LEARN CHINESE DOUBLE YOUR WORLD (4) - WHO'S NEXT?

Here we go with the last post of this saga! I will now - very briefly - give space to some other countries, cultures and languages, some of which were actually present in the show, some of which were not.

Eccomi qui per l'ultimo post di questa saga! In velocità, vorrei dare spazio ad alcuni paesi, culture e lingue, alcuni dei quali hanno trovato spazio all'interno dello show, altri no.

Apart from Japan and Korea, Russia seemed to be the next outcoming cultural and linguistic power, at least as far as investment was concerned. Russia has still a long way to go in order to dismantle stereotypes: apart from the language tasters (where Russian was present in 2 out of 3) and one language intensive class (against 2 of Chinese but - incredibly - zero from both Japan and Korea!), Russia was the protagonist of two events: a music performance, held on Day 1, and a "language in action" seminar, entitled: "RUSSIA - DON'T BE AFRAID OF HER!", promoted as follows:
"Russia...the vast country with its language, society and culture where everything that you see happens for historical reasons...but what's Russia like today?With free traditional blins (pancakes), shortbreads and vodka".
Oltre al Giappone a alla Corea, la Russia sembrava essere il futuro potere culturale e linguistico, almeno in base agli investimenti fatti. Ma la Russia ha una lunga strada da percorrere per liberarsi dagli stereotipi: a parte gli assaggi linguistici (era presente in 2 su 3) e un corso intensivo di lingua (contro i due cinesi e gli "zero" del Giappone e della Corea"!) la Russia era la protagonista di due eventi: una performance musicale, il primo giorno, e un seminario "language in action", intitolato "RUSSIA - NON AVERE PAURA!", promosso come segue:

"Russia...il grande paese con la sua lingua, società e cultura, dove tutto ciò che vedi succede per ragioni storiche...ma com'è la Russia oggi?Con blini (pancake), shortbread e vodka locali". 

Among the other "exotic" languages, I was going to expect more from Hindi and Arabic.  Arabic was present in a linguistic taster and in 2 beginners courses, while hindi was the protagonist of only one language taster. No cultural events. And what about Italy? Well...it was protagonist of two intensive classes (on the second day), and of a taster (held on the last day!!!). No related events, be they related to culture, dance, food or whathever.

Tra le altre lingue "esotiche", mi sarei aspettata di più dall'hindi e dall'arabo. L'arabo ha promosso un assaggio linguistico e due corsi principianti, mentre l'hindi è stato protagonista di un assaggio linguistico. Nessun evento culturale. E l'Italia? Beh...ha promosso due lezioni intensive (il secondo giorno) e un assaggio linguistico (il primo giorno!!!) Nessun evento, nulla su cultura, danza, cibo o quant'altro. 

Another thing that stroke me? And, to be honest, not only me but also my friends? The total abscence of African languages...nothing at all. Not scheduled! Well, if the show had taken place in Italy I would expect so, but being in a city like London, not at all. A city that promotes a huge African Film Festival (I saw my first Nollywood movie there, Phone Swap, I thank A.J. for spreading the news!), fashion-related events (Africa Fashion Week), music festivals, like the London African Music Festival...
Un'altra cosa che mi ha stupito?A dire il vero non solo me, ma anche altri amici che hanno visitato lo show? La totale assenza di lingue africane...niente. Non contemplate! Ecco, se lo show si fosse tenuto in Italia me lo sarei aspettato, ma in una città come Londra, assolutamente no. Una città che promuove un grande African Film Festival (lì ho visto Phone Swap, il mio primo film di Nollywood e ringrazio A.J. per avermi allertato!), eventi di moda africana (Africa Fashion Week), festival di musica, come il London African Music Festival...

I had the pleasure to assist to the first episode of the Afrobeat Educational Roadshow, organised by Strictly Entertainment Music (SEM) and held at the University of Westminster, on December 12th, 2012 (see brochure above). I was glad to hear that the African country I find more interesting from a popular culture perspective is "going up": Nigeria is doing great not only in cinema, fashion and soccer, but also in AFROBEAT MUSIC, where the genre actually generated.
Ho avuto il piacere di assistere alla prima tappa dell'Afrobeat Educational Roadshow, organizzato da Strictly Entertainment Music (SEM) e tenutosi lo scorso 12 dicembre, presso l'Università di Westminster (vedi locandina sopra). Mi ha fatto molto piacere sentire che il paese africano che mi interessa di più in una prospettiva di cultura pop "sta salendo": la Nigeria sta andando alla grande nel cinema, nella moda e nel calcio, ma anche nella MUSICA AFROBEAT, dove questo genere è nato. 

Bracket ft. Wizkid, Girl 

And Nigerian artists are getting famous abroad, also through collaboration (think about Akon and P-Square and MayD in Chop My Money). Despite this, "Gangnam style" reached 1355307253 views, while the videos of Omawumi, Wizkid or Iyanya lag far behind (even though they are cooler from many other points of view... not by chance, D'Banj's Oliver Twist entered the UK TOP10). But these guys are getting big are reaching an international audience, which is not only the Nigerian diaspora. And making them dance along. Exactly what is China wants to do, without success. Time to chance the tune?
E gli artisti nigeriani stanno diventando famosi all'estero, anche attraverso collaborazioni (pensate ad Akon con i P-Square e MayD in Chop My Money). Nonostante questo, "Gangnam style" ha raggiunto 1355307253 visualizzazioni, mentre i video di Omawumi, Wizkid, Iyanya, ecc. sono ancora indietro (pur essendo cool da vari punti di vista...forse non è un caso se Oliver Twist di D'Banj è entrata nella UK TOP10). Ma questi ragazzi stanno diventando big e raggiungendo un audience internazionale, che non si limita solo alla diaspora nigeriana. E lo fanno ballare. Esattamente ciò che la Cina vorrebbe riuscire a fare, ma con scarso successo. Tempo di cambiare musica?

HOT! Pics from the DA VINCI store in BEIJING and MORE!

While the big fuss about the "Da Vinci case” was spreading in the Chinese media and before my post for the website Cineresie was published, I decided to go and have a look at the big store in Jianguomen (actually, it is more of a showroom, as it occupies 8,000 square metres). I went there on a Saturday morning, on July 16th.

I got to know that the shop moved next to the Friendship store (友谊商店) in 2006: this is a significant change, as the Friendship store, founded in 1964, has been the first and only store selling exclusively to foreigners and foreign goods in China (its status has changed over the years, as it now sells also to Chinese people and mainly sells Chinese goods...  this is really interesting: if, in the past, it could have warrant a foreign origins of goods and a sense of internationalisation, what could it guarantee now?).

 

1. View from the Da Vinci store (Friendship Store is on the right)

As I entered, some workers of the shop welcomed me and even though I made clear that I just wanted to have a look around, they literally excorted me around the store, as if they were bodyguards. I was not allowed to take pictures - of course, I asked for the permission! - but I was so bad as to take two, which I am happy to share with you in this post. Personally, I didn’t like the furniture they sell – too kitsch and cumbersome – and I kept wondering:

- who can afford to buy this "Western stuff" here in Beijing?

- who can fit such huge beds and sofas in a normal house here in Beijing?

I guess my worries are the reasons that make the majority of foreign enterpreneurs happy: China has rich people! Chinese people buy luxury goods! Oh yeah. I'm sorry, but I'm very skeptical about this semplicistic view.... anyway, my "tour guide" told me that people buy them, so no need to worry (at least for the foreign business people!). There was a third question going through my head, among others that I cannot share with you: would this kind of furniture sell in Italy or in any other country? Have a look here:

2. A luxury bed exposed in the Da Vinci store

The atmosphere in the shop was tense and, apart from me, there was only a couple of young Chinese (were they journalists???) Obviously, I didn't ask anything about the scandal, but I noticed that the labels of Italian furniture were simply saying "MADE IN ITL" (does it stand for "ITALY"?) and that the pieces of furniture of Ms. Tang (see the first post on the Da Vinci case) were not on sale anymore. I saw one piece of furniture of the same Italian brand Ms. Tang bought, and I thought it was very weird that the two doors of the wine cupboard opened both from the right to the left, which is pretty uncommon and surely not very practical.

Unfortunately, I was able to take just another picture in the only place where they didn't follow me: yes, the toilet!

3. A shot of the impressive luxury toilet in the Da Vinci store

The Da Vinci store in Beijing doesn't only sell furniture, but also ornaments, fabrics and jewelry. Later on, I found out that Ms. Phuan, beside holding a PhD. (the specialty, though, is never mentioned), is also a very creative woman and has her own line of jewelry. I selected here some of her most significant creations, all the pictures come from the website: http://www.dorisvinci.com/

4. "Renzo" 

"Renzo" is a casual example from the watches series, which boasts also other models, namely: Ilario, Iniga, Vitus, Viviana and Phaedra.

5. Doris

"Doris" is a piece of the Jewely series, which comprehends also other pieces, namely: Eterna, Fiore, La perla, Quadrato, Vertigo and Rossa.

6. Ellenico

"Ellenico" is a ring of the New Collection, that consists also of other pieces, namely: Merletto, Eternità, Polvere di stelle, Innamorato and Margherita.

It seems Italy and Italian names played a crucial role in the life of Doris Phua. In case you want to purchase Dr. Phua's jewelry but you don't happen to be in Beijing, China, or Asia, and find yourself in Italy instead, you still can go and check her store in Italy. As advertised on the website, the first store on the store locator section is in Italy, precisely in Como, "PLZZA SAN FEDELE NO. 5". 

7. Doris Vinci's store in Italy

LAST UPDATE: I just discovered that there is also an Italian website: http://www.dorisvinci.it, which advertises a second Doris Vinci store in Via Montesolaro 14/B, Cantù. I hope the collections sold in Italy don't have the blatantly Italian names of the ones that are sold in China and in Asia!