Part of a work of art that depicts Bulgaria as a toilet has been covered up, following the country's protest.
Entropa, commissioned by the Czech Republic to adorn EU headquarters in Brussels, has caused a sensation, and some embarrassment, across Europe.
The work lampoons stereotypes of the EU's 27 members, showing France on strike, Italy as a football pitch and Romania as a Dracula theme park.
The Bulgarian entry was shrouded by a black sheet on Tuesday.
A Czech government spokeswoman told BBC News that the shroud had been put in place "by the Czech side".
"We proceeded to a technical solution, which we found together in intensive talks with the Bulgarian side over a few days," Michaela Jelinkova said.
The Czech EU presidency apologised last week for any offence caused by the installation, and particularly to Bulgaria, which had lodged a formal protest.
Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said the image, showing Bulgaria as a series of squat toilets, would be removed if Sofia insisted.
David Cerny, the Czech artist behind the work, also apologised, and admitted misleading officials over his intentions with the project.
The Czech Republic thought it had commissioned work from 27 European artists for the Entropa display, which was installed at the weekend to mark the start of its six-month presidency.
But it turned out the work - an eight-tonne mosaic resembling a snap-out plastic modelling kit - was entirely completed by Mr Cerny and two associates.
Mr Cerny said he had "wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself".
Ms Jelinkova said Mr Cerny had been consulted about the "technical solution".
"He said himself he was ready to find a solution in case a member state felt offended," she said.
The artwork is expected to remain on show in the lobby of the European Council building until July - for the duration of the Czech EU presidency.
2009年1月22日 星期四
2009年1月15日 星期四
Campbell settles with former maid
Naomi Campbell has settled a legal case in the US with an ex-maid who accused the supermodel of assaulting her.
Romanian Gaby Gibson also accused the 38-year-old model of calling her names and threatening to call the police after a pair of jeans went missing.
Campbell denied the claims and was never charged with any crimes.
The terms of the settlement are being kept confidential but a lawyer for Campbell said both sides were pleased with the outcome.
Last year, Campbell pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers on board a British Airways plane at London's Heathrow Airport.
She was sentenced to 200 hours' community service.
Romanian Gaby Gibson also accused the 38-year-old model of calling her names and threatening to call the police after a pair of jeans went missing.
Campbell denied the claims and was never charged with any crimes.
The terms of the settlement are being kept confidential but a lawyer for Campbell said both sides were pleased with the outcome.
Last year, Campbell pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers on board a British Airways plane at London's Heathrow Airport.
She was sentenced to 200 hours' community service.
2009年1月11日 星期日
US writer pens UK Eurovision song
US songwriter Diane Warren will write the lyrics to Andrew Lloyd Webber's music for this year's UK Eurovision entry, it has been announced.
Warren, whose songs include Toni Braxton's Un-Break My Heart and How Do I Live by LeAnn Rimes, said she was thrilled to be working with a "legend".
Meanwhile, singer Damien Flood has become the first act to be thrown off BBC One show Your Country Needs You.
The act which wins the series will represent the UK in Russia in May.
Warren - who also wrote Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, and Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - said: "I hope that a song from Andrew Lloyd Webber and me will spell a change of fortune for the UK at Eurovision.
"We will write the best song possible for the event and for the artist."
Lloyd Webber, meanwhile, said he was excited to be working with "one of America's greatest songwriters".
"This is a massively new direction for me and I cannot wait to get started," he added.
On Saturday night's show, Graham Norton revealed that Flood and singer Charlotte Finlay-Tribe had polled the least phone votes from viewers and asked Lloyd Webber to save one of the acts.
The act which will represent the UK in Moscow on 16 May will be announced on 31 January. wow power leveling
Warren, whose songs include Toni Braxton's Un-Break My Heart and How Do I Live by LeAnn Rimes, said she was thrilled to be working with a "legend".
Meanwhile, singer Damien Flood has become the first act to be thrown off BBC One show Your Country Needs You.
The act which wins the series will represent the UK in Russia in May.
Warren - who also wrote Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, and Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - said: "I hope that a song from Andrew Lloyd Webber and me will spell a change of fortune for the UK at Eurovision.
"We will write the best song possible for the event and for the artist."
Lloyd Webber, meanwhile, said he was excited to be working with "one of America's greatest songwriters".
"This is a massively new direction for me and I cannot wait to get started," he added.
On Saturday night's show, Graham Norton revealed that Flood and singer Charlotte Finlay-Tribe had polled the least phone votes from viewers and asked Lloyd Webber to save one of the acts.
The act which will represent the UK in Moscow on 16 May will be announced on 31 January. wow power leveling
2009年1月8日 星期四
Hot debate likely on cult comic
Organisers of a Scottish comic book convention are expecting hot debate on the forthcoming film version of the cult Watchmen graphic novel.
Author Alan Moore has already disowned the adaptation, insisting his name be taken off the credits.
His daughter Leah, a comic book writer in her own right, and the novel's colourist John B Higgins will be guests at February's Hi-Ex 2 in Inverness.
Organiser Richmond Clements expects the film to be a major topic of discussion.
Also due to appear at the Inverness convention are Mick McMahon, a comics creator and the artist on the first Judge Dredd story, and Superman comic book artist Frank Quitely.
Other expected guests are Leigh Gallagher, who has drawn for the Lego Bionicle comics and also DC Comics' The Witching and Justice League Unlimited.
It is hoped Lee Carter, who has worked on games titles such as Project Gotham Racer, and Asia Alfasi, a Manga comic writer and artist who was born in Libya but moved to Scotland as a child, will also attend.
A children's competition for original comic art was launched in November to tie in with the convention.
Mr Clements said the second year of the event could determine whether it becomes a permanent fixture.
Held in Eden Court Theatre, some guests for the inaugural 2008 event were unable to attend because of bad weather. However, many of those who did make it agreed to appear again.
The convention will run just days before the US and UK releases of the Watchmen movie.
While the graphic novel has had a cult following, hype surrounding the film has been building with its characters appearing on the cover of Empire film magazine.
Hollywood director Zack Snyder has promised his adaptation will be faithful to its source.
Presenting three excerpts from his forthcoming film at a press event in London in November, he said he wanted to give audiences the "quintessential" Watchmen experience.
Dave Gibbons, who drew the illustrations for the original 1987 comic, said Moore had previously had "bad experiences" with Hollywood.
Previous adaptations of the writer's work include The Extraordinary League of Gentlemen, which starred Sean Connery, and From Hell, which had Johnny Depp in the lead role as a clairvoyant detective investigating murders by Jack The Ripper.
Snyder, who directed the 2004 remake of zombie horror Dawn of the Dead and the 2006 movie 300, said he was "disappointed" by Moore's decision but respected his wishes.
Set in an alternate version of 1980s America, Watchmen imagines a parallel universe where masked heroes and crime-fighting vigilantes are commonplace.
Only one, though, has super powers - the luminous Dr Manhattan, a scientist who acquired god-like abilities after a laboratory accident.
Mr Clements said: "The Watchmen film will be a big event.
"It is likely to be the subject of debate at Hi-Ex with John Higgins and Alan Moore's daughter Leah - a writer in her own right - coming up.
"I have seen the trailer and it looks extraordinary.
"The book is so dense. I've read it 20 times and each time I see something I didn't notice before - there are so many layers to it. If the film manages to deal with a 10th of it, it's doing well."
The convention organiser said themes tackled in Watchmen were relevant to today's troubled times and conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He said: "Watchmen was written during the 80s and is a Cold War book. With the politics of today and the War on Terror, it's as if nothing has changed since it was written."
One of the characters, The Comedian, whose murder is one of the key storylines of the graphic novel, fought in the Vietnam War.
Comparisons are often drawn between that war and today's conflicts.
Meanwhile, zombies could be another theme at Hi-Ex.
Mr Clements said: "I am thinking about doing something on zombies, there seems to be a huge market and they seem huge at the moment.
"Leigh Gallagher, one of our guests, has drawn 17th Century zombies for the comic 2000AD."
Author Alan Moore has already disowned the adaptation, insisting his name be taken off the credits.
His daughter Leah, a comic book writer in her own right, and the novel's colourist John B Higgins will be guests at February's Hi-Ex 2 in Inverness.
Organiser Richmond Clements expects the film to be a major topic of discussion.
Also due to appear at the Inverness convention are Mick McMahon, a comics creator and the artist on the first Judge Dredd story, and Superman comic book artist Frank Quitely.
Other expected guests are Leigh Gallagher, who has drawn for the Lego Bionicle comics and also DC Comics' The Witching and Justice League Unlimited.
It is hoped Lee Carter, who has worked on games titles such as Project Gotham Racer, and Asia Alfasi, a Manga comic writer and artist who was born in Libya but moved to Scotland as a child, will also attend.
A children's competition for original comic art was launched in November to tie in with the convention.
Mr Clements said the second year of the event could determine whether it becomes a permanent fixture.
Held in Eden Court Theatre, some guests for the inaugural 2008 event were unable to attend because of bad weather. However, many of those who did make it agreed to appear again.
The convention will run just days before the US and UK releases of the Watchmen movie.
While the graphic novel has had a cult following, hype surrounding the film has been building with its characters appearing on the cover of Empire film magazine.
Hollywood director Zack Snyder has promised his adaptation will be faithful to its source.
Presenting three excerpts from his forthcoming film at a press event in London in November, he said he wanted to give audiences the "quintessential" Watchmen experience.
Dave Gibbons, who drew the illustrations for the original 1987 comic, said Moore had previously had "bad experiences" with Hollywood.
Previous adaptations of the writer's work include The Extraordinary League of Gentlemen, which starred Sean Connery, and From Hell, which had Johnny Depp in the lead role as a clairvoyant detective investigating murders by Jack The Ripper.
Snyder, who directed the 2004 remake of zombie horror Dawn of the Dead and the 2006 movie 300, said he was "disappointed" by Moore's decision but respected his wishes.
Set in an alternate version of 1980s America, Watchmen imagines a parallel universe where masked heroes and crime-fighting vigilantes are commonplace.
Only one, though, has super powers - the luminous Dr Manhattan, a scientist who acquired god-like abilities after a laboratory accident.
Mr Clements said: "The Watchmen film will be a big event.
"It is likely to be the subject of debate at Hi-Ex with John Higgins and Alan Moore's daughter Leah - a writer in her own right - coming up.
"I have seen the trailer and it looks extraordinary.
"The book is so dense. I've read it 20 times and each time I see something I didn't notice before - there are so many layers to it. If the film manages to deal with a 10th of it, it's doing well."
The convention organiser said themes tackled in Watchmen were relevant to today's troubled times and conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He said: "Watchmen was written during the 80s and is a Cold War book. With the politics of today and the War on Terror, it's as if nothing has changed since it was written."
One of the characters, The Comedian, whose murder is one of the key storylines of the graphic novel, fought in the Vietnam War.
Comparisons are often drawn between that war and today's conflicts.
Meanwhile, zombies could be another theme at Hi-Ex.
Mr Clements said: "I am thinking about doing something on zombies, there seems to be a huge market and they seem huge at the moment.
"Leigh Gallagher, one of our guests, has drawn 17th Century zombies for the comic 2000AD."
2009年1月7日 星期三
Kraftwerk co-founder 'quits band'
One of the two original co-founders of the pioneering German electronic group Kraftwerk has left the band, according to a post on its official fan website.
"Florian Schneider leaves Kraftwerk after a 40 years [sic] partnership with Ralf Hutter," the message reads.
The post continues: "This partnership has generated an incredible music [sic] and huge advances in music technology."
Founded in 1970, Kraftwerk are best known for their number one hit The Model and 22-minute track Autobahn.
Notoriously reclusive, the iconic band operate out of a Dusseldorf studio that is said to have no telephone, fax or reception.
Schneider's departure will not affect Kraftwerk's plans to support Radiohead in South America in March.
A concert in Australia last November was called off after another band member, Fritz Hilpert, reportedly suffered a heart attack.
"Florian Schneider leaves Kraftwerk after a 40 years [sic] partnership with Ralf Hutter," the message reads.
The post continues: "This partnership has generated an incredible music [sic] and huge advances in music technology."
Founded in 1970, Kraftwerk are best known for their number one hit The Model and 22-minute track Autobahn.
Notoriously reclusive, the iconic band operate out of a Dusseldorf studio that is said to have no telephone, fax or reception.
Schneider's departure will not affect Kraftwerk's plans to support Radiohead in South America in March.
A concert in Australia last November was called off after another band member, Fritz Hilpert, reportedly suffered a heart attack.
2009年1月4日 星期日
No Woman No Cry 'songwriter' dies
Vincent Ford, the songwriter credited with composing the Bob Marley reggae classic No Woman, No Cry has died in Jamaica. He was 68. kamas dofus
Ford lost both his legs to diabetes and died in hospital from complications caused by the disease, said a spokesman for the Bob Marley Foundation.
His smash hit appeared on Marley's 1974 Natty Dread album.
It was inspired by the Trench Town ghetto in Kingston where both men lived in the 1960s.
Some claim Marley wrote it himself but gave Ford the credit to help his friend support himself with the royalties. warhammer gold
Ford is also credited with three songs on Marley's 1976 album Rastaman Vibration.
Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread Jamaican music to the worldwide audience.
He died of cancer in Miami in 1981, aged 36.
Ford lost both his legs to diabetes and died in hospital from complications caused by the disease, said a spokesman for the Bob Marley Foundation.
His smash hit appeared on Marley's 1974 Natty Dread album.
It was inspired by the Trench Town ghetto in Kingston where both men lived in the 1960s.
Some claim Marley wrote it himself but gave Ford the credit to help his friend support himself with the royalties. warhammer gold
Ford is also credited with three songs on Marley's 1976 album Rastaman Vibration.
Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread Jamaican music to the worldwide audience.
He died of cancer in Miami in 1981, aged 36.
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