Tag: Twentieth Century
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Guernica: Pablo Picasso and the Spanish Civil War

“Guernica”, a 1937 painting by Pablo Picasso, depicts the horrifying brutality of the Spanish Civil War. Meenakshi Nirmalan discusses its startling composition which continues to captivate audiences to this day.
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Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari: On the Origins of German Expressionist Cinema

Released in 1920, Robert Wiene’s “Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari” is widely considered to be a landmark example of German Expressionist cinema. Meenakshi Nirmalan digs deeper into its production and cultural significance during a politically turbulent time in German history.
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On the Need for Provocation: A Response to Solanas’ SCUM Manifesto (1968)

Valerie Solanas’ “SCUM Manifesto” was a call to arms for women to overthrow the male sex and establish a feminist utopia. However, her emphasis on violence led to polarisation – compounded by her shooting of Andy Warhol in 1968. Georgia Smith explores the discourse surrounding this infamous feminist work.
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The International Geophysical Year: The Greatest Science Fair of All Time

Written by Sam Marks. The International Geophysical Year changed the course of scientific development – not least for the technological advancements it oversaw but the collaborative efforts between the nations involved. Sam Marks explores the legacy of this important, albeit largely forgotten, moment in human history.
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Voyeurism, Virility and the Vicarious: The Philosophy of Desire, Masculinity and Imaginings of the Female Body as a Political Image

Written by Georgia Smith. Much of late twentieth-century feminist thought pertains to images of the female idea related through the ‘male gaze’. Georgia Smith explores the objectification and consumption of the female body, the manner in which it reflects masculinity, and how this interdependence might be transgressed.
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On Orwell’s ‘Politics and the English Language’

Written by Georgia Smith. The inherent link between politics and language, in ‘dying words,’ is discussed in relation to the life and works of George Orwell.
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Masquerade: Silk embroidered postcards of World War One

Written by Megan Crutchley. The practice of soldiers sending items home was a common occurrence. Megan Crutchley investigates the values and intimacies of sending silk embroidered postcards home, as well as its industrial impact.
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Benshi Performance in the Japanese Silent Film Era

Written by Kat Jivkova. The Japanese world of silent film is often criticised for its epitomised use of the Katsudo shashin benshi, but new re-evaluations seek to examine the feature in a much more positive light.
