Culture
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Living Coral declared 2019 colour of the year
What does it tell us about ourselves? Each December, design company Pantone picks a colour of the year. It says 2019’s pink-orange hue will “provide comfort and buoyancy” in changing times.
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Prize-winning film heralds era of iPhone art
Is this a good thing? The 2018 Turner Prize has been won by video artist Charlotte Prodger. The film explores her experience of coming out as gay and was shot entirely on her phone.
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‘Why austere Advent beats cheesy Christmas’
Is Advent better than Christmas? The season of Advent has officially begun and will continue until midnight on Christmas Eve. Some say the anticipation trumps Christmas Day.
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We need Robin Hood today, says movie director
Is Robin Hood relevant to the modern world? The famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest has returned to our screens once more, reinvented for the 21st century, but the film has been poorly received.
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Elton John ad ‘nothing to do with Christmas’
Is it consumerist rubbish or genuinely touching? The John Lewis Christmas advert has finally been released. It charts the career of music legend Elton John with a signature emotional punch.
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This could be the most expensive painting ever
Can a painting really be worth $80 million? Today, David Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) is set to become the most...
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The superhero whose comics took over the world
What did Stan Lee teach us about life? The mastermind behind Marvel’s success has died aged 95. From Spider-Man to the Hulk, he helped to create many of the world’s most beloved superheroes.
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‘Attenborough has betrayed the living world’
Is this criticism fair? Environmentalist George Monbiot has denounced Sir David Attenborough, claiming his films do more harm than good. Attenborough’s new series,...
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Dispute over bleak message in new war poem
Do we learn anything from history? As Remembrance Day approaches, poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s new poem about the First World War suggests we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.
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Curses and crystals: meet the modern witches
Should we take witchcraft seriously? A surprising number of young women are becoming witches, and not just for Halloween. What does magic and mysticism have to offer the modern world?
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‘No one has ever read anything like this before’
Are book prizes bad for writing? Milkman, a challenging work about sexual harassment in Northern Ireland, has won the Man Booker Prize. Some writers say the award is...
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Bad blood: Storm over Swift’s political post
Should Taylor Swift stay out of politics? The singer’s decision to publicly endorse two Democrats in the US midterm elections triggered an outpouring of both praise and scorn.
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Lunacy! Moon movie accused of insulting US
Is First Man anti-American? The film, which comes out today, tells the story of Neil Armstrong’s historic walk on the Moon – but does not show him...
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Nation strictly split over the cha-cha-cheats
Should Seann Walsh have been booted off Strictly? BBC bosses confirm that he and Katya Jones will perform on Saturday — despite their “drunken kiss” sparking a national...
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The 13th Doctor: ‘change is nerve-wracking!’
How much does representation matter? Last night, Doctor Who returned to BBC One. For the first time in 55 years, the time travelling, two-hearted,...