By Boudica Gast On the 1st of February, Zeeland remembered the Watersnoodramp (‘flood disaster’) of 1953, which reduced many villages to nothing and killed more than 1800 people. Sadly, I noticed that not much attention was given to this tragedy at UCR. I think it’s important that we understand how devastating these floods were to…
South-West France: A Cave Lover’s Guide
By Alice Fournier I’m fortunate enough to live both in the French South-East, in Provence, with all the sun it has to offer, and in the South-West, near Bordeaux, with its rain and beautiful prehistoric caves. This is for all of my non-claustrophobic peeps who do not mind dark, damp and cold places. In exchange…
Fashion and the Fine Arts in the 20th Century
by Alice Fournier “The best of fashion is worthy of the name art”, said Norman Norell, a famous American designer in an interview with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967. And yet, art and fashion have always had a paradoxical relationship. According to Norell, one is constantly shifting and adapting to trends, the other…
Suffragettes in Zeeland
By Judith Brouwer Whether its shooting the man who refuses to pay alimony, dressing up as a soldier to fight the French, or running for city council despite your party not believing in the involvement of women in politics; my favorite part of history has always been discovering individuals’ stories, such as these, in different…
Parietal Art or an Incursion in a Prehistoric … « Museum »?
By Alice Fournier The cave of Lascaux, in Dordogne, France, is probably the pinnacle of parietal art. Discovered in 1940 by Marcel Ravidat, Lascaux is now closed off to the public to help preserve the many artworks visible on its walls. What is the reason for this you might ask? CO2 emissions. Due to its fame and…
Tiramisu – From Tolmezzo to the World
By Alessandra Boiti I bet you have always wondered about the origins of what is perhaps the most famous Italian dessert, Tiramisu. Wonder no more, read on and you will find out! Despite its popularity, Tiramisu has humble origins. It was conceived in a remote but well-frequented hotel in the middle of the Julian Alps,…
Your New Italian Playlist
By Gloria Borroni Contrary to popular belief, Italian music is not about the mandolin and accordion, at least, not all of it. Music is a crucial cultural aspect of Italy, after all, Italy was the home of some of the greatest classical music composers and opera authors of all times. Nonetheless, parallel to this so-called…