La Rochefoucald maxim of the day
"As a rule we only praise unreservedly those who admire us."
Reversing the gaze: Bhajju Shyam’s Art
This unique project is an exhibition of original paintings by Bhajju Shyam, a brilliant artist from the Gond tribe in Central India. Three years ago, Bhajju was called to London to paint murals in a chic Indian restaurant. Intrigued by the city’s mores and manners, he went on to compress his impressions, ideas, and emotions into a series of astonishing images, using traditional Gond idioms to depict contemporary reality.
London Jungle Book - Exhibition
The work above is Shyam’s depiction of the London Metro as slithery beast. Who knows what he’ll conjure up when he visits New York.
A suitable ploy? (Updated)
About 150 of India’s most influential figures - from the novelist Vikram Seth to the Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen - have joined their voices in a protest letter demanding the repeal of “cruel and discriminatory” legislation banning gay sex.
India’s anti-gay law faces challenge - Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune
As some of y’all know, I’ve blogged about the status of gays in India before. Pragmatically, the activists should continue to emphasize the law’s deleterious impact on the health of Indian men, rather than framing the issue in moral terms, which is bound to send some of the more culturally conservative into a tizzy. The letter’s signatories are a formidable lineup of westernized Indians; lets hope it carries some weight. Sadly, I don’t see any mention of religious leaders signing on. Where the heck is the Hindu Left?
Update: Rahul informs me on Navya Shastra that Swami Agnivesh, an intrepid Hindu activist and social reformer, is among the first signatories on the letter.
