12 minute read
SNEŠKA QUAEDVLIEG
set video production and consumption records as we continue expanding.”
Rumble has also been building up its resources, with German-American billionaire entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist Peter Thiel and American venture capitalist, lawyer and author J.D. Vance having invested substantially in Rumble. The platform also recently acquired subscription-based online platform Locals, which allows users to interact directly with creators. As Pavlovski explains, “our growth has also been physical, as we recently announced our U.S. headquarters in Florida and plan to expand there in the coming months.”
More recently, Rumble entered into a business combination agreement with CF Acquisition Corp. VI, with the transactions anticipated by the business agreement closing in the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. This move allowed members of the public to join Rumble in pursuing its mission, while September’s public launch provided the opportunity to access the resources and support required for Rumble to continue building a new economy for, as Pavlovski puts it, “creators and
We designed Rumble to focus on a group we thought YouTube and other platforms often overlooked: small creators. We wanted to be a place where creators knew that an algorithm wouldn’t determine the success or failure of their videos
viewers that emphatically reject Big-Tech’s policies and further our goal of creating a complete cloud infrastructure that protects Rumble and our creators from any retaliation from outside companies.”
And Rumble isn’t stopping there. The company has been generating momentum over the last nine years and the results are now visible for the world to see.
“People from all walks of life are flocking to Rumble, because it provides them with a place to express their ideas free from arbitrary discrimination or manipulation,” insists Pavlovski.
The latest development is the new Rumble Store. Initially offering a small collection of U.S.-made Rumble t-shirts and hats, in future the store will draw inspiration from creative artists and creators to expand the collection with Rumble-branded essential merchandise and ‘drops’, or limited time offers.
“We are excited to offer our community official Rumble merchandise,” says Pavlovski. “We wanted to design merchandise that our community can wear with pride in support of our collective mission to protect a free and open internet. What you see today is just the beginning of what we envisage as being a collection of creative pieces inspired by professional designers and creators.”
With no end in sight for the censoring and de-platforming of alternative voices on the largest Big Tech platforms, Rumble has a huge mission ahead in its struggle to make the internet free and open once and for all.
ZORANA ĐAKOVIĆ MINNITI, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE 59TH OCTOBER SALON AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING AT THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF BELGRADE
Iarrived at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade immediately after passing the exam for my master’s studies at the University of Arts. I volunteered on a programme that had the goal of improving permanent intercultural dialogue and cooperation at different levels across the Danube Region. We discussed the culture of peace and the peaceful resolution of problems, although in 1990s Yugoslavia they had been resolved in a manner contrary to this idea. That was back in 2003 at the II International Danube Conference, which focused on presenting culture and art as being crucial for a society. So, whether by coincidence or not, this project laid the foundations of my enthusiasm and provided a kind of methodology that I “applied” moving forward. After volunteering on this project, I spent many years working at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade as an external associate, i.e., as someone engaged under a fixed-term contract. I collaborated mostly on international
Peaceful Anarchist
I’m a kind of peaceful anarchist and I’m inclined towards the anarchism of Kropotkin, which does not find its moral foundations in holding power over others, in fear of God or masters, but rather in the freedom of the individual and in the understanding of the importance of the well-being of society
programmes, due to my knowledge of different languages, primarily French. In parallel with this, I developed my knowledge through then alternative schools, where one could hear different perspectives of overviewing certain topics and problems compared to the basic education system - in my case, those were cultural studies (Alternative Academic Educational Network (AAOM)) and peace studies, while there were of course more.
I still think that, in a milieu and time in which the producing of feelings of fear and greed is significantly more powerful compared to individual social or cultural values, we mustn’t stop thinking about how each of us can contribute to the wellbeing of the society in which we live and work, with awareness that this sometimes implies an enduring struggle
It’s always interesting when you return to your first works and realise that’s something you’re still doing today, that it marked your life and that there no longer exists the freedom to start from scratch. One must-read, if you haven’t read it already, is the preface written on this topic by Calvino for his book The Path to the Nest of Spiders. And you should naturally also read that book. My working environment has often been composed of paradoxical constructs, anachronisms, dualities and inconsistencies that have arisen as a consequence of systems, social changes that we/I and/or institutions found it easier or more difficult to follow, and sometimes couldn’t follow at all. The challenge is to be able to perceive an issue from perspectives and domains that are relevant to that issue at any moment. I also employed just such an approach when considering the concept of this year’s 59th October Salon, striving to view the exhibition from all areas and perspectives relevant to it and enabling or opening a public space for as many possible voices of artists, poets, philosophers, theorists, filmmakers, art critics, self-organised groups etc. This would, of course, not have been possible without the collective of the Cultural Centre of Belgrade and those directly included in working on the Salon. I still think that, in a milieu and time in which the producing of feelings of fear and greed is significantly more powerful compared to individual social or cultural values, we mustn’t stop thinking about how each of us can contribute to the well-being of the society in which we live and work, with awareness that this sometimes implies an enduring struggle. An important project that I’m working on in parallel with all my other jobs is related to the collecting and forming of a private library of books and drawings that I’m creating together with my children. Reading is important, but conversation is perhaps even more vital, which is why I always like to work with someone.
ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: ROCOCO
A city can be shaped by many things—its food scene, for example, or abundance of shopping options. But perhaps nothing can define a place quite as distinctly as its architecture. Whether it’s through thoughtful urban planning or adapting to cultural movements, the visual design of a city can transport you through time, while planting you firmly in a very specific place. Need convincing? These are the world’s 20 best cities for architecture, from Brasília to Budapest. This gallery was originally published in 2013. It has been updated with new information.
ATHENS, GREECE: CLASSICAL BRASÍLIA, BRAZIL: FUTURISM
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY: ART NOUVEAU
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: ROCOCO
The Rococo movement came about in the 18th century in France as a way to fight against the strict, symmetrical Baroque style that came before it. While both movements are known for their richly decorated architecture styles, Rococo has elements all of its own: think curves, pale colors, and secular, light-hearted themes. The style made its way across Europe, where it found favor with the female rulers in St. Petersburg. The Catherine Palace (commissioned by Catherine I and expanded by her daughter, Empress Elizabeth) is by far the most famous example in the area.
BRASÍLIA, BRAZIL: FUTURISM
When Juscelino Kubitschek became President of Brazil in 1956, he set forth a plan to build a new capital city in the barren center of the country-and thus, Brasília was born. He commissioned architect Oscar Niemeyer to help with the project; within a matter months, Niemeyer designed residential, commercial, and government buildings for the new town. Chief among them were the National Congress of Brazil, the Cathedral of Brasília, the residence of the President, and the Attorney General’s office (pictured). The buildings-defined by the dynamic lines, use of materials like concrete and glass, and sharp contrasts typical of Futurism (a branch of Modernism)-give Brazil’s capital a true sense of aesthetic unity.
ATHENS, GREECE: CLASSICAL
Visiting the architecture and world-renowned ruins in Athens is like taking a step back in time to ancient Greece, where stonework dates back to 400 BC, temples are held up by centuries-old columns, and sculptures of deities are a common sighting. For perfect examples of Classical architecture, turn to the Temple of Hephaestus, Temple of Olympian Zeus, or the iconic Parthenon (pictured).
ROME, ITALY: BAROQUE
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY: ART NOUVEAU
Art Nouveau came into fashion in Budapest in the late 19th century to the early 20th century, and the city remains one of the best places to see the architectural style today. One can find curving forms, organic shapes, use of iron and glass, and colorful flourishes all over this stretch of the Danube, including the Gresham Palace, Hotel Gellért and spas (pictured), Museum of Applied Arts, and Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden.
ROME, ITALY: BAROQUE
The Romans were known for being great innovators, so it should come as no surprise that the city of Rome has exemplified and adapted to pretty much every architectural style since the ancient Classical movement (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance-you name it). Today, the city is one of the biggest centers of 17th-century Baroque architecture, known for its grandiosity,
HANOI, VIETNAM: FRENCH COLONIAL
opulence, and contrast between light and shadow. Visit Rome’s St. Peter’s Square, Santi Luca e Martina, or Trevi Fountain (pictured) to see the dramatic style in person.
HANOI, VIETNAM: FRENCH COLONIAL
As the name suggests, French Colonial is a style of architecture used by the French during colonization. The style is especially prominent in Southeast Asia, as exemplified by the early 20th century buildings in Hanoi. Notable examples include the Presidential Palace (completed in 1906) and the Hanoi Opera House (pictured, completed in 1911), two bright yellow, ornate reminders of French rule in Vietnam.
MIAMI, FLORIDA: ART DECO
Perhaps the most iconic on this list, Miami Beach’s Historic District comprises the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. To transform Miami into an ultramodern and luxury tourist destination during the 1920s and 1930s, architects turned to Deco’s symmetrical and geometrical patterns, floral and animal motifs, and pastel colors to invoke fluidity and movement, which are synonymous with the city today.
MASON CITY, IOWA: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S PRAIRIE SCHOOL
Inspired by the flat terrain and open sky of the Midwest, Wright’s Prairie School was defined by bold, horizontal lines, low profiles, natural lighting, and an uninterrupted flow within and between interior and exterior spaces. He used this style when designing the Park Inn Hotel
MIAMI, FLORIDA: ART DECO
MASON CITY, IOWA: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S PRAIRIE SCHOOL
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: BAUHAUS
(pictured here) in 1910 and G.C. Stockman’s house in 1908; neighbors (and some copycat architects) followed suit, which is why this small Iowa town has one of the largest collections of Prairie-style homes in the world.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: BAUHAUS
Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Tel Aviv’s “White City” contains 4,000 International Style buildings, many of which were built in the 1930s and ‘40s. To accommodate the influx of Jewish immigrants fleeing Europe, German Bauhaus-trained architects integrated the modern style’s affordable and functional building techniques with curved lines and a colour wellsuited for the Mediterranean climate to create a habitable city by the sea.
BARCELONA, SPAIN: CATALAN MODERNISM
Taking cues from modern Gothic and oriental techniques, the early-19th-century Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí wanted to create organic, urban spaces in the city he loved. A walk around Barcelona leads you through the largest concentration of his signature ceramic and stained-glass mosaics, as well as his undulating stonework and ironwork, which include Park Güell and culminate in his unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Família (pictured).
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: AMERICAN ARTS & CRAFTS
The early-20th-century American Arts & Crafts movement, whose ideals rest on hardwoods and artisanal handcrafting, found a natural home in the timber country of the Pacific Northwest. Nowhere are Craftsman bungalows more prominent than in West Seattle, home to the landmarked Bloss House (pictured here), and in Seattle’s Queen Anne district, where the movement’s simple construction, balanced proportions, and matching gardens provided a sweet departure from the ornate Victorians of that era.
CHANDIGARH, INDIA: MID-CENTURY MODERNISM
Shortly after India’s 1947 partition, Prime Minister J. Nehru tasked Swiss modernist architect Le Corbusier with designing an organized, progressive city: one that would break from past traditions from the ground up. Its planned supergrid, exposed masonry and concrete, and the eccentric sculpture-work that peppers Chandigarh has made the city a study for planning and design students around the world. Pictured here is the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Le Corbusier.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: AMERICAN ARTS & CRAFTS
FLORENCE, ITALY: RENAISSANCE
It’s hard to escape Renaissance aesthetics in Florence, the birthplace of the late-14th-century movement. The era’s embellished but symmetrical and geometrical structures-columns and domesand emphasis on realism and the human form departed from the irregular and severe lines of the Medieval period. They’re most visible at Florence’s Duomo and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY: BYZANTINE/OTTOMAN
A historic crossroads of culture and design, Istanbul’s landscape provides a prominent display of its two conquering empires. Travelers needn’t look farther than the Hagia Sophia mosque for the aesthetics central to both: the Byzantine dome and coloured mosaics, and the Ottoman minarets and Islamic calligraphy.
