Microsoft Helps Revive Notre Dame with Digital Replica
7.23.25
Microsoft is providing key AI assistance to French startup Iconem to create a digital replica of Notre Dame Cathedral, which will be made available to scientists and the public. The project aims to preserve the cathedral's details for future generations. Microsoft has previously collaborated with Iconem on a similar project in Rome, creating a digital twin of Saint Peter's Cathedral. The technology used allows for detailed examination of the cathedral's mosaics, including those 120 meters above the ground. The digital replica is expected to be displayed at the Notre Dame Museum, which was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2023.
My Chemical Romance has added a second concert in Kuala Lumpur after their first show sold out quickly. The new concert will take place on May 1, 2026, at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. Tickets for the second show will go on sale on August 1, 2025, and can be purchased via golive-asia.com or the GoLive Ticketing App.
A US federal appeals court has ruled that Bored Ape Yacht Club nonfungible tokens (NFTs), digital assets depicting cartoon monkeys, are eligible for protection under trademark law. The ruling was made by the Ninth Circuit Court and is significant as it recognizes NFTs as commercial goods that can be protected by trademark law.
Filipino pop group SB19 is set to perform in Singapore on August 24, marking their return to the city-state after their debut in November 2022 at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel in Resorts World Sentosa. As one of the most awarded P-pop acts, SB19 has made history by becoming the first Southeast Asian act nominated at the Billboard Music Awards and has won numerous top honors including Artist of the Year at the Philippine's Myx Music Awards and Asia's Boy Group of the Year at the 2025 Music Rank Asian Choice Awards in Japan.
Seventeen has achieved significant success in Japan, ranking among the highest-selling artists in the country during the first half of 2025. The group will perform at various venues across Japan as part of their world tour, including the Vantelin Dome Nagoya and Kyocera Dome Osaka, with additional stops to be announced later. This marks Seventeen's first new world tour since their "Right Here" tour concluded in February earlier this year.
The US government is struggling to establish a strong foundation for arts policy, with a cabinet-level department of arts and culture lacking. A robust National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is seen as a crucial step forward, but its funding is currently inadequate. The NEH and other federal arts programs face significant challenges in receiving sufficient support due to shifting political priorities.
Corvi-Mora Showcases Packer, Brice, Yiadom-Boakye Works
7.22.25
A recent exhibition at Corvi-Mora in London featured works by Jennifer Packer, including her 2023 piece "Procession." In contrast, Lisa Brice's 2021 work "Untitled (After Valloton)" was showcased at the gallery. Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's 2024 "To Improvise a Mountain" is also on display. The exhibition highlights the diverse styles of these artists, including British painter Walter Sickert, whose 1896-98 piece "The Blackbird of Paradise" is part of the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection.
Elsa Ngai's Murals Inspired by Ancient Chinese Art
7.22.25
This summer's exhibitions in Hong Kong are showcasing the work of young artists exploring identity and tradition through their art. The "Art Actions: Our Youth Our Future" exhibition at Hart Haus features three Hong Kong awardees, including Elsa Ngai Se-ngaa, who received the Hart Award for promising artists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Ngai's works, Transformation I and Transformation II, are inspired by ancient murals in the Mogao Caves in China's Gansu province, a cultural reference that has gained popularity among Hong Kong artists.
Flag-Waving Incident Rocks Royal Opera House Performance
7.22.25
A performer at the Royal Opera House in London briefly scuffled with someone backstage after holding a Palestinian flag on stage during the final performance of "Il Trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi. The opera company described the action as an unauthorized and inappropriate act, not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera. Director Adele Thomas' production reinterpreted the story of desire and a curse.