Siri Hustvedt: “Masculinity has a purifying effect, femininity a polluting one. The chain of associations that infect our thought dates back to the Greeks in the west: male, mind-intellect, high, hard, spirit, culture as opposed to female, body, emotion, soft, low, flesh, nature. The chains are hierarchical, man on top and woman on bottom. They are often subliminal, and they are emotionally charged. Ironically, these enduring associations become all the more important when the artwork in question is a urinal – a pee pot for men.” – The Guardian (UK)
Tag: 03.29.19
Genevieve Oswald, The Soul Of The New York Public Library Dance Collection, Has Died At 97
Oswald started curating the collection when it had about 350 items in 1947, and built it into this: “You can walk into the dance division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and request to see the ballet slippers of the early-20th-century ballerina Anna Pavlova, or a silk flower garland that adorned the modern-dance pioneer Isadora Duncan, or countless other items in a vast repository of materials on dance.” – The New York Times
Shaking my head
A press release that touts a a composer who became famous nearly 100 years ago as “contemporary” has us smiling. – Greg Sandow
The Music Stars Of Social Media
How are these young people, in their teens and young twenties, getting so much streaming play on Spotify? “These artists have virtually no media profile, no radio play, most don’t seem to have a record deal and they barely give interviews.” YouTube. YouTube. You. Tube. – The Guardian (UK)
France Is Becoming A Refuge For American Noir Novels – And Novelists – Who Can’t Hit It Big On Amazon
Le Monde isn’t mincing words here. While the U.S., at least one novelist claims, has a blockbuster mentality, France is much more welcoming, a place where “several of these authors, who no longer have a publisher in the United States, see their talent justly distinguished.” – Le Monde (France)
The Latest Dust-Up In The Uneven Battle Between Talent Agencies And Writers
At a time when the Writers Guild of America is trying desperately to get its members better positioned in the industry, suffice it to say that the union is not impressed with the Endeavor agency’s plan to enter the stock market with an initial public offering. The WGA: “It is impossible to reconcile the fundamental purpose of an agency — to serve the best interests of its clients — with the business of maximizing returns for Wall Street.” – Los Angeles Times
Contemporary Cancer Books Force Us To Address Grief In All Of Its Forms
There are a lot – a lot – of new cancer memoirs out right now. “As these memoirs suggest, individually and together, there’s no way to eliminate the risk of cancer and or be spared from grief. In addition, they call into question the popular notions that grief proceeds in simple, sequential stages.” – LitHub
LeBron May Not Be Playing Much Basketball, But He Is Starting To Be A Big Player In Hollywood
Possibly the most Company Town thing in this story: “Studios, networks and production companies all over town want to be in the LeBron James business. And not only for his screen presence — even though his performance in Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck was considered a revelation. He and his SpringHill team are very good for business (also, many Hollywood executives are LeBron fans).” – Los Angeles Times
A Newly Discovered Photo Of Harriet Tubman Goes On Display
This is a great discovery because it’s of a young, casually seated Tubman, wearing elegant clothing. Obviously, there’s wrong with a freedom fighter looking older and more pensive when she’s older, but it’s good to have new information about her. – The New York Times
Britain’s National Theatre Changes Structure At The Top
Rufus Norris, who was the National Theatre’s director, and Lisa Burger, who was the theatre’s executive director, will now be sharing power as co-directors. OK, but what does that actually mean? “We have a clear and shared vision for the theatre, which will see it being more national, more representative and more resonant than ever.” (Ahem, so, only male playwrights?) – The Stage (UK)