Robert Pinsky answers some common questions about the state of modern poetry…
Tag: 04.17.08
A Plan To Save French Art For The French?
“Contemporary French art has been streaming out of the country and into the hands of foreign buyers at an alarming rate in recent years. Addressing concerns about the decline of French culture and economic interests, French Culture Minister Christine Albanel unveiled a series of proposals earlier this month to stimulate spending on art works by French buyers.”
MySpace, Music Industry, To Launch Big New Music Service
“It’s a service that marries the largest music community with the most comprehensive catalog of music online. Users can discover and consume virtually any piece of music for free on the internet, or if they want to make it portable they can buy it…. Modern music is all about letting users define their experience. And now, with this new model, we’re letting them do that and the music industry is able to make money at the same time.”
Is Theatre Taking A Natural Turn?
There are few words in modern theatre more dirty than “naturalism”. Since Peter Brook, theatre has been about “empty spaces” rather than slices of life. But lately, it looks like 19th Century naturalism is making a comeback…
Artist Wants To Include Dying Person In Performance Piece
The German artist Gregor Schneider is planning the ultimate performance piece: showing a person dying as part of an exhibition.
Now Starring: Technology?
“Computers and other technologies have transformed our every day lives and they have become a crucial part of the way theatre is made, and our theatre-going lives too.” But increasingly, technology seems to be stealing the show…
Darwin’s Evolution Goes Online
Some 90,000 of Charles Darwin’s papers are now online. “Among the gems are his first formulation of the theory of natural selection, his first written doubts that species were fixed and touching correspondence from his wife on religious faith.”
Amsterdam Becomes The World Book Capital
“On April 23, World Book and Copyright Day, Amsterdam will be officially inaugurated as World Book Capital 2008. The ensuing year-long programme of events centres around an ‘open book’ theme, a reminder that Amsterdam’s infamous tolerance doesn’t just equate to legal coffeeshops and brothels – rather, it was vital in the city’s development as a refuge for the written word.”
Rowling Concludes Her Testimony Opposing Fan Book
The Harry Potter author “returned to the New York courtroom on Wednesday and told a judge that if he allows the fan-written lexicon to be published, it will clear the way for countless rip-offs of her books, as well as those by other authors.”
Best Art Seems Unlikely Addition To Trafalgar Square
“A real destroyed car, from a real war, in the middle of London on a public square that commemorates a famous naval victory? A square connected to Whitehall, leading to the prime minister’s residence and the houses of parliament? Come on, it’s not likely. And yet this is by far the best work of art proposed for the fourth plinth.”