ARTS ’""ENTERTAINMENT Meredith Dance, Theatre and Art Programming Promises Exciting Faii Season Shanna Alley and Lizzie Wood, staff writers Fall Fashion Sparks Cultural Controversy Now-October 28, 2012 Wax Foundations: Encaustic in the Southeast, Frankie G. Weems Art Gallery, Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center This exhibition features 11 artists from the U.S. Southeast that con tribute a variety of works, which explore the texture and depth with wax and pigment. Now-November 11, 2012 Natural Settings: Botanical Art Rotunda Gallery, Johnson Hall This exhibition shows how four art ists explore the world of plants from different perspectives, styles and media. Now-September 29, 2012 Machinal, Jones Studio Theatre Meredith Theatre presents: Machi nal by Sophie Treadwell, directed by Steven Roten on September 25-29 at 8 PM and September 30 at 3 PM. October 17-20, 2012 South Eastern College Art Confer ence, Durham, North Carolina Meredith College will present the 68th annual meeting of SECAC in the heart of historic Durham, Oct. 17 through Oct. 20, 2012. Contempo rary photographer Debbie Fleming Caffery will be the keynote speaker on October 18 at 8 p.m. at the Caro lina Theatre. For more information visit: http://www.secollegeart.org/ annual-conference.html November 8-10, 2012 Step On A Crack Jones Hall Studio Theatre Dear Gigi, I met a guy out, and we hit it off. He didn’t text me for about a week, so I figured he wasn’t interested. Then, he started texting me, and I was so excited. We finally made plans to hang out. Everything went great. He was perfectly nice and very polite. Now, he’s constantly texting me. At first I wanted it to go somewhere, but now. I’m not so sure. Am I just being ADD, or is it ok to be bored? I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t really feel like it’s something Meredith Theatre presents Step On a Crack by Suzan Zeder, directed by Catherine Rogers. November 8-9 the show is at 7 p.m. and November 10-11 at 3 p.m. November 9 -10, 2012 Holiday Art Sale Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center Meredith College student artwork is displayed and sold at the fourth annual Holiday Art Sale, a portion of the proceeds go to fund the MASS grant used to support Meredith Col lege student art projects. November 16-18, 2012 Meredith Dance Theatre in Concert Jones Auditorium Meredith Dance Theatre will show case choreography by Guest Artistic Director Eleanor Smith, guest artist Lindsey Kelly and students. Free for MC students, faculty, and staff, performances are nightly at 8 p.m. in Jones Auditorium. November 18-December 3, 2012 Senior Art Exhibition Frankie G. Weems Art Gallery, Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center The opening reception for the Senior Art Exhibition is Nov. 18 in the Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center from 2-4 PM. This annual survey highlights the work of graduating seniors to showcase the range of Meredith Col lege’s art students’ works in piedia including sculpture, painting, pho tography, textiles, graphic design, ceramics, and mixed media. Lady Gaga in a flesh-colored, fur-cov ered burqa at London Fashion Week. Image via metro.co.uk News Analysis - For those who love fashion, the New York and London Fashion Weeks are always exciting. This year as photos of the events and designs quickly spread through Ins- tagram, Twitter, Youtube and fahion blogs, it became apparents that one of the major fall trends is culture appro priation. Yes, I do mean the adapta tion of something from one culture by another. Many stars, such as Katy Perry and Perrie Edwards, have been seen sporting bindis (a religious and cultural stone wore on the foreheads of South Asians), and Marchesa’s show case during NYFW consisted of sixties, India-inspired wear: gold, embroider ies, saris turned into mini dresses, beads and fringes. The appropriation of cultural attire by fashion designers has caused many to raise their eye brows: should something that holds Sona Salahuddin, staff writer such value be easily worn as a trend? Many say that these new ‘styles’ might offend Indians who don’t want their culture to be considered foreign one day and “ashionable the next. In addition to Marchesa’s India-in- spired line, Jeremy Scott and Marked Moskva have come out with new lines “inspired by the Arab Spring.” The designs consist mostly of short, even see-through, burqas and AK 47 tops, causing controversy and anger amongst many Muslims. The burqa is both a religious symbol for Mus lim women and a sign of oppression for those forced to wear it in certain countries. But even with these cultural connotations. Lady Gaga has recently been seen in transparent burqas wear ing close to nothing underneath. Is it right to manipulate a garment meant for religious modesty into something sexual? Why is it that when Hindus and Muslims wear items as part of their culture they are consid ered oppressed but when models or celebrities sport similar garments at a fashion show it is considered a fashion statement? Brands secularize religious symbols for profit all the time, and, as normally happens, backlash from religious groups and other parties questions this process as offensive, insensitive and even unethical. I doubt that people will start wear ing these new trends on the street, but some worry that they might turn into “costumes”- making an “other” of the different cultures they represent and belittling their cultural value. So even though I like to sport the newest trends off the New York and London runways, I have to stop and question whether my outfit might be offensive, and I don’t think I’ll be sporting a bindi or burqa as a fashion statement any time soon. ASK GIGI worth pursuing. Is it rude if I stop talking to him? Sincerely, ADD over boys Dear ADD, It is totally normal to decide that someone is not right for you. In order to find the right person, you are go ing to have to weed out the ones who aren’t a perfect fit. Although this process is often painstaking and time- consuming, it is definitely necessary. First impressions don’t always parallel to a person’s true personality. and in deciding now that you’re not interested in pursuing a future, you’re not being rude; you’re being honest. In order to find the right person, you are going to have to weed out the ones who aren’t a perfect fit. It is better to be upfront and explain to him in a polite way that you two are too different. After all, you have only been on one date. As long as you are polite and sensitive to how he may feel, you should just explain how you feel. Then wish him the best of luck in finding a great girl and focus on finding the right guy for you. Enjoy the search! Lots of love, Gigi Email your questions to herald@email.meredith.edu. You are always anonymous!