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‘Why Are You Angry?’…New Exhibition Explores Gauguin's Works

The back of French artist Paul Gauguin's artwork (AFP/File)
The back of French artist Paul Gauguin's artwork (AFP/File)
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‘Why Are You Angry?’…New Exhibition Explores Gauguin's Works

The back of French artist Paul Gauguin's artwork (AFP/File)
The back of French artist Paul Gauguin's artwork (AFP/File)

The south sea paradise, rich colors, and beautiful faces; the paintings of French artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) are famed for depicting an Orientalist worldview.

Now an exhibition in Berlin is taking a critical look at the artist's renowned works in light of contemporary debates surrounding colonialism, sexism and racism.

At the Alte Nationalgalerie exhibition, "Paul Gauguin - Why Are You Angry?", Gaugain's works are juxtaposed against those of contemporary artists who have adopted Gauguin's themes. The exhibition, a collaboration with the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, can be seen until July 10 on Berlin's famous Museum Island.

In the view of Ralph Gleis, director of the Alte Nationalgalerie, Gauguin tried to realize his dream of a life beyond bourgeois ideas in a "constant search for the original" outside European society with "remarkable radicalism," a line of thought that would see Gauguin refer to himself as a "savage."

The exhibition is not a retrospective of Gauguin's work but aims to take a focused look at this white colonialist and his own contradictions, according to the German News Agency.

For Gleis, the current debates on how Europe needs to own up to the impact of its colonial heritage cannot be ignored.

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Taiwan to Evacuate Hundreds as Typhoon Podul Barrels Towards Southeast 

Fishermen secure their boats at Wushih Harbor in Yilan as Typhoon Podul approaches on August 12, 2025 (AFP)
Fishermen secure their boats at Wushih Harbor in Yilan as Typhoon Podul approaches on August 12, 2025 (AFP)
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Taiwan to Evacuate Hundreds as Typhoon Podul Barrels Towards Southeast 

Fishermen secure their boats at Wushih Harbor in Yilan as Typhoon Podul approaches on August 12, 2025 (AFP)
Fishermen secure their boats at Wushih Harbor in Yilan as Typhoon Podul approaches on August 12, 2025 (AFP)

Authorities in Taiwan were scrambling on Tuesday to evacuate hundreds from the likely path of Typhoon Podul, expected to make landfall on the island's southeastern coast, while nearby areas battle to recover from the havoc caused by previous storms.

Taiwan is regularly hit by typhoons, generally along its mountainous, sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

The mid-strength Typhoon Podul, packing gusts of as much as 155 kph (96 mph), was heading for the southeastern city of Taitung as it intensifies and was expected to make landfall nearby on Wednesday, weather officials said.

In the eastern county of Hualien, nearly 700 people will be evacuated from their homes to guard against the risk of overflow from a natural dam formed after a landslide set off by a previous typhoon.

"We must especially urge people living downstream to follow government instructions and evacuate," said Chu Chung-jui, an official of the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction.

"Authorities are closely monitoring this landslide lake," he told a Taipei briefing for the typhoon taskforce.

After making landfall, the storm was expected to hit the densely populated western coast before heading for China's southern province of Fujian later this week.

As much as 600 mm (24 inches) of rain was forecast in southern mountainous areas over the next few days, the Central Weather Administration said.

More than a year's rainfall fell in a single week this month in some southern areas, unleashing widespread landslides and flooding, with four deaths.

Authorities were also working to evacuate those whose homes were damaged by a July typhoon that brought record winds and damaged the electricity grid in a rare direct hit to Taiwan's west coast.

Swimmers on a beach near the northeastern port of Suao were enjoying the last of the fine weather before warnings of high seas went out and the coast guard cordoned off coastal areas.

"Here in the east, we always have typhoons or earthquakes, so we are not really scared of those, but rather used to them," said Yu How-ling, a 30-year-old beach visitor.