Nudity does not equal Obscenity

The other day in my art class, I got very little respectful feedback from my (adult) classmates, and this due to the subject of my project. Indeed, I dared to draw a naked body, and my drawing was instantly called obscene. I utterly disagree.
       First of all, nudity is the obligatory way to represent anatomy and all its details; we can see for example in all the statues and paintings representing Greek or Biblical heroes that the hero is naked to show his strength with the details of the muscles and his sacredness (Michelangelo's David or other Italian contemporaries), or even today to show the extreme humanity of the subject (Schiele, Gauguin, etc).
       Linked to that, we can affirm that nudity is the purest form of humanity (and was used to show one's humanity in medieval religious paintings, like Adam and Eve), or represented the sacredness of a being (gods in mythological paintings of the following time period, like in Boticelli's Birth of Venus) and therefore is in itself the opposite of obscenity.
       Now, I agree that many artists (Rodin, Buffet, etc.) used nudity for eroticism, whose point is obscenity, and that it can hardly reach this goal without naked figures. But eroticism is very different from nudity, for the simple reason that eroticism seeks to shock the viewer through obscenity and nudity to convey the human or sacred atmosphere.
       So, if there is nudity in my works, it doesn't make them obscene. It shows the aesthetic of the body, the humanity in the characters, and transforms the atmosphere to something deistic. And disrespecting them because of that is absolutely idiotic.
Marlene

The Crossing

The big leap, the one you make once in a lifetime without ever looking back. This bridge that you cross between your primary innocence and the realization of the dirt our lives and world carry around everywhere we go. This bridge across which you walk as slowly as possible, slowly realizing what is at the end of it: going from our world of sweet pleasures to the one of harsh realities. This crossing when ideas blur and conceptions are turned upside down. When you do not what you should be thinking. When you are afraid to be called by everyone else a pessimist. When you are afraid of ever being able to enjoy the exaltations of mental freedom, of not feeling responsible, of not seeing, or, in fact, not even wanting or needing to look. It is at this crucial moment of your life that you start feeling the pressure of ourselves. It is at the end of that bridge that you see the other bank, colorful; colored by your mistakes, by our mistakes. It is during the crossing that you start living outside yourself. It is then, when you see your own life as if you were someone else and you cannot bear looking at yourself anymore, that you see how you do everything the wrong way. It the crossing that makes you discover the other side. It is then, when you sense that the other bank is dark but so much better already. It is halfway across the bridge that you decide, because, yes, you do decide, for this choice at least you are entirely alone, liberated from any pressure, entirely free to choose, to choose whether you keep on walking or whether you run back to the bank of recklessness, free of responsibility, free of pressure. It is this crucial moment that you know you will remember your entire life, the moment when you choose to turn your back on something.

Running away meaning you want to leave our problems out of your mind but you are now aware that you will always be, in a way, ignorant.

Walking forward, without ever looking back and deciding to become fully aware of our problems, becoming a lucid person and giving up any hope of enjoyment with an entirely free mind.

    Alone, lonely in the darkness of your thoughts’ turmoil, you try to determine what you want to see - now being fully aware - to choose and not regret,  what you want to live for the remaining time you hope you can get before cancer gets you and what you do not want to see. In both cases, you have to make a free choice, nothing; no one can tell you what to do but yourself and in both cases, you will be entirely responsible for what you choose.

    The bridge is long, and every time I take a step, I think deeply about the direction I place my foot.

Best Regards,

Chahin HOUMOUR

Why drawing is fun

Drawing is one of my favorite activities : when I have some free time (or when I’m in class but shhhh......), I always take a piece of paper and start drawing whatever comes to my mind.

Drawing is a very impressive form of art and it is also very fun and fulfilling ;  I will show you why you should try drawing.

First of all, you are the one who controls everything. You can draw whatever you want, you have total freedom over what you want to do : you can draw a man, a woman, lands, animals and many other things. Being the one who is in control and creating your own characters is a pretty fulfilling feeling : you’re always happy when you draw something that you can be proud of. It always amazes me how some people can create a world full of different characters who all have different features. You also have so many possibilities on what to draw and how to : there are so many positions, so many expressions, so many perspectives to explore that make the world of drawing really interesting with endless possibilities.

What’s really interesting in drawing is that it stirs up emotions : every time you look at a certain picture, you might feel a certain way because that drawing made you feel like that. 

Drawing is also a way of expressing emotions without talking : language is not the only way to communicate, drawing can also be used to communicate. It’s impressive how so many emotions can be felt strongly without any words.

Even though drawing is really hard and even if you might not be able to draw that well, just give it a try, I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

Thank you for reading my blog post.

Lisa

Why handball is the best sport you can play as a French teenager

First of all, as French or France-residing people you must all know that our men's national team is one of the best in the world as they have won at least a bronze medal in every single tournament they have taken part in for more than 20 years. 

Secondly, on a sport-based point of view, handball is really good for your health : it requires you to be strong and fit; it improves your speed in running and makes your heart work a lot, which is good for your health and for your body development. On a social level, handball is a team sport, and I think it is really important as teenagers to practise some team sports ; indeed, the relationships you forge between members of your team are really precious ones as you share a lot of moments together, from the victorious moments to the road trips across the country on a bus. 

Finally, handball is a good mental exercise ; in fact, the psychological pressure during a game is really important even for basic championship matches: As there are only 2 referees (maximum) the players often get hit or insulted without being seen, which creates tension on the field. Therefore, good mental strength (or the ability to make the opponents angry and unfocused) is an important feature of a handball player.

To conclude, I’d say that handball is in fact a really good sport to play, as it allows you to have good physical activity, gives you unforgettable moments with your friends and also trains you on a psychological level. 

Eddy

Why I am thankful for swings (and why you should be too)

As Thanksgiving was only a few days ago I thought I would take advantage of this blog post to express my gratitude for this special object that is the swing, this very ordinary piece of wood or plastic hanging proudly from two tight ropes clinging to a tree, a crossbar or anything solid enough to support a child's weight. This lonely memory of our childhood, impassive, silently oscillating to the soft touch of the wind. Have you ever considered the role this object played in your early years ? And have you ever tried to give it a second chance ? I will provide you with some knock-out arguments and I promise you won't be able to resist the temptation to jump on the next swing you meet and experience the swing-thrill again after.

            1- Swings are part of our childhood. And who said that following our inner child was an element that makes us even better people ? Actually a lot of extremely wise people did; you should just check out the number of quotations on this theme, as it is quite impressive. As a consequence, taking a few minutes to sit on a swing and rediscover your four year-old self probably won't hurt (only if your sense of balance is really primitive). You will forget about all the almost grown-up things you have to deal with and trust me it is totally worth it.

            2- Swings are at least as thrilling as rollercoasters. Imagine yourself sitting, your feet leaving the ground, your hair flying in a very romantic manner for a moment and then operating an incredibly fast U-turn and hitting your face, your eyes directed to the sky, the air rushing into your nose, your eyes, your ears, your clothes flying behind you, temporary Superman cape and your mind filled with nothing but a word « HIGHER »… Don't underestimate the swing-thrill.

            3- Swings are usually located outside and by that I mean that you can always use the fact that you have spent a few minutes on a swing to justify a whole afternoon of Netflix.

            4- Swings have been proven to have a beneficial effect on our sleep. Indeed according to scientists the movement of the swing could be associated in our mind to the gentle rocking our parents made us fall asleep with when we were babies. This association would thereby improve the quality of our sleep. How marvellous !

            5- Swings don't require a high physical investement but you can surely use it as a way to shape your body if you are determined enough.  This activity can be practiced as a way to relax and daydream a little bit by just gently swaying,  the top of your feet not even forced to leave the ground. On the other hand you can completely make of your swing session a gym session by swinging higher and higher, faster and faster and if you are very very determined without your hands on the ropes (that's doable but you should train first as I don't want to be responsible for any broken arms, noses, legs…). Again don't underestimate the power of swings.

I wish I could go on and on because I have several arguments left. Nevertheless time and space are starting to lack so I hope these points convinced you to be more thankful for swings. Who knows, maybe next time you walk past one, you'll give it a try.

Héloïse

Why we should all watch the Eurovision contest

Eurovision is a song contest which has taken place once a year since 1956. It is a contest where about 40 European countries compete. Each country sends a candidate to this competition which happens on live TV and where he is judged by the audience and also by a professional jury.
This TV programme is very interesting because, first of all, the candidates sing songs that they have written by themselves and their performance is not only composed of singing but also dancing with costumes and entertainment.
Moreover, some candidates decide to sing in their own language which is very captivating; these candidates are my favorite beacause they share their own culture into this competition, bringing some originality which is very enriching!
Furthermore, there's a whole diversity in the styles of the songs; everyone can find at least one song that corresponds to his musical tastes. It can be RnB or classical music as well as pop music or even rock or death metal.
The best advantage of watching Eurovision is that you have a nice evening singing, dancing and judging the candidates. The best moment is when you learn that the winner is the candidate you thought would win. The advice that I can give you is to watch it with friends, because it is a lot more fun.
Thank you for reading my blogpost
I hope you'll watch Eurovision this year
 

Olessia

Why Eddy is a model for me

The title of my blog post can seem strange, even provocative. I know, we do not often hear such wild ideas. But I am going to demonstrate the very hidden value of Eddy.

            Firstly, Eddy is very witty, as you may know. His sense of humour is a mark a sharp intelligence. You might think Eddy's jokes are a bit too thick ; I would answer that he cleverly disturbs you to point out society's taboo subjects. Eddy is thus participating in the improvement of the society by making it more aware of its difficulties.

            Secondly, Eddy is capable of self-mockery. The fact that he is able to joke about himself shows an incredibly modest nature. Plus, the fact that he does not take himself too seriously is a good sign : he deeply understands the ephemerality of life, and thus the imperative to act without fear.

            Thirdly, Eddy follows philosophical principles. Having read Malbranche's ideas according to which "a friend should never approve the errors of his friends", Eddy always reports me whenever I am haughty. I am grateful of Eddy's courage to dare indicate to me such behaviour that is mine : thanks to him I am more aware of my attitude and I can try to change it.

            So, now you can see that Eddy has a combination of wit, humility, and philosophy that is rarely seen in one character. To conclude, it is clear that Eddy's personality is a divine gift that we should all be grateful for.

Colin Mauchamp, one of Eddy's numerous admirers

Basque country

Hey guys !

In today's blog post I'm going to talk in a very objective way about a wonderful region : the Pays Basque. Just kidding I'm basically going to describe aspects of this place in a probably biased way telling you why I love it and therefore why you should appreciate it as well. (And I will of course only talk about the bright side of Pays Basque - not that I know about any of its flaws).

To begin with, the culinary specialities are to die for and to backup this idea I think that only one example is sufficient : the jambon de Bayonne - no need to explain how tasty it is and how the way  it reveals itself to be even more palatable when you eat it really slowly is amazing. To continue with, the landscapes are so varied that it is impossible for someone not to be pleased with the surroundings : you have access to the Ocean, to the mountains, to forests full of mushrooms,... I mean everyone can find their own happiness here ! Moreover you can visit cool villages with typical architecture or pretty cities. To come back on the Ocean part I just want to specify that again there is a bit of a diversity : I personally prefer the beaches with big waves because I think it's way more fun but you can also find calm beaches with no turbulence at all like for example the Saint-Jean-de-Luz one. Regarding the sports you can of course go surfing, hiking or cycling but that’s not all ! There are some local games that are quite fun and easy to understand such as for example the pala or the chistera ( I'll let you look that up because my post is already too long). Moreover this region still has cultural festivities going on that can be fun to attend. You can for example go to the Force Basque or simply go watch local dances and if you are more in a party mood you can participate in the Fêtes de Bayonne. To finish with I'll add that the wildlife is not hard to observe and it's awesome ! There are for instance the flight of storks above my grandparents’ house during all summer, vultures in the heights and - the best for the end - pottoks ( those are kind of poneys/horses that you can really easily encounter during your walks ).

To conclude with, Pays Basque is a great vacation destination thanks to its amazing diversity. As you may know this region actually covers both Spain and France leading to even more different aspects to discover ! ( + certain goods are cheaper in Spain )

Thanks for reading, sorry for the length ( I just love it over there.. )

Joséphine

Treat Yourself

At home for the last weeks we have been trying to reduce our waste, and making things yourself is a great way to succeeed at it, although I also really enjoy it. You might not all have the same passion as me for cooking but you could try once. Making a meal for yourself or just something to go with your tea/coffee is a great way to take care of yourself and treat people around you. Cooking food is an easy manner to bring joy around you and to share a sympathetic moment with the people you love. If you make things yourself instead of just buying them in the shop you will enjoy them more. I agree sometimes you don’t have time to make everything yourself and you might think you are not good at cooking but it has a lot of benefits. It enables you to realize that you are actually able to make things yourself and to learn new recipes, and you will be proud of it. The fact you put effort in it, and make time for it enables you to enjoy it more and you can make exactly what you are craving and free your imagination. It is also better for your health because there are no additional flavors and food preservatives. And the additional benefit is that you won’t create any waste if you buy all your ingredients in bulk contrary to industrial meals or cakes that always have a lot of packaging. So if you are bored sometime or if you really are craving something, try to make it yourself once and you will see how much joy it will bring you. What's more, it will benefit your health and the planet.

Jilie

Being a volunteer

This summer I decided to make good use of my free time and go volunteering. I wasn’t initially planning on going abroad but after some research I discovered that opportunities are endless. International workcamps are a great way to travel at a small expense because you just have to pay for transportation. And then you only have to pick and choose where you want to go ! You could help elders in a small Japanese community or go build a well for a month in Africa. Those are the more extravagant projects. Of course there are many camps in Europe that are very appealing. The purpose of a volunteering camp is to do community work but also to meet new people and overall have fun. I chose to help in a longboard camp for a week in the countryside of Slovenia. It was amazing ! I met so many different people from all over the world that I would never have talked to otherwise. I discovered a new sport: longboarding and the community around it which is very welcoming. In conclusion, if you want to expand your horizons, volunteering is the way to go ! 

Marie-Lou

Nature, a friend ?

I have noticed that since the Industrial Age and its flourishing capitalist economy, our relations as human beings with the rest of our biological environment have changed. We now consider nature as a disturbing factor for agriculture, industry and the economy in general. As a matter of fact, it is true that nature doesn’t function as an independent entity but only as species that have survived so far because of their genetical characteristics. One could therefore assert that nature isn’t « our friend » but species working for their own survival. This would be a terrible mistake. The relationship between those species is rather complex, and humans tend to simplify them and often forget how they could use them to bring something new to the biological balance of the ecosystem instead of weakening it for bigger profits that are fundamentally shorter ones. To illustrate this ideas I’ll take a simple example :
- in agriculture there was a general belief that you obtain higher yields by putting chemicals in your fields. So today the farmers tend to poison the mice that live in their crops. It has been a complete disaster. The poison the lobby gave them does not kill mice immediately so birds of pray, particularly owls, buzzards and kites eat the poisoned animals and die. Moreover the fungi helping the crops grow die because of poison. As a result they have destroyed a complete generation of natural mice eaters that are currently helping them regulate mice, and have poisoned the ground for at least 2 years for the fungi to recover and helps their crops again. The only profits have been for the lobbies, a shame...

Beside this abysmal stupidity, the world is getting crowded with good-intentioned ecologists buying organic food in enormous industrial supermarkets and crying about pandas dying in the opposite corner of the world, but who have never considered for a minute they could move using bikes or their own feet, or care a little bit more about the remaining biodiversity they is destroyed everyday because of their ignorance. I feel other people like me starting to get tired of this pathetic hypocrisy... The more we think about it, the more we realise ecology is a philosophical matter. So let’s forget about our old habits and change them in order to reach effectiveness. And Harmony. By thinking.

CPL

Silence is key

I wanted to dedicate my blog post to people who share the same issue as me : speaking up.
Some people find this issue sad, others weird or even stupid, but for me it’s just a trait of
someone's personality. I never understood and I still don’t understand why stating a fact or
asking questions has to be done, in school especially ; in my case I prefer letting other
people answer or ask the questions and hope my problem will be solved, if not I just move
on. I guess letting things go is what others don’t understand, I mean school is meant for
learning so why would a child not want to speak up about his problems or state his
knowledge. Speaking up doesn't just apply at school in front of the whole class, it can also
affect you at home with your family or with a group of people you don’t know or just met. I
wish people would understand instead of putting pressure on someone who is uncomfortable and make them feel even worse about themselves.
I don't see my case as the worst; some people can actually become mute by being pressured
all the time.
Unless someone asks for help with his problem, I think people should be left alone and given
time as pressuring them will only make it worse.
Every time I think about speaking up, I remember all the bad remarks and comments that I’ve been told and how everyone says “you're not going to die if you speak up” ; but those people can’t understand since that don’t feel the same way towards the issue.
Still to this day I find it hard to speak up but to be honest it doesn't really bother me, just the
others who don’t understand.
Juliet

Why should you watch the movie Pride

The movie Pride is a British historical comedy-drama released in 2014, directed by Matthew Warchus. I discovered this film through the Erasmus project concerning the LGBT community. Starring noticeable British actors such as Andrew Scott ( Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes ), Imelda Staunton ( Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ) and Paddy Considine ( Father Hughes in Peaky Blinders ), the story depicts a group of gay and lesbian activists forming an alliance with miners following the British miners' strike in 1984. During that period, miners were treated with hostility by the public and government and clashed violently with the police, something the LGBT activists related to. The activists decided to raise money for the miners, thus creating the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign, an unlikely but successful campaign. Based on a true story, this film was rather well received by the British audience even though certain scenes of sexual nature or with strong language caused some contreversy. Matthew Warchus manages to give this movie a fun and comedic aspect whilst staying in the seriousness of the subject, making it an entertaining yet enlightening film. I do not want to give too much away, but I strongly suggest that you watch it. I thought it was a great movie and that it could not be more British. There is a great combination of actors, this film shedding a whole new light on some of them (Imelda Staunton going from the MOST HATED character of all time Professor Umbridge to a sweet and fun old lady called Hefina). I hope you watch this film and enjoy it as much as I did.
Dorian

How cutting my hair changed my life

Some of you might know that I used to have very very long hair in secondary school and I cut it shoulder-length before entering high school. But for some mysterious reason it became very curly and very messy...
I always had this passion and this admiration for girls who cut their hair extremely short because I’ve always felt that it gives so much charisma and confidence to someone. So when I decided that I couldn’t continue to wear the same horrible haircut (because let’s be honest it was ugly and nobody had the courage to tell me) I looked on the internet for some ideas of short haircuts. I hesitated for weeks because I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it or not and my mum feared that I was going to have some regrets. I finally scheduled an appointment without really knowing if I was going to do it and I went to the hairdresser. I told her my ideas aaaaand it took me a while to take the ultimate decision.
Ok, you might think I’m over the top and you’re probably right but it really did change a lot of things for me. Most girls with long hair might not consider it but it does take some courage to do it. When you are not extremely confident you might have the tendency to “hide” behind your hair, which is totally normal ; but once you don’t have hair anymore you really have to face -basically what you look like- and to accept yourself. The hair is one of the main things you focus on when you look at someone so when there’s not a lot of it people won’t look at you the same way. I feel very free with short hair ironically maybe lighter, I gained way more confidence and I realized that there are a lot of advantages : you need less water and less time to shampoo and your hair dries quickly ; you don’t need to brush it AT ALL in the morning ; and you’re not too hot in summer (well...*wink wink*).
I’m not here to do some propaganda and I do still enjoy long hair but just so you know if you are hesitating to cut it, you might fall in love with the result (I hope that Mrs Chavel would agree with me) ! I would particularly like to thanks Charles who was the first to criticize my new hair, and Marie-Lou who gave me the idea to write this post.
PS : I also particularly wanted to dedicate this post to my mum and her short hair. Jacinthe xx

Hi, get prepared to discover the unbelievable actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

He first performed with The New Shakespeare Comapany and played in well known plays such as "Romeo and Juliet" in 2002 or more recently in "Hamlet" in 2015. I won't quote all his series or movies but I discovered him with "Sherlock". He plays the eponymous character of S.Holmes who helps the police to solve crimes; after this I looked for all of his movies because I had a very strong first impression of him.

I then learned to love him with "The Imitation Game", "The Hobbit" (yes he does the voice of Smaug the dragon), "Doctor Strange", and "The Avengers". Moreover he gave his voice in many video-games and cartoons like "The Simpsons".

He won a few awards for his acting but I think that the big part of his career is coming soon. If you don't know him yet definitely go check out his work, you won't be disappointed.

Thomas