Mithila paintings

Traditional paintings on paper from Madhubani, Mithila in India. Originally they were painted on the ground and mud walls of the houses as an invocation to the gods who inhabited the images if they were well painted. The three chief gods of Hinduism, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are frequently depicted as well as Krishna and the female deities Parvati, Kali and Lakshmi.

Padmini

In this painting according to Keshav Das women are classified into four types: the Lotus (Padmini),the Variegate, the Conch-like and Elephant-like Padmini is a beautiful Nayika, emitting the fragrance of the lotus from her body, modest affectionate and generous, slim, free from anger, and with no great fondness for love-sports. Bashful, intelligent, cheerful, clean and soft-skinned, she loves clean and beautiful clothes. She has a golden complexion.

“Shedding flowers from her smile, she is sensitive to tender emotions and knows well the art of love. She is to be preferred to all pannagis, Nagis, Asuris and Suris. All the affection which the people of Vraja bestow on her is in fact too meager. Thousands of fond desires hover round her like bees. Such indeed is Radha, that unique divine champaks bud fashioned by the Creator.”

Lee Gil Woo

Lee Gil-Woo was born in Korea in 1967. Lee Gil-Woo specializes in delicate arrangement of picture so as to create eye-catching effect. By using traditional printing skill, the artist spots out layers of human figures; in addition, the natural texture of silk and layers of Korean paper become a notable feature of Lee Gil-Woo’s creation. As a result, Lee develops a new visual performance of spotted and strong-colored portrait painting. Lee ’s paintings utilise iconic images from Western Pop culture and Eastern classical art, overlaying them and adding a physical layer of intricate incense burn marks. Thus, depending on the way the viewer connects with the work either a Western icon or Eastern art or intricate burn marks are seen.

Yohangza theatre

Members of the Yohangza theatre company from South Korea pose for the paparazzi during a presentation of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in Parramatta, Sydney. (Reuters Photo)
“Wonderfully wicked, clever and magical. Yang’s directing is inspired, exquisite.” (The Scotsman)

“Enchanting for everyone to whom the words “physical theatre” are an immediate turn off. Yohangza’s dynamic dance and graceful poise is an eye-opener, revealing unimagined pleasures in the genre.” (The Big Issue)

“Yohangza make physical theatre an extreme sport in their spectacular retelling of Shakespeare’s comedy.” (Fest)

Bringing together oriental tradition and Western modernity, the work of the Yohangza Theatre Company is colourful, inventive, and deeply moving. A humorous Korean version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The colour of spring

31 Jan - it's a date of the popular Hindu festival - Vasant Panchami dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the arts. Basant or Vasant means spring and Panchami is the fifth day after Amavasi in Magh month when it is celebrated Saraswathi Pooja is performed in North and Eastern parts of India on the day. The colourful celebrations include religious services, music, singing and dancing.


The event also marks the start of spring and yellow is a dominant colour worn by many of the participants, as it symbolises both spirituality and the colour of the ripening crops. Great prominence is given to yellow color on Basant Panchami as it signifies the ripening of fruits and crops. The mustard fields in North India blooms during this season giving a yellow coat to nature.

To welcome the pristine nature after a harsh winter, deities in temples and houses are decorated with yellow colored clothes. Similarly, yellow colored food, sweets and fruits are distributed to friends, neighbors and relatives. Yellow sweet rice is cooked and distributed on the day.


On this day, prayers are offered to Goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of Knowledge), Lord Surya (Sun God), Mother Ganga (Ganges) and Bhu Devi (Mother Earth). The worship of elements in nature is acknowledging the various forms of nature, which sustains human beings, plants and animals.

Slumdog Millionaire rock!

AR Rahman did India proud once again as he bagged a triple nomination at the 81 st Oscar Academy Awards for Slumdog Millionaire, the rags to riches saga of an Indian boy from a Mumbai slum. Rahman was nominated in the Best Original Score category and twice in the Best Original Song section.
Slumdog Millionaire bagged 10 Oscar nominations at the 81st annual Academy Awards, getting nods for Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay (Simon Beaufoy), Best Director (Danny Boyle), Best Original Score (AR Rahman), Best Song (Jai Ho and O Saya), Best Sound Editing (Tom Sayers), Best Sound Mixing (Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty), Best Cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle) and Best Film Editing (Chris Dickens). YESSSS!!!

"O saya..." Rocking Song by A R Rahman:

Dancing goddess

Dancing Devata, stone, early 12th century, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Indian art as a monument of a philosophical system in the history of mankind and doubted whether any other people on earth have treated symbolism in art as thoroughly as Indians. (J.G. Von Herder)

An Apsara or heavenly dancer, from Sittanavasal,7th century.


Vrikshaka, a Tree Goddess from a Hindu temple - 8th century.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan.
Celebrations were expected to carry on into the early hours of Monday,26 january, officially the first day of the Lunar New Year. Firecrackers are believed to scare off evil spirits and entice the god of wealth to people's doorsteps once New Year's Day arrives, which falls on Monday this year under the Chinese lunar calendar.

Joe Hisaishi

Mamoru Fujisawa (藤澤 守 Fujisawa Mamoru), known professionally as Joe Hisaishi (久石 譲 Hisaishi Jō, born December 6, 1950), is a composer and director known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981.
Complex and simple.. creative and mysterious... A music genious of modern times.