Tag: Art

László Krasznahorkai, 2025 Nobel Laureate in Literature: “Human beings remain the same, dangerous to themselves”

László Krasznahorkai was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his compelling and visionary work that, amid apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”. Krasznahorkai is a great epic writer in the Central European tradition, stretching from Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, and characterized by absurdity and grotesque excess.The writer recalls how Franz Kafka introduced… Read More László Krasznahorkai, 2025 Nobel Laureate in Literature: “Human beings remain the same, dangerous to themselves”

Dilip

Trump is terrified of Black culture. But not for the reasons you think

A look back at 1960s Black arts movement explains why Trump is obsessed with eliminating Black artistry and the museums and institutions that support it Saida Grundy By the time Jesse Owens bowed his head from the highest podium tier to be crowned with his fourth Olympic wreath in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Europe’s premiers… Read More Trump is terrified of Black culture. But not for the reasons you think

Dilip

Japanese Protest Art in the 1950’s: the forgotten reportage painters

Linda Hoaglund NB: The artwork here has an ominous, surreal beauty; and it touches the soul. To me, it reflects what is happening in Gaza today, where ordinary people are burnt like grass and the world looks away. Hiroshi is now 92 years old, and was 12 when the firebombing destroyed Hamamatsu, his native town.… Read More Japanese Protest Art in the 1950’s: the forgotten reportage painters

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This artist is painstakingly recreating mysterious ancient rock art

academic thought has shifted to see southern African rock art as more often reflecting spiritually and culturally significant images and motifs, according to the British Museum. Some images have been understood to reflect visions seen by shamans when they entered trance-like states to perform communal tasks like healing the sick. “When they painted, they were not just… Read More This artist is painstakingly recreating mysterious ancient rock art

Dilip

Hagia Sophia: Secrets of the 1,600-year-old megastructure that has survived the collapse of empires

Hagia Sophia was built as a church over a Roman temple, and was subsequently converted into a mosque and then a museum. Since 2020 it is used as a mosque once more By Ali Halit Diker, CNN Whether you’re a believer or not, visiting Hagia Sophia is a spiritual experience. The architectural genius of this… Read More Hagia Sophia: Secrets of the 1,600-year-old megastructure that has survived the collapse of empires

Dilip

Aboriginal Dreamtime

The Dreamtime is a commonly used term for describing important features of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and existence. It is not generally well understood by non-indigenous people. First Nations Peoples believe that the Dreamtime was way back, at the very beginning. The land and the people were created by the Spirits. They made the rivers, streams,… Read More Aboriginal Dreamtime

Dilip

Walter Benjamin and The Angel of History

Paul Klee, Angelus Novus (1920) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Klee%2C_Angelus_novus.png?20130120065947 Paul Klee, Angelus Novus Walter Benjamin: Thesis 9 in The Concept of History (1940) My wing is ready to fly / I would rather turn backFor had I stayed mortal time / I would have had little luck Gerhard Scholem, Angelic Greetings There is a painting by Klee called… Read More Walter Benjamin and The Angel of History

Dilip

An artist made scathing sculptures of Mao over a decade ago. Now, he’s detained for slandering China’s heroes, family says

Under Xi, the ruling Communist Party has vowed to eradicate “historical nihilism” — or any views that question or challenge its official version of history, including glorified images of sanctified national heroes.China passed a law in 2018 banning any insult or slander of national “heroes and martyrs,” including military personnel. The offense was added to… Read More An artist made scathing sculptures of Mao over a decade ago. Now, he’s detained for slandering China’s heroes, family says

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