“Is PBS really a network for and by the people?” The exclusion of Latinos and Native Americans from Ken Burns’ upcoming World War II miniseries is hardly an exception for the network, Ilan Stavans argues. “We need a new model of public broadcasting that isn’t paternalistic. To keep on perceiving ethnic people as an appendix to our country’s past is not to recognize the dramatic transformation we’ve undergone in the last 25 years.”
Tag: 04.25.07
Historical Society Gets OK For Contested Renovation
“After months of controversy, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission ruled unanimously yesterday that the New-York Historical Society can renovate the exterior of its landmark building at 170 Central Park West. … Some community groups and preservationists had opposed the changes, calling them architecturally irresponsible….”
SoHo’s “Wall” To Rise Again (With Ads)
“The tale of ‘The Wall’ spans more than a third of a century, 10 years of it in litigation, in which the outdoor art installation went up in SoHo, came down in SoHo — and stayed down. But its reputation only grew as the artist, the artwork’s landlords, neighborhood activists and, of course, lawyers, clashed. … But yesterday, the conflict seemed about to end, not with a bang, but with applause.”
Why Your Local Books Section Is Worth Saving
As newspapers across the U.S. continue to gut their already shamefully lackluster books coverage, Scott McLemee says that its time for the nation’s librarians and university presses to speak out against the abandonment of literary engagement. “As far as most civilians are concerned, printed matter is generated by parthenogenesis, then distributed across the land like the spores of a ripe dandelion, transmitted by the wind. We know better.”
Smithsonian Introduces Rare Admission Charge
“In a rare move, the Smithsonian is going to charge admission for part of a new permanent exhibition called ‘Butterflies and Plants: Partners in Evolution.’ Admission to the Smithsonian’s Washington museums has always been free, and the legislation and wills creating four of its museums… specifically ban admission fees. But in recent years some lawmakers have been pushing Smithsonian officials to find new ways of meeting expenses.”
Coming Soon To Cleveland: The Art Ph.D.
Several Cleveland-area colleges and universities are holding meetings in an effort to design a first-of-its-kind joint graduate program for art and design studies. “The program would pool the resources of half a dozen public and private universities to provide new doctoral-level degrees in industrial design, digital media, studio practice, museum studies, management design, architecture, urban design and other fields.”
Canada Council’s Unpopular Funding Game
“You’re invited to join in a round of high-stakes poker, but find yourself in a different game entirely – say, three-card monte – with the outcome determined by the dealer. That’s a crude analogy for what many arts organizations, theatre companies, galleries and publishers say they experienced with a special multimillion-dollar funding program run by the Canada Council for the Arts.”
The Met’s Grand New (Old) Spaces
The newly reopened Greek and Roman galleries at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art are playing to rave reviews both in and out of the city. “In the reinstallation, the museum also sought to present the collection in an arrangement that would evoke the way the pieces would have been used in everyday life, rather than displaying numerous examples of the same type of object.” Of course, displaying antiquities so prominently inevitably rekindles the debate over provenance and rightful place…
Islamic Comic Has Global Backing
“Since October, youngsters throughout the Middle East have been discovering the legend of the Noor Stones in a new monthly comic book called ‘The 99.’ The series is inspired by Islamic culture and history – the title refers to the 99 names and traits attributed to God in the Koran – and aims to spread a universal message of teamwork along with plenty of action, adventure, and ‘kapow!’… What started as a cliché ‘sketch on the back of a napkin’ soon evolved into meetings with former executives of Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Rolling Stone magazine. By the summer of 2004, the project was backed with $6.8 million from 54 investors in eight countries.”
Reacting To Calatrava
“As architect Santiago Calatrava’s plan for the Chicago Spire heads to likely approval at the City Council’s zoning committee Thursday, readers are sharing their thoughts, questions and criticisms about the twisting, 150-story condominium tower, which would be the nation’s tallest building. Several readers pejoratively liken the supertall tower to a part of the male anatomy. Others, usually more positive about the design, favor the metaphor of a drill bit or a screw. Still others are asking fresh questions about the proposed skyscraper.”