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Express Tribune
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Savouring history: a reflection on food, art and culture
Listen to article Dear Lahore foodies, Calling Gadrung an eatery would be like referring to Monalisa merely as a painting and the Sistine Chapel ceiling as a fresco to decorate the building. In the first instance, Da Vinci's portrait is not just a representation of a woman but an example of the humanistic ideals of the European Renaissance. It has captivated its audience over the centuries with enduring mystique, technical brilliance and cultural impact. The second artwork, I shall say, illustrates much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Several 15th-century artists had already contributed to rationalising this vision in the Vatican City. Yet, the Chapel's ceiling, painted by Michelangelo based on stories from The Book of Genesis, with 'The Creation of Adam' at its centre, proved to be a thing of beauty and passion. When the chapel opened to the public, people from everywhere rushed to see it and the sight alone was sufficient to leave them amazed and speechless. The scene can be considered the closest visual representation of 'Kun Fayakoon', only if the viewer understands the concept of art as a cultural expression that does not and should not always cater to or challenge religious beliefs. Visiting Gadrung yesterday was nostalgic. Reconnecting with an old associate from NCA, Shireen Bano, the mastermind behind the project, was refreshing. An academic and a miniature painter by training Shireen celebrates her family's Deccani roots through this cozy, homely dining place where everything is prepared with affection and attention. She cherishes growing up in a Hindustani household, one that is usually celebrated in novels by Qurat-ul Ain Haider or Razia Butt. If you're unfamiliar with these references, a refresher course in Urdu literature might be in order. Given the time and patience required for a 1000-page novel, I would suggest exploring the 80's PTV spectacle with several dramas set in the typical 20th century Indian, Muslim household. If Urdu is an issue, go for Salt and Saffron by Kamila Shamsie. The novel explores feminist identity in diverse contexts, drawing heavily on the region's cultural history to crystallise a postmodern, postcolonial perspective on the subject. What is more interesting is that Shamsie refers to food as a common interest that can bring people closer. The sumptuous Hyderabadi cuisine, the ambiance and the chit-chat with Shireen also rekindled an old passion for doing a contemporary cookbook (this one for my darling Mehroze) to match the spirit of Naimatnama-i Nasirudin Shahi — a 15th-century Persian manuscript. The English translation, The Book of Delights, is fondly reviewed as a recipe book that somewhat diminishes the authenticity and robust approach of its patron, the Sultan of Malwa. While a recipe book provides instructions on how to prepare a certain dish, a cookbook is much more than that. A cookbook, at its best, is also a chronicle and treasury of the fine art of cooking, an art whose masterpieces — created only to be consumed — would otherwise be lost. Naimatnama is known for its detailed recipes, illustrations and insights into the culinary practices and courtly life of the period. If interested, one may learn about socio-political situations, systems of knowledge production and transmission and transculturation to the extent of tracing trade routes. The recipes are detailed and illustrated with notes on the sides. The illustrations are Persian in appeal with a strong indication of an emerging 'Indo-Persian' style of painting that would fully develop in the later century under the Mughal patronage. The Naimatnama's significance also lies in its role as a precursor to later Mughal culinary texts, including Ain-i-Akbari, Alwan-e-Naimat and Nuskha-i-Shahjahani. However, the earliest surviving specimen I know of is a 2nd-century treatise written by a Greek gourmet in the form of a dialogue between two banqueters who talk for days and relate recipes for dishes such as stuffed vine leaves and a variety of cheesecake. The said book also mentions at least 20 texts that preceded it, Pleasant Living from 350 BC being one. Long live the Lahori passion of khabas. Bano June, 2025
Morocco World
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Fez World Sacred Music Festival Welcomes the World
Fez – Under the roof of Zalagh Parc Palace in Fez, voices from across continents filled the air with warmth, reverence, and anticipation. The festival's artists, organizers, and others gathered to speak about everything from their art to cultural connections. Abderrafie Zouiten, President of the Fez Esprit Foundation, took to the podium and greeted the room with a smile. 'Welcome to all, and thank you for being here. A special thanks to the journalists and the artists who have traveled from afar to be part of this journey.' Zouitene then spoke with conviction about this year's chosen theme: Renaissances. 'We often hear that word and think of Italy,' he said, pausing briefly. 'But Morocco, too, is undergoing its own kind of renaissance. A renewal. Culture now claims a larger space in our society. And that matters because culture shapes the Morocco of tomorrow.' He described Fez not just as a host city, but as a symbol. 'Fez stands as the oldest city in Morocco, more than twelve centuries of wisdom, art, and faith. It has always welcomed difference, always held the door open to the sacred and the secular alike.' The presence of artists from countries such as the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, and Burundi, he said, mirrors the heartbeat of Africa, a continent powered by spiritual vitality and cultural exchange. 'Through this festival, we hope to show the strength and beauty that emerges when cultures cross paths.' This year's guest of honor, Italy, shares a rare and special connection with Fez. Italy's Ambassador to Morocco, Armando Barucco spoke of it with pride. 'Florence, the cradle of the European Renaissance, is twinned with only one city in the world, and that city is Fez,' he said. 'Since 1961, our two cities have shared more than friendship. They share a mission, to preserve beauty, foster dialogue, and elevate the human spirit.' Barucco also pointed to Italy's role at the festival. 'We asked ourselves what we could bring that would honor this invitation,' he said. 'So we turned to our musical heritage. Monteverdi, born in Cremona, stands as a pillar of Italian sacred music. By bringing his work here, we do more than perform, we extend a hand, a gesture of cultural respect.' Beyond the speeches, the room pulsed with stories. One artist from Senegal spoke of the joy he felt performing in the heart of Fez. Another, from Burundi, called the festival 'a celebration of the soul.' Each voice added another thread to the event, proof that while instruments may differ, the music and culture often speaks the same language. Moreover, Alain Weber, who served as the artistic director of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music since 2010 was also present. A key architect of the festival's evolution, Weber introduced immersive productions like 'Nights of the Medina,' which bring each year's theme to life through multimedia storytelling and cutting-edge mapping technology at Bab Al Makina. The Foundation also announced a deeper commitment to education. Through partnerships with five universities, UPF, Euromed, Sidi Moulay Ben Abdellah, Moulay Ismail, and the ancient Quaraouiyine, they seek to draw young minds into the world of heritage, tangible and intangible. As the gathering closed, the atmosphere remained electric, but grounded in purpose. Fez, once again, positioned itself as a city of memory and meaning. Tags: Fez festivalFez World Sacred Music Festivalmusic festivalSufi music
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
At Harvard, a map-making Renaissance
Claudius Ptolemy, Sebastian Münster, and Heinrich Petri, from "Geographic universalis: vetus et nova," 1542. Harvard Map Collection There's the otherness a 21st-century viewer feels looking at maps from half a millennium ago. The ones here range in date from 1493 to the late 17th century. But there's also a sense of the otherness, even uncertainty, that contemporaries must have felt, looking at renderings of a world expanding and altered suddenly in an unprecedented fashion. The exhibition, which has been curated by Harvard's Molly Taylor-Poleskey, runs through June 30. The three-dozen items on display nearly all come from Harvard's holdings of 1,200 maps and 64 atlases created during the European Renaissance. Planispheric astrolabe, Persia, circa 1590. Harvard Collection of Scientific Instruments 'Renaissance Treasures' includes two contemporary navigational devices, a planispheric astrolabe from Persia and a pocket compass (think of them as beta-version GPS), as well as two Advertisement Let's return, though, to those related issues of expansion, alteration, and unsettledness. Their prominence at that particular time had an obvious, outward, source: the knowledge obtained by European voyages of discovery (and conquest). It was knowledge of lands previously little known to the West, in Asia and Africa, as well as the 'New World' of the Americas. Gerhard Mercator, celestial globe, 1551, and terrestrial globe,1541. Molly Taylor-Poleskey/Harvard Map Collection Yet that expansion, alteration, and unsettledness had another source, much closer to home: the greater diffusion of knowledge driven both by the intellectual ferment of what we now know as the Renaissance and, no less important, technological innovations such as movable type. The clearest indication of that second source is where the maps and atlases in the show originated. They were variously published in London, Frankfurt, Venice, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Florence, Basel, Louvain, Paris, Leyden, and Avignon. It wasn't just that there was an ongoing abundance of new geographical information. There was an increasingly abundant system for disseminating that information, a system all the more effective for being ad hoc. John Speed, Abraham Goos, and George Humble, "Asia with Islands Adioyning Described…," circa 1626. Harvard Map Collection That dissemination could be fitful, of course. A map from 1626 or '27 (the indeterminacy of date rather nicely chimes with the indeterminacy of geographical detail) bears the imposing title 'Asia with the Islands Adioyning Described, the Atire of the People, & Townes of Importance: All of Them Newly Augmented.' More than a century after Ferdinand Magellan gave the Pacific its name, the map refers to it as 'The West Ocean.' In fairness, the facts that the map was published in London, Magellan was Spanish, and the English and Spanish were adversaries of very long standing, may have had something to do with that — in a Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America way. Still, even if the cartographic age of 'There be monsters' was over, that of 'There be discrepancies' was not. Advertisement The range of cartographic subjects takes in places previously unimagined, such as Peru, Baja California, Canada (or New France), and others previously known but so exotic as to verge on the fictive. Those include Africa, 'Russiae, Moscoviae et Tarariae,' as one 1562 map has it, and 'Turcicum imperium,' from 1649, showing what would come to be known as the Ottoman Empire. There's also a map of that imperium/empire's capital, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). More familiar places show up: Hungary, Austria, the Mediterranean littoral, Cambridge (the other, original one). Familiarity of a different sort is evident in one of the most beautiful maps. Published in Amsterdam, in the 1670s, it shows the sun, right down to solar flares. Those flares are a reminder of how wonderfully detailed and attractive these maps can be. Salvator Oliva's map of the Mediterranean, from 1620, is a marvel of delicacy of rendering and, along its borders, richness of color. The purpose of maps is geographic information. Anything beyond that, such as beauty, let's say, is a bonus. That particular bonus is evident throughout 'Renaissance Treasures.' There be monsters? There be beauty. The big art show at Harvard this semester is 'Edvard Munch: Technically Speaking.' It runs through July 27 at the Harvard University Art Museums. That's about a two-minute walk from the Harvard Map Collection. Go to both, and you might have a hard time deciding which offers more aesthetic pleasure. Advertisement The map collection website notes that the collection is open only by appointment. That is correct. However, the exhibition is situated outside the collection, meaning it's open to visitors during Pusey Library hours. RENAISSANCE TREASURES OF THE HARVARD MAP COLLECTION At Harvard Map Collection, Pusey Library, Harvard Yard, Cambridge, through June 30. 617-495-2417. Mark Feeney can be reached at
Sharjah 24
19-04-2025
- General
- Sharjah 24
Cultural session explores European Renaissance Art at Arab Club
Renaissance Art values and techniques The session delved into the artistic principles of the European Renaissance—a period often referred to as the era of classicism. Key values highlighted included portraiture and natural landscapes, realism and precise depiction, mastery of light and shadow (Chiaroscuro), human emotion and drama, and perspective and colour harmony. Artists during this era aimed to portray dramatic, emotional human experiences, influenced by ancient Greek art, while maintaining technical precision and aesthetic harmony. Spotlight on three master artists Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) An Italian polymath known for his achievements in art and science, da Vinci combined deep anatomical knowledge with innovation in color blending and emotional expression. His famous works—Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Virgin of the Rocks—exemplify his signature use of light, gesture, and subtle gradations of tone. Michelangelo (1475–1564) A master painter and sculptor, Michelangelo saw the human form as the pinnacle of artistic subject matter. His grand murals, such as The Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, are celebrated for their complexity, elegance, and profound influence on later European visual art. Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825) A leading figure of the Neoclassical school, David revived classical ideals with a strong focus on narrative, precision, and realism. Unlike earlier classical works centered on nature, David's art focused on historical themes. His masterpieces include The Oath of the Horatii and Napoleon Crossing the Alps. The link between classicism and modern movements Dr Omar Abdel Aziz, Chairman of the Arab Cultural Club, emphasised that the session aimed to establish a foundational understanding of classicism and neo-classicism, which paved the way for movements such as expressionism, surrealism, cubism, and modernism. These schools preserved core classical principles—like visual harmony and emotional depth—while transforming artistic expression. Artistic principles as a launchpad for creativity Dr Omar stressed the importance of grounding young artists in these time-tested principles, noting that without internalising them, artistic expression risks lacking depth and completeness. The session concluded with a robust discussion on the continuity of classical values in modern and Arab art, and their enduring relevance in shaping creative expression today.
South China Morning Post
12-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- South China Morning Post
What are grillz, or grills? Designer Alligator Jesus on the latest in dental fashion
Teeth, the only exposed part of our skeletons, have fascinated people throughout history. And dental fashion has long been a marker of status and beauty. Advertisement For thousands of years, starting around 3500BC, people of the ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley adorned their teeth with gold and gemstones to signal wealth and spiritual power. In Japan, ohaguro or tooth blackening, done with an iron solution or plant extracts, was practised for centuries, mostly by women, and symbolised loyalty and maturity. It was banned by the country's government in the late 19th century. The European Renaissance that ran from the 14th to the 17th centuries embraced tooth filing, a process in which teeth were sharpened into points. Whether gilded, sculpted or darkened, teeth have always been more than functional – they have been a canvas to show cultural identity, and a reflection of changing ideals of beauty and prestige. A set of Alligator Jesus' grillz. Photo: Another Rendition Fast forward to the third millennium, and we have grillz, also known as grills. These dental accessories are usually made using precious or semi-precious stones encased in gold, and are custom moulded to fit your upper or lower jaw, or both, to make it appear as if your smile is made of these precious elements.
