Tag Archives: calligraphy

Raketa Releases “BIG ZERO” Arabic Classic Watch

The Middle Eastern classic

Raketa has reimagined its most emblematic model specially for the Middle East, under the name of “Big Zero” Arabic. Its exceptional design, which has become a Raketa classic, now comes with an Arabic dial.

The traditional and emblematic ‘0’ of the Raketa Watch Factory is still present on the dial, while the rest of the numerals are in Eastern Arabic, with a font design inspired by the original Soviet style model. The black and white colour scheme of the new dial is complemented by Raketa’s logo in Arabic script, created by Mohammad Sharaf, renowned calligrapher, in the brand’s signature red colour. 

THIS IS HOW IT GOES poster by Mohammad Sharaf.

Raketa’s collaboration with this Kuwaiti artist, participant of contemporary Arabian design exhibitions and creator of bold local projects, has resulted from the growing interest in foreign watch brands in the Middle East.

Raketa in particular has found a new generation of watch-lovers in the region, who appreciate its singular designs and the manufacture’s rich history. Therefore, the “Big Zero” Arabic combines the West and the East, bringing together the history of Russian watchmaking and the Middle East’s incredible passion for fine watches.

A Unique Sound

Raketa’s mechanical movement is very Russian by its engineering design. It is also very Russian by the materials used: all the metal as well as the 24 rubis stones of the movement come from Russia. Even the hair-spring, the very heart and most complicated part of the movement, is cast from a secret Soviet alloy. All of this gives a very distinctive acoustic signature that is quite different from that of Swiss movements.

The Big Zero is one of the few Soviet-era watch designs to have conquered the hearts of the world and to have stood the test of time.

A black & white dial with oversized numerals crowned with a big 0 creates a self-evident, functional, but nevertheless radical design, which had to become the first Raketa to feature an Arabian dial. 

The transparent case back reveals the beautifully decorated Raketa automatic movement, which is entirely designed and manufactured at the Raketa Watch Factory in St. Petersburg. 

A limited production of 100 timepieces has been released this year. Future editions will be made available according to the production plan.

The origins of this bold design

When asked what inspired Soviet designers to create this bold design with a big 0, old specialists of the Raketa factory answer that it is simply more logical to start counting time from 0. Indeed, time, like everything else in our lives, always begins from 0. 

With this radically innovative concept, the Big Zero watch is at the avant-garde of time reading: time starts from 0, not from 12! It directly challenges the worldwide established convention that there should always be a 12 on the dial. 

Price

The cost is 1 700 EUR (including VAT)/ $2,568 CAD. The model is offered by Raketa’s official dealers in the Middle East (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) and on the official website. For customers’ convenience, Raketa watches are delivered worldwide free of charge by DHL directly up to the front door.

Specifications

Factory:Raketa Watch Factory (Saint-Petersburg)
Movement:
Calibre:2615
Functions:Automatic
Number of jewels:24
Testing positions:4
Average rate (s/d):-10+20
Average running time (h):40
Frequency/hour:18.000 / 2.5Hz
Bi-directional automatic windingYes
Stopper of self-winding unit activated during manual winding:Yes 
Decoration:Laser engraving
Neva waves Red rotor
Case:
Material:Stainless steel
Size:40 mm
Front glass:Sapphire 
Back glass:Mineral 
Crown:Ruby stone ​​inside the crown
Water resistance:10 АТМ
Strap/bracelet:
Material:Genuine leather
Width:20 mm
Sex:Unisex

Kanazawa Japan Keeping Geigi Culture Alive

Kanazawa remains one of Japan’s most curious cities. True to its deep roots, its architecture and layout continue to reflect the style and look that dominated its feudal era during the famed Edo period. Even today, its mysterious districts draw visitors and photographers from around the world who wish to experience and capture its intrigue, which is well-depicted on the Visit Kanazawa website replete with captivating visuals and trip planning resources. 

One of its most intriguing elements is its Geigi culture—a world that is quite mysterious to many.   In Kanazawa, Geisha is called “Geigi” and the life of these women is dedicated to mastering various forms of entertainment that is performed for guests, from dancing and singing to playing instruments and games.  Brittanica notes that “many geisha are also adept at flower arranging, performing the tea ceremony, or calligraphy.”



A report on Bokksu.com notes that, “Nowadays, there are just 1,000 geisha left in Japan, most of whom live and work predominantly in Tokyo and Kyoto. These modern geisha tend to remain within their district, where they’re treated with the utmost respect by Japanese locals, and not approached for photos or conversation.”

For its part, Kanazawa is home to three distinct Geigi districts and, though it can be difficult to secure, a private appointment with a Geigi is actually possible. These opportunities are not for the budget conscious.  However, the experience promises to be an unforgettable evening once you are able to get your foot in the door.  

A private appointment with a Geigi must come by personal referral, or through a trusted travel partner with proper access when on-site.  Once in, the evening is a captivating series of conversations, questions, performances and masterful displays of the arts accompanied by several courses of unique traditional Japanese dishes.  Guests are able to engage, observe and take photos with the Geigi while they ponder such a lifestyle and glean a more defined understanding of the culture that is still so vibrant today in Kanazawa’s labyrinth-like streets.

For those who don’t need the private appointment to fulfill their curiosity, there are plenty of alternative options.  Geigi Evenings are available at Kaikaro teahouse, the largest teahouse in Kanazawa, which offers guests an opportunity to see Geigi in full traditional dress, makeup and ornate hairstyle.  One of the highlights at Kaikaro is to meet the legendary landlady, Lady Baba, who provides informative, entertaining speeches regarding the teahouse and Geigi culture entirely in English.  And, if one happens to visit off season when Geishas take a break from full dress, it’s possible to take in the Geigi Practice Session where you can observe the ladies during daytime hours , roaming makeup-free with natural hair and casual dress as they practice their performances.

Geigi culture reconvenes annually each September with Kanazawa Odori, where performers from Kanazawa’s three teahouse districts unite to perform together with various musical instruments and traditional dances that tell stories.  

The Visit Kanazawa Facebook page is a great place to get inspired and learn more about the wonders of this enigmatic destination.

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Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand strategist and analyst
 who reports on cultural shifts and trends as well as noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the Savvy Living” lifestyle TV show that airs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and other major markets on CBS, FOX and other top networks; as well as the “Savvy Ventures” business TV show that airs nationally on FOX Business TV and Bloomberg TV.

http://www.kerncomm.com/NewLLLogoLO.jpg

Merilee also hosts the Savvy Ventures Podcast & Radio show available globally on W4CY Radio—the #1 ranked live streaming radio station—among others as well as all major podcast platforms, including Pandora, Audible, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Streamyard, iHeart Radio and dozens more.  As a prolific lifestyle, travel, dining and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, Merilee keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme.

Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications and she is a regular contributor here at The Silo.

Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/MerileeKern / Twitter www.Twitter.com/MerileeKern / Facebook www.Facebook.com/MerileeKernOfficial / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.


Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/art/geisha

https://www.bokksu.com/blogs/news/do-geishas-still-exist#:~:text=Nowadays%2C%20there%20are%20just%201%2C000,approached%20for%20photos%20or%20conversation

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.*** 

Illustrator Demonstrates Ireland’s Linguistic Decline

JG O’Donoghue imagines a ‘versus’ scenario to demonstrate the struggle of ‘languages at risk’

There is a mass decline in linguistic diversity happening all over the planet and in places geographically far apart and I think that if things don’t change, the loss of language diversity will be immense.

In the book, Irish in the global context,  Suzanne Romaine mentions that linguists believe, that 50 to 90 % of the world’s estimated 6,900 languages will simply vanish over next 100 years.

At this moment in time, 85% of the world’s languages have fewer than 100,000 speakers and over half of the world’s remaining languages are spoken by just .2 % of the world’s population. These facts have informed my work and have become the wider subject of my illustrations, specifically the linguistic decline of the Irish language.

In some ways the battle between the Irish and the English languages is one of the defining features in modern Irish culture, but it is Irish which defines this island more, and the Irish language tells the entire history of Ireland in its influences and in its form.

Ruairí Ó hUiginn said in his book  The Irish language: you have influences of Latin from the Christianization of Ireland in ecclesiastical words, influences from Viking invasions in words for “seafaring, fishing and trade”, influences from the militaristic Normans [ French CP] in words for “architecture, administration and warfare”, and from English colonialism you get English in every day words.

“To create my intended mood, the english words are given a general typography while the Irish words are given a distinctive script reminiscent of Geoffrey Keating’s book Foras Feasa ar Eirinn”

Each influence shows an aspect of Irish culture. What people forget to realize is that a language is much more than something spoken to express oneself. Ancient peoples created language in an attempt to describe the world around them and the world within them, in other words their worldview.

An example in Irish is- you don’t say ‘I’m angry’, you say ‘tá fearg orm’, which means ‘I have an anger on me’.

Nevertheless, Irish is important internationally too, and Irish is the third oldest written language in Europe, after Latin and Greek, and as a spoken language it may even be older than both.

How should an artist illustrate a language? And more specifically the struggle of one language with another? I choose nature as my metaphor, from the ancient forests of Ireland, mostly gone now, to Islands which stand for thousands of years but are slowly worn away by the tide. The words that make up these landscapes are either ‘for’ or ‘against’.

My illustrations therefore visualize the real life drama of ancient language versus modern language.

I imagine a “versus” scenario. On the “against” side I chose English words plucked from peoples statements in online forums and in letters to newspapers. On the “for” side I chose Irish words, and they were chosen from recent investigations into the creation of the ancient Irish language. Irish words in my illustrations such as “dúchas (heritage), tír (country), litríocht(literature), and stair(history)” reflect the Irish language’s cultural importance, while “Todhchaí(future), féinmhuinín(self-confidence), beatha(life), and anam(soul)” reflect its importance in a metaphysical way to Ireland.

The Irish language forest- An Coill Teanga Gaeilge

The english ‘against’ words can range from the practical benefits of english within subjects such as “tourism, movies, business, and comics,” to words that reflect the interaction of English speakers with Irish. To illustrate the concept, I chose words like “conform, bend, harass, and adapt”.

To create my intended mood, the english words are given a general indistinctive typography reflecting uniform mono-linguilism, while the Irish words are given a distinctive Irish manuscript/Gaelic script reminiscent of Geoffrey Keating’s 17th century book- Foras Feasa ar Éirinn/History of Ireland.

The core message in my illustrations is a positive one, the sun is rising for a new day as the Irish language holds on, like a lot of minority languages. It is diminished but not beyond hope. I believe it can make a comeback, and this is exactly what is happening all over this country today, because of the work of people far more dedicated than myself. I hope my work can help reinforce linguistic diversity as well as all forms of heritage. I have the will to preserve these for future generations, so they too can live in a world full of diversity spending their lives discovering and exploring it in all its beautiful variety.

For the Silo, JG O’Donoghue.

 

Colouring In The Bible Is The Latest Trend In Journaling

An interesting new trend is on the rise—colouring in a Bible.

What was once frowned upon, is now encouraged. This new trend is called Bible journaling. Bible journaling is the act of doodling in one’s Bible, as a way to creatively express one’s faith. However, some people choose to illustrate outside their Bible; as for some, doodling on the Bible itself is still prohibited.

Over the past few years, the movement has grown significantly with many online groups, forums, Facebook communities, blogs, and church groups creating groups where people share their Bible journal artwork, offer techniques, and provide a supportive boost.

People even discuss where to get Bibles with the largest margins so that there is room for their designs, creating an interesting demand on publishers and retailers.

Complete Guide to Bible Journaling: Creative Techniques to Express Your Faith (Fox Chapel Publishing), by designer, inspirational speaker, and author of the best-selling Zenspirations® book series Joanne Fink, was created in response to this amazing trend.

The book features the works of top Bible journalers, offers drawing tips, the best tools to use, and even offers traceable vellum sheets to use on your own Bible. For the Silo, Elizabeth Martins.

Main image courtesy of biblejournallove.com