Category — United Kingdom

Director/writer/producer Johnnie To, Hong Kong’s prime mover in the crime genre, returns with frequent creative collaborator Wai Ka Fai for a thrilling, complex and psychologically fascinating action-drama.

The idea of an outcast detective who uses unconventional and violent methods to crack cases may feel familiar, but To and Wai give it a fresh and exciting spin: their anti-hero Bun has the power to actually see the personal demons of those he meets.

Given one last chance to prove himself, Bun embarks on a case that requires him to use all of his very special methods.

Mad Detective
Director:  Johnnie To, Wai Ka Fai
Hong Kong/China 2007
89 mins, Cert 15, subtitles

At the ICA, London, 18 - 31 Jul 2008

Technorati Tags: crime genre, film, Hong Kong, ICA, Johnnie To, Mad Detective, Wai Ka Fai, United Kingdom

Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping has a new installation that examines the opium wars, called “Frolic” at London’s Barbican.

From the Barbican website:

Considered one of China’s most established contemporary artists and a well-known figure in the international art world, Huang Yong Ping’s large-scale installations and sculptures symbiotically fuse the conceptual language of contemporary western art with traditional Chinese aesthetics and philosophy.

The central area of the gallery is occupied by a life size sculpture of Lord Palmerston, who served twice as British Prime Minister and is widely considered as the initiator of the Opium Wars in China in 1840 and 1858. The toppled statue lies on an opium bed smoking an exaggeratedly large opium pipe surrounded by a mass of opium balls, scales and storage boxes.

Frolic is on at the Barbican from the 25th June to the 21st September 2008

More on the Barbican website

Technorati Tags: arts, Barbican, China, Chinese artists, Frolic, Huang Yong Ping, London, United Kingdom

The Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester, UK, presents interdisciplinary artist Suki Chan’s film installation project, Interval, from the 10th October to 22nd December 2008 (with a preview on Thursday 9th October 2008).

Interval is a film installation exploring our transient relationships with buildings and the nature of our inhabitation of space and time. With particular reference to two contrasting types of architecture from British and Chinese history and culture, the work uses light, moving image, electronics and sound with mixed media installation to create a sensual experience inviting the viewer to meditate on their relationship to their environment.

Suki Chan was born in Hong Kong and currently lives and works in London. She graduated with BA (Hons) from Goldsmiths College, London in 1999 and is currently completing an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art, London.

Chan has participated in solo and group shows, artist residencies and research projects in the UK and internationally, including Spain (El Tanque), Germany, America, Singapore and China (Museum of Contemporary Art). Recent shows include Sequence and Repetition, bridgeartfair and Jerwood Space, London. Her recent neon installation (Story of Rice 3) is collected by New Walk Museum.

The Chinese Arts Centre website

See below for more information about Interval…

Technorati Tags: artist, British Chinese, Chinese Arts Centre, film installation, Interval, Manchester, Suki Chan

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Previously posted “Monkey : Journey to the West” launched last year at Manchester. From the 24th to the 26th July, this show will come to the Royal Opera House in London.

‘Monkey: Journey to the West is simply enchanting, imbued with a charm, vitality and splendour that outdoes anything you’ll see or hear in the West End, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.’  Daily Telegraph

Monkey: Journey to the West is a new opera for the 21st century directed by the world renowned Chen Shi-Zheng with music composed by Gorillaz award-winning mastermind Damon Albarn and design and animation by Jamie Hewlett based on the ancient Chinese legend of spiritual enlightenment.

This reworked version is a dazzling spectacle involving nearly 40 circus acrobats, martial artists and singers from China with an orchestra of Western and traditional Chinese instruments.

Monkey, headstrong, self-important hero of the story, is hatched from a stone egg on the Mountain of Flower and Fruit. After crossing the all-powerful Buddha, Monkey is given the opportunity to redeem himself by travelling to India with the young monk Tripitaka to bring the Holy Scriptures back to China.

Damon Albarn’s score deftly weaves Chinese and Western influences to provide a sparkling setting for the story as it moves between heaven and earth. Adaptor and director Chen Shi-Zheng, musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett have created this spectacular opera which is coming to the Royal Opera House this July.

Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles, Monkey is a thrilling experience, an unforgettable sensual and spiritual journey.

Seats available for: Thu 24 & Sat 26 July 2:30pm Fri 25 July 4pm

Tickets: £10 | £20 | £30 | £35 | £40 | £50 | £60 | £75

Click here to view the trailer and to book tickets

Box Office: 020 7304 4000

Technorati Tags: Chen Shi-Zheng, circus opera, Damon Albarn, entertainment, Jamie Hewlett, London, MONKEY KING, Monkey: Journey To the West, Royal Opera House, theatre, United Kingdom

My China Now tells the story of China today through a programme of short films by documentary makers, animators, artists and film-makers all of whom are defining contemporary culture in modern China.

Featuring short films by Cao Fei, Wang Bo and Liu Hao, My China Now features 33 films including 12 new commissions that premiere at Southbank Centre.

My China Now is part of China Now, the UK’s largest ever festival of Chinese culture.

Outside The Hayward and Concrete Day Cafe Night Bar.

Tuesday 3rd June 2008 - Wednesday 30th July 2008 , Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9 - 11pm, Fridays, 10pm - 1am.
Please note: screenings will not take place on Tuesday 17 June and Wednesday 9 July.

More on the Southbank Centre website

Technorati Tags: Cao Fei, My China Now, Liu Hao, short film, Southbank Centre, United Kingdom, Wang Bo

If you’re in London between 19th - 22nd June, 2008, then a free show at the O2 Arena might be worth seeing!

Liz Chi Yen Liew, of Chi2 and Tom E Morrison created original music for the production Time Is Like Water Flowing.
‘Time is like water flowing in a stream, once it is gone you cannot have it back’

Chinese landscape painting is brought to life on an epic scale in this specially commissioned production uniting exquisite depictions of towering mountains and rivers with aerial performance, martial arts and innovative multi-media effects.

In a poetic evocation of passing time and seasonal change, the creative energy of Chinese traditional and contemporary artforms will combine with European virtuosity in creating spectacle, transporting you from the T’ang Dynasty to 21st century Beijing in the blink of an eye.

Original music for this production has been created by Liz Chi Yen Liew and  Tom E Morrison (aka LT CHI SOUND SYSTEM).

Acclaimed for her innovative work as part of electro acoustic violin group Chi2, Liz Liew is well known for her eclectic and dynamic juxtapositions between Chinese and western styles.

Tom E Morrison is an award winning composer and producer whose work has taken in mixing and engineering for the legendary UK band Underworld and composing film music for directors such as Ken Loach and Jackie Chan.

Click for:

Show info
Show pdf flyer (also in Chinese)
Mp3 clips on myspace

ALBUM OUT 18 June on Big Sky Song
14 tracks

Performances:

Thursday 19 June 1.00pm
Friday 20 June 6.00pm, 8.30pm
Saturday 21 June 1.00pm, 4.00pm
Sunday 22 June 1.00pm, 4.00pm

Runs approx 40 mins

FREE entry

Venue:

London Piazza
The O2
North Greenwich, SE10
Tube: North Greenwich

Technorati Tags: 21st century Beijing, aerial performance, CHI2, entertainment, London, O2 Arena, Time Is Like Water Flowing, Tom E Morrison, T’ang Dynasty, United Kingdom

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On this Saturday afternoon (14th June), interfaith prayers and a series of short speeches for peace will be followed by Thai music and dance - and free refreshments - at London’s Thames-side Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park.

The celebrations take place annually to mark the anniversary of the opening of the pagoda, part of a chain of shrines to world peace which, though they are Buddhist buildings, are designed to provide a spiritual focus for unity between people of all religions.

Details:

Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ
020 7228 9620
Times: Sat 2-5pm
Rail: Battersea Park rail

Via TimeOut London

Technorati Tags: Battersea Park, events, interfaith prayers, London, Peace Pagoda, Thai music, United Kingdom

If you’re in London this Saturday, and fancy a bit of a 1960’s Hong Kong theming, check out Lucky Cat’s club night at the Scooterworks!

If you can’t make it, check out the Lucky Cat blog regularly for more future events.

For more info on Zöe Baxter who is responsible for Lucky Cat, check out our previous post.

Technorati Tags: entertainment, Lucky Cat, Scooterworks, Resonance FM, United Kingdom, Zöe Baxter