· May, 2008

Stories about Arts & Culture from May, 2008

Guinea-Bissau: Experimental Theater Group

  31 May 2008

“Guinea-Bissau is a sui generis country, because people's talents are in the most unexpected fields. Theater is one of them. Here is our word of encouragement to the Bissau Experimental Theater group, established in  2005″, Jorge Rosmaninho [pt] congratulates the group for establishing itself and hopes for its international recognition.

Cambodia: Freedom of Flying

  31 May 2008

Educated in France to be an engineer, Santel Phin spent two years in Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. In Cambodia, the 31 year-old Santel presently works at Phnom Penh International Airport for he likes terminal and pace of busy people. Born in Kratie, the first...

Japan: Grumpy Jiisan on Nico Nico Douga

  30 May 2008

The latest hit at Nico Nico Douga, Japan's popular video sharing service, is a retired man from Arizona calling himself “Grumpy Jiisan” [Grumpy Old Man], who shoots videos in which he comments on his favorite Japanese anime. Subtitled versions of Grumpy Jiisan's videos at Nico Nico Douga are so popular that they have drawn thousands of comments.

Guatemala: Animal Del Monte Festival in Xela

  30 May 2008

Quetzaltenango or "Xela" was the site of an international poetry festival called Animal del Monte, which brought 40 poets from around Latin America. A big part of the festival was reaching out to surrounding communities by holding readings to local residents. The festival also highlighted the work of Guatemalan poets, who demonstrated that many fine works come from that country.

Azerbaijan: Baku Metro

Baku Fragments pays homage to the city's metro system. Unfortunately known for the worst subway disaster in the world when hundreds died, the blog says Baku's metro stations house some of the best if blatantly propagandist public art in the city. The blog is also impressed by the cheerful melodies...

Russia: Ideas for Eurovision

Megan Case 2.0 writes on Russia's Eurovision victory: “I think that Russia should have pulled out all the stops and filled the stage with famous people – they could have had Maria Sharapova hitting tennis balls into the audience, and the whole of Zenit (St. Petersburg’s football/soccer team and the...

Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Calabash Podcast

  28 May 2008

Caribbean Free Radio produces a podcast from Jamaica's Calabash International Literary Festival which includes perspectives on “Derek Walcott's unforgettable premiere reading of ‘The Mongoose'” and an interview with Jamaican writer Thomas Glave, who was quite vocal about the Prime Minister's recent comments about there being no place for homosexuals in...