· August, 2007

Stories about Arts & Culture from August, 2007

Ukraine: Crimea

  31 August 2007

On the last day of summer, here's a translation of LJ user drugoi's photo report on his trip to Crimea, one of the favorite summer tourism destinations in the Soviet times, now facing fierce competition from resorts in Turkey and Egypt.

Morocco: Cheap Chinese Plastic

  31 August 2007

Everything Morocco questions why there's so many cheap plastic products “made in China” being sold in the traditional artisan souks of Fez.

Trinidad & Tobago: CCA7 Closes

  31 August 2007

“Caribbean Contemporary Arts will close its doors on the day the country celebrates forty five years of independence,” writes Thebookmann, who thinks that the Trinidad and Tobago gallery's final “show” was a fitting one.

Bahamas: The Power of Print

  31 August 2007

“There's an email making the rounds entitled ‘Blacks Don't Read’. Being Black, I read it”: Nicolette Bethel, guest authoring at Bahama Pundit, blogs about the power of print.

Iran:An abstract painting and a real Kebab!

Aref Adib has published two photos:one is a painting from Howard Hodgkin,a British painter, and the other one is a photo of a Kebab in Vienna.The blogger invites us to see similarities between two photos.The blogger adds “a representational painter of emotional situations” & below the painting is my represention...

Russia: Sakhalin Travel

  30 August 2007

White Sun of the Desert writes about his recent Sakhalin travel: “The journey back entailed me having to do one of those things I’d always hoped I’d never have to do: enter a 4-berth Russian railway carriage which has 3 people sleeping in it already, and the spare bed is...

Russia: “Anti-Akhmatova”

  30 August 2007

Languor Management writes about Tamara Katayeva's “600-page assault on the literary legacy Anna Akhmatova”: “This reminds me of Emma Gerstein's Moscow Memoirs, which was supposed to have debunked Nadehzda and Osip Mandelshtam's literary legacy, and really just portrayed them as particularly difficult people going through particularly hard times.”

Ukraine: Animal Shelter

  30 August 2007

On August 19, Ukrainian journalist Tanya Kremen paid a visit to an animal shelter located near a small town just outside Kyiv. Below are her impressions and thoughts, which she has posted on her blog at Korrespondent.net, as well as a couple of comments from her readers.

Madagascar : Andriamanankoavy Jonny r'afa on why he writes

  30 August 2007

Malagasy Author-Musician-Sculptor Andriamanankoavy Jonny r'afa explains his art : “D'abord, à travers l'Art, entretenir et enrichir la ” Mémoire Collective ” des Malgaches. Celà reste un devoir par respect des origines. Trouver alors ce qu'il faut préserver, et les transmettre, les traduire.” “Through art, one can maintain and enrich the...

Trinidad & Tobago: A Study in Contradiction?

  30 August 2007

“First world is not about having things, it is about how we value our musicians, artists, writers, actors as well as our businessmen. We talk about the arts et al, but do we appreciate their value?” asks Half Empty or Half Full as she contemplates the contradiction that is Trinidad...

Africa: Celebrating 100 posts

  30 August 2007

Fashion blog, Ladybrille, celebrates 100 posts: “Yay!!! Ladybrille celebrates its 100th post!!!! To mark our celebration, I thought it best to receive feedback from YOU, the readers. What do you like about Ladybrille's Blogazine, what are your favourite features?”

South Africa: Mandela statue in London

  30 August 2007

Nelson Mandela has a statue in London: “Attended by large crowds and graced by a gospel choir and some pomp and circumstance, a statue of Nelson Mandela was unveiled today in London, at Parliament Square, alongside those of Jan Smuts, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Disraeli and Abraham Lincoln.”

Albania: A Vacation Report

  29 August 2007

Marko Bucik spends his vacation in Albania, a country that is “an endless joy” – despite the fact that “there are almost no street names, no mailboxes, few places have drinkable tap water.”

Anguilla: Sea Bath

  29 August 2007

Bob Morris fondly remembers what Anguilla's “most famous citizen” taught him about the “unspeakable joy” of a good sea bath…