Summary

The Observer, in short

Lead article

This week’s Observer looks back at Paris, May ’68. Monica Lovinescu opens the discussion with words from La apa Vavilonului (By the Rivers of Babylon, 2nd volume, Bucharest: Humanitas, 2001).

Politics

Bedros Horasangian declares the failure to condemn communism the greatest failure of current electoral debate.
Ciprian Ciucu goes to the Romanian Community in Italy’s first forum, which took place in Milan, May 24-25.

Event

This year, Romanian director Marian Crisan received the Palme d’Or for his short film, Boogie.
Mihai Fulger Ciprian Stanescu, and Magdalena Stanciu discuss the Cannes Festival, which ran from May 14 through May 25.

May ’68. Looking back

The Observer revisits the revolution of May ’68. Caius Dobrescu writes the lead article. Paul Cornea comments on May ’68 in Paris and Prague. Andrei Poama reads Luc Ferry and Alain Renaut’s La pensee ’68. Essai sur l’anti-humanisme contemporaine (Paris: Gallimard, 1985) (French Philosophy of the Sixties: An Essay on Antihumanism). Constantin Vica presents Andre & Raphael Glucksmann’s Mai ’68 explique a Nicolas Sarkozy (Paris: Denoel, 2008) (May ’68 explained to Nicolas Sarkozy). Fanny Chartres looks at the historiographic perception of May ’68. Luiza Palanciuc notices a certain break brought about by the “revolution.” Paul Cernat says that May ’68 offered an optimistic image of the West to the young people who would become “the 80’s generation.” Cristian Cercel discusses the revolutionaries’ anti-materialism. Alexandru Matei says that May ’68 is the Ancien Regime of nihilistic modernity. Iulia Popovici looks at the revolution’s effects on theater. The Observer offers an international press review, from then and now (1968-2008): L’Express (May 1-7, 2008), Historia (April 2008), Magazine litteraire (April-May 2008 & 1968). Sorin Antohi writes on May-June ’68 as the end of the Western utopia. Stefana Sabin notes that while in Romania 68 was first used as a pejorative it came to denote liberal thinking.

Portrait

Jehan Calvus comments on Szocs Geza’s LIMPOPO (Magveto, 2008), a chivalric novel that aims to reinstate the poetic feeling of the world.

Coming soon

The Observer publishes excerpts from final dialogues with Monica Lovinescu, to be issued by Vremea as O suta de zile cu Monica Lovinescu (One Hundred Days with Monica Lovinescu).

International

Elena Vladareanu and Nora Iuga present Romanian Poets in New York - an evening of Romanian poetry hosted by Saviana Stanescu and Sharon Mesmer, supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York (an event launched in connection with PEN WORLD VOICES). Nina Cassian, Nora Iuga, T.S.Khasis, V. Leac, Dan Sociu, Saviana Stanescu, Eugen Suman, Razvan Tupa, Constantin Vica, Elena Vladareanu participated on the event at KGB Bar, on May 3.

Arts

Visual arts
Aurelia Mocanu looks at Gh. I. Anghel’s paintings and comments on his show in October in Lyon.
Cosmin Nasui visits Any Other Girl, an exhibition by Simona Dobrescu & Adela Bonat that features various representations of the female body. The show was on view at Orizont Gallery through the end of May.
Maria-Magdalena Crisan looks at Mircia Dumitrescu’s engravings, paintings, drawings and sculptures at Palatul Parlamentului, Brincusi Hall. The show opened on May 7.
Mihai Plamadeala comments on Bucharest Gallery Night, which took place on 23-24 May.

Music
Karin Budrugeac looks at Sasha Gainsbourg’s relation with May ’68.

Focus

Lorenzo Renzi analyzes the situation of Romanes and Romanians in Italy.