Belorusian Animation

Today we go back to Belarus––they have more to offer than Lukashenko.  Belorusian animation was similarly difficult to find.  What helped me the most was Niffiwan's uploads on YouTube and his corresponding LiveJournal blog.  Most of Niffiwan's posts and uploads are Russian, but a point he makes in this post is that Belorusians don't consider themselves separate from Russians.  This may be the case, but I'm going to be a stickler anyway because there is way more Russian animation available.

Macedonian Animation

Today's post is super short, partially because I don't have time and partially because I cannot find much on the interwebs.  Sadly, my search for Macedonian animation has led me to a scant supply of information.  My only disclaimer is that I don't speak Macedonian or know the Cyrillic alphabet, so my search may have been entirely hindered.  This is why I need to learn Cyrillic letters and a Slavic language ASAP; it's holding up my interests.

Slovenian Animation

And Animation Week continues!  Today's featured country is Slovenia.  It was not the easiest country for me to track down animators, but I needed a challenge to polish off the rust. This overview of Slovenian animation helped me find some good animators to post on.  The internet may be the best thing to have happened to my research.  Read after the jump for more on Slovenian animators!

Czech Animation

My post on B.EAST magazine inspired me to do an entire week of CEE animation.  I loved the Polish animation of Jan Lenica enough to warrant some internet searching for other countries.  I've noticed that my design and fashion posts top the statistics chart and this week's theme will supplement the visual creativity interest my readers seem to have.  For no particular reason, I chose the Czech Republic.  Turns out that the Czech Republic has quite a lively and sophisticated animation community.

Dive Dive Dive Magazine

Dive Dive Dive Magazine is Estonia based and affiliated with B.EAST Magazine, which I discovered this week.  The affiliation says everything because I already wish I was cool enough (and Estonian enough) to be a part of this magazine.  Dive Dive Dive is a subculture magazine not quite like B.EAST.  Dive Dive Dive feels like a less sexy version and I don't mean that in a derogatory way.  B.EAST is like sex and fashion with its sleek and polished look, but Dive is like the DIY movement that carries subculture.  The design of the website feels like a hip scrapbook and the icons remind me of images from Lanica's animation (featured on the B.EAST post), so I get why there is a connection. 

B.EAST Magazine

I have spent the last day looking through my newfound love: B.EAST Magazine.  I did a search for CEE magazines and this was the first one to come up. The one that really caught my eye was a post about Polish animation. 

I will refer to what's written there because it's not only better than what I would come up with, but I'm also against plagiarism.  (The link sends you to an article that beautifully articulates the issues surrounding plagiarism.)  I also want this blog to create a CEE-obsessed network.  There probably is one that I'm not privy to, but I'm making one nonetheless!  I want to connect to these people.  Maybe you do too.  I certainly want to hitch my wagon to B.EAST Magazine.  After browsing their issues on the Fbook page, I was likely drooling.  I might have also struggled with my desire to subscribe versus save money.  Still working on that one.

Monday Book Review

I will return to Historical Moments week, but I thought I'd get back on the bandwagon with a book review.  This past week I read two CEE related books: Russia's Lost Literature of the Absurd (collections of Daniil Kharms and Alexander Vvedensky) and Václav Havel's The Beggar's Opera.  I hadn't read any Russian absurd literature or The Beggar's Opera prior to last week, so it was quite a treat.

Regular Scheduling

My Google stats have given me a lot of interesting data, like I have readers in South Korea?  Wow.  I was also graced by a comment from Daria Kostenko, a Hungarian designer I featured (!!!!).  This is all very exciting news and I'm excited!  Unfortunately, my schedule has taken a turn for the busy and I'm trying to figure out my new time for doing these posts.  One post easily takes me two hours to research and write, so you can imagine why it suddenly fell off the wagon when my schedule changed.  I also have books I need to read before the library lays claim on them again.  I also have to finish watching The Decalogue.  There are other hobbies I need to keep up, so I'm torn between all my loves.  But I promise to finish Historic Moments week in the near future and keep writing up new themed features.

I may need to revise my posting schedule to every other day instead of every day or something, so changes are a comin'.  I'm thrilled to have new audiences and I hope to not disappoint any of you with the upcoming changes.  Viva CEE!

Battle of Mohács

absoluteastronomy.com

I love Hungary.  This blog makes it all too obvious.  Today's event is back in the ye olde days of the Ottoman Empire in 1526.