Stories about Arts & Culture from September, 2013
Phuket-themed Stamps in Thailand
Mark Jochim features Thailand stamps that showcase the beauty and culture of Phuket, a popular island tourism destination. Interestingly, he notes that Phuket-themed stamps do not include the famous beaches of Phuket.
VIDEO: Filmpoem “Prayer of Fear” Stuns Egypt
The Egyptian citizen collective Mosireen has been tirelessly documenting the #Jan25 revolution and the events that followed in images and documentaries. One of their very last creations is “Prayer of Fear”, a filmpoem by Mahmoud Ezzat narrated by Mosireen member Salma Said. Between roving and painful memories, the filmpoem stuns...
Russia’s Hunger Games
There are two hunger strikes in Russia today, one by a famous Pussy Riot member and another by a mothers' group. What do the different receptions online say about Russia?
“An e-Book is a Book” – Nigerian Poet and Linguist
"An e-Book is a Book" - Sticklers for traditional modes of publishing will lament this as retrogression, but they will be wrong, says Nigerian writer Kola Tubosun.
What We Watch: YouTube Video Popularity Comparison
A new data visualization tool from the Center for Civic Media in the United States helps illustrate how popular videos spread online and between countries. Looking at the most popular videos in 61 countries, What We Watch shows which countries have the biggest overlaps in interest. Civic Media Center Director,...
South Korea: ‘The Man Must Buy the House’
Although South Korea is still a male-dominated society that ranks toward the bottom of polls in gender equality, more men seem to feel they are losing ground. It is partly true when it comes to marriage where social pressure for young men to provide a house for their brides is enormous,...
Potraits in Black: Africans in Italy
Portraits in Black is a work of three photographers – Marco Ambrosi, Matteo Danesin and Aldo Sodoma – the Centre for Immigration Studies in Verona, the Cities of Verona and Padua, the Padua University Sociology Department showing Africans in Italy.
Trinidad & Tobago: Death Knell for Professional Photography?
Is the smartphone the death knell for professional photography? Mark Lyndersay discusses the question here.
Jamaica: Art to Spark Discussion
A must-read post by Under the Saltire Flag, that delves into the difference between great poets and novelists, public art and the way in which Caribbean people interact with it.
Is a Monument to Chechen Women an Affront to Russia?
Ramzan Kadyrov caused an outcry in the blogosphere when he dedicated a monument to a group of Chechen women who died during the Caucasus Wars in the 19th century.
North Korea Gets 3D Movies
North Korea Tech wrote about a recent report that North Korean capital Pyongyang newly hosted a movie theater capable of showing 3D movies. The blogger also explains about North Korean leadership's deep interest in motion pictures.
Mixing Politics at Live Concert in Cuba Gets Musician Banned
What did pianist Robertico Carcassés say at the concert for "Los Cinco" in Havana? And what happened afterwards? Elaine Díaz tells us.
Film Screening of East Timor's First Feature in Dili
The Díli premiere of East Timor’s first locally produced feature film, A Guerra da Beatriz (Beatriz’s War), takes place today, September 17, 2013. The love story spans the years of Indonesian occupation and beyond (1975 – 2009): [confronting] the issues at the heart of modern East Timor: forgiveness, reconciliation, and justice. The producers, FairTrade...
Brazilian Artists Unite to Save Lions in Kenya
Brazilian artists contribute their artwork to a crowdfunding campaign supporting the Ewaso Lions Project, dedicated to saving lions in Kenya.
Where Parody Ends and Politics Begin: Comedians Running for Office
One of the members of Portugal's well-known parody group Homens da Luta is running for mayor. In Portugal and Brazil, celebrities running for office is nothing new.
South Korean Film Questioning Warship Sinking Pulled from Theaters
A major cinema chain pulled a documentary film challenging the government's explanation of the Cheonan warship incident. Their move appears to have backfired.
Hackathon Mozambique Offers Design Contest
Hackathon Mozambique launched a graphic design contest [pt] for the upcoming third civic hackathon, and the deadline for submissions is already near: September 14, 2013. The event, sponsored by Mozambique's Ministry of Science and Technology with the support of Sweden and Finland, will take place in early December and is being organized in an open group...
Day Before “Election Silence,” Russian Candidates Rock Out
Yekaterinburg mayoral race frontrunner Evgeny Roizman welcomed Russian rock music legend Andrei Makarevich in a concert that encountered yet another act of intimidation by local police.
Russia's True Symbol: A Chechen Mosque?
The second round of a contest to choose ten lesser-known Russian tourist attractions turned violent on Saturday, August 31, 2013, when a crowd in Grozny began egging select telecoms offices.
Belgrade Philharmonic's Quirky Director is Serbia's New Minister of Culture
Pianist and conductor Ivan Tasovac's vibrant personality and sharp wit have made him popular in Serbia and on Twitter.
