Amidst much political turmoil, Rio is gearing up for the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world – the Olympics, officially known as the Games of XXXI Olympiad. While Rio will undeniably form headlines in most parts of the world for those two-and-a-half weeks, we bring to you some of the world’s other interesting creative events and festivals which are taking place in the month of August. Immerse yourself in creativity, no matter which corner of the globe you’re in!
1. OLYMPICS AT LONDON AGAIN
Don’t do the mistake of thinking that it is some sort of a repeat show of the 2012 London Olympics. For this August, London is celebrating the Olympic season by hosting a plethora of family-friendly carnivals. Interwoven Brazilian and Latin American themes will create nothing short of a spectacular show for the audience. The 2-day long celebrations, starting 6th August, will have street theatre and astounding carnival artists during the daytime.The evening extravaganza will include performers on stilts with colour changing costumes parading from Shad Thames to Potter’s Field Park for an awe-inspiring finale!
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2. ACCIO POTTERCON!
It is time for all Potterheads to undertake the pilgrimage of their lives. New York City is hosting the biggest event for all you witches and wizards! (probably like the Triwizard Tournament?). This awesomely amazing PotterCon at Irving Plaza will make you go “Bloody hell” like Ron, for you will actually live a day being non-Muggle with Butterbeer, a live sorting with the infamous Sorting Hat, a House Cup trivia tournament and a photo booth in front of Diagon Alley’s entrance.
3. A RARE JUXTAPOSITION IN THE CITY OF LOVE
Paris is preparing for a mind boggling effect as French artist Nicolas Darrot has come back with 80 of his most thought provoking installations – an unusual pairing of unnerving science fiction and mythology-inspired pieces. Exhibited at Maison Rouge (a private contemporary art foundation), his artworks evoke a jumbled-up fictitious world, many of which have never been exposed before. This phenomenal artist invites you in his own invented realm, lacking common sense, many a time filled with anguish, and yet always poetic. A careful mingling of elements from science, mythology and the dark literature of horror and sci-fi pioneers H.P. Lovecraft and Philip K. Dick will manage to stunningly perplex you.
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4. ART ATTACK ON THE LA RIVER
Witness the LA River like never before. This art biennial in Los Angeles will give you a fresh perspective, where 16 sites along the river, from the Hansen Dam in the Valley down to Point Fermin in San Pedro, have gorgeous installations erected by local artists. The obvious inspiration for the first edition is – water, a scarce yet precious resource. A dozen community programs have come together for this city-presented exhibition.
5. MEAT YOUR MAKER
Melbourne will get full points for creativity. For the city is organizing a one-day ‘fleshtival’, which aims to challenge and alter how we think about the meat we eat. At a time when awareness of the impact of consumption of meat is increasing in leaps and bounds, this fleshtival is here to celebrate the farmers putting ethical meat on the plates of fellow Australians.
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The event will be divided into certain parts, which would include sections where punters can meet the farmers who sell their produce and educate visitors on how they raise their animals, where visitors can learn about how they could support the ailing diary industry, and so on.
6. PAINSTAKING ATTENTION TO PAIN
You probably never thought of wanting to artificially understand this feeling. Artist and chronic-pain veteran Eugenie Lee’s latest work combines art and science to help Sydney understand the way pain works.
Seeing is Believing is a participatory installation which is at the frontier of pain science.
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A small custom-built anechoic chamber involving a virtual reality headset and a sensory experiment with the participant’s hand forms the key component of the installation. The 30-minute experience will give you a greater insight into what pain is, how it works, and your emotional relationship with it. Succeeded by this will be a “pain threshold test” to know your tolerance levels. Mind boggling much?
Art is such a powerful metaphorical tool. It surpasses language and cultural barriers. And if people can experience chronic pain themselves, and come up with their own philosophical thoughts about it, it becomes personal.
7. TOKYO IS FISHY
Fashion show. Magic show. Light and Sound show. Fireworks show. Puppets show. Pets show. All of these are way too clichéd for the Japanese, for they are here to surprise you with Oedo Goldfish Wonderland. Yes, the Skytree’s Sumida Aquarium will put its own goldfish show. And the fish itself will not be the only goldfish around. The cafes will be serving up goldfish – themed tipples. The Edorium area will be adorned in summer festival style with goldfish lanterns and fuurin wind bells ( Japenese wind chimes). Spruced up for the occasion will be the goldfish display zone – the largest of its kind in Japan.
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Which one of these events tickles your fancy the most? We can’t decide because each one is quirkier than the next. Perhaps the only way to find out is to jet, set and go!
