The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 23 November

BOOK SCULPTURES RETURN TO EDINBURGH

 
It was one of last year's viral success stories in the Edinburgh art world - between March and November, these strange and beautiful sculptures, carved and sculpted from books, began to appear all over town, uncredited and unsigned. Photographed by local snapper Chris Scott and others, the sculptures appeared in libraries, galleries and shops, garnering attention from the likes of Ian Rankin. The sculptures have now been collected, and will be exhibited at the Scottish Poetry Library from Sat 24 Nov, before the exhibition goes on tour, and apparently five new book sculptures are to be hidden around Edinburgh from 26 Nov to 2 Dec! If you see one, contact the News Badger!

NINJAS TO BECOME EXTINCT?
The ninja is now an endangered species, according to this report for the BBC. Trained in the lethal arts of hand-to-hand combat, stealth and poisoning, ninjas were the superspies of feudal Japan, often acting as mercenaries for hire. Immortalised in countless films, comic books and cartoons, the figure of the ninja has never been more popular as a cultural icon - but real-life ninjas are on the way out. Ninja traditions, secrets and techniques are traditionally passed down from father to son, or from a ninja master to his nominated heir. Speaking to the heads of the last two surviving ninja clans, the BBC confirm that neither man intends to appoint an heir. "In the age of civil wars or during the Edo period, ninjas' abilities to spy and kill, or mix medicine may have been useful," says Jinichi Kawakami. "But we now have guns, the internet and much better medicines, so the art of ninjutsu has no place in the modern age." It seems that ninja traditions and skills will live on only in history books, and fantastical adaptations - as yet there are no Save the Ninja charities in operation. Read the full story here.

NEW JIMI HENDRIX ALBUM SLATED FOR MARCH 2013
Speaking to Classic Rock magazine, Jimmy Hendrix's sister Janie has revealed that a new album of previously unheard material by the guitar legend is being prepared for release in March next year. The unheard tracks see Hendrix experimenting with keyboards, layered guitars and even proto-disco beats. “He was bringing all these instruments like he did at Woodstock," Janie Hendrix is quoted as saying. "The way he was describing it in 1969 was what Earth Wind & Fire became. That’s what we would have had: richer, bigger bands with more sounds and more cultures. There would have been a definite evolution.” Hendrix would have been 70 this year.  

HERE: FRIGHTENED RABBIT PREMIERE NEW FILM
Frightened Rabbit this week premiered a short film made by the band while touring in the Scottish Highlands [we also stalked them, you can read the journal here]. Titled Here, the short was shown at Edinburgh's Filmhouse yesterday, and at Glasgow's CCA earlier in the week. The full documentary will be made available to the public in the coming months, in the run up to the release of the FRabbits' new album Pedestrian Verse, which drops in February. Frontman Scott Hutchison recently pitched a guest question to resurgent Seattle legends Soundgarden, read the results here.

JAMES CAGNEY RETROSPECTIVE AT GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL
Jimmy Cagney was the classic screen villain, immortalizing his violent, tortured and compelling characters with searingly intense performances in films such as White Heat, The Public Enemy and Angels With Dirty Faces. Cagney was one of the first character actors to become celebrated for his performances, rather than being considered a matinee idol, blazing a trail for the likes of Robert DeNiro and Kevin Spacey. Famous lines became catch-phrases, such as "You dirty rat!" (which, interestingly, he never actually said in any specific film) and "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" (from White Heat). Now, Cagney is to be immortalized in a retrospective at the Glasgow Film Festival, which takes plkace from the 14 to 24 Feb next year. The retrospective will showcase the finest moments from cagney's career, with a strong focus on his iconic gangster performances.

OPENING THIS WEEK: END OF WATCH
End of Watch is the new film from David Ayer, writer and director of Training Day. Featuring powerhouse performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, the film uses a thrilling combination of hidden camera / fake documentary footage and explosive action sequences, simultaneously intimate and intense. It opens today.

WEEKEND PICKS: WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS, BILL WELLS & AIDAN MOFFAT, MIAOUX MIAOUX
Looking for some entertainment this weekend? Here are the News Badger's pick of the weekend gigs! Kings of the gigantic song finale, Edinburgh's We Were Promised Jetpacks return for their homecoming show, now a bit of an institution. Catch them at The Liquid Room tomorrow from 7pm. Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat (recently reviewed here) take to the road in support of their rather fabulous album Everything's Getting Older - catch them tonight at Twa Tams in Perth, on Saturday at The Pleasance in Edinburgh, on Sunday at PJ Molloy's in Dunfermline, or at Aberdeen's The Lemon Tree on Monday - full details here. Finally, electronic indie-pop darling Miaoux Miaoux (interviewed here) takes to the stage for an intimate gig at The Glad Cafe in Glasgow on Saturday night, playing tracks from his excellent debut album Light of the North.

Enjoy your weekend - The News Badger returns on Monday!