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Show UMFA DISPLAYS PROFESSORS' ARTISTIC SIDES UTAH'S REPUTATION DOES NOT REFLECT ITS REALITY U tah has never had the best reputation. Ever since the pioneers were forced to flee the Midwest and Brigham Young proclaimed, "This is the place': Utah has been "the Mormon state!" Unfortunately, many have deemed Utah as sheltered, unprogressive and ultimately an undesirable place to live. Furthermore, those of us who live here may feel strangled by the conservatism due to its roots in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Utah is and always will be a conservative state on paper. Our local government and national contribution will always be mostly Republican. But how heavily do government policies and party association really affect individual daily lives? The fact that Utah is possibly the most Republican state in the United States doesn't remove individual right to opinion and the pursuit of happiness. As a whole, it seems we in Utah actually experience a better quality of life compared to other states — at least in regards to health, wealth and education. The Desert News published an article in 2009 that claimed "[Utah] still has one of the highest percentages of competent readers in the nation ... 92 percent of people 16 and older in Utah can read a newspaper Utah has positive job growth and the 10th-longest life expectancy. So while we might have to put up with a seemingly overwhelming presence of disagreeable ideals, we are actually living under pretty decent conditions. Along with this, the greater Salt Lake area is extremely metropolitan, with an accessible public transportation system, vast knowledge and social resources and an international airport. It's also important to recognize that, contrary to popular belief, we are in no way cut off from "real world experiences!' Just as any other fairly large city in the nation, Salt Lake contains homeless people, drug addicts and the like. In 2013, Salt Lake City was ranked more dangerous than New York and Los Angeles based on FBI reports of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. Not only does Utah have one of the most "urban" cities in the nation, it also boasts a vast array of year-round outdoor recreation opportunities. You can spend your weeks in the big city becoming literate, getting a job and avoiding imminent danger, and spend your weekends hiking, biking, camping, swimming and, of course, skiing. As residents of Utah, we actually have access to almost anything one could hope to experience from a single state. If we are isolated from the rest, it's because we really don't have to go anywhere else for anything, unless you want to go to the beach. Interestingly enough, our long entanglement with strict religious and conservative behavior may have actually engendered a very prominent and fervent subculture. Considering the idea of group polarization, the imposition of a strong belief system prompted the growth and solidification of a radical dissenting group. For example, not only is Utah 60 percent Mormon and the most Republican state in the nation, but Salt Lake is also one of the best communities for the LGBTQ+ population, according to The Advocate. Think of it this way: We wouldn't have such strong opinions if we didn't have anything to be opinionated about. This might lead us to thank our pioneer ancestors for indirectly causing the formation of a tenacious, opinionated and diverse sub-community of individuals. letters@chronicle.utah.edu HIV LAWS SHOULD BEA NATIONAL PRIORITY SABINA MASUD BY KATHERINE ELLIS /STAFF WRITER PHOTOS COURTESY OF UMFA s U students, we are fortunate enough to have not only a museum on campus, but also one that showcases the excellence of our programs by highlighting our faculty. New Narratives, the latest exhibit at the UMFA, displays works from more than 30 artists, all professors and staff at the U. On display until Jan. 11, New Narratives is a unique opportunity for students to get to know their instructors in a different way. The artists do more than just create and contribute to the art community in Salt Lake — they teach others how to do so as well. This rare exhibit showcases their best works as chosen by guest curator, Katie Lee Koven, director of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art at USU.The submission process began in the summer, when a multitude of works were sent to Koven for consideration. Koven then collaborated with the artists on what she felt were their strongest pieces and thus began the process of deciding what would be put into the exhibit and where. During her time getting to know the artists and their works, Koven started to recognize similarities in themes between the works and set out organizing the exhibit that way. A "Using humor, self-distortion, realistic representation, angst and the idea of a journey, these artists explore what it means to be human': said Koven. Brian Snapp is the associate professor of Art and Art History at the U and is also a seasoned ceramicist with several works displayed in the exhibit. As head of the department's ceramics area, Snapp believes that "what we are celebrating at the core of our creative research both as artists and teachers is our belief in the fundamental importance of visual arts to humanity:' This exhibit not only echoes that sentiment, but speaks volumes of the talented staff at the U. Students are afforded the rare opportunity to see their professors do what they do best and get to know them outside of the classroom setting, while those who have never had the pleasure of taking courses from those professors still get to appreciate their art. Today, from 4-6 p.m., the pre-gallery stroll takes place at our very own UMFA. On the third Friday of each month, Salt Lake City puts together a gallery stroll that spans several galleries in the Salt Lake Valley. Free and open to the public, the gallery stroll allows viewers to meet the artists and experience the expanding visual arts market in Salt Lake. Boasting a variety 10 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 } of mediums and art forms both familiar and foreign, students can expect to be enlightened not only by the objects displayed, but by the conversations with the artists themselves. With New Narratives kicking off the Gallery Stroll, it's sure to be a night full of art and inspiration for students and the public alike. College of Fine Arts dean Raymond Tymas-Jones said of the exhibit, "It demonstrates the strong spirit of collaboration. There are two fine arts institutions at the university that have come together to provide this extraordinary experience for our community and campus ... and the work done could not have been accomplished without the collaboration we see happening': With the exhibit bringing together students, teachers, art lovers and museum-goers of all kinds, the collaboration continues to inspire even those beyond the realm of the U. The UMFA is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Mondays and holidays. It is free for U students. k.ellis@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts n an age where many sexual encounters do not necessarily occur in trusting and committed relationships, it comes as no surprise that informing a sexual partner of one's relevant medical background is not exactly a pillar of what we deem foreplay. Quite often this important step of intimacy is completely removed from the process, and although not everyone experiences negative effects afterwards, for some the outcome can be life-changing. Take Daniel Decu, a 25-year-old man from Romania who recently passed away from tuberculosis. Decu contracted HIV in a hospital when he was only five years old and went forward in life knowing the implications of the virus and the precautions he must take sexually. Eight of Decu's sexual partners recently tested HIV positive after finding out at his funeral that he had been carrying the virus. More are currently being informed, and two other victims have been confirmed. I won't pretend to know the details of Decu's encounters with the various women who now must live with a life-threatening virus, but it is clear Decu should have been the one to inform them, not a coroner's report following an autopsy. Twenty-four states currently uphold partner-notification laws, and 25 states enforce criminal laws pertaining to those who knowingly expose the disease without informing their sexual partners. Today, more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and one in six people are completely unaware of this fact. If this number could be lessened even minutely by enforcing prosecution of those who criminally transmit the virus, then the legislation would be worth it. Of course, not all transmission of HIV should be deemed criminal activity. There are three facets of transmission: intentional transmission, in which an HIV positive individual shares a needle or has sex with another person with the sole intent to infect them with the virus; reckless transmission, in which the HIV positive individual knowingly shares a needle or has sex with another person for sexual gratification; and accidental transmission, in which an individual, unaware that they are HIV positive, shares a needle or has sex with another person. The latter should not be criminalized, but for those who viciously intend to pass on the virus or simply favor their own pleasure over the safety and well-being of their partner, there should be some consequence. Trials of these sorts are undoubt- edly tricky, but they still have a place in the judicial system. States across the nation should broaden their current HIV exposure laws to protect everyone, not just prisoners and sex workers. Knowingly endangering another's life is deemed criminal in all other instances, and the same should be said for those who are HIV positive. If an individual refuses to use protection during a sexual encounter and purposely passes on the virus, they should be held accountable for that selfish and wrong action. In addition, enforcing this kind of law could push more people to get tested so that we could also lessen the accidental instances of transmission. Legislation should never be used to stigmatize a group of people, but as evident in Decu's case, it is exponentially worse to find out later. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Donate plasma today and earn up to $300 a month! Who knew I could earn money, save lives, and get free vvi fi at the same time? - 2978 South State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84115 El 801-485-5085 Scan for an insider look at .; the plasma donation process Er To scan and view content, you must download a QR code reader from your App store. 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