The pursuit and appreciation of beauty is an inherent human activity. Though philosophical questions concerning the nature, purpose, and even possibility of beauty in our contemporary world are debatable, the effects of monolithic Western beauty and fashion ideals are not. The documentary film The Illusionists (52 minutes run time) examines the spread of unattainable global standards of beauty, and the idealized, digitized media images that sell the illusion of a better, more beautiful self. The Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design is sponsoring the screening of The Illusionists, followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr. Nancy Rudd, chair of the Body Image Health Task force at the Ohio State University, along with Dr. Jennifer Maher from the Gender Studies department and Dr. Radhika Parameswaran from Journalism at Indiana University. Panel members will explore and are known for their research and pedagogy regarding these unattainable and misleading images found in fashion media, video games, films, television and pornography and their effects on women, and increasingly, men and children as well.
This event is part of Themester 2016, an initiative of the IU College of Arts and Sciences.

The Dark Side of Beauty program features a screening of the film The Illusionists, followed by a panel discussion. Though philosophical questions concerning the nature, purpose, and even possibility of beauty in our contemporary world are debatable, the effects of monolithic Western beauty and fashion ideals are not. Multi-billion dollar industries saturate our lives with images of unattainable beauty, exporting body hatred from New York to Beirut to Tokyo. The documentary film The Illusionists (52 minutes run time) examines the marketing of unattainable beauty around the world.

Panelists include Dr. Nancy Rudd, chair of the Body Image Health Task force at the Ohio State University, Dr. Jennifer Maher from Gender Studies at Indiana University, and Dr. Radhika Parameswaran, Chair of the Journalism Department at Indiana University. Panel members will explore and are known for their research and pedagogy regarding these unattainable and misleading images found in fashion media, video games, films, television and pornography and their effects on women, and increasingly, men and children as well.

The screening and panel discussion are made possible by support from the College of Arts and Sciences Themester on Beauty and the School of Art + Design Bill Blass Design Lecture Series.

We want you to join our family! We are seeking skaters, referees, and volunteers for our upcoming season. No experience or equipment is required at the skills camp. We’ll get you geared up and teach you how to play. If skating isn’t for you but you still want to get involved, come and chat with one of our volunteers. Maybe you’ll find something that you could do to help our league.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning musical returns for its 20th anniversary! Follow a year in the lives of seven friends living in New York’s East Village who learn to follow their dreams without selling out.