From July 11th to August 28th « una linea d’amore » will be held, an art exhibit organized by the tattooist Little Swastika in Reggio d’Emilie, Italy. Among other presentations will be swastikas, well known in Europe as the symbol of the Nazi Third Reich. Is Little Swastika a supporter of neo-Nazism or is he trying to desecrate this old loaded symbol? Explanations. If you happen to go to Italy this summer, more specifically to Reggio d’Emilie, you might have the surprise of bumping into an...

Although a curious and incomprehensible concept from a Western point of view, the Taiwanese fad for everything “cute” is a widespread phenomenon visible in all spheres of the society, especially amongst young women. What are the social facts hidden behind this phenomenon – disguised sexism, cult of youth or a refusal to get older? A decoding. “Cute” is everywhere. In Taipei, one only needs to wander down the streets of Ximending or visit the night market of Shilin to confirm this: shops that...

Since 1994, on the banks of the Volga in Russia, an outstanding place tries to bring together the great religions of our time. Joining the rich architectural heritage of Kazan, this “universal Temple” is the project of a visionary artist, Ildar Khanov, a monumentalist painter and sculptor who comes from the city. Founded around the year 100, Kazan is one of the most ancient metropolises of Eastern Europe, after Prague and Kiev. The capital of Tatarstan, a Russian province with a rich and...

The United Nations has 193 members among the 197 states it recognizes. While the Vatican and the Palestinian State are ‘only’ observers, the Cook Islands and Niue are non-member States since they are in free association with New Zealand. Other entities aspire to be recognized as member States as well. Who are they? What are the implications of such recognition? According to the UN: “the acknowledgement of new State or a new government is an act that only the other States and governments can do....

Yannick Fornacciari is a young photographer, part of the emerging Montreal. His works are always engaged and they always make you think: in particular he has exhibited for "Politics of Fashion / Fashion of Politics", curated by Jeanne Beker. The International Journal met this young Montreal photographer to discover his new series of unpublished photographs related to transidentity. According to the Civil Code of Quebec, transidentity is recognized only to those who use hormonal and surgical...

On the beach, in a park or in the middle of the street, you may have had the occasion to watch people practising Slacklining. This activity consists of crossing webbing by using the movements of the body to keep your balance. At first practiced on a relatively small scale, Slacklining has quickly grown popular to the extent that it is now possible to buy webbing in any sports shop. Similar to tightrope walking, Slacklining is different because of the fact that an elastic webbing is needed...

Originally from Ohio, Cincinnati Slim has about a thirty year career behind him, and has traversed the United States. Today he sets the hearts of French blues lovers aflutter. Because this artist does not sing blues, he lives it. A meeting with this peerless artist. Le Journal International: Hello, Cincinnati Slim, and thank you for having accepted this interview. To start, could you introduce yourself?

 Cincinnati Slim: I am an American, and have been a professional musician for twenty...

Since Pope Francis’ election on March 13th, 2013, the Church has disrupted its traditionalist habits. The so-called modern pope surprises both Catholics and non-believers by his rather less conservative points of view, compared to his predecessors. With 19 million followers, Pope Francis is the second biggest political figure on Twitter after Barack Obama. His tweets are translated into nine languages, including Latin. There are almost always biblical extracts inviting followers to ponder about...

The war in Ukraine has been a constant feature in global news almost since its outbreak on the 2nd May 2014. Its proximity to Europe’s major powers, and the tragedy of the MH17 crash near Donetsk in late July, is continuing to make the conflict divisive outside of Ukraine’s borders. It has not yet been declared a ‘war’, however subsequent violated ceasefire agreements have made governments concerned that the conflict is most certainly heading in that direction. Amid these growing concerns is...

Los Angeles and the Hollywood hills have long stood as the sole Mecca of North American film. New York City follows as a hub for art cinema and the avant-garde. Over the last few years, however, Toronto has become a special place for the film industry, primarily for financial reasons. It has even reached the point of being nicknamed “Hollywood North”. In his 2003 mockumentary simply called Hollywood North, director Peter O’Brian pokes fun at two Canadian film producers and their struggles in...