“It belongs to Howard University’s theater department, which has spent years trying to figure out what happened to the Oscar that disappeared decades ago…. Howard archivists say there’s no official record that the university ever received the award,” the first given to an African American, yet “former students vividly recall seeing it.”
Author: Laura Collins Hughes
As Opening Nears, What To Call Lincoln Center Restaurant?
“There is only one rule about the name: it shouldn’t be an unfortunate choice that sticks out its chin,” restaurant consultant Clark Wolf said. “Remember, they named a restaurant Vertigo on a higher floor of the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. Boy, did that go away fast.”
The Intellectuals In Roman Polanski’s Corner
Though “the Polanski Liberation Front is hardly a mass movement in France,” its prominent partisans include more than just outraged film directors. “Several popular philosophers, of the sort the French call intellectuels médiathèques, are carrying Polanski’s banner. The most prominent of them is Bernard-Henri Lévy….”
Expanding, Cleveland Museum Of Art Reshuffles The Pieces
“[W]hile the added room will be welcome, almost more important for curators has been the opportunity to do what large, encyclopedic museums almost never get to do: completely take apart and put back together a vast permanent collection, and in so doing retell the story of art through its holdings.”
Is East Coast Elitism, Or Worse, Root Of Dudamel Reviews?
“Critics have the obligation of judging creative work by a set of standards, of allowing emotion or the crowd approval to be, at best, one variable in their judgment. But some seemed to bend themselves in elaborate contortions during this tour to parry the elation and thunderous ovations that greeted the feckless horde from L.A.”
Jailed Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Released On Bail
“The acclaimed film-maker had been held in Tehran’s Evin prison after voicing support for an opposition candidate in last year’s disputed election. He was released on a bail of $200,000 (£140,000), it was reported. … He had been on hunger strike for a week to protest against his detention.”
Art Institute Of Chicago Lays Off 65, Mainly In Security
“President and director James Cuno announced in a town hall-style meeting Thursday that approximately 50 security managers would be relieved, with the option to re-apply for their positions. An additional 15 staff members, or 2 percent of the museum’s total staff, were laid off within departments ranging from museum education to retail operations and the facility’s physical plant.”
Appreciation: Michael Kuchwara
“The community’s love for Mike was tangible in the days of agony that preceded his death — a hectic time on the theatrical calendar…. Hearing that he was hospitalized, colleagues began visiting regularly; news of his condition flowed from friend to friend; press reps at the various shows opening handed out updates on his precarious state along with the press tickets.”
The Rise Of Flarf
“[W]hile painting and even music have seen dramatic post-modern upheavals, much of poetry printed in popular magazines can be mainstream: non-alienating, often easy to parse and respectful of meter and even rhyme. A small group of poets hopes to change that.”
Are US Museums Safe From Mega-Heists?
The vastness of the nation helps to protect them. “Let’s say you hit the National Gallery — you gonna escape to Baltimore?” asks the founder of the FBI’s National Art Crime Team. “If you rob a museum in Philadelphia, where you gonna go — Camden? Countries in Europe are so close, and you have open borders and unarmed guards.”