Tibetan artist Gonkar Gyatso will give a talk at the Spencer Museum of Art at 7 PM Thursday, August 28, tipping off three days of activities in the Lawrence and Kansas City area that will include visits to studios of local artists, talks with KU students and faculty, and a Saturday, August 30 lunchtime conversation at the Kansas City Art Institute’s H & R Block Artspace. The events at the Spencer and the Artspace are free and open to the public. Born in Lhasa in 1961, Gyatso’s artistic career charts the course of contemporary Tibetan history, documenting a creative engagement with what it means to be Tibetan in the 21st century.


More info: KCUR.org events calendar: http://events.publicbroadcasting.net/kcur/events.eventsmain?action=showEvent&eventID=778215

Spencer Museum of Art: http://www.spencerart.ku.edu/gyatso.shtml

Beijing’s Silk Market is full of smooth talkers

Great article by Joe Posnanski in the Kansas City Star!

“You need underwear, yes, you do,” a second woman yelled at me as I wandered aimlessly from one booth to another, steadied only by the presence of my intrepid interpreter, Linjun Fan, who had two purposes: 1. She was here to prevent me from spending my life savings on an “authentic” Chinese fan; 2. She was here to take hilarious video of this clueless American getting fleeced at the Silk Market.

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/758661.html

Dear China Travelers,

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch as many of director Zhang Yimou's films as possible before our departure for China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Yimou

I'll send around a list of his films (by email) and where some of them can be found around town.

A couple of my personal favorites (I haven't seen them all yet) are Raise the Red Lantern and House of Flying Daggers. They are exquisite.

From the BBC

An excellent country profile on contemporary China, specifically on leaders, the media, social unrest and human rights:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1287798.stm


Also, a modern timeline with audio and video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1288392.stm