provides. Beauty fans just love defending their ‘faves’, decoding sly tweets, and deep diving into influencers’ behind-the-scenes relationships. Drama channels are thriving on YouTube, with a whole sub-section dedicated to beauty-guru drama and its revolving cast of characters. People love drama, and Jeffree Star, when he is not the centre, will often give his opinions in the not-so-subtle way that fans thrive on. 

What is surprising, however, is that Jeffree Star didn’t get more of a backlash. While cancellations don’t really ‘stick’ in the beauty community, most influencers would expect to see a blip. Laura Lee, for example, was dropped from a number of beauty websites and lost half a million subscribers after her own racist tweets were brought to light. The biggest blip in recent memory came for James Charles, after a video exposing him was released by former friend, and fellow YouTuber, Tati Westbrook. He lost 2.8 million subscribers across a few days, one of the biggest drops in YouTube history. 

That’s not to say that being dropped and losing subscribers can’t be fixed with an apology video, filled with bare faces and (sometimes fake) tears, plus time for the outrage to die down. James Charles is back to being the most subscribed beauty guru on the site and Laura Lee, while not as prominent as she was, is still making videos while owning a relatively successful cosmetics brand. 

Maybe Star didn’t receive such a backlash because his own racist, inappropriate behaviour happened so long ago. In my opinion, however, Star’s immunity is a result of the money he makes and the power he has in the community. He currently enjoys a strong relationship with the brand Morphe. Given how lucrative their collaboration has been, faced with another scandal, I doubt they would drop him that easily. Even if he were to lose followers, his cosmetics brand is so successful, and of such high quality, that fans and brands alike would look past his behaviour a lot more readily than they would other influencers.

UoM scientists turn environmental waste products into high-value chemicals

Promising environmental breakthroughs have been made by scientists at The University of Manchester. Two groups of researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Manchester Institute of Biotechnology have developed ways to convert harmful waste products into useful chemicals.

The team from the Department of Chemistry has developed a metal-organic framework (MOF) that can capture the major toxic pollutant nitrogen dioxide and convert it to nitric acid. The MOF, referred to as MFM-520, is a small and very porous three-dimensional structure that can readily trap nitrogen dioxide gas inside.

Nitrogen dioxide is a harmful air pollutant that is released when fossil fuels are burned, particularly from car exhausts. The pollutant is a major cause of bronchitis, asthma, cancer and heart problems, and approximately 1,200 deaths per year in Greater Manchester can be linked to the pollutant.

Alongside removing the harmful pollutant from the air, using MFM-520 to convert nitrogen dioxide to nitric acid could be very profitable. Valued at $2.5 billion in 2016, nitric acid is a high-value chemical that can be used in agricultural crop fertilisers, nylon and rocket propellant.

“This is the first MOF that can capture and convert toxic, gaseous air pollutants into a useful industrial commodity”, said Dr Sihai Yang, a lead author and senior lecturer at the Department of Chemistry.

A team of researchers at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology have also recently developed a novel technique to produce a high-value chemical from waste products. Using waste plant matter from sugar cane and wheat straw crops, the biocatalytic treatment technique converts ferulic acid to the valuable coniferol.

Coniferol is a chemical building block for everyday products such as fabric softener, flavouring for foodstuffs and life-saving therapeutic drugs. The highly efficient process takes place in a single vessel and increases the value of waste plant biomass 5000-fold. The new technique is a promising alternative route to producing chemicals which are traditionally derived from petrochemical resources.

The production of biofuels, the environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, often produce large amounts of waste sugar cane and wheat straw biomass. The ability to convert these waste products into valuable chemicals offers the potential to increase the economic viability of biofuel-production from plant-based sources. These findings could help accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels to more sustainable and less harmful alternatives.

Childhood Trauma and the Increased Risk of Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterised by the formation of intense but unstable relationships with significant difficulty in controlling emotions and impulses. It can appear to others as major reactions to minor issues and can often be dismissed as a personality trait as opposed to a mental health condition.

Despite being named borderline, the disorder can be extremely debilitating to those suffering from it and has been linked to self-harm and substance abuse. It has been identified as requiring further research in order to understand the factors involved and find the best method of treatment.

The likelihood of developing BPD increases dramatically with experience of childhood trauma. In an international study involving over 5000 people, 71.1% of individuals diagnosed with BPD reported at least one experience of trauma as a child and, when compared to people without any mental health problems, were 13 times more likely to report childhood trauma.

Published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, the paper – Childhood Adversity and Borderline Personality Disorder: A Meta-Analysis – has concluded that childhood trauma is more likely to be associated with BPD than psychosis, mood disorders and other personality disorders. The link with BPD is particularly strong if the trauma involves physical neglect or emotional abuse, which have been reported by 48.9% and 42.5% of people suffering from BPD respectively.

The trauma taking place during childhood is particularly damaging, as the human brain is in a crucial stage of developing strategies to deal with everyday stress. It has been theorised that these strategies do not develop the same way when experiencing “chronic, overwhelming stress in childhood.”

Dr Filippo Varese, from the University of Manchester, commented: “People can become more sensitive to ‘normal’ stress. They are sometimes unable to deal with intense negative thoughts and feelings, and they might resort to dangerous or unhelpful measures to feel better such as taking drugs or self-harming.”

He has also expressed hopes that the findings of the studies described above will “underline the importance of trauma-informed care” for people accessing mental health services, where “prevalence rates of BPD are high.”

Mental health services in the UK are currently a prominent area of discussion due to differences in political manifestos concerning the NHS. Sean Duggan, chief executive of The Mental Health Network, has responded to the Conservative Party’s manifesto for the 2019 General Election by stressing the need for the government to provide financial support for trainee nurses “as workforce shortages are especially pronounced among mental health nursing staff.”

He has also stated: “If we are to make the improvements we know are necessary, the next government’s infrastructure plan must recognise the needs of the mental health sector and they must investigate ways of making it a more attractive place to work.”

Live Review: Sampa the Great

The gig venue rooms across the YES building have become a haven for a variety of artists, performers and bands, whether they are making their debut in Manchester or performing packed out, but still intimate, sets. From the traditional, live music-friendly basement area to the glossier, neon-bathed distinction of the Pink room – it really does appear that there is something to suit everyone’s tastes!

On this night, when the winter cold was just seeping into the air, it was refreshing to hear something that had a hearty, soulful warmth to it. At first glance it seemed that it would in fact be a quiet night – a DJ and a couple of quietly seated groups on the ground floor did little to suggest the energy that was yet to unfold.

However, upon entering the delightfully decorated Pink Room, it became apparent that the show had sold out. Lots of friendly faces were talking animatedly about the acts they were about to see. Almost immediately, I struck up a conversation with a group stood close to the back, who were keen to inform me that this was going to be the best thing I had seen musically all year. The hype really was in full swing from that moment on.

Sampa did not disappoint.

A resonating soundscape brought on a brightly adorned collective of backing singers, who encouraged the crowd to move to the rising beat. Next came the drummer and the pianist who brought the sound up to a climatic start, as the stunningly soulful and energetic Sampa The Great leapt into her show.

The Zambia-born, Botswana native has been creating a name for herself, with a vast discography that she has continued to develop since early 2015. Her music has a strong focus on self identity and her cultural influences, which are rooted in hip hop style beats and layered with a distinctive southern African sound.

This is seen directly in her live performances as she stops regularly between the tracks to talk to the audiences, building a presence in the room that has the strength and integrity to rival a full, four piece band. Her passion and personality really make her a force to be reckoned with!

As the evening progressed, the band and backing singers wove in increasingly more improvisation with incredible solos heard across the individual talents. It was clear that Sampa had a wonderful connection with them, as they moved through bright, jazz infused numbers such as ‘Freedom’ with a growing, gently established sound.

Sampa and her band have an intensity and variety in their sound which is wonderfully suited to live events, offering an impressive combination of vocals, ambitious instrumentals and active engagement with an audience who were left shouting for more.

8/10

Feeling the SAD winter blues

It’s that time of year again, where it’s dark at 4pm and you realise you’ve missed out on all the sunlight whilst sitting inside.

Because of the reduced sunlight in winter months, our regular body rhythms can become out-of-sync which can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder. Abbreviated to SAD, mental health charity Mind has described it as “having your own portable black cloud.”

It has been estimated that 1 in 3 British people suffer from SAD and research has shown that women and young people are more likely to experience symptoms of winter depression. The symptoms of SAD are varied, but not confined to: a lack of energy, finding it hard to concentrate, sleep problems, low self-esteem, feeling down, withdrawal and isolation.

The exact causes of SAD aren’t clear, although they have been found to be similar to those of other forms of depression. Current research highlights strong links between weather and well-being, most notably the effects of sunlight on our mood.

The sun is your best source of vitamin D, known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’.  Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium, maintaining the healthy bones and teeth. SAD becomes prevalent when vitamin D stores are low, because it also affects serotonin levels in the brain. Lack of sunlight contributes to low serotonin levels, an important chemical needed to regulate mood and social behaviour.

Melatonin is a hormone that responds to darkness by causing sleepiness and is the same hormone animals produce when they go into hibernation. The combination of decreased serotonin and increased melatonin during darker winter months can impact mood, making you feel lethargic and leading to feelings of depression.

In most cases, symptoms appear during late autumn and seem to be less prominent in spring or summer when the sunshine returns. That being said, some people experience an opposite pattern and have symptoms beginning in spring or summer, which end in the winter months.

There are many misconceptions surrounding the condition, and the existence of SAD can still be debated. But don’t brush off the winter blues if you feel a yearly pattern emerging, as the changing seasons can trigger a cycle of depression. Winter months can be a gloomy time of the year for everyone but suffering from SAD is more severe then feeling a bit glum because of the long evenings.

It is a hard concept to grasp that you feel like yourself for half the year and then feel depressive for the next couple of months. Opinion is often split on the validity of SAD as, while some people feel sunlight has an obvious effect on their mood, others are skeptical about whether SAD is a real medical condition at all.

While it may not be possible to book a sunny holiday in the depths of a dark and cold UK winter, there are steps you can follow to help minimise the effects of SAD:

  • Staying active by going out for a walk can help to manage the condition as it is important to get as much natural light as possible.
  • It could also be useful to keep a journal to recognise if your feelings follow a pattern, and practising mindfulness has been shown to help.
  • SAD can also be treated with Light Therapy, which involves using a type of lamp called a light box for thirty minutes to two hours every day. However, this has only been suggested as a short-term solution, and it is questionable if it is beneficial at all.
  • Try taking a Vitamin D supplement as this is also considered to help. But remember to get advice from your GP if you have any concerns about vitamin deficiencies and diet.
  • As our hormone cycle is not balanced due to the reduced light, it can be difficult to maintain a sleep pattern which can increase feelings of depression. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, and allowing yourself to get a good nights sleep, limit your caffeine intake in the afternoon as it takes your body four to six hours to digest caffeine.

If you’re suffering from SAD and the symptoms aren’t improving after taking preliminary steps through self-help, talk to your doctor or counselling service.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, then the University has plenty of resources. You can register with the university counselling service through their website. Alternatively, the Students’ Union Advice Service is located on the first floor of the SU with drop in sessions daily from 10am to 4pm.

Universities promise to minimise the impact of industrial action on students

The University of Manchester, alongside 60 other higher education institutions in the UK, is currently undergoing eight days of industrial action by staff over pensions, pay and conditions.

Universities have been advised to “minimise” the impact of industrial action by using teaching staff not participating in the strike to cover for absent colleagues and rescheduling lectures.

Last week, the University of Manchester and the Students’ Union gave a joint statement outlining that they “stand together in our determination to ensure that the impact on current students is minimised”.

In an open letter to universities on Tuesday, Julia Buckingham, president of Universities UK, said: “Universities will do all they can to minimise the impact of any strike action on students, their other staff and the wider community and they know that their colleagues contemplating strike action will want this too.”

She also warned that the demands of the University and College Union (UCU) would require the diversion of “unsustainable amounts of money” with “potential consequences for jobs, student support, course closures and larger class sizes.”

The UCU’s demands are that employers pick up the costs of recent increases in pension contributions, which are adding hundreds of pounds a month to pension bills for thousands of academics.

Academics involved in the strikes are refusing to pay for the 1.6% increase in the Universities Superannuation Scheme, the UK’s largest private-sector pension plan. The union estimates that changes to the pension could leave lecturers about £240,000 worse off in retirement.

Professor Wendy Olsen, Head of the Department of Social Statistics and an Executive of the UCU told The Mancunion that staff are not only striking in protest of pension changes, but also pay inequality, job insecurity and rising workloads:

“The reason is more than 42% of staff – which is 5,100 people – are on fixed-term contracts and that means they’re temporary. So if they are temporary, how can they work in teams? How can they collaborate effectively? How can they do excellent research? It damages our pride to know that universities think it’s normal to have so many temporary staff.”

Professor Olsen also highlighted concerns surrounding pay gaps as not only are staff on temporary contracts paid less, but there is also an issue of a gender and ethnic pay gap: “We do have a gender pay gap of at least 15% and it’s rising. We have a big BAME pay gap in this University on the staff so why not make an agreement?”

“I believe the managers and national bargainers should stay up all night and work weekends until they reach an agreement with the union nationally, because it’s a national pay scale so it’s a national strike.”

The UCU has urged staff not to cover for absent colleagues or reschedule classes cancelled because of strike action. A spokesperson said: “Universities should be putting their efforts into trying to resolve the disputes, not scouting for scab labour or threatening staff with over the top pay deductions.”

Some UK universities have taken more extreme measures to stop the strike affecting from university life by threatening to dock pay and pension contributions during the walkout. The University of East Anglia has warned that staff will be docked full pay and will receive no employee pension contributions for the days they are on strike.

The impact of the strike on students could spark compensation claims. The Office for Students (OFS) advises students who have had lectures, assessments and services disrupted to contact the University or Student’s Union to see if it is possible to make up for lost teaching. If industrial action is found to be a legitimate disruption, then students are entitled to apply for mitigating circumstances.

The UCU has not ruled out further action next term.

Live Review: Dragonforce at Manchester Academy

Dragonforce are a British power metal band, known for their extremely technical guitar work, fantastical lyrics, and retro video game inspired stylings. They rose to fame through the 2007 game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, where their song ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’ was regarded as the hardest song in the game and gave them infamy in the video game and guitar world. And so, going into the gig, I was curious as to how they had evolved beyond their Guitar Hero status.

McRocklin & Hutch kicked off the show with their shredwave sound, where melodic guitar passages are played over chilled out lo-fi beats. They were certainly a contrast to what would be expected from the high-octane performances of Dragonforce, but nonetheless they provided a relaxing opening to the gig — although their music was not particularly interesting or unique.

This was followed by the all-female Japanese power metal band Lovebites whose sound was certainly more in line with what you would expect from a Dragonforce gig; the crowd seemed to engage with them much more. Their doomy riffs and tight performances filled the venue much more than McRocklin & Hutch’s shredwave sound could, however, they lacked a little of the stage presence you would expect given the weight of their music. All five musicians stayed mostly rooted to the spot for their set and didn’t attempt to fill the stage in the way that their sonic atmosphere gave them free rein to do, and so their short set left me with a feeling it was lacking something.

Finally, the Dragonforce set commenced with a tension-building laser show that pierced the audience and set the retro atmosphere for their arrival. They started the set strong with the opening track from their new album Extreme Power Metal, ‘Highway to Oblivion’, and it was instantly clear that the band was as vigorous as ever. Leading up to the tour they had issues with finding a bass player, and so the touring bassist ultimately had to learn their entire setlist two weeks before the American leg of the tour, yet none of these troubles were reflected in their music. The rhythm section gelled together seamlessly, Marc Hudson’s energetic vocals showed no sign of strain from the tour and negotiated the higher passages of their songs with ease, and the lightning-fast dual guitar work of Herman Li and Sam Totman tore up the venue. It was clear from the outset that Dragonforce were on top form.

However, as they launched into their following songs, it became difficult to tell the difference from one to the next. When the band only has the one trick up their sleeve of insanely tight playing and ludicrously fast guitar solos, listening to a full gig of it soon becomes tiring. They also made no effort to eschew their guitar hero image, with Herman Li sporting a guitar which lit up as he pressed the frets for certain songs. The staging, with two retro arcade machines on either side, initially seemed to be an interesting use of space, but soon seemed to be much more of a distraction from their actual performance. Their set limped from one similar-sounding song to the next, with not much to differentiate the cheesy key changes and bland pop-inspired sound which was in nearly every song.

Despite all this, as they closed their main set, it felt as if it had been cut short, not least because they had failed to play their most successful song, ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’. Finally, after a very forced amount of time, the band slowly waltzed back on, and performed a very underwhelming cover of the timeless pop classic ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion, which fell in to the typical trap of most metal bands covering pop songs — simply playing the exact same song but through unfitting distorted guitars and at a far too fast tempo. Finally, they played ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’, which was undoubtedly their best song of the night, and certainly ended their set on a belated high note.

Despite all my gripes about the unvaried setlist and predictable encore aside, certainly, the most enjoyable part of the gig was seeing the crowd’s reaction. All the cheesy gimmicks of the retro stylings they have built themselves around really resonated with their fanbase and showed a certain nostalgia that I perhaps was missing out on. When the band took a break to show retro game system adverts, they loved it. When the singer took a guitar and started playing retro video game themes, they loved it. And seeing the floor shake as a roomful of people start jumping up and down to the intro to ‘Cry Thunder’ was certainly a powerful experience.

But the audience’s contrast of emotion in the next song was poignant as they all got their flashlights out to wave along to ‘Remembrance Day’, the power ballad of the setlist, was an emotional high of the show. The pantomime like call and response with the singer and the audience before the obvious encore seemed to be fully in spirit with the cheesiness that was to be expected from the rest of the performance. Some of the gimmicks seemed to even be rather interesting, such as Herman Li livestreaming sections of the gig to Twitch, tapping into a unique idea, and playing to their advantage by engaging with their fanbase which largely comprised of gamers.

Ultimately, the Dragonforce gig was nothing exciting; however what to me was a gimmick filled show of lasers and retro culture had a deep nostalgic connection to most of the audience which was in itself probably the most powerful feeling from the gig. The band seem to be fully embracing their video game roots, both through their music and through their set, and whilst this may exclude new listeners, they seem to have garnered an international fan base of dedicated fans with whom their music resonates and indulges them in their own nostalgia in what is ultimately a fun and harmless set.

6/10.

The Great Debate: What makes a liveable city?

Held at the Manchester School of Art, this year’s ‘The Great Debate’ as part of Design Manchester created conversation about The Economist Global Liveability Index which announced Manchester as the UK’s most livable city. The debate brought together a panel of individuals, including architects Dr. Stephen Willacy and Jo McCafferty, principal creative Ben Young, Patricia Brown, former chair of London Festival of Architecture, and Dr. Erinma Bell, co-founder of CARISMA. 

The debate invited questions from the audience such as “who are liveable cities for?”, “what is the future of the High Street?”, and “how do you define a neighbourhood?” The debate took a structured approach to answering these questions by analysing the root cause of the issues, with a common consensus being on affordable housing and housing for all. There was a huge emphasis on bringing together and supporting local communities and having certain areas allotted just for that purpose, with a major requirement being ‘green spaces’ because of the disconnect with nature that can occur in cities.

Are there truly any sustainable steps that we can take in modifying the architecture of the city? Willacy pointed out the problem of asphalt in creating dangerous environmental hazards especially with regards to their overuse in various redevelopment projects happening in the city. Attention was also brought to the contradiction of Manchester’s goal to have zero net carbon emissions when the construction of the Mayfield Park fails to address the social issues.

Maybe there is a future for Manchester in reforming itself to match its aim. Alongside creating its own identity and acting as a powerhouse in the North, the creative industry has grown exponentially with architects realising the potential in the city as it constantly develops while still being steeped with history. Whether this development can work alongside a sustainable future is difficult to answer, as discussed in the debate, but giving local individuals a chance to have a say in this process is a start.

Design Manchester 2019 conference: being a SMART creative

Design Manchester’s main event of the year, the SMART conference, had a varied lineup of individuals who came forward to talk about their experience in the design industry and their influences. With the backdrop of the Great Debate which discussed ‘What makes a liveable city’, Kasper De Graaf, producer of the Great Debate, said: “design can help address new challenges.”

The conference consisted of talks and panels by various creatives and also small exhibitions such as a lettering workshop conducted by Loz Ives. Extinction Rebellion’s creative directors Clive Russell and Charlie Waterhouse spoke about the climate change crisis and the support that they had received from the design community. They also mentioned the importance of people from commercial setting to “come forward as individuals and not representatives” to have an open conversation about such issues. Graphic designer and ANNA’s Chief Design Officer, Daljit Singh, emphasised the avoidance of flatness in the creative industry, and encouraged the audience to be “creatively brave”, saying “don’t try to solve world peace, but find an agile way to solve problems.” Other speakers included Neil Hubbard, Pfadfinderei and Cosey Fanni Tutti in conversation with Jon Savage. 

Photo: MSL Sanjana

Auriel Majumdar, Penny Lee and Tash Willcocks created a conversation about being pioneering and making changes alongside understanding boundaries in the ‘Design Smarter’ panel. Some of the most impactful discussions were about diversity and inclusion within the design community with the ‘Diffuse’ panel. Harris Elliot took a different perspective on this by drawing on his influences from his Jamaican background, especially with his recent project of bringing back the ‘rude boy’ culture, calling his designs “culture without compromise.”

One constant theme was simplicity and being ambitious as a creative, especially with technology substantially influencing how the design process now works, with Hansje Van Halem describing the impact of image sequencing on her patterns and the ease of creating environmental graphics with the Photoshop rendering as used by Paula Scher. The event was welcoming of the different skills that the designers brought to help them revolutionise the industry while making their impacts in their own fields, and truly showcased the individuality and the scope of design in the future. 

Protesters call for greater UK involvement in Hong Kong pro-democracy movement

Around 200 protesters marched in Manchester this weekend in support of pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong.  

The predominantly peaceful demonstrators, many of whom were masked, met in All Saints park near Manchester Metropolitan University to stand in solidarity with pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, which have been continuing with increasing violence since June 2019.  

The group headed north from All Saints to Deansgate and St Peters before moving into China Town where their calls for others to “Stand with Hong Kong” and “Fight for Freedom” were met with opposition from the largely pro-government community.  

It is not the first time the two sides have clashed in Manchester. A pro-democracy protest early in October received opposition from patriotic Chinese students resulting in the two groups being separated by police in the city centre. 

Protests in Hong Kong began in June in response to the proposed changes to extradition policy which would allow Hong Kong citizens to be tried in Chinese courts.

Protesters feel this move would threaten the autonomy of Hong Kong and violate the One Country Two Systems precedent which has been in place since 1997 and is expected to remain in place until 2047. This arrangement provides the region with a degree of independence from mainland China and also guarantees more rights for its citizens. 

While the bill to change extradition policy was withdrawn in September, protests have continued with increasing violence between activists and Hong Kong police.

Many demonstrators who protested this weekend were critical of the British government’s failure to support pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong and called for greater action from the government.

In a statement written by a group of Hong Kong Mancunians, the group claimed: “As one of the signatories (of the Sino-British joint declaration), the United Kingdom has an indispensable role in the maintenance of the integrity of the ‘One-Country, Two Systems’ principle and the promise to an unchanged way of life in Hong Kong for 50 years.

“With the PRCʼs blatant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, we most sincerely hope that the UK government can take a “much firmer line” against China and condemn the PRC for disrespecting its commitment and promise towards the maintenance of Hong Kongʼs autonomy”.

In response to calls for greater UK involvement, the UK Foreign Office told The Mancunion: “We remain seriously concerned at the situation in Hong Kong and recent violent clashes between protesters and the police”. 

The British government has stressed it’s “support for Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy as provided for in the joint declaration and our commitment to the principle of ‘one country, two systems’”, but have condemned violent action on all sides. 

Earlier attempts by the British foreign secretary have not been well received by the Chinese Government.

Raab’s attempts to establish contact with Hong Kong’s leader in August 2019 were quickly condemned by the Chinese government. 

Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry reminded British ministers that the days when Britain ruled Hong Kong were “long gone” and claimed the British government has no juridical right to intervene in political affairs in the Chinese region. 

Peachy bums and perky pecks normalise plastic surgery

With the rise of reality shows like Love Island, The Only Way Is Essex and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, among others, plastic surgery has become increasingly prevalent and normalised.

Is the constant presentation of unattainable and unnatural body images having a negative effect on society? Is our obsession with reality TV encouraging a generation of self-loathing rather than self-love?

When reality shows first rose to fame, they aimed at representing ‘real-life people’. However, take a show like The Only Way Is Essex for example, and these relatable people are somehow not real, and certainly don’t look like me. It is near impossible to find a cast member who has not had some form of surgery. Women will nearly always have a tiny waist, enormous breasts, enhanced lips, and peachy bums, whilst the men have six-packs accompanied by huge biceps. Such representations are not attainable because in most cases they are surgically enhanced. This is increasingly concerning considering that many impressionable audience members are adolescents, who feel these are realistic body aspirations, without anyone disclaiming that these are not naturally achieved.

Love Island attracted its highest ever ratings in July 2019 with a whopping figure of 4.7 million viewers and demonstrates that the show is receiving more attention each year. The obsession with Love Island is reinforced by the fact that there are now plans to have a winter edition of the show as well as the annual summer version. Yes the show is extremely popular and fans of the show probably see this as excellent news, but what are shows like Love Island saying to us?

In 2018 contestant Megan Barton Hanson was deemed as one of the hottest contestants. Megan has reportedly had over £25,000 worth of plastic surgery, although a leading surgeon has estimated this is probably closer to £40,000. There is a lengthy list of surgeries including breast augmentation, cheek fillers and chin reshaping to name a few, but Megan has said that her surgery made her feel more confident. Ellie Brown, another 2018 contestant underwent a breast augmentation after appearing on the show and it seems she also feels more confident for doing so. But what is this saying to women who have small breasts? Are they not womanly, should they not feel beautiful and confident too? Yes, plastic surgery may be the correct option for some people in helping their self-esteem. However, it is important to remember the unattainable financial cost – for many it may never be an option.

Is it problematic to have reality stars talk about serious issues so carelessly in the public domain and normalising these invasive and major surgeries? It’s important to remember there can be medical complications when undergoing plastic surgery, a risk that is never discussed openly by these celebrities. Such comments can be increasingly damaging to younger generations by suggesting that you will only gain such confidence through a myriad of surgical enhancements, and from Megan Barton Hanson’s list, we can see this can be extensive.

Men are also represented as having unattainable and perfect bodies. The men chosen for reality shows often have hairless bodies and six-packs. There has been a rise in male plastic surgery procedures with many opting to get fillers in order to get the desired masculine jawline. Some have even been getting artificial abs, whilst others have resorted to steroids to achieve these looks. A 2019 Love Island contestant, Curtis Pritchard, who unlike the other male contestants did not have a six-pack, teamed up with ‘Weight-Watchers’ after the show finished. What message is this sending to society? Is it suggesting that if you don’t fit the reality show look you should change yourself until you do? Having interviewed 4 male and 4 female University of Manchester students, they all agreed that they watch at least one reality show and that seeing the contestants makes them feel self-conscious about their own bodies and appearance.

It seems as a society the ‘Z-list reality star’ is a growing celebrity status that is here to stay. We’re becoming a society without imperfections, where seemingly if you don’t like something about yourself the solution is to surgically change it or put a filter on it. As a society, we need to do more to encourage self-love and body confidence. This can only be addressed by ensuring that the mass media is representing all body types, not just the unattainable ‘reality star’ look.

 

 

Review: Marriage Story

One of the major Oscar contenders has finally arrived in cinemas and is set to be released on Netflix on December 6th. Initially proclaimed by some as the modern Kramer vs Kramer, Noah Baumbach’s latest feature, Marriage Story, has received great responses from critics and audiences at festivals around the world and is now beginning to build a reputation amongst the wider public.

From its very opening scene, the film touches your heart. Here are two people who once cared for their love more than for anything else in the world, now in the process of mediating their separation.

Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are asked to write down what they did and still do appreciate about each other. From tiny habits to general attitudes, we are able to understand what brought them together and how genuine their feelings were (or maybe still are?). But all the negative emotions, the disappointment, and despair make it too difficult and painful to look on the bright side.

The divorce itself is an overwhelming process, but for Charlie and Nicole the fight is even more complicated as they must determine custody of their eight-year-old son. They are soon dragged into a court fight by determined lawyers and a ruthless law system.

Through a series of lawyers, played by Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta, we are provided with different approaches to divorce cases and how clients are perceived by profit-oriented law firms.

Although the plot summary might not strike you as being replete with optimism, Noah Baumbach does not want us to feel the same way all along. Apart from many masterfully witty dialogues and situational jokes scattered across the film, there are several comedic, almost slapstick sequences. Many supporting characters are written and played in a way to make us laugh or simply feel better.

Moving on to the performances, I think that I have never seen a more perfect ensemble cast than in Marriage Story. Adam Driver is the highlight of the film, in a role that will surely be counted as one of the best of the decade and may well give him his first Oscar win.

The number of scenes filled with such various strong emotions would pose a great challenge to every actor, and Driver proves that he should be considered one of the most prominent of his generation. Scarlett Johansson is better than ever before and Laura Dern steals every scene she appears in. Julie Hagerty as Nicole’s mother and Martha Kelly as a custody evaluator are among others also worth mentioning.

Marriage Story made me burst out laughing, only to burst out into tears moments later all the way through the film. I have never got as emotional in the cinema as I did while watching this film for the first time at the London Film Festival, and I felt the same way after seeing it again last weekend.

There are many films that leave you with a broken heart, as well as many that leave you happy and feeling well. But Marriage Story is one of the very few that manage to combine these qualities. Its intimacy, intensity, and universality provide you with a kind of emotional rollercoaster that you have likely never experienced before.

4.5/5.

An ode to the fleece

Men’s streetwear has seen trends rise and fall this year: expensive anime-inspired tech-wear is out, while colour-blocking and simple patterns are in. My favourite trend of the year, however, has slipped under most people’s radar: the return of the half-zip fleece.

Pertaining to the dad-core subcategory, fleeces have taken the minimalist streetwear scene by storm. They’re versatile, they’re affordable, and they can be subtle or stylish — let me break down these down.

Versatility: One of the easiest ways to get creative with your outfits is layering. Fleeces are a perfect choice for spicing up your outfit in the winter months, as they work with plain or patterned tees, and even a button-up shirt. The half-zip comes in clutch when you don’t want your underlayer to show, while an unzipped fleece can reveal extra colour

Affordability: My personal favourite fall/winter fleece is the Uniqlo Half-Zip. It’s soft, warm, well-cut — and it’s £19.90. If colour blocking isn’t your style, Uniqlo released a collaboration with Engineered Garments which features experimental designs at the same price as their monochrome offering. Most other fleeces I’ve seen rarely surpass the £50 mark, especially second-hand.

Style: Single-coloured fleeces with minimal or no branding are great for colour blocking, and will follow Shia LaBoeuf’s fashion philosophy of putting shape and fit above everything else. However, if you want to go wild and unique designs, go vintage shopping. Last winter, my friend and I were out thrifting and he found a playful ‘Nautica’ fleece for £20 — the piece is so rare that we haven’t been able to find photos of it online.

My love for the half-zip fleece isn’t blind: they do have their downsides. Although the zipper allows for ventilation, it can get stuffy wearing one indoors or under a thick jacket. You could always forgo the jacket and put a hoodie under the fleece, but if Mancunian weather has taught me anything, it’s that leaving home without a raincoat is not a smart move.

To avoid being sweaty or soaked to the bone, it’s essential to know when to wear a fleece. My preferred time is mid-autumn, as the high neck provides the perfect insulation from the occasional gust of wind while being less suffocating than a scarf. I’d also recommend wearing them in the coldest winter months, essentially any time that you’d go for a turtleneck but want a loose fit.

Come join the half-zip hype train: cheap, potentially unique, and great with a cap, jeans, and tall boots. You’ll be the coolest dad on the block — even if you aren’t a father.

CD Collecting: The next Vinyl Revival?

The Vinyl Revival is a well-known phenomenon by this point; by the mid-2000s, vinyl, an antiquated medium, had been all but entirely shirked by new formats such as CD and digital.

Its fate was sealed and people had moved on. But then they changed their minds and, collectively, started to return to it in their droves – what started as a novel counterculture can now, quite reasonably, be considered to be just culture. So, are the appeals of vinyl collecting transferable to CD collection? Will the next generation of freshers trying to impress each other be doing so with raids on Oxfam’s music collection and their early-2000s, antique CD players? 

Breaking the success of vinyl down, and placing it in today’s context, it emerges as the antidote to our time. Online music streaming is, at present, the most efficient means of discovering and playing new music – vinyl, by its nature, is inherently not. But the qualities that make it a less practical form of media make it a more enjoyable hobby; it’s bulky and cumbersome so it’s better to display, it’s got a lower-fidelity, warmer sound but it’s distinct to each pressing, and it’s harder to come by so it gives rise to hidden gems. In this vein, could CDs satisfy a present generation? 

I’m going to start by saying no. CDs are too much of a halfway house; they were a viable substitute before the advent of digital music but they’re not a timeless medium. The improvements posed by CDs over vinyl have all been achieved, and bettered, by digital streaming. In this respect, if one were to start collecting CDs in the way one collects vinyl, it’d be a step backwards. The fidelity that comes with CDs is comparable to the quality of most streaming services and it doesn’t bring a unique sound in the way that vinyl does. The album art is printed on thin paper and is harder to display. CDs were a pragmatic step but they are neither aesthetic nor efficient enough to have lasting appeal.

However, I think this is to see the phenomenon of music collection too calculatedly. People like what others don’t have; I am not afraid to admit (I am a little bit) that there is a major attraction to owning vinyl. The tangibility of an album and having it to hold is simply quite cool and many people admire it. Putting something on/in a clunky bit of machinery like a turntable or outdated CD player has a novel appeal to it and this is true of both mediums. Vinyl went into decline when it did because it had been bettered by the CD, but it returned because it had become fringe; the appeal of what is ‘underground’ will persist for very many people for a very long time. 

So, in this vein, as physical media sales continue to decline and a generation begins to emerge who have only ever known music streaming, the laws of the cultural universe will dictate that CD ownership will begin to become increasingly underground – and thus, attractive. Imagine the status CDs will attain in 10/15 years time. They’ll be relics of a different relationship to music; they’ll be remembered through old films and dusty attics just as vinyl was 10 years ago. Put this alongside the mass flows of CD collections into charity shops shelves that we’re going to see in the coming years and we could be at the cusp of a renaissance of rediscovering an old media format. I would add that I don’t think new CD sales will rocket in quite the same way that they have with vinyl, it’s still too impersonal a format, but all the benefits of crate-digging are transferable. 

I think when you’ve contextualised the idea, a boom in CD collection is not an unrealistic prospect. CDs and vinyl are not comparable forms in this regard and for that reason, the revival of their collections will not be born out of the same interests but it’s distinctly possible that CDs will pose to the next generation what vinyl currently does to us. Imagine how weird that’d be, having nostalgia for compact disk players. Until it happens, why not continue enjoying vinyl?

‘Art in Mancunia’ 2020

It was around this time last year, on a bitingly cold and dark Tuesday evening that Bella Jewell, the award-winning 2018/2019 Arts Editor for The Mancunion, announced her idea to put an end-of-year exhibition that explored student art.

No one knew or anticipated what was going to become of the passing comment that Bella made on that Tuesday evening. This idea, however, would establish a name for itself: ‘Art in Mancunia’. 

The word ‘Mancunia’ was incorporated in the exhibition name to yield to ideas of a ‘utopia’ – a place of creativity, openness, possibilities, and opportunities in the world of art. The premise of the exhibition is therefore designed to go beyond conventional formats of art, and give local student artists a platform to showcase their work through the Manchester Media Group (MMG). 

This is achieved in two ways. Firstly, through intimately exploring the art and the artists in written articles, and secondly by showcasing their work in a celebratory exhibition. This year’s ‘Art in Mancunia’ was held at the renowned Antwerp Mansion on the 9th of May 2019. 

‘Art in Mancunia’ 2020

‘Art in Mancunia’ 2020 combines an array of different teams within larger parts of MMG. These include Fuse FM radio, the Arts Section of The Mancunion paper, and a publicity team which is a hybrid of members from Fuse FM and The Mancunion design team. Yet, ‘Art in Mancunia’ engages students beyond the University of Manchester. Indeed, ‘Art in Mancunia’ works closely with Manchester School of Art students whose members have been integral to the publicity team, as well as a larger demographic of potential applicants. 

This year’s exhibition promises to be even bigger and more exciting, as it will also include a fashion feature as well as a variety of artistic forms.

Whilst ‘Art in Mancunia’ is an end goal exhibition, it is more than just this. It is a living and breathing entity in itself. It changes and adapts to ideas developed by the team and what we experience in and around Manchester; the artists and other influencers involved; as well as the types of art that feature in the exhibition. 

‘Art in Mancunia’ is developmental. It grows in size and changes shape and form. It is important to not forget that the process and the story of the ‘Art in Mancunia’ experience are much of what the exhibition is itself. For many of the organizers involved this is our final year and we are going out with a bang. We are here to celebrate student art and here to demonstrate that art is for everyone, not just for the elite and established few.

‘Art in Mancunia’ already exists, it lives and breathes the streets of Manchester. We just need to open our eyes to see and curate it.

The 2020 exhibition will be on show for one date at the end of March next year in a venue soon to be announced. Follow us on Instagram @artinmancunia to follow the story from this year’s exhibition to March 2020. Email us at [email protected] if you wish to apply. 

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of Manchester’s diverse student art scene with you, our peers. 

Art In Mancunia: Jamie Kirk

It is no doubt, that a city as vibrant and diverse as Manchester would be filled with just as vibrant and diverse creatives. One that particularly stood out to me is Fine Art MA graduate at the Manchester School of Art, Jamie Kirk. Jamie was born and raised in London until he was 10 years old, and then moved to the south of France with his mother until he was 15.

After moving back to the UK, he spent two entire years living life as a self-proclaimed “hermit” doing absolutely nothing except for drawing.

Jamie’s artwork intertwines his life experiences with reminiscence, creating an initially obscure but fascinating visual. He sees beauty in otherwise mundane things, or if not beauty, then something that piques his interest and provokes another thought or an idea.

‘Money Laundering’ – Jamie Kirk (https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ab9lblTvJ/)

When stopping in the street to take a photo of some overflowing bins, or a patch of bark on a tree, he is very aware that he probably looks mad. However, he is always reassured that these things have stood out to him for a reason and that reason being art.

It may be safe to say that his artistic inspirations started to brew when he was young. His mum, who studied embroidery at university, would keep huge crates of cardboard tubes, cereal boxes and other usually disposable materials for Jamie to mess around and create with.

Art and creativity have always been important themes during Jamie’s upbringing and as he got older he got more out of these themes as he began to put more into it. Art began to take the form of therapy for him and it continues to do so.

I might be biased as I am a personal fan of Jamie Kirk’s artwork, but would I be lying if I said that his artwork has the potential of being recognised as that of Picasso, Andy Warhol or Edvard Munch?

If you’d like to check out Jamie Kirk’s artwork then follow him on instagram @jamiekirkartwork or visit his website.