Stories about Arts & Culture from September, 2006
China: Art conversation
Ye Ying in mindmeters blogs an art conversation conference in Beijing, participants are from all over the world. She quotes from a local Artist Ai Wei Wei: we need to know where we come from and what is the essence of our era; outsiders can't help us on this, this...
China: Chairman Hu's tear
ESWN blogs a Chairman Hu Jintao Cartoon: “For Whom Did The Secretary General Shed His Tears?” which was published at Guangzhou's XKB (News Express) on September 12. A Hong Kong based newspapers Sing tao points out that in the western world (plus Hong Kong and Taiwan), leaders like Bush, Donald...
China: digg battles
Lyn Jeffery in virtual China discusses how the mob culture in China destroys the development of digg.
Nigeria, Arts and Culture, Music
These are places where Naija to the Core would really like to be this autumn.
Estonia: “The Only Post-Communist Nordic Country”
Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa explains the change of his blog's subtitle: “The world's only post-communist Nordic country.”
Czech Republic: Zlin
NvB: Bored in Brno? posts pictures and video from the town of Zlin: “The town is worth seeing, particularly if you're a fan of twentieth-century functionalist and utilitarian architecture. It turned out that my visit was on the weekend of the 13th annual Festival of Wind Orchestras and Folklore Ensembles.”
Russia: Tear of Grief; Intro to Orthodox Culture
In Moscow, Zurab Tsereteli‘s works seem ubiquitous – and disliked by many. In New Jersey, his first one was dedicated on Sept. 11 in Bayonne: a gift from the Russian government, the 100-foot, 175-ton bronze monument “To the Struggle Against World Terrorism” – aka the Tear of Grief. High-profile guests...
Guatemala: Palo Ensebado
Chapinadas explains the fascinating traditional dance of the Palo Ensebado in San Luis, Peten: “A week before this dance starts, five men go into the forrest to choose a suitable tree. Before the tree is cut, the priests offer their apologies and ask for permission from the valerio tree to...
Guyana: Jumbie intervention
Guyana-Gyal is almost disappointed that it was she herself — and not a ghost — who pulled the phone line out of her computer.
Trinidad & Tobago: Galvanize
The blog of the Galvanize project, “a platform for presenting new work by visual, performing, and literary artists, and for provoking critical discussion of art practice and reception in the contemporary Caribbean,” announces that the programme's official launch will take place on September 14. The blog also features a schedule...
Jamaica: Philp book meme
Jamaican writer Geoffrey Philp takes up the challenge of a book meme. Among the things he mentions is an e-book dedicated to bashing his first collection of short stories!
South Africa, Music, Language
Chipla reflects on South Africa's lesson to the world: birds of not so much a feather can still flock together. And in so doing, they become one flock.
Russia: Sprats, Scam, Ripping
Copydude writes about “a giant can of Baltic Sprats” sculpture soon to appear in a town near Kaliningrad; about German ads – possibly, a scam – offering “assisted resettlement package to Kaliningrad, including subsidised bills, free train travel, free phone installation, a chance to collect Russian and German pensions and...
Romania, Russia: Movies
Owlspotting writes about translating movie titles into Romanian. The Accidental Russophile gives advice on finding and watching Russian DVDs in the United States.
Bulgaria: Sofia
Halfway Down the Danube compares Bulgaria's capital Sofia to Romania's capital Bucharest: “Bucharest has more cars; Sofia has better drivers.”
Poland: 9/11 Memorial
The beatroot writes about the opening of a 9/11 memorial in a Polish town that saw a pogrom against Jews in 1946 – and about the effects of the 9/11 “media hysteria.”
Poland: Socialist Realism
The beatroot writes about Socialist Realism: “…mostly a patronizing celebration of all things ugly and pompous.”
Pana-Blogs Report
#1: Rob Rivera.com remembers the 9/11 attack: "September 11, five years Later" It was a Tuesday, if I’m not mistaken. I slept in that day, enjoying a prolonged sabatical… I don’t remember what happened minute by minute but I do remember the first moments of my day that morning being...
China: Chinese fashion design show
Ye Ying blogs about a Chinese fashion design show in mindmeter. The design show took place in a factory studio in China. The blogger discusses about the challenge of Chinese design: as the oriental imagination is becoming cliche, how can the young generation designers explore a more diversified path? (zh)
Moldova: Language and Life
Peter Myers of Adventures in Moldova writes about Moldovans’ tardiness, shares his new understanding of Moldova's language politics, and posts a letter by a Moldovan teenager, OIga: “It's hard, really and if somehow I will escape from here I will just come back to see my relatives and that’s all....
Estonia: Tips for the British Queen
Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa offers suggestions for Queen Elizabeth II on how to “get to know everyday Estonians” during her visit to Estonia on Oct. 19-20.