Written by Abigail B // Photo by Katherine Dickins, from her photo series #MELANIN
Racism is too often pushed aside as simply disliking someone because of their skin color. But racism is not just little prejudices we keep inside our heads (although that’s an aspect of it); rather, our nation’s history has made racism into a much more deeply-rooted form of systematic oppression based on race. It is obvious that whites benefits from this system, whether they want to or not. The other races face disadvantages in opportunities and social situations, as well as in difficulty receiving recognition for their work. This is well reflected in the case of struggling black artists trying to make their way into the art world.
Often, people claim that racism is “over”, like it is some awful TV show that’s finally ended. But that simply isn’t the case. Racism is still present in numerous aspects of society - even in the art world. Not long ago, in 2000, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts had on display only three oil paintings by black artists. The rest of the museum reflected the same inequity, and represented the state of other galleries across America.
New York art dealer Michael Rosenfeld notes that “Up until about five years ago, when curators came to us, they were really only interested in narrative works that showed the black experience so they could demonstrate in no uncertain terms to their visitors that they were committed to representing black America.” In other words, instead of demonstrating equality by displaying a proportionate number of works by black artists, the curators wanted to restrict themes to those that reflected “The Black Experience,” declining to simply appreciate works on their own merits without regard to this theme. This gives the museums an illusion of social awareness without actually treating black artists with the respect and equality that they deserve.
Some people make the argument that perhaps black artists lack the talent to be shown in well-regarded museums where only masterpieces belong. Not only is this assumption racist in itself (skin color doesn’t determine talent) but is also plainly incorrect. Ann Temkin, Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, counters with the example of black abstractionist Alma Thomas, whose work, Temkin says, “would have absolutely, comfortably fit into the narrative” of the MoMA. There are also black artists like the massively successful David Hammons, whose unique conceptual art has made him well-known and respected. So it is not that the artists lack talent. It’s simply that they’re not being respected. If you’ve ever seen the 1996 film Basquiat about the famous black artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, you get a taste of how black artists are objectified and disrespected until they prove themselves more than white artists have to prove themselves. And there is no doubt that Jean-Michel Basquiat lacked any talent.
Not only is this problem of inequality especially unfair and downright racist, these museums are missing out on a critical part of American art. Edmund Barry Gaither, Director of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston points this out, adding, “African-American art is inseparable from a discussion of American art. One can’t exist without the other.”
Art is so incredibly important. Especially in the dissociated world that we live in. Creating art, whether that means writing, drawing, or doing anything else you see as a form of self-expression can make us come a bit closer to what we truly are. I think anything can be perceived as art. It’s all a matter of perspective; if you’re present enough, you can notice beauty in the simplicity of all the things and people you’re surrounded with. At the same time art gives you an ability to project your feelings in their purest form, and there’s something really brave about that.
If you’re afraid of creating art, observe it. The sole atmosphere of museums and galleries can inspire you. However you don’t necessarily have to go outside to experience art, as there are so many amazing young artists on Tumblr, such as ebriosity, korvyl, and harrietleemerrion. It’s not hard to find something that reflects exactly how you’re feeling. The wonderful thing about other people’s art is it can remind you’re not alone in what you’re going through, that others have felt that way before you, and that can help you keep going.
Keep creating because it’s what makes you unique and yet connects you with others, through expressing your feelings you’re also feeling with others. And most importantly, through creating and observing art you’ll connect with yourself. It’ll remind you to accept your feelings as they are, to let yourself feel everything and express it through your being. There’s so much meaning in what you already are, yet you keep deepening it with every moment of your existence. No one can take that meaning from you. You’re the most important piece of art you’ll ever have.
“I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly’.” – Vincent Van Gogh
You are going to make countless mistakes in your life. These mistakes are here for you to heal, grow, and learn from them. Without them, you will not be able to break from their chains and stand taller than ever. Whether it be a bad breakup or failing an exam, do not think that you can move on from these faults. As young Justin Bieber said, never say never. If you constantly say “I’m never going to move past this” or “The rest of my life is completely over”, then you’ll never be able to knock down these obstacles. Failing doesn’t mean that you’re less capable of doing or succeeding in something; it does not condone you as a failure. In the playlist below are eight songs that talk about mistakes and how one can grow with them.
Heartburn by Wafia - After being fooled with their love game, the singer looks at her past lover and feels her heart burn.
About Us by JOY. - A confused teenage girl thinks about herself and her past lover and how she needs to move on from them.
Hurt Me by Låpsley - The lover can’t look at her partner the same due to her being too afraid that he might break her heart once more. She knows that their love is coming to end; she can see it.
Mend This Love by Vaults - A lover tells the singer that she has to fend for herself now because you can’t fix what is already broken.
To The Hills by Laurel - The disappointed lover discovers that her partner is not “the one” and has to try and seek higher power to guide her through her life.
Break The Fall by Laura Welsh - The singer speaks about how she has trust issues due to past incidents and mistakes she encountered.
Before I Ever Met You by BANKS - The young woman speaks of her past breakup and how she needs to move on because her lover was too toxic.
In Time by FKA Twigs - In this electronic fused song, the speaker is talking about “wanting and aching” for the person you’re in a relationship with to change, hoping that in time, you’ll both become the best versions of yourselves (via Genius)
Could it possibly ever be alright to be wrong? In our society, people make it out as though being wrong is a horrible fate of some sort. We are terrified to put our hands up in school in case we are wrong. I didn’t talk to people because I thought I might be wrong. Maybe you’ve had an argument with a friend that means one of you must be wrong. With all of that on the line, could it ever be alright to be wrong? Spoiler alert: Yes. For a whole bunch of reasons, being wrong is so importantly alright. It helps you grow, helps you learn, and sometimes, can lead to really, really great things.
So first off, when you are wrong, you get a chance to learn. You get a chance to learn about the subject you had input on. You now know your input was wrong. It’s that simple. You also get to learn a lot about the people you interact with when you’re wrong. If they rub it in your face, be wary of them. They might brush it off or maybe they’ll even encourage you to take all you can from it. It’s a great insight into learning about the people around you.
It can also help you grow as a person. Learning how to deal with being wrong can really help you learn about yourself. If you take being wrong as a soul cutting experience, you might want to take a better look at some of the priorities you hold dear. There are lots of things out there that are worse than being wrong. However, if you don’t learn anything from being wrong or brush it off, it may be some time for a bit of growth, because your actions do matter and do have consequences.
Sometimes being wrong is actually a straight up good thing. The optimistic look at pessimism was described to me as “I’m either right or pleasantly surprised” and sometimes we do exactly that. Sometimes we assume the worst because it’s safer. And in those times, when we are wrong, it is nothing but a whole host of good.
In these ways, by learning, growing, and allowing ourselves to be surprised, we can be so much more than just someone who was wrong. We are constantly growing and changing, and being wrong sometimes is part of that. And sometimes, that part is alright.
There comes a certain age for teenagers at which people - be it family, friends, or just randoms - start to ask, “So, what are you planning on doing with your life?” I’ve been on both sides of the question, and sometimes that’s the only thing you can think of to talk about with someone. However, that doesn’t make it any less annoying. I don’t even know what I’m going to eat for dinner tonight; how am I supposed to know when I’m graduating from college? If you’ve ever felt the same way, fear not - you are not alone.
I am just about to finish the college application and decision process, and, of course, it was stressful. It was really nerve-racking for me to measure myself up to thousands of others my age - whether I knew them or not - based on only a few factors (i.e. whatever I put on the Common Application!). If you’re stressed about what you’re going to put on your application, be it subpar grades, a lack of extracurricular activities, or anything else; my advice is to be as active as you can in the things that you care about. I have a classmate who isn’t crazy about her grades, but she is a dedicated member of our school choir and theater program, and earned a leadership role in choir in her senior year. She was able to use her performance experiences to write a great application essay, which shone above her grades. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in as much effort as you can for classes you don’t enjoy as much (for me, that was math!), but if you dedicate yourself to things that you want to dedicate yourself to, the right colleges will appreciate that more than you might realize!
So now you may be thinking, “Well, where is the Right College?” The answer could be different than what you may expect. My top choices for schools changed a lot between the end of sophomore year in high school up to now, the end of my senior year. At first, I was obsessed with attending any school with the best reputation possible. Who cares about the student environment or academic support, so long as I could slap a fancy name on my future resume? Who cares if I’d actually enjoy that college? I just wanted to seem better than the rest of my high school classmates. I created silent competition in my head between myself and everyone I knew who was also applying to college, and compared myself to all of my friends. Could I get accepted somewhere he/she couldn’t?
I came to realize, though, that this constant comparing (which drove me crazy!) was based on the fact that I was very insecure at the time. Getting into “a better school” was one of the only ways I felt like I could be good enough. I had to dig back down to my roots and accept my own flaws, understand my talents, and acknowledge my personal interests before I could properly work on my application and eventually make a decision that was right for me. I realized that even if I went to a school with a great reputation, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t still compare myself to other high-achieving students there. Even if I got into one of the most well-known universities in the city, Boston University, who’s to say I wouldn’t feel intimidated by its huge size?
Eventually, I was able to find a college that accepted smart, open-minded people like me, had a small and intimate environment, but was still located in the city where I wanted to study. It isn’t as well-known as some other places I applied, it’s slightly less selective, and it isn’t what I would have expected myself to choose a year ago. But honestly - who cares? I can see myself there over anywhere else. That’s all that matters - this choice is yours, and yours alone!
If you’re not going to college for whatever reason, that’s cool too! It’s certainly not for everybody. I would just suggest that you at least figure out some things you want in life, and do whatever you can to achieve those goals. They can be grandiose, or they can be minor - I’ve just found that no matter what, it’s important to have a sense of purpose, no matter what you’re doing.
No matter what you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck! The world is your oyster.
Written by Caroline Hamm // Photo by Katherine Ivon
The last few months have been pretty rough for me. I endured a rough breakup from a toxic relationship mid-January, and after one year of being pieced together by a man I loved I’m slowly learning how to piece myself back up. Somewhere along the lines of my year-long relationship I learned a valuable lesson: Relationships don’t make me whole. We’ve all heard or seen someone refer to their significant other as their “other half” at some point. We may have even done it ourselves. While a significant other is your equal, someone to be cherished, they are not your “other half.”
Here’s why: You, as a person, are whole. Half of you was not put on this earth to go blindly searching for a missing part of you. Finding your lifelong partner requires more than one eye and half a heart. No two people are exactly the same. You are uniquely your own and those individual qualities are what make a person fall in love. You were not put on this earth to find someone who will piece you together. You are your own puzzle to solve. While two halves make a whole, two wholes make 200% of a strong, lifelong relationship. Relying on your partner to piece you together can end in fights, breakups, and resentment. Having someone to rely on is incredible, but don’t expect them to fix you.
The most important part of pursuing a relationship is realising that you yourself are a whole. You should treat yourself like one, cherish yourself like one, and love yourself like one. Only you can make yourself whole, and waiting around for someone to piece you together will only cause you to fall apart. Becoming whole requires practicing self-love, self-confidence, and loving others with all your heart. People do not fall in love with you in hopes of fixing you or piecing you together. People fall in love with you because you are your own unique person. You are your own whole and no one can change that.
There is not doubt that coffee wakes you up. It sends shivers to your bones and, for some of us, is the only thing that can get us out of bed every morning. I used to drink tea - yes I can admit the Middle Eastern blood in me and my mom’s constant praising of tea always had a say in my unconscious beverage choice in the morning. But now, with the flowers blooming and summer in the air, I am finding myself getting only more and more homework. Staying up till 3am to write a paper is the norm for me, and getting a coffee at 2am has become somewhat of a ritual.
If you couldn’t tell, I love coffee. I love the instant coffee I make for myself for breakfast, I love the Starbucks I pick up after school, and I adore the coffee I eat after dinner to distract myself from the tremendous amount of homework sitting on my desk. But I think it is time to acknowledge the elephant in the room, at least for me, I add too much sugar and milk. A crazy amount. Like if you could go to jail for adding too much sugar and milk, I would be in there for life. And let’s be real, a lot of the reason people refuse to drink coffee is that to get rid of the bitter taste it needs the calorie-filled sugars and milks. Because of this, I have recently been trying to find ways to get rid of the extra calories from my cup of coffee. So since my new coffee obsession has been a tad bit too calorie inducing I went on a little Pinterest spree to get some inspiration on how to change up my coffee cup. Here are some tips and tricks I found that made me not cringe every time I added yet another teaspoon of sugar to my mug!
Use almond milk. One of my friends uses almond milk for her coffee. Okay, it may be because she is lactose intolerant, but even I, a lactose tolerant person, am tagging along on her almond milk trend. It adds flavour and reduces the amount of sugar you need to add!
Use agave nectar as a sugar substitute. Agave nectar, even though it has quite a few calories, is also a really great natural sweetener. The real plus is that it is low on the glycemic index, which means it is simply better for you!
Sprinkle in some cinnamon. This is one of the most calorie-friendly ways to spruce up your coffee on the list. Only a little sprinkle can add a whole new dimension to your cup!
Honey. Yes, honey has calories. And lots of them. But similar to agave necter, it also has plenty of ingredients that are really good for you and it has a super sweet taste! Because of its antioxidants it is much healthier than sugar.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. One thing I love maybe a little more than coffee is chocolate, and cocoa powder is a great way to add flavor to coffee. And by making it unsweetened you are getting rid of all of those extra calories.
For now, I am going to continue loving coffee, despite my mom’s constant reminders that tea is better. I hope that these tips and tricks will help you make your coffee a little less bitter and a little more fun. Maybe one day I will stop, but as Sandra Bullock said, “I gave up coffee. It’s almost worse than giving up a lover.”
Whether it be relationships, moving away for college, or starting fresh in a new community, we all at one point have to depart ourselves from our old ways. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but it might be beneficial in the long run. In order to depart or grow up, one will have to sacrifice something in return. It might be your happiness or hearing their crisp voice through the wind, but you need to make room for new experiences to happen. Where you stand today is not where you’ll be tomorrow. The emotions may still come and might hit you like powerful waves, but in order to not feel their powerful impact, you need to move so they won’t hit you hard. As we grow up and move on, our knowledge grows with us. We become stronger people, not just physically, but mentally. We are more aware, sharp, and shine brighter than the light that shines upon us. Depart, so you can illuminate. The playlist below contains eight songs that explain the emotions that one has to undergo when letting go.
Falling Short by Låpsley - After being together for so long, a lover tries to hold onto her loved one so that they can last through February or Valentine’s Day, though there are many downfalls in their relationship.
Losing You by Aquilo - A lover tries to make things normal or great again, but he’s hopeless.
Brief Encounter by Dawn Golden - The singer speaks about how brief his love was with someone.
Let it Go by James Bay - The speaker is trying to tell someone that they need to let go of what is holding them down.
End of The Affair by Ben Howard - After being with a lover for so long, he has to get used to not being there with them anymore.
You Should Know Where I’m Coming From by BANKS - A young woman wants to inform her lover that they should just depart because she is too difficult to love.
Heads or Tails by JOY. - The speaker thinks she is going insane and has to choose if she should be with her lover or leave.
Lost it All by Birdy - Even though this is what she’s wanted, the singer is tired of giving out her love and not thinking it is enough to fulfil her lover.
It can be hard to wake up sometimes, especially when your bed is so enticing and school seems so ridiculously unappealing. When it comes to starting your day off on the right foot and preparing yourself to have a great day, it can be tricky when it’s already enough of a feat to roll out of bed on time. We all have this ideal morning planned out in our heads before we go to bed at night: we’ll wake up early enough to take a shower, then we’ll do our makeup and make ourselves breakfast and coast out the door perfectly on schedule. Yet when it actually comes to morning time we’re hitting the snooze button for the third time, we don’t have time for breakfast and we’re dashing out the door with half our hair unbrushed. How can we achieve our ideal morning without losing sleep?
Make sure you get enough sleep. I know this can be extremely difficult, especially when homework is piling up and other activities like sports, band, or theatre interfere, but this is crucial. It will be hard to enjoy your day unless you get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before. The best way to get a good night’s sleep (for me) is to curl up in bed a half hour before I turn my lights out with a cup of chamomile tea and read a good book to tire my eyes out - no screens.
Wake up to upbeat, positive tunes. Make a playlist of songs that make you feel happy and ready to attack the day. Some songs that I find do the trick are: How I Want Ya by Hudson Thames, It’s Strange by The Bee’s Knees Remix, Veniceby The Lighthouse and The Whaler, South by Hippo Campus, 4EVER! by LANY, and Fool 4 You by Mr. Little Jeans.
Plan something you are excited to do. For me, this is choosing a cute outfit or doing my makeup. For you, it might be doing your hair or making a quick, delicious breakfast. It all depends on who you are and what you get excited about.
Eat something healthy for breakfast. Starting your day off right always involves eating breakfast. Skipping breakfast can negatively affect the rest of your day; even something small can make a big difference. Some of my favourite quick breakfasts are eggs and toast with orange juice, english muffin and an orange, or even just a quick smoothie.
Drink something. While coffee is delicious, tea is less addictive, and can help target exhaustion and sleepiness as well. For example, Chai tea is a great alternative to coffee. Chai contains cinnamon and cardamom: cinnamon increases awareness, and cardamom is a mood elevator which detoxifies the body. If you don’t have time for a cup of tea in the morning (I certainly don’t), I recommend bringing a thermos with hot water and a tea bag to school so you can enjoy the benefits of drinking tea without having to wake up at an inane hour. Other great teas for the morning include peppermint tea or Matcha green tea.
Try and smile. Being positive in the morning is difficult but even if you don’t feel very happy, faking a smile can help your mood to improve and your day to start off right. Also, a smile will brighten the morning of everyone you stumble upon. “Fake it ‘till you make it” is a great motto for rough mornings; putting on a happy face really does help.
The cover of our Spring 2016 issue, shot by the lovely Sophie Kirk (@soph.jane_ on insta. Read now at https://issuu.com/peachymagazine/docs/peachy_magazine_spring_2016_issue. Let us know what you think!
Peachy Magazine Spring issue is now available to all! Sorry to all for the delay regarding Issuu’s safe mode guidelines. We have since tweaked the issue to ensure it is all 100% and utterly safe for work (who knew women’s nipples are so offensive?) Please let us know what you think!
We are currently in the process of making our Spring issue available to everyone. It turns out the photo above breaches Issuu’s guidelines so many of our readers were unable to view the issue - pretty ironic considering one of our articles asks ‘Why So Much Fuss Over Nudes?’ We have since altered the issue and will be releasing this new “clean” version as soon as possible. Thank you all for your patience!
