Staff article: Art that reminds us love is real — again

“How do I love thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning asks in “How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)” (1850). Responding to this rhetorical question, Browning illustrates the extent of her admiration, drawing on the warmth of candlelight, the resilience of faith and the promise of mortality to paint a portrait of unwavering love. In her verse, love is tender, humble and delicate — but that’s just how Browning sees it.

Here in the Arts & Life section, we see love everywhere, but most importantly, through art. In the delicate stroke of a paintbrush, the anticipatory drumline in a song or in the end-scene of our favorite films, we seek such solace. So, in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, we present art that keeps the hopeless romantics hanging on by a thread and the cynics coming back for more.

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‘Springtime’ by Pierre-Auguste Cot (1873) 

On a wooden swing set framed by overgrown vegetation, lovers gaze into each other’s eyes as a soft wind kisses their skin. Two pairs of legs dangle above the mossy ground while the couple lounges lackadaisically in the soft spring glow, seemingly existing in their own world. The two central figures are a mess of transparent drapery, melting into one another as they fall deeper in adoration. The boy, supporting both parties on the small swing set, looks down on his partner’s face with a tender head tilt. The girl drapes both arms around his neck, casting bright eyes across his face as her cheeks flush pink. When I think of love — especially of the first giddy glances and warm embraces — I think of this couple, immortalized in “Springtime,” a painting by Pierre-Auguste Cot.

This painting somehow encapsulates both the excitement and tranquility of love. As the couple swings, they are suspended in time, capturing a moment of uninhibited intimacy. This is not lustful intimacy, but that of which is found within a single kind glance. It feels as if the couple might stay there forever, as if the girl’s billowing dress might grow roots alongside the tall tree. The painting’s beauty is not found in the background fluttering of butterflies or the lively landscape, but in the stillness — a sensation I associate with peaceful passion and healthy love.

— Catherine Goodman, Arts & Life Editor

‘Ex Machina’ by Alex Garland (2014)

The age of artificial intelligence (AI) is coming, so you should watch this romance film, which includes all of the dangers of AI — predicted 10 years early, thanks to Alex Garland’s masterful filmmaking. What seemed like a far-off prediction in 2014 is now a reality. In “Ex Machina,” people began falling in love with AIs. We’re on our way down this path, but today, people have only started falling for primitive AI chatbots, not even the advanced humanoid robots found in this fairytale-like cinematic masterpiece. “Ex Machina” has all of the amazing features of a typical rom-com: The funny ex-boyfriend, the charming young pursuer and the female AI robot who may end up killing you.

While this film does not remind me of love, it teaches me about what love will be like in the future. Instead of love between human beings, future love will feature a robot perfectly tailored to fit my every need. Even though this may sound scary, we will surely all soon submit to the ease of loving our perfect AI overlords. Happy Valentine’s Day!

— Spencer Friedland, Managing Editor 

‘Something in the Way She Moves’ by James Taylor (1968)

When it comes to love songs, this quintessential James Taylor ballad is at the top of my list. The gentle acoustic guitar melody perfectly complements the lyrics describing how Taylor’s lover is a source of comfort and happiness in his life. Her presence alone puts him at ease, and a simple look or word from her “seems to leave this troubled world behind.”

Taylor’s lover pulls him back when he falls into negativity with “the power to go where no one else can find me / And to silently remind me / Of the happiness and good times that I know.”

For me, this song embodies the warm, soothing feeling of a loved one’s presence. While Taylor seems to address a female lover, his lyrics describe traits integral to any loving relationship. Whether it’s with a romantic partner, a family member, a close friend or even a beloved pet, love is a place where vulnerability is met with unconditional support that helps us transcend the darkness in our world and reminds us of what is good in our lives.

— Paige Hogan, Film and Live Art Desk

‘Dance’ by Henri Matisse (1910)

Etched onto my arm is a tattooed rendition of “Dance,” a painting by Henri Matisse. Five bare bodies, raw and vulnerable, hold hands as they spin in a circle. Their faces stare blankly, undisturbed by the onlooker, remaining connected as they whirl and twirl one another around. The warm orange bodies are electric against the cool blue background — their bond and warmth radiate off the canvas and into the air. My version has just four bodies, each representing my siblings — those who make me full, bringing passion, joy and, above all, love. As kids, we would hold hands and spin each other until the world became a blur and we all collapsed onto the ground in puddles of laughter. My siblings taught me what it meant to love someone from the top of your head to the soles of your feet, to love someone without wavering, without hesitation and with constant grace.

This Valentine’s Day, I look down at my arm and find solace in my love, their love, our love — may love always bring comfort and compassion.

—  Lola McGuire, Opinion Editor

‘Chungking Express’ by Wong Kar-wai (1994)

I first saw this film at the end of my freshman year. After finishing my final exams and anticipating handing out The Emory Wheel graduation magazines at 6 a.m. the next morning, I needed the sort of panacea only good cinema can bring, so I watched “Chungking Express” by way of a friend’s recommendation. While this two-part film grapples with larger societal themes such as Western culture’s effect on Hong Kong, Wong Kar-wai ultimately presents a chaotic, yet profound exploration of modern love.

During the film, we see through three different perspectives — a drug dealer in a blonde wig, a manic snack bar worker and two policemen — how we are often afflicted by bad and good memories from past relationships and, most importantly, how those same experiences can shape our perception of future ones. “Chungking Express” reminds us we shouldn’t view love as an idealistic and linear Cinderella story but instead as an ever-changing entity — one that encompasses heartbreak and solitude but also changes and personal growth.

— Clement Lee, Managing Editor 

‘How I Met Your Mother’ by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays (2005)

“Look around, Ted. You’re all alone.” These six words, uttered by Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), destroyed the concept of love for me — at least, until the show’s final season, which made me believe in it even more. “How I Met Your Mother” tests its audience, giving the occasional emotional whiplash that pushes the boundary of what constitutes a sitcom. The series shows that love is not linear and characterizes love through our choices and hardships. As Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) puts it, “The great moments of your life won’t necessarily be the things you do, they’ll also be the things that happen to you.”

The repeated symbol of the yellow umbrella, which unknowingly gets passed between Mosby and his future wife, is used as proof throughout the show that every person is connected, no matter how alone one may feel. Furthermore, this symbol reminds us that while everyone may be alone on their path, people’s lives collide. “How I Met Your Mother” utilizes a combination of humor with the brutal truths of life to characterize love as something attainable and inevitable.

— Amelia Bush, Arts & Life Asst. Editor

‘Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor: IV. Adagietto’ by Gustav Mahler (1904)

“Symphony No. 5,” composed by Gustav Mahler, was the last piece I played with my youth symphony, the weekend after I graduated high school. It is my favorite symphony I’ve ever played, and the Adagietto is my favorite movement. By the time this movement begins, the brass and woodwinds — who have spent the past three movements pumping out whirlwind scales, powerful climaxes and one of the most famous trumpet solos in history — must sit and listen quietly, as Adagietto is for strings only. Much of the movement is a sea of tenderly ebbing and flowing melodies aided by a lone harp. The theme becomes painful by the climax, where accented descending arpeggios from the lower strings repetitively punch you in the gut until everything is suddenly calm again and the violins resolve a B-flat to an A, reaching the tonic. And just like that, the movement is over. It is unbearably beautiful. 

Legend suggests that Mahler sent a draft of the Adagietto to his composer girlfriend Alma Mahler-Werfel, who read the score and knew he was in love with her. They married a few months later. Listening to Adagietto transports me to some of the happiest moments of my life and reminds me of the utter joy, fulfillment, friendship and love that I’ve found through music.

— Meiya Weeks, Layout Editor

‘Think of Me’ by Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson (2004)

Undoubtedly, “The Phantom of the Opera” is one of the greatest love stories of all time. There’s a reason why the tale has transformed from a book, to a musical then a movie, but the rendition of “Think of Me” from the 2004 film adaptation will always be my favorite — perhaps because I first listened to it in the dim lighting of a dear friend’s basement.

When Christine Daaé (Emmy Rossum), a mere chorus girl, begins singing, she astonishes the managers of the Parisian opera house. Suddenly, the scene shifts, and rehearsals are over. Daaé performs to a packed crowd, glowing almost ghost-like under the stage lights. Her appearance evokes the ever-present love of her music teacher and love interest, the Phantom (Gerard Butler). But just as Daaé hits a high note, the camera pans to her childhood sweetheart Viscount Raoul de Chagny (Patrick Wilson), establishing the film’s love triangle. Even if Daaé and the Phantom don’t end up together, “Think of Me” is a testament to the intensity of their love. “Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade / They have their season, so do we,” Daaé sings. “But please promise me that sometimes / You will think — / — of me!” When I hear this track, I do think of Daaé, but mostly, I think of cold pizza and movie nights with someone who I hope will stay in my life forever. For that, this song is my reminder that love is real.

— Safa Wahidi, Opinion Editor

‘Calico Skies’ by Paul McCartney (1997)

“It was written that I would love you / From the moment I opened my eyes,” Paul McCartney begins his acoustic love song, which he wrote on Long Island, N.Y. during a hurricane that caused a power outage. The track is so quiet and so raw that you can faintly hear his foot tapping the rhythm when you listen closely. Beatles fans speculate that McCartney wrote the song for his wife, Linda McCartney, but I associate it with my parents. Once, we were driving through Long Island, watching the waves lap against the coastline, and my dad glanced at me and said, “This song always makes me think of you.” I don’t know if he remembers telling me that, but it’s stuck with me. I can’t hear McCartney’s stringy guitar plucks without thinking about pure parental love, which is undoubtedly the greatest blessing — and the most powerful love — of my life. “I’ll hold you for as long as you like,” McCartney croons at the end of the song. “I’ll love you for the rest of my / For the rest of my life.”

— Sophia Peyser, Editor-in-Chief

‘Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You) (feat. Outkast)’ by UGK and Outkast (2007)

When the drums arrive on “Int’l Players Anthem” at minute 1:13, UGK and Outkast give the listener a prime example of what makes southern hip-hop so exciting. The hi-hats and hard kicks merge with a blissful sample to form a spirited instrumental. UGK members Pimp C and Bun B, followed by Big Boi of Outkast all deliver energetic verses about cars, pimping and being selective with women. While this portion of the song is excellent, it has little to do with love. What makes this one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time and a quintessential love song is what happens before.

André 3000, the other half of Outkast, is our narrator for the song’s first section. We immediately hear him inform one, and subsequently all, of the girls he used to fool around with that he is settling down and getting married. This is an extremely uncommon topic for a hip-hop verse, as rappers are known for boasting about the large number of women they indulge in regularly. With the drums absent, all that remains is Andre 3000’s voice combined with the angelic horns and passionate background vocals sampled from “I Choose You” (1973) by Willie Hutch. Andre effortlessly glides over this instrumental, fluidly shifting from one dynamic flow to the next. He delicately inserts charismatic remarks and witty double entendres. Andre’s performance, like many others in his catalog, results in a euphoric, romantic listening experience. This celebratory song, frequently played at weddings, is a vital listen for all hip-hop fans or love enthusiasts.

— Sammy Brodsky, Assistant Sports Editor

‘A Matter of Life and Death’ by Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell (1946)

A British World War II pilot (David Niven) should have died in a plane crash. Instead, a celestial error lets him live, and in those stolen moments, he falls in love with June (Kim Hunter), the radio operator receiving him. But the afterlife demands balance, so he must stand trial in heaven’s court to argue for his right to stay on Earth.

Set in the aftermath of World War II, the film also reflects a changing world, where the United Kingdom and the United States are redefining their place on the global stage. Love, like understanding, defies bureaucracy and knows no borders. In a time of recovery from war when nations must bridge divides, the film appropriately reminds us that human connection is the strongest force of all.

In “A Matter of Life and Death,” directors Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell weave fantasy into reality, blurring the lines between the ephemeral and the eternal. Heaven is orderly, symmetrical and monochrome while earth is chaotic, vivid and drenched in glorious Technicolor. The vast, bureaucratic afterlife, with its towering stairways and distant judges, is impressive but lifeless, a world of rules without passion. True meaning exists below — in the flicker of a lover’s gaze, in the warmth of hands clasped against the uncertainty of fate, in the breathless urgency of a love that refuses to yield to death.

— Jessie Li, Contributing Writer 

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