Ritwik Ghatak's Legacy Honored at IFFM 2025 Festival
7.29.25
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 is honoring filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak's 100th birth anniversary with retrospectives and tributes to celebrate his work. A renowned director, screenwriter, actor, and playwright, Ghatak's contributions have left a lasting impact on world cinema, particularly in his exploration of partition, social realities, and feminism through films like "Meghe Dhaka Tara" and "Subarnarekha". The festival will feature panel discussions and academic tributes to celebrate his legacy and introduce his work to new global audiences.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, has opened an exhibit titled "Yakyu / Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game". The exhibit spans over 150 years, from Japan's Meiji Era (1868-1912) to the present day. It features a 167-square-meter display showcasing Japanese players as disciplined warriors in samurai armor. The exhibition is organized around four main narratives, providing a rich and visual story about the connection between Japan and America's shared love of baseball.
Singaporean Designer Advocates for User-Centered Design
7.29.25
Dawn Lim, a Singaporean designer, emphasizes the importance of good design in everyday life, citing her personal experiences navigating hospital bureaucracy and encountering inaccessible facilities like locked wheelchair-accessible toilets. She believes that good design should prioritize user experience, removing "cognitive load" and making daily interactions seamless. In contrast, bad design can be easily spotted, such as the exclusionary practice of locking wheelchair-accessible toilets in shopping malls. Lim highlights examples of Singapore's good design, including the efficient Parking.sg app and Changi Airport's streamlined processes. She also showcases innovative projects like the "digital twin" of Changi General Hospital's emergency department, which enables real-time operations simulations to improve patient experience. Lim stresses that creativity is not limited to grand ideas but can be found in everyday initiatives, such as Repair Kopitiam's repair culture program and Singapore's NEWater process. She advocates for a mindset shift, encouraging courage and confidence in creative thinking from an early age, and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging caregivers' emotional journeys during healthcare experiences.
Singaporeans Imagine Future at SG60 Heart&Soul Experience
7.29.25
The SG60 Heart&Soul Experience is an immersive storytelling event in Singapore that invites visitors to imagine their future through interactive installations and personalized narratives. The exhibition, co-organized by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the National Library Board (NLB), features a 60-90 minute ticketed experience at Orchard Library, accompanied by non-ticketed installations at Orchard Central and Gateway. Visitors can create a personalized avatar using their photo or select from a curated library, which will be used to generate a video trailer of themselves in the future. The exhibition is powered by generative AI and aims to inspire optimism and confidence in Singaporeans as they look ahead to the next 60 years.
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting on a unique art installation at one of Sydney's busiest metro stations, where an artwork is taking flight above the platform, captivating commuters. The artist has created this interactive piece to challenge people's perceptions of space and create a sense of wonder.
A public art project featuring moose sculptures in Toronto's downtown area was a success, according to artist Teri Donovan. The project, which included works by multiple artists with diverse styles, was inspired by then-mayor Mel Lastman and McDonald's Canada founder George Cohon. One of the sculptures, the Bay Street Moose, was auctioned for $25,000, with proceeds going to charity. Artist Davies expressed her enthusiasm for a similar project, citing its inspirational value to the public.
The book "Super Visible" aims to shift focus from comic books to a broader exploration of women characters in history and culture, drawing parallels with scholarly works like Jill Lepore's Wonder Woman biography and Stanley Kubrick's visual compendium. This approach is timely, coinciding with the release of Fantastic Four: The First Steps, starring Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, who plays a pregnant mom figure that reflects the book's goals.
The Association of Pakistan Textile Mills and Manufacturers (APTMA) has written to Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, urging him to correct the gas sector trajectory and curb growing circular debt. APTMA Secretary General Shahid Sattar argued that high gas tariffs have made it uneconomical for textile units to operate Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems, forcing them to shift to grid electricity at a higher cost. The association cited chronic grid instability as another major challenge, with repeated outages causing production losses of over Rs 3 million. APTMA emphasized the efficiency of CHP systems, which offer combined thermal and electrical efficiency of 65-85%, compared to 52% for RLNG-based government plants. The textile industry's stagnant exports and risk of further erosion are threatened by high energy costs and unreliable supply, with global buyers prioritizing low-emission sourcing.
Milwaukee Irish Fest 2025 will feature over 100 music and cultural acts across 18 stages, including performances by Cherish the Ladies, Skerryvore, Strange Boy, and the Gardiner Brothers. The festival will also include a cultural village, shopping marketplace vendors, an Irish language workshop tent, a literary corner, and a theatre pavilion. Traditional Irish fare, Jameson Whiskey areas, Lakefront Brewery firkin taps, and Guinness-flavored donuts from the Tipperary Tea Room will be available. The festival's hours are 5-10 p.m. on Aug. 14, 4-11 p.m. on Aug. 15, noon-11 p.m. on Aug. 16, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Aug. 17.