Stories about Arts & Culture from May, 2014
Meet Joshua Beckford Who Attended Oxford University at the Age of 6
Omg Ghana reports about Joshua Beckford's outstanding academic achievement: At age 8, you were probably practicing a sport or was preparing for the third grade. Well, meet an 8 year old with a twist, Joshua Beckford. This particular young boy is by far not your average 8 year old. He studied...
An Artistic Glimpse Into Exiled Iranians’ Nostalgia for the Homeland
Recent moves by moderate President Hassan Rouhani suggest things could change in the future, but returning still remains risky. Iranian-Canadian photographer Saman Aghvami attempted to capture the nostalgia.
Maldives’ Morality Police Target Youth
Maldives has one of the most youthful populations in the world with more than half of the population under the age of 25. But a lot of them are being increasingly harassed by moral policing by the society and the authorities, reports Dhivehi Sitee blog.
Serbia Mourns British-Serbian Legend Timothy John Byford
Author, actor, educator, television and film director Timothy John Byford died in Belgrade on May 5, 2014, after a long illness. Born in Salisbury, England, Byford spent most of his life in Belgrade, where he moved in 1971 and later became a naturalized citizen of Serbia. As news portal InSerbia...
Mothering Tech Savvy Children
Julia Cuéllar gets inspiration from the book Los bárbaros [The Barbarians; es], essays about mutation, by Alessandro Baricco, to reflect on Mujeres Construyendo [Building Women], about maternity in times of smartphones and social networks. I am a plant, I am the mother of zombie children, barbarians. My challenge is the...
Russians Hate Eurovision's Bearded-Lady Champion
On the Internet, Russians have reacted to Wurst’s victory with a mix of humor and homophobia.
Two People Are Driving Around Europe to Find What It Means to Be European
On the eve of European elections, two French artists will tour Europe to meet with as many types of Europeans as possible.
8 Extraordinarily Talented People From Yemen Everyone Should Know
Noon Arabia checks out the film and art scene, bringing to us some of Yemen's many talented youth whom you probably haven't heard of. Yemen's certainly got talent!
PHOTO: Censored Iranian Writer Dowlatabadi Caught Next to Iran's Chief of Censorship
The photo left a poignant mark on viewers familiar with Dowlatabadi work, which have been banned on occasion by Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.
Erykah Badu Still Plans to Perform for Gambian Dictator Yahya Jammeh
US singer Erykah Badu has become the target of criticism over a planned performance for President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia.
South Korea: Stunning Sand Animation Video about Ferry Disaster
Various artists have joined in paying tribute to the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster which cost over 260 lives, most of them high school students. This stunning sand animation video commemorating the victims and their families uses nothing but sand on a flat surface and artist's fingers to arrange...
A Poet Opens Her Eyes In the Metropolis: Juana M. Ramos in New York City
"This huge urban centre, New York, opened up my eyes and made me look at myself, also multiplied, in conceiving myself as Salvadorian, Central American, Latin American."
The Rise and Fall of Bengal’s Textile Empire
Bengal was once known as the richest province of the Indian subcontinent mainly due to its famous and varied agricultural and textiles products including the Muslin, world renowned finely-woven breathable fabric. M Ahmedullah posts in Alochonaa.com a two part series (Part 1, Part 2) discussing the history of the Bengal's...
PHOTOS: Protesters in Taiwan Turn Barbed-Wire Barricades Into Art
Police set up numerous chevaux de frise around government buildings to prevent anti-nuclear protesters from gathering. In response, Taiwanese have created what some have dubbed a contemporary street art exhibition.
Infographic: Who Are China’s Rural Migrant Workers?
“Rural migrant worker”, a unique term in China,refers to a class of citizens no longer employed in the agricultural sector who nevertheless retain their legal status as peasants. ChinaFile published an interesting infographic explaining their situations and the problems rural migrant workers are facing in today's society.
Bocas Literary Festival Showcases Caribbean Literature
The 2014 NGC Bocas LitFest in Trinidad and Tobago has closed to rave reviews on social media about the "great things" the event is doing to promote Caribbean literature.
Cuban Music Legend of “Los Van Van” Juan Formell Dies
The founder and director of the legendary Cuban ensemble Los Van Van, the bassist Juan Formell, died in Havana, Cuba, on May 1st. He was 71 years-old. For the last 45 years, Formell and Los Van Van have been inspiring people to dance with their Cuban rhythm. Los Van Van,...
Bangladesh's LGBT Community Steps Out in Rainbow Colors for New Year's
In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, homosexuality is considered to be unacceptable socially and religiously, and gay sex is illegal.
The Bengali Tradition of Halkhata, New Accounts Ledger
The centuries old Bengali new years celebrations include an important tradition, opening the Halkhata, a new ledger book for the year for the businesses. Blog Amader Kotha explains what Halkhata is. The traditional red color ledger book signifies the marking of a new beginning and the festivities, rituals, hopes and...