Never before have there been so many private collectors making extensive acquisitions of contemporary art. Are they the real key figures of a global art business?...
more
Outlook India | Literaturen | Rue89 | Nepszabadsag | The Times Literary Supplement | L'Espresso | The Economist | Le Monde des livres | Die Weltwoche | The New York Times |
New York Review of Books
Outlook India 05.05.2008 (India)
Over and out: the West can wave farewell to economic cultural dominance. "The East is the new West" Arun Maira learns from reading "The New Asian Hemisphere - The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East" by political scientist Kishore Mahbubani. Mahbubani sees India as a bridge between East and West. And in his view, China is developing an effective counter-model to western values. Maira recapitulates: "China is greatly misunderstood by the West. But this does not mean that its views are wrong. In fact, as Mahbubani explains, the Chinese have a deep understanding of the meaning of human freedom and of basic human wants. What they are bringing about is a huge improvement in the condition of a mass of humanity in their own way, which may not appeal to Western liberals, but which, therefore, should not be judged to be wrong."
Literaturen 01.05.2008 (Germany)
The focus of the magazine is 1968. For the cover story Rene Aguigah trawled through the entire new output of '68 books, from Götz Aly to Rainer Langhans, from Wolfgang Kraushaar to Peter Schneider. Jens Balzer addresses the pop-culture aspect and Ronald Düker looks into body styling.
Jutta Person plumps for an issue which was omitted not only by the feuilletons in their debates on '68: "Indeed there is not a single book in the current literature frenzy that addresses 1968 as the nucleus of the most wide-reaching event which rocked a millennia-old legacy: the equal rights of men and women. We might be dealing with a project that is seeing a backlash right now, but the reality is that all the high falutin world-changing theories from Maoism to anti-Imperialism are cast into shadow by the real-life revolution in gender relations." All we get to see are "Uschi Obermaier's breasts. Kommune 1 in the nude. The harem of Rainer Langhans. The female political activists are absent from the repertoire, or were seen as mere bodies." Person recommends an out of print book: Ute Kätzel's "Die 68erinnen" (the (women activists of '68) which was published 5 years ago and contains 14 portraits.
Rue89 28.04.2008 (France)
Hubert Artus portrays the Italian writers' collective Wu Ming, which is dedicated to the abolition of intellectual copyright and campaigns for free access and free distribution of literature, or copyleft. In an accompanying interview they explain their concept. "We have proved that the things (sales and copyleft) are not incompatible and have in fact mutually upgraded each another. Every day people download books onto their computers for free. And then? Then they buy them in a form of activist subscription. This works from a strictly strategic angle." The group is not overly bothered by Berlusconi's election victory, after all no victory is final. "No country is immune to becoming a little Italian."
Nepszabadsag 26.04.2008 (Hungary)
Communications expert Andras Göllner recommends that anyone who is concerned about democracy in Hungary should look at the rest of the world. They will see that everywhere parliamentary democracy is surrendering to an "Eastern current" which carries a politico-economic virus from China and Russia known as "capitocracy". And the discrete charm of capitocracy is starting to numb Central Europe: "The only way to avoid the virus involves transnational cooperation, using clear words and deeds. We should not let ourselves be deceived by a false dream that democracy is unassailable, that the EU's acquis communautaire, the stated rights and duties of the EU members, can neutralise heretics. As if! Under the banner of the aquis communautaire in Hungary, it's quite possible to publicly and freely incite anti-Jewish and anti-Roma sentiment, hound down homosexuals, and run papers and TV channels which denounce freedom of speech. If this is possible, anything is possible. ... Parliamentary democracy can only be saved by people who have the courage for clear words and deeds. Their time is now."
The Times Literary Supplement 26.04.2008 (UK)
The collected works of Thomas Middleton have just been published, prompting Jonathan Bate to sing the praises of this widely unknown Jacobean playwright who "sexed the language and languaged the sex" more comprehensively than any other writer in English. "Middleton must be acknowledged as our great bard of incest, pimping, transvestism, stalking, sexual blackmail, castration, priestly sexual abuse, marital rape, impotence, masochism, necrophilia, paedophilia, fornication, masturbation and 'lesbianation'. "
L'Espresso 25.04.2008 (Italy)
There is hope yet for relations between Christians and Muslims, emphasises Sandro Magister, who reports that in Bangladesh, a dialogue between the two religious groups is already underway. At the University of Dhaka last week, Kazi Nurul Islam, head of the faculty for World Religions brought together 35 Muslims and 35 Christians to discuss the letter signed by 138 Muslim scholars. Magister cites Nurul Islam, who hopes that this will pave the way for a new union: "In Bangladesh we need a forum where Christians and Muslims can meet and eventually sign a joint agreement. I hope that this will be achieved before the year is out. This joint agreement will be the basis for a peaceful cohabitation of Christians and Muslims in Bangladesh and perhaps the whole world."
The Economist 25.04.2008 (UK)
The hard-won freedom of the press is being drastically restricted again in ex-communist countries. In Slovakia, for example, the newspapers are protesting against a new media law that will give anyone mentioned in an article sweeping rights to an equally prominent rebuttal. But this, as the Economist reports, is not an isolated case. "Slovakia's new law is the most conspicuous in the region. But arbitrary legal constraints on press freedom are worrisome elsewhere, too. In Bulgaria defamation of public figures ... is a crime that can be punished with a fine. ... In Romania the constitutional court last year restored a tough defamation law that criminalises 'insult', though the effect on press freedom pales beside the ownership of most of the mainstream media by three politically active tycoons, plus political interference in public broadcasting. ... And bad laws are only part of the picture. In the annual report of Freedom House, a New York-based lobby group, the ex-communist countries show the biggest relative decline in media freedom in the world, chiefly because of a perceived politicisation of public broadcasting."
Le Monde des livres 25.04.2008 (France)
A battle has broken out among French historians over the role of Islam in the Middle Ages. The bone of contention is the book "Aristote au Mont Saint-Michel - Les racines greques de L'Europe chretienne" (Seuil) by historian Sylvain Gouguenheim. His thesis: It is not, as previously believed, the Islamic Arabs whom the West has to thank for the discovery and circulation of Greek philosophy, but far more the Western Christians and their Latin translations. The book has provoked piqued reactions from his colleagues. Pierre Assouline summarises the book and the – in part factually based – criticism in his blog. In a brief interview from April 24, the author defends himself against the critical onslaught and accusations of right-wing bias, after excerpts of his book appeared on a right-wing extremist website. Gouguenheim: "In no way do I deny the existence of the Arab line of tradition, but I underline the existence of a direct line of translations from Greek into Latin by Jacques de Venise. I also do not dispute the adoption of countless elements of Greek culture by the Arabs."
Die Weltwoche 24.04.2008 (Switzerland)
Insurgent Tibetans are separatist troublemakers. Whoever supports them is an enemy of China and merits boycotting. This is not propaganda of the ruling party but the view of the new Chinese bourgeoisie, writes China correspondent Georg Blume. "They think that Beijing is doing its best to create more wealth for everyone. They hope that this wealth will one day lead to democracy. But they are not prepared to sacrifice what has already been achieved for democracy. Their homes and cars are more important to them than suffrage for 700 million farmers who still make up the majority of the population. They do not want this majority to steer policy in China. They are much more concerned that the government should secure their wealth, protect their new property. For them, democracy can wait. But this does not mean that they want to be treated as second-rate world citizens. Their opinions should count on the world's stage just as much as that of western citizens. This is another aspect of the conflict over Tibet and the Olympics."
The New York Times 28.04.2008 (USA)
In the Sunday magazine, Pankaj Mishra portrays Alaa Al Aswany, the Egyptian author of "The Yacoubian Building", a novel haunted by the figure of the Big Man, which takes on Murabak and corruption in Egypt. The novel was made into a film and Al Aswany, who is also a practising dentist, tells Mishra why he stayed away from the premiere in Cairo. "Remarkably, there is no Big Man in the movie version, which is otherwise faithful to the novel. When I saw Al Aswany in London last fall, he told me that he had not been invited to the movie's premiere in Cairo. Speaking freely one late night, he confirmed Cairo gossip that people involved in the production were close to Gamal Mubarak, who is being groomed to inherit power. He suspected that the authorities backed the film, which is the most expensive Egyptian production ever, because they saw its unflinching depiction of corruption as something that could prepare the public for the emergence of the next Big Man - who will sweep away everything, including the corrupt old guard."
Also in the Sunday magazine: Benoit Denizet-Lewis examines the significance of gay marriage among young homosexuals. And Roger Lowenstein explains how Moody's rating agency caused the current bank crisis with its over-optimistic evaluation of morgage securities.
New York Review of Books 15.05.2008 (USA)
Amy Knight assesses the situation in Russia at the close of Vladimir Putin's presidency which, according to the book by Boris Nemzov and Vladimir Milov, "Putin: The Results" is not looking good. (The publishers of the Novaya Gazeta have failed to find distributors for the book and it is only being sold on the paper's own kiosk on Pushkin Square.) "There has been some talk about Medvedev's relative liberalism, but it would be risky politically for him to attempt reforms such as weakening state controls on the press and on the economy or reining in the security police. Although such changes could hugely benefit Russia's future development, Medvedev would offend too many powerful people and interests. Nor is he likely to encourage a more flexible policy toward the West. As Milov told me: 'Medvedev is a representative of a new generation of Russian bureaucrats: they listen to Western rock music, speak foreign languages, wear Brioni suits. But deep inside they are strong Russian national conservatives... They buy the advantages of Western civilization but they do not buy its values.'"
RSS
The New York Times investigates the new hunger for reality. In Salon, Andrzej Stasiuk sees only individual realities. In the Gazeta Wyborcza, the ethnologist Tomasz Rakowski describes the reality of the Polish poor mines. Sometimes you can turn reality on its head, El Pais reads in the Financial Times. Le Monde diplomatique gives the low-down on the ACTA talks. And the New Yorker dreams of less polish and a bit more grit.
In Magyar Narancs Agnes Heller demands more civil courage of the Hungarians. Mohammed Ali Atassi explains in Qantara, why conservatives in Egypt see women as candy: either wrapped or covered in flies. Oliver Roy outlines in Resetdoc, why's there not so much as a hair's breadth between the Christian right and the secular left. In Magazin, the philosopher Ludwig Haslar tells the Swiss that if they want mediocrity today, they cannot expect the superman tomorrow. Jonathan Safran Foer tells Prospect why he neither wants a chicken in his bed nor on his plate. The NYT embarks on a human-flesh search and finds a kitten killer.
The New Yorker tells the story of how corrupt podiatrists almost brought down the US health system. In Polityka, the Kapuscinski biographer Artur Domoslawski explains how he thinks the legendary reporter should be read. In Tygodnik, Zygmunt Bauman calls for more understanding for Kapuscinski. Magyar Narancs celebrates the ban on Holocaust denial in Hungary. In Le Point, Jorge Semprun asks whether Claude Lanzmann is the only person who's allowed to talk about the Holocaust. Wired describes how Google learned how to tell the difference between a hot dog and a poached pooch.
In Eurozine, the Transylvanian-Hungarian-Armenian writer Kinga Kali tells the story of a "virgjinesha". Prospect celebrates the next art superstar, Argentinian painter Guillermo Kuitca. The Gazeta Wyborcza explains how young people use the web. The New Yorker sends out a message to the depressed: stay away from psychiatric literature. Outlook Indian learns to play Carnatic music online. The London Review swims with the salmon sages.
The Atlantic finds out why the Chinese are not enemy number one in cyberspace. Elet es Irodalom asks why no one in Hungary is interested in former informers. In New Statesman, Tariq Ramadan can't tell us what a moderate Muslim is. The Guardian hearkens to the ticking bomb in Emily Dickinson's bosom and links it to the shards of crockery on the floor. And if it can't smoke, El Pais Semanal wants everything painted black.
In Prospect, Tim Berners-Lee invites the world to play with the British government's data. England, not Nigeria belongs on the terrorist list, literary Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka informs The Daily Beast. In Rue 89, Beppe Grillo explains why Sarkozy is more dangerous than Berlusconi. In Tygodnik Powszechny, Stefan Chwin mourns for the Polish idealist. Polityka reveals where a Pole turns to when he's not allowed to marry. Olga Tokarczuk walks her Polish tangle around Amsterdam for Salon. And the Guardian thinks about Armenian women rubbing their soft breasts on a stone.
In Wired, Chris Anderson celebrates the next industrial revolution - taking place in garages near you. The Boston Globe serenades the camel - Nabati style. In El Pais Semenal, the sociologist Edgar Morin complains about European lethargy. Outlook India asks why the Australians hate the Indians. Odra and Tygodnik are still debating the impact of freedom on literature. In OpenDemocracy, Salome Zourabichvili mourns for the wilted petals of the rose revolution. In Prospect, Martin Amis divides the literary sheep from the goats, according to the pleasure principle. The NYT profiles a dyed-in-the-wool jihadist from Alabama.
Das Magazin reports on the dramatic increase in the number of pupils who have threatened to gun down their classmates. The Spectator warns City bankers about gun-wielding dominatrices in Switzerland. In Sinn und Form, Marc Fumaroli remembers the man whose name shall not be mentioned: Mario Praz. In the New Humanist, Laurie Taylor remembers the holy men who sexually abused him as a child. The Guardian asks why Theo von Doesburg slipped into avant garde oblivion. And in the NYRB, Garry Kasparov asks why computer chess programmers are so uninspired?
OpenDemocracy explains why a novel called "Paranoia" suddenly disappeared from Belarussian bookshops. Prospect fears that a ban on Islam4UK could undermine British democracy. The Gazeta Wyborcza explores Polish-Jewish relations. Le Monde diplomatique watches the carving up of Africa. In El Pais Semanal, maths whizz Marcus du Sautoy explains the sex appeal of suduko. And Gerhard Richter manages to surprise the Nation.
The New Yorker buries itself in the Arab novel. In Le Monde, Bernard-Henri Levy heaps scorn on the state-run caricature of a debate. Qantara points to the person responsible for all the misery in the Arab world: Daddy. In L'Espresso, Umberto Eco takes a pin to the overblown daily paper. The Nation has earmarked 30 billion dollars to save journalism. In Tygodnik Powszechny, the writer Wojciech Albinski explains what makes Poland exotic. And the Spectator waves a tear-stained old hanky as shabby chic fades into the past.
In Merkur, art historian Wolfgang Ullrich defines a new type of artist: the contractor. In Nepszabadsag, writer Peter Nadas considers the crisis in Hungary and how it might end. In NouvelObs, Francis Ford Coppola explains why DVDs should be free. Eurozine introduces Lithuanian literature. In the New York Review of Books, Wyatt Manson asks why Pleiade is omitting Celine's anti-Semitic trilogy from the collected works. In Express, Philippe Gavi reminds us that Mohammed was not a crazed killer. A Californian marvels in NZZ Folio, at the reincarnation of an Indian factory worker. And confronted with the recent proliferation of literary cuddling, the New York Times yearns for a bit of Philip Roth.
Wired tracks James Cameron's 32-year quest to out-Lucas Lucas. In Nouvel Obs, Alain Finkielkraut and Alain Badiou tear each other apart over immigration and national identity. Tygodnik Powszechny introduces the pioneering artist Miroslaw Balka. Andras Bozoki asks why Hungarians are undermining democracy. In The New Statesman, Leo McKinstry explains why the bombing of Coventry was an inspiration to the British Air Staff.
Vanity Fair goes in search of a superpartner. Elet es Irodalom reads a new collection of essays by Imre Keresz. Outlook India complains about journalistic corruption. The New Yorker reads a new Koestler biography. Nepszabadsag foresees the next French revolution. Rue89 wonders about the provenance of prawns. And in the New Republic, Moshe Halberthal celebrates the sublime humility of Amartya Sen.
In Wilson Quarterly, the economist Tyler Cowen sings an ode to multitasking. Prospect has seen the monsters of the left. The Boston Globe follows James C. Scott to the new Shangri-La in the mountains of Tibet. Weltwoche is up in arms about the criticism of Switzerland's anti-minaret vote. In the Novel Obs, Pierre Nora applies his mind to the bestseller. New Criterion knows why the Pop art bubble won't pop. NZZ Folio examines the chicken nugget. Al Ahram asks what political Islam wants. The Walrus mourns for the first victim of the C-58. In Resetdoc, Joseph Massad explains why Arab homosexuals are an invention of the West.
Slovenian poet Ales Debeljak argues for a fusion of cultures in Eurozine. Umberto Eco agrees in Le Monde. The Nation portrays the Salvadorian author Horacio Castellanos Moya, who himself explains in Babelia why 200 years after independence there's nothing to celebrate in a number of Latin American countries. Polityka lies Poland down on the couch. La vie des idees reads a book on Jews and the resistance in France. Americans read more than Europeans, writes historian Peter Baldwin in Merkur. And in The New York Review of Books Robert Darnton makes two bold proposals for a new Book Settlement.