art
International Documentary Film Festival: Amsterdam cinema’s leading lady
In Amsterdam, there are coffee shops, bicycles, Rembrandt and a port. But between the paintings and the pedals lies the IDFA, the largest documentary film event in the world and one of the biggest festivals in the world you’ve probably never heard of
art, netherlands, documentary, culture, amsterdam, festivals, culture calendar
Lowdown on Bulgarian cinema in 2011
Of the at least dozen films released in Bulgaria this year, two were screened at the Cannes film festival whilst seven were backed by the national film council. Here’s hoping for a better 2012
art, cinema, underground, culture, sofia, film review, festivals
Voina: 'As a Russian activist, I'm not sure that I will live long'
With organisers saying that almost 100, 000 people protested in Russia's biggest anti-governmental rally on 10 December - accusing the kremlin of 'fraud' in 4 December parliamentary elections - we hear from the Moscow-based self-styled 'street art gang' in part two of an exclusive interview, where they describe their role in this Russia
art, protest, elections, best of cafebabel.com, ideology, russian federation, media
Russian art collective Voina: 'Zhlobs are in power in today's Russia'
The Moscow-based self-styled 'street art gang' formed in 2005. Its four main members consist of president Leonid Nikolaev - who was arrested at an 'election fraud protest rally' on 5 December - ideologist Oleg Vorotnikov, coordinator Natalia Sokol and her son and Voina's youngest activist, two-year-old Kasper Can't-Take-Our-Eyes-Off-Him Sokol. Part one of an exclusive interview marks their brief history
art, university, moscow, protest, elections, best of cafebabel.com, ideology
Catarina Botelho on crisis, arts and just everyday life in Portugal
The visual artist and photographer from Lisbon focuses on the relationship between close friends, family and objects, as well as doing the odd stint working abroad. We talk about the arts in Portugal, culture during a crisis and staying forever amateur
art, economical crisis, lisbon, dictature, portugal, culture, lisbon
Spanish actor Santi Senso, creator of 'house theatre'
The thirtysomething actor is otherwise known for his 'intimate' theatre performances in people's homes across Spain, something he says is driven by a ‘beautiful madness’ inside him. His latest play 'Orgy Me' has just ended its residency in a hotel room in Madrid
'Eurogeneration': 'Warriors' conquer Europe's metropolises
They are pictured standing proudly in front of the setting sun on the anonymous urban stages of Europe. They are all warriors, young champions of the first European generation. This generation still hasn’t figured out what makes up a European identity, but nonetheless embody this identity subconsciously, whether they are from Budapest, Vilnius or Lisbon
art, photogallery, europe, photo, lifestyle, eurogeneration, exhibition
Russian art group Voina boycotts Moscow contemporary art biennale
It's not the country that you'd expect to celebrate activist art. Held until 20 October, Moscow's fourth contemporary art biennale is not exactly a step towards the freedom of expression, especially since the famous Russian protest collective are paradoxically protesting against the biennale’s 'international festival of activist art'
art, moscow, contemporary art, culture, russian federation, graffiti, voina
Why French pop singer Ornette hated Serge Gainsbourg
Far from offbeat artistic families, broken computers and restrictive music conservatories, the 28-year-old Parisian and mother-of-two has created a highly colourful musical project. Her debut album Crazy was released in France on 26 September
art, paris, brunch, best of cafebabel.com, music, pop, france
Poland-Germany exhibition in Berlin: let the neighbours talk
The exhibition ‘Good Neighbours? German Motifs in Polish Contemporary Art/ Polish Motifs In German Contemporary Art’ is showing at the Bethanien art gallery in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district until late October. The works on display reflect the quality of the German-Polish relationship today
art, contemporary art, germany, berlin, poland, culture, stereotype
Memorable exhibitions: inspecting meat at Carne 2010, Paris
An art exhibition with the rather succinct title 'Meat', displaying dead and live off-cuts of both human and animal origin, may not be a terribly new concept in the times of Gunter von Hagen’s ‘Body Worlds’, gory films and Lady Gaga costumes. However, in order to give their meaty art show a certain je ne sais quois, the Parisian organisers of Carne 2010 rather unceremoniously moved the exhibition out of the museum and into the slaughterhouse. Flashback tour through northern Paris, caught somewhere between minced meat and video installations
art, contemporary art, meat, death, culture, exposition, gunther von hagens
Digging out Macedonian documentary film and its female directors
Did you know that it was a Macedonian team who did the visual effects for Martin Scorcese’s The Aviator? Or that the George Clooney-vehicle The Peacemaker was also partly filmed in Macedonia? Twenty years after Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia, we discover there are actually new angles on the Balkan country's claim to fame
art, cinema, balkans, filmmaking, culture, macedonia, skopje
Brave Festival: Wrocław stands up for endangered cultures
Brave is a festival for courageous individuals sharing a common aim, to fight 'cultural expulsion'. Anna Zubrzycki, co-organiser of the festival in south-western Poland and its artistic director for 2012, discusses her reasons for wanting to preserve endangered cultures
Can contemporary art change 'new capitalist' Tirana?
Far from having a ‘pan-Balkan’ culture and being under the influence of a consumerist society, the Albanian capital is exploring new ways of expressing itself. Whilst politicians are tripping on the urns and ignoring blank canvases (literally), local artists are boosting a non-existent contemporary scene
art, cinema, corruption, balkans, best of cafebabel.com, culture, travel
Gallery
Art or porn? Youtube censor for Juan Francisco Casas
'The truth is that it is a little outrageous that a suggestive image of a breast could be shocking in 2011,' complains the Andalusian artist Juan Francisco Casas. In March, youtube censored a video which contained images of his works, which are photos and art taken always with a close entourage
art, censorship, youtube, culture, society, painting, culture calendar
Aged three, Prishtina dances, designs but doesn’t debate
Kosovo is one of the most optimistic countries in the world with 70% of the population under the age of thirty. Music, bars and art dot my four days in its capital, Prishtina, three years after the city claimed independence from Serbia
art, kosovo, pristina, culture, music, cities, orient express
Frank Pe, Luc Schuiten: eco-dreams of Brussels' comic book art architecture
Not everyone knows it but another Brussels does exist which is more green, more romantic, more human. It's the one which burgeons in the imagination and designs of those who have learned to love Brussels as it is, with its contradictions, its unbridled path of illogical construction and 'forced' cohabitation between the two souls of Europe, one Latin, the other Germanic. A comic book artist, visionary architect and artist-editor explain how they dream of a different Brussels.
art, comics, brussels, liberls, green europe on the ground, culture, society
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