The Cultural Frontline

On this week’s Cultural Frontline we celebrate the writers, musicians and designers combining the creative arts with the culinary arts in innovative and imaginative ways. Tina takes a tour of the mouth-watering exhibition FOOD: Bigger than the Plate at London’s Victoria and Albert museum. The Mexican designer Fernando Laposse reveals how his brightly coloured corn-based textile helped a Mexican community facing unemployment. Can you find family in a bowl of Nigerian soup? The food writer Yemisi Aribisala reminisces on the recipes and the rituals that go into the creation of a beautiful bowl of Ogbono soup, just like her auntie used to make. The Palestinian artist Mirna Bamieh takes us behind the scenes of the live art project that seeks to rediscover and revive traditional Palestinian recipes and practices that are disappearing. Plus more than just milkshakes - we hear from the pop star and Cordon Bleu chef Kelis about how her food inspires her music and her music inspires her food. Presented by Tina Daheley Image: Kelis. (Credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

The Cultural Frontline speaks to artists about how their faith informs and inspires their work. When he was twelve years old, the artist Tsherhin Sherpa began studying traditional Tibetan thangka painting with his father; he is now a celebrated contemporary artist. He tells The Cultural Frontline about how his work combines the ancient traditions of his Buddhist heritage with his personal observations on the political and social issues of today’s modern globalised culture. The graffiti artist Combo says he is French first, Muslim second - and has a lot to say about how religion is discussed in French society. He speaks to the BBC’s Sophia Smith Galer about one of his most notable works, a logo called 'co-exist' that he has spray-painted in cities around the world. It celebrates religious diversity, but also led to Combo receiving a lot of criticism in the French media for sparking religious discourse on the streets of a country where secularism, or laïcité, is proudly celebrated. Plus we speak to the rapper A-Star about how his faith shapes his lyrical message, and why there is a renaissance of gospel in grime music. Presented by Tina Daheley Image: Work by the graffiti artist Combo. Credit: Combo

This week, the Cultural Frontline speaks to leading filmmakers from around the world about how they share the story of their country on screen. This week, Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in as President of South Africa. But amid corruption, inequality and controversy over land reform, how is the so-called Rainbow Nation being painted by the nation’s filmmakers? Lineo Sekeleoane, director and producer of Zulu Wedding and Samantha Nell, director of Miles From Nowhere, share the story of the South Africa that they show on screen. Now the President al-Bashir is gone what will it mean for the people and the story of Sudan? Filmmaker and activist Hajooj Kuka takes us inside the ‘sit in’ at Khartoum’s ex-military headquarters and tells us why he is using his camera to document the nation’s ongoing protests. History was made at this year’s Cannes Film Festival by the French Senegalese director Mati Diop. Her film entitled Atlantique, was the first film in the festival’s 72 year history directed by a black woman to be in competition for the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or. We speak to Mati about her history making film. Plus one of the pioneers of Hong Kong cinema, Angie Chen, on why her films tell the story of a different side of the city away from the sky scrapers and the bright lights. Presented by Tina Daheley Image: French director Mati Diop poses with her Grand Prize of the Festival at Cannes at the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival, 2019 Credit: EPA/IAN LANGSDON

Following India’s momentous elections, we hear from the writers, comedians, directors and artists who are shaping the nation’s cultural future. Bollywood stars, political biopics and patriotic saris. The writer Sandip Roy reviews the sights and sounds of the campaign trail and reveals how entertainment and politics have become ever closer this election. Seen any Salman Rushdie on a rickshaw or poetry on the side of a street food stand? Brightly coloured sticker quotes are appearing all over India. We speak to one of the masterminds behind the #StickLit project aiming to become the world’s largest public library. Two of India’s brightest comics Anuvab Pal and Neeti Palta reveal how the comedy world has reacted to the government of Prime Minister Nahendra Modi and the drama of this year’s vote. It was a crime that shocked India and made headlines around the world. And it’s now the focus of a gripping, multi layered series on Netflix. Writer and director of Delhi Crime, Richie Mehta, tells us why he chose to dramatize the story of the brutal attack and gang rape on a bus in 2012. Presented by Tina Daheley Image: An Indian man walks in front of posters of the Bollywood film "PM Narendra Modi" - a biopic on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

Sell out tours, millions of social media followers and adoring fans across the globe. Welcome to the world of Dimash, Central Asia’s biggest pop star. We find out how he went from a child singer to a pioneer of pop music and why he is trying to change the world’s perception of his home country, Kazakhstan. Has a song, a book, a work of art ever changed the way you see the world? Zandra Rhodes, one of British fashion’s leading trend setters, reveals why the work of the artist Duggie Fields inspires her. They have been dubbed “the wildest DJ crew and label in Mexico” and have been credited with revolutionising a dance music scene in Mexico City that has been devastated by the War on Drugs. The BBC’s Emmanuella Kwenortey speaks to the creative minds behind the pioneering artistic collective NAAFI and finds out what drives these cultural mavericks. Plus we find out why the sky is the limit for Indian statues. The writer Sandip Roy explores the increasingly competitive and record breaking nature of public art and public life in India. Presented by Tina Daheley Image: Dimash in concert. Credit: Nikita Basov