“It is a simple fact that artists influence artists. But an artist overwhelmed by another’s influence is far less interesting than one who makes use of the first artist’s influences to develop his own individuality. Looking at this issue is ‘Morandi’s Legacy: Influences on British Art,’ an exhibition at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art in London until June 18. It takes a quiet master of 20th-century art, Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), and places his oils and etchings – still lifes and landscapes – next to more recent works of notable originality that may be connected in various ways with Morandi.”
Tag: 04.12.06
Will The DaVinci Ruling Be A Precedent-Setter?
It was no big surprise this week when a UK judge rejected charges of copyright infringement against DaVinci Code author Dan Brown. But the ruling could have a wide impact on the publishing industry, codifying for the first time some set of rules for authors of fiction who choose to base their work on fact. Or could it? “To suggest, as Gail Rebuck, the chief executive of Random House, did outside court, that the judgement represented a significant victory for creative freedom, is probably going too far… The key issue is the amount of a book, both in quantity and quality, which is copied by someone else.”
The Finland Factor
The rise of a new generation of prominent Finnish conductors has been well-documented in recent years, and with the international spotlight firmly focused on podium stars like Salonen, Oramo, and Vänskä, Finnish composers are starting to enjoy worldwide attention as well. “It would be difficult to characterise a Finnish school of composition, yet there are no shortage of Finnish composers of international standing.” Throw in a sizable smattering of top-flight instrumental and vocal soloists, and Finland, a nation of only 5 million, might be able to claim the greatest per capita level of success in the classical music world.