I found this small image hidden in the corner of the Meyer library stairwell facing the education building (or alternately the clock tower).

from a distance (given that its about 4 inches by 4 inches) I thought I was seeing some sort of abstract flower/lotus design.

I saw this in front of Meyer yesterday. It is a response to the exposure of bathroom graffiti that occurred last week.

Here are some images:

Update:

aw:
I noticed this the other day, too.
To add a new spin to this, has anyone drawn the connection between the sidewalk writings and the graffiti on the back of the stall door on the first floor men's bathroom?
The writings are pretty much exactly the same. This was probably a project to replicate what was on the door.

Now the piece makes sense. I’m a girl, I don’t use the men’s bathroom. The project seems to be about replicating the hidden and making it public. It seems to be about asking what the impact of the statements on the bathroom walls would be if it was made public.

Note to authors/artists: it would have been nice to know that. My understanding, from an informal poll, is that the men’s and women’s bathroom are vastly different here at Stanford. For example, not a lot of writing on the bathroom walls going on, so the reference to writing on the bathroom walls slipped past me. Also apparently, women's bathrooms have more private stalls. Without the context I though the content expressed your views. Maybe next time say what your referencing more explicitly? The comments were offensive and without the context of what you were doing it seemed like a bunch of random comments with some offensive speech thrown in.

Also, to those who say I’m calling for censorship. I was pointing out that, as I perceived it, the art project wasn't art but merely banality due to its reliance on offensive speech . Never in my writing did I call for censorship. Calling something banal and offensive or sexist, racist, or homophobic is not censorship. Calling a piece of art offensive can lead to a discussion, particularly about art (since this seemed to be an art project) about whether the community feels the art should stay in place or be removed. Also, questioning whether or not something is art (and I originally felt it wasn't art) is good.

The writing on the men's bathroom wall - not art, and also offensive. The words and expressions written down are homophobic, racist, and sexist. The replication of the bathroom wall, to, I'm supposing, reveal and expose, this hidden sentiment of vitriol seems to be art (again I would say to the artists, give a context so people know what your intention is). And is actually kinda scary.

These comments are written in anonymity (kinda like internet comments). People writing on the bathroom walls can express their sentiments without fear of being exposed as the author. In the men's restroom, you can even suppose the authors can write without fear of a fellow female student seeing the comments and jokes.

The writings have been exposed, but the authors are still anonymous.

I apologize to the artists for thinking that the content expressed their views.

Original Post
I’m used to walking through campus and seeing random bits of shout outs written in chalk on the pavement. For instance, today, ROHO is out in force (with a website to boot).

However, what I saw yesterday morning has me wondering about the line between provocation, art, sexism, racism, and banality. When does an attempt at art become vitriol? Are random sexist and racist statements really art?

As I was walking to Meyer from Escondido I encountered the following:

Hungry (with arrow pointing to)
Talk to me
Brandi hearts Justin
My husband flicks his tongue like a dyke

Right there, out in the middle of the walkway, a word often used to silence women and dismiss them. A way of disenfranchising lesbians. An ugly word without context. Was this part of a poem, then which poem? Part of a larger statement somewhere? I had no context in which to judge the statement. "My husband flicks his tongue like a dyke." Dyke, a lesbian who is noticeably masculine. A woman who has transgressed social gender norms. A way of othering both lesbians and women. A word often used to silence them

As I continued towards Meyer a mangled references to the sound of silence by Paul Simon “the words of the prophet are written on the bathroom stalls." It sounded like someone was trying to be deep, but the prior chalk outlines (with the arrows pointing me to Meyer) made it just banal. Pompous. Mental masturbation. Someone thinking they were deep because they used offensive language.

As I looked at the writing to I saw references to Andrew Jackson Pollock as a blind guardian of culture and words “ see my face on a $20 Bill Smallpox, genocidal American quilts, etc.” There was an arrow with salad written inside. It looked as if several individuals had been writing quotes and then writing to each other and quotes and responses cover the walkway.

I know this shit isn’t great but what exactly do you get when griffens and Cardinals mate
Babies
UGLY OVEREDUCATED ONES
Well, the bitches at this place are that’s for sure (arrow pointing to overeducated)

And the man on the cross says, "I bleed,"
the bleeding God says, "I need."

I need too, I bleed too,
But what good has bleeding ever done someone?

- cycle (circa 1996)

something I wrote a long time ago that popped into my head this morning

I've noticed that in general, rap songs that have dance moves associated with them end up being more popular - Lean Back, Pop, Lock and Drop it, 1,2 Step, and others. One of the newest hip-hop dance songs on the scene is Soulja Boy's - "Crank That (Soulja Boy)", which returned to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Crank That" (wp) has a dance associated with it, some might call it snap music, and a quick youtube search of "Soulja Boy dance" returns 5,400 video results of people demonstrating their version of the dance. I personally know of two athletic teams who have choreographed and performed dances based on the song as well. I'll leave with you some dance videos, so you'll be able to bust out the Soulja Boy dance at the next frat party. Cheers.

I'm organizing a photowalk around campus with super-bloggers Robert Scoble and Thomas Hawk next Monday, October 1. Basically, we'll walk around campus together taking photos of whatever strikes our fancy. Everyone's invited, just bring your camera -- point-and-shoot, Polaroid, digital SLR, lomo, cameraphone, pinhole, or whatever strikes your fancy.

We'll be meeting in the Main Quad at 4pm. Tom Seligman, Director of the Cantor Art Center, will be on hand to talk about campus art. Gabe Hoffmann from the Hybrid Systems Lab will show off an autonomous robotic helicopter. Other stops on the photowalk will include MemChu, the Rodin Sculpture Garden, Bio-X, and the New Guinea Sculpture Garden.

At 7:30pm, we'll head over to Kresge Auditorium to catch the free Aurora Forum / National Geographic panel discussion entitled Making Connections: Photographic Storytellers from around the World: "The National Geographic Society’s All Roads Film Project recognizes and supports indigenous and underrepresented storytellers from around the world who are documenting their changing cultures and communities through photography and film. We present talented artists from Israel, Kashmir, Lapland, Mongolia, Nigeria, and the United States who have been selected by the National Geographic Society to present their work and reflect on ways their images and stories make connections that help create a more just and beautiful world. The All Roads photographers will be joined by Chris Rainier of the National Geographic Society and photographer Shahidul Alam, founder of the Drik photo agency in Bangladesh."

If you can't stay for the entire time, feel free to drop by for a little while. So far, over 40 people have signed up. You can RSVP via Facebook or Upcoming. Or just show up for the fun.

Photo credit: Josefina Takes a Picture by carlosluis

I'm fascinated by the many collections and exhibitions around campus, and this one certainly caught my eye. "Inside Terrorism: The X-Ray Project" just opened at the School of Medicine. This unusual collection features X-rays and CT scans of terrorism victims, compiled from Jerusalem hospitals.

From the press release: "The images pack a powerful message, not through blood and gore, but by their simplicity. One shows the watch worn by a suicide bomber that ended up embedded in the neck of a victim. Another shows hex nuts that ended up in someone’s pelvis."

The exhibition has a very short run and will be closing on Sept. 14. You can catch it Monday-Friday (7am-7pm) in the lobby of Fairchild Auditorium, Stanford School of Medicine, 291 Campus Drive. There's also an online version of the exhibition at http://www.x-rayproject.org.

What are your favorite little-known exhibits or collections on campus?

I just received the new Lively Arts 07-08 season catalog in the mail the other day. I took it carefully out of it's envelope, and upon feeling the quality of the paper, I knew something was different.

"What does art tell us about ourselves?
When does collaboration lead to innovation?
What fuels creativity?
Can art inspire change?"

These are just some of the questions listed on the outside cover of the catalog.

In an exciting, bold new way, Lively Arts has completely transformed into not only a "presenter," but an "engager" in the performing arts, and their materials reflect a celebration of the radical questioning and challenging nature inherent in their 07-08 lineup.

After being blown away by the radical cover design (which is also reflected on their website), I slowly opened the catalog to page one.

The first thing that struck me was their vision for the season, captured in the signature phrase, "What inspires you?" used throughout their materials. In their own words:

"Stanford Lively Arts is engaging in the performing arts in bold and exciting ways. Join us and share the powerful experience of live performance as we explore new ideas, pose questions, and contemplate answers."

Themes of innovation and engagement run through all the performances scheduled for the next year, and are reflected in the marketing strategy. Outlining a new way of thinking about performances, Lively Arts divides their shows into four thought-provoking categories:

• Extending a Vision
• Narrowing the Divide
• Confronting America
• Creative Chemistry

Personally, after reading the short descriptions of all the performances scheduled, there are only maybe one or two out of ALL 36 shows that I'm not that interested in. Suffice to say, I am COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY by this year's season, and I am going to try to get to as many shows as possible, because this is a revolution in the performing arts hitting campus in the fall.

Please take the time to read through the upcoming season and support the arts at Stanford!

Where am I and how did I get here?

"This one is your wife and this one is your lover," the bartender explained, pointing first to the glass of ice cold water and then to the flute of complementary champagne. It was approaching midnight, and here I was at the Agnes B Fashion Showcase, surrounded by models and Chinese cultural icons. But let me rewind the tape a bit and explain how I ended up here...

Check out this new video from Jack Conte '06. After graduating from Stanford with a degree in Music, Science, and Technology, Jack turned down admission to USC Film School in hopes of making a living in the indie music scene. He just released a new EP and is about to head out on a West Coast tour. I'll be posting an interview with him soon, but I thought I'd share this new video he sent me. Pretty cool. Special props for accordion, Jack.

Every year, Stanford's campus is alive with an incredible line-up of jazz during the summer. Unfortunately, most students have already left campus before getting to take part. If you are around though, you should definitely take advantage of the free (and not free) jazz concerts, jams, and other events.

SFJAZZ Summerfest Series
SF Jazz, the second largest jazz presenter in the nation, hosts a FREE summer series of concerts in our own Stanford Shopping Center. The "Summerfest" runs every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, through August 9th, and then moves up into Union Square in the city.

The series will be hosted by award-winning emcee and radio personality Clifford Brown Jr., who's voice you should recognize if you listen to 91.1 KCSM. If you want to tune in to hear Clifford, he hosts the Mid-Day jazz series Monday-Friday, as well as the American Jazz Countdown on Sundays on 91.1 FM.

Stanford Jazz Festival and Workshop (and JAM SESSIONS!)
Stanford's campus will be buzzing with jazz throughout the summer with the Stanford Jazz Festival, and the Stanford Jazz Workshop, aka "Jazz Camp." There is also a series of jam sessions taking place at the CoHo throughout the summer, 10PM-Midnight through August 2nd, tied with Jazz Camp and the Festival. Keep reading to see the schedule of CoHo Jam Sessions!

Yeah, this may be a shameless promotion. But we can all agree that the state of Hip Hop is far from its zenith with cookie-cutter rappers and superficial lyrics. We need bring the music back! And that's what Non Human Intelligence (NHI) wants to do. As Imani of The Pharcyde put it, "NHI is a breath of fresh air, and NHI is exactly what Hip hop is missing."

Oh, and one of the rappers is my uncle (Abyss).

So I hope you take a listen and enjoy real, organic Hip Hop.

I hadn't seen Will Cheng play the piano since we lived together in East Flo freshman year. He was fantastic then and since, he's won just about every award Stanford gives to musically-inclined individuals. Yesterday evening, in "Musical Imaginations," Will's performance was simply breathtaking -- one of the best I've seen. I had never heard any of the pieces he performed, but he was instantly engaging and passionate... and incredibly meditative. At times, the music incorporated elements of jazz, which I wasn't always sure were in the written music. Perhaps a little improvisation? Possibly.

Check out his performance of Isaac Albeniz's "Evocation" from Iberia (I apologize greatly for the hissing sound... but I think the video still captures much of his subtlety if you can put up with the quality):

Full program:
English Suite No. 4 in F (1720 or prior) - Bach
Evocation (1906) - Isaac Albeniz
Piano Sonata in D, Op. 10 No. 3 (1798) - Beethoven
Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 58 No. 3 (1844) - Chopin

I particularly loved the Chopin piece, so I found the movements on imeem for anyone who wants to hear them: Movements 1, 2, 3, 4.

I normally write blog posts about topics which relate directly to Stanford: our Folding@Home project, the sit-in this week, U.S. News college rankings. But today, I have a piece of advice which pertains not only to Stanford readers, but to everyone out there.

No matter how much you liked Pirates of the Caribbean I (or even Pirates II), DO NOT-- I CAUTION YOU AGAIN-- DO NOT SEE the newest installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. It's awful.

Clearly, lots of people were idiots like me and went to see this enormous, three-hour waste of time. (The New York Times is reporting worldwide $400 million worth of tickets were sold, in six days).

I promise you, those are three hours of your life you will never get back. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone mentions one positive: "Producer Jerry Bruckheimer does deserve a shoutout: It takes a kind of genius to sucker audiences into repeatedly buying the same party tricks."

And there was so much wrong with this movie beyond rehashed versions of the first two movies-- I don't know where to start. The plot was weak. And confusing. Actually, I'm pretty sure that even if I could have understood it, it still would have been bad. Gene Seymour writing for Newsday says, "It won't matter whether you've seen the first two Pirates movies or not. You'll still be confused."

I saw the movie at a 12:30am showing. We didn't get back to campus until 4am. We all walked out of that theater exhausted, bored and confused. "Ha! Christian," you might smirk, "That is surely why you did not enjoy the film!"

No. I spoke to a friend who say the movie at 4:30 in the afternoon and felt similarly. People who went into our showing with pirate hats and eye patches (who also gave out a hearty "yarrrrrrr!' with the opening credits) left the theater dispirited, like someone had taken all the air of their lungs.

And sorta, Orlando Bloom and Co. did just that. Despite the stirring theme song of the movie series (you know, the one that goes dun-dun-dun-dun...dun-dun-dun-dun), the chemistry, the script, something was very off.

The end is what sucked the most. I won't ruin it for you, in case you too are set on wasting $10, but let me say that it is one of those endings you simply don't want to buy into. As they're setting it up, you think to yourself, "Oh, they'll never let this happen..." You think (you hope, perhaps) it's one of those things where they'll come up with some ridiculous and unbelievable way to get out of it-- but at least the awful and seemingly-inevitable doesn't happen. Except in this piece of junk, it actually does! There is even a sappy beach make-out scene with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley which instead of being romantic or hot, is, honestly, just awkward.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't go into this film expecting theatre (-re intended). I wasn't expecting a transcendental experience, something to sweep me away with its intricate characters or subtle artistry. I was expecting a swash-buckling pirate adventure movie. I was expecting airbrushed actors and skylines, awesome CGI battles and witty one-liners. I didn't even get all of that.

Honestly, just save yourself some time-- and unfulfilled expectation-- by watching the trailer.

This evening, BSU's Blackfest hosted rapper Lupe Fiasco at Roble Field.

Lupe played for about 50 minutes and sang some of his best-known songs such as "Kick Push" and "I Gotcha." He opened with Kanye West's "Touch the Sky," a track on which he is originally featured. Other hits from today were "Sunshine" and "Daydream."

The crowd at Roble Field.

Lupe, a native of Chicago, Illinois, had his debut album Food & Liquor nominated for 3 Grammy Awards in 2006.

What an abyss of uncertainty, whenever the mind feels overtaken by itself; when it, the seeker, is at the same time the dark region through which it must go seeking and where all its equipment will avail it nothing. […] It is face to face with something which does not yet exist, which it alone can make actual, which it alone can bring into the light of day. Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way, History 136B

Look at that beautiful piece of literature I read today for a class. Gorgeous. Reading it got me thinking: across various Departments and Programs in the University, students read a vast canon of literature. How often do you read something so great-- so transcendent-- that you dog-ear it, underline it, highlight it...and then share it with your roommate? Wouldn't it be great if you could share it with even more people?

Now, instead of reading spam in your inbox, you can enjoy some good writing in a weekly email containing a short snippet that was read in a Stanford class this month. Add yourself by sending an email with “Subscribe me!” in the subject line to ALineofLit@gmail.com.

Also, when you’re reading a text for class and you come across a passage you like, send it to us. We take the one we like best and send it out for everyone to enjoy each week or so.

For those of you familiar, this idea is similar to The Paragraph of the Day. The big difference is that all our texts referenced are currently being read at Stanford! It’s a nice way to wake up in the morning--with a piece of great writing sitting in your inbox…so don’t forget to sign up and to submit your favorite prose today!

So, I've always felt like I had a good sense of the arts events on campus, due to my involvement with SOCA, Art Affair, the art and music departments, my friends and various classes I've taken across the breadth of the University during my undergrad, but recently, as I am moderating a comprehensive arts & entertainment calendar this school year, I have discovered I had NO IDEA how many film events, screenings, festivals, auditions and productions take place on campus each year.

After doing a little investigative work, and looking back through the calendar for the year, pinging the Stanford Film Society list, and sifting through websites and events, I've put together a (hopefully) complete list of the festivals and regular screenings that take place on campus this year - next year, who knows?

Film Festivals:

• Stanford Student Film Festival (spring)
• Reel Black Film Festival (spring)
• Pumpkin Pie Film Festival (winter)
• Spinning Wheel Film Festival (winter)
• UNAFF (fall)
• Reel to Reel (short films by MFAs)
• Arab Film Festival (fall)

Film Series Screenings:

• Greek - Iranian - Turkish - Romanian film series at Bechtel
• French Silent Film Series (Hosted by David Giovacchini, Stanford University Libraries. Sponsored by the French and Italian Department, Stanford University.)
• Middle East Film Series (Hosted by David Giovacchini, Middle East Collection, Stanford University Libraries. Sponsored by the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, and the Middle East Collection of the Stanford University Libraries.)
• Japanese Film Series
• Weekly Screenings from Stanford Newtype
• French and German film series at Bechtel
• Spanish Film Series on Thursday nights, in the History Corner (Sponsored by Iberia Association)
• Flicks, of course.

I love photography. There is something about capturing real life that is so beautiful and exciting to me: a flash frame of life, frozen on film forever.

A while back, I found a photo slideshow from this guy named George Lange. He does portraits and they are amazing. They make you just want to run out with your camera and start snapping away.

George Lange 2006 Photo Flipbook

Inspired, I made my own slideshow. I call mine Stanford Portraits - they are all pictures I took one day in White Plaza earlier this year with some green posterboard. It was a lot of fun: I asked people to do a regular shot and then a silly shot. I love the results.

Stanford Portraits

Genderfuk.

Do I look like a slut? Uh huh.

This is a compilation of all of the videos we could scrounge together of the night's performances. Enjoy. :)

More event pictures here.

Don't miss out, folks. The very awesome exhibit in the art gallery ends tomorrow, Sunday. Hours for Sunday are 1-5pm (and it's free as always). Check it out!

It has been said, "The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been buried by the answers." . . . In this exhibition, LIES, the students seem to have pulled out all of the stops. Norms give way to surprises, often baiting us with wit, mischeif and humor -- expanding our horizons along with their own.

Click to view more images from the gallery!

Ten reasons YOU should get one or several copies of the Stanford Soundtrack Vol. 6:

1. The music is great.
2. 20 tracks from the best Stanford bands and musicians.
3. The packaging is totally awesome, and you know you want it on your shelf.
4. Did I mention it's free?
5. Take some home to friends and family -- it's the coolest Stanford souvenir you'll find on campus.
6. It's volume six, which means, if you have any of the past volumes (volumes one-five), you should complete your collection.
7. You might have missed the Soundtrack CD Release party, but you can party to this CD.
8. Your friends are either on the Soundtrack, or, if you are at all the kind of cool Stanford student I assume you to be, you have probably seen some of the bands play at campus parties, or at the CoHo or Moonbeans.
9. You love music.
10. You love Stanford.

You can pick up your free copy from the CoHo, or from the unofficial SOCA warehouse, the SICA office -- in Roble Gym, first office on your right after you enter.

I was walking pass Braun Music Center today and I discovered a technological breakthrough at Stanford: the Music Department has finally replaced the old announcement banner to a "high tech" LED display board!

This apparent technological breakthrough seems pretty embarrassing to me. As a premier institution which name is often synonymous with the development of some of the most cutting edge technology in our society today, it baffles me that the university remains "primitive" in several aspects.

The other day, I also had to hand-write all the classes I've taken for my major and turn in a paper copy (wasting paper) to have my graduation approved. Already, I am not the most tech-savvy person. Yet, even I think (and know) that some processes can be made easier for both students and university administrators if we try to explore new ways of doing things which are clearly more efficient than the traditional "paper and pen" method.

I'm sorry if I'm sounding too cynical or bitter. At any rate, yay for the music department! No more hassle of changing the announcements on the banner every so often again. =)

As part of Stanford's Arts Initiative and the Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts (SICA), the Arts Facilities Task Force is working on Stanford's physical arts spaces, both current and future. The committee is particularly interested in getting input from students involved in the arts.

We want to know:

• What kinds of spaces you use, or would like to see more of on campus?
• What are some ideas for future arts spaces?
• What kinds of spaces could inspire collaboration and a culture of creativity on campus?
• How do we tackle decentralization, and how could we improve?
• What kinds of arts facilities are successful in residences, unions, and other shared spaces?
• What kinds of departmental spaces do you use often in academic settings?

This is your chance to add input for the arts facilities planning taking place now. Please join us and members of the Arts Facilities Task Force in getting your feedback.

Wednesday, May 9th, 6-7:30 PM in Roble Gym Lounge. Pizza Provided.
RSVP to Megan Miller at meganem@stanford.edu
http://studentarts.stanford.edu

Just found out that during the month of May, Bank of America members can get into a select group of museums for FREE!

Museums in San Francisco that you get in for FREE during May:

• Asian Art Museum
• California Academy of Sciences
• SF MOMA
• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
• de Young Museum
• Legion of Honor

Among the highlights of next year's Lively Arts schedule is the world premiere of John Adams' "Son of Chamber Symphony," co-commissioned by Lively Arts with Carnegie Hall and the San Francisco Ballet. Also featured will be Philip Glass' "Book of Longing," a collaboration with songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen, according to the Mercury News.

Also visiting will be a string quartet from Juilliard (Apr 9), the Blind Boys of Alabama (Apr 15), and Spike Lee (Jan 19).

The full schedule can be found here, on the Lively Arts homepage.

The Unofficial Stanford Blog was tabling at Admit Weekend in a relatively secluded corner with few visitors. Despite the presence of KZSU and the Stanford Humor magazine, it was still relatively dull in our part of the admit universe ... until ... our new neighbors showed up.

The Arabesque Belly Dancing squad of Yule, Zataia and Zoe not only brightened our tabling locality with some colors but staged a great performance on some arabic music being played by KZSU. Here is a video of some wonderful belly dancing by these ladies:

and while these ladies were preparing to dance, some street dancing also happened in the vicinity (continue for video)...

Caterpillars munching on an art tent during An Art Affair/Community Day. Soon thereafter the tent collapsed, killing several patrons and destroying the art inside.

Actually, I'm joking. Community Day went off without a hitch. There were no reports of children choking on caterpillars, and in fact, many children were smiling.

Except for this one. She looks a bit befuddled.

This scene at the painting wall was cuter than hell.

I've uploaded to our Flickr account a few photos of the great artwork on display today and tomorrow at the Art Affair. Check it out!

K-Flay performs @ 11:30p

Tonight (Saturday) kicks off the Art Affair with a six-hour high-voltage concert by this year's fantastic Stanford Soundtrack performers. 3,000 free CDs will be given out, free pizza will be served at 6PM, and the Art Affair tents will be open all night. It promises to be fantastic (I mean, K-Flay will be performing, so obviously it'll be fantastic).

This year's Soundtrack is passionate and soulful, but laid-back and somewhat understated. Click a song to see for yourself:

Songs from the soundtrack and a list of song titles can be downloaded here.

Last night, SOCA members helping to organize An Art Affair, Stanford's largest arts festival (happening THIS WEEKEND!), took initiative to set up ~60 pink lawn flamingos across campus, all marked with "SOCA" and Art Affair information.

"Guerrilla advertising" has become a new tactic on campus this year, with the installation in the intersection of death (by the clock tower), and the investigative effort of the d.school in viral marketing.

What can we expect next?

This year's An Art Affair (Stanford's largest student-organized arts festival) will be taking place in White Plaza this weekend, Saturday April 14th (6pm-Midnight), and Sunday April 15th (10am-4pm). Check out the tents going up in White Plaza!

An Art Affair is now in it's 8th year, and is bigger than ever before. This year, the festival joined with Stanford Community Day (April 15th) as a celebration of the Stanford arts community.

Some new additions this year include:
A Workshop Stage for student groups to give workshops following their performance on the Main Stage, FREE gourmet FOOD for Stanford students from the Cooking Club, special guest performances by KENNY ENDO and STANFORD TAIKO and GAMO DA PAZ and KUUMBA AFRICAN DANCE AND DRUM ENSEMBLE, and an extended schedule spanning two days-- moving the Stanford Soundtrack CD Release Party to Saturday night, and the general festivities to Sunday to coincide with Community Day.

Here's what you can expect at An Art Affair:
Over 60 performances on three stages, over 200 peices of visual art and photography on display (in two tent galleries), 3,000 free copies of the Stanford Soundtrack CD, 11 workshops from student organizations, FREE FOOD (on both days!) for Stanford students with SUID, and tabling from arts groups -- all to showcase the Stanford arts community in this annual celebration.

The festival is organized each year by the Student Organizing Committee for the Arts (SOCA). It is one of the largest and most ambitious student-organized events on campus, and is the biggest arts event of the year. Do not miss it!

Full Art Affair Program Details

I'm a huge fan of the TED Talks, which usually leave me floored, but this actress' performance simply left me floored. I don't know what comes after floored. Unconscious? Anyway, Spring Break has given me the luxury of sitting down to watch all of these talks, and I was really moved by Anna Deavere-Smith's performances, so I thought I would share:

Blurb from TED:

Actor Anna Deavere-Smith brings the TED audience to their feet as she brings to life author Studs Terkel, convict Paulette Jenkins, a Korean shopkeeper, and a bull rider - all people she interviewed for "On the Road: A Search for American Character."

For more from Deavere-Smith, I suggest watching her fantastic interview with PBS.