 | The Art of Persuasion Steven Fredericks & Rosalee Isaly are interviewed by Paul & Joanie. "THE ART OF PERSUASION" was organized by the New York Society of Etchers to present prints addressing issues of current social, political and cultural significance. The artwork shown focused on domestic American rights to privacy and free speech; governmental spying; war; torture and, terrorism. The show was curated by Marilyn Kushner, former Curator of Prints and Photographs at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The event featured 32 new prints by many of New York's most influential artist commentators including Linda Adato, Marshall Arisman, Kristine Bouyoucos, Ellen E. Carranza, Ann Chernow, Ellen Coleman, Zev Deans, David Fox, Stephen A. Fredericks, Lee Gough, Martha Hayden, Steven Hazard, Art Hazelwood, Frances Jetter, Denise Kasof, Brian Knoerzer, Jessica Lenard, Sue Huggins Leopard, Valerie McEvoy, Diane Miller, Louis Netter, Joan O'Connor, Bill Phipps and Virginie Souque, Nancy Powhida, Joseph Ramos, Victoria Salzman, Sarah Sears, Marilyn Silberstang, Bruce Waldman, Harold Wortsman and Barbara Wilson. See more at http://www.nysetchers.org |
 | The Art of Alphonse Mucha Music: Dead can dance: 1. The Arrival and the Reunion 2. Radharc ---------------------------------------- Alfons (Alphonse)Maria Mucha was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist. He was born in the town of Ivančice, Moravia. His singing abilities allowed him to continue his education through high school in the Moravian capital of Brno, even though drawing had been his first love since childhood. He worked at decorative painting jobs in Moravia, mostly painting theatrical scenery, then in 1879 moved to Vienna to work for a leading Viennese theatrical design company, while informally furthering his artistic education. When a fire destroyed his employer's business in 1881 he returned to Moravia, doing freelance decorative and portrait painting. Count Karl Khuen of Mikulov hired Mucha to decorate Hrušovany Emmahof Castle with murals, and was impressed enough that he agreed to sponsor Mucha's formal training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Poster of Maude Adams as Joan of Arc, 1909Mucha moved to Paris in 1887, and continued his studies at Académie Julian and Academie Colarossi while also producing magazine and advertising illustrations. In 1894, he produced the artwork for a lithographed poster advertising Sarah Bernhardt at the Theatre de la Renaissance. Mucha's lush stylized poster art won him fame and numerous commissions. Mucha produced a flurry of paintings, posters, advertisements, and book illustrations, as well as designs for jewellery, carpets, wallpaper, and theatre sets in what came to be known as the Art Nouveau style. Mucha's works frequently featured beautiful healthy young women in flowing vaguely Neoclassical looking robes, often surrounded by lush flowers which sometimes formed haloes behind the women's heads. His art nouveau style was often imitated. However, this was a style that Mucha attempted to distance himself from throughout his life; he insisted always that, rather than adhering to any fashionable stylistic form, his paintings came purely from within. He declared that art existed only to communicate a spiritual message, and nothing more; hence his frustration at the fame he gained through commercial art, when he wanted always to concentrate on more lofty projects that would ennoble art and his birthplace. Mucha visited the U.S. from 1906 to 1910, and the Society of Illustrators, then returned to the Czech lands and settled in Prague, where he decorated the Theater of Fine Arts, contributed the murals in the Mayor's Office at the Municipal House, and other landmarks of the city. When Czechoslovakia won its independence after World War I, Mucha designed the new postage stamps, banknotes, and other government documents for the new state. The Mucha window in Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral was designed in the early 1930sHe spent many years working on what he considered his masterpiece, The Slav Epic (Slovanská epopej), a series of huge paintings depicting the history of the Slavic peoples, bestowed to the city of Prague in 1928. He had dreamt of completing a series such as this, a celebration of Slavic history, since he was young. Since 1963 the series has been on display in the castle at Moravsky Krumlov. The rising tide of fascism in the late 1930s led to Mucha's works, as well as his Slavic nationalism, being denounced in the press as 'reactionary'. When German troops marched into Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1939, Mucha was among the first people to be arrested by the Gestapo. During the course of the interrogation the aging artist fell ill with pneumonia. Though eventually released, he never recovered from the strain of this event, or seeing his home invaded and overcome. He died in Prague on July 14 of a lung infection, 1939 and was interred there in the Vyšehrad cemetery. ( - from wikipedia.com ) |
 | New York Philharmonic Arrives in the DPRK Pyongyang, February 25 (KCNA) -- The New York Philharmonic arrived here today. It was met at the airport by Vice-Minister of Culture Song Sok Hwan who is chairman of the Korean Association for Art Exchange, and others. Banquet Given for New York Philharmonic Pyongyang, February 25 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Ministry of Culture and the Korean Association for Art Exchange gave a banquet in honor of the visiting New York Philharmonic at the People's Palace of Culture Monday. Present there on invitation were members of the philharmonic led by its President Zarin Mehta. On hand were Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su, Acting Chairman of the Korean Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Mun Jae Chol, Vice-Minister of Culture Song Sok Hwan who is chairman of the Korean Association for Art Exchange and other officials concerned. Speeches were made there. On the same day the members of the philharmonic appreciated a performance given by artistes in Pyongyang at the Mansudae Art Theatre. |
 | ALTERED STATES: Art of Zhang Huan 张洹 Inside the studio and creative mind of Zhang Huan, one of the most recognized Chinese artists working in both the US and China. His latest exhibition at the Asia Society includes performance works, photographs, and sculpture. |
 | Human Weapon Pankration The Original Martial Art 3/5 The recent popularity of no-holds-barred combat like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has revived interest in Pankration, a mixed martial art of ancient Greece that was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 B.C., at the 33rd Olympiad. The name "Pankration" is a combination of two Greek words--pan (all) and kratos (strength)--and can be translated as "all encompassing" or "all powerful." A combination of Hellenic boxing and wrestling, Pankration became the most popular event of the Olympics, adding legends of its own larger-than-life heroes to Greece's rich history. Hercules himself was said to be a pankratist, while Alexander the Great reportedly recruited these skilled fighters for his army's invasion of India in 326 B.C. Pankration matches took place in a square arena, designed to keep the fighters in close proximity to each other. A referee officiated, using a rod or switch to enforce the rules, which were limited. There was no biting, eye gouging or scratching, but all other techniques were allowed. Kicking was an integral part of Pankration, particularly kicks from below to the opponent's stomach and groin, and leg sweeps aimed at knocking the opponent off his feet. Much of the fighting took place on or close to the ground, with the opponents grappling with each other and employing techniques such as hair pulling, punches, joint locks, choke holds and elbow and knee strikes. Pankration bouts normally ended only when one competitor was knocked unconscious or raised his hand in submission; some fights resulted in the death of one or even both of the competitors, most commonly from strangulation. The Roman Emperor Theodisius I abolished the Olympic Games in 393 A.D., and it was not until 1896 that the modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece's capital city. By that time, Pankration existed more in legend, and in historical and artistic representations of ancient Greek society, than in actuality. Although it never entirely died out in some Greek communities, it was not included in the new Olympics. More recently, however, renewed interest in Pankration resulted in the foundation of the World Pankration Federation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of the sport. The federation runs competitive events, including the World Pankration Championships, and has campaigned for Pankration to be returned to its Olympic status |
 | Human Weapon Pankration The Original Martial Art 1/5 The recent popularity of no-holds-barred combat like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has revived interest in Pankration, a mixed martial art of ancient Greece that was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 B.C., at the 33rd Olympiad. The name "Pankration" is a combination of two Greek words--pan (all) and kratos (strength)--and can be translated as "all encompassing" or "all powerful." A combination of Hellenic boxing and wrestling, Pankration became the most popular event of the Olympics, adding legends of its own larger-than-life heroes to Greece's rich history. Hercules himself was said to be a pankratist, while Alexander the Great reportedly recruited these skilled fighters for his army's invasion of India in 326 B.C. Pankration matches took place in a square arena, designed to keep the fighters in close proximity to each other. A referee officiated, using a rod or switch to enforce the rules, which were limited. There was no biting, eye gouging or scratching, but all other techniques were allowed. Kicking was an integral part of Pankration, particularly kicks from below to the opponent's stomach and groin, and leg sweeps aimed at knocking the opponent off his feet. Much of the fighting took place on or close to the ground, with the opponents grappling with each other and employing techniques such as hair pulling, punches, joint locks, choke holds and elbow and knee strikes. Pankration bouts normally ended only when one competitor was knocked unconscious or raised his hand in submission; some fights resulted in the death of one or even both of the competitors, most commonly from strangulation. The Roman Emperor Theodisius I abolished the Olympic Games in 393 A.D., and it was not until 1896 that the modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece's capital city. By that time, Pankration existed more in legend, and in historical and artistic representations of ancient Greek society, than in actuality. Although it never entirely died out in some Greek communities, it was not included in the new Olympics. More recently, however, renewed interest in Pankration resulted in the foundation of the World Pankration Federation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of the sport. The federation runs competitive events, including the World Pankration Championships, and has campaigned for Pankration to be returned to its Olympic status |
 | Human Weapon Pankration The Original Martial Art 2/5 The recent popularity of no-holds-barred combat like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has revived interest in Pankration, a mixed martial art of ancient Greece that was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 B.C., at the 33rd Olympiad. The name "Pankration" is a combination of two Greek words--pan (all) and kratos (strength)--and can be translated as "all encompassing" or "all powerful." A combination of Hellenic boxing and wrestling, Pankration became the most popular event of the Olympics, adding legends of its own larger-than-life heroes to Greece's rich history. Hercules himself was said to be a pankratist, while Alexander the Great reportedly recruited these skilled fighters for his army's invasion of India in 326 B.C. Pankration matches took place in a square arena, designed to keep the fighters in close proximity to each other. A referee officiated, using a rod or switch to enforce the rules, which were limited. There was no biting, eye gouging or scratching, but all other techniques were allowed. Kicking was an integral part of Pankration, particularly kicks from below to the opponent's stomach and groin, and leg sweeps aimed at knocking the opponent off his feet. Much of the fighting took place on or close to the ground, with the opponents grappling with each other and employing techniques such as hair pulling, punches, joint locks, choke holds and elbow and knee strikes. Pankration bouts normally ended only when one competitor was knocked unconscious or raised his hand in submission; some fights resulted in the death of one or even both of the competitors, most commonly from strangulation. The Roman Emperor Theodisius I abolished the Olympic Games in 393 A.D., and it was not until 1896 that the modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece's capital city. By that time, Pankration existed more in legend, and in historical and artistic representations of ancient Greek society, than in actuality. Although it never entirely died out in some Greek communities, it was not included in the new Olympics. More recently, however, renewed interest in Pankration resulted in the foundation of the World Pankration Federation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of the sport. The federation runs competitive events, including the World Pankration Championships, and has campaigned for Pankration to be returned to its Olympic status |
 | Alif Noon - Abstract Art Part IV What a writer, a very famous Comedy series from Pakistan Television written by Kamal Ahmed Rizvi. The cast consist of Rafi Khawar known as Nannha and Kamal Ahmed Rizvi known an Allan. Allan was shown as a clever business minded person who used to come up with some nasty and immoral tricks to earn fast money and used to use Nannha as his stooge. He was not himself inclined to work and would rather used to be the sleeping partner in every saga or telling the tricks to poor Nannha (his Front man). The character of Nannha became an instant hit. He was shown as an innocent and funny looking person from rural area who loved his country and would dream of living an honest livelihood. He didn't know the norms of the new society and was therefore used by Allan as the front man for his tricks. In the end, he would toss out the whole plot of Allan by speaking the truth to the public. Although it may be considered by many as a mere comedy series, it showed a dark side of Pakistani Society where many people were trying to earn money by deception and extremely corrupt business techniques. Another aspect may be also that it tried to show those thugs and fraudulent people the right way and eventually tried to kindle the patriotic spirit in them. Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, who wrote this series depicted his role in such a way that he may always be considered among the Pakistani Writers and Performers as a legend. His literary skills in this series may never be matched by any comedy show in the new era of Private Channels and has made him in fact immortal. |
 | Human Weapon Pankration The Original Martial Art 5/5 The recent popularity of no-holds-barred combat like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has revived interest in Pankration, a mixed martial art of ancient Greece that was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 B.C., at the 33rd Olympiad. The name "Pankration" is a combination of two Greek words--pan (all) and kratos (strength)--and can be translated as "all encompassing" or "all powerful." A combination of Hellenic boxing and wrestling, Pankration became the most popular event of the Olympics, adding legends of its own larger-than-life heroes to Greece's rich history. Hercules himself was said to be a pankratist, while Alexander the Great reportedly recruited these skilled fighters for his army's invasion of India in 326 B.C. Pankration matches took place in a square arena, designed to keep the fighters in close proximity to each other. A referee officiated, using a rod or switch to enforce the rules, which were limited. There was no biting, eye gouging or scratching, but all other techniques were allowed. Kicking was an integral part of Pankration, particularly kicks from below to the opponent's stomach and groin, and leg sweeps aimed at knocking the opponent off his feet. Much of the fighting took place on or close to the ground, with the opponents grappling with each other and employing techniques such as hair pulling, punches, joint locks, choke holds and elbow and knee strikes. Pankration bouts normally ended only when one competitor was knocked unconscious or raised his hand in submission; some fights resulted in the death of one or even both of the competitors, most commonly from strangulation. The Roman Emperor Theodisius I abolished the Olympic Games in 393 A.D., and it was not until 1896 that the modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece's capital city. By that time, Pankration existed more in legend, and in historical and artistic representations of ancient Greek society, than in actuality. Although it never entirely died out in some Greek communities, it was not included in the new Olympics. More recently, however, renewed interest in Pankration resulted in the foundation of the World Pankration Federation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of the sport. The federation runs competitive events, including the World Pankration Championships, and has campaigned for Pankration to be returned to its Olympic status |
 | Human Weapon Pankration The Original Martial Art 4/5 The recent popularity of no-holds-barred combat like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has revived interest in Pankration, a mixed martial art of ancient Greece that was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 648 B.C., at the 33rd Olympiad. The name "Pankration" is a combination of two Greek words--pan (all) and kratos (strength)--and can be translated as "all encompassing" or "all powerful." A combination of Hellenic boxing and wrestling, Pankration became the most popular event of the Olympics, adding legends of its own larger-than-life heroes to Greece's rich history. Hercules himself was said to be a pankratist, while Alexander the Great reportedly recruited these skilled fighters for his army's invasion of India in 326 B.C. Pankration matches took place in a square arena, designed to keep the fighters in close proximity to each other. A referee officiated, using a rod or switch to enforce the rules, which were limited. There was no biting, eye gouging or scratching, but all other techniques were allowed. Kicking was an integral part of Pankration, particularly kicks from below to the opponent's stomach and groin, and leg sweeps aimed at knocking the opponent off his feet. Much of the fighting took place on or close to the ground, with the opponents grappling with each other and employing techniques such as hair pulling, punches, joint locks, choke holds and elbow and knee strikes. Pankration bouts normally ended only when one competitor was knocked unconscious or raised his hand in submission; some fights resulted in the death of one or even both of the competitors, most commonly from strangulation. The Roman Emperor Theodisius I abolished the Olympic Games in 393 A.D., and it was not until 1896 that the modern Olympics began in Athens, Greece's capital city. By that time, Pankration existed more in legend, and in historical and artistic representations of ancient Greek society, than in actuality. Although it never entirely died out in some Greek communities, it was not included in the new Olympics. More recently, however, renewed interest in Pankration resulted in the foundation of the World Pankration Federation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of the sport. The federation runs competitive events, including the World Pankration Championships, and has campaigned for Pankration to be returned to its Olympic status |
 | Disinformation "The Analysis of Beauty" teaser / trailer Disinformation "The Analysis of Beauty" demo sequence - installation conceived Dec 1999 and first exhibited at Kettle's Yard gallery, Cambridge, UK, Jan 2000 (alongside work by Art and Language, John Dee, Umberto Eco, DJ Spooky, Peter Weibel and Marc Quinn). The "Noise" exhibition at Kettle's Yard was curated by the artist Adam Lowe and Cambridge historian of science Prof Simon Schaffer. "The Analysis of Beauty" installation takes its name from the book of the same name written and published by the painter, engraver and satyrist William Hogarth in 1753. On account of the (subjective, but strong) similarity between the imagery of this installation and DNA, (recent controversies notwithstanding) this work was exhibited directly opposite one of Francis Crick and James Watson's original models of DNA. The sinusoidal patterns visible in this installation produce an optical illusion known as the Kinetic Depth Effect - whereby impressions of "sculptural" form emerge despite the absence of any of the (object) precedence, (geometric and aerial) perspective, stereopsis and (motion) parallax cues traditionally thought to determine visual perception of three-dimensional space. After a little while, the lines may appear to fuse into a rising column or rotating vortex (this impression and its changes in orientation are not generated on-screen, but inside the mind of the viewer). The jumpiness and rough quality of You Tube sequences can compromise the formation of this illusion (it works alot better in real life than it does on video), so it may be necessary to let the data for entire clip load completely into You Tube once, before watching the video for a 2nd time, to achieve a smoother image. You may find the image clearer if viewed at the smallest You Tube magnification (buttons to the bottom right of the You Tube screen). Some changes in rotational orientation take place spontaneously, others may be induced by tilting the head from side to side, by blinking, or simply by THINKING about this imagery in a different way. Although there are superficial visual similarities with the film "Equation X+X=0" (made by Robert Fairthorne and Brian Silk in 1936), "The Analysis of Beauty" is arguably one of the strangest Science Fiction films ever made. Although "The Analysis of Beauty" gallery exhibit also features small sculptures, images and text, the technical set-up that produces the central image (as pointed out in "The Rumble" catalogue) strongly resembles the idea of ultrasonic visual music, played with cathode ray tube and tone generators, described by Sci-Fi author J.G. Ballard in his classic short story "The Sound Sweep" (Nova 1962). "The Analysis of Beauty" featured in 8 Disinformation solo exhibitions, and has also been exhibited at (in "The Rumble" exhibition at) The Royal British Society of Sculptors (London), Sonar at CCCB (Barcelona), The Chamber of Pop Culture (London), Study Gallery of Modern Art (Poole), Orleans House Gallery (Twickenham), and gave its name to the Disinformation UK national touring exhibition, supported by The Arts Council England. A dedicated "The Analysis of Beauty" exhibition was also proposed to Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art curator Alistair Robinson in Jan 2003, 18 months before NGCA took the idea, to stage a show of the exact same name, described as "pretty ugly" by The Guardian, which even managed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Hogarth's "Analysis" in the wrong year (which is why the NGCA website is - at least until until Jan 07 - still pretending that Hogarth's "Analysis" was published in 1754). A new commentary about this installation is available at http://www.slashseconds.org/issues/002/003/articles/jbanks/index.php "The Analysis of Beauty" exhibition catalogue is available from http://www.strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/shop_disinformation.html "Noise" exhibition catalogues are available from http://www.amazon.co.uk/Noise-ART-CATALOGUE-Simon-Schaffer/dp/0907074782 The new 35mm cinema version of a Disinformation project called "Fire in the Eye" (commissioned by Threshold Studios for The Arts Council of England) premieres at The Edinburgh International Film Festival on Saturday 21 June (the first still-image version of "Fire in the Eye" was made in 2004 and first exhibited at Wrexham Arts Centre in 2006) http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/community/arts_centre/archive/disinformation.htm http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk |
 | Ghost In The Shell Solid State Society - Section 9 Raid Togusa leads a raid on General Karum's estate only to find he's yet another suicide. Ghost In The Shell Solid State Society A.D. 2034. It has been two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9. Togusa is now the new leader of the team that has considerably increased its appointed personnel. The expanded new Section 9 confronts a rash of complicated incidents, and investigations reveal that an ultra-wizard hacker nicknamed the Puppet Master" is behind the entire series of events. Manga Entertainment, a Starz® Company, is the premiere entertainment source for anime enthusiasts worldwide. We specialize in the production and distribution of state-of-the-art animation for theatrical, television, Internet, DVD and home video release. For video channels, contests, up-to-date release information, trailers, and breaking anime news, visit http://www.manga.com today. Anime,Manga,Japan,AMV,Ghost In The Shell,Solid State Society,Cyber,Mecha,Robot,Android,Section 9 |
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