ISSN 1993-8616
2009 - Number 5
Diversity, a synonym for culture
© DR
Detail of “Mou-ak” (folk dance). By the Korean artist, Kim Ki-Chang, added to the UNESCO collection in 1982. Photograph: Patrick Lagès.
A voyage from China to Iran, using calligraphy as a compass; an exploration of Parisian melancholy, guided by a Japanese photographer; a return to the origins of Kung Fu, now an international art; a trip around the world along strands of Thai silk; a Turkish escapade with background music from Brittany… This month the UNESCO Courier dedicates its pages to cultural diversity. Read the editorial
The beauty of the swan
Art draws its inspiration from the perfection of heaven and earth. Culture, from the perfection of nature. This idea was at the centre of a lecture entitled “Return to nature, return to our origins” given by the Chinese poet and calligrapher, Fan Zeng at UNESCO in May this year, as part of the International Festival of Cultural Diversity. More
Calligraphy, the art of making words sing
Persian calligraphy bears the imprint of a range of influences, while Chinese calligraphy remains deeply rooted in local tradition, explains Iranian painter, calligrapher and psychoanalyst, Hassan Makaremi. But, whatever its history, calligraphy embodies our sense of “being in the world”. More
The personal eye of a familiar stranger
“This is not a photo of a merry-go-round, but of its reflection,” explains Shigeru Asano, a Japanese photographer fascinated by the light and shadows of Paris. He has been walking the streets of the city for 30 years. Nearly 10,000 kilometres from his native Osaka, he feels at home in the French capital, where he finds an atmosphere of melancholy more to his taste than "Tokyo’s dazzle". More
Travelling music
The folk traditions of Brittany are making a remarkable comeback after being consigned to oblivion for decades. And, 2500 kilometres away, traditional song is returning to Anatolian homes, having almost disappeared. Today, a non-profit association called “A Bridge over the Bosporus” is linking musicians from France and Turkey who share a similar passion and concerns. More
The warrior monks of the young wood
The celebrated martial art, Kung Fu, was created fifteen centuries ago in China. We owe its origin to a Buddhist monk from India. From there, it spread to Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Japan … to become, since the 1950s, a trend that has continued to fuel the dreams of teenagers around the world. But in this process of globalization, its intrinsic values are not always respected. More
Around the world on a silk thread
By the first half of the 20th century, the silk tradition in Thailand was on its last legs, only to spring back in the 1950s, thanks to an American, Jim Thomson. As an ally he had a young Thai woman - none other than Queen Sirikit. This secular art form, which, today, combines traditional craft and industrialization, is passed down from generation to generation and has contributed to the country’s development. More
