The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) held its biweekly Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 11, where councillors approved a motion to implement a policy for McGill to transition out of the research and use of harmful military technologies, and a referendum question requesting an increase of $1.20 to the[Read More…]
Articles by Jonathan Giammaria
Making the ‘right’ choices
Ten years ago, Robin Marantz Henig published an article in The New York Times Magazine whose opening header read, “Why are so many people in their 20s taking so long to grow up?” The question referred to those who had entered adulthood in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis[Read More…]
The McGill Tribune Presents: THE BEST AND WORST OF 2020
TV SHOWS 1. The Queen’s Gambit Netflix’s smash-hit scripted limited series follows Beth Harmon, an enigmatic chess prodigy. The twist? Harmon has had a tranquilizer addiction since she was child, a plot point that carries both her chess career and the binge-worthy nature of the show itself. 2. Normal People[Read More…]
‘Positions’ never reaches its climax
Over the lightly plucked strings of Positions’s opening track, “shut up,” Ariana Grande sings, “All them demons help me see shit differently / So don’t be sad for me.” The self-assured lyrics swiftly address the emotional core of her two previous LPs, Sweetener and thank u, next, with a nonchalance meant[Read More…]
Nerdy going on thirty: Soup & Science returns for its 30th edition
The first-ever Soup & Science event, held in 2006, was hardly an extravagant affair. Professors and students gathered together in the second-floor lobby of the Trottier building to talk science, pass along research developments, and, of course, share in the event’s eponymous light refreshments. Thirty editions and a venue change[Read More…]
Searching the stars for supermassive black holes
Until 2019, no one had ever seen a black hole outside of artistic renditions and theoretical simulations dating back to the 18th century. On Apr. 10, 2019, after years of collaborative work, over 200 researchers from 60 institutions around the globe unveiled the first image of the supermassive blackhole Messier[Read More…]
What we liked this summer: Pandemic edition
With the start of virtual classes, it feels like we’ve been jolted out of a limbo. Still, with Netflix binges about to be replaced by Zoom classes, we can at least say that our five months indoors have given us plenty to watch, listen to, and read. The pandemic aside,[Read More…]
McGill students protest for the removal of James McGill statue
Around 100 members of the McGill community rallied just north of the Roddick Gates on Aug. 1 to push for the removal of the statue commemorating James McGill—the founder of McGill University and slave owner. Protesters stood in solidarity with members from the Black Students’ Network of McGill (BSN), the[Read More…]
Pop as healing in Lady Gaga’s ‘Chromatica’
Lady Gaga has always been beset by her public image. Whether it’s the bombastic music videos and otherworldly costumes of her debut, or the earnest, style-shifted music of Joanne and A Star is Born, critics have always questioned the authenticity of Gaga’s persona. The long awaited Chromatica, released May 29, with[Read More…]
The unexpected irony of self-isolation
Before COVID-19 forced the shutdown of public institutions and non-essential services, my life followed a stable routine. On most days, if I wasn’t already gone for an early shift at work, I would get to McGill at around 9:00 am for my morning classes, spend my free time at the[Read More…]
Michael Haze confronts love and loss in his debut EP
“CANCER,” Michael Haze’s second track on his debut EP MICKEY, opens with the crackle of a vinyl record followed by a spare guitar riff. The melody is simple, a two note progression whose deeper half is echoed by a soft and higher strum. Subdued and sparse beats accompany the low[Read More…]
Stuff we liked this Reading Week
Reading Week opens up doors of possibilities for McGill students: It can lead to a tropical vacation, a time of productivity and self-reflection, or a much needed moment to simply relax and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Rest assured, The McGill Tribune did a ton of relaxing, which involved catching up on[Read More…]
Finding the right place to read
A university lecture or a book club: By way of discussion, both bring the personal act of reading into an academic or social realm. However, these cultural spaces don’t necessarily motivate the same types of discussion. Barring other factors, like contextual formality or accessibility, an individual moves through these spaces[Read More…]
New McCord exhibit depicts Griffintown as a fractured landscape
Urban redevelopment looms over Montreal with a constancy that borders on parody. Whether these changes impact a single street or an entire neighbourhood: The threat of an orange cone is ever-present. Since 2013, Griffintown—downtown’s southwestern neighbourhood, historically home to Irish industrial workers—has been Montreal’s most recent target for urban renewal.[Read More…]
McSWAY presents their first poetry slam ‘Say It Because You Mean It’
Hidden away behind a yellow door, deep in a basement of brick and mortar, McGill held its first poetry slam of the semester. Hosted at The Yellow Door, McSway Poetry Collective, is a student-run group that regularly organizes open mics and writers’ workshops as a means to encourage artistic expression at[Read More…]
Kai Cheng Thom questions cancel culture with ‘I Hope We Choose Love’
Despite the biting cold of a resurgent Montreal winter, Librairie Drawn & Quarterly saw a packed house on Jan. 17. The crowd was eager to hear Kai Cheng Thom speak about her new collection of essays and poetry, I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s Notes from the End[Read More…]
Stuff we liked this break
Winter break is all about recovering from finals, spending time with your family, and updating your Goodreads and Letterboxd accounts. Here are the best from the A&E team’s period of rest and relaxation. Book: Jia Tolentino, Trick Mirror To those unacquainted with Jia Tolentino’s writing, it might seem like an[Read More…]
In conversation with Linda Gaboriau
In the world of prestigious literary awards, writers of fiction and poetry often occupy most headlines across major media platforms. Many awards, however, broaden their focus to more accurately capture contemporary literature’s breadth of exciting work. Alongside drama, non-fiction, and young adult literature, Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Awards features the[Read More…]
Expozine 2019 opens up the world of independent publishing
Mainstream culture often seems omnipresent—but every mainstream contains lively subcultures, and in the case of publishing, that subculture is zines. Montreal’s Expozine, which took place Nov. 16-17, had over 270 vendors set up in Église Sainte-Arsène’s basement and drew over 15,000 visitors. Typically, a zine is an independently published work[Read More…]
First Impressions: Is ‘The Lighthouse’ worth the hype?
On a rainy Sunday evening, The McGill Tribune Arts & Entertainment team convened for one purpose and one purpose only: To watch the much-hyped Robert Eggers film The Lighthouse. Starring ex–Twilight cast member Robert Pattison and ex–Mr Bean’s Holiday villain Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse has captivated audiences since its release. Whether or not[Read More…]
New gallery ‘No.01’ offers insights through experimental creations
The Visual Arts Visuels’ (VAV) exhibition space at Concordia University may appear modest in its size and spare curation, but the industrial, L-shaped room presents artwork with the same sense of ambition as those found in venues like the MAC and MMFA. It affirms that artistry isn’t found solely in[Read More…]
Drawn & Quarterly welcomes up and coming Canadian authors
Canada’s contemporary literary scene is on the brink of something special. On Oct. 4, La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly converted its tight space into a stage, hosting three significant writers, Alix Ohlin, Megan Gail Coles, and Audrée Wilhelmy. Ohlin and Coles’ novels have just been shortlisted for Canada’s prestigious[Read More…]
Drawn & Quarterly sparks local interest with ‘Mile End Portraits’
When La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly opened its doors to celebrate the release of Mile End Portraits on Sept. 20, the normally quiet children’s bookstore quickly found itself packed with residents looking to honour their neighbourhood. Mile End Memories, a local community center dedicated to preserving the area’s cultural identity,[Read More…]
Stuff we liked this summer
With classes already in full swing, the season for carefree media consumption has come and gone. From here on out, reading will be mandatory and any TV-watching will be tinged with guilt and anxiety as readings pile up and assignments loom. For the remaining few days of add-drop, however, here’s[Read More…]
‘El Perdido’ documents our forgotten landscape
The archetype of the wandering artist is a familiar one, emphasizing that the freedom of the road, and the directionless travel that follows is a catharsis that allows an artist to create as freely as possible. For Patrick Beaulieu, the very act of losing yourself on the road is a[Read More…]
Marlon James delves into fantasy with ‘Black Leopard, Red Wolf’
In an entertainment market dominated by superhero blockbusters and binge-worthy streaming services, audiences often overlook the fantasy genre’s literary counterparts. On March 5, Dimitri Nasrallah, author of The Bleeds, joined Marlon James at the Rialto Theatre to discuss his new novel, Black Leopard, Red Wolf. The novel has become a[Read More…]
Thierry Mugler’s couture makes its world debut at the MMFA
Continuing the trend of haute-couture exhibitions like Balenciaga, Master of Couture at the McCord Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) debuted Thierry Mugler: Couturissime, a landmark exhibition which features 150 of the designer’s designs. Though he began as a professional dancer, Mugler entered the world of fashion in the[Read More…]
Anti-reading week reading list
Two months into the semester, reading for pleasure seems like a long-forgotten pastime. To some, the thought of willingly digesting more information feels like a cruel joke, but we here in the Art & Entertainment section are firm believers in intellectual procrastination. Here are some books you can read to[Read More…]
Centaur’s ‘Queer Reading Series’ celebrates new voices
Traditionally, a stage reading is a stripped-down version of an author’s work. With no set design and minimal effort put toward costuming or props, performance and plot are at the forefront. Attending a reading allows keen audiences to access an unfinished product. Abandoning notions of polish and perfection relieves creators[Read More…]
‘True Crime’ doubles down on deception
True Crime is labyrinthine. The show, which played at the Centaur from Jan. 8-27, recounts indie-singer-turned-true-crime-writer Torquil Campbell’s real-life investigation into his con man doppelgänger, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. In 90 short minutes, Campbell whirls through his crimes, a series of kidnappings and murders, portraying Gerhartsreiter and his many aliases. Campbell also[Read More…]
Dance takes center stage at the MAC
On Jan. 11, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) held a series of events as part of their current Françoise Sullivan retrospective, including a panel and a separate exhibition. Aptly titled the Dance and Visual Arts Study Day, the MAC invited a host of educators, artists, and theorists to share[Read More…]
What we watched this winter break
Arriving home for winter break in the typical post-exam fugue tends to make the inevitable holiday burnout all the more severe. Everyone knows that those few weeks between semesters are best spent binge-watching movies in sweatpants and resisting the urge to hit refresh on MyCourses—at least that’s how we in[Read More…]
‘The Tashme Project’ combines personal discovery and public atrocity
The internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War was a shameful moment in history and one high school curricula often sideline. The Tashme Project: The Living Archives, which showed at the Centaur Nov. 15-24, brought the history of internment to the forefront. Created and performed by Julie Tamiko[Read More…]
How Balenciaga set the standard for an entire industry
To the uninitiated, haute couture might conjure up images of haughty snobs sporting wildly-impractical clothing, ankle-breaking six-inch stilettos. The elusive nature of high fashion makes it difficult to categorize: Often toeing the line between wearable and absurd, Balenciaga’s designs muddle this already contentious definition