ART & CULTURE

Stardom vs. Academia When someone advises you to focus on your studies rather than chasing stardom, they might be onto something. Reality shows that becoming a star is significantly more challenging than getting into a prestigious university. Take, for instance, the University of Tokyo, Japan's top institution, with an acceptance rate of 22%. In contrast, the acceptance rate for the renowned Takarazuka Revue, a theater troupe blending song, dance, and drama, is a mere 3.7%. There's a catch, though: you must be female. Founded over a century ago, the Takarazuka Revue is an iconic all-female musical theater troupe. Each year, thousands of girls from across Japan vie for a spot at the Takarazuka Music School, with only about 40 to 50 making the cut. Once admitted, they undergo ...

We frequently discuss the revolutionary impact of artificial intelligence (AI) as numerous entities, ranging from governments to corporations, rush to harness AI in various sectors like recruitment, policing, criminal justice, healthcare, product development, and marketing. Generative tools such as Chat GPT have also become a staple in our daily digital interactions. However, Ruhi Khan, a researcher at the London School of Economics (LSE) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), casts a spotlight on a critical issue: despite the strides in AI, its embedded gender and racial biases significantly endanger women. Khan is championing a worldwide feminist movement to confront these challenges by promoting awareness, inclusivity, and regulatory measures. But does AI genuinely harbor ...

From the dawn of time, the natural world has been esteemed as the “Mother of Nature”, a moniker that transcends simple designation to deeply affirm the intrinsic bond between women and the wild. This unique kinship, spanning the annals of time from archaic matriarchal societies to our contemporary era, is a recurring motif across diverse cultures and legends. In the rich tapestry of myths both in the East and the West, women have consistently been portrayed as custodians, healers, and creators of the natural realm. Take, for instance, Demeter in Greek mythology, consort to Zeus and the goddess of harvest and fecundity, who infused the earth with vitality and bestowed upon mankind the wisdom of agriculture. In Hindu lore, Parvati, the mountain goddess and sister to the Ganges deity, emb...

As the dawn of 2024 breaks, it brings to a close Marina Abramović's retrospective at The Royal Academy of Arts in London, a half-century culmination that epitomises a transformative era in Western performance art. Announced back in 2020, this collaboration heralded Abramović as the first female solo exhibitionist in the venerable 255-year history of the Academy. Originally envisaged as a retrospective, the exhibition, beleaguered by pandemic-induced postponements, evolved under Abramović's visionary guidance into a dialogue between her artistic epochs, challenging the very notion of retrospection. In the intervening years, a maelstrom of creativity and introspection swirled around Abramović. Boris Miljković’s 2020 film “Homecoming - Marina Abramovic and Her Children” offered a cine...

Watch on YouTube：https://youtu.be/_ki23G4rPos 人們說你要離開這陣營，我們無不覺得吃驚因為這不是你的個性，你生來是露體狂小丁 《露體狂小丁》— Forever Tarkovsky Club The Bare Utopia “I am not inherently drawn to nudity,” Siu Ding admits with a hint of shyness. “To wear or not to wear, I see it as a choice of freedom and a state of being.” The duo Ho Shan and Ah P form the band “Forever Tarkovsky Club” (永遠懷念塔可夫斯基) notable for their song 《露體狂小丁》. In reality, Ding is a seasoned life model., reflects on the humour and positivity she has brought to the term “exhibitionist” (露體狂), once used in jest by friends. “It's about redefining a concept from a negative connotation to a positive light,” she shares. Would a world without the need for clothes be ideal? “The perfect state,” Siu Ding says, “would be where people on the street...

You will become a part of the happenings;you will simultaneously experience them Allan Kaprow The Genesis of Performance Art In 1959, American artist Allan Kaprow sent out invitations for his debut show at Reuben Gallery with a captivating proposition: “You will become a part of the happenings; you will simultaneously experience them.” He described the show as “something spontaneous, something that just happens to happen”. The audience, unaware of what awaited them, arrived at the venue with only one instruction: no smoking or leaving during the event. Upon reaching the second floor of the gallery, they were given detailed directives, orchestrating their seating and movements across three segmented spaces of the gallery. This format allowed viewers to adopt various perspectives...

https://youtube.com/shorts/vrwiBZiuc4I?si=61gYvRr3FDq3yiVX On the evening of the 17th, The Fringe Club’s After Sunset Festival featured “Night of Obsession”, an exhibition that explored the intricate blend of pleasure and pain. This concept, central to artistic creation, requires a certain fascination with pain to express one’s aesthetic. Our attendance was prompted by an invitation from Siu Ding, the event’s photographer, to witness her project titled “Ritsu Aomame”, centering on the art of shibari, or rope bondage. Shibari, rooted in erotic culture, is an art that probes the interplay of body, emotion, desire, and connection, encompassing aesthetics, skill, and sensuality. Shi Shi, a master of traditional Japanese rope bondage, describes pain as a profound and authentic sen...

Do We Need a Museum Dedicated to Female Artists? Let's consider this question in context. In 1971, American historian Linda Nochlin posed a provocative question in her publication, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” This query, which might initially sound dismissive of women's achievements, actually challenges the underlying societal and institutional biases leading to gender inequality in art. The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), the first global museum founded to support women artists, has recently reopened after a two-year renovation. Winton S. Holladay, the museum’s board chair, emphasises the ongoing relevance of their mission amid persistent gender inequality in the art world. The museum’s future programs and exhibitions will increasingly focus on di...