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Exhibition: Dreams of Nature in Amsterdam from Van Gogh to Kandinsky
The exhibition “Dreams of nature. Symbolism from Van Gogh to Kandinsky” is under way since February 24 and you can enjoy it up to the 17 of June 2012. Visit this fascinating exhibition and get carried away by dreams and visions of the artists of the time. The exhibition includes a large number of artists, from precursors of symbolism, such as Whistler and Böcklin, Mondrian and Kandinsky, who provided the impetus for major twentieth century movements like surrealism and abstraction. The works of painters such as Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Munch, along with lesser known but equally great Eastern European and Nordic countries artists will be presented. Symbolist artists are meant to evoke visions and dreams, rather than reflect reality as it presented before your eyes. This was a reaction to the increasing industrialization and materialism of Europe. Symbolist works reflect the feelings of pessimism and fear and a desire to mythology and spirituality. The works in the collection include major symbolists such as Paul Gauguin and Odilon Redon. Moreover, Van Gogh himself is often seen as one of the first symbolists. The rhythms and energy of nature, and the bonds of the people with the land, are typical symbolist themes, which also concerned Van Gogh. The exhibition of paintings by Van Gogh, “The Sower” and “Wheatfield With A Reaper” play an important role. More than 70 poetic and evocative paintings of nature from the period that range from 1880 to 1910 will offer a new perspective of this fascinating movement. The landscape is the medium used by artists to represent their dreams, death, society, science, modern age, the...
Rihanna Making Headlines in New York
Living in the storm of pop is sacrificing your soul to the media, television, internet, your personal life becomes public domain. Stardom has a high price to pay when you want to be on the cover of all fashion magazines, television interviews and presentations, to be in everyone´s mouth and sell music and image. Being a pop star today can be highly risky for new artists, full of youth who risk being caught in the media storm center and in some cases, end up losing. Many have failed to take advantage of these conditions, and to manage their careers in a professional and strict control of what happens both inside and outside of the camera flashes and the tumult of the written media. Madonna, the ineffable pop queen, has been one of the brightest stars in the past thirty years that has consolidated her career maneuvering it herself. From her personal image, sound recordings, videos and choreography, Madonna has kept full control of production, of course earning among many a bad reputation for a “control freak” . Not unusual for she belongs to the zodiac sign Leo. Perhaps Madonna was able to take advantage of everything that came to her and on the other hand, faced the media and communication being still more irreverent, resulting from the intense sexual content of many of moves, songs and lyrics. She wisely addressed the issue of media noise, not the opposite. Married twice and with lots of polyphonic sex involved, several children and films, there is no scandal that could topple the mother of contemporary divas. Rihanna´s story is somewhat different. The...
The Dandy Warhols in Amsterdam
On April 25 at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, The Dandy Warhols, the psychedelic pop rock band begin their long tour promoting their new album This Machine, which will be released on April 24 through The End Records. The Dandy Warhols came to light in Portland, Oregon in 1994 and consists of vocalist and guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor, keyboardist Zia McCabe and bass, drummer Brent DeBoer and Peter Holmström on guitar. The band name comes with a mix of words that reminds the New York artist who revolutionized art in the 60´s and is father of Pop Art, Andy Warhol, because his figure and view of the world was a concept that reflectes the style of the band, their music and their way of seeing the world. Because this, both their aesthetics and music will be strongly influenced by the vanguard of the 60, famous bands of those years as Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Beach Boys, The Shadows, The Rolling Stone , The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Velvet Underground and some other bands that they have mentioned. The first album was released in 1995 and was entitled Dandy´s Rule, OK?. However, if we speak of success it was the single Bohemian Like You which obtained the best reviews from critics and the public, it was used for a commercial for a mobile phone which contributed to its popularity because it was installed in the collective unconscious and enlarged the band´s fame. Another great achievement of popularity was the inclusion of We Used To Be Friends on the soundtrack of the American television series Veronica Mars. But not only their music...
Spring in Amsterdam
The south of Europe and the Mediterranean countries in general are already enjoying the first spring days, even when spring isn´t here yet officially. The good weather might bring some cloudy days with it but short sleeves are already here during the day, and in the shop windows we can already see the new spring-summer collections. However, at the time of travelling, we still have to take into account the climate of the place we´re going to because spring doesn´t always arrive this early everywhere else. We´ll give you some good tips so that you go well prepared in case you´re thinking of going to Amsterdam. The Dutch capital is a magical place. Its canals, bridges and its typical architecture from the 16th and 17th centuries presents itself concentrated in the central part of the city. Walking around Amsterdam is a gift to the senses, so we need to know which clothes we need to take. The city climate is a moderate Atlantic-continental. Winters are pretty cold but without reaching the extreme, although it´s true that during some weeks we can see the thermometers go below 0. It usually snows twice or three days a year. Summers are hot with temperatures around 25ºC, but not extreme, except if there´s a heat wave. What happens is that it´s an extremely humid climate so 25ºC can become very overwhelming. There are many days where it rains moderately, but throughout the year it doesn´t rain too much. The bad and attractive thing about Amsterdam is that it has quite a crazy and unstable climate. In one single day, all weather possibilities can...
Anonymous en New York
Anonymous has been reconfiguring the political activism scene in the last few years. From their activities to make the Sony and US Government webpages collapse during the arrests of the directors of Megaupload, up to the more recent delivery of emails of the Stratfor agency through Wikileaks, in which they showed the true hate that exists towards Julian Assange, Anonymous carry on surprising us with their ´hacktivism´ and the impact that it´s causing both in politics and contemporary culture. In fact, these are times of economic, political and moral crisis. On the other hand, the social networks have shown to be a fundamental tool of new political activism, gathering people for demonstrations and protests to denounce the authoritarian abuse and to begin a search for equality and democracy, as well as economic stability for everyone. Perhaps it´s a bit strange for us to consider that a ´click´ or a ´like´ or a ´re-tweet´ can have a real impact in the real world, where things aren´t as immediate and simple. However, the power of the information transmission is essential today, even more important than the content of the transmission itself; the power of the political subjects is within reach of the social networks, because it can reach a larger number of users and also start the events and consequences that this information transmission generates. With this panorama, Anonymous just intervenes in webpages and makes them collapse, in an action that many users participate and that has little to do with breaking a law or altering the content of the website they´re occupying. The website collapse that Anonymous carry out is more of...
TriBeCa Film Festival in New York
From the 18th to the 29 of April in New York the TriBeCa Film Festival XI, will take place. During those days, movie theaters, outdoor venues and other venues will be open to present cinema in all its versions and formats, along with the initial idea of giving life and movement to Manhattan through the creation of cinema. The TriBeCa Film Festival was born in 2002 as a cultural response to the attacks on the Twin Towers. Its creators, Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, had the idea to make this festival an invigorating mechanism against depression and the fear that affected the community of lower Manhattan and New York, specifically the TriBeCa neighborhood. The aim of the Festival is to allow New Yorkers and national and international film communities to enjoy and understand during several days the importance of film in society. This year nearly 70 films, of a selection from over two thousand andeight entries, will compete for prizes at the festival for a value of over $ 180 000. Twelve productions for the “World Narrative Competition” were selected, six are American and six are international productions. The festival director Sharon Badal told reporters that this year there will be dramas and comedies that deal with problems in various parts of the world, so it will be a great festival with lots of emergent film representation. Among the films competing in the World Narrative Competition Argentina´s comedy “The fate in your hands”, directed by Daniel Burman, who made the film “Lost Embrace” will be presented. This film will be released in the international section of the Festival....
5 inexpensive restaurants in Paris
Paris is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but as everywhere else, if you know where to search, you can find where to eat well without going to fast food restaurants. Therefore, we offer a selection of Parisian restaurants, very interesting due to their prices and quality of food. The Lozère is a small restaurant of traditional food from French namesake department. Some of its best dishes are the pasta caussenard with juniper, the steak, the rack of lamb and the caramelized apple with crisp chestnut honey. On Thursday night, you will be able to enjoy the L´aligot menu, which is a regional specialty. For meals, they offer a menu with starter, main course, dessert and drink for 17.80 Euros. For dinner, they have an a la carte menu with starter, main course and dessert for 22.70 Euros. It is advisable to book a table because it is usually full. Address: 4 rue Hautefeuille, 75006 (Metro Saint-Michel) is open from 12 to 14 and from 19:30 to 22. The Family Restaurant de Bourgogne (Chez Maurice) has been open for 40 years and offers generous portions of traditional French dishes. Simple home-style meals served in a retro and barrio atmosphere. Try the beef bourguignon. The lunch menu costs between 9.50-10.50 Euros, the dinner from 13.50-17 Euros no drinks included, and a pint jar of an acceptable house wine costs 4 Euros. Address: 26 rue Vinaigriers 75010 (Metro Jacques Bonsergent). Open from 12 to 14:30 and from 19 to 23:30, closed on Sundays. La Creperie des Canettes is a charming crepes restaurant decorated in marine style, where...
Lana del Rey: Career Beginnings in New York
Lana del Rey is the latest pop phenomenon. A stunning beauty with a a contralto register voice full of sensuality, along with great lip surgery and the retro style of a movie actress of the 50´s, Lana del Rey comes straight out of an erotic fantasy of detectives and criminals in New York . This young singer was born on June 21 in NYC 26 years ago, and lived her early years in Lake Placid. After she returned to the Big Apple to study at Fordham University, Lana started to sing in clubs and bars in New York, particularly in the “hipster” neighborhood of Williamsburg inBrooklyn. Her voice certainly captivated many and led her to gain popularity and even sign with an independent label of which she was the only artist. Unfortunately, the label disappeared before editing her songs. Before being Lana del Rey, and the controversial lip operation, Lana used the name Lizzy Grant, and released an EP called “Kill, Kill” in 2008. Since then she outlined her particular style, as well as her videos, a mix of kitsch romantic and unconnected images with her singing in the background and appearing indiscreetly and sensually to the rhythm of the music. It would take four years for Lizzy to become Lana , and captivate the attention of a transnational label, Interscope, which released her first LP, “Born to Die”, on 31 January this year. “Born to Die” is an album that captivates and entertains but leaves us with some doubts, especially at production level, which at times feels reminiscent of the best “femme pop” , but at others lowers...
Latin Culture in Barcelona
To be Latino, Latin American, South American, whatever you prefer to call them, in Europe. Spain held colonies in America for hundreds of years, influencing, with the Bible in front, their culture, traditions and the Castilian language, which was spread across America and is now spoken by millions. However, in Latin America the Castilian is called Spanish. And Spanish in Latin America, has so many contrasts, accents, expressions, slangs, which have made the language a sea of sounds, identities and indescribable beauty. Thus, a language that was imposed as a synonymous of control, nowadays is assimilated and returned with a new face, new meanings, expressions, meanings, poetry and music. Now analyzing such an impact in Latin America, from the most logical point of view, it would have to be pretty stupid not to consider a relevant immigration to Spain from these countries, and therefore cultural presence and exchange. Unfortunately, light or not as light fascism that is sometimes spread among Spanish people, seems not to allow us to see that the cultural exchange with America and other cultures, has been having a major importance in Spain for centuries and will not be erased. Recall also the ancestral Arab presence in Spain. It has been demonized both the Latin Kings, the disaster of their “bad influence” on the culture and the Spanish youth that borders on the ridiculous. It is true that there have been acts of violence, but those are definitely less than the ones caused by the Spanish regionalism and racism that are still present among us, or violence and separation generated by the big business of football....
