Malaysia Day 2025 celebrations in Butterworth are set to draw 10,000 attendees with a cultural showcase. The event features a 30-minute show blending Joget Joghee, Chinese Opera, and Boria art forms. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will attend the ceremony, where he will sign the Malaysia Day 2025 Commemorative Book alongside Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya. The grand musical finale will feature Ella, Suki Low, Roshini Balachandran, Dabra Sia, and Rezza Shah, accompanied by the Malaysian Traditional Orchestra from Istana Budaya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the International Museum Expo 2023 on May 18 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The expo is part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day, with a theme of 'Museums, Sustainability and Well Being'. During the programme, Modi will unveil various exhibits, including a virtual walkthrough of the upcoming National Museum at North and South Blocks. The expo will also feature a mascot, graphic novel, directory of Indian museums, pocket map of Kartavya Path, and museum cards.
Korean writer Park Chun-hue and American composer Will Aronson will receive the 2025 Asia Game Changer Award at a ceremony in New York on October 15. The award recognizes their work on the musical "Maybe Happy Ending", which won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The Ara Güler Museum in Ankara has opened a comprehensive exhibition of Robert Capa's work, showcasing his 22-year career as one of the most influential photojournalists of the 20th century. The exhibition, curated by Tuana Pulak, highlights Capa's assignments for Time magazine in 1946, including his two and a half month-long coverage of Istanbul's mosques, palaces, Ankara Hippodrome, the Victory Monument and portraits of rural life across Anatolia.
Researchers have solved a decades-old mystery surrounding the iconic Jackson Pollock painting, "Mural on Indian Red Ground". By analyzing scrapings of turquoise blue paint using lasers to scatter light and measure the vibrations of its molecules, scientists have determined that the vibrant color is actually a result of the interaction between the paint and the museum's lighting system. This breakthrough resolves a long-standing question about the origins of the blue pigment, which had previously been characterized as a rare and exotic substance.
Sheikha Hoor brings Palestine to Japan's Aichi Triennale 2025, featuring 14 Arab artists under UAE leadership. The exhibition highlights the cultural exchange between the two countries, with a focus on Palestinian art and culture. This move is seen as an effort to strengthen ties between the UAE and Japan, with the UAE's population exceeding 11 million. The Aichi Triennale 2025 is a significant event in the art world, showcasing Arab artists and their work to a Japanese audience.
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra's season opener, "Silken Notes of the Pipa", skillfully showcased the versatility of the pipa instrument. The concert, held on September 12 and 13, highlighted the musical instrument's ability to transcend geographical and cultural borders along the ancient Silk Road. Guest soloist Akiko Kubota demonstrated her mastery of the Japanese satsuma-biwa, creating distinctive sounds by plucking and rubbing the strings with a large plectrum.
Spotify has faced criticism for allowing AI-generated music on its platform, with some artists claiming the company is exploiting copyrighted works. A report published last December in Harper's Magazine alleged Spotify supplements playlists with "ghost artists" to decrease royalty payouts. The Velvet Sundown, a band revealed as AI-generated, had over 400,000 monthly Spotify listeners in just one month. A study released last December estimated that without intervention from policymakers, people working in music could lose up to 25% of their income to AI by 2028, amounting to €4 billion. Many artists, including Nick Cave and Paul McCartney, have called on the UK government to change copyright laws amid the threat of AI.
Tamil Nadu has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with France's Centre-Val de Loire region to facilitate cultural exchange and collaboration between artists, organizations, and establishments in both regions. The agreement aims to promote tourism, public policy, conservation of traditional knowledge, and archaeology, with a focus on maintaining museums. As part of the celebration, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin presented the Living Craft Treasure Award to seven artisans over 65 years old, who received a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and other accolades. Additionally, Stalin presented the Poompuhar State Awards to 10 artisans over 30 years old, who received a cash prize of ₹50,000 and other honors.