Stories about Arts & Culture from January, 2008
UAE: Egg Shortages and Contests
Despite an egg shortage in the market, Bu Jassem from the UAE says there is a contest to break the Guinness record for carrying eggs with one hand being held in Dubai.
Russia: German Sadulayev's Appeal
Window on Eurasia writes about a Chechen writer's appeal to his fellow countrymen.
Serbia, Albania: Kosovo Rapper
BBC's Mark Mardell interviews “Kosovo’s premier rapper” Genc Prevlaka.
Jamaica: “Heartbreaking” deterioration
Montego Bay Day By Day posts “heartbreaking” photos of a deteriorating historic building in Falmouth, Jamaica.
Trinidad and Tobago: “Not playing mas”
Trinidad's Coffeewallah explains why she will not be participating in this year's Carnival masquerade.
Kazakhstan: Mobile Video Festival
Zhanna Zhukova reports that the first festival of short films, shot by cameras installed in the cellphones, was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, January 26.
Korea: Entertainers’ lives, media and internet
Na Hoon-a, a legendary singer in Korea famous for his charisma during his 40 year career and for numerous rumors about his personal life, surprised everyone at a press conference. He disappeared from public over a year ago, as rumors swelled that Na had his genitals cut off by a...
Citizen Uganda: Smart and very, very pretty
Citizen Uganda is the best new online source of information about Uganda, and it's also very, very pretty. To scroll down the main page of Citizen Uganda is to indulge in a visual symphony: carefully selected photos align harmoniously with well-crafted blocks of text. Thick lines in complementary colors separate commentary from current events.
Trinidad & Tobago: Where's The ‘Mas?
Thebookmann attends Trinidadian artist Ashraph's Carnival exhibition: “The Midnight Robber, the Fancy Sailor, Bats, Red Devils and Fancy Indians, Kings and Queens and to its current transitional state of feathers and beads, all inclusive, in a brown paper bag.”
St Vincent & The Grenadines, Belize: Palacio Gone To Soon
St. Vincent blogger Abeni knew the late Belizean musician Andy Palacio personally and says: “News of his death…triggered all those memories of yesteryear. Gone at 47 which seems too soon.”
Cambodia: Online Game Launch
Vutha takes us to the launch of an online game in Cambodia where a popular Cambodian singer appears as one of characters from the game.
Singapore: Increasing Chinese New Year Takes
Geek Goddess has some tips on how to increase your Chinese New Year takes. Younger and unmarried members of the family receive red packets with money in it for Chinese New Year from other relatives.
Albania, Italy: Adrian Paci
Living in Shkoder writes about the work of Adrian Paci, an Albania-born, Italy-based artist.
Belarus, Latvia: “Ploshcha”
Marginalia watches Ploshcha (“The Square”), a film about the March 2006 mass protests in Minsk – “and watching it is a good way to mark Ceauşescu's birthday and Suharto's death” – and muses on freedom in Latvia and the lack of it in Belarus.
Slovenia: Janša, Janša, Janša
Adventures in Wheelville writes about “the new (and rather mysterious) art group Janša, Janša, Janša, a group of artists who'd recently changed their names to that of the Prime Minister for reasons which they would not divulge to the public.”
Serbia: Belgrade's Past
Belgrade 2.0 muses on Belgrade's past and posts some old videos.
Egypt: 40th Cairo International Book Fair
Eman AbdElRahman is in love with January, all the more because a world-class book fair is just outside her doorsteps. In this post, she shares with us the excitement of other Egyptian bloggers with the event, as well as their complaints, and the cultural extravaganza on its sidelines.
Trinidad & Tobago: Panorama
Thebookmann reports on the pervasive mood as Trinidad and Tobago steelbands move closer to the Panorama finals.
Paraguay: An Introduction to a Growing Blogosphere
Muna Annahas, a Paraguayan blogger, writes her first Global Voices Online post and provides an introduction to the Paraguayan blogosphere. She provides examples of interesting academic, political, cultural, personal, and bridge blogs written by Paraguayans at home and abroad.
Armenia: Tattoos
The Armenian Patchwork posts photographs documenting a tattoo artist in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Although the country can be quite conservative, interest in tattoos has grown over the years and the blog says that both artist and client takes the matter seriously.
Kazakhstan: Movie Bids for Oscar
Adam Kesher reports that for the first time in history there is a Kazakh movie shortlisted for Oscar Award.
