Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

Jeffrey L Sturchio the American Senior Partner at Rabin Martin and former CEO of the Global Health Council, the world’s largest membership alliance of public health organizations and professionals in more than 140 countries dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world, has been featured in an article by Isolda Agazzi on the IPS News Service titled ‘Tsunami of Diseases Waiting to Hit’ stating “A tsunami is looming on the horizon and the world is unprepared for it. This one won’t be a massive wall of water but a tidal wave of disease – and experts say the international community needs to act fast to keep it from crashing. “Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – cancer, heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, among others – have become the leading cause of death worldwide,” Jeffrey Sturchio … told a conference…  “Some 36 million people die from (NCDs) every year, 80 percent of them in low and middle income countries – a figure that will increase by 17 percent in the coming years and by 25 percent in Africa,” he added. Tuberculosis and malaria, in comparison, kill one to two million people around the world every year.“The disease burden is shifting to NCDs, but since developing countries still have to fight infectious diseases, they face a double burden,” Sturchio warned. However, developing countries do not appear to be paying adequate attention to the impending crisis. …financial resources are stretched thin, and it is unlikely that the funds needed to launch a massive global campaign will be readily available. “The reality is that in the last 20 years, tens of billions of dollars in official development assistance have gone to developing countries, mainly (to fight) HIV/AIDS, and it is unrealistic to think that the same will happen again, It will therefore be necessary to capitalise on existing investments and reallocate some of the resources already in circulation” he said.”

Inspired by Isolda Agazzi, IPS News Service ow.ly/in8m3 Image source Global Health TV ow.ly/in8iJ

Yinka Shonibare the 50 year old British-Nigerian artist best known for his exploration of colonialism and post-colonialism within the contemporary context of globalisation, while acknowledging his physical disability as part of his identity and physically incapable of carrying out the making of the work himself, his conceptualism takes on a new angle. Shonibare’s work explores issues of colonialism alongside those of race and class, through a range of media which include painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, and film. Coline Milliard in an article published on Boulin Artinfo states “…Shonibare has long nurtured an ambiguous relationship with the Establishment, past and present. But the artist, a prominent post-colonialist voice in Britain – who …cherishes his recently awarded order of chivalry as Member of the British Empire with a pride that isn’t entirely ironic. Shonibare is a self-proclaimed dandy, an “insider and outsider,” and the 18th century, cradle of that empire, is a constant point of reference both for its political overtones and dazzling aesthetic. …The adoption of a motif so conveniently combining bright patterns and politics has been a blessing and a curse for the artist. Although it provided him with a “brand,” its repetitive use has led to a flattening out of his production, and accusations of one-trick-ponyism. …the fabric serves an array of distinct topics, of which post-colonialism and hybrid identity are only two of the most central. The omnipresence of conflicts, the threat of global warming, and food-sustainability are key concerns for Shonibare. …But no matter how idea-led, there’s always an obvious enjoyment of the material, of the colors, textures, or the craft of well-tailored garments in Shonibare’s production. “I may be interested in a number of issues, but primarily I am an artist, and my job is to take people elsewhere,” the artist has said. “My job is to create a wonderland for them.”

Inspired by Coline Milliard, Blouin Artinfo ow.ly/in4R8 Image source Africa SI ow.ly/in4IN

Androulla Vassiliou the 69 year old Cypriot lawyer and European politician who is the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, known for being very active in social and cultural fields within the UN and EU, has been subject of an article by Coline Milliard for Boulin Artinfo titled ‘We Can’t Leave Culture to the Market’. Milliard states “Speaking at the first Edinburgh International Culture Summit, EU culture commissioner Androulla Vassiliou reaffirmed the need for EU states to maintain funding for the arts. “Culture represents a public good in which every citizen has a stake and I believe that the case for public intervention is as strong today as it has ever been: the markets alone cannot deliver all that a civilised society needs,” she later said in a press statement. The International Culture Summit … brings together politicians and artists from an array of countries to discuss the role culture can play in encouraging dialogue between nations. …As she inaugurated the summit, Scottish culture minister Fiona Hyslop said that the arts and creative sector were “key to economic and indeed social recovery, rather than a distraction from it,” the EUobserver reported. Vassiliou and Hyslop’s comments arrive at a moment when most European countries are facing severe art funding cuts. Although the Scottish government only reduced its culture spending by 5% since 2010, the rest of the UK experienced cuts of 30%. The European Union is planning to counteract this tendency by increasing its own culture budget by almost 40% for the next EU budgetary cycle in 2014-2020, bringing it up to €1.8b (£1.41b). The “Creative Europe” proposal is currently under discussion at the European parliament, but it is facing firm opposition from Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. A final decision should be reached by early next year. If it goes ahead, an estimated 300,000 artists could benefit from “Creative Europe” funding.”

Inspired by Coline Milliard, Blouin Artinfo ow.ly/hYDej Image source Marina Ofugi ow.ly/hYDcO

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev the 54 year old American Art historian and curator has been listed by ArtReview as the number one world ‘mover and shaker’ in its Power 100 list, the first time the position has been occupied by a female. Christov-Bakargiev was the Artistic Director of the current year’s dOCUTMENTA 13 exhibition in Kassel, regarded generally as an outstanding exhibition with record setting attendances. Coline Milliard for an Blouin Artinfo article states “globe-trotting curator Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev is the most powerful figure in the art world, according to ArtReview’s Power 100 list. In this much-awaited Who’s Who — published yearly by the veteran art magazine for more than ten years…  That it has taken over a decade for ArtReview’s Power 100 to have a female number one might well be indicative of a lingering gender inequality in the visual arts. And to get there, Christov-Barkargiev has had to pull out the big guns. Her critically acclaimed dOCUMENTA(13) … was the most popular dOCUMENTA ever. 860,000 people saw her show in Kassel, and an extra 27,000 visited the Kabul outpost (in total almost twice as much as the number of visitors at the last Venice Biennale). …The Power 100 jury is undisclosed but it is said to be composed of twenty members from different parts of the world, including staff from ArtReview’s editorial team. Shortlisted high-flyers were considered for their activity between September 2011 and September 2012. The criteria – “local and international influence” and “impact” — are almost as nebulous as the concept of power they are supposed to pinpoint. Yet few art professionals would deny that ArtReview’s 2012 Power 100 feels like a credible snapshot of the art world in the last twelve months.”

Inspired by Coline Milliard ow.ly/eU7PC image source Facebook ow.ly/eU7NN

You need to find people to talk to and to learn (December 1st)

Martin Boyce the 43 year old UK artist renowned for his modernist sculptures and installations has been nominated for Turner Prize following his Swiss exhibition at Galerie Eva Presenhuber. Boyce’s sculptures have been described as a form of nonsensical modernism, appearing to dreamingly merge into each other to form a larger interior modernist installation. Boyce in an interview with Coline Milliard, stated “In my early teens I realized it was as much about looking as it was about making. My world was record sleeves, music and taking in your jeans to give them a narrow leg. Pop art and pop culture were my way in … You need to find people to talk to and to learn about the things that matter to you — it’s essential. Now with college and university fees that crucial breadth of people you might meet will be narrowed.”

Inspired by Coline Milliard http://ow.ly/7A1jg image source artmw http://ow.ly/7A1DG

I started making sculptures and never stopped (November 25th)

Karla Black the 38 year old Scottish sculptor renowned for her use of everyday objects in her work has been nominated for the 2011 Turner Prize. Black’s work has been exhibited at various well placed galleries including the Tate Britain, Kunsthalle Nürnberg, and the Saatchi Gallery. Black has a Master of Arts from the Glasgow School of Art, and uses feminine objects in her work including cosmetics, toiletries, textiles and pastel colours. In an interview with Coline Milliard, Black stated “I didn’t study art at school. I left when I was 16 and got a job … I started to read a lot and go to galleries in my late teens … I had a feeling that I wanted to “do” something but I didn’t know what  … I started making sculptures and never stopped.

Inspired by Coline Milliard http://ow.ly/7rMHf image source facebook http://ow.ly/7rMMA