“Francois Pinault emerged as the sole candidate to turn a disused Venice customs building into a contemporary-arts center by June 2009 after a rival bid by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was thrown out for being incomplete.”
Tag: 04.05.07
Why Is Marlon Brando Still The Gold Standard?
“I realize that being named the new Brando is meant as a compliment. Three years after his death, the hefty thespian is still viewed by many as the greatest performer to appear on the big screen. Rightly or wrongly, he is the gold standard by which other members of the profession are judged. But consider this fact: On the Waterfront, for which Brando won his first Oscar, was released in 1954 – more than 50 years ago. Isn’t it time for a new frame of reference?”
MFA’s Money For Ritts Gallery Deal
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts gave Herb Ritts his controversial first museum show 11 years ago. “The Herb Ritts Foundation announced it will give the museum $2.5 million, and in return the MFA will create a gallery named for the photographer. The foundation will also give the MFA 189 of the artist’s photographs, making the museum the largest holder of Ritts’s work.”
Being Perfect Isn’t Good Enough For Some Colleges Anymore
That perfect score on your SAT doesn’t look so spectacular these days when it comes to getting in to elite schools. “Harvard turned down 1,100 student applicants with perfect 800 scores on the SAT math exam. Yale rejected several applicants with perfect 2400 scores on the three-part SAT, and Princeton turned away thousands of high school applicants with 4.0 grade point averages. Needless to say, high school valedictorians were a dime a dozen.”
CBC Cancels The Arts
“CBC’s sneak preview of its fall television season announced yesterday is more notable for what’s not coming back, including its last cultural showcase, Opening Night,” which has presented dance, classical music, and opera for seven seasons. “Presenting Canadian culture to Canadians has been a CBC hallmark since its inception,” but the cancellation leaves the television service without a single performing arts program.
Man Attacks Painting For Disturbing Him
“A man put his foot through a $300,000 painting Wednesday afternoon at the Milwaukee Art Museum and told museum workers later that the image disturbed him… Painted in 1640, the oil painting depicts the outcome of the biblical tale of David and Goliath, with David carrying the giant Goliath’s severed head.”
Peabody.com
The Peabody Awards were announced this week, and the prizes for the best in electronic media have clearly expanded into the digital world. For the first time, websites and basic cable channels were honored alongside traditional journalism outlets.
Jobbing The System?
It’s been two months since Apple CEO Steve Jobs proposed dropping all digital copy-protection schemes and allowing consumers free reign over music they buy. “On Monday, his wish started to come true” as some record companies agreed to drop restrictions on online tracks. “But the victory is not as big as it might’ve been… The Apple founder is the real winner here, once again demonstrating his clout in a music industry that is on a 7-year run of diminishing CD sales.”
Foundation Giving Spikes
“Giving by U.S. foundations rose by 11.7 percent, to an estimated $40.7 billion, in 2006, and is expected to show double-digit growth again this year.”
Just Because New Jersey Doesn’t Have A Chariot…
“A mountain village in Umbria is caught up in a tug of war with the Metropolitan Museum of Art over the 2,600-year-old Etruscan chariot that is a highlight of the museum’s new Greek and Roman galleries… The residents of Monteleone, population 680, say the chariot was illegally sold and should never have left the country.” Now, a New Jersey mayor, of all people, has joined the struggle and is pressuring the Met to give back the chariot.