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The power of music
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Jul 7, 2008
Tags :
music
art
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Apparently, China's huge market offers enormous opportunities for Western-style musicals regardless of the language barrier, the country's seemingly underdeveloped facilities and operating systems. It's said that the number of musicals performed in China and their audiences are both on the rise annually.
Commercial success have been made through a non-stop line-up of musical tours in recent years, such as "Mamma Mia", "Cats", as well as "The King and I", "42nd Street" (both shows were rehearsed and debuted in Shenzhen) and a Chinese version of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." presented by Gotham-based Broadway Asia Entertainment.
The Broadway Asia Entertainment (BAE) was created in 2005 by bringing together Broadway Asia Company and the Baruch/Frankel/Routh/Viertel Group. As the world's leading producer behind great shows like "Hairspray", "The Producer" and & ... ... |
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The bearable lightness of being
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
contemporary arts
sculpture
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| When talking about classic Italian sculpture one can easily visualize epic marble statues from ancient Roman times or Michelangelo's majestic 'David' from the Renaissance Period. But, by late 19th century, sculptors in Italy had already began experimenting with new mediums (with aesthetic meanings) in the hope of breaking new ground.
With advanced materials and technologies invented, Italian contemporary sculpture in the past century has gained a kind of revo- lutionary presentation. However, little of it known by the rest of the world because there were so few Italian artists able to hold decent exhibitions outside the country.
To fill the gap, an ongoing exhibition at Shenzhen's He Xiangning Art Museum, entitled "Subtle Energies of Matter – Italian Contemporary Sculpture International Review", offers the public the opportunity to learn about the development of Italian contemporary sculpture.
It showcases altogether 50 works of 31 Ita ... ... |
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Hey superstar Banksy!
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Han Ming Jie
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
arts
graffiti
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| If you're British, or if you have lived in Great Britain at some point over the past 10 years, then you'll know all about Banksy.
For the rest, however, the name Banksy may well be meaningless or, at best, vaguely associated with the post-pop-art world.
In that case, let us fill you in. Banksy is the undisputed hero of the graffiti art scene. But we're not talking handles' sprayed on carriages or Day-Glo collages daubed under bridges. Banksy's graffiti art is somethng else altogether – it stops you on the street and makes you think. It's also startlingly fresh. And best of all, it's ickedly devilish in its execution.
We'd like to tell you his real name. We'd even love to show you a picture of him on this page. But the truth is, obody really knows his real name, much less what he looks like. Banksy is an artist's mystery. But it's all for a purpose. Being, technically, a criminal – "a defacer of public property" – is one way of putting it, but Bank ... ... |
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Warhol, Rothko, Hirst...welcome to Hong Kong
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
May 9, 2008
Tags :
contemporary art
auction
Hong Kong art
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| Catching up with New York and London, Hong Kong has now grown into the world's third largest art market by auction sales. Asian collectors have established a "collecting presence" in the ?international art market, and wealth generated in the Asia-Pacific region isleading to increasing demand for blue-chip Modern and Contemporary artwork.
The fact that 76 percent of buyers in the April sale of Chinese Contemporary Art at Sotheby's Hong Kong were from Asia has made a very strong statement indeed. And yet such a result is no coincidence. Being located in central Asia provides Hong Kong with convenient access to art collectors from all over the continent. Plus, Hong Kong possesses a distinct advantage over other Asian cities as there are no duties or taxes imposed on the import or export of art. Hello punters!
Based on this strong foundation, the ART HK 08 (Hong Kong International Art Fair 2008), directed by an Advisory Gro ... ... |
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The flair of the French
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
May 7, 2008
Tags :
design
photography
jazz
dance
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| The cultural dialogue between China and France has continued for centuries, yet one may argue it currently stands on a wobbling tightrope.Yet one thing that cannot be argued is the series of successful culture-exchange programs which have been held in both countries over thepast few years.
In the spirit of such dialogue, and hot on the heels of the recent "2nd Francophony Festival in Guangzhou", the Sino-French"Croisement/Jiaoliu 2008" Festival immediately took to the stage in early April, inviting audiences to a three-month cultural carnivalrunning across 18 Chinese cities. And best of all, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Hong Kong and Macau have all been included.
Coming now into its third year, the "Croisement/Jiaoliu" campaign - itself an extension of the "China-France Cultural Year" – sticksto a mutual understanding theme (hence the title).
"We wish to make this f ... ... |
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Mellow jewelry
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Apr 1, 2008
Tags :
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| Accessories designer Esther Brinkmann explains why "preciousness" matters.
It's not every day in Guangzhou that you run into both a diplomat's wife and a brilliant jewelry designer like Esther Brinkmann (Nievergelt). Yet Brinkmann is not exactly a traditional jewelry designer fond of making extravagant, fancy accessories. As a matter of fact, Brinkmann's works, featuring creative and timeless designs, reflect an inexpensive nature, instead focusing on the artist's mellow craftsmanship and subtle comprehensions of taste.
Born and educated in Switzerland, the 55-year-old Brinkmann was successful in the jewelry design industry back home. Moving to Guangzhou in October 2005 was her first experience of living abroad. Yet Brinkmann was not affected by the fabled "culture shock", finding it easy both living and working in this modern city of the south. Now she's going to have her first solo exhibition in China, at Guangzhou's ... ... |
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Shocking expreswsions
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Apr 1, 2008
Tags :
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| Get closer to Erwin Olaf's photographs . . . if you dare.
When mentioning the names of the world's great commercial photographers of our time, Erwin Olaf from Netherlands no doubt gets a strong showing. However, he's famous not just because of being associated with mega-brands such as Diesel, Coca Cola, Nintendo, Nokia and Virgin, but more for his avant-garde and ( more precisely) provocative photographs that usually stun viewers as soon as they encounter them.
Though successful in both art and commercial photography, making a career by taking pictures was not Olaf's first choice. Graduating from college, he was supposed to become a newspaper journalist; photojournalism was then a just subsidiary subject to him. It was in 1981 that he formally started working as an independent photographer, and from there he built his way up to international level, with his work being widely exhibited and collected by many prestigious institutions worldwide.
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The great eye of China
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Mar 11, 2008
Tags :
chinese
magnificence
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| The best Chinese photographer in the world, the enigmatic Lv Nan, showcases his latest works. The result? Magnificence.
He's regarded as the most "legendary" photographer working in China today. He is the first Chinese photographer to be favored by the renowned Magnum agency and, moreover, he is the only Chinese photographer to be featured by Aperture Magazine in the US. His name is Lv Nan (吕楠). A name, however, is all the public know about this mysterious man.
Although crowned with many laurels internationally, Lv Nan, from Beijing, who addresses himself as "a photographer living only in my own work", remains extremely low-profile and always hides away from the spotlight, working and living with an artist's zeal. He has turned down invitations from many exhibitions and refuses to have his picture taken (leading to scarce public exposure), yet he has dedicated fifteen years of his life documenting the lives of the others, especially those living on the e ... ... |
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Walk on the wild side
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Kristina Perez
Mar 11, 2008
Tags :
artwalk
2008
hongkong
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| Take a stroll through Hong Kongís ArtWalk 2008
Every year, for one night only, Hong Kong's art community comes together to put on ArtWalk, an evening of fine art, fine wine and good friendship - all in support of a charitable cause.
Hong Kong ArtWalk 2008 will take place on 12 March and, this year, promises a number of 'ArtWalk Extra' street installations, including some special video and performance events in addition to the 55 participating galleries showing an array of artwork, many with specially conceived shows for the night. Since its inception in 2000, the event has become the one of the most significant dates in the artistic HK calendar, which last year drew a crowd of more than 2,000 art lovers and raised HK$539,000 through ticket sales. The Society for Community Organization (SoCo), which executes original social policy research, advocacy and community work in Hong Kong, will again be the recipient of donations from ArtWalk 2008.
that's PRD talked with ... ... |
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The perfect duet
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Feb 4, 2008
Tags :
music
art
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| Don't miss the Labèque sisters playing in Guangzhou.
It's usually very challenging for two pianists to play a one, since it requires harmonious co-operation between four hands. That said, it's never a problem for sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque, who are two very different players, yet who communicate perfectly on the piano keys.
Born in France in the early 1950s, the Labèque sisters are the daughters of Ada Cecchi — a former student of renowned pianist Marguerite Long (1874-1966). They spent their childhood filled with music, both studying with their mother at the Paris Conservatoire.
With a close sisterhood, the duo have since built themselves up as "the best live piano duet working today" (The New York Times), and are known for their seamless and supreme musicianship, as well as their extensive repertoire, ranging from classical masterpieces to contemporary themetunes.
Over the decades, the Labèque sisters have been able t ... ... |
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