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Arts and Culture

Baldwin Auditorium reopened at the start of the year after renovations were completed.
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Family Weekend Music Showcase concert: Welcoming and beautiful

By Kadin Purath | October 29, 2024

To cap off the Saturday programming of Duke’s Family Weekend, the Music Department showcased 11 pieces of music — spanning from combination chorale and chamber orchestra performances to string quartets — Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in Baldwin Auditorium. The event was primarily intended for visiting friends and families but provided a wonderful, graceful experience to everyone in the Duke community.

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Barry Jenkins and allegedly soulless art

By Larrabee Ellenberg | October 28, 2024

I will admit that I am not highly anticipating “Mufasa: The Lion King.” However, I refuse to discount this film entirely; Jenkins, regardless of whether he is considered a beloved indie director or the next sellout, is clearly a passionate man who tells stories he considers worth telling. I, for one, am curious to see how Jenkins’ soulful style translates to the larger screen.

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Five Points Gallery: Small but wonderful

By Zev van Zanten | October 24, 2024

Tucked away at the side of Five Point Plaza, in a small storefront, is a gallery. If you look up while entering, you see a high ceiling, a reminder of the building’s previous history as a barn. This is the titular Five Points Gallery, a small but mighty venue that highlights some of Durham’s wonderful art talent.

Courtesy of Duke University
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Restoring and reconstructing Latinx history in Duke, Durham: 100 years of connections

By Tina Qian | October 23, 2024

On the evening of Oct. 4, Duke academic departments and cultural organizations celebrated the connections between Duke University and Durham’s Hispanic, Latino and Latinx communities in an event at the Friedl Building’s Fredric Jameson Gallery. The celebration consisted of presentations and performances that centered the experiences and work of the students, faculty and community members who have helped build the Duke-Durham relationship. 

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Duke Theater Centennial: telling the story of past and present

By Zev van Zanten | October 18, 2024

The Department of Theatre Studies will hold a special performance Oct. 19 in Reynold Industries Theater from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to celebrate Duke’s centennial and highlight the history of theater at Duke. By bringing together past and present Duke talent and having them perform pieces that center Duke, Durham and North Carolina, the show will highlight the long history of Duke Theatre and its bright future.

The entrance to the Museum of Durham History
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“100 Years of Duke: Names to Remember” at the Museum of Durham History

By Kadin Purath | October 18, 2024

As you may be aware, Duke is celebrating its centennial this year. Beyond campus, Durham is also celebrating the centennial of their relationship with the University. One shining example of this premiered September 20th. The Museum of Durham History’s (MODH) exhibit “100 Years of Duke: Names to Remember,” takes a nuanced approach to how Duke is discussed and emphasizes the mutual dependence and shared growth of Durham and Duke. 

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Duke Arts Block Party: Inscrutable?

By Kadin Purath | October 17, 2024

What was an impassioned argument for Duke and Durham arts pleased those who already know and love them but possibly failed to reach beyond its cultural niche. It’s on Duke undergraduates and their choice of how to spend their time to take Duke Arts from the realm of inscrutability and bring it to the forefront of Duke culture and consciousness. 

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Lighting up our Duke community - a month of Light Lane

By Zev van Zanten | October 11, 2024

Last month, our campus was graced by a temporary new addition: light-up bikes. Placed alongside the BC Plaza Bridge and at the entrance to the Ruby, at first glance they seem like weird, stationary bikes. But hop on them and you’re in for a novel experience that merges play with sustainability.

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Revisiting 'Girls': an analysis of female friendship

By Olivia Prusky | October 10, 2024

“Girls” was innovative for its honest take on the dating lives and career success of post-grad women. But, its cynical view on female friendship is not one viewers should believe is the whole truth. For the majority of the show, the girls are not friends. When they “were,” they repeatedly break girl code. 

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What I learned at a dance party: The Duke Dance Program’s Centennial celebration

By Olivia Prusky | October 8, 2024

While Duke’s Centennial has given us the opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve progressed in 100 years, it is vital to not focus solely on Duke’s more modern and glamorous developments. The Centennial is about remembering the past and the people that got us here, not just looking toward the future. We can thank the Duke Dance Program for reminding us of that lesson. 

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“Megalopolis” – orchestrated trainwreck

By Kadin Purath | October 4, 2024

“Megalopolis” is the most confounding movie I have ever seen. It loses itself in its scope, can’t seem to show rather than tell and can’t help itself to oblige whenever there is an opportunity to up the ante. The movie is so genuinely filled with hope that it makes it difficult to discuss cynically. It’s impossible to stop thinking about it. I’ve never had more fun at a movie.

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Melodies of a milestone: Biddle celebrates 50 years with gala concert

By Anna Chen | October 3, 2024

Although I’ve been to Baldwin a couple of times before for various recitals and performances, when I made my way over this time, I could feel a difference in the energy. Audience members were buzzing around, excitedly talking to one another about their day, the music they were eager to hear, their children and their memories of Duke. 

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Centennial Special: 100 years of concerts at Duke

By Anna Chen | October 2, 2024

Aside from the Grateful Dead, Duke is no stranger to hosting famous names. In 1972, legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder hit the stage in Cameron. 1976 saw rock icon Bruce Springsteen and his E street Band perform to a packed house. Legendary jazz and pop singer Frank Sinatra, country star Johnny Cash and folk-rock artist Bob Dylan have also made their way to Durham throughout the years, performing for their Blue Devil fans. 

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A hidden face of women in STEM - The Scientific Vision of Women

By Zev van Zanten | September 28, 2024

It is no secret that, for most of recorded history, women were almost entirely shut out of the world of science. While some managed to participate in science by hiding their identities or through special circumstances, countless talented women were denied the chance to exercise their agency. However, there was one way that many women were still able to be involved in science: document illustration.

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