Japanese calligraphy enthusiasts write new script to popularise art form
Shodo, or calligraphy, was designated as an Intangible Cultural Property by the government in December.
Arts
Ancient art of indigo dye
To create the indigo dye, the leafy plants are submerged in water to extract the blue pigments. The process uses fermentation with specific nutrients to produce dye.
‘Frieze storm’ shakes up Korean art market
The inaugural event brought a new culture to the city, creating a platform for talking about art.
Ninth-century wooden Buddhas
Two of the oldest wooden Buddha statues in the country, which date back to the late-ninth century are to be designated as national treasures.
Young woman inherits traditional Chinese batik techniques
Zhang Juanjuan, a member of the post-1995 generation, hopes to help more young people learn about batik techniques of the Miao people and inherit the craftsmanship.
Enter stage right: Musical theatre holds opportunities for K-pop idols
Defying any doubts about her pop music background, Mamamoo‘s lead vocalist Solar proved herself in the titular role of “Mata Hari”, a highly-acclaimed musical.
Bangladeshi-born Fahmida in Pulitzer prize winning team
The team were awarded the prize for "using graphic reportage and the comics medium to tell a powerful yet intimate story of the Chinese oppression of the Uyghurs”.
Whistling a leaflute tune and keeping the art alive
Tthe leaflute is a traditional instrument played by people in rural areas as a form of entertainment, as well as mahouts or hikers who use it to attract animals such as roe deer…
How Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’ changed my life
The understanding that the politics of division goes way beyond an individual's life, but affects it nonetheless.
Ceramic WWII grenades show sorrowful mixing of art and war
Late in the war, the Japanese military ordered pottery makers throughout Japan to produce hand grenades as a substitute for iron.