Bucharest Babel Blog - Culture

International Photo Salon

Camelia — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:09:00 +02:00

Starting with Sunday, October 21st, The International Showroom of Photography Art from Sibiu is celebrating its XII edition. With this occasion, The International Federation of Photography Art is awarding the organisers with a bronze medal.

The value of the International Showroom of Photography Art has been confirmed over the years through granting and the maintenance of the maximum quotation of stars given by FIAP and other specialised international organisations. This score is turning the Sibiu Showroom in one of the most valuable manifestation of this kind in the world.

The 12th edition of the exhibition is proceeding under the guidance of the International Federation of Photography Art (FIAP), of the Luxembourg Federation of Photography Art (FLPA) and of the Association of Photography Artist from Romania (AAF). The exhibition is organised at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Sibiu by the Photo club Orizont and the Culture House of Students.

This event is known to have brought in light and refigured the local photography movement. 2007 marks not only 25 years from the first edition of the International Showroom, but also the 10th uninterrupted editions under FIAP.

The International Showroom is a “two-steps” event. The first event, “Luxembourg at Sibiu” has been held at the end of august. The exhibition had 60 images from Luxemburg, made by photographer members of the Federation of the Photographer Amateurs and tried to make a bridge between the two Cultural Cities of Europe.

By Andreea Luciana Ion

Touring Romania

bucuresti — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:47:00 +02:00

The Rolling Stones, The Prodigy, Alice Cooper, Marylin Manson, Reammon, Pink, Muse, The Pussycat Dolls, Shakira...No, it’s not my blog’s playlist, but these are just few of the bands that have been touring our country this glorious year of 2007 and by doing so, they’ve added Romania on the map and on the touring agenda of other famous musicians.

Although most of the concerts and festivals were held in the capital, other important cities hosted concerts and gathered thousand of people, Romanians and foreigners, having different tastes for music genres.

For making a better impression that I’m not babbling around and about, here is a shortlist of our singing visitors.

Bucharest has been blessed this year with most of them. It hosted 2 huge festivals and several concerts. The Coke Live Festival held on an Island of fun, named Lacul Morii, gathered bands like The Prodigy, Incubus, The Rasmus, The Cult, Il Nino, Macy Gray, The Pussycat Dolls and some Romanian groups - Iris, Zob, EMIL, Coma. The main-stage measured over 300mp, the sound editing system reached 300.000W, with excess of ultra-bass requested by The Prodigy. All the technique, with the multiple lights and projectors, gigantic screens and sky-roses were all designed after the model of the famous European festival Roskilde.

A week after, between 29 June – 1st of July, followed B’Estival, three mad days full of unlimited fun and a shows, when more then 20 world-known artists came on stage, mesmerizing over 50.000 people. It has been really interesting to see rockers and rappers, children, youth and grown ups hanging together. I’m only going to mention (with excuses for all the other forgotten performers) Kasabian, Reammon, Pink, Faithless, Morcheeba, Wu Tang Clan, Hooverphonic, Yonderboy, Gabriel Rios, Alice Cooper and Marylin Manson – the last two made an onstage duet in premier...world premier that is!

The Rolling Stones must have been the summer’s attraction. On July 17th , the scene from the national stadium Lia Manoliu, the largest stadium in Romania, has been compared with a 5 floor building– a 60 m length opening, a depth of 17 m and 21 m height, weighting 200 tones and assembled by a group of 300 persons.

A hypnotic concert was given by Muse a few weeks ago, on October 8th in front of 10.000 alternative rock lovers. The Muse show was just like on MTV – explosive, powerful, with live and animated projections, graphic effects, colons of smoke and huge balloons filled with confetti.

Bucharest also humped and jumped and singed on Pet Shop Boys, Tori Amos, Tarkan and RBD.

Sibiu, the lovely medieval city in the heart of Transilvania, was this year at his 2nd edition of the Art Mania Festival when, during three days, rock icons gave their best show ever: Within Temptation, Anathema, Haggard, The Gathering, Tarot, My Dying Bride.

Targul Mures held the 5th Peninsula Festival, known as the little “brother” of the well known Sziget Festival. Translated in numbers, the festival had 4 big stages, a budget of 700.000 E, over 100 musical productions, about 200 non-musical productions, an almost impeccable organising, and more important, international bands: Theatre of Tragedy, Kosheen, Gogol Bordello, The Exploted, Locomotiv GT, Booze Brothers, but also many Romanian bands – Cargo, Directia 5, OCS, Phoenix, Zdob si Zdub.

It is a shame if, as a rock lover, you could not be in Vama Veche – a near the sea location – were Stufstock, at its 5th edition brought, during 4 days in august, bands with an international impact: Toy Dolls (GB), The Dandy Warhols, Defunkt (SUA), Last Hope (Bg), Sunshine (Ch), Klimt 1918 (It), Farfarello (Ger), our basarabian neighbours: Zdob si Zdub, ExNN, Trigon. Also, we had witness some new sounds, like indie rock, the post-punk and the new wave brought by The Mood, The Amsterdams, The Mushroom Story, Vive La Noiz.

Timisoara hosted the Latino rhythms of Shakira, who saw no impediment in obtaining the visa for Romania and performing in front of the fans who have been waiting her since ever.

Yet, the concerts season is far from over because we are expecting in October Deep Purple, The Chemical Brothers, Beyonce and in December Tiesto.

I’m counting down the days until next year’s festivals and concerts. And, since we began making a habit out of festivals and concerts, I hope I’ll be seeing you there, living through music!

by Andreea Luciana Ion

First White Night in Bucharest

bucuresti — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:36:00 +02:00

All the magic happened in the Constitution Square, where thousand of people gathered, as if they were summoned by one creed: Tonight no one sleeps!

And indeed no one could sleep, not when all the city attractions were opened and fitted all ages and tastes: museums and art galleries with extended program, theatres presenting their most interesting show, the Metropolitan library inviting readers in. Even the Romanian president, Traian Basescu made time in his agenda and passed by.

The event started at 2pm with a graffiti demonstration, when 17 artists from Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania offered us a perspective of their talent. Something really interesting has been the Urban Art – huge projections on the House of Parliament. I was all woooow’s and ohhhh’s at images with white doves, Egyptian people, big hearts combined with skulls, or distorted picks à la Dali.

The more adventurous ones had their share of happiness in the Izvor Park – about 500 m from the Constitution Sq. – where they could choose between bungee jumping and a circuit of tyrolean and rappel. There where a lot of brave ones who dared to challenge their selves and jump from 80 metres in the cheers of a crowdie bunch and on a background of house music. My part of adventure meant a ride with an ATV. Unfortunately, I ended up in the back seat and really felt like Humpy-Dumpy. Oh, did I mention they were all free?

But the attraction of the night was the Italian theatre group, Saltimbanco. They started their representation around 7pm with a puppets parade, when big, multicolour paper puppets were launched from Unirii Square in a journey on the streets heading to Constitution Sq. A beautiful marching parade, with a catchy tune. Then they put on the Carnival Show, enchanting us with stilts, masked characters and acrobatics. As at any respectable carnival, we witness two rounds of fireworks. The Saltimbanco’s show ended with the Vertical Concert – as you can guess, the musicians and their instruments were hanging in the air, tight with ropes, singing lovely tunes of Latino music and urging your feet to move in rhythms of salsa.

The spirits erupted when the Moldavian group, Zdob si Zdub came on and rocked the stage. If you are a Eurovision fan, you’ve probably seen them last year, when they came in 6th with their song “Bunika bate doba” (“Grandma’ hits the drums”). After 1hour and 20 minutes of jumping, singing, screaming, waiving on their songs, every bone in my body was itching and I was hearing myself talking in whispers – since I’ve lost my voice!

Romanian traditions have been respect when 5 "stolen" brides made their appearances on stage. The tradition is that at a wedding, close friends of the happy couple “steal” the bride and hide her away until the groom pays a reward for her. One of the stolen brides hidden here had a lovely surprise: after a mini-contest, she and her newly wed were sent at the White Night in ... Paris!

And if you think the party was over...well, think again! It was just the beginning. 3 hours of house mixing in the street followed: green lasers, groovy dancers, lots of energy drinks and a huge flat screen rising from Dambovita river!

In the end, I can find only one word to describe this cultural marathon: Phenomenal!! I can hardly wait the next Bucharest White Night!

by Andreea Luciana Ion

Stufstock Festival - the most important summer festival in Romania

Camelia — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:35:00 +02:00

Each year at the end of the summer, the Stufstock Festival gathers together the most famous rock, punk and metal bands in a nice athmosphere - the Black Sea Coast. Between 17th and 19th of August you can find here the metallists from Cradle of Filth, the punkers from Toy Dolls and Dandy Warhols, and the funkers from Defunkt.

But this year the concept of the festival is the diversity, since one can listen a variety of bands and of styles: from heavy metal, rock, punk, up to funk, blues, folk, jazz, electro or ambiental music.

Fifty bands will be present starting with Friday, until Sunday and, one of the surprises of the show will be the British group Toy Dolls, that accepted on the last moment to play in Vama Veche - the city where the festival is held in.

Another pleasent surprise for the public will be a camping with all the necessary facilities, placed close to the concert place.

Photo Credits: doisase/Flickr

Vara culturală în Sibiu

Camelia — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:28:00 +02:00

După concertul lui Julio Iglesias sau cel jazz al trupei poloneze Piotr Wotjtasik Band, Sibiul îşi contiună seria de evenimente europene, nu doar muzicale, şi în luna august.

Nu mai puţin de 312 evenimente, printre care conferinţe, expoziţii, concerte, piese de teatru sau activităţi gastronomice aşteaptă pe străzile sale medievale, vizita a sute de turişti dornici să descopere din misterele Capitalei Culturale Europene din acest an. Pictură şi numismatică, interculturalitate şi tradiţionalism, acestea sunt câteva din conceptele pe care le înfăţisează expoziţia ''Modelul Brukenthal'', desfăşurată în

Palatul ce poartă acelaşi nume, o impresionantă clădire în stil baroc cu influenţe neoclasice care găzduieşte actualmente cel mai vechi muzeu de artă din România. Dar turiştii se vor putea delecta, de asemenea, degustând din mâncărurile tradiţionale româneşti pe acorduri folclorice, în cadrul serilor de artă culinară.

Pe lângă aceasta, biserica fortificată din Cisnădie , parte a patrimoniului UNESCO, continuă seria expoziţiilor de artă biblică, după Salvador Dalí şi Gustave Doré, cu cea a maeştrilor Marc Chagall şi Gottfried Engelmann, părintele litografiei franceze. O bună ocazie de a descoperi latura surealista a litografiilor, intrând în lumea simbolismului cubist. În plus, Sibiul (Hermannstadt, în germană) poate fi un bun punct de plecare pentru vizitarea altor oraşe din apropiere, precum Sighişoara, Alba Iulia, Braşov sau a satelor pitoreşti din jur, prin deja numeroasele oferte de turism rural.