A week full of big bids

The highly anticipated art-auction season arrived on Sunday with a specially curated sale that included a sculpture of a kneeling Hitler by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which fetched a record price for the artist, and a ball suspended in a water tank by Jeff Koons.

Focus on fame

For decades, Pang Xiaowei has been shooting black-and-white portraits for thousands of celebrities in China.

Lauper finds her twang on new album

Pop singer, songwriter and Broadway musical composer Cyndi Lauper added a little country twang to her signature Queens accent.

Festival drama peels layers of character who isn't there

Heroes' Square (Heldenplatz), as presented by Lithuanian National Drama Theatre at the Third Tianjin Caoyu International Theater Festival, is a polarizing piece that mesmerized some and bored others.

A breath of mountain air

Situated on a mountain top and approachable only after more than an hour's drive along zigzagging mountain roads from the nearest town, Muyang village is a favorite destination for visitors.

Magic ensues when a modern marvel meets a natural wonder

Sandouping town in Yichang of Hubei province is a rare example of a man-made wonder with natural beauty.

Oil spill tests on ice prove Arctic quests risky

Stopping environmental catastrophe could require cleanup crews to face total darkness, extreme storms and dangerous sea currents

Parrot species in US cities may rival that in native Mexico

US researchers are launching studies on Mexico's red-crowned parrot - a species that has been adapting so well to living in cities in California and Texas after escaping from the pet trade that the population may now rival that in its native country.

Follow Your OWN Rules

Chinese designers should now aspire for individualism like Western designers do, Ma Yanli, a former supermodel tells Andrew Moody and Yan Dongjie.

Wearable technology on the rise in China

With the technology-themed Met Gala red carpet held in New York earlier this week, "smart tech" has become a buzzword in the fashion industry.

IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Chasing perfection in the kitchen

Being a celebrity chef is nice, Britain's Jason Atherton tells Xu Junqian, but spending more time in his kitchens from London to Shanghai is what keeps him on his game.