BON, THE OLDEST spiritual tradition of Tibet, has greatly contributed to forming the specific culture of the country. Existing before Buddhism, which entered Tibet in the 7th century, Bon is considered to be a form of Shamanism (and is also… Continue reading
Often condemned as a mad eccentric, the monk-artist Bada Shanren also known as Zhu Da, created some of the most daring and powerful paintings in 17th-century China. Wayward compositions with many layers of meanings, they largely reflected his tortured inner… Continue reading
GLOBALISATION IS nothing new. At first, it was overland – the Silk Road that connected China to the Mediterranean coast of the Roman Empire. Secondly, it was in coast-hugging boats in the Mediterranean and throughout Asian waters. Thirdly, which brings… Continue reading
FOR ITS 56th edition, the Venice Biennale appointed Okwui Enwezor (b 1963 in Nigeria) as artistic director for this leading survey of the contemporary art world. Presently heading the Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany, Enwezor has previously curated many… Continue reading
BALI 1928, a project started by Arbiter of Cultural Traditions in New York to reissue the 1928 Odeon and Beka recordings, has been led by ethnomusicologist Edward Herbst for the past 12 years. The original idea was to locate, restore,… Continue reading
THE BRITISH MUSEUM is an encyclopaedic museum dedicated to human history and culture and is known for exhibiting artefacts from ancient cultures. It is perhaps less well known that the museum also displays and collects the works of living artists.… Continue reading
IN HIS ESSAY In Praise of Shadows, Jun’ichiro Tanizaki considers the shifts in Japanese culture in the 20th century, noting with displeasure the influence of Western ideas and practices on the aesthetics of Japan. The introduction of electric lights is especially… Continue reading
THAT FABLED HIGHWAY, the Silk Road, crossed some of the most inhospitable territory on earth for at least 2,000 years. From China’s bleak northwestern borders, the oldest and most historically important trade route wound over deserts and mountains, laden camels… Continue reading
THERE IS A new generation of contemporary art collector in China with collections as much defined by international artists as they are by the Chinese artist whose names we are all familiar with. They are young, highly educated, wealthy and… Continue reading
PHILANTHROPIST AND art fanatic Feroze Gujral eases into a conversation about her projects and the Gujral Foundation with an affable ease. In this ambassadorial role, Gujral epitomises a new kind of entrepreneurial spirit that is progressively galvanising the arts in… Continue reading