(Image credit: The Kinkade Family Foundation)Beloved by many, despised by others, Thomas Kinkade’s quaint rustic scenes and his wholesome image belied a dark and tortured story that contrasts with his ‘sugary’ artworks.Thomas Kinkade was one of the best-selling artists in history, as well as one of the most divisive. When he died in 2012, the American painter had been rocked by business problems, but at his commercial peak a decade earlier, his company was bringing in more than $100m a year. And yet his work was despised by many critics – not because it was blasphemous or obscene, but because,…
Author: Ewang Johnson
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South Africa is collaborating with the World Bank on a $3 billion initiative to revitalize urban infrastructure in eight major cities, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. These cities have experienced challenges, ranging from power outages and water shortages to degraded road networks and waste management systems. Under the plan, the World Bank will provide $1 billion in funding, with the remaining $2 billion coming from the South African government. An additional $6 billion, generated from municipal revenue and borrowing, will be provided under the Metro Services Trading Program, bringing the fund’s total to $9 billion. To secure a grant…
“So what good is power if it is a source of constant worry and fear? Like any of the rest of us, kings would like to live out their lives without these kinds of worries, but they cannot. And they boast of their powers. But if you see a man who cannot accomplish what he wants to do, do you think of him as powerful?”—Lady Philosophy in The Consolation of PhilosophyI have long since taken to calling the first Tuesday in November National Alien vs. Predator Day, based on the franchise crossover’s seemingly apt marketing line, “Whoever Wins, We Lose.”…
French movie giant Gérard Depardieu on Tuesday gave his first testimony in a Paris trial where he is accused of groping two women on a 2021 movie set. The actor acknowledged using vulgar language and grabbing a woman’s hips but denied the sexual assault charges against him, saying his behaviour can sometimes be boorish. Source link
Emmanuel Lafont/ Enrico Cano(Credit: Emmanuel Lafont/ Enrico Cano)The daring, radical Pompidou Centre was derided by many when its design was first unveiled – yet it has continued to influence the architecture of public buildings ever since. As the building approaches a major renovation, its co-creator Renzo Piano recalls the furore.This summer, the Centre Pompidou will close for five years, as Paris’s popular polychrome landmark undergoes changes necessitated by current requirements in terms of health, safety and energy efficiency. French studio Moreau Kusunoki Architects, Mexican practice Frida Escobedo Studio and French engineer AIA Life Designers will undertake a major overhaul of…
Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, the Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, opened the Congo Energy&Investment Forum’s (CEIF) Gala Dinner announcing the premier event will take place for a second edition in 2026. “We commend the excellent organization of CEIF and are pleased to confirm its second edition in 2026. We also aim to host similar events, including one in Pointe-Noire, to further strengthen industry collaboration,” said Minister Itoua. The Gala Dinner, a gathering of high-level energy stakeholders sponsored by Imperatus Energy, including African Ministers and global energy leaders, took center stage as the winners of the prestigious CEIF in…
How should we engage with a holiday that feels both sacred and suspect?Every December, the clash of Christmas traditions and their perceived origins seems to resurface in pop culture and Christian circles alike. Alongside cheerful carolers and festive evergreens are debates about “pagan” roots and the commercialization of the holiday, ensuring that “the most wonderful time of the year” nevertheless remains a season rife with drama. It doesn’t help that neopagans take to social media with discussions about Yuletide traditions and how they were “stolen” by Christianity, while others argue over whether Christmas has drifted too far from its religious…
Join film critic Emma Jones and presenter Eve Jackson on this week’s arts24 film show as we explore the action-comedy “Novocaine” starring Jack Quaid, Nicole Kidman’s “Holland” on Amazon Prime and the critically acclaimed “The Grill” by Alonso Ruizpalacios. Plus, we dive into the legacy of German filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch with a retrospective at the Cinemathèque française. Source link
Serenity Strull/ BBC/ Getty ImagesHow street-style photography has evolved from the Edwardian era to today. Now it is exploding – and turning fashion upside down.Jessica Chastain, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Parker Posey were among the stars attending the recent autumn/winter 2025 Gucci fashion show, but the photographers weren’t chasing them down outside. Instead, they jammed the ancient, moss-cracked alleys of Milan shouting, “Chloe!” “Chloe!”.Getty ImagesChloe King is often snapped in her imaginatively put-together outfits – she has become fashion’s version of a reality star (Credit: Getty Images)”It still makes me nervous,” says the Chloe in question, a Boston-born stylist and retail…
The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) launched a year-long celebration marking the 25th anniversary of their enduring and unique partnership, since the first Africa-Europe Summit on 3-4 April 2000 in Cairo. This milestone, aligned with the Africa Agenda 2063 and the Global Gateway Investment Package for Africa, underscores the powerful impact of two unions representing over 1.9 billion people and accounting for more than 40% of the UN’s membership. In the lead-up to the Ministerial Meeting on 21 May 2025, in Brussels, gathering over 80 governments and the new leadership of both AU and EU, a series of anniversary initiatives will be promoted. These will include joint…
