“The common traits that people across all creative fields seemed to have in common were an openness to one’s inner life; a preference for complexity and ambiguity; an unusually high tolerance for disorder and disarray; the ability to extract order from chaos; independence; unconventionality; and a willingness to take risks.”
Tag: 01.04.16
Can Words Add Anything To Our Understanding Of Music?
“Music is a vehicle of understanding. But what kind of understanding does it make possible? Why does it matter? What is at stake?”
What Theatre Could Learn From Pro Wrestling
“From the elaborate costumes to the pulsating entrance themes to the written dialogue, wrasslin’ has copied many elements of the stage. Even knowing that, though, there are a few things that theatre can learn from pro wrestling.”
Ancient Egyptian Shrines, Once Thought Destroyed, Reveal Six New Statues
“A team of archaeologists in Egypt has discovered six rock cut statues inside two adjoining shrines, previously believed to be completely destroyed by an earthquake that shook the region centuries ago.”
Should Burning Man Be Taxed? Nevada Wants It
“Burning Man appealed, estimating the tax change could cost $2.9 million. That could force the Project to raise ticket prices by as much as $35 above last year’s main sale price of roughly $390. That’s a steep entry fee for a week in a no-commerce zone where participants give away everything for free.”
‘If The Bolshoi Is Sick, It’s Because Russia Is Sick Too’
“The Bolshoi is not just a theatre: it’s a cultural brand that is key to Russia’s image of itself … and the Kremlin have been reluctant to leave its running to mere specialists. One of the theatre’s harassed-looking board members claims that 40% of its artistic and managerial decisions have historically been controlled by politicians.”
Does Speaking A Second Language Really Improve Cognition?
“The idea that learning to speak two languages is good for your brain has come to be widely accept as fact, particularly in popular media. … But a handful of attempts to replicate some of these seminal findings have failed to confirm this ‘bilingual advantage’ … [and] a heated debate over this issue now rages in the research community.”
Kate Atkinson Wins Costa Novel Prize For Second Time In Three Years
“Just two years after winning the Costa novel award for Life After Life, … the novelist has landed the prize again for her follow-up, A God in Ruins. … Along with Atkinson, four other writers were named as winners in different categories” – biography, poetry, children’s lit, and first novel – “each of whom will receive £5,000.” The Costa Book of the Year will be announced on January 26.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 01.04.16
Is Earning Making Money The New Audience-Building Strategy?
Maybe it’s obvious, but in the for-profit world, making money is the point; profit defines success. In the non-profit world, the relationship between profit and success is more complicated. “Profit” (or balancing the books) is… … read more
AJBlog: diacritical Published 2016-01-04
New Year’s “Resolutions,” Cosby Edition: What Artworld Uncertainties Should Be Resolved in 2016?
Last year left the artworld on edge, with several dramatic, unresolved cliffhangers. Here’s hoping that some of the thorny issues that vexed us in 2015 achieve satisfying resolution in the year ahead. … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-01-04
Monday Recommendation: Susie Arioli
Susie Arioli, Spring (Spectra Musique). A longtime favorite in Canada, Susie Arioli’s fame could spread abroad on the strength of her singing in this collection. Indeed, strength is a fair description of her work, … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-01-04
Joey Alexander: Genius?
Mozart is the archetype of the child musical genius. Over the centuries, many successors have been proclaimed. In the long run, few have qualified. The current child-genius nominee is Joey Alexander, a pianist from Bali. … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-01-04
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Arts Professionals Who Had Been Arrested At Peace March In Turkey Are Released From Prison
“The police claimed that handmade explosives were thrown at their forces by the group, but upon reviewing the evidence a Turkish judge released all of the detainees on Sunday, January 3.”