The role of the artist in any culture is a complex one, but some places have a history that recognizes the importance of their contributions to local and world culture. If Manila is anything, it’s creative. The dense and vibrant city reads like a radical experiment in ideas. Some are moving in mad and furious directions, and others lap lightly at the edges of the soul, inspiring the receptive to tune into the urgent music of the moment.

Artists like Danny Sillada have a unique tuning instrument, that makes him able to listen to multiple channels at one time. He works in many directions at once, in each of the forms in which he’s proficient, and he often works in several forms at the same time. Whether it’s painting, video, music, or any number of performance experiments, visitors to the Manila hotels will have the chance to see interesting work.

There are many other artists in town worth looking at, and some work with the same blend of sacred intention and pop culture that Sillada plays with, but the artists and each of their works is as unique as a fingerprint. The fortunate visitors that might stay a little past their expected departure, holing up for another night or two in the hotel suites , may have more chances to see the work come to life. It’s a city that’s well worth knowing, and it’s impossible to see it all in one visit.

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Manila’s Danny Sillada

On a recent trip to San Diego, California I had more than a great time. In fact, you might even say the trip changed my life. And that’s a bit of a laughable dramatic statement I also believe that it might be true. Might isn’t the word, it is true and here’s say. I went with my good friend Carl who had agreed to teach me how to surf. His cousin owns a great condo on the beach and Carl house-sits for him every summer while his cousin is on vacation. Well, he was recently asked to fly out for a weekend because his Cousin had a business trip to go on and wanted to Carl to take care of his new puppy. Carl invited me to go with him, and while that’s not something I would normally pass up I was scheduled to work that weekend and it took some major negotiation to get it off. Meanwhile, to kind of up that anti, as if a free trip and great accommodations, after all I couldn’t find a cheaper San Diego hotel Carl promised to teach me how to surf while we were there.

So, that’s actually not the most interesting part, though it is certainly associated with it. It turns out that I really didn’t catch on well to surfing, well maybe it’s because I didn’t end up getting much of a chance. While Carl was giving me a demonstration, a quite impressive one by the way, I sat on the beach and watched. As I was sitting there on my towel a little brown dog came running up to me with a leash dangling behind. I talked to the dog and petted it so that it would stay with me until I saw some sign of a leash less hand and worried face. That didn’t take long and not only was the approaching face worried it was also beautiful.

The owner of the dog and beautiful face is named Paul and he and I started talking while he thanked me for grabbing Pooch, if you can believe that’s what he named his dog. We seemed to hit it off immediately and then he mentioned that he had an extra ticket for The Old Globe’s production of a new musical called Whisper House. Well, I didn’t whisper my response though I also tried not to sound too eager. Meanwhile I forgot all about Carl and walked off to get some coffee and pastry with Paul and Pooch. We had a great conversation and I had wonderful time at the theatre. It turns out that Paul has a time-share in San Diego and visits frequently. Thanks to Carl’s cousin I can visit whenever I want as well. Paul and I talk on the phone regularly and of course email everyday. I don’t know where it will lead but I’m certainly willing to follow the possibilities.

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Love on the Beach and Great Theatre in San Diego

There was a lot of talk in some circles about the Warhol exhibition in Singapore.  It happened in 2007, which is proof that the world did not freeze in its tracks, or implode, and it certainly didn’t stop anyone from making ironic art.  It’s difficult to know whether the audience had embraced the work, or if it was something that was an already always.  There wasn’t the lively buzz in restaurants all over Singapore when it opened, but then again, it wasn’t received with with indifference either.

Then again, perhaps it’s hard to know what would get a response in the restaurants.  The food here is so exquisite, with some of the best flavors all over the world in one place.  I’ve always loved Chinese food, and found Indian food to be absolute heaven, so whenever I’m in Singapore I really don’t remember the dinner conversation.  Chances are, I’m always in such a swoony state that I could just as easily discuss boy bands and hair bands as easily as the stuff of international art.  It really doesn’t matter.  That place does something very wonderful to my senses, and opens up my taste buds in new and, for me, rather significant ways.

I am not sure if this is what Andy would have wanted, either, and am even less convinced he would have cared.  He did seem genuinely fascinated by things, by phenomena, and by cultural movements.  He was much more interested in trends than in actual people, although celebrities were always high on his list.  Personally, I had hoped for a much more profound reaction from the gallery-hoppers in Singapore when they saw the hundred or so works by the master of pop art, but in retrospect, when you can talk over such magnificent food, boy bands will also suffice.  And more appropriate, really, in Warhol’s world.

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Warhol in Singapore

There are plenty of fantastic things that draw people to Hong Kong.  Hotel accommodations are some of the finest in the world, situated as they are in one of the most stylish places.  We have carefully selected these hotels for their high standards of excellence in design and comfort.  Service here is also extremely exemplary, with a staff that is both friendly and very knowledgeable about the complexities of Hong Kong.  There is a splendid blend of old world hospitality with new world features and amenities, that will put you in the heart of class and luxury, without sacrificing convenience.  This will ensure you that your comfort is our primary concern, so that you can feel a sense of rejuvenation that will leave you ready to enjoy the pleasures of Hong Kong.

This is an urban center that has a vibrant heartbeat, living on the cusp of new developments in culture and technology.  It is a heady mix of cultures and styles, and offers something wonderful for visitors of all ages.  There are sight-seeing tours, people watching, museums and galleries, and all kinds of live performance.  With a steady supply of shows, as well as a dizzying array of local events, festivals, and celebrations, Hong Kong is a spectator’s heaven.  For pure spectacle in art, with a large dose of content, there is no one working in the contemporary scene quite like Danny Yung.

Danny Yung has a remarkable career as a theatre director in Hong Kong, and produces some of its most visually-stunning works.  His Book of Ghosts at last year’s Hong Kong Arts Festival was one of the most anticipated new works, and it did not disappoint.  Utilizing a fantastic and diverse ensemble of performers, all masters of their craft, this was an investigation into the nature of ghosts through theatre and dance.  Like most of his works, it was both stunning as well as philosophically complex, offering something for general audiences as well as for the most jaded theater-goer.  Danny Yung was born in Shanghai and grew up in Hong Kong.  He has lived and worked internationally as a multi-disciplinary artists, and is one of Hong Kong’s treasures.

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Hong Kong’s Danny Yung

As a kid I had a large coin collection. The coins came from all over the world. Many of them my grandfather brought home from his travels. Before I was born my grandfather was traveling to Europe on business’s on a regular basis. This was in the times of propeller planes bumping their was across the Atlantic low enough to see the white caps on the ocean. These coins came in many shapes, sizes and materials. Some of the coins had writing on the edges. I though that was very interesting since all the coins I had seen to date were smooth on the edge or had ridges. I particularly remember a large coin from Greece with the Greek script adorned the edge. A short distance from my Barcelona Spain Hotel was an exhibit of old European coins. Greek and Roman coins with the faces of Caesars and emperors. Napoleonic era coins depicting and commemorating events. Coins of gold, silver, copper, bronze and other metals. I recall having a bunch of European coins struck in aluminium. These were so light weight and strange to me. It wasn’t until years latter I learned these coins were struck post World War II during high inflationary post war Europe when the countries could not afford to mint coins in precious metals. Coins have existed for centuries and currency for thousands of years. Some of the earliest coins are beads used as trade for goods and services for more than 10,000 years. My coin collection taught me a lot about the world. Geography as I learned where in the world the coin came from. History as the faces adorning the coins would change in some countries and through commemorative coins. Economies ups and downs as the coins changed in size and materials used.

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A Spanish Coin

We started at the Opera House because it just seems to magnetically draw you toward it plus it’s in every picture of Sydney anyone has ever seen and we were just awed by the architecture. As we hovered around the building taking snap shots (can you say that with a digital camera?) we kept noticing the Sidewalk cafe and popped in for some satay chicken and Thai salad with prawns and the obligatory glass of wine or two. the view here is extraordinary, and we could see Sydney Harbor and relaxed in on the terrace.

There’s a path we can walk to the ferry dock to Circular Quay over the Harbor Bridge which I found out has over six million rivets and opened in 1932. Ask at a hotel Sydney Australia furnishes on how to get there, but it’s easy. WE found out one can climb to the top. We like heights having been to the CN Tower in Toronto and other sights so we went for it. From up there we could see everything, especially many beaches (I found out there are over one hundred sixty beaches in Sydney, in case you were wondering.) Since I once had a Bondi Blue computer once, we decided to go to Bondi Beach. I the famous one you see on on video with sand of gold and lifeguards. Apparently there’s a bit of a rip tide and so I just decided to stay out of the water for this one until we came across the ocean swimming pool that’s set off from the wild water. I must say it was a delight to swim in the Southern Hemisphere. There’s a trail that runs along the cliffs and brings yo out to quiet bays. WE made it back and by then the waves had started to get big and I watched as the water knocked down more than a few swimmers who tried, who knows why, to head out to the ocean.

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Sydney Sights

I thought while I was visiting a friend who was attending the University of Cambridge, that I would audition for the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival. I’ve been in a few Shakespeare plays while I was in highschool and I wondered if I have what it takes to be a Shakespearean actor. But, first I thought I’d check out some performances during the Festival, to see if I really might have a chance.

The Festival has become a significantly cultural event here in Cambridge. I can expect a crowd upwards of 25,000 people coming for the productions which will run eight week long. Since the city naturally attracts people here, the Festival has benefited and has acquired not only a national dimension, but an international one too. That can be a little intimidating, for one who thinks they can perform in a Shakespeare play, like me.

My evening at the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival was a unique experience for me. Prior the the performance, members of the audience are allowed to picnic in the idyllic setting. I didn’t know that, but I sat back anyway to enjoy an evening of a very dynamic a visual theater experience. I read in the program that the artistic policy of the Festival strips away unnecessary theatrical artifice and gimmickry. The Company exist only to provide access for all to marvel at the works without assuming any prior knowledge of the author or the play being performed that night. This I found intimidating too. No gimmickry?

I was really impress with the elegant amphitheater of Robinson College. It was an ideal setting for Shakespeare’s fast paced comedy-tragedy and masquerades. As I left the theater and headed back to my Cambridge Hotel, I knew I didn’t stand a chance if I auditioned for next years Festival. These actors were so fabulously good. So believable. I loved every minute of it. But, I wasn’t disappointed with myself, instead I was glad to know there was such marvellous talent out in the world.

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Shakespeare in Cambridge

Sunday morning we drove through Torquay, right past several caravan sites and past houses called ‘Montana’ in Paignton. We arrived in Brixham were we had reservation at one of the Brixham Hotels. We were excited, because we were not too far from Riviera country. We didn’t bother to unpack, we wanted to take a walk to the port which wasn’t too far from our hotel.

We watched fresh catches being unloaded from the boats and then even before the fish barely stopped wriggling, they were thrown on top of the charcoal grill which my friend and I were sitting in front of at the counter of one of the many shacks strewn along the shore. After delighting in eating the freshest grilled fish we’ve ever had, we walked up a winding road called Station Hill. We were surrounded on both sides by window boxes which really let us know we were in a very Provencal town.

William of Orange landed here in Brixham on his way to claim the throne. There’s even a placard pointing out where William of Orange fell off his boat and broke his nose. My friend, who is a scholar, begged to differ, saying it’s just a tourist gig, and it’s not true that the Dutchman fell and broke his nose.  Despite if the story is true or not, I really liked just how underdeveloped Brixham is. It didn’t feel like a tourist trap or a tourist destination. We later, found a place to have lunch before we checked out ‘Art in Action,’ a place where we could, if we wanted to chisel away at a stone piece. We passed up on the offer.

That evening we watched The Bohemians play at the Aquaculture Festival. A leaflet which was distributed boasts that The Bohemians are the only Queen tribute band that really resembles the actual members of the four Queen members. We didn’t know what the Queen members looked like, so we can’t tell you if that is true, but we did enjoy them all the same. We called it a early evening and went back to our hotel room to get some much needed rest before the next days drive.

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Brixham Orange Queen

I’m an opera fan and a very passionate opera fan. But, just the other day I was treated to High-Definition simulcast to ‘Salome,’ by Strauss. Yes, a high-definition simulcast. A good friend of mine invited me saying he had Theater Tickets to the opera and would I like to join him. Naturally, I accepted. But, I was surprised that I met him at a movie theater. I was stunned to say the least.

Apparently, opera simulcasts in movie theaters seems to be very popular. I day we went, the movie theater was full, sold out. I was truly intrigued and felt like I was a part of a high-tech cultural happening, instead of being a part of the social elite. I was really pleased with the simulcast too. Currently, there are two opera companies that are participating in this live performance: The Opera Boston and the Boston Lyric Opera.  But now, I’ve heard, that the Met is on line, which thrills me to no end. I now don’t have to fly into New York to see a certain opera, I can now, see which of my local movie theaters in Boston will be doing the simulcast.

I’m a converted ‘live’ opera audience member and now consider myself an opera movie goer. It’s so much more comfortable, saves me money, and if I choose, I can sneak in some takeout Chinese food. I do wonder if the opera’s will be able to keep up the simulcasts, because they will be losing season ticket holders. I found out that the Boston theater showing the opera simulcast are seven and sold about 21,000 tickets, but comparison, the entire attendance for all the 18 opera’s performed on the main-stage was 24,000. But, my worries seem to have no bearing. The opera houses do not simulcast every production. So, for now, I’ll keep my good standing season tickets, and build up a taste for popcorn.

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Movie Theater Tickets for Opera

The mural paintings in Thailand are characteristically Asian, ignoring perspective and focusing on composition and line, and for many years appeared as only design and decoration in the temples, palaces and Thailand luxury hotels. Or in smaller venues, as book illustrations. The figures in a scene of a Thai painting varied in size depending on the their significance and importance. The negative space was not given much importance and remained neutral in tone and color, with two dimensional figures painted atop. Throughout the years they have enhanced many walls in the country, with religious images and royal stories.

Painters of Thailand murals were restricted for many years, to just the use of five colors, white, black, red, ultra-marine and yellow ochre. They did blend the colors in order to find more range, and bound the pigments with glue. With just those five colors they managed to paint brilliantly colored banners, murals and illustrations. Of the older murals that have survived on city walls, those in Bangkok and Thon Buri remain well preserved. Over the years, various paints were imported from China, and the chemical additions to the tubes served to increase the number of colors and values, and to bring a richness and a vibrancy to the works.

Thai painters have adapted technologically speaking, and have adopted many tools used by Western artists, still keeping the traditional set of values from which they paint from. Many of the works have transformed from simple story illustrations into significant works of art. One artist that combined traditional modes with modern techniques successfully was the well known Thai portrait painter, Chakrapan Posayakrit. Another painter who experimented with the fusion of the traditional and modern ‘way’, is Tawan Dachanee. Both managed to create their own styles, in the midst of conformity. The paintings have gradually moved from being only illustrations for religious stories, decorating the walls in honor of the royal and religious aesthetics, to art for art’s sake. For the beauty of the work.

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Paintings and Painters of Thailand