Though his parents are Indian and he was born in England, Talvin Singh isn't claimed by either cultural heritage. In England he's considered Indian, while in India he's viewed as a Brit. But Singh feels this cultural fence-straddling lends itself to flexibility, not exclusion. He likens himself -- a

Clever, Composed, Eclectic, Hypnotic, Jungle/drum 'n' bass, Layered

As an inquisitive woman with a critical eye, and as a member of the Chinese Communist Party who portrayed its flaws in her fiction, Ding Ling found herself in a precarious position. Her progressive vision moved her to both revere and criticize the Communist Party -- her critiques earned her ten years

Clever, Feminist, Pioneering, Political, Rebel, Women's literature

She is not one of the newcomers on the international art circuit: if you've ever seen her, with her flaming red hair and piercing eyes, you would not forget her or her work, too soon. Horn works in numerous mediums; her pieces often utilize small motors and pulleys to create subtle animations.

Clever, Kinetic, Kinetic art, Machinistic, Modern sculpture, Quirky, Technology

Until the 1980s, British humor stayed largely in the vein of Benny Hill and Monty Python. It was not a good place for women, who generally got laughs by falling out of corsets, bending over in mini-skirts, or fleeing dirty old men. That all changed when Jennifer Saunders arrived on the scene, smearin

Clever, Funny, In-your-face, Profane, Slangy, Witty