Stories about Arts & Culture from April, 2011
Puerto Rico: Art for a Cause
The digital artist collective UNDOdigital has opened a virtual art gallery [es] for a cause: the proceeds will be donated to the family of Yamil Emanuel, who was born with cancer.
Russia: Photos of Moscow, Circa 1931
LJ-user nikolas11 shares [ru] rare photos of 1931′ Moscow made by Branson DeCou, XX century traveler and photographer. Hand-colored photos depict Russian capital 2 years after the “Great Turn” and before many Moscow churches had been destroyed by the Bolsheviks.
Central Asia: “Cyber Chaikhana,” Book Written by Bloggers
"Cyber Chaikhana" is a book project about Central Asian bloggers and their perceptions of their region, culture and everyday life. Edited by Christopher Schwartz and published by HIVOS, the book is a collection of narratives written by the bloggers at NewEurasia.net, the Central Asian blogging network. The aim of the project is to reach out to both the Central Asian (Russian speaking) and global audiences.
Russia-Switzerland: New magazine for Russia, Belarus and Ukraine
Gedankenbörsen Blog draws attention to [GER] a new magazine in Switzerland – Echo – about Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
Russia: Social Networking Via a “Prison” Game, Female Users’ Photos
Katya Trubilova of Social Media Lessons From Russia and the UK writes this, among other things, about Russia's largest social network VKontakte: “The most popular app on Vkontakte is a game called Тюряга (Prison) with 6 134 947 installations. The goal of the game is to make tattoos to become...
Russia: A Video of President Medvedev Dancing
Siberian Light, Global Chaos and Russia! are among those who comment on a YouTube video of President Dmitry Medvedev dancing to the Russian pop song “American Boy” at a college reunion party a year ago. On Twitter, Medvedev (@MedvedevRussia) comments (RUS) on the video himself, in reply to Zaporozhye-based fashion...
St. Lucia: Cricket – Symbol of Wider Malaise?
The poor state of West Indies cricket gets Sun Rain Or… wondering “where is it that we are supposed to find enough motivation day after day for us to achieve the greatness that lies stifled within?”
Philippines: Using social networks to promote local music
A photographer uses various social networks to promote original Filipino music.
Macedonia: “Sewing” Video-Clip/Film
On his blog, Daniel Gjurchinovski presented his short film Sewing, “shot and edited in one day.”
Colombia: Teen Produced Web Series about Gay Youth
Nineteen year old Jhoncito Arango's most recent web project has certainly caught the local media's eye in his native Colombia, where his web series Yonkis has had a very good reception considering that it tackles a topic that is still considered highly sensitive in this Catholic country: homosexuality.
Russia: Play on the swansong of the Yeltsin era
British playwright Thomas Hirst guestblogs at Siberian Light, writing about his new play The 17, about the demise of the Yelstin era in Russian politics.
North Korea: Biggest Magic Show Ever
North Korea staged its biggest magic show ever on April 18. It is believed to be a highlight in a week of festivities surrounding Kim Il Sung’s April 15 birthday, Robert Koehler commented about it in the Marmot’s Hole blog. The country's lavish spending on the show, rather than on...
Romania: Literary renaissance
Richard Byrne of Balkans via Bohemia writes about the playwright Lucian Blaga and a renaissance for Romanian 20th century literature and drama.
Sri Lanka: Sinhala And Tamil New Year In Jaffna
Marisa De Silva at GroundViews reports that the people of Jaffna had a quiet new year celebrations because of the heavy presence of security forces and their regular questioning.
Morocco: Controversy Over International Music Festival
Each year the capital Rabat is the epicenter of a major music festival, Mawazine. Since its modest launch in 2001, Mawazine has grown, and in the last decade has become the top national entertainment gathering. With the backdrop of political protests and calls for change though, controversy is rising in the Moroccan blogosphere around the use of public money for sponsoring the festival.
Germany: A blog of rare German records from flea markets
Berlin Beatet Bestes is a blog by Andreas Michalke of rare out of print German 45 rpm records found at flea markets. For instance, this 1959 tune of Trinidadian singer Mona Baptiste singing a mambo in German.
Popularizing Vietnamese films
Jennie Le, writing for Vietnam Talking Points, explains why Vietnamese films are not getting much attention in the Western world.
Iran: Top Fashion designer and Green Movement
Tahriyeh Khamosh has published a video where Bijan Pakzad, top fashion designer who passed away this weekend, talks about his participation in a demonstration. The blogger says the film is a “proof he was green”.
Japan: “Nuclear Power Mafia”
An anoymous user published on Nichannel (2ch) some pages from the manga titled Hakuryu Legend – Nuclear Power Mafia [ja] (by Tennoji Dai and Watanabe Michio), whose publication was suspended [en] after the earthquake. The story is about a journalist who conducts an investigation on a power company called Toto...
Iran: Fashion designer died
Several bloggers such as Neghae Man remembered Bijan Pakzad, fashion designer icon who passed away this weekend. He dressed President Obama, the Queen of England, Ronald Reagan, the Sultan of Brunei, Prince Charles and Bill Gates.
Russia: Art Group “Voina” and Innovation 2010 Prize
RussiaWatchers writes in detail about Art Group Voina, whose “phallus on the Liteiny bridge opposite to St. Petersburg FSB headquarters has been awarded the Innovation 2010 prize for best visual work of art.”
