A San Diego judge has ruled that a pair of art books in the San Diego Library that feature photographs of nude girls, are pornography. Police are investigating; they have requested from the library the names of anyone who has checked the books out. – San Diego Union-Tribune
Tag: 04.19.00
WHO’LL PAY THE BILLS?
Berlin’s cultural world is in crisis. Of course pretty much every other European capital has gone through some sort of public funding crisis in the past two decades, but that doesn’t particularly ease the pain. “Berlin supports three opera houses, seven orchestras, 50 theatres, 170 museums and 300 galleries – all this for 3.5 million residents.” Where is the money going to come to keep this extravagance afloat? – The Telegraph (UK)
HIGH TIMES/HIGH CREATIVITY
What is it about artists and substance abuse? “Artists have long taken refuge in substances during barren spells, or indulged in them as part of macho rituals. Yes, a great many writers, and other artists, would toast the liberalisation of illegal highs. But to cause a real commotion, politicians would have to criminalise the innocuous pick-me-ups and blameless crutches that are their true inspiration and solace.” – New Statesman
IT’S NEA GRANT DAY
The National Endowment announces 800 grants today. More than half are going to outreach and arts education, bringing the arts to “underserved” communities. – Washington Post
TUT TUT TATE
The newly renamed Tate Britain aims to re-present British art thematically. Does it work? “The Tate, it seems, has fallen into the hands of experts, not in art, but in marketing and presentation, and the pun in representing, worn thin already, is thrust home in every printing of the word as Representing – how much did they pay the wit who thought of that?” – London Evening Standard
DAMIEN DOESN’T JUST SHOCK
Of late, British corporations have been a little more adventurous with the art they hang on their walls. “Over the past 15 years the profile of contemporary art has become much higher because of the media coverage of Damien Hirst and exhibitions such as ‘Sensation.’ The consequence is that chief executives are opening up to new approaches.” – The Times (UK)
ART VS. RELIGION
Art and religion have a long history together. Russia’s Church of the Intercession is “the only intact example of 17th-century Moscow Baroque to have survived the ransacking of Napoleonic invaders and the desecrations of Stalin. It is a jewel of the Baroque, lovingly preserved by curators from the Rublev Museum. But President Vladimir Putin plans to restore the building to the Russian Orthodox Church, which is likely to return it to its original function as a parish church open to the public 12 hours a day. Art experts aghast at the prospect of a pious crush of stout, wet-coated babushki imperiling the fragile interior. So what to do? Defend and preserve it or use and lose it? – The Times (UK)
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT MUSEUMS
The New York Times’ special section on the art and state of the modern museum. – New York Times
COLOSSUS II – THE RETURN
The Colossus of Rhodes was built in about 300 BC and came to be one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Now Rhodes has decided to rebuild and is commissioning a new modern Colossus, which it hopes will be completed by the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. – CBC
FIRST TO THE SMALL SCREEN
Shorts, trailers, and animation features have been available on the web for some time, yet no major studio had yet made full-length features available for download – until now. Miramax Films has signed an agreement with SightSound.com to make 12 of their indie films available, on a pay-per-view basis, over the web. “Yet they haven’t yet decided which titles will be made available, how soon, or at what cost.” – CNN (AP) 04/19/00