Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is one of my favourite living Japanese artists, I am really rather excited to see her new retrospective at Tate Modern soon!

Here are two reviews by Guardian art critics:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/feb/12/yayoi-kusama-tate-modern-review
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/feb/07/yayoi-kusuma-tate-modern-review

And some photos too:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/feb/07/yayoi-kusama-tate-modern-in-pictures

My own thoughts to follow soon.

The Culture Show: Cash in China's attic.

Anyone with but a passing interest in Chinese art or the antiques trade could not have noticed the astronomical prices being fetched in the last few years. Here is an insightful documentary from the BBC reporting on how Chinese wealthy new citizens are busy buying:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01bbvvs/The_Culture_Show_Cash_in_Chinas_Attic_A_Culture_Show_Special/

Charlie Brooker on Japan

I love Brooker. All that cynicism and abject resignation that life is truly terrible. He's written a charming article for The Guardian on how baffling he is finding Japan. Although I do wonder as to the level of real insight he has gained so far into Japanese culture, as his time in the country appears to have been spent contemplating toilets and cable television (actually quite typical of Brooker in general, the two areas often converge). Humorous nonetheless:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/22/charlie-brooker-japan-another-planet  

The Politics of Pandas

Here is another enlightening radio show from the BBC investigating the more nuanced aspects of international relations that Edinburgh's recently acquired pandas signify:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019h2b8/The_Politics_of_Pandas/

Ken Hom

Who doesn't love Ken Hom? He's one of the first chefs to popularise authentic Chinese food in Britain, in honour of Chinese New Year The Guardian has published firstly a live chat with the chef and a few of his recipes including ones for chilli pork spare ribs and fish in hot sauce. Haochi!

Witness: The death of Emperor Hirohito

An insightful radio documentary by the BBC on the passing of such an enigmatic player in twentieth century Japanese history and how the Japanese people responded to it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00mqsm2/Witness_The_death_of_Emperor_Hirohito/

Man Asian Literary Prize

I'm going to challenge myself to read all seven of the shortlisted books over the year. The world is far too small to not know more about other cultures.

• Amitav Ghosh- River of Smoke
• Banana Yoshimoto- The Lake
• Jahnavi Barua- Rebirth
• Jamil Ahmed- The Wandering Falcon
• Yan Lianke- Dream of Ding Village
• Rahul Bhattacharya- The Sly Company of People Who Care
• Kyung-Sook Shin- Please Look After Mom

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2012/jan/12/man-asian-literary-prize-2011-in-pictures  

Unfinished

On such a cold January evening as tonight, what greater pleasure is there than a decent book or a television drama? But how awful that it's unfinished! I cannot be the only one watching The Mystery of Edwin Drood on the BBC.

Unfinished is a wonderful documentary exploring our fascination with English Literature's incomplete masterpieces from Dickens, to Austen and Coleridge.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019gcdf/Unfinished/

A new Guggenheim Museum for Helsinki?

The Guggenheim maybe expanding in Helsinki. How exciting! I've had the pleasure of going to the New York Guggenheim but never to either the Bilbao- what an invigorating building- or Venice site.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/9004578/Guggenheim-museum-planned-for-Helsinki.html

In The Balance:Chinese Property

An intriguing programme, again from the BBC World Service, about the state of the Chinese property market:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00mn5kw/In_The_Balance_Chinese_property/