Stories about Arts & Culture from November, 2012
Petronas’ Deepavali Ad Angers Malaysian Indians
In conjunction with the Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali, Malaysian oil company Petronas aired a controversial advertisement on YouTube that enraged many Malaysian Indians as it allegedly portrayed Indians in a bad light.
Colombian Hip-Hop Artists, Victims of Medellín's Wave of Violence
Residents of Colombia's Comuna 13, a neighborhood in Medellín infamous for its high levels of insecurity, are mourning the deaths of two well-known hip-hop artists who were killed in the last two weeks, as a wave of violence continues to target artists, youth and cultural organizations that promote peace.
Promoting Indonesia's Batik through Social Media
batikantik writes about the success of #batikday in Indonesia which has become a social media movement promoting Batik as global heritage of humanity. Batik is a traditional textile art and craft in Indonesia.
A Historic Road Takes an Online Detour in “La Calle Loíza”
A walk down one of the grittiest streets in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan has a new pit stop, and it’s online. Calle Loíza, in the historic downtown sector of Santurce, is a lively mix of down home Caribbean earthiness and the trendy.
Remnants of an Abandoned Yemeni Jewish Village
Yemeni blogger Rooj Alwazir shares amazing photographs of her trip to an abandoned Jewish Village, Beit Baws, perched on a rocky mountain, 15 minutes from Sanaa.
Japan's New Copyright Law Creates Confusion
Japan’s revised copyright law was partially enforced on October 1, and now penalizes the act of illegal downloading and DVD ripping for personal use. If arrested, one will be sentenced for up to 2 years in jail or fined 2 million yen, which is approximately US$ 25,680. But Japan's Internet users are confused by the new law.
Reading Suggestions on Brazil in English
Deep Brazil blog, from the journalist Regina Scharf, provides valuable resources about Brazil in the English language. She recently published one more list of books in English related to Brazil, its culture and people, and earlier this year she published a Brazil Blog List featuring 60 websites about the country...
Hay Festival Dhaka Is Back Again!
The 2nd edition of Hay Festival will be held on 15-17 November 2012 in the historic grounds of the Bangla Academy, Dhaka. It is hoped that through this event the new generation of Bangladeshi writers in English will be promoted to the global literary community.
A Glimpse into a Yemeni Wedding
Ali's day is a fascinating short musical video by Juan Herrero (@dustweare), a freeleance photographer currently living in Yemen. It captures a traditional Yemeni wedding which took place somewhere in the Northern mountains of Haraz.
China: Intellectuals Debate Politics of Nobel Prize in Literature
Chinese writer Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in Literature with the Chinese government's blessing. The achievement has stirred debate among Chinese intellectuals, with some believing that literature should be detached from politics, while others having pointed out that when it comes to China, literature is always about politics.
Curacao: Feeling the Tension
The recent parliamentary elections in Curacao have brought a lot of racial and cultural tension to the surface. Karen Attiah thinks it is a real problem.
Ink Duel: Bulgarian Artists vs Egyptian Artist in London
Studio 75, a London-based “100% independent, not part of any school, trend, fashion or directive” artist space is hosting ‘The Orientophobia Sessions’ this weekend. In the program of the Out Of The Deep East, Bulgarian artists Krum and Desi engage into an ink duel with Egyptian artist Naz:
India: Playwright Girish Karnad Slams Award for V.S. Naipaul
The audience was surprised at the Tata Literature Live! festival in Mumbai on November 2, when playwright Girish Karnad spoke angrily about the presentation of an award to Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, who Karnad accused of being anti-Muslim.
Top 10 Global ‘Gangnam Style’ Parodies
South Korean rapper Psy's catchy song and goofy dance hit 'Gangnam Style' has broken the Guinness World record for the most "liked" video in YouTube history and spawned countless parodies. Here are the 10 best copycats of Gangnam Style picked from a slew of meme videos.
Tajikistan: ‘Halloween is not for Patriots’
There are not many people in Tajikistan who know anything about Halloween, let alone mark it. Yet even rare celebrations of the holiday in the country make some people uneasy. Is Halloween an 'alien' tradition endangering Tajik culture? Or is it just an 'innocent prank'?
