“Theaters, museums and cultural centers across [St. Louis] have cut budgets, jobs and programs in response to the economic downturn. Box office numbers are off only slightly — for now. But ticket sales only cover part of nonprofit groups’ costs… The downturn has had an immediate impact on arts programming, capital improvements and fundraising.”
Author: sbergman
Parsing Andre
Violinist/showman Andre Rieu “insists that musical categorisation is meaningless; that there is no difference between classical and non-classical music, or high art and low art… He depicts his critics as members of a stuffy musical elite with narrow aesthetic tastes, yet regularly demeans in interviews music that is not to his taste and classical musicians who choose not to perform in his manner.” But then, Rieu isn’t as much a musician as a profit-driven industry.
The Pervasive Power of Punk
“Punk’s reach extends far beyond that original fistful of fast, loud bands, and its influence goes much deeper than a rebellious musical moment. Punk’s legacy is vast. From the do-it-yourself philosophy that informs indie rock to the anti-elitism that fuels the blogosphere, the spirit of authenticity and embrace of amateurism that were the pillars of punk now permeate modern art and culture.”
A Reawakening In Toronto?
Is the new Art Gallery of Ontario teaching Toronto’s leaders a valuable lesson about the power of architecture? “Chances are this sense of engagement alone will be enough to win over sceptics, those modern architecture haters who believe the 20th century was the worst thing that ever happened. They may be right, but let’s not forget, this is the 21st century. Things have changed.”
Smithsonian Regents Abandon Closed Door Policy
“For the first time in its 162 years, the Smithsonian Board of Regents is going public… The move is part of an exhaustive revision made by the regents to work for more transparency and open themselves up to a broader accountability.”
Buy A Book, Or Else…
“When you’re the proud parents of a bookstore at risk of imminent death, you’ll try pretty much anything to give your baby a chance — including asking your customers to watch a documentary about other bookstores at risk of imminent death.” That’s the strategy at Washington, D.C.’s Vertigo Books, where the owners are worried that they could be the next indie to close.
Saving Buffalo
Buffalo is a city with problems. But it’s also a city filled with architectural treasures, many of which are at risk of demolition or decay. “Now the city is reaching a crossroads. Just as local preservationists are completing restorations on some of the city’s most important landmarks, the federal government is considering a plan that could wipe out part of a historic neighborhood.”
Pointing Out What Was Always There
Estrellita Brodsky, a graduate student and well-known New York philanthropist, is leading a movement to “raise the profile of Latin American art in museums, the academy and the international art market… Only in the last 15 years have scholars fully embraced the contributions of Latin American artists to 20th-century abstract movements, particularly in the areas of installation and performance.”
The Softer Side Of Gehry
Nicolai Ouroussoff says that Frank Gehry’s reimagining of the Art Gallery of Ontario “may catch some fans of the architect off guard. Rather than a tumultuous creation, this may be one of Mr. Gehry’s most gentle and self-possessed designs. It is not a perfect building, yet its billowing glass facade, which evokes a crystal ship drifting through the city, is a masterly example of how to breathe life into a staid old structure.”
Reviving A National Treasure
“When a fire ripped through Deyrolle, the beloved taxidermy establishment here, early one morning last February, it was as if a dagger had been plunged into the heart of Paris… Deyrolle has been a natural history emporium with the look and feel of a museum, except that just about everything was for sale.” Now, the difficult task of restoring the shop has begun, and all of Paris seems to be involved.