An Exeter MA History student discovered an archive of personal items “dumped” in the mud on the side of the Western Way, Exeter on 4 June. Joe Williams, 22, launched an appeal on Twitter to reunite the collection with family members of Paul and Elizabeth Ascher, the deceased couple to whom the items belonged. The […]
History
An Exploration of Pop Art
The art world has always been shrouded in elitism. Mostly celebrating ‘high culture’, artwork historically has had little to no relation to the average person’s everyday life. In the 1950’s, however, an art movement came along that shattered this tradition. Pop art rejoiced in elements of mass culture, using imagery from popular advertisements, Hollywood films, […]
Enter the Wu Tang Clan (36 Chambers): 25 years on
As America rolled into 1993, East Coast hip-hop was coughing and spluttering like a flu patient. Dr Dre’s G-Funk had led a takeover of mainstream hip-hop, with synth-heavy albums like The Chronic and Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted near-ubiquitous in clubs and on the charts. True, talent blossomed in the alternative scene with the appearance […]
What stops a historical film from rewriting history?
Whether it be through the use of a time period as a setting, or the adaptation of a Victorian novel, the past is constantly adopted to attract viewers everywhere. We have been inundated with the likes of Downton Abbey, The Crown, Jackie, Victoria, The Kings Speech and Dunkirk, but people still cannot seem to get […]
Moscow: A City Haunted By Its Past?
“Please, be careful!” The parting words from a 90-year-old Russian woman I met on the metro this week. This may come across initially as nothing more than friendly advice, but it was not the first time in the conversation that she had expressed concern over my safety in Moscow. As the train pulled away I […]
What is wrong with democracy?
It goes without saying that politics in the West is perceived by many to be in a bad state. Recently, voters have been fed misinformation by an elite who pander to prejudices and emotions for power. Voters have felt disillusioned with the quick-fix promises offered by the last few decades’ canny politicians, they have felt disenfranchised with Liberalism, and […]
The history behind the Royal Clarence Hotel
Even before the events of last week, it seemed like there weren’t many beautiful old buildings left in Exeter. The Baedeker Blitz – in which the Nazis attacked British cities of cultural and historical significance – rapidly turned our beloved city from “the Jewel of the West” to what I can only describe as a […]
Are we all just pretending to care about the fire?
f Oall the buildings. Of all the 70s-built retail outlets, mediocre chain eateries, and soulless coffee shops in Exeter, it was ‘the country’s oldest hotel’ that was struck down in the early hours of an otherwise normal Friday morning. Of course. It had to be. Because we can’t have nice things. Obviously, any smart-arse in […]
Has the fire changed Exeter forever?
With a trending hashtag on Twitter and my Facebook timeline full of fellow students sharing multiple news articles, photos and videos, #exeterfire has been the talk of the city this past weekend. Beginning at 5.20am on Friday morning, and the final flames still flickering on Tuesday as ‘hot spots’, the fire has affected many of us […]
Undressed and unimpressed
A world class institution like the V&A can knock together shows with their eyes closed. They have a wealth of exquisite garments in their permanent collections, as well as contacts in high places to source rare key pieces and historical experts on hand to flesh out the details. What really sets an exhibition apart, however, is […]