Stories about Arts & Culture from September, 2016
French Diversity Raises an Eyebrow at Nicolas Sarkozy’s ‘Our Ancestors Are the Gauls’ Declaration
"When you're six years old and you read that your ancestors were Gauls, with fair hair and blue eyes... it wasn't only us who giggled, it was the teacher, too.”
A Lavish Iranian TV Series Revises the History of the 1953 Coup for the Post-Nuclear Deal Age
Iran's 1953 coup d'état is widely depicted as a rupture in the modern history of Iran. It is also a Pandora’s box filled with contested narratives.
Artist Draws Attention to the Plight of Child Laborers and Young Women in Myanmar
"Art becomes more important for the people to see and feel the reality, and motivate them to make changes in society."
This Soviet Cartoon Was Too Much for Romania’s Communist Censors
According to the documentary "Chuck Norris vs Communism," Romania's state censorship board actually banned scenes from an episode of the classic Soviet cartoon "Nu Pogodi."
The Beginning Autumn Gives Japanese People a Great Excuse to Post to Social Media
It's that time of year when pictures of flowers, food, and cats are washing over Twitter in Japan.
A Specially Designed Keyboard Allows Yorùbá and Igbo Speakers to Type Their Languages
"With this keyboard, we are addressing technical barriers to the use of Yorùbá and Igbo online."
Theatre Helps Heal Wounds After Ecuador's Devastating Earthquake
Ecuadorians have found a way to heal from the damage caused by the strongest earthquake in the country's history: art, laughter, and solidarity.
Queer Tango: A Twist on Tradition in Favor of Diversity and Inclusion
As a response to discrimination on the dance floor, the Queer Tango opens spaces for diversity and exploration of the tango without gender discrimination.
There's a Premier Dinosaur Museum in Japan's Oft-Overlooked Fukui Prefecture
The Fukui Dinosaur Museum is one of the top tourism attractions in Japan, allowing visitors to get an up-close look at fossil remains from millennia gone by.
‘Convenient Outrage’ in Trinidad & Tobago Over Demolition of Dance Pioneer Beryl McBurnie's House
"What's the point of outrage now if you didn't actually give any thought to the deterioration of this historical building over the years?"
Meet the Street Kids of India Who Have Their Own Paper
"Do media think what a child thinks? Do you know what children want? Do you ever consider these questions?"
Zimbabweans Can't Stop Giggling About a ‘Hideous’ Statue of Longtime President Mugabe
"Good thing Dominic #Benhura made this ugly statue of #Mugabe. Citizens will enjoy knocking it down when he falls."
Vladimir Putin and the Fake Brides of Red Square
Last holiday weekend, Moscow wasn't the only thing being celebrated: part of the spectacle appears to have been arranged to remind Russians that their president is a virile, red-blooded man.
‘El Hombrecito’ Breathes Musical Life Into Literature in the Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, a group called The Little Man (El Hombrecito) is offering a new way of experiencing the arts by combining music, poetry and visual arts.
Many See Ethnicity-Based Discrimination in Nepali Ministry’s Ban on Using an Imported Holy Scarf
"I totally agree if the ban is imposed on all unnecessary imported goods, but taking a target only on Khada is outrageous and unacceptable."
Filipinos Find Ingenious Ways to Build Their Own Basketball Hoops
"It still amazes me to see these makeshift courts everywhere and anywhere and people of all ages playing – sometimes in only flip flops."
Insects Swarm Japanese Social Media: Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Bamboo
A Japanese artist is using traditional artisanal craft techniques to create compelling bamboo insects that have developed a devoted following online.
Kyrgyzstan's ‘Jailoos’ Are More Than Mere Mountain Meadows. They Are a Way of Life.
Welcome to the magical place where many people in the Central Asian country still spend their summers.
Indonesian Movie Tackles the Bugis Marriage Custom of Giving Dowry to the Bride
This is the first time that a mainstream film in Indonesia has focused on the Uang Panai’ marriage custom.
Commemorating Biljana Garvanlieva, a Macedonian Filmmaker Who Gave Voice to Marginalized Women
"As an engaged documentary author my motivation is to break the existing image about women in Macedonia."