The sad state of contemporary Russian art is exemplified by the sham Moscow Biennale produced last winter, writes Viktor Misiano. “The biennale was paid for by the Russian government in a clear attempt to create a Western façade for the new Russia. The exhibition was wanted by the government and paid for by the government. It was practically imposed by the government. Some $2 million was spent on the blind reproduction of a Western biennale. Even the timing of the biennale was chosen for purely cynical reasons.”
Tag: 06.24.05
A Discovery Under Site Of Ethiopian Obelisk
In preparing to erect an obelisk being returned from Italy to Ethioipia, workers have found at the ancient site of Axum a series of underground chambers and arcades near the original position of the obelisk, beneath an area converted into a parking lot in 1963.
Record Price For Francis Bacon
A Francis Bacon painting has sold at auction for £4.9 million, “a new record for the artist. Portrait of George Dyer Staring into a Mirror reached the price at a Post-War and Contemporary Art auction by Christie’s on Thursday. The 1967 painting, sold to a private collector from Europe, had only been expected to sell for up to £3.5m.”
This “R” Is For Rude
Nell Minow wishes there was a movie rating for rudeness. “After all, the ratings for language are based on the traditional profanities. They don’t apply to insults or obnoxious comments that are what used to be called “fresh.” On the contrary; in today’s media, children who are rude, even to adults, are applauded — literally, in the case of sitcoms, which give insulting and disrespectful comments full-out laugh-track approval.”
BookExpo Canada Opens – Where Do Canadians Buy Books?
The Canadian book industry is gathering in Toronto this weekend for BookExpo Canada. “Among the concerns for booksellers this year is an emerging U.S. trend for publishers such as Penguin Books to sell directly to the public through their website.” A new study of Canadians’ book-buying habits says that “59 per cent buy at the national chain Indigo, 28 per cent buy at smaller independents and the number that buy only on the Internet is ‘inconsequential’.”
Saratoga Looks For New Life
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is reopening with hopes for a fresh start. “The performing arts center is pronouncing itself reborn after a grim year touched off by the announcement that the New York City Ballet – a founding constituent – would be banished because of a financial crisis. The news led to a scathing state audit, an attorney general’s investigation and a bombardment of critical articles in the local press. But a new and politically connected executive director was appointed. The old board resigned en masse last month and was replaced.”
Congress Votes Not To Cut Public Broadcasting Budget
The US House of Representatives has voted not o cut funds for public broadcasting. “The 284-140 vote demonstrated the enduring political strength of public broadcasting, whose supporters rallied behind popular programs such as ‘Sesame Street,’ ‘Postcards From Buster’ and ‘The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.’ The Public Broadcasting Service undertook a high-profile campaign to rescind the proposed cut. Lawmakers were flooded with letters and phone calls.”
Which Los Angeles Shall It Be?
Los Angeles is “a city re-examining its past. And it comes as the strength of Latino culture is increasingly evident – in everything from the city’s murals to its concert halls and stages. The city is poised for a cultural shift. Latinos will form a majority of the population in the US’s second-largest city within a few years.”
Anime Gives American Pop Culture A Run
“What began as a distinctly Japanese style of visual storytelling has gone global. As culture watchers from Tokyo to London point out, anime is far more than Pikachu and PowerPuff girls. The art form has achieved what no other indigenous cultural expression has managed to do: become widespread enough to challenge America’s stranglehold on entertainment.”
A Plan To Remake Scottish Arts
A long awaited plan for Scottish culture is released: “It contains 124 recommendations for the future of art and culture in Scotland, 29 of which require new legislation. It includes calls for a major funding boost, the abolition of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, and the establishment of two new national arts bodies: Culture Scotland and the Culture Fund. The former would develop policy and the fund would provide finance. Both bodies, operating as companies, would roughly maintain the “arm’s length” principle – where cultural decisions are made outside government – which most artists and cultural workers in Scotland desired.”