CULTURE: FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE MAGAZINE – APRIL 2023 Issue

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France-Amérique Magazine – April 2023 – Ahead of Earth Day, April 22, we profiled five Gallic startups based in the United States and helping biodiversity, fighting against food waste, and curbing global warming. We also sat down with Tristan Grimbert, the French CEO of EDF Renewables North America, one of the leaders on the green energy market in the United States and Canada. Also in this issue, read about the 15-Minute City, a model born in Paris and advocating for livable, sustainable urban centers; discover our profile of Gérard Araud, the former ambassador of France to the U.S. and a sharp observer of international relations; and read our interview with William Christie, the American conductor who has done more than anyone else for the revival of French baroque music.

“French Classical Music Owes a Lot to American Universities”

American harpsichordist and conductor William Christie has arguably done more than anyone else for the global revival of French baroque music. He now lives in France, but on April 25-26, he will bring his ensemble Les Arts Florissants to Carnegie Hall.

Table of contents

FROM THE NEWSDESK

France Rethinks, Once Again, Its Relationship with Africa. By Anthony Bulger

COME ON OUT

French Cultural Events in North America. By Tracy Kendrick

EDITORIAL

Wokeness Dividing the (French) People. By Guy Sorman

INTERVIEW

Julie Taymor: “The Lion King Makes People Laugh from Paris to New York.” By Guy Sorman

THE OBSERVER

Why the 15-Minute City May Be Your Next Home. By Anthony Bulger

BUSINESS

Five French Entrepreneurs Caring for the Planet. By Benoît Georges

360° Travel: Lake Hibara In Fukushima, Japan (12K)

AirPano VR (March 31, 2023) – Lake Hibara is a lake located in Yama District, Fukushima, Japan. It is a part of the Bandai-Asahi National Park and is the largest of the lakes in the Bandai-kōgen plateau.

A mesotrophic lake, Lake Hibara was formed as a result of the July 15, 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai. The resulting debris avalanche created a natural dam that then filled with water, submerging Hibara Village.The remains of Hibara Village still lie at the bottom of the lake.

News: Trump Indicted In New York, Spain PM Pedro Sánchez Travels To China

March 31, 2023: Ex-President Trump is indicted by New York grand jury, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will meet with Xi Jinping in China and other top news.

Front Page: The New York Times – March 31, 2023

Trump Is Indicted, Becoming First Ex-President to Face Criminal Charges

Donald J. Trump had avoided criminal charges for decades despite persistent scrutiny and repeated investigations.

The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, has not announced the charges that former President Donald J. Trump will face when he is arraigned next week.

A President Faces Prosecution, and a Democracy Is Tested

Former President Donald J. Trump could also face indictments in Georgia and from federal prosecutors.

For more than two centuries, American presidents were effectively shielded from indictment. But the case against former President Donald J. Trump breaks that taboo and sets a new precedent.

This is what will happen when Trump is arrested in the coming days.

Donald J. Trump will likely face standard processing when he is taken into custody, but the unprecedented arrest of a former commander in chief will be anything but routine.

Republicans Erupt in Outrage and Rush to Defend the Defendant

Many in the party said Donald Trump could benefit from a wave of sympathy among Republicans, with his base of supporters likely to be energized by a belief in a weaponized justice system.

Research Preview: Science Magazine – March 31, 2023

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Science Magazine – March 31, 2023 issue: A new analysis shows that Great Plains tribes acquired horses much earlier than some historians had thought, consistent with Indigenous descriptions of a long and enduring partnership with the horse. This petroglyph, from the Tolar site in southern Wyoming, probably dates from soon after the modern horse became widespread in North America in the early 17th century. 

Horse nations: Animal began transforming Native American life startlingly early

Yvette Running Horse Collin with horse

Sweeping new study based on archaeological evidence, chemical isotope analysis, and ancient DNA “totally changes the game”

Straight from the heart: Mysterious lipids may predict cardiac problems better than cholesterol

Conceptual illustration: a giant heart opens up on a hinge to reveal several gauges. Three of them, labeled HDL, LDL, and ApoB, display low levels. One, labeled Ceramides, displays high levels and is vibrating and letting off steam. Three tiny scientists stand at the foot of the heart, and one shines a flashlight on the Ceramides gauge.

Drug developers are now trying to target ceramides, which appear to contribute to a range of metabolic disorders

Modernist Architecture: John Lautner 1962 Garcia House Tour, Los Angeles

Architectural Digest (March 30, 2023) – Today Architectural Digest takes you up into the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles to visit Garcia House on Mulholland Drive, a legendary mansion designed by architect John Lautner that was recently on the market for $16 million.

For John McIlwee, living in John Lautner’s Garcia House has been nothing short of life-altering. “It’s been empowering and substantial,” he tells AD. An entertainment business manager, McIlwee and his partner, Bill Damaschke, bought the 1962 modernist masterpiece from Vincent Gallo in 2002, who told them the property would change their lives. McIlwee says it did. “John Lautner has kind of a cult following with people from all walks of life, so it’s been an amazing way to be part of a bigger collective world of art and architecture,” he says. Now, it’s time to pass the torch—or, better phrased, the keys—to a new owner. 

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Art: ‘Must-See Museum Exhibitions’ – April 2023

Sotheby’s (March 29, 2023) – Tim Marlow’s Must See Museum Shows for April 2023. This month, we’re taking a tour of four of the world’s most exciting and innovative museum exhibitions.

First up, the Los Angeles County Museum. This museum has long been a hub for cutting-edge contemporary art, and this month’s exhibition is no exception. Featuring the artwork of women representing the Islamic community, this show promises to be a feast for the senses.

Next, we’re off to London’s Design Museum, where we’ll be exploring the art of famous artist and architect Ai Weiwei. With interactive exhibits and immersive installations, this show is a must-see for anyone interested in the future of architecture as art.

From there, we’ll be making our way to the Baltimore Museum of Art, where we’ll be exploring the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. With works spanning the decades, this exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the ways in which artists have represented themselves and others throughout the story of this unique and popular music genre.

Last but not least, we’ll be heading to the Kunsthaus Zürich, where we’ll be exploring the fascinating intersection of Alberto Giacometti and Salvador Dalí. From the bold, colorful works of the Dalí to the chiseled and lapidarian aesthetic of the Giacometti, this show is a celebration of one of Europe’s most profound and innovative surrealist artists of the 20th century.

Previews: The Economist Magazine – March 25, 2023

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The Economist – April 1, 2023 issue:

Why the China-US contest is entering a new and more dangerous phase

Chinese officials rage at what they see as American bullying

You may have hoped that when China reopened and face-to-face contact resumed between politicians, diplomats and businesspeople, Sino-American tensions would ease in a flurry of dinners, summits and small talk. But the atmosphere in Beijing just now reveals that the world’s most important relationship has become more embittered and hostile than ever.

How to fix the global rice crisis

Women plant rice saplings at a paddy field in Nagaon District of Assam ,India on February 28,2022. (Photo by Anuwar Hazarika/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The world’s most important crop is fuelling climate change and diabetes

The green revolution was one of the greatest feats of human ingenuity. By promoting higher-yielding varieties of wheat and, especially, rice, plant-breeders in India, Mexico and the Philippines helped China emerge from a famine and India avoid one. From 1965 to 1995 Asia’s rice yields doubled and its poverty almost halved, even as its population soared.

Israel should not squander the opportunity for meaningful constitutional talks

Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan near his residencet in Jerusalem, Monday, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

The government’s retreat has pulled Israel back from the brink. But its people remain deeply divided

Israel’s citizens have won a rare victory after marching, week after week, to defend judicial independence and the character of their democracy. On March 27th they forced their prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, to suspend his plan to rein in the courts. Yet, although the crisis has abated, it has not passed.

The New York Review Of Books – April 20, 2023

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The New York Review of Books – April 20, 2023 issue: The London Book Fair Issue—is online now, with Cathleen Schine on Maxine Hong Kingston’s talking-stories, Jameel Jaffer on the “ethical train wreck” at the Office of Legal Counsel, Rumaan Alam on Namwali Serpell, Geoffrey O’Brien remembers Joe Brainard, Michelle Nijhuis on swamps and bogs, E. Tammy Kim on the legend of Harry Bridges, John Banville on John le Carré, Mark O’Connell on the world without us, Manisha Sinha on antebellum Black citizens, Matthew Desmond on handouts for the rich, poems by Homer and Isabel Galleymore, and much more.

‘Binding and Building’ America

Maxine Hong Kingston: The Woman Warrior, China Men, Tripmaster Monkey, Hawai‘i One Summer, Other Writings edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Maxine Hong Kingston’s best work has a timeless quality, fresh, beautiful, horrifying, bursting with myth and fantasy and nagging reality.

The British Broadcasting Conundrum

Two BBC programs being monitored from a control cubicle in Broadcasting House, London, 1932

The BBC: A Century on Air by David Hendy

This Is the BBC: Entertaining the Nation, Speaking for Britain? 1922–2022 by Simon J. Potter

World War II was the BBC’s finest hour, but its history since then reflects the corporation’s gradual loss of primacy in British life.

Refill the Swamp!

Marsh Water; painting by Ivon Hitchens

Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis by Annie Proulx

Wild by Design: The Rise of Ecological Restoration by Laura J. Martin

Two recent books show that the concept of ecological restoration is a fuzzy one: even practitioners rarely agree on what is being restored, or to what end.

Hikes: Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

URBAN ROAMER (March 30, 2023) – Virtual Walking Tour on Top of Table Mountain Plateau in Cape Town, South Africa. The summit area is huge and full of stunning panoramic views around the Coastline of Camps Bay, Clifton and Sea Point.

Video timeline: 00:00​ View to City Bowl of Cape Town 00:28 Devil’s Peak View 03:15 Other side of the plateau 05:00 Twelve Apostles View 07:40 Restaurant Area on Mountain Top 08:30 Beautiful Bird – What’s the name? 08:53 Camps Bay Beach View 09:20 Lion’s Head | Clifton Beach and Sea Point View 10:30 Waiting Line to go down at cableway station 11:51 Cape Town Cityscape & Table Bay View

Also the City Bowl with its vibrant city centre and business area and even Robben island are visible from the highest point in Cape Town.

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