The Swiss art fair held out for a long time. Then, on May 30, dealers sent a letter. “‘Art Basel is the most important and powerful art fair in the world but even in the best possible scenario, an edition held this year would be a mere shadow of its established stature and imperil its reputation,’ the letter said. Signed by more than 50 dealers, it concluded: ‘We believe that risks are simply too great and that regrettably 2020 is a lost year.'” – The New York Times
Tag: 06.06.20
Some People Have Been Flocking To ‘The Help’ On Netflix During Weeks Of Protests
Podcast host Akilah Hughes on Twitter in response the news that the 2011 white savior movie The Help is topping Netflix’s most-watched lists: “If you watched the Help this week you have to donate $500 to black charities.” (Twitter also offered many helpful ideas about what to watch.) – Los Angeles Times
Libraries Are Welcoming The Temporary Easing Of E-Book Prices
One Canadian library director said, “It was very, very good news in a very dark period.” (But the cheaper prices are set to end mid-June, when physical libraries may be partially opening back up.) – CBC
Poor Old Machiavelli Had ‘A Talent For Ending Up On The Losing Side’
His tenure as a senior administrator in the Florentine Republic saw many more failures than successes; he was bounced into prison and then exile after the Medici returned to power; when he finally got back into their favor, he was commissioned to write a great history of the city, only to see the family booted once again and die himself a couple of months later. “That hallmark of his work, Fortune, shined upon him only posthumously.” – History Today