OBSERVATOR CULTURAL - Spiritul critic in actiune

The Observer reads Paul Johnson (Intelectualii / Intellectuals, Bucharest: Humanitas, 2002) who writes: the merciless tyranny of ideas is the worst despotism.

Politics

Ciprian Ciucu recommends that the organizations in the Romanian Diaspora improve their structure and increase their professionalism.
Ciprian Stanescu reckons that the sports and musical stars on the voting lists will have more influence on the new, uninominal vote than the parties will.
Bedros Horasangian mockingly hails “multi-developed, left-wing capitalist socialism.”

Latest

Nadia Bujor introduces Challenges for Psychoanalysis in the 21st Century: Understanding Hate and Violence, an international colloquium that will take place in Bucharest from October 30 through November 1. For more information, go to www.colocviu-de-psihanaliza.ro.
Smaranda Schiopu reports on the September 25 launch of a new beer, Curtea Berarilor Timisoreana. Curtea Berarilor offers grants in support of young artists. The first grant winners are Alexandra Nicolau and Anca Gitan, whose show of glass objects is on view at Curtea Sticlarilor until October 12.
Chatting with Romanian Writers
The Observer continues the series of interactive interviews in which a free wheeling on-line dialogue with a noted writer transforms itself into a structured interview with multiple questioners. Writer Stefan Agopian takes to the net as the fourth “victim”. “un cristian” conducts the proceedings.

Literature

Paul Cernat discussed the younger generation of Romanian writers in last week’s Observator Cultural (no. 437-8). He responds this week to comments by critics Bogdan-Alexandru Stanescu and Costi Rogozanu (Suplimentul de cultura), and Daniel Cristea-Enache (Romania literara).
Book reviews
Oana Catalina Ninu comments on Liviu Georgescu’s Nu am voie (I Am Not Allowed, Pitesti: Paralela 45 Publishing, 2008).
Lucia Popa reads Alasdair Gray’s Lanark (Iasi: Polirom, 2008), translated by Magda Teodorescu.
Fanny Chartres writes about Brigitte Giraud’s Iubire la suprapret (Over-Priced Love, translated by Ana Antonescu. Bucharest: Nemira, 2008).

Fragments from a Forthcoming Publication

 

The Observer presents an excerpt from Andre Gide’s Diary, soon to be published by Cartier.

Liviu Cangeopol celebrates Paul Goma’s 73rd birthday.

International

Madalina Diaconu recounts the history of the Willendorff Venus. Marking 100 years since the discovery of the statuette, Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna stages an exhibition, on view through January 2009.
Radu Jorgensen deplores American students’ lack of interest in mathematics.
Dragos Ioan writes: global financial capitalism needs a New Deal to restore faith in the system.  
Gloria Stefanescu suspects that international focus on the US election draws attention away from events in the Middle East.
 Arina Petrovici discusses the dubious elections in Belarus on September 28.

Arts

 Theatre
Eugenia Anca Rotescu and Oana Cristea Grigorescu discuss Gavril Cadariu’s Voices, at Gong Theatre in Sibiu. The play opened on May 7, 2008.

 

 Dance
Gina Srebanescu talks to choreographer Philippe Trehet about Razvan Mazilu’s one man show in Umbre de lumina (Shadows of Light), which will open at the Odeon Theatre on October 10.

Film
Valerian Sava interviews Michel Reilhac, general director Arte France Cinema, and Michel Boyon, President of Audiovisual Superior Council in France.
Valerian Sava comments on Eugen Serbanescu’s Dincolo de America (Beyond America), which premiered on September 26.
Cosmin Ungureanu continues his reportorial museum tour with a stop at the Hunting and Nature Museum in Paris.

 

Visual arts
Mihai Plamadeala goes to the opening of Alec Macri’s show Madvertising, at H’Art Gallery on September 25.
Silviu Gherman invites us to visit Dan Voinea’s paintings at “Sub Carturesti” Gallery, on view from September 16 through September 30.

 Music
Anca Florea describes Bucharest’s Little Paris Festival, which ran from August 21 through August 27.
Florian Baiculescu reads philosopher Constantin Noica’s reflections on music from Pagini despre sufletul romanesc (Notes on the Romanian Soul, Bucharest: Humanites, 2008).
I. M. Clau looks at the history of black metal music.

 Focus

Ovidiu Simonca comments on the “Romanian Cultural Days in Ruhr” (Rumänische Kulturtage an der Ruhr), running from September 21 through October 26.
Diana Dochia, curator of Alexandru Radvan and Sorin Tara’s paintings in Bochum, Germany, discusses the political controversies that emerged around the violent nature of the exhibition. The show is part of the “Romanian Cultural Days in Ruhr.”