A Q&A with Justine Kaemmerlen
MCL: Hi, Justine! Could you introduce yourself for us?
JK: Hi! My name is Justine Kaemmerlen, and I’m from Saint Louis, Missouri. I’m a senior with an HOD major and an art minor; currently, I’m the Editor-in-Chief of The Vanderbilt Review. In the past I’ve been an Art Editor for The Review, and I’ve been on staff for The Review since the first semester of my freshman year. It’s absolutely been my favorite club here at Vandy—I love being able to curate a publication of student work each year!
MCL: What is your primary medium of expression?
JK: I am a visual artist, and my favorite methods of expression are photography, painting, and drawing. I’m currently teaching myself printmaking at home, and I’m enrolled in a few art classes (painting and photography), which is a great way to add balance to my academic load. I’ve always found that my happiest semesters are those where I’m enrolled in an art class, so I made sure to feed my soul in my final semester here at Vanderbilt by enrolling in two. I highly encourage other students to find their passion and put themselves into at least one class per semester that makes them happy and fulfilled; it makes life at Vandy much more manageable and less overwhelming when you can focus some time on something you love to do.
MCL: You said you were Editor-in-Chief for the Vanderbilt Review. What is the Vanderbilt Review exactly, and how would interested freshman submit their own creative pieces for publication?
JK: The Vanderbilt Review is Vandy’s student-run undergraduate literary magazine, and we put out a publication each spring that contains student art, prose, and poetry. The submission process is super easy – just click this link ( https://bit.ly/2OyiC7L ) and fill out the form by uploading your pieces and answering a few questions. You can submit the form as many times as you’d like! After the submission deadline arrives (We just pushed it to January 21st at 11:59 pm, so there is still time to submit!!), our staff will sort through the submissions and decide which pieces will be accepted into this year’s publication. The physical publication will be printed and handed out on campus towards the end of the semester, and we will host a launch party once they arrive to commemorate the occasion. It is a great way to get some work published before leaving college and a fun way to advertise your own work!
MCL: As an avid art lover, where are the best places to go to seek out student made art on campus?
JK: There are often showcases on campus in the Studio Arts building that are a great way to see student art. I’d also recommend attending musicals put on by groups like Vanderbilt Off-Broadway and the Original Cast, spoken word shows put on by groups like Vanderbilt Spoken Word, and reaching out to the creative writing and art departments to see if there are going to be any student-led exhibitions happening soon. There are also a variety of dance performances put on throughout the year, such as the Diwali Showcase and Lunar New Year’s Festival, that are easily accessible to the entire Vanderbilt community.
MCL: Okay, so if Nashville is “Music City” and Belmont could be called Nashville’s “hippie wild child”. How would you describe the “character” of Vanderbilt’s art scene?
JK: I would characterize Vanderbilt as a hidden gem. Sadly, the arts culture on this campus, in my opinion, is much less visible and accessible on this campus compared to others around the country. I have a feeling it has to do with how rigorous the university is as a whole, and the pressure people put onto themselves to stick with more “secure” academic disciplines compared to at other schools. However, if you spend some time and effort searching, you will be able to find very strong creative individuals scattered throughout the campus and a variety of events and activities catered to the arts community. They may be much less visible here than places like Belmont, but they definitely still exist.
MCL: And finally, do you have any content recommendations for us before we leave?
JK: I draw inspiration from many different places, even those who are not necessarily “creatives” in the traditional sense. One of my biggest inspirations is actually my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami; his writing style really puts me in a great mindset to do good creative work and look at the world in a new way. I love looking at National Geographic’s photography for inspiration. I also follow tons of artists on Instagram, like The Jealous Curator, which curates a wide variety of art that is super cool. I’m also inspired by artists like Kehinde Wiley, Araki Koman, Cayce Zavaglia, Eric Landon (the ceramicist), and Lili Arnold. I’ve been following them on social media and at shows for a few years now, and I am inspired by the different mediums they work in as well as the different parts of the world they live in. Social media is a great way to see the work other contemporary artists are making these days.
***For all you funky, passionate, creative souls out there (I know you are listening; make yourself known!), make sure to submit any and all of your work—prose, poetry, painting, screenplay, etc.—to the Vanderbilt Review by Monday, Jan. 21st. The link can be found above.***