Review: Stereoscope ‘Heritage’ launch

I rocked up to the Stereoscope Magazine “Heritage Issue” launch party last Friday with high expectations, a friend, and my leather shorts – all key contributors for ensuring a good night. 

The event was hosted at the St Andrews Sailing Club, just off of East Sands. It was apparently the last student event to be hosted there, which is a real shame as it is probably the eccentric venue in town.

First impressions of the venue were warm, both emotionally and physically. This was particularly due to the truly impressive turnout, although luckily there was still enough space left over for the dedicated dancers to jam, first to the Brass Monkeys jazz band, and then to DJ Falk Morawitz’s beats. Drinks were flowing, both through the provision of Squeeze cocktails and self-supply: everyone was sporting their own mugs, while some guests even super-sized to individual bottles. This definitely contributed to the relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, a welcome change from the perhaps expected stuffy and awkward mood of an exhibition launch.

So, we’ve established that the event itself was a success. What was the actual content of the exhibit like?

Photos from the Department of Art History Special Collection were set side by side original student photography, intermixing students’ individual heritage with that of St Andrews’. The varied layout of the exhibition kept things exciting and creative, and really maximized its potential on a relatively low budget. Photos lined the walls and were pinned along a sort of makeshift laundry line. Color popped. My favorite niche was the bulletin board in the far back corner, where the stories behind the photos were described in a blurb underneath, giving a particularly personal edge. This also helped to immediately enlighten the viewer, something I personally appreciated. Sometimes it is satisfying to be given a direct answer to the endless interpretations of fine art.

To be honest, it was not that easy to differentiate the old photos from the new. I think this says something about the top-notch quality of student artwork exhibited. Or that heritage is timeless in that people are people no matter the era or origin (most likely, though, I’m just not very observant).

I left the party with a head full of thoughts, having discussed the definition of “heritage” with my fellow tertian Andrew Ratomski, who claimed that the word evoked thoughts of “return” rather than “origin” or “childhood”. Is it about our individual heritage, or the collective one we are creating together here? Probably a combination.

On that note, I leave you with a memento from my own childhood; despite all this talk of timelessness I have to say that I am pretty happy to have left that pink blazer behind.

Photos © Stereoscope