Stories about Arts & Culture from July, 2014
Spanish Soldier Who Penned a Best-Selling Novel About Military Corruption Gets Jail Time
Luis Segura, a lieutenant in the Spanish army, is in prison for criticizing the military during interviews for his novel "Un paso al frente" (A step forward).
These ‘Poets With a Cause’ Are Defending Social Justice in Crisis-Hit Puerto Rico
"Poetas en Marcha is Felipe the janitor, Sofia the overworked and underpaid secretary, the young adults laughing while having a beer after their final exams, the noble lady selling fruit."
5 Modern African Thinkers on Identity, Language and Regionalism
Albeit a bit of a mystery worldwide, African philosophy is strong discipline that has evolved tremendously through history.
The Purple House, a Collective in Colombia's Medellín ‘To Create, Enjoy and Find Ourselves’
Morada, or Casa Morada, is an initiative born in a complex neighborhood of the Colombian city of Medellín. Learn about its various projects that combine art, education and participation.
Wanted to Watch Saint Lucia's Carnival on TV This Year? You Were Out of Luck
"How regressive! Did the organisers consider Saint Lucians in the diaspora, those in other countries and foreigners who might be interested in being part of Saint Lucia Carnival...?"
Second Biggest Arts Festival in the World Taking Place in South Africa
Live reports from the National Arts Festival taking place in Grahamstown, South Africa: Every winter, for 11 days in early July, the sleepy South African college town of Grahamstown comes alive with art. Artists from all over the world swarm to the tiny town, and every nook and cranny is...
A Documentary That Allows Transgender People's Voices to Be Heard
Though gays and lesbians are gradually gaining more acceptance in Puerto Rico, the same cannot be said yet of transgender people. That is why a film like Mala Mala, a documentary in which trans people speak freely about their stories, is so important. The film, directed by Dan Sickles (@dan_sickles) and...
Tour Guides Only Tell You One Version of a City's Story. This New App Lets Residents Tell You Theirs
Voicemap lets you listen to personal stories about the places you visit. You won't find these stories in the usual tourism guides.
The Art Nouveau Windows to Belgrade's Soul
Aleksandar Lambros, a Serbian-born photographer currently living and working in Monaco, has been snapping photos of tell-tale details of Belgrade's architectural history and collecting them on his blog. While the city still retains snippets of Roman and Ottoman architecture, as parts of the city were under both Roman and Ottoman...
Artists Explore the ‘Melting Point’ of Art and Propaganda in Skopje
A not-for-profit, self-financed group of artists calling themselves Kooperacija (“Cooperation”, Macedonian slang for a general store in small villages) hosted an exhibition titled “Melting Point: Art as Anti-Hegemonic Propaganda” [en, mk, with photos] in Skopje recently. As reported [mk] by several news outlets that cover culture [mk], including Belgrade-based SEE...
4 Photos of Street Art by the ‘Iranian Banksy’ That Speak Volumes About Life Today in Iran
The work of the anonymous Black Hand has gone viral on social media. The graffiti offers timely commentary on events in Gaza and issues in Iran, such as women's rights.
This Video Parodies What a Government-Approved Sex Education Class in India Would Look Like
Stand-up comedian Sourav Pant‘s comedy company East Indian Comedy has uploaded a YouTube video lampooning what a government-approved sex education class in India would look like. The video has gone viral, with more than 1 million hits in three days. The video mocks a suggestion made by Health Minister Harsh...
The Warning Squad Is Here to Tell You About Hong Kong Police's ‘Repression’ of Pro-Democracy Protesters
Local artist Kasey Wong created the Hongkongese Warning Squad, a protest performance that criticized the police's harsh treatment of peaceful protests.
A Summer Reading List from Global Voices French-Language Contributors
Need some summer reading material? Here's a reading list of mostly Francophone authors recommended by the GV community.
Russian Web Animation at Its Best
Foreigners are likely to think of Russia's ballet or literature before considering its Web animation, but it’s in this latter field that the RuNet has achieved something brilliant.
This Project Is Helping France Unlearn Its Stereotypes About Romania
Newsroum is a school project from La Sorbonne journalism school in France that is dedicated to fighting clichés about Romania.
Yes, I Wear a Bra, and It's Visible. So?
Nivedita N Kumar, a journalist, posts an emotional Facebook note which has gone viral. Here is an excerpt from the powerful essay that lashes at the notion of the Indian patriarchal society that clothes provoke rapists: Why? Why do you do that? Stare at my breasts like they are cute...
A Theater Company Is Crowdfunding to Produce This ‘Powerful’ Play in Cuba About Homosexuality
"Bent" tells the story of the abuse and internment of homosexuals in Nazi Germany leading up to World War II.
Welcome to Che Guevara Home Museum
Alta Gracia [es] is located in the department Santa María, province of Córdoba, Argentina. It's listed as World Heritage Site and among its attactions we find the Che Guevara Home Museum [es]. From there, Argentinian blogger Laura Schneider [es] provides us a photo gallery of the museum. On her blog,...
Five Things You Need to Know About Turkmen Weddings
If you were thinking of choosing Turkmenistan as a wedding day destination, you should know one thing - when it comes to celebrating a marriage, Turkmen do not mess around.
Architect Santiago Calatrava Attempts but Fails to Censor Site That Highlights His Blunders
Just a few months ago, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was able to shut down «calatravatelaclava.com», an online compilation of his blunders carried out with public funds.