Lecturer in English and Creative Industries at the University of York.
The revolution that the world has seen in terms of communication and media is unparalleled in any other era in history, suddenly everyone has access to limitless entertainment and stories at the tips of their fingers, and more importantly, most of it is free.
Parasols, petticoats, sweets and trifles – Autumn de Wilde’s 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma is the epitome of decadence. Critics have called it “lavish”, “totally delicious”, and “picture-perfect”. But does a focus on all things pretty make us appreciate Austen’s work or take it less seriously?
As the world grinds to an economic standstill we may feel a strange desire to speed up, as if to counteract the mess unfolding before us, but once in a while and especially now, it’s okay to slow down. By understanding we don’t always need to be producing content and working we help others and ourselves renegotiate the place of the arts industry within our own internal value systems.
Cancel culture is about more than just celebrities. It implies that the moment somebody makes a mistake, they are over. The majority of us, celebrity or not, are decent people simply trying our best, but it is easy to make mistakes.
It’s nice to hear about Kondo and her plan to tidy the nation of America, as I myself find the need to tidy the world around me. However her long list of ways to bring order to your home seems a bit extravagant and her book has not sparked joy for many novel lovers.
There are many benefits to watching children’s films as an adult. The most rewarding aspect, however, is finally realising why your parents would laugh at scenes that didn’t contain slapstick, talking animals, or various mishaps involving passing gas.
At the Courtauld Institute, there is a movement towards a digital, free-thinking art writing matrimony: Fire Assembly Point. I spoke to India Picton, who pioneered the magazine from its early stages into the dazzling and exciting space it exists as today. This interview highlights some of the main issues that students face with academic writing and the steps we can take to write creatively and without restriction.
