Culture

'Yesterday' by The Beatles, the Hit Born from a Mysterious Dream

Some songs leave an everlasting mark on the history of music. Melodies that, from the very first notes, transport us to another world. “Yesterday,” an ageless masterpiece by The Beatles, is one of them. But did you know that this legendary ballad was born from a dream and almost never came to light? Let’s revisit the story of this mythical ...

Saudi Islamic Arts Biennale Blends Tradition with Modern Vision

Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artifacts are on display alongside contemporary art pieces, part of the kingdom's bid to transform its ultraconservative image. The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled And All That Is In Between, features as its centerpiece segments of the kiswa, the black cloth ...

New York, Paris, Berlin to Celebrate Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Iconic Art

New York, Paris, and Berlin are celebrating the anniversaries this year of iconic art installations that saw some of their most prominent landmarks wrapped in fabric by the late artists known as Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Forty years ago, the couple enfolded the Pont Neuf, one of Paris’s most beloved bridges, in a silky, sandstone-colored ...

Selim Mouzannar: A Visionary Jeweler Nominated for the GEM Award

French-Lebanese jeweler Selim Mouzannar, known for his exceptional craftsmanship and deep historical expertise, is a nominee for the GEM Award for Jewelry Design. Drawing inspiration from Ottoman and art deco influences, his creations blend heritage and innovation, redefining contemporary jewelry with timeless elegance. Selim Mouzannar, a name ...

Shakira Kicks Off Her First World Tour in Seven Years

Latin music icon Shakira kicked off her first world tour in seven years on Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, performing songs from her latest album, Las mujeres ya no lloran (Women Don’t Cry Anymore), which recently earned her a Grammy Award. The Colombian singer, known for her eclectic style, set the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium on fire, ...

Deciphering the Ostrich Policy

The expression “burying one’s head in the sand” describes a person who refrains from facing reality. While this phrase does not do justice to ostriches at all, in humans, it involves denial, an unconscious defense mechanism. It consists of refusing to acknowledge an unbearable reality, whether external or internal. We all use this mechanism ...

'Lost in Translation' Returns Two Decades After Its Success

Released in 2003, Lost in Translation quickly became a cult classic, praised for its delicate storytelling and melancholic beauty. Directed by Sofia Coppola, the film follows Bob Harris, a washed-up American actor played by Bill Murray, and Charlotte, a young woman searching for meaning, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson. Against the backdrop of a ...

The Disco French Touch Revolution: A Legacy Revived

A close relative of soul and funk, disco was born in the United States, yet several French musicians and producers helped define its signature sound. One of its most recognizable names is Patrick Hernandez, who set dancefloors on fire in 1978 with Born to Be Alive. However, the true pioneer of this movement—now honored by the Philharmonie de ...

The Hasanlu Lovers: An Embrace That Defies 3,000 Years of History

In 1973, a team of archaeologists excavating the ancient site of Teppe Hasanlu in Iran uncovered a discovery both startling and poignant. Amid the ruins of a city destroyed around 800 BCE, two skeletons lay locked in a final embrace, frozen in time by tragedy. Known as the Hasanlu Lovers, their remains continue to spark debate about their ...

HaHaHouse Museum in Croatia Turns Laughter Into a Remedy

A new museum of laughter is offering to put people through the spinner to wash away the negativity of modern life. Visitors to the HaHaHouse in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, are blasted with a puff of white smoke once they step inside to blow away their worries before climbing into a "giant washing machine." The "centrifuge of life" then whips ...

Two Lebanese Short Films Win Awards at Clermont-Ferrand Festival

Lebanon was the guest of honor at this year’s 47th edition of the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, with a rich program featuring films, discussions and cultural events highlighting Lebanese cinema and its talents. The event was co-organized with the Beirut Film Society, an organization supporting film production and distribution in ...

Transforming Trash into Music: A Paraguayan Orchestra's Journey

Two years ago, Lucas Cantero knew nothing about music. This 16-year-old Paraguayan recently performed in the Lancaster House in London, playing his drum made entirely of recycled waste. "I never imagined music could come from pieces of wood and old X-rays," said Lucas, a member of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura. This group hails from Cateura, ...