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Porcelain was invented in medieval China—but its secret recipe was first reproduced in Europe by an alchemist in the employ of the Saxon king Augustus the Strong.
Saxony’s revered Meissen factory could not keep porcelain’s ingredients secret for long, however, and scores of Roman princes quickly founded their own mercantile manufactories, soon to be rivaled by private entrepreneurs, eager to make not art but profits.
As porcelain’s uses multiplied and its price plummeted, it lost much of its identity as aristocratic ornament, instead taking on a vast number of banal, yet even more culturally significant, roles.
By the 19th and 20th centuries, it became essential to bourgeois dining, and also acquired new functions in insulator tubes, shell casings, and teeth.
This fascinating book presents the first cultural history and anthropology of the face across centuries, continents, and media. Ranging from funerary masks and masks in drama to the figural work of contemporary artists including Cindy Sherman and Nam June Paik, renowned art historian Hans Belting emphasizes that while the face plays a critical role in human communication, it defies attempts at visual representation.
Belting divides his book into three parts: Faces as masks of the self, portraiture as a constantly evolving mask in Western culture, and the fate of the face in the age of mass media.
When, where, why, and how did life stop being exciting and straightforward? We’ve taken on so much stress and worry. all the time. but why? for what?
In Let’s talk, Art Rios talks about how to make life exciting, easier, exceptional, and filled with pleasures.
It’s straight talk about modern times.
Simple ways to unwind and enjoy life.
Let’s talk is about anything and everything. from happy hour to self-realization. From pursuing pleasures to pandemics to decluttering your life. From gratitude and kindness to lazy Sundays.
Whether you’re 18 or 80, it’s never too late to make the most of your life. Join art and start talking about how to make your life an all-out blast.
“The 48 Laws of Power” is a nonfiction book written by American author and playwright Robert Greene.
The book holds 3,000 years of knowledge about mastering the art of seduction and deception in order to secure power over others.
“The 48 Laws of Power” proposes various means to that end, inferred from historical figures and strategists of great influence such as Niccolo Machiavelli, Sun Tzu and Henry Kissinger.
One of the most prominent laws is the first, which states that an individual must “never outshine the master.”
This law suggests that if your proposed ideas are better than your superior, make sure to attribute this idea to them instead of yourself. Greene explains that disguising your power is a form of strength rather than weakness.
Law 12 teaches the reader to “use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.”
Greene exemplifies this law by introducing the intention and disguise of the Trojan horse.
Law 13 states that “when asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude.”
While it seems self-explanatory, this law explains that asking for help is inevitable and realistic. But to get a positive response, make sure to appeal to how, by helping you, another person will serve themselves even more.
Greene’s international bestsellers include “The 33 Strategies of War,” “The 50th Law,” “The Art of Seduction,” “Mastery” and “The Laws of Human Nature.”
After attending the University of California, Berkeley, he earned his bachelor’s degree in classical studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Greene moved to Europe after graduating and in 1998, during his time in Italy, he published “The 48 Laws of Power” which has sold more than 1.2 million copies and been translated into 24 languages.
MADINAH: More than 200 publishers and other related organizations are taking part in the inaugural Madinah Book Fair, which began on Thursday at the King Salman bin Abdelaziz Center for Exhibitions and Conferences.
During the opening ceremony, Mohammed Hassan Alwan, the CEO of event organizer the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, said: “The commission is seeking to build its role in the book fair industry based on partnership and integration foundations, and we also aim to provide the people of the city with a renewed cultural scene, and we hope to offer the publishing industry beneficial, culturally and economically viable book fairs.
“We are keen that the city book fair will be an annual exhibition with a distinctive position on the map of Arab book fairs.”
The 10-day event, held under the patronage of Madinah’s governor, Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, continues until June 25. It includes workshops, cultural and theatrical programs and events for children that offer a window into the creation of literature and the publishing industry.
In a message posted on June 6 on Twitter, the official account of Saudi Book Fairs wrote: “In the heart of Medina the cultural program activities of the #Madinah_Book_Fair_2022 are launched to provide an integrated knowledge journey that promises visitors a unique cultural experience.”
Organizers said the event aims to enhance the cultural status of Madinah, boost the Saudi publishing sector, encourage cultural exchanges between countries, provide an integrated journey for readers, and highlight the role of reading in raising awareness and improving quality of life.
Eleven nations are participating in the fair: 10 Arab countries — Kuwait, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, UAE, Oman, Mauritania, Jordan, Egypt and Sudan — and the UK.
Among the more than 200 publishers and related organizations taking part, more than 80 are from the Kingdom, including universities, research centers, foundations, commissions, bookstores and libraries. The event attracted huge crowds on day one.
Amir Alsaiegh, a 46-year-old literature lecturer and self-professed bibliophile, told Arab News: “I came today with two suitcases to fill them with book selections which I came to pick from the fair.
“I have a long list for today and I am glad about the huge number of publishing houses available here. The fair exceeded my expectations.”
Ibtihal Al-Jabri, 17, visited the fair with her three sisters who, like her, are all book lovers.
“I was so excited for the book fair when they first announced it two weeks ago,” she said.
Her sister Nouf, 22, added: “This event is the first of its kind in Madinah; I have been waiting for it for so many years. I love it and am willing to come here every day.”
The attractions included immersive offerings in Arabic and English for children, including educational theatrical shows and workshops on topics such as storytelling, handicrafts, drawing, writing, interactive reading, heritage arts, Arabic calligraphy and philosophy.
Six-year-old Samia Al-Nahdi said: “I love reading. I came today with my parents because they like reading, like me.”
Madinah Book Fair is part of the Book Fair Initiatives, one of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission’s strategic initiatives that aims to stage fairs across the Kingdom to give Saudi readers a chance to explore works published by local, Arab and international publishers and learn about the latest developments in the publishing industry.
To accompany the start of the book fair, two other events took place on Thursday. The first was the opening of a new museum at King Abdul Aziz Complex for Waqf Libraries, which was inaugurated by Prince Faisal.
Fahad Al-Wahbi, the organization’s secretary-general, told Arab News: “Today, the complex is participating in this museum, which aims to shed light on a group of important archaeological and historical collectibles, which vary from ancient manuscripts, some of which date back thousands of years, to rare precious Qur’ans that represent different historical periods, and collectibles from the Prophet’s Mosque.”
The other event involved the King Salman Charter for Architecture and Urbanism, an organization that celebrates the essence of Salmani Architecture, which has organized an exhibition that was first staged in Riyadh before touring Jeddah, Abha and Dhahran, and has now arrived in Madinah.
Sumaya Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission at the Ministry of Culture, told Arab News: “We have also taken it to Expo Dubai 2021, and we are taking it internationally because this is an international methodology that we think is applicable anywhere.
“It is one of 33 initiatives that we have in the Architecture and Design Commission. It is one of the earliest and most important, given the extent and impact that we anticipate.”
She said the exhibition aims to reflect the fact that “the experience we have had in Riyadh city through the patronage of King Salman has been so influential that there has been a development of identity within the city of Riyadh through multiple projects that we have seen.
“From an architectural point of view, the charter displayed a masterpiece that has gained international recognition. There are six values within the charter that are guiding principles, including continuity and authenticity, … the individual and community (and) the last values are related to innovation and sustainability.”
While colleges and universities have been lauded for increasing student diversity, these same institutions have failed to achieve any comparable diversity among their faculty.
In 2017, of the nation’s full-time, tenure-track and tenured faculty, only 3 percent each were Black men, Black women, Hispanic men, and Hispanic women. Only 6 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander men, 5 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander women, and one percent were American Indian/Alaska Native.
Why are the numbers so abysmal? In Doing the Right Thing, Marybeth Gasman takes a hard, insightful look at the issues surrounding the recruitment and hiring of faculty of color.