Trump

Trump to make himself head of top Washington cultural venue

  • We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!"
  • US President Donald Trump announced Friday he will name himself to be chairman of the Kennedy Center, putting his aggressive rightwing stamp on Washington's premier cultural venue.
  • We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!"
US President Donald Trump announced Friday he will name himself to be chairman of the Kennedy Center, putting his aggressive rightwing stamp on Washington's premier cultural venue.
Trump broke the news in a post on his social media platform as he engages in a blizzard of policy changes upending the city and the country, attacking people, causes and policies he says are dangerously left wing.
In a way, this appointment is another form of retribution, which Trump is seeking in his second term as he goes after perceived enemies: in his first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican regularly skipped the center's yearly gala event because people in line to receive awards criticized him and said they would not show up if he did.
In his post, Trump suggested that the Kennedy Center, the stately white marble entertainment complex overlooking the Potomac River and named for the late president John F Kennedy, offered entertainment that did not reflect his own values.
Several members of the board will be replaced, including the current chairman, the billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein, Trump wrote.
"I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!" the president said  on Truth Social.
"Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth -- THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!" Trump said.
Trump did not say what show he was referring to.
In December, the center hosted concerts by a band called Bertha that featured some of its musicians dressed in drag.
The Kennedy Center is the home of the National Symphony Orchestra and also offers theatre, opera, comedy and other productions.
Rubenstein served as an advisor to the late president Jimmy Carter and also has ties to former president Joe Biden, who regularly attended the venue's top gala, the Kennedy Center Honors, every year.
dw/nro

auction

Rare Stradivarius violin sells for $11.3 mn at Sotheby's

  • The most-expensive record belongs to another Stradivarius, the "Lady Blunt," which sold was sold in 2011 for $15.9 million.
  • A rare Stradivarius violin, made over 300 years ago by Antonio Stradivari during his so-called golden period, fetched $11.3 million at auction in New York on Friday, Sotheby's said.
  • The most-expensive record belongs to another Stradivarius, the "Lady Blunt," which sold was sold in 2011 for $15.9 million.
A rare Stradivarius violin, made over 300 years ago by Antonio Stradivari during his so-called golden period, fetched $11.3 million at auction in New York on Friday, Sotheby's said.
"This extraordinary violin represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship and classical music history, its unparalleled sound and storied provenance captivating collectors and musicians alike," Sotheby's chair Mari-Claudia Jimenez said in a statement.
It said the buyer chose to remain anonymous.
Known for its extraordinary sound, the "Joachim-Ma Stradivarius," named after its distinguished former owners, became the third most-expensive musical instrument ever sold at auction.
The most-expensive record belongs to another Stradivarius, the "Lady Blunt," which sold was sold in 2011 for $15.9 million.
"What sets the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius apart is its exceptional sound -- rich, complex, and full of depth," the auction house said.
The instrument belonged to the celebrated Chinese violinist and pedagogue Si-Hon Ma, who before his death in 2009 donated the violin to his alma mater, the New England Conservatory in Boston, on condition that some day it sell the violin to fund scholarships.
Before that, the violin belonged to the 19th century Hungarian virtuoso Joseph Joachim, who was famous for his collaborations with composers such as Johannes Brahms.
af/arb/eml/md/dw

film

Disgraced 'Emilia Perez' star vows to remain 'silent'

  • Hollywood trade outlets had reported that distributor Netflix, which was banking on "Emilia Perez" for its first best picture Oscar, had dropped her from its campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee. du/imm/ds/fg
  • Actor Karla Sofia Gascon appeared to step back Friday from the Oscar campaign for her hit Netflix narco-musical "Emilia Perez" after her offensive past social media posts hit its chances of glory.
  • Hollywood trade outlets had reported that distributor Netflix, which was banking on "Emilia Perez" for its first best picture Oscar, had dropped her from its campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee. du/imm/ds/fg
Actor Karla Sofia Gascon appeared to step back Friday from the Oscar campaign for her hit Netflix narco-musical "Emilia Perez" after her offensive past social media posts hit its chances of glory.
Gascon, the first transgender woman nominated for best actress, plays a Mexican cartel boss in the movie, which won a record number of Oscar nominations for a foreign-language film.
The 52-year-old said she hoped "my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference."
Last week's unearthing of old posts by the Spanish star denigrating Islam and African American George Floyd has unleashed a scandal that has harmed her reputation and the film.
Gascon said she made the decision after the movie's French director Jacques Audiard this week called the posts "inexcusable" and "absolutely hateful".
"I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself," Gascon wrote on Instagram.
"I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way," added the Spaniard, who was writing in English.
Gascon stars as a drug cartel boss who transitions to life as a woman and turns her back on crime in the highly unusual musical thriller.
The mostly Spanish-language movie filmed in France and set in Mexico was nominated for 13 Oscars, 11 BAFTAs -- Britain's equivalent to the Oscars -- and 12 Cesars in France.
It picked up four Golden Globes in January, including for best comedy or musical, and won multiple prizes at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
Before the scandal broke, Gascon was considered a frontrunner for best actress at the Oscars and pundits viewed the film as a strong contender for the best picture award.
Hollywood trade outlets had reported that distributor Netflix, which was banking on "Emilia Perez" for its first best picture Oscar, had dropped her from its campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee.
du/imm/ds/fg

arts

'Trump' thrills fans at Hong Kong theatre's last hurrah

BY HOLMES CHAN

  • "(Sunbeam) carries the energy of veteran actors, as well as the emotions and dreams of many people," said Man Chan, who plays Ivanka Trump.
  • The crack of a gunshot and the blonde man flinches behind the lectern, clutching his ear.
  • "(Sunbeam) carries the energy of veteran actors, as well as the emotions and dreams of many people," said Man Chan, who plays Ivanka Trump.
The crack of a gunshot and the blonde man flinches behind the lectern, clutching his ear.
But instead of horrified gasps, the crowd erupts in laughter and applause.
"It's a bullet! It wants to put me in the grave," Hong Kong actor Loong Koon-tin sings, in the high-pitched falsetto that is the hallmark of traditional Cantonese opera.
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump, recreated as part of an absurdist play in Hong Kong, has given fresh inspiration to a centuries-old art form, drawing hundreds to witness the spectacle at a beloved theatre on the verge of shutdown.
Older theatre-goers recall a time when operas were mostly about Chinese stories and legends.
The Trump show -- which debuted in 2019 and has been updated twice -- is part of an effort to modernise the genre and connect with younger audiences, for years an uphill battle for the industry.
"Audiences want to see how the assassination scene can be done using Cantonese opera," said playwright and feng shui master Edward Li, citing four techniques -- singing, acting, recitation and acrobatics.
The sold-out show, which runs for nearly four hours, begins with Richard Nixon meeting Mao Zedong in 1972 then spirals into a tale about Trump searching for his lost Chinese twin.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also makes an appearance.
"It's Cantonese opera with black humour," Li said. 
"We are not making fun of the situation, but the audience finds it funny."
The novelty factor is key to the appeal of "Trump, the Twins President" and there are plans to take it on tour, he added.
"Trump is someone the whole world wants to know."

Legacy theatre 

Crowds last week flocked to the 52-year-old Sunbeam Theatre, an ornate venue with a huge neon sign and posters overlooking a busy intersection in Hong Kong's North Point neighbourhood. 
Its lobby is adorned with calligraphy, a gong and drum for good luck -- as well as 108 signature round lamps suspended from the ceiling. 
Cantonese opera originated in southern China and became a staple of post-war Hong Kong's cultural life, with its popularity peaking around the 1960s.
But with changing tastes, Sunbeam ran into financial trouble and nearly closed in 2012 before Li, the playwright, took it over.
"We live in an era when Cantonese opera is at its lowest and closest to death. We need to give it an adrenaline shot to revive it," he said.
But the revival couldn't last. 
Following a sale, the theatre will close its doors for good on March 3 and its new owners plan to convert it into an evangelical church.
Hong Kong officials say they have spent HK$200 million ($26 million) in the span of two decades to promote Cantonese opera. A purpose-built theatre was opened in 2019.
But Dennis Cheng, a supporting actor, said he was "not positive" about the future of the art, citing the lack of venues and dwindling audience.
It will be hard to match how Sunbeam -- with its history and communal spaces -- felt like home to performers, he added.
"(Sunbeam) carries the energy of veteran actors, as well as the emotions and dreams of many people," said Man Chan, who plays Ivanka Trump.

Bowing out

Since its 2019 premiere, the Trump show has sparked both acclaim and ridicule, becoming the subject of memes.
As it wrapped up a three-day run, questions remain as to whether newcomers who bought tickets out of curiosity can be persuaded to stay for more conventional fare.
High school student Matthew Tsui told AFP that he was introduced to Cantonese opera by his grandmother and fell in love with the elaborate costumes.
But he admitted it was "tough to sit in a theatre for hours to watch patiently" and that his classmates preferred K-pop.
Fanny Cheng, a self-described Cantonese opera superfan, said she enjoyed both traditional and modern takes and hoped that Sunbeam Theatre ought to be preserved.
"It'll be a pity to lose Sunbeam," said Cheng, 60. 
"But if the landlord wants to sell the property, there's nothing we can do."
hol

internet

'Social Network' star Eisenberg slams Zuckerberg as 'obsessed with power'

BY ADAM PLOWRIGHT

  • "The Social Network" brought Eisenberg worldwide fame and an Oscar nomination for best actor.
  • Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg, who played Mark Zuckerberg in 2010 hit "The Social Network", told AFP the Facebook owner had evolved from having "a sense of righteousness" into "somebody obsessed with power".
  • "The Social Network" brought Eisenberg worldwide fame and an Oscar nomination for best actor.
Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg, who played Mark Zuckerberg in 2010 hit "The Social Network", told AFP the Facebook owner had evolved from having "a sense of righteousness" into "somebody obsessed with power".
Eisenberg took a broadly sympathetic view of the Silicon Valley billionaire when playing him in the David Fincher-directed movie, which helped shape Facebook's public image.
"As an actor, your job is to empathise with the character, not only empathise, but justify," Eisenberg told AFP in an interview to promote his widely acclaimed new movie "A Real Pain".
"I was thinking of the (Zuckerberg) character as somebody who was able to understand certain things so much quicker than other people, and who had a kind of sense of righteousness that was born out of his own brilliance," he explained.
But 15 years later, with Zuckerberg shifting his political views to align with Donald Trump's new administration and cutting fact-checking on the US platform, Eisenberg has revised his opinions.
"You kind of wonder like 'oh, so this person didn't evolve into a profile in courage'. This person evolved into somebody obsessed with avarice and power and so that's kind of interesting for me as an actor who at one point thought about this person a lot," the 41-year-old New Yorker added.
"The Social Network" brought Eisenberg worldwide fame and an Oscar nomination for best actor.
He is set to return to the Academy Awards on March 2 with "A Real Pain", which he wrote, directed and acted in alongside "Succession" star Kieran Culkin.
The unlikely comedy about two Jewish cousins who go on a Holocaust tour in Poland picked up two Oscar nominations: Eisenberg for best original screenplay, and Culkin for best supporting actor.

'The depths'

The film has won rave reviews since it was first shown at last year's Sundance Film Festival and has been released widely in American and European cinemas over the last three months.
Many critics have noted the deft dialogue between Eisenberg and Culkin's characters -- David and Benji -- with their humour and mental health struggles bringing new twists to two classic Hollywood formats, Holocaust and road movies.
For Eisenberg, the script and setting were intensely personal, returning to the land of his Polish grandparents who fled the Nazis and drawing on his experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety.
"David's life is very similar to my life... the pills that David takes are the pills that I take to the point where the prop department asked me if they can borrow my pills," he explained.
"But I've also been Benji. I've been to the depths that Benji has been to emotionally," he added.
The core of the film reflects Eisenberg's contemplation of existential guilt.
"How is it possible that I have self-pity, or that I spend an hour every morning trying to get out of bed when my grandparents' generation were two inches away from being slaughtered?" said Eisenberg, who applied for and gained Polish nationality after filming.
"How is it possible that all of us don't wake up every morning and kiss the ground that we're alive?"

'Great timing'

Culkin was cast in the film despite not being Jewish, something Eisenberg said he was initially "hesitant" about.
"Once we relieved ourselves of that very specific consideration, he seemed like far and away the only person that could do the part," he explained.
Culkin brought his "unusual energy" and "great sense of timing and intelligence" to filming, which also saw him repeatedly reject instructions from his co-lead and director, who was nominally in charge of the shoot.
"I was directing the movie, sure, but Kieran was leading the day. I would set up a shot, and Kieran would make fun of me and say that the shot was stupid," said Eisenberg.
The married father-of-one says he sees himself carrying on in front of and behind the camera, with "A Real Pain" a follow up to 2022's "When You Finish Saving the World", which he also directed.
But nothing in the movie business compares to the satisfaction he felt doing volunteer work during the Covid pandemic, however.
"I was volunteering every day at this domestic violence shelter that was run by my mother-in-law. And I had never been happier in my life," he said.
adp/jhb/sco

SuperBowl

Kendrick Lamar promises 'storytelling' at Super Bowl show

  • The big question on everyone's mind is whether Lamar will perform his Grammy-winning scathing diss track "Not Like Us," which is part of a feud with fellow rapper Drake that has landed in court.
  • Rapper Kendrick Lamar, one of the big success stories of the Grammys last week, said Thursday his fans should expect "storytelling" at the Super Bowl halftime show this weekend.
  • The big question on everyone's mind is whether Lamar will perform his Grammy-winning scathing diss track "Not Like Us," which is part of a feud with fellow rapper Drake that has landed in court.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar, one of the big success stories of the Grammys last week, said Thursday his fans should expect "storytelling" at the Super Bowl halftime show this weekend.
Lamar will headline the halftime show at Sunday's showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, and has announced SZA will join him as a featured guest.
He had a clean sweep at last Sunday's Grammys, winning in all five categories for which he received nominations -- Record of the Year, Song of the Year, best rap song, best rap performance and best music video.
"I think I've always been very open about storytelling through my catalogue and history of music ... I like to always carry on that sense of people listening but also thinking," he said in an interview ahead of the NFL's season finale.
Lamar said had never imagined he would perform at the Super Bowl when he was starting out. In 2022, he appeared as a featured performer in a hip-hop showcase but this will be his first headline show.
"I wasn't thinking about no Super Bowl -- I was thinking about the best verse... It wasn't no Super Bowl," he said.
"What I know is the passion I have now is still the passion I had then."
He and SZA will head out on tour in April. 
The big question on everyone's mind is whether Lamar will perform his Grammy-winning scathing diss track "Not Like Us," which is part of a feud with fellow rapper Drake that has landed in court.
He did not address that issue directly but said he was "just thinking about the culture, really."
"When people talk about rap, man, the conversations out there they think it's just rapping -- (like) it's not an actual art form," Lamar said. 
"So when you put records like that at the forefront, it reminds people that this is more than just something that came 50 years ago."
Lamar released "Not Like Us" in May 2024, the fifth of a collection of songs skewering the Canadian rapper that dropped less than a day after his previous single, "Meet the Grahams."
A record-breaking streaming giant, "Not Like Us" catapulted to the top of the charts and quickly became a West Coast rap anthem, beloved for its pounding bass line, rhythmic strings and exaggerated enunciation.
Drake has filed a defamation suit against their shared label, saying Universal Music Group's release and promotion of "Not Like Us" amounted to defamation and harassment.
UMG has called the accusations "illogical."
gw/sst

anniversary

For quake survivors, art brings healing in Turkey's Antioch

BY HAZEL WARD

  • "When I put people's memories into those frames with all that emptiness and despair, they see their own lives.
  • At first glance, it's a happy image -- hundreds of smiling faces torn from newspapers and pasted into a frame.
  • "When I put people's memories into those frames with all that emptiness and despair, they see their own lives.
At first glance, it's a happy image -- hundreds of smiling faces torn from newspapers and pasted into a frame. But these are ghosts, victims of the 2023 earthquake in Turkey that claimed more than 53,000 lives. 
The montage was put together by a local artist from Antakya, whose life was among the thousands upended when the 7.8-magnitude quake devastated huge areas of southern Turkey in the early hours of February 6, 2023. 
"I don't know who they are but I 'know' every single one of them," said artist Emel Genc 43, who says she wept as she added each face. 
"When I put people's memories into those frames with all that emptiness and despair, they see their own lives. There is sadness but also happiness that someone is trying to keep those memories alive," she told AFP. 
No place was worse hit than Antakya, the site of ancient Antioch, where 90 percent of the buildings were lost and more than 20,000 people died in the town and the surrounding Hatay province.
"We lost an entire city," said Genc, who uses objects salvaged from the ruins -- old photos, trinkets, fragments of concrete -- in her art, which expresses "the utter emptiness and despair of losing absolutely everything".

Artists as city's 'memory'

Many of Genc's works are on display at Antakya's Art and Culture Market, an open-air complex of wooden booths which opened on January 1 and showcases the work of more than 70 local artists. 
"During the earthquake, many of the city's cultural and social venues were reduced to rubble," explained Hakan Boyaci, head of Hatay's cultural association. 
The aim was to create a space that would bring back local artists, many of whom had left, offering them somewhere to show their work and creating a social meeting place for the community. 
"The main idea was to bring back the artists, who are the memory of the city. You can rebuild homes and buildings but that alone won't put a city back on its feet," he told AFP. 
On a quiet Wednesday afternoon, only a handful of visitors were there, peering into the windows and chatting with the artists, some of whom offered workshops. 
Outside one, a young girl stood proudly holding up a piece of paper marbling art she'd done, her smiling family snapping photos.
"Many people are still living in container cities and they needed somewhere to go out. This place provides space for social gathering and healing through art and culture while the city gets back on its feet," Boyaci said.
Another initiative involving quake-hit restaurants opened in September.
The Antakya Gastronomy Market showcasing the city's rich culinary heritage, much of it inspired by Syria's Aleppo, just two hour's drive east.

'Healed' by making mosaics

For 10 years, 47-year-old Eser Mansuroglu had made traditionally themed mosaics of ancient historical artefacts.
But since the earthquake, she's copied images that deeply moved her. 
One is of an iconic image of a man in an orange high-visibility jacket sitting by the rubble holding onto his 15-year-old daughter's hand, a photo taken by AFP photographer Adem Altan. 
"He didn't let go of his daughter's hand until the morning even though she'd died. That affected me very, very deeply because I also lost my mother and brother," Mansuroglu told AFP.
She said she created the mosaics in order to process that pain. 
"After so much death we were in a very, very bad place. For a while, I stopped making art but then I threw myself into it to heal. 
"It felt like therapy," she said. "I healed by doing mosaics."
Funded by the governor's office and the Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency, the initiative has provided "a breath of fresh air" for both artists and residents, Boyaci said.
Outside the complex, two artists were painting bright friezes on the concrete sidings.
"Art is a way of documenting history," said Mehmet Ercin, a 27-year-old graffiti artist who iss being paid to paint scenes showing the city's rich history. 
But it will omit one key event. 
"We're not going to paint the earthquake because we don't want to remember it," he said, his gloved hands splattered with acrylic paint. 
hmw/fo/yad/rsc/gil

film

Spanish publisher cancels Gascon book over offensive posts

  • Dos Bigotes, a publishing house specialising in LGBTQ, gender and feminist themes, said on Thursday it had suspended the publication of a revised biographical novel of Gascon that first appeared in Mexico in 2018.
  • Oscar hopeful Karla Sofia Gascon's woes over a series of offensive social media posts deepened on Thursday after a diversity-centred Spanish publishing house dropped plans to reprint her book.
  • Dos Bigotes, a publishing house specialising in LGBTQ, gender and feminist themes, said on Thursday it had suspended the publication of a revised biographical novel of Gascon that first appeared in Mexico in 2018.
Oscar hopeful Karla Sofia Gascon's woes over a series of offensive social media posts deepened on Thursday after a diversity-centred Spanish publishing house dropped plans to reprint her book.
Gascon, the first transgender woman Oscar nominee for best actress, seemed set for lasting fame after the narco-musical "Emilia Perez" in which she stars won a record number of Oscar nominations for a foreign-language movie.
But last week's unearthing of old posts denigrating Islam and George Floyd has unleashed a scandal that has harmed her reputation and the film's chances of Oscars glory.
The Spaniard, 52, has apologised and says she is not a racist.
Dos Bigotes, a publishing house specialising in LGBTQ, gender and feminist themes, said on Thursday it had suspended the publication of a revised biographical novel of Gascon that first appeared in Mexico in 2018.
The firm "has always been committed to equality, inclusion and diversity... therefore, we also have to be consistent with our way of thinking", it said in a statement.
"We do not share the statements Karla Sofia made... but we also have faith in something we told her: that the passage of time, vital learning and experiences can make us better."
Gascon ascended to global fame at last year's Cannes Film Festival after "Emilia Perez" won multiple prizes.
Before the scandal broke, she was considered a frontrunner for best actress at the Oscars and pundits viewed the film as a strong contender for the best picture award.
al/imm/ds/cw

Barenboim

Daniel Barenboim reveals he has Parkinson's disease

  • "I would like to share today that I have Parkinson's Disease," Barenboim said in Thursday's statement, adding that he was "planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as possible".
  • The world-renowned Israeli-Argentine pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim revealed Thursday he is suffering from Parkinson's disease after years of persistent health problems.
  • "I would like to share today that I have Parkinson's Disease," Barenboim said in Thursday's statement, adding that he was "planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as possible".
The world-renowned Israeli-Argentine pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim revealed Thursday he is suffering from Parkinson's disease after years of persistent health problems.
In a statement shared via his Berlin-based foundation, 82-year-old Barenboim said that he had been "very touched by the support I have received over the last three years".
In October 2022, Barenboim said he was dropping some of his performing activities after he was diagnosed with a "serious neurological condition" and in January 2023 announced he was stepping down as general musical director of Berlin's State Opera.
"I would like to share today that I have Parkinson's Disease," Barenboim said in Thursday's statement, adding that he was "planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as possible".
"If I am unable to perform, it is because my health does not allow me to."   
Barenboim said his most important responsibility was the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a project he founded in 1999 with the late Palestinian-American writer and intellectual Edward Said to encourage rapprochement between young Israeli and Arab musicians.
He said that he would "continue to conduct the Divan whenever my health allows" but wanted to ensure "the Divan has the opportunity of working with other excellent conductors going forward".
Barenboim has been acclaimed for a stellar career which saw him begin performing internationally as a pianist aged 10 and then become a leading conductor.
The son of Jewish piano teachers has also been an outspoken campaigner for peace in the Middle East.
jsk/sr/phz

tourism

Art fair in Marrakesh brings African art to global stage

BY KAOUTHAR OUDRHIRI

  • "The energy this fair brings to the African art scene is exceptional," said French-Moroccan artist Margaux Derhy, who exhibited hand-embroidered portraits with Morocco's Atelier 21 gallery.
  • In Morocco's tourist hub of Marrakesh, a contemporary art fair has energised the local creative scene, drawing on the famed city's aesthetic legacy to propel emerging African artists into the global spotlight.
  • "The energy this fair brings to the African art scene is exceptional," said French-Moroccan artist Margaux Derhy, who exhibited hand-embroidered portraits with Morocco's Atelier 21 gallery.
In Morocco's tourist hub of Marrakesh, a contemporary art fair has energised the local creative scene, drawing on the famed city's aesthetic legacy to propel emerging African artists into the global spotlight.
The annual 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has drawn collectors, curators and art enthusiasts from across the world, showcasing works from 30 galleries spanning 14 countries, both African and European.
Senegalese designer and curator Aissa Dione said 1-54's Marrakesh edition stands out for being "a restricted, very exclusive space", which "gives more visibility" to the artists.
Named in reference to Africa's 54 countries, the fair was launched in London in 2013, before expanding to New York in 2015 and Marrakesh in 2018. This year's Marrakesh edition took place over four days last week.
Unlike larger-scale art fairs such as Art Basel, London's Frieze or Paris's FIAC, it operates on a smaller scale, attracting around 10,000 visitors, including 3,000 from abroad.
But its more intimate setting has proven to be an advantage.
Claude Grunitzky, a Togolese entrepreneur and collector who travelled from New York to attend the fair, said in other major fairs, "gallery owners are under such financial pressure that, as a collector, you feel a bit harassed".
"What I love about Marrakesh is the sense of conviviality and intimacy, which also allows you to discover artists you may not know," added the collector, who also sits on the boards of trustees of MoMA PS1 in New York and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
Dione said her gallery sold three pieces at the fair for a total of about $30,000.
"We received excellent feedback on our artists, and that's important because a fair is not just about sales, it's also about building relationships with future clients," she said.
Canelle Hamon-Gillet, another curator, declined to disclose exact sales figures, but said: "We're very happy because there was great synergy around our artists, and we sold six works."
With the aim of giving "more visibility to African contemporary artists", the fair typically generates "a few million dollars in sales," according to its founder, Moroccan curator Touria El Glaoui.
"There's a unique diversity offered by Morocco, thanks to its geographical position and its appeal as a tourist destination, which allows us to draw collectors from around the world," said Glaoui.

'Exceptional' energy

The fair also offered works by a selection of well-known names such as Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo, whose work was purchased by Britain's prestigious Tate institution at the fair.
Yet much of the event focused on the African continent and rising talents from the diaspora.
Among the works exhibited were those of Ethiopian experimental photographer Maheder Haileselassie Tadesse and Sudanese-Somali ceramicist Dina Nur Satti.
Figurative paintings also marked a strong presence, with pieces from Nigerian painter Chigozie Obi and Ghanaian artist Adjei Tawiah.
Prices ranged from as little as $50 for screen prints to several thousand dollars for larger works.
"The energy this fair brings to the African art scene is exceptional," said French-Moroccan artist Margaux Derhy, who exhibited hand-embroidered portraits with Morocco's Atelier 21 gallery.
Moroccan artists and curators not taking part in the fair have also embraced the momentum of 1-54 as it turned the bustling city into a cultural hub.
Nearby galleries and studios held their own exhibitions and visits to capitalise on foreigners flooding into the Ochre City.
"If our visitors only went to the 1-54, they would spend an hour there and there would be nothing left to see," said Glaoui in jest.
Galleries from other cities have even expanded to Marrakesh in response to the fair's success. 
Casablanca-based Galerie 38, for instance, recently opened a space in the city.
"The fair was one of the factors that pushed us to establish a presence here," said Fihr Kettani, its founder. 
"Marrakesh has made enormous strides in artistic appeal over the past few years," said Kettani. "The fair is now an unmissable event."
kao/bou/jsa/rsc

gender

Oscars frontrunner 'Emilia Perez' suffers awards season crash

BY ADAM PLOWRIGHT WITH ANDREW MARSZAL IN LOS ANGELES

  • "Emilia Perez" French director Jacques Audiard on Wednesday disavowed his lead actress, calling Gascon's original social media posts "inexcusable" and "absolutely hateful."
  • Rarely has a film fallen from favour so quickly: after gaining a record number of Oscar nominations for a foreign-language movie, narco-musical "Emilia Perez" has become embroiled in scandal linked to past social media posts by star Karla Sofia Gascon.
  • "Emilia Perez" French director Jacques Audiard on Wednesday disavowed his lead actress, calling Gascon's original social media posts "inexcusable" and "absolutely hateful."
Rarely has a film fallen from favour so quickly: after gaining a record number of Oscar nominations for a foreign-language movie, narco-musical "Emilia Perez" has become embroiled in scandal linked to past social media posts by star Karla Sofia Gascon.
Gascon, the first transgender woman Oscar nominee for best actress, has seen her path to glory seriously compromised by her posts about Islam, US anti-racism protests, and even the Oscars themselves which she called an "ugly gala".
From being a symbol of diversity embraced by Hollywood, she has risked alienating left-leaning members of the Academy who decide the Oscar winners -- despite her apologies and insistence that she is "not a racist".
Hollywood trade outlets reported that distributor Netflix, which was banking on "Emilia Perez" for its first best picture Oscar, had dropped the 52-year-old from its campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee.
A Netflix web page promoting the film "for your awards consideration" contained an image of Zoe Saldana, the movie's best supporting actress nominee. Contacted by AFP, Netflix declined to comment. 
"Emilia Perez" French director Jacques Audiard on Wednesday disavowed his lead actress, calling Gascon's original social media posts "inexcusable" and "absolutely hateful."
Audiard told trade outlet Deadline that by continuing to lash out at her critics, Gascon's "self-destructive approach" was now "harming people who were very close to her," including himself, Saldana, and co-star Selena Gomez.
The mostly Spanish-language movie that was filmed in France and set in Mexico was nominated for 13 Oscars, as well as 11 BAFTAs, Britain's equivalent to the Oscars, and 12 Cesars in France.
It picked up four Golden Globes in January, including for best comedy or musical.

Trans politics

Even as it was winning awards and sweeping the nominations season, criticism was growing in Mexico about its depictions of the country, as well as the lack of Mexicans in the cast.
Gascon, who is Spanish, plays a drug cartel boss who transitions to life as a woman and turns her back on crime in the highly unusual musical thriller.
Thousands of Mexicans have given the film the lowest possible rating on online movie review websites IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, where it currently has an 18 percent audience ranking.
Speaking to AFP last month, Audiard said the issue of drug trafficking was "something close to my heart" while acknowledging that "maybe I handled it clumsily". 
The movie's representation of trans issues has also left some people in the community uneasy, while the use of artificial intelligence to increase Gascon's voice range has led to criticism in some quarters, even if post-production voice tweaking is common in the industry.
The GLAAD advocacy group, which monitors representation of the LGBTQ+ community in the US media, called the film a "profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman". 
Mexican writer Jorge Volpi called the production "one of the crudest and most misleading films of the 21st century."

Spillover effect

Critics now are wondering how much the off-screen controversies will affect the results of the Oscars when they are announced on March 2.
At a peak moment in Hollywood's award season, Gascon will conspicuously no longer attend events including Friday's Critics Choice Awards gala, as previously scheduled.
Scandals have not always prevented films from going on to enjoy success.
"Green Book," a 2018 drama based on the real-life story of a Black musician and his white driver in the 1960s Deep South, was widely condemned for perpetuating "white savior" stereotypes.
A tweet also surfaced during Oscars campaigning, in which one of the movie's producers expressed support for false claims that Muslims were celebrating in New Jersey following the 9/11 terror attacks.
It went on to win best picture.
amz-adp-fbe/md

film

Netflix drops 'Emilia Perez' star Oscar bid over offensive posts: reports

  • The Hollywood Reporter and Variety said streaming giant Netflix, which has invested heavily in hopes that "Emilia Perez" will provide its first ever best picture Oscar win, has now dropped Gascon from all campaign efforts.
  • Netflix has dropped Karla Sofia Gascon, the star of "Emilia Perez," from its high-profile Oscars campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee over her offensive social media posts, Hollywood trade outlets reported Tuesday.
  • The Hollywood Reporter and Variety said streaming giant Netflix, which has invested heavily in hopes that "Emilia Perez" will provide its first ever best picture Oscar win, has now dropped Gascon from all campaign efforts.
Netflix has dropped Karla Sofia Gascon, the star of "Emilia Perez," from its high-profile Oscars campaign and distanced itself from the best actress nominee over her offensive social media posts, Hollywood trade outlets reported Tuesday.
Images of Gascon, who made history as the first openly transgender acting nominee in Academy Awards history, had adorned posters, billboards and advertisements for the musical film, which earned 13 Oscar nods -- more than any other movie this year.
But that campaign has abruptly changed tack, after old social media posts were uncovered and widely shared last week in which Gascon called Islam "an infection" and "deeply disgusting."
Gascon also denigrated or mocked wide-ranging subjects, including diversity efforts, China and George Floyd, the Black man whose 2020 killing by police spurred massive protests.
The Spanish star, 52, initially apologized in a statement issued via Netflix and deactivated her account on X, formerly Twitter, but soon reversed course by defending herself publicly.
She told CNN she is "not a racist" and will not withdraw from Oscar contention, and blamed "cancel culture" in an Instagram post.
The Hollywood Reporter and Variety said streaming giant Netflix, which has invested heavily in hopes that "Emilia Perez" will provide its first ever best picture Oscar win, has now dropped Gascon from all campaign efforts.
A Netflix web page promoting the film "for your awards consideration" on Tuesday contained an image of Zoe Saldana, the movie's best supporting actress nominee.
At a peak moment in Hollywood's award season, Gascon will no longer attend events including Friday's Critics Choice Awards gala as scheduled, trade magazines reported.
Contacted by AFP, Netflix declined to publicly comment. 
"Emilia Perez" tells the story of a Mexican drug cartel boss who transitions to life as a woman and turns her back on crime.
It had previously received criticism for its depictions of Mexico and its drug war, its representation of trans issues, and its use of artificial intelligence to increase Gascon's voice range in musical scenes.
But at least until now it had appeared to weather those storms, remaining a perceived frontrunner for multiple Academy Awards.
Controversy has not always prevented films from going on to enjoy success at the Oscars.
"Green Book," a drama based on the real-life story of a Black musician and his white driver in the 1960s Deep South, was widely condemned for perpetuating "white savior" stereotypes.
A tweet surfaced during Oscars campaigning, in which one of the movie's producers expressed support for false claims that Muslims were celebrating in New Jersey following the 9/11 terror attacks.
It went on to win best picture.
amz/des

Rushdie

Attempted murder trial of Rushdie assailant opens

BY GREGORY WALTON

  • Rushdie was attacked in August 2022 by a knife-wielding assailant, who jumped on stage at an arts gathering in western New York and stabbed him about 10 times, leaving him in grave condition and without sight in his right eye.
  • The trial of the man accused of attempting to kill Salman Rushdie in 2022, leaving the famed author blind in one eye, opened Tuesday with jury selection.
  • Rushdie was attacked in August 2022 by a knife-wielding assailant, who jumped on stage at an arts gathering in western New York and stabbed him about 10 times, leaving him in grave condition and without sight in his right eye.
The trial of the man accused of attempting to kill Salman Rushdie in 2022, leaving the famed author blind in one eye, opened Tuesday with jury selection.
Hadi Matar, an American of Lebanese descent, entered the small courtroom in upstate New York wearing a light blue shirt and closely cropped hair, flanked by security officers, video of the proceedings showed.
He separately faces federal terrorism charges for allegedly conducting the attack on behalf of militant group Hezbollah.
Rushdie was attacked in August 2022 by a knife-wielding assailant, who jumped on stage at an arts gathering in western New York and stabbed him about 10 times, leaving him in grave condition and without sight in his right eye.
The Indian-born writer, a naturalized American based in New York, has faced death threats since his 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses" was declared blasphemous by Iran's supreme leader.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or religious edict, in 1989 calling on Muslims anywhere in the world to kill Rushdie.
Hezbollah endorsed the fatwa, the FBI has said.
Matar had told the New York Post newspaper that he had only read two pages of Rushdie's novel but believed he had "attacked Islam."
Rushdie, now 77, suffered stab wounds in the neck and abdomen before attendees and guards subdued the attacker, later identified as Matar.
Matar appeared before judge David Foley in Chautauqua County Court on Tuesday, according to a New York state case listing index.
The charges against him in the case are attempted murder and assault.

'I just stood there'

Rushdie had lived in seclusion in London for the first decade after the fatwa was issued, but for the past 20 years he has lived a relatively normal life in New York.
Last year, he published a memoir called "Knife" in which he recounted the near-death experience.
"Why didn't I fight? Why didn't I run? I just stood there like a pinata and let him smash me," Rushdie wrote.
"It didn't feel dramatic, or particularly awful. It just felt probable... matter-of-fact."
Tehran denied any link with the attacker -- but said only Rushdie was to blame for the incident. The suspect, now 27, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.
Rushdie explained in "Knife" that the attack has not changed his view on his most famous work. 
"I am proud of the work I've done, and that very much includes 'The Satanic Verses.' If anyone's looking for remorse, you can stop reading right here," he said.
Rushdie has said that he did not want to attend the talk, and two days before the incident, he had a dream of being attacked by a gladiator with a spear in a Roman amphitheater.
"And then I thought, 'Don't be silly. It's a dream,'" he told CBS.
gw/des

crime

UK conman to be tried for injuring French police in getaway

BY ALIX VERMANDE

  • And after watching the Netflix documentary about him, they repeated their concerns to authorities.
  • A British convicted conman whose neighbours grew suspicious about his activities after watching a Netflix documentary on his swindling past is to stand trial on Thursday for knocking over two French police officers as he tried to escape from them.
  • And after watching the Netflix documentary about him, they repeated their concerns to authorities.
A British convicted conman whose neighbours grew suspicious about his activities after watching a Netflix documentary on his swindling past is to stand trial on Thursday for knocking over two French police officers as he tried to escape from them.
Robert Hendy-Freegard, also known as David Hendy, is the central figure in the documentary "The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman" and the fictional film "Rogue Agent", both available on Netflix.
In 2005, a London court had sentenced Hendy-Freegard to life in prison for kidnapping, deception and stealing from students and women -- from whom he took more than a million pounds -- while posing as a spy for MI5, Britain's domestic intelligence service.
But he was freed in 2009 after an appeals court overturned his conviction for kidnapping, with outraged victims warning he would strike again.
Hendy-Freegard had been illegally breeding dogs and living on-and-off in the village of Vidaillat in the sparsely populated Creuse region of central France for seven years when police visited in August 2022 to check on the conditions at the kennels.
He turned up in his car "to ask the police officers what they were doing", a neighbour who witnessed the events told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"They checked his papers but he still had the keys in the ignition. He turned on the engine and fled, hitting the two cops," the neighbour said.
A policewoman and a policeman were signed off work for 21 and six days respectively after suffering injuries in the car ramming.
Hendy-Freegard managed to escape as far as Belgium but was arrested the following month and then extradited back to France, where he has been in custody since October 2022.

'Awful conditions'

Hendy-Freegard, now 53, is to be tried in the nearby town of Gueret.
He could be jailed for up to 10 years if found guilty of the violence that incapacitated the public officials.
Long before police turned up to check out the kennels in 2022, Vidaillat residents had for years been alerting the authorities about a woman living there in "awful conditions" with dogs in an isolated house in the middle of the woods, one neighbour said in 2022.
But the woman who helped breed the beagles at the isolated house told authorities there was no cause for concern, so they did not pursue the case.
However, suspicious nearby residents -- mostly retirees -- had discovered the true identity of their neighbour -- who had assumed a false name -- after accessing press articles on the internet about Hendy-Freegard's criminal past.
And after watching the Netflix documentary about him, they repeated their concerns to authorities.
In the documentary, the son and daughter of a woman called Sandra Clifton -- whom some neighbours also recognised from the isolated house -- said she had disappeared after meeting him.
Clifton has since returned to Britain.

No 'intent to kill'

Hendy-Freegard never explained why he rammed into the police officers.
During the investigation in 2023, his then attorney Juliette Magne-Gandois said he had "always denied any intent to kill anyone".
She has, however, since said he no longer wished her to represent him.
During his London trial, Hendy-Freegard was said to have lived by the motto: "Lies have to be big to be convincing".
That trial heard from seven people whose money he used to enjoy luxury cars and five-star holidays.
He had persuaded his victims to believe he was a British intelligence officer and that they were on the run from "terrorists".
One of them, Sarah Smith, recalled incidents such as being taken to a so-called "safe house" with a bucket over her head, having to hide in cupboards to avoid visitors, and spending three weeks in a locked bathroom with little to eat.
ave/ah/sjw/bc

honours

Anna Wintour vows to keep working as receives latest UK honour

  • Renowned British artist Tracey Emin was also at the palace Tuesday to formally receive her damehood, after both women were named in Charles' first birthday honours list in 2023.
  • Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour revealed Tuesday she has no intention of retiring, as the fashion legend accepted her latest prestigious UK honour from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
  • Renowned British artist Tracey Emin was also at the palace Tuesday to formally receive her damehood, after both women were named in Charles' first birthday honours list in 2023.
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour revealed Tuesday she has no intention of retiring, as the fashion legend accepted her latest prestigious UK honour from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
Wintour, 75 -- already made a dame in 2017 -- was this time made a companion of honour, joining a select group never numbering more than 65 recognised for major contributions in their field.
Renowned British artist Tracey Emin was also at the palace Tuesday to formally receive her damehood, after both women were named in Charles' first birthday honours list in 2023.
"It's wonderful to be back at Buckingham Palace and I was completely surprised and overwhelmed to be given this great honour," said Wintour, who removed her trademark sunglasses to receive it.
British-born Wintour -- who has helmed American Vogue for more than three decades -- noted that when she was last honoured, by Queen Elizabeth II, "we both agreed that we had been doing our job a very long time".
"Then this morning His Majesty asked me if this meant I was going to stop working and I said firmly, no," she added, wearing an Alexander McQueen outfit.
"It makes me even more convinced that I have so much more to achieve."
The Order of the Companions of Honour, founded in 1917 by King George V, is limited to 65 members at any one time. 
Those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government can be appointed, with Judi Dench, Elton John, David Hockney current honourees.
Wintour, who was raised in the UK to a British father and an American mother, has edited Vogue in the United States since 1988.
Over the ensuing decades she has earned a reputation as one of the most influential and formidable figures in fashion.
Emin, 61, one of Britain's best-known living artists, was made a dame for her services to art.
A leading figure in the provocative Young British Artists movement of the late 1980s and 1990s, she has battled cancer and has undergone major surgery in recent years.
jj/jkb/yad

arts

At Damascus opera house, hopes for a better future

BY MAHER AL-MOUNES

  • "We hope that these events will continue -- I want to come back again," said the young doctor, after watching his first concert at the opera house.
  • To applause, percussionist Bahjat Antaki took the stage with Syria's national symphony orchestra, marking the first classical concert at the Damascus opera house since president Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.
  • "We hope that these events will continue -- I want to come back again," said the young doctor, after watching his first concert at the opera house.
To applause, percussionist Bahjat Antaki took the stage with Syria's national symphony orchestra, marking the first classical concert at the Damascus opera house since president Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.
The concert was a way of saying "we are here and able to produce art," despite more than years of devastating war, Antaki told AFP after last week's performance, which drew an audience of hundreds.
"We will continue, and we will be stronger and more beautiful," the 24-year-old said.
After Islamist-led rebels ousted Assad on December 8, the orchestra's rehearsals and concerts were halted as Syria embarked on a delicate transition away from decades of one-family rule enforced by a repressive security apparatus.
While the country has breathed a sigh of relief, many in the capital -- known for being more liberal than other parts of the country -- have expressed apprehension about the direction the new Islamist leaders may take on personal freedoms and potentially the arts.
The new authorities have said repeatedly they will protect Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, and that the country's transition will be inclusive.
"There aren't fears, but worries," said violinist Rama al-Barsha before going onstage.
"We hope for more support -- under the old regime, we had no financial aid or even symbolic support," the 33-year-old said.
The concert was conducted by Missak Baghboudarian, a member of Syria's Armenian minority, and included works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky but also by Syrian composers.
In the audience were European and Gulf Arab diplomats as well as new Health Minister Maher al-Sharaa and his family.

Homage 'to the martyrs'

Sharaa is the brother of interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who until recently led the Islamist group that spearheaded the offensive against Assad.
The group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has its roots in Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate but cut ties in 2016.
Last month, the opera house also hosted its first concert by well-known Islamic music singer known as Abu Ratib, who returned after decades in exile for his political views and whose recordings until recently were sold in secret.
The orchestral performance paid homage "to the martyrs and the glory of Syria".
A minute's silence was held for the more than 500,000 people killed during the civil war which erupted after Assad brutally repressed anti-government protests in 2011.
Images of the destruction wreaked by more than 13 years of fighting were projected on the back wall of the stage, along with pictures of mass demonstrations.
Also shown were photographs of Alan Kurdi, the toddler who became a tragic symbol of the Syrian refugee crisis when his tiny body was washed up on a Turkish beach in 2015 after his family's failed attempt to reach EU member Greece by small boat.

'The Syria we want'

In a reminder of the heavy economic cost of the war, the venue was unheated for the concert despite the winter cold. 
Organisers said they could not afford the fuel, and both musicians and technical staff performed for free.
Audience member Omar Harb, 26, acknowledged concerns about the future of the arts in Syria's Islamist-led political transition but said after the performance that "it seems that nothing will change".
"We hope that these events will continue -- I want to come back again," said the young doctor, after watching his first concert at the opera house.
Yamama al-Haw, 42, said the venue was "a very dear place". 
"What we see here today is the Syria that I love... the music, the people who have come to listen -- that's the best image of Damascus," she said, beaming, and wearing a white hijab.
She expressed optimism that the country was headed towards "better days".
"Everything suggests that what will come will be better for the people... we will have the Syria we want."
mam/tgg/lg/kir

museum

'Art for everyone': Mucha's masterpiece to find home in Prague, 100 years on

BY JAN FLEMR

  • British-born Marcus Mucha, who heads a foundation managing the artist's legacy, told AFP that the museum would offer "art for everyone" in line with his great-grandfather's philosophy.
  • A new Prague museum dedicated to the Czech Art Nouveau painter Alfons Mucha will offer "art for everyone" when it opens this month, ultimately housing his giant Slav Epic masterpiece after decades in storage, his great-grandson told AFP. A painter, graphic artist and designer, Mucha (1860-1939) gained fame for his floral posters, especially of French actress Sarah Bernhardt, which he made while living in Paris -- and his work later helped inspire the hit Disney film "Frozen", according to his descendant.
  • British-born Marcus Mucha, who heads a foundation managing the artist's legacy, told AFP that the museum would offer "art for everyone" in line with his great-grandfather's philosophy.
A new Prague museum dedicated to the Czech Art Nouveau painter Alfons Mucha will offer "art for everyone" when it opens this month, ultimately housing his giant Slav Epic masterpiece after decades in storage, his great-grandson told AFP.
A painter, graphic artist and designer, Mucha (1860-1939) gained fame for his floral posters, especially of French actress Sarah Bernhardt, which he made while living in Paris -- and his work later helped inspire the hit Disney film "Frozen", according to his descendant.
The museum in the Baroque Savarin Palace in Prague's UNESCO-listed historic centre will display over 100 works, including paintings, lithographs and sketches, from February 24.
It will also provide a long-sought home for Mucha's grand Slav Epic cycle.
British-born Marcus Mucha, who heads a foundation managing the artist's legacy, told AFP that the museum would offer "art for everyone" in line with his great-grandfather's philosophy.
"He always said: 'I did not want my art to be for the salons of the elite'. He thought of his posters in Paris as making the streets and squares an open-air art gallery for everybody."
Most of the artwork on display comes from the family collection comprising some 4,000 artworks.
The museum will also display four smaller reproductions of his Slav Epic, a cycle of 20 canvases ranging in size from 20 to 50 square metres (215 to 540 square feet).
Mucha spent 18 years on the work depicting moments from the history and mythology of the Slavic peoples.
He finished it in 1928, 10 years after Czechoslovakia became independent following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
The series went on display in Prague, but was quickly placed in depositories and even under a pile of coal when the Nazis invaded in 1939.

'Sensitive national treasure'

The Slav Epic was not displayed again until 1963, at the Moravsky Krumlov castle near Mucha's native town.
It was removed in 2011 as the castle fell into disrepair and reinstalled 10 years later following reconstruction.
The cycle also toured Japan in 2017, drawing 660,000 viewers.
Mucha donated the work to Prague under a contract from 1913 on condition that the city find a suitable place for it. It had failed to do so until now, following a series of disputes.
Describing the Slav Epic as "a sensitive national treasure", Marcus Mucha said the masterpiece will ultimately be showcased in another part of the Savarin Palace, to be designed by acclaimed British architect Thomas Heatherwick.
The cycle will be shown in a "purpose-built space that's made in accordance with how Alfons wanted it displayed," he added.
Until then, he expects to regularly rotate smaller reproductions in one of the museum's three rooms.
"We'll be telling different stories around the Epic, so that when it does move to Prague... the public will be able to enjoy its full complexity," he said. 

Inspiration for others

Marcus Mucha hopes the new section with the Slav Epic will open by 2028, on the 100th anniversary of completion.
Mucha "fell off the radar" in the West during the Nazi occupation and communism, but he is a constant inspiration for artists worldwide, including Cuban-American comic artist Joe Quesada, known for the Marvel comics, he said.
Working as a Hollywood producer before moving to Prague, Marcus Mucha once got a phone call from Disney Studios asking if he was related to the artist.
"They told me they were using one of his images, Princess Hyacinth in an ice palace, as the jumping-off point for a new animated movie. And that was the first piece of concept art for 'Frozen'," he said.
The Savarin Palace on Prague's fancy shopping Na Prikope street is near the Estates Theatre where Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducted the premiere of his opera Don Giovanni in 1787.
"To have my great-grandfather's work here in the heart of historic Prague in such a storied building... If Alfons were here today, as we feel his spirit around us, I think he'd be feeling incredibly proud," Mucha said.
frj/kym/rlp/rsc

music

Beyonce's best album Grammy: a long time coming

BY MAGGY DONALDSON

  • How could the most nominated, most decorated artist in the 67-year history of the Grammys not have won its most prestigious prize? 
  • The Grammy for Album of the Year eluded Beyonce for so many years -- despite so many critically and commercially acclaimed albums, through endless industry analysis -- that the narrative took on an aura of farce.
  • How could the most nominated, most decorated artist in the 67-year history of the Grammys not have won its most prestigious prize? 
The Grammy for Album of the Year eluded Beyonce for so many years -- despite so many critically and commercially acclaimed albums, through endless industry analysis -- that the narrative took on an aura of farce.
How could the most nominated, most decorated artist in the 67-year history of the Grammys not have won its most prestigious prize? 
Why were Recording Academy voters withholding this particular flower from one of the biggest artists in the world, who also happens to be a Black woman?
Would those voters -- there are 13,000 of them these days -- ever read the room?  
And then, nearly a decade after Adele's memorable, tearful best album acceptance speech saying Beyonce's seminal "Lemonade" should've won over her own "25," it was finally Queen Bey's turn.
"It's been many, many years," she said Sunday with a small chuckle in accepting the Album of the Year award for her high-concept, rollicking homage to Black artists in country music, "Cowboy Carter."
The golden gramophone stands as a lifetime achievement award of sorts for the 43-year-old -- and an acknowledgment of everything that brought her to that moment.
"On the one hand, I can think, 'Finally!'" Birgitta Johnson, a professor of African American studies and music history at the University of South Carolina, told AFP after the gala.
"On the other is -- and the reason that some of us are shocked -- we understand the levels of barriers she has faced in the industry and society as a whole, even as she has impacted them both like no other artist in the 21st century."

'Big win'

Beyonce's husband Jay-Z -- who publicly admonished Grammy voters for repeatedly snubbing his wife's work for top prizes at last year's ceremony -- was all smiles this time, including when he clinked champagne glasses with Taylor Swift, who has scooped the Album of the Year a record four times.
That used to be more times than all Black women who have won the prize combined. 
Now, it's a tie. Before Beyonce came Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill.
Queen Bey notably dedicated the prize to Linda Martell, the first commercially successful Black female country artist and the first to play on the venerated Grand Ole Opry stage, who also featured on Beyonce's record.
"I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors," said Beyonce, who also won two Grammys in the country categories.
The best album prize "is a big win for Beyonce" that also "reflects the growing awareness and recognition of Black artists working in country," musicologist Lauron Kehrer told AFP.
Prior to dropping "Cowboy Carter," her eighth studio album, Beyonce had brushed up against the overwhelmingly white, male gatekeepers of country music who have long dictated the genre's perceived boundaries.
Her 27-track, scholarly exploration of the genre -- while also delivering some rap, dance, soul, funk, rock and gospel moments -- was a pointed indictment of the backlash she had faced for trying to play music that celebrated her Southern roots.
"Sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists," Beyonce said Sunday in accepting her award for best country album.

'Diverse voices and perspectives'

Alongside Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar -- another decorated Grammy artist whose work had been sidelined from the all-genre awards -- won the two coveted trophies for best record and best song, which honors songwriting.
Chappell Roan, whose vibrant artistic project includes celebrating queer love in song, rounded out the top four awards by winning Best New Artist.
Alongside Beyonce's work, "it's exciting to see queer pop and hip-hop, genres coming from and resonating with marginalized groups, have so many wins this year," Kehrer said.
"Particularly in the current political climate, it reflects that Americans actually do value diverse voices and perspectives."
Kehrer also noted that Doechii's win for best rap album -- she's only the third woman to take home that prize -- plus the best melodic rap performance prize going to two women, Rapsody and Erykah Badu, marked movement in Grammy voting patterns.
"Even within genres, we see a growing expansion of who is recognized," Kehrer said.  "'Cowboy Carter'" is part of that shift as well."
As for Beyonce, it is -- as her husband Jay-Z once rapped -- on to the next one.
She's got a tour to saddle up for: not long after the Beyhive swarmed her "Renaissance" tour, it's time for round two.
Just before Sunday's gala, Beyonce announced the tour was on the way, and just after the ceremony, she posted the cities the "Cowboy Carter Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit tour" was slated to hit.
"SHE COMING," the caption read.
mdo/sst

media

Baldoni, Lively lawyers face off in $400 mn 'It Ends With Us' case

  • Hollywood power couple Lively and Ryan Reynolds are being targeted by Baldoni, Lively's co-star on bleak romance movie "It Ends With Us," after she sued Baldoni and alleged sexual harassment.
  • Lawyers for Hollywood stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively faced off Monday in their $400 million defamation fight, as Baldoni's side dropped a cache of case documents online prompting censure from the judge.
  • Hollywood power couple Lively and Ryan Reynolds are being targeted by Baldoni, Lively's co-star on bleak romance movie "It Ends With Us," after she sued Baldoni and alleged sexual harassment.
Lawyers for Hollywood stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively faced off Monday in their $400 million defamation fight, as Baldoni's side dropped a cache of case documents online prompting censure from the judge.
Hollywood power couple Lively and Ryan Reynolds are being targeted by Baldoni, Lively's co-star on bleak romance movie "It Ends With Us," after she sued Baldoni and alleged sexual harassment.
In the latest caustic twist in the legal battle engulfing the film, Baldoni's team created a website containing a trove of messages and documents relating to the case.
In court, Judge Lewis Liman said the latest amended complaint, which included emails and text messages between Baldoni and Lively and Reynolds -- who Baldoni is also suing -- broke court procedure, US media reported.
The Manhattan federal judge threatened to bring forward the date of the trial, currently slated for March 2026, if the parties to the case continue to litigate the dispute in the media. 
"You've got a lot in front of the court that gives, I think, the public plenty to feast upon," Liman said reportedly.
The $400 million suit from Baldoni, who also directed the film, came after Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against him, protesting her treatment on set, and then a lawsuit accusing him of launching a retaliatory media campaign against her.
Baldoni has sought to have the case against him dismissed.
"We just couldn't be more pleased with how all the issues were managed. We're going to move as quickly as we possibly can and prove our innocence," Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman said outside court following the hearing.
Lively's lawyer Michael Gottlieb said he was "very happy with how the hearing went" -- but did not elaborate.
The war between the stars was dragged into the spotlight when fans noticed during promotion of the film that they did not follow one another on social media.
It quickly emerged that Lively had complained of Baldoni's behavior on the set, accusing him of -- among other things -- speaking inappropriately about his sex life and seeking to add intimate scenes into the film that she had not previously agreed to.
Lively also said lead producer Jamey Heath had watched her while she was topless, despite having been asked to turn away.
Then, Lively alleges, Baldoni ignited a PR campaign to smear her and divert attention away from complaints she might make about the men's alleged actions.
Baldoni has also sued The New York Times after it published a piece about that alleged smear campaign, including what it said were emails and texts discussing the media outcry.
Baldoni countered that Lively hijacked the production of "It Ends With Us" and that she defamed him and, with Reynolds, sought to extort him.
gw/mlm

trial

French director avoids time in jail despite conviction for abusing child actor

BY MARIE DHUMIERES

  • "The court finds you guilty," the presiding judge told the filmmaker.
  • A French court Monday ordered a filmmaker to wear an electronic bracelet for two years after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting an actor when she was a child, sparing him jail time in one of the key trials of France's #Metoo movement.
  • "The court finds you guilty," the presiding judge told the filmmaker.
A French court Monday ordered a filmmaker to wear an electronic bracelet for two years after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting an actor when she was a child, sparing him jail time in one of the key trials of France's #Metoo movement.
Adele Haenel, 35, accused filmmaker Christophe Ruggia, 60, of assaulting her in the early 2000s when she was between 12 and 14 and he was in his late 30s, accusations he has called "pure lies".
"The court finds you guilty," the presiding judge told the filmmaker.
"You took advantage of your position of power over the young actress."
Haenel, who had arrived early in court and paced nervously up and down the room before the ruling, did not make a statement but appeared relieved.
She left the courtroom to a hail of cheers and applause.
Haenel, who starred in the 2019 drama "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" before quitting cinema, was the first prominent actor to accuse the French film industry of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse.
Ruggia directed Haenel in the 2002 movie "The Devils", the tale of an incestuous relationship between a boy and his autistic sister. It was her first film role.
The film contains sex scenes between the children and close-ups of Haenel's naked body.
Investigators said before the trial that members of the film crew had told them of their "unease" with Ruggia's behaviour on set.
Between 2001 and 2004, after shooting the film, the teenager went to see Ruggia nearly every Saturday.
During these visits, she has accused him of caressing her thighs and touching her genitals and breasts.

'Injustice'

The Paris court handed Ruggia a four-year prison sentence, two years of which were suspended and two of which are to be served with the bracelet instead of in jail.
It ordered him to pay Haenel 15,000 euros ($15,400) in damages, as well as 20,000 euros ($20,500) for the years of psychological therapy she had to follow as a result of the abuse.
One of Ruggia's lawyers said the filmmaker would be filing an appeal.
"Because we cannot accept this injustice, Christophe Ruggia is as we speak on his way... to appeal the ruling," lawyer Fanny Collin told journalists.
During two days of hearings in December, Haenel said she did not know how to escape the clutches of the director who told her that she owed him her career.
"Who was there to say: 'It's not your fault. It's grooming. It's violence'?" she said at the trial.
"You can't abuse children like that," she said.
During the trial, Haenel at one point told Ruggia to "shut up" and stormed out of the courtroom, after he alleged he had in fact sought to protect Haenel from mockery in school over the sex scenes in "The Devils".
Ruggia told the court that he had never been attracted to Haenel, accusing her of seeking to take revenge on him for not giving her further acting roles.

Award ceremony protest

In 2019, Haenel went public with the charges of the assaults, stunning the French film industry, which had been slower than Hollywood to react to the #MeToo movement.
In 2020, Haenel stormed out of the industry's Cesars award ceremony in protest against a prize awarded to veteran director Roman Polanski, who is wanted in the United States for statutory rape.
In 2023, she quit cinema, complaining that the French film industry was turning a blind eye to sexual abuse.
Several other allegations have rocked France over the past few years.
Veteran film star Gerard Depardieu, 76, is to stand trial in March accused of sexually assaulting two women. He denies the accusations.
Actor Judith Godreche, 52, said last year two French directors -- Benoit Jacquot and Jacques Doillon -- had both sexually abused her when she was a teenager. Both deny the charges.
Since breaking her silence, Godreche has become a prominent voice in France's #MeToo movement, prompting parliament to create an oversight body to investigate gender-based violence in the cultural sectors.
She is however unlikely to face Jacquot and Doillon in court, as her accusations were filed too late under the statute of limitations.
But Godreche attended Monday's verdict against Ruggia.
"Justice has been done. It was very moving for me," she said. But "more needs to be done to end violence against women."
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