Graffiti and urban art have always, at their cores, been intimately tied to the human condition. Today, in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, bids of “it’s time to go” are scrawled on buildings near the dictator’s home. In tattered Lebanon, chimera-chasing artists spray images of carefree children flying kites on Beirut’s bombed walls. In Northern Ireland’s blood-bathed tug-of-war, both Republican and Loyalist camps produce iconographic murals to mark their territories. Even in politically stable climates, urban art is telling of present social reality. After all, art pursued purely in aestheticism’s noble name is an indulgence afforded only once certain degrees of social, economic and political comfort have been met. more ›

It's funny all the flap that was made here about the lyrical content of certain Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton songs, not to mention visa/vulgarity issues for Jay-Z and others, yet Roger Waters slips under the radar and delivers a long, loud set full of blatant references to just about everything that the authorities were presumably guarding against. Who knows, perhaps his lyrics were screened and his set-list given the thumbs up. For the sake of future tours, we hope that's the case. more ›

Information. This week, Eric Schmidt, the company’s head honcho is actually in Beijing. Coincidence? Or was he intrigued by CNN’s scintillating report "Eye on China", and wanted to see the magically transforming “Middle Kingdom” for himself? Turns out, Mr. Schmidt is just doing his job as the CEO, coming here to schmooze with aspiring local business leaders, politicians and media whores who are all too eager to hear and print anything the man has to say. (Yeah, we’re just bitter that Shanghaiist wasn’t invited.) more ›

Chinese residents of New York City are about to get a little homesick -- or perhaps they will just be reminded of why they left China in the first place. Beginning October 20, New York based Brazilian artist Solange Fabiao will project her street scene videos of Shanghai and Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China, on a building facade on Canal and Centre Streets in New York City's Chinatown. Called Transitio, Fabiao's "city within a city" project will run through October 31 with nightly showings at 6:30 pm and 11 pm. Fabiao has been doing these Transitio things for a few years now, including one about New York (and Shanghai and Nanning) last year in Beirut. more ›