Dean Chapman:
This past May in London's Saatchi Gallery, I viewed a piece of art by the controversial British avant-garde artist Damien Hirst. Moving past "Some Comfort Gained From The Acceptance Of The Inherent Lies In Everything," which featured a cow and a steer sliced into 6 equal pieces, perfectly preserved, and mounted in 12 vertical tanks, I discovered a work called "A Thousand Years." Positioned on the floor in the center of the room, closed in by glass, was the head of a dead horse. Maggots feasted upon the head, until they eventually turned into flies, whereupon they took flight into the air. It was all a cruel joke, however, as the flies were instantly zapped by the "insect-o-cutor" positioned at the top of the space and left to die.
The work was meant as a parody of the natural life-cycle of man, and after the shock-value wore off, it's message was strikingly clear.
With Recess this year I too hope to produce a magazine that is able to match sharp insights and incisive commentary with an energetic, creative imagination that captures arts and entertainment here in our community and further afield.
As an avid reader of all things current, I am thrilled to be co-editing Recess. A publication that thrives on mixing valuable stories and notable goings-on with moments of humor and unabashedly cruel criticism, Recess is the perfect vehicle to cover film, music, the arts, fashion, food, television, technology and so much more. Here's to a great year.
David Walters:
It's year six of Recess, and for some reason, someone saw fit to give me some responsibility. Don't panic. We're going to get through this.
Recess has been a passion of mine since I first arrived as a skinny, awkward freshman. Three years later--as a skinny, awkward senior--it only seems fair that I see it through to the end. My introduction to the magazine came with the arrival of my first sendhome, and I vividly remember my first thought: "I could do this." Actually, it was probably something more like "Man, Sisqo is the coolest! He's here to stay!" But my second thought was definitely, "I could do this." So I did.
And oh what I've learned. Whether it was getting thrown out of the photography pit at a Jimmy Buffett concert or failing to show up for my Everclear interview (I swear I never got that e-mail), Recess experiences have taught me valuable lessons. Firstly, I'm a tool. Secondly, when an arts and entertainment magazine can find the proper mix of integrity, insight, irreverence and readability, it also becomes a tool (a different kind of tool; one that's useful).
Ultimately, our goal is not to force-feed our readers our own opinions. The trends and tastes of popular culture will forever change, and we aren't hoping to stumble upon any unalterable truths. We just want to make you laugh. We just want to make you aware. We just want to make you think. So, here we go again. Volume six. Let's get started.
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