A boycott of Israeli universities and their academic by-products is underway across Europe, organized by European and American academics who revile the Sharon government’s hardline policies in the occupied territories. One of the main targets of the boycott is Neve Gordon, who fires back that “Israeli universities continue to be an island of freedom surrounded by a stifling and threatening environment. In the past two years the Israeli media, which was once known for its critical edge, has been suppressing critical voices… To fight the anti-intellectual atmosphere within Israel, local academics need as much support as they can get from their colleagues abroad.”
Tag: 02.14.03
Subjecting Leonardo To Science
Dspite the small number of Leonardo da Vinci paintings there, they have never been studied with modern scientific instruments. So “the Universal Leonardo Project is being set up to coordinate the first scientific examination of all the artist’s paintings. Scholars are still unable to agree on which paintings should be attributed to Leonardo, with the number accepted by individual specialists varying from one dozen to two dozen. ‘Even the Mona Lisa has not been subjected to a sustained technical examination’.”
The Case Of The Disappearing Diva
Sopranos are famous for their temperamental nature, of course, and these days, few are surprised when a big star storms off in a huff or refuses to take the stage until some detail or other is attended to. But soprano Sumi Jo managed to shock even the hardened pros at Opera Australia this week, when she left not only the company, but the continent, in the middle of a run of performances of Lucia di Lammermoor. The singer, who is pregnant, reportedly returned home to Rome on doctor’s orders, but did so without informing the company, the director, or even her own manager. Opera Australia execs found out when Sumi Jo’s hotel phoned up to tell them she’d checked out.
Shoot First, Do Your Research Later. Or Never.
“Only last fall, the National Rifle Association was beside itself with joy as Michael Bellesiles, the professorial darling of the gun-control crowd, went down in flames after being caught faking his research. Now the proverbial shoe is on the other academic foot: John R. Lott Jr., a point man for the pro-gun set whose resume has noted positions on the faculties of the University of Chicago’s law school, Stanford University and Yale, stands accused of the same scholarly crime.”
Reading Of Love…
What are the ten most romantic books of all time? The Guardian’s John Armstrong made a list…
Navigating Iran’s Perilous Film Industry
Iranian films have found an appreciative audience internationally. But at home, the difficulties of making these distinctive movies is enormous. “In Iran, the subversive subtexts of these provocative films are rattling religious conservatives in government. Iran is poised on the cusp between religious extremism and political reform. Conservatives believe the imbedded politics of new-wave films directly challenge their power by giving voice to the swelling discontent within the country. Enraged by the negative international attention the films bring to Iran’s drastic social and political policies, they are attempting to subvert the filmmakers.”
Orchestra Expenses too High? Here’s A Plan – Dump Your Musicians (Now What?)
The Colorado Springs Orchestra, which hasn’t performed since December because of a million-dollar debt (and a filing for bankruptcy in January) petitioned a court to void its musicians’ contracts, arguing that “the contract put an untenable financial burden on the organization.” A judge voided it Thursday, and so now what happens? Maybe not much – without a contract the orchestra has no musicians. Without musicians, it’d difficult to play concerts. The orchestra’s future is getting cloudier…
Cutbacks Cut Museum Hours To Five Hours/Month
Museums everywhere are facing funding crunches. But none so bad perhaps, as Copenhagen’s Royal Cast Museum, which holds “the world’s second-largest collection of plaster casts, and a rich selection of works representing the past 3300 years of art history from ancient Egypt to the 19th century.” The Royal Cast’s problem is not how to get more visitors, but how to keep them away – funding cuts have shrunk the museum’s hours to five a month – the “last Wednesday of every month between the hours of 10.00-15.00.”
An Arts Alternative
Should anyone be surpriseed that popular culture holds such a firm grip on teenagers? It’s all around. Unavoidable. A ten-year-old program in San Francisco offers kids an alternative – an art alternative. Art and Film for Teenagers “offers Bay Area teens Friday night art movie screenings; Saturday outings to galleries, museums and commercial films; group trips to the symphony, opera and ballet (often three or more times a week); dinner parties and picnics, and an opportunity for mingling with peers passionate about the arts – an antidote to adolescent isolation.”
Re-Cast And Re-Bait
“A look at the latest Broadway casts of ‘The Producers,’ ‘Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune’ and ‘Oklahoma!’ has confirmed one basic truth of the theater: if the chemistry of casting is an elusive and mysterious science, the alchemy of recasting is even more complicated. No matter how much electricity performers give off naturally, when you plug them into roles that don’t fit, short-circuiting is to be expected.”