Diary for 20th November to 26th November 2008

THURSDAY 20TH NOVEMBER - Snakes and faith

I'll be starting my week listening back to Radio 4's Book of the Week, which is currently featuring five installments from an American missionary's reflections on his life living amongst the Piraha tribe in Brazil. His book, 'Don't sleep there are snakes' is particularly interesting because he went there as a linguist and a missionary, but returned deeply changed by the people he lived with. It's a fascinating example of how one's preconceptions can be deeply changed by the experience of fieldwork, whether anthropological or otherwise. The series also includes original sound recordings from his time in the jungle, and there are a selection of photos about the community here.







FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER - Anthropology at large

Tonight I'm going to listen to the final episode in another radio series that has been running this week. The Essay, on Radio 3 at 23.00 has been focusing on anthropology, with a series of programmes entitled 'The Lives of Others'. Each night has featured a different anthropologist talking about their work, from Maurice Bloch on Madagascan campfires, John Gledhill on studying the Mexican Zapatistas to Rebecca Cassidy on the social life of betting shops. The programmes are fantastic for their concise and clear introductory approaches to the subject, drawing on a diverse range of intriguing examples. you can listen again to all of them online.






SATURDAY 22ND NOVEMBER - Visual Exercise

If you've got an empty day today why not have a look at some of the latest batch of films produced by students on the MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths. Ranging from an experimental documentary about communal exercise in China - 'In motion' - to a portrait of a blind shepherd in Ireland - 'Happens to be Blind' - you will find the films a good cross-secton of the kind of subjects and themes anthropologists investigate. You can also watch films and photographic collections from previous years' students, as well as learn much more about the department, on the website.


SUNDAY 23RD NOVEMBER - Cultural thinking online

On Sunday I want to check out a new online resource launched by the London School of Economics in collaboration with the Institut Jean Nicod based in Paris. The International Cognition & Culture Institute (ICCI) is accessible to all, and is comprised of a blog intended to provoke discussion as well as a lot of information on the subfield. Cognition and anthropology essentially relates to the relationship between thought and culture, and although it is one of the trickier areas of anthropology to get to grips with, it's definitely worth the thinking time you might need to invest...





MONDAY 24TH NOVEMBER - Populating the cinema

The 'We the Peoples' Film Festival kicks off today, with the screening of 23 short films commemorating the etablishment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The festival exists, in collaboration with the UN, to draw attention to many 'development' issues occurring around the globe. The topic of development often intersects with the concerns of anthropology and anthropologists, so the films showing over the five days should definitely be worth viewing, ranging as they do from the Kosovan 'freedom train' to the stories of Ugandan child soldiers. Many of the films are screened at universities and are FREE admission. See the website for a full programme.


TUESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER - Land of a thousand (Pop) Stars

This afternoon I will be going along to a seminar on The Thousand Stars Rift Valley Music Festival, being given by film-maker Nico Lewis and anthropologists Ricardo Leizoala (from Goldsmiths Centre for Visual Anthropology). They will be talking about their recent filmic research, in which they have documented the multitude of different ethnic groups represented at the festival, and how the groups come together over the days from very disparate areas. The seminar takes place at 17.15 in Room L67 in SOAS; it is worth getting in touch with Angela Impey (ai6@soas.ac.uk) beforehand if you wish to attend. You can also watch plenty of footage from previous festivals on the website.


WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER - Filming the Ainu anew

Another fantastic screening 'Upsatirs at the RAI' (Royal Anthropological Institute) today, where they will be showing some films on the Ainu people, using material recorded by Neil Gordon Munro in the early 20th century. Much of this footage is in the RAI archive, including video of the Ainu Bear Sending ceremony, the Iomande. The film is being shown to coincide with a visit from Japanese project partners, and so will be followed by a discussion with Professor Junko Uchida, Kazuo Okada and Ainu representatives Koichi Kaizawa and Shiro Kayano. They are also bringing a recently discovered version of one of Munro's films from the 1930s, and will be discussing the relevance of the films for Ainu people today. The event begins at 18.00 and entrance is FREE.

Diary for 13th November to 19th November 2008

THURSDAY 13TH NOVEMBER - Mortuary Movie

This evening I will be heading down to a film screening at University College London, where they are showing an autumn series of ethnographic films. Tonight 'Ngat is Dead: Studying Mortuary Traditions' will be showing, a film about Dutch anthropologist Ton Otto, who has been adopted by a local family on the South Pacific Island of Baluan. It's an example of how the process of ethnographic film-making can become as important as the film itself in terms of the relationship between anthropologists and their subjects. You can view a clip on this website, and read more about the director here, who will be present at the screening. The film begins at 18.30 in the Archaeology Lecture Theatre at 14 Taviton Street, WC1H OBW - to find out more details you can contact the organiser Paolo Favero on p.favero@ucl.ac.uk. Entrance is FREE.



FRIDAY 14TH NOVEMBER - A two-stringed fiddle

Friday night party zone this evening as I'll be at the 'Qobyz: Spiritual Journeys Through Music' concert at the Royal Academy of Music in Central London. Raushan Orazbareva, no less, will be performing - reputedly one of the world's finest players of the qobyz, a Kazakhstani violin-like instrument, supposedly encompassed by a shamanic aura. It was suppressed under the Soviet regime and has only in the last couple of decades begun to re-emerge as an important and recognisable part of Kasakh culture. Other instruments will also be on show, all of which makes you think how important music can be in cultural identity - you can read more in books like this. The concert begins at 18.30, and you need reserve your FREE place beforehand by emailing sdaukeyeva@yahoo.com.



SATURDAY 15TH NOVEMBER - Going up in Smoke

The weekend gets a fiery beginning as I'll be at an exhibition in the Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London featuring the ethnographic film 'Smoke', about fish-smoking in a small town in Holland. The film, which is part of the Royal Anthropological Institute's film library, uses archival footage combined with contemporary film to depict the lives of the fishermen's lifestyles on the Dutch coast. It is part of a larger exhibition under the same title all about the presence, and also disappearance, of 'smoke' from UK society! You can catch the exhibition at The Pump Room - entrance is FREE - until 12th December.




SUNDAY 16TH NOVEMBER - Remains on the Radio

I'll be whiling away the Sunday hours by catching up on a spot of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed. It recently featured anthropologist Adam Kuper discussing a new book about the ways we treat human remains in preparation for display in museums. Together with the book's author, he was discussing how and why museums are now involved in the 'repatriation' of remains to their original communities. Following that, I'll be tuning into the subsequent week's edition, which paid tribute to recently deceased Studs Terkel, the Chicago DJ whose shows operated as a kind of everyday ethnography of the city, through his interviews with ordinary working Americans.




MONDAY 17TH NOVEMBER - Crunching the numbers

Gillian Tett is an interesting journalist who I;ve mentioned before on the blog - now assistant editor at The Financial Times, she also has a phd in social anthropology from Cambridge University on Tajikstani goat-herders. In a recent article in The Guardian she pointed out the usefulness of the subject to her job, and the financial world in general. Tett thinks that by adopting an overall view of the financial sector - including cultural and social factors as well as economic ones - you can better understand the way it works. Such is the 'holistic' way that anthropologists work... it even enabled Tett to predict the current meltdown long before many other experts. Read it 'with interest'...



TUESDAY 18TH NOVEMBER - Read all about it!

Anthropology is a much more well-known subject over in the USA than it is in good old Blighty, and that is perhaps why an online magazine called Anthronow has just been launched over there. Run by three anthropologists, it aims to bring anthropology together with the general public by combining the discipline's theoretical observations with more popular topics. Articles in the first issue include pieces about the growth of Chinese cuisine in New York and US culture's obsession with breasts. You can read more about the rationale behind the project here...it will be interesting to see the reception it has amongst anthropologists and the wider public alike.





WEDNESDAY 19TH NOVEMBER - River of death

Another great film is showing this afternoon down at SOAS in London. Forest of Bliss, directed by Robert Gardner, has been somewhat controversial in anthropological circles over the years, with debates whether it is 'ethnographic' or not. Although such arguments often become fairly circular, what cannot be doubted is the film-making skill behind the piece, which depicts the Indian city of Benares, a place organised around the rhythms of Hindu funereal ceremonies. The film contains no explanation other than the images on screen, so it is very much left up to the viewer's interpretation of the various metaphors on screen - whether that makes it more or less impressive as a portrayal of the society is something you will have to debate as you are watching. The film begins at 13.00 in the Khalili Lecture Theatre and admission is FREE.

Diary for 6th to 12th November

THURSDAY 6th NOVEMBER - A Stitch in Time

For centuries different groups of women around the world have been involved in knitting or sewing . If you have recently been to Borders bookstore you may have come across a knitting group in Starbucks, sipping their coffees while knitting and chatting away. Today I have decided to create my own English needle masterpiece. I will be joining a group of enthusiasts at the Asian Women's Resource Centre, for a workshop led by Sophie Lond and Kate Farrer from the Royal School of Needlework. The workshop runs from 11:00am to 3:30pm, and will teach traditional English surface stitches. The workshop is part of a lottery funded project called a stitch in time. Materials for the workshop are provided, and entrance is free. Booking however is essential. To book please email:susanroberts@bridging-arts.com

FRIDAY 7th NOVEMBER - Unlocking Conflicted Identities

Tonight I am heading to the British Museum's BP lecture theatre to listen to the internationally renowned anthropologist Maurice Godelier. Professor Godelier is a specialist in societies of Oceania. In 1995 he created the Centre de Recherche et de Documentation sur L'Oceanie (CREDO), and has since gone on to hold many distinguished positions in the field of anthropology. He has written widely and has received numerous awards for his contribution to the social sciences. Tonight's lecture at the BM is entitled: Community, Society, Culture:Three Keys to Understanding Today's Conflicted Identities. The lecture starts at 5:30pm and there will be refreshments afterwards. Entrance is free. For more information please contact the Royal Anthropological Institute at: admin@therai.org.uk

SATURDAY 8th NOVEMBER - Indulging in Film

The 22nd Leeds International Film Festival 2008 is a visual feast for anyone interested in contemporary films and film making. Running until the 17th of November, the festival will host over 200 screenings from around the world in venues all across the city. The festival has various themes including : Cinema Versa ' for documentaries and underground voices, mavericks and nonconformists', many of which focus on music as a theme of exploration. For more information on the programme and how to buy tickets, visit the festival's main website.

SUNDAY 9th NOVEMBER - Birth Rites

There are many rituals and cultural practices that are practiced when women give birth; these practices can be dependent on a number of interrelated aspects: ethnic background, gender roles, environment, economic factors or religious beliefs. Birth Rites is an exhibition at the Manchester Museum that uses artwork, film, objects and illustrated books to critically engage with questions such as: Are all births equal? How free are women to give birth in a way they want where they want?. The exhibition concentrates on childbirth in a Western context. Entrance is free. The exhibition runs until November 30th. Click here for more information.

MONDAY 10th NOVEMBER - The British Sari Story

What does the design, fabric and patterns of a sari tell us about the person who is wearing it? Today I'm heading to the Charnwood Museum in Loughborough to see a fascinating exhibit on traditional saris from South Asia and a new brand of saris reflecting British Asian life and identity. The exhibit is based on the British Sari Story, a project inspired by the work of Helen Scalway, an artist and researcher who spent three months drawing what she found instide a sari shop in Tooting, London. For more information about the project take a look at this British Arts website, the website also includes a picture gallery as well as downloadable British Sari Education Pack. The exhibit runs until November 30th.

TUESDAY 11th NOVEMBER - Celebrating Student Ethnographic Films

Tonight I am going to Goldsmiths, University of London, for the opening of their international student film festival entitled: Constructing Bonds: The Politics of Relation in Ethnographic Representation. Organised by Goldsmith's Anthropology Society and funded by C-SAP, the festival runs over two days and hosts a range of interesting films exploring themes such as the anti-consumerist activities of Freegans, and constructing beauty and identity in favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The screenings take place in the Ian Gulland Lecture Theatre from 6-9:30 pm. Entrance is free and open to all. For more information take a look at this website.

WEDNESDAY 12th NOVEMBER - Cheka Kidogo: 'Laugh a Little'

Today I'm going to walk by the Southbank to check out the photographic exhibit Cheka Kidogo which means 'laugh a little' in Swahili. British portrait photographer and film director Rankin, who is best known for his fashion photography, travelled to Mugunga refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Oxfam. He photographed some of the displaced thousands who have faced enormous atrocities, violence, rape, starvation, and conflict. He has sought to capture their dignity, individual personalities and stories through his pictures. You can listen to an interview with Rankin here where he talks about the people he met and the spirit he has tried to capture with his exhibit. Oxfam's website has a large sample of the exhibition online, including videos of individuals who were photographed and videos behind the scenes of the project. The exhibition is open to everyone and is at the Southbank until December 21st.

Diary for 30th October to 5th of November

Sincere apologies to everyone, but unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances Lucy has been unable to write the blog for this week. Not to worry however, Lucy will be back in full swing and the blog will have many exciting things to offer for the week of November 6th to November 12th.

Thanks to everyone for their support and readership!
Till next week,
Lucy

Diary for 23rd to 29th October 2008

THURSDAY 23rd OCTOBER - Encountering Romans

After visiting the Hadrian exhibition last week at the British Museum, I am going to catapult myself back in time to experience what life was like during the Roman Empire. Accompanied by my friends in tunics, I will be dressed in gladiator regalia while I visit the Roman Night at the British Museum. I will feast on Roman food, and hear traditional music, while watching dances and listen to wondrous legends and fables that were popular during Hadrian's time. I also plan to watch some films and play some roman board games, and of course attend a stage combat workshop. There is an amazing array of activities you can do at the Great Court in the British Museum to experience Roman life. Entrance is free, just drop in from 18:30 -21:00. You can download the full programme here. For those of you who want to study up on Roman life before you go, take a look at this fantastic BBC website.

FRIDAY 24th OCTOBER - Between Tibet and India

Although I don't normally visit the same venue consecutively, this week I will make an exception as there is a great exhibit at the British Museum entitled Between Tibet and India:cultural diversity in the eastern Himalayas, which I want to visit. The exhibition is based on a research project which was funded by The Economic and Social Research Council, and was the collaborative effort between The School of Oriental and African Studies, the British Museum and various other organisations in the UK and India. One of the main objectives of the project was to explore the rapid cultural change that is occurring in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in NE India. Through interviews, object collecting, and other means of fieldwork, the research team documented oral traditions, material culture and ritual practices amongst five of the 35 tribes who live in the region. For more information on the research project visit this website. The exhibit at the BM focuses on two tribes, and displays archival and contemporary photographs, textiles and audio recordings. The exhibit is free and is held in Room 91.

SATURDAY 25th OCTOBER- Museums for the Marginalised

Today I'm going to attend a one day conference at the Horniman Museum called: Museums for the Marginalised: Representation and Empowerment. The conference examines the historic and contemporary aspects of Adivasi cultures and communities in India, as well as marginalised communities in other parts of the world. One aspect of the discussions will be explore the ways in which museum exhibitions and other cultural projects aim towards listening and collaborating with Adivasi communities. A keynote speaker will be Professor Ganesh N. Devy, one of the founders of the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes Rights Action Group. For the full conference programme take a look at this website. Entrance fee is £10 if pre-booked and £15 on the day, which includes a South Indian lunch, coffee and tea. The conference runs from 10:00 a.m. to 17:30 p.m.

SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER - Terra Madre: An international feast

For those of you lucky enough to be in Turin, Italy at this time, try and catch the last couple of days of one of the greatest international food event: Terra Madre. The event is held every two years and is an opportunity for food communities, cooks, academics, and youth from around the world to collaborate in supporting small-scale, traditional and sustainable food production. There are many workshops, sampling, and discussions to go to, such as: The Future of Climate and Food and Markets: Participative development models. You can find the full programme list here. The Terra Madre website, has some fantastic information which includes voices and pictures of producers, themes of dialogue, and a list of projects undertaken internationally.

MONDAY 27th OCTOBER - Korean Film Festival

Although the London Korean Film Festival hosted at the Barbican starts November 6th, I want to get a head start by looking at the programme and choosing which films I'd like to see. The festival is given in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre and the Korea Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA). Some of the festival highlights include a special preview of Cannes 2008 hit The Good, The Bad, The Wierd, exclusive screen talk with director Kim Ji-Woon, footage from the Korean film archives and Korean animation for all ages. For more information about Korean film in general, check out this website.

TUESDAY 28th OCTOBER- Revealing Discussions

Tonight I am going to the Institute of Contemporary Arts to watch a very interesting conversation over a live satelite link, between Alastair Crooke founder of Conflicts Forum, and Usamah Hamdan, a member of Hamas's governing council. While both the United States and the European Union have designated Hamas a terrorist organisation and have refused to engage with it, Alastair, decides to circumvent this ban by hosting this dialogue. In 2005, Alistair also organised the US and European unofficial dialogues with Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Islamist organisations. You can read an article about the 2005 dialogues here. The talk tonight will be followed by discussion questions from the audience. The event is at 7:00pm in ICA's Nash Room. Advanced booking is required, prices of tickets are £10 for adults and £9 for students.

WEDNESDAY 29th OCTOBER- People of the Wind

Tonight I am going to a film screening of Oscar nominated People of the Wind, followed by a Q and A session at SOAS's Kalili Theatre. The film was produced by Anthony Howarth and David Koff in 1976. It tells the story of the Bakhtiari tribe in Western Iran, who must make an epic 200 mile journey every year (taking up to 8 weeks) to reach the summer mountain pastures. This test of human endurance is undertaken by thousands of men, women, and children and their livestock. As we follow the group's arduous journey across the Zagros Mountains, we witness the film's fantastic wide-screen photography offering beautiful mountain panoramas. The film focuses on one particular tribesman whose words are translated into English and read by actor James Mason. For more information about the Bakhtiari in general and a related exhibition 'A People's Migration' visit this website. The event is free to attend.

Diary for 17th October to 22nd October 2008

THURSDAY 16th OCTOBER - Spreading a food revolution

Today I plan to get hold of a new book called 'The Slow Food Story: Politics and Pleasure' written by Geoff Andrews. As a writer for Open Democracy and tutor at the Open University, Geoff has followed contemporary Italian politics for years. In this book, Geoff looks at how The Slow Food Movement, which started as a local initiative in Italy to counter fast food production twenty years ago, has become a global phenomenon with over 80,000 members in more than 100 countries. According to Geoff, The Slow Food Movement is 'one of the most significant global political movements in modern times', one that is interested in bringing together local sustainable food production, environmental responsibility and a global network of communities. You can find out more about Geoff's work and read reviews of the book on his website. You can also hear him and the founder of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini speak on the Food Programme on BBC 4 here.

FRIDAY 17th OCTOBER- Transylvanian tunes

Tonight I'm putting on my dancing shoes and heading out to the Green Note Cafe to see PALINKA, a group of all female musicians who bring together Hungarian, Romanian, and Gipsy music from villages in Transylvania. Studying music amongst village communities in the region, the band decided to name itself after Palinka, a traditional type of Brandy made of 100% fruit. Apparently in the 14th century the drink was used in Hungary as medicine to cure ills, and it is the band's favourite spirit! If you'd like to get a taste of the band's music and learn more about the members, PALINKA have a fantastic website. Their show at Green Note starts at 9p.m. but doors open at 7p.m. Tickets are £7 in advance or £9 at the door.

SATURDAY 18th OCTOBER- Seeing beauty in everyday waste

Have you ever thought of making something out of all those free newspapers you see scattered on the high street? Or using materials such as wax, rope and magazines to make a political statement about consumerism and environmental neglect? This is what Nigerian artist Nnenna Okore does, and I've decided to become inspired by going to the October Gallery to see her exhibition entitled Ulukububa-Infinite Flow. Influenced by her upbringing in Nigeria, Nnenna Okore looks at how discarded objects and materials can be reshaped/reused to create cultural spaces which get the viewer to reflect on their own exploration with their environment. You can find out more about her work and on the current themes of exploration in her art on her website. The exhibition at the October Gallery runs until November 29th.

SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER - An exceptional emperor

There are only a few more days before the exhibition closes, so I am hurrying down to the British Museum to see the special Hadrian Empire and Conflict event. Displaying objects from 28 museums worldwide, the exhibition explores the life and historical period of one of the most influential emperors that ruled the Roman Empire from AD117-138. There are some fascinating details in the exhibit, including the emperor's interests in architecture and Greek culture. His architectural innovations such as the Pantheon, have inspired religious and other buildings around the world. The exhibition is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30p.m. but it is best to book tickets in advance. Tickets are £12 for adults, and £10 for children 16-18, those under 16 can enter with an adult for free. You can book your tickets online here.

MONDAY 20th OCTOBER- Sweating in style

Anthropologists have been interested in material culture, clothing and fashion for decades. In deciding which clothes to buy and wear, people often make socio-economic, and political decisions, as well as, engage in expressing their identities and/or belonging to a particular group. If you are anything like me, your workout at the gym involves wearing old t-shirts and shorts you've had for years. But what if you did wear trendy clothes running and your sportswear suddenly became high fashion? A new exhibition at the V & A Museum called Fashion V Sport explores the complexities and tensions between the worlds of sport and fashion. The exhibit is split into 4 sections: Dare, Display, Play and Desire, with each section exploring a different aspect of the interplay between the two industries. Tickets are £5.90 for adults and £3.90 concessions. Advanced booking is recommended. Tickets can be purchased online here.

TUESDAY 21st OCTOBER - Creative expressions

I've decided to prepare myself ahead of time for the University of Cambridge's first ever Festival of Ideas which begins tomorrow. The festival has over 200 events aimed at celebrating the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Quite a few museums, educational and community groups are involved in offering various events. Some of the sessions I find particularly interesting are workshops on everyday life in Mongolia and Tibet, and Arabic calligraphy, as well as evening talks on topics such as Facebook, friendship and social interaction. You can download the full list of events on the Festival's webpage. Most of the events are free and open to all ages, but some sessions require booking. For an interesting review of the festival check out this online article on BBC.

WEDNESDAY 22nd OCTOBER - Masai Women

Today I'm going to go to the School of Oriental and African Studies' Kalili Theatre for my lunch break (1:00- 3:00 p.m.) to watch the film Masai Women produced in 1974 as part of Granada TV's 'Disappearing World' Series. In the film, director Christopher Curling and anthropologist Melissa Llewelyn-Davies, explore certain rituals and processes in the lives of certain Masai women which act as rites of passage from girlhood to womanhood. The film is possibly one of the most admired and most viewed of the 'Disappearing World' series and has been praised for its skill and sensitivity in allowing insights into the world of Masai women. The film however, still generates arguments about how it handled sensitive subjects such as circumcision ceremonies. For more information about the 'Disappearing World' series you can email the Royal Anthropological Institute's film officer at: film@therai.org.uk

Diary for 9th October to 15th October 2008

THURSDAY 9TH OCTOBER - A Hairy Moment

I'll be getting all spruced up and having a blow-dry today before visiting the current exhibition at Birmingham Museum, 'Hair - Community Stories from Birmingham'. It's a collection of hair-related artwork, photographs and objects from the past few decades looking at the importance of hair to our identity. There's also some interactive exhibits where you can experiment with different hairstyles. Since hair (or the covering of one's hair) is one of the first things we might notice about someone, it can convey important political and cultural meanings and tell us a lot about group identity. If you're interested to read further, there have also been a few anthropological books published on the subject, such as Hair Matters, which looks at how hairstyles can help us understand a particular social group's identity and outlook.


FRIDAY 10TH OCTOBER - A radical stance

This month saw the publication of the second (annual) issue of a different kind of academic journal - 'Radical Anthropology'. It seems well-worth reading, not just because it's got a host of articles written by eminent people such as Noam Chomsky, but also because of its interestingly stated aim of 'Interpreting the World - and changing it'. It's also FREE to download off the RAG (Radical Anthropology Group) website. The journal is put together by a group of anthropologists who believe the subject can offer great insight on how the world could be lived and experienced differently, if seen from an anthropological standpoint. They see anthropology as a instinctively radical discipline - so whilst you may (or may not!) consider some of their material difficult to agree with, it is always thought-provoking, and a useful addition to the discussion of what anthropology's role should be in wider society. This issue opens with an article on how we can learn about conservation from the Yaka people of Congo-Brazzaville.


SATURDAY 11TH OCTOBER - Projecting Iran

On Sunday I'll be visiting a new collection of works by the Iranian-American artist Taraneh Hemami called 'Evocations'. The exhibition, being held at the Rose Issa Projects gallery in Kensington, contains a variety of her projects, many of which look at the crossover between visual representation and identity - namely how stereotypical perceptions are created and what relation they have to 'reality'. The subject matter ranges from terrorists to heroes to children, and you can view a few of the pictures on the gallery website. Rose Issa Projects is open between Tuesday and Saturday from 13.00 and 18.00.




SUNDAY 12TH OCTOBER - Musical remix

You will have seen that I mentioned the new series on BBC2 a couple of weeks ago - Amazon. Now, in collaboration with Survival International (the organisation that campaigns for indigenous peoples' rights) they have released an album - Songs for Survival - of collaborative songs between famous musicians and various different groups from around the world. So, for example, Hot Chip are linked with the Babongo tribe, and Mike Oldfield with the Anuta. It's a fundraising and awareness-raising exercise that takes an ambitious approach. Several of the staff at Survival have backgrounds in anthropology, and there is a lot of information on their website to find out more about their work and the communities they work with.


MONDAY 13TH OCTOBER - What goes on behind the canvas?

Today I'll be getting hold of a copy of the new book, 'Seven Days in the Art World', written by 'ethnographer' Sarah Thornton. It takes a behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary art community, which Thornton says has become a 'belief structure for atheists', in that it provides a space to have meaningful experiences. You can find out more about her work on her website, which includes some video interviews with the author. Each chapter looks at a different event from an ethnographer's-eye-view, but not everyone is a fan of her work - as you can read in this review here. She has also previously written about notions of authenticity in rave culture if that floats your boat - I'd certainly like someone to explain my dancing style to me...





TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER - A class apart

A good example of how the work of anthropologists can be applied to the 'real world' is provided by Dr Gillian Evans from Manchester University. She investigates the effect classifications of 'class' can have on peoples' lives, and last week commented on a new survey that claimed Barrow, in Cumbria, was the 'most working class town in Britain', based on the number of working men's clubs, bookmakers and fish and chip shops for the local population! Although the survey was done slightly tongue-in-cheek, Dr Evans has spent several years looking at the expression and effects of class in the UK, and how it is reproduced - you can watch an interview with her here. She thinks that the way we understand and define class needs to be urgently researched to ensure extremist groups with socially divisive views do not come to the fore - see also her comments on Radio 4's Thinking Allowed here.

WEDNESDAY 15TH OCTOBER - Something fishy's going on

Come Wednesday afternoon I'll be down at the Royal Anthropological Institute in Central London for the latest in their series of screenings and talks by anthropological film-makers. Today they will be showing extracts from the BBC series 'Trawlermen', directed by former anthropology student Tom Shehan, who will be answering questions afterwards. The screening begins at 18.15 and entrance is FREE - refreshments will be provided. To whet your appetite, you can view clips from the films on youtube, for example here, and some of the films are also on the BBC iplayer.