Photo Blog

Students and faculty from Holy Cross’ CreateLab course partake in a “flash swarm” in the Swords Atrium of the Integrated Science Complex. Alongside visiting artists-in-residence, Troika Ranch, an internationally renowned ensemble that fuses dance, theatre and technology, the Holy Cross community is exploring the relationship between Gravity and Grace: The Intersection of Art and Science, this year’s Arts Transcending Borders theme. Collaborating with theatre, CreateLab classes and the Arts Transcending Borders initiative, Troika Ranch will integrate live performance with cutting edge interactive technology at Holy Cross throughout the year.

Photo by Tom Rettig

Members of the class of 2015, joined by Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president of the College, celebrate together in the annual Rites of Passage Ceremony in Mary Chapel. The religious and cultural ceremony marks the passage of college graduation for students from the African diaspora who have been active in worship life on campus and have served as Multicultural Peer Educators.

Faculty, staff, students and their guests celebrated the milestone together with prayer, a ceremonial passage between mentors and mentees and song.

Photography by Tom Rettig

Boston Musica Viva and soloists of the Silk Road Ensemble perform “Kala Chakra,” a new work composed by Shirish Korde, distinguished professor of humanities in the College’s music department. Korde’s work is based on folk music from diverse cultures including Armenia, China, India, the Czech Republic, Romania, and the U.S. In this composition, texts and musical structures are interwoven to create a new work that not only explores common features among world folk traditions that are the focus of “Kala Chakra,” but also juxtaposes conflicting notions of time, color, melody, and harmony into a new sonic world, reflective of the inter-connected world we live in today.

In a review following the world premiere just a few days earlier in Cambridge, Boston Classical Review said the concert was “so rhythmically infectious that, if the tiny hall had any aisles to speak of, one could imagine the patrons dancing in them. As it was, they had to content themselves with applauding vigorously and bounding to their feet at the close of Kala Chakra, Shirish Korde’s new nine-movement work for three soloists and chamber ensemble.”

Photography by Matthew Atanian

Jimena Bermejo-Black, visiting lecturer of theatre, center, leads students from modern dance classes to develop a one minute interpretation of displayed art from “Pulse: New Work by Faculty Artists” the exhibit currently on display in the Cantor Art Gallery.

Photo by Tom Rettig

English Professor Helen Whall enjoys lunch with students in Crossroads. In early February, the Holy Cross Student Government Association launched the Bring Your Professor to Lunch program, a new initiative designed to foster students’ relationships with their professors. Working with Dining Services, SGA developed a gift card system which students use to pay for their professors’ meals. “Although the program was just recently instituted, it has already gained popularity among students and professors alike.” according to Megan Izzo ’17, director of communications for the SGA.

Photo by Tom Rettig

Arts Transcending Borders  2014 artist-in-residence Cristina Pato returned to the College to present a new work-in-progress inspired by the Camino de Santiago and her Galician roots in the Mary Chapel.

Guests arrived early to explore an exhibit of photography from the Camino by Virginia and Michel Raguin in the gathering space outside Mary Chapel. Here, Professor of Art History, Virginia speaks to a guest about the photography.

Since the Middle Ages, pilgrims across Europe have undertaken an arduous journey along several routes, which, like the grooves on the scallop shells carried by the pilgrims, culminate in the town of Santiago de Compostela, the site of St. James’ tomb. Today, El Camino, or The Way of St. James, invites people from all walks of life, who often embark on the journey to mark moments of transition. “Making The Way” brought together the College Choir, theatre department faculty and students, and the Cantor Art Gallery in an exploration of the Camino in words, images and music, from medieval chant recorded in Codex Calixtinus, a 12th century illuminated transcript, to the tender aria “Lúa Descolorida” by Osvaldo Golijov, Loyola Professor of Music at Holy Cross. Drawn from the stories of local pilgrims, moments of hardship, resolve, camaraderie and mirth coalesce into a timeless narrative that invited participants on a spiritual journey along the Camino.

Last semester, members of the Holy Cross community were invited to participate in a photography and video project, titled “Faces of the Hill,” as part of Unity Week. Participants were asked to answer the question, “How do you define yourself?” Hundreds of students, faculty and staff took part. Portraits of members of the Holy Cross Community holding signs that define them now hang in the Hogan Campus Center. It reminds us that working together for social justice, while acknowledging our differences, is a hopeful process.

Holy Cross students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to explore together — through events, conversations, panel discussions, common readings and other academic and cocurricular programs — the reality of what it means to live as a community in solidarity today. Visit the HC in Solidarity site, and join the conversation today.

Photography by Christian Santillo.

During an opening reception for “Pulse: New Work by Faculty Artists” visitors to the Cantor Art Gallery view an exhibit created by full and part time College of the Holy Cross faculty members of the visual arts department. The exhibit runs from Jan. 21 to April 10, 2015. Work by Amy Archambault, studio supervisor and lecturer; Michael Beatty, associate professor and division studio head; Rachelle Beaudoin, lecturer; Matthew Gamber, assistant professor; Randy Garber, visiting professor; Cristi Rinklin, associate professor and chair of visual arts; Susan Schmidt, professor; Leslie Schomp, lecturer; Marguerite White, lecturer; and Amy Wynne, lecturer are included in the exhibition, which features drawing, installations, photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture and video.

Photo by Tom Rettig

Rev. John Savard, rector and professor in the education program, douses Rev. James Hayes, S.J., associate chaplain for mission, as part of the ASL ice bucket challenge. Several members of the Jesuit community participated after accepting the challenge from the Holy Cross Admissions team. Participants included, from left, Rev. Thomas Murphy, S.J., ’81, a visiting lecturer in the history department last academic year; Rev. Paul Harman, S.J., vice president for mission; Fr. Savard; Fr. Hayes; Rev. Thomas McMurray, S.J., chaplain and director of mission and identity, Admissions at the Nativity School of Worcester; and Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J., assistant chaplain.

Fr. Hayes drenches Fr. McMurray. The Jesuit community will be making a donation to Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester to support the care of individuals with ALS.

Photography by Tom Rettig

Galician bagpiper, pianist, and composer Cristina Pato has been named visiting artist-in residence at the College of the Holy Cross. A member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road, Pato’s residency is part of the launch of “Arts Transcending Borders” (ATB@HC), a new initiative designed to infuse the fine and performing arts in students’ academic lives and create new opportunities throughout the curriculum and the community by transcending cultural, geographic and disciplinary boundaries. Pato kicked off ATB@HC with a performance, accompanied by her band the “Migrations,” at the College’s Academic Conference yesterday to a packed house in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom.

Photography by Louie Despres.