Latest news with #NationalMuseum
Times of Oman
14 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
National Museum hosts 'Neo-Russian Style' exhibition
Muscat — Within the frameworks of "The Russian Seasons,' the National Museum inaugurated today the "Neo-Russian Style" exhibition hosted in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum, under the patronage of Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. The exhibition, which will run until 2 November 2025, is dedicated to the bright period in the history of artistic life of the Russian Empire in the 1880s - 1910s, when "the Russian style" in art formed several decades earlier was experiencing its new rise. The features of the Neo-Russian style during the rule of the last emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II manifested themselves in the architecture of St. Petersburg, Moscow, large and small provincial towns of Russia, in works of painting, sculpture, decorative and applied art. Jamal Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary General of the National Museum, stated in his opening speech that the inauguration of this exhibition comes as part of a series of cultural events under the Russian Cultural Seasons, reflecting the ongoing interaction with cultural and museological institutions in the Russian Federation to strengthen the bonds of cultural and museological cooperation — the most recent of which was the launch of the National Museum's website in the Russian language. He added: "As part of cultural diplomacy, work is underway on a number of joint projects and events with the Russian Ministry of Culture, including the hosting of musical seasons at Bayt al-Greiza this coming October, as well as cooperation with the State Tretyakov Gallery to organize an exhibition on the pioneers of Omani fine art. In the same context, there is also collaboration with the Moscow Kremlin Museums to present the exhibition 'Imperial Russia and the East,' in addition to the launch of a dedicated Omani publications corner at both Chechen State University and the National Library of Russia, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation." On his turn, Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Sultanate of Oman, stated in his speech that the exhibition sheds light on a period of Russian culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known as the peak of the "Russian style", which reflects the diversity of traditions of the Russian Empire as manifested in art, architecture, and daily life. He added that this exhibition represents an important step in strengthening the cultural dialogue between the Russian Federation and the Sultanate of Oman, as it demonstrates how art and tradition can serve as a bridge between nations in the pursuit of preserving the world's cultural heritage. During the ceremony, a video message from Professor Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, was presented. In his address, he expressed his delight at the opening of the exhibition "Neo-Russian Style", which illustrates the development of Russian culture from the 1880s to the 1910s. The exhibition showcases remarkable examples of applied arts and historical masquerade costumes that were worn at court balls in Imperial Russia. He also referred to the opening of the second exhibition under the Hermitage Museum Corner initiative, entitled "Gifts of the Emirs of Bukhara and Central Asia to the Russian Imperial Court", and expressed his enthusiasm for the forthcoming exhibition in the "Oman Hall" at the State Hermitage Museum. The exhibits include gifts to the Russian monarchs: tray dishes, saltcellars and fans. These items, like a mirror, reflected the idea of the unity of the people, the Church and the Tsar, formulated in the Russian Empire back in the first third of the 19th century as the official ideological triad. Among the exhibits is a silver presentation dish presented to Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna by oilmen from the Absheron Peninsula during their visit to the Caucasus in 1888 CE. The dish was crafted in the Russian style at the renowned jewelry factory of Ivan Khlebnikov. The exhibition also features a silver presentation salt cellar with Lid presented to Emperor Nicholas Il upon his return from his Eastern journey between 1890 and 1891. It was produced at the famous Pavel Ovchinnikov factory in Moscow and gifted to the emperor by artisans from the Southern Ural region. Additionally, the exhibits include a lace fan made from Vologda bobbin lace, featuring the letter "M" engraved on a yellow Stain Pad in Wooden Case. The fan belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna and it dated 1883 CE. Also, on display is a Portrait of a young woman wearing a traditional Russian outfit, including the kokoshnik headdress, painted by artist Sofya Yunker-Kramskaya, dating back to the early 20th century. Of particular interest are the character costumes designed for the popular Russian-style costume parties of the time and made in the capital's shops by the best tailors for representatives of the imperial family and the highest aristocracy. Such parties were held both in the modest homes of ordinary townspeople and in the luxurious mansions of the Russian nobility, in halls rented for one evening by all sorts of charitable organizations, as well as in the glittering grand ducal and tsarist residences. It was during balls and masquerades, when costumes were the main component of the festivities, that the luxury and splendor of the Russian imperial court were manifested to the full extent. The Yusupov princes whose costumes will be on display at the exhibition were said to be incomparable organizers of masquerades and "historical balls" in St Petersburg. The most famous court masquerade in the Russian style was the grand ball of 1903 in the Winter Palace which specifically symbolized the greatness of the Romanov dynasty and received a wide public response. The luxurious costume of Grand Duchess Ksenia Aleksandrovna, a sister of Emperor Nicholas II, demonstrates the best the specific features of "the Russian style" in the costume of the early 20th century. It is worth noting that the National Museum inaugurated, at the beginning of February this year, the second exhibition within the "State Hermitage Museum Corner" initiative, titled "Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asia Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court." The exhibition marks the first event of the "Russian Seasons" in the Sultanate of Oman. It focuses on the deep and longstanding ties between Russia and the peoples of the East, highlighting the unique gifts presented by Eastern rulers to the Russian Imperial Court. The second exhibition under the "Oman Hall" initiative, organized by the National Museum at the State Hermitage Museum and titled "The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa," attracted a total of 414,481 visitors between December 2023 and January 2025, reflecting strong interest among visitors in the rich cultural heritage of Oman. The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world, housing a collection of over three million artefacts. Established in 1764, it is also one of the oldest museums globally and one of the most important tourist landmarks in Russia. The museum is renowned for its vast complex, including the Winter Palace, a historical landmark in its own right. The museum's collection spans diverse cultures, featuring artworks from Eastern Europe, Russia, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Near and Far East, and Central Asia. It also houses an extensive numismatic collection covering antiquity to modern times, as well as weapons from Western Europe, the Middle East, and Russia, alongside numerous archaeological discoveries. Each year, the museum welcomes approximately (4) million visitors. Its (500) exhibition galleries display over seventeen thousand paintings, (12.000) thousand sculptures, more than 1 million coins and medals, (800.000) archaeological artefacts, and over (360.000) applied arts objects. Additionally, the museum holds more than (600.000) graphic art pieces, making it one of the world's most significant cultural institutions.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
When is Juneteenth 2025? Is there mail? What is open, closed? What to know about holiday
It's known as America's Second Independence Day, and it will be celebrated today throughout California and the rest of the U.S. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. It's the longest-running African American holiday, and it became a federal holiday a few years ago. Here's what to know about the holiday. Yes, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in 2025, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. It is one of 11 federal holidays observed every year. The others are: New Year's Day Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Washington's Birthday/Presidents Day Memorial Day July 4 Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas Day Juneteenth will be marked on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Unlike other federal holidays, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving, which are observed on a specific day of the week, Juneteenth is celebrated on the actual day. Juneteenth commemorates the day — June 19, 1865 — when federal soldiers arrived in Galveston to take control of Texas and ensure the slaves were freed per the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the History Channel. Juneteenth — short for June nineteenth — marks the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. Juneteenth is a portmanteau of June 19, the day Union troops arrived in Galveston. It became known as "Juneteenth" by the newly freed slaves of Texas, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture at the Smithsonian. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. But its effect was limited, according to the National Archives. It only applied to states that seceded during the Civil War, leaving slavery intact for slave states that stayed with the Union. It also could not be enforced until Confederate states were under Union control, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Therefore, it took until June 19, 1865, for slaves in Texas to be freed. Slavery in America was formally abolished with the 13th Amendment, which was ratified Dec. 6, 1865. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. President Joe Biden signed legislation on June 17, 2021, according to USA TODAY, after Congress passed The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act that same month. Juneteenth began rising to prominence in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, sparked protests across the country against police brutality, USA TODAY reports. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., first introduced the Juneteenth bill in 2020 following the killings of Floyd and Breonna Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky. His initial attempt to pass the bill was unsuccessful. No. As a federal holiday, the U.S. Postal Service is closed that day, and there will be no mail delivered. FedEx pickup and delivery services will be available on June 19, according to the company's website. FedEx Office locations will also be open, USA TODAY reports. Juneteenth is a Federal Reserve bank holiday, meaning the organization that regulates the nation's banking system is closed, according to Banks aren't required to close for Federal Reserve holidays, but they often do. Transactions made during these holidays won't be posted until the next business day. Branches of Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist, CitiBank and JPMorgan Chase will be closed on Juneteenth, USA TODAY is reporting. Capital One Cafes will remain open. The New York Stock Exchange is closed on federal holidays and will be closed on Juneteenth, according to its website. Trash pickup may be delayed because of Juneteenth, depending on the hauler. Contact your municipality or private provider to learn more. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Juneteenth 2025? Is there mail? Are banks, stores open? What to know
Rakyat Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Rakyat Post
Late Ex-MIC President Palanivel Remembered For Temple Contributions
Subscribe to our FREE Former MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel passed away at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) on Tuesday (17 June) at the age of 76. The passing of Palanivel, who was also the former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, was confirmed by MIC Deputy President Datuk T. Murugiah. Born on 1 March 1949, in Penang, Palanivel began his career as a Research Officer at the National Museum through the Bujang Valley Project in 1973 before joining the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) as a senior journalist in April 1977. In 1984, he was appointed editor for domestic and economic news at the news agency before being seconded as press secretary to the late Tun S. Samy Vellu, Minister of Public Works, between 1987 and 1990. From Ordinary Member to Party President Palanivel joined MIC as an ordinary member in 1968 and began contesting in the General Elections in 1990. He won the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat in the 1990 General Election and remained as the constituency's representative for four consecutive terms before losing in 2008. Palanivel returned to Parliament in 2013 as the representative for Cameron Highlands constituency. He took over MIC leadership when long-serving president Samy Vellu stepped down in 2010, becoming the party's 8th National President after 31 years of Samy Vellu's leadership. Government Positions: 1995–1999: Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Unity and Social Development 1999–2004: Deputy Minister of Rural Development 2004–2008: Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development 2008–2011: Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities 2011–2013: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department 2013–2015: Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Community Service and Religious Contributions During his tenure as MIC President, Palanivel rendered tremendous service to the temples, according to Dato Sri N. Nadaraja, President of Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam. Nadaraja recalled that Palanivel had provided full cooperation for temple development works. As Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Palanivel had secured government grants for Hindu temples through his ministerial position. 'We remember his contributions to religious infrastructure with gratitude,' Nadaraja said in an interview with the media, extending deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Palanivel had been unwell in recent weeks before his passing. His final rites are scheduled to be conducted on Friday (20 June). Mourners Pay Final Respects At Bangsar Home Many paid their last respects to former Palanivel at his Bangsar home, including Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Clad in all black, Rosmah extended her condolences to Palanivel's wife, Datin Seri Kanagam Palanivel. Rosmah remembered Palanivel as someone who served during her husband's tenure as prime minister, describing him as a quiet but pleasant person. The late Palanivel served during my husband's time. I knew him, although he was quite quiet, hardly spoke to him but he was a very nice man and he'll be very much remembered. Parts of this story have been sourced from Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"Silk and the Silk Road" Exhibition from China National Silk Museum Debuts in Kazakhstan
HANGZHOU, China, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a vibrant celebration of cultural exchange, the "Silk and the Silk Road: From China to Kazakhstan" exhibition opened at the National Museum of Kazakhstan on June 16. This flagship event of Kazakhstan's "China Tourism Year" coincides with the second China-Central Asia Summit, marking a significant new chapter in cross-cultural dialogue. The opening ceremony wooed attendees with a fusion of Chinese and Kazakh artistic traditions – from the timeless melody of "High Mountains and Flowing Water" on the Guqin (traditional Chinese musical instrument) to the energetic Kazakh dance. A showstopping fashion presentation featured models in exquisite Hanfu (traditional Chinese dress) alongside Kazakh national costumes, creating a visual dialogue across centuries. Highlights of the exhibition include 145 rare artifacts tracing 2,000 years of silk history, three immersive sections: The Birth of Silk, Routes That Changed the World, and Silk in Daily Life. Star exhibits feature 8th-century textiles that showcase extraordinary craftsmanship, adorned with motifs reflecting the rich cultural fusion along the ancient trade routes. Visitors can also experience living traditions through "Beyond the Mulberry Fields: China Sericulture Intangible Cultural Heritages" – interactive demonstrations of UNESCO-listed silk techniques like kesi (silk tapestry) and intricate embroidery by master artisans. Beyond the gallery, scholars from both nations are convening to discuss the preservation of textile heritage, while Hanfu cultural activities bring ancient fashions to life across Astana. The exhibition forms part of China National Silk Museum's Global Showcase programme, with previous shows from seven countries including among others, France, Hungary and Uzbekistan. "These silks are more than artifacts – they're threads connecting our shared history," remarked Zhang Chengming, the museum deputy director during the opening. The exhibition runs through August 8, offering visitors a rare opportunity to witness the enduring legacy of the Silk Roads. Contact: Jinfang Lilijinfang@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE China National Silk Museum
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump wanted a military spectacle. Instead, he got a history lesson.
The Army's 250th birthday parade was not the grand military spectacle that many anticipated, and for that Americans can breathe a momentary, measured sigh of relief. It was a family-friendly conclusion to a celebratory day, with events on the Mall and fireworks at the end. What had been billed as an overwhelming display of military might turned out to be a linear history lesson, from the early days of revolution to the age of robotic dogs and flying drones. A narrator made sense of it all over loudspeakers and for those watching the live stream on television, with a script that rarely strayed from the Army's disciplined sense of itself as a lethal fighting machine in the service of democracy and the Constitution. The tone was reminiscent of the wall texts and exhibits at the National Museum of the United States Army, which opened on the grounds of Fort Belvoir in November 2020, during one of the most dangerous moments in recent American history. Like Saturday's parade, the museum celebrates the Army's history, but it does so with the temperance and nuance of serious professional historians, and a well-crafted historical and cultural narrative that largely steers clear of propaganda. It opened in the waning days of President Donald Trump's first term, after he lost reelection, and only days after he fired his defense secretary, Mark T. Esper. There was, at the time, considerable anxiety that Trump might attempt to use the Army to sustain his false claims of election fraud. That Army, which has a keen sense of its own aesthetics, had been embroiled in Trump's efforts to politicize it earlier in his first administration. In June 2020, a photograph of members of the D.C. National Guard on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial went viral, during the unsettled days of national protests after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. That picture, of troops seemingly deployed and ready for combat, standing in an orderly phalanx on the steps of the memorial, recalled the horror of the 1970 Kent State shootings, when Ohio National Guard troops fired on unarmed student protesters, killing four of them. It also seemed to presage a new age of domestic militarism, with the U.S. Army loyal not to the Constitution, but to Trump personally. The same anxiety preceded Saturday's parade, especially after a speech earlier in the week by Trump at Fort Bragg, during which uniformed troops booed mentions of former president Joe Biden and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and cheered Trump's partisan MAGA message. But on Saturday, at least, the Army stuck to its familiar themes of service, sacrifice and duty. The result was a display of civics, not power. The president was supposedly inspired to demand a military parade, an exceptionally rare event in recent U.S. history, after seeing a very different display on Bastille Day 2017, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Given Trump's admiration for strongman leaders in Russia and China, there was worry that the Army parade might hew to the authoritarian geometry of military spectacles in totalitarian countries, especially the absurdist mix of camp and menace favored by the regime in North Korea. But the soldiers who paraded past the presidential reviewing stand on Constitution Avenue walked with a loose-limbed gait, disciplined but not robotic, with individual soldiers integrated into the collective without losing their identity. Those riding by on tanks, trucks and other combat vehicles waved and smiled, engaging with an enthusiastic crowd. The announcer often sounded as if he were narrating a fashion show for machines rather than a military parade. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle: 'It is fast, it is tough, and it is lethal.' Parades always come with a message, which is why so many people were wary. When the American painter Childe Hassam painted a series of patriotic events, including a Fourth of July parade, before America's entry into World War I, he offered an innocent, exuberant vision of red, white and blue, all but overwhelming the individual marchers, as if flags, banners and bunting were sufficient to win a battle. But he was also positing an image of a unified America, during a period of considerable anxiety over mass immigration from European countries not deemed sufficiently Anglo-Saxon to fit a racist model of the country's emerging imperial identity. The impressionist blending of colors mimics the blurring of origins in the proverbial American melting pot. The last big U.S. military parade in Washington, held in 1991 after the Gulf War, wasn't just a welcome-home for the troops, but also an effort to allay the alienation of many Americans from their armed forces following the debacle in Vietnam. Since at least World War II, the Bastille Day review in Paris has been an even more complicated affair, a Gaullist effort to prioritize visions of orderly state power over leftist memories of modern France's birth in revolution and bloodletting. In Leni Riefenstahl's 1935 Nazi propaganda film, 'Triumph of the Will' — a terrifying compendium of parades and military spectacles — there is a scene in which Adolf Hitler walks through a vast empty space flanked by hundreds of troops. They have been reduced to the fascist ideal, mechanical dots on a relentless grid, remote and so distant from the leader to affirm the vast difference in their status: One man alone has agency, all the rest are part of the machine. Riefenstahl's image reminds us of a basic rule of thumb for analyzing a military parade: Look to the edges. Is the army of and among the people, or does it cut its own space, cleaving the throng, inhabiting its own power separate from civilian society? The U.S. Army has complicated edges; it is professional and thus apart from the civilian world, but it is also voluntary, and thus integrated into the fabric of American society. Heavy security on Saturday kept the people apart from the troops, but individual service members often seemed intent on bridging the distance, with waves and smiles. That offered a sharp contrast with the presence of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles, where the governor insists that they are not wanted or needed, where the edges of their presence are sharp and dangerous, and could be cutting. This year marks not just the 250th anniversary of the Army's birth, but also the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which was the all-time nadir of the military's reputation in the United States. The parade on Saturday could have done exceptional damage to a decades-long effort to climb out of that hole. The current president is extraordinarily good at creating situations that force unique message discipline on his critics. Thus, people who are deeply troubled by the unprecedented federal use of the National Guard on the streets of Los Angeles were invited to hate on an unnecessary and costly (up to $45 million estimated) but mostly benign Army celebration in Washington. But the Army proved even better at message discipline, keeping attention on its history, its service and its members. One early warning sign of a shift in the Army's allegiance will be a fraying of how it tells its own story: If it fires its historians — or attempts to coerce their compliance, as seems to be happening in other institutions, including the Smithsonian — there will be even more serious trouble ahead. But on Saturday, it kept that history in the foreground, and even the president looked bored during much of it, which isn't surprising. The Army made it about the country, not the man.
