Culture

Making studio visits to talk to designers is a boon of writing about design. One of my favourite studios is that of the brilliant Dutch book designer Irma Boom. You can see the new books Irma is working on there as well as the incredible collection of historic books she has acquired over the years. Many of them are from the 15th and 16th centuries and the 1960s, which she believes were the most dynamic eras for book making. Irma has constructed a library in a neighbouring building, where anyone can go to see and study her books. … [Read more...] about Alice Rawsthorn’s cultural highlights

“People find it hard to remain in love 12 months of the year – you can only be ecstatic for a short period,” he says. “The phenomenon of the audience coming out at unprecedented levels in February and March – you cannot sustain that for 12 months. And one should not want to or hope to; there is something glorious about a month where culture takes centre stage. You want people to feel like it’s something special.” … [Read more...] about How Adelaide could become Australia’s most exciting city – simply by doubling down on culture

As Demick notes, China’s vilification of the Dalai Lama perversely reinforces his importance. But he is already 85. And although he has handed political leadership to the Tibetan government-in-exile, he has yet to formalise arrangements for identifying his next incarnation. As bizarre as the party’s insistence on policing the matter may appear to outsiders, she writes, the consequences could be deadly. It now seems almost certain that Tibetan exiles will select one Dalai Lama and Beijing another – as happened with the Panchen Lama in 1995. The six-year-old recognised by the Dalai Lama has not been seen in public since. The Tibetans’ next spiritual leader, she suggests, might not be as persuasive in conveying the message of non-violence. … [Read more...] about Eat the Buddha by Barbara Demick review – voices from a forbidden culture

Eno had previously said: “This has nothing to do with ‘silencing’ artists – a charge I find rather grating when used in a context where a few million people are permanently and grotesquely silenced … Israel has consistently – and lavishly – used cultural exchange as a form of ‘hasbara’ [propaganda] to improve the image of the country abroad, and to ‘show Israel’s prettier face’, in the words of a foreign ministry official. The BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] campaign is simply asking artists not to be part of that propaganda campaign.” … [Read more...] about Nick Cave: cultural boycott of Israel is ‘cowardly and shameful’

The baroque Republic Square in the city centre is the perfect backdrop for French street theatre group Royal de Luxe. From 27-30 August, Royal de Luxe’s Little Girl Giant, a six-metre high puppet, will inhabit the city streets as part of the Capital of Culture celebrations. Pilsen has a strong tradition of puppetry: there’s a dedicated museum (muzeumloutek.cz, £4.30 for a family ticket) and the celebrated Alfa Theatre, where the son and grandson of native puppet legend Jiří Trnka continue the family trade. A biennial puppet festival, Skupa Pilsen International, falls this year as well, with foreign ensembles lining up alongside home-grown talent. … [Read more...] about Pilsen, Czech Republic, Capital of Culture 2015