A brilliant,compelling read. Shrenik Rao Editor of the Madras Courier Whether describing how students were ‘sent to the countryside’ or how, after Mao died, young artists hung their experimental work outside the national art gallery, Vetta is always
This film about the courageous Stars artists will come to the UK soon. I’m delighted because I wrote Brushstrokes in Time to tell the story of the Stars – it’s the ONLY novel inspired by them. I’ve had more good
Through never-before-seen footage which had been hidden from the authorities for thirty-five years, Beijing Spring chronicles China’s first democracy movement and forgotten struggle for freedom of expression especially the brave Stars Artists who risked their freedom . Andy Cohen has
32 years ago on May 28, 1989 more than 1.5 million Hong Kongers took to the streets in support of the Tiananmen Movement in China, 8 days after the Chinese Communist Party declared Martial Law in Beijing. Every June 4
For German readers of Pinselstriche and for those of you who have read Brushstrokes in Time and are interested in the background, Little Winter’s father is inspired by Qu Bo the famous father of the Stars artist Qu Leilei. Leilei,
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/06/dozens-of-hong-kong-pro-democracy-figures-arrested-in-sweeping-crackdown This is so sad because the political pendulum is swinging back towards Mao’s Cultural Revolution. I have been interested in China from childhood and studied some modules of Chinese history at college when that was rare. When I met
https://www.guernicamag.com/shamsie_02_01_2012/? I hate stereotypes and dislike of them is I believe the motivation for the sad ‘appropriation ‘saga. The wonderful Kamila Shamsi rightly wonders in this link - why there should be obstacles to telling peoples stories. For 18
When I read about Ashoka the 3rd century BC ruler of much of India, my curiosity was aroused. Ashoka began as a warlord but felt remorse at the waste of life on the battlefield. He invited followers of the Buddha
When Claret Press suggested my tagline should be ‘Stories for the Global Reader’ , I froze for a moment. It became obvious to me – that is what I had been writing since 1998 when I started freelance journalism
Has Covid affected readers of my blog as it has me? Because many of us have more reflection time have you found yourselves remembering something which leads you on a nostalgic journey? Every time I walk by the Radcliffe Observatory