An exhibnition of art from the Kingdom of Benin puts work on display that was plundered primarily by the British more than 100 years ago. So is this art likely to be returned to its original owners?
Tag: 07.17.08
Inventing The Future Of Public Radio?
“The leaders of Chicago Public Radio believe they are inventing the future of public radio and that it is called Vocalo. There are WBEZ staffers who don’t think so. They are reluctant to be quoted saying so, but they are not reluctant to say so.”
Bernadette Peters On Her Second (And Third) Acts
“The way I think life works is that things are put in your path. Work was put in my path, shows were put in my path, and now this. If you told me three years ago that I was going to write a children’s book . . . . I don’t have children. I mean, I love children, but why would I do that? And write a lullaby? I have too much respect for composers.”
Theatre Director Sues Airline Over Treatment
The artistic director of the Manhattan Theatre Club is suing Continental Airlines, claiming that a vindictive flight attendant had her detained and interrogated by the FBI without cause.
Why Stealing Shakespeare Folios Is Especially Stupid
“The 230 surviving First Folios are now the most minutely studied published works in history. The folio is unusual in that two centuries of records trace the path of specific copies. The pursuit of folio-spotting remains unparalleled in literature.”
US Museums’ Assoc. Sets New Rules For Antiquities Acquisition
“These new guidelines suggest no works exported from their country of origin before 1970–the date set by the Unesco convention on the illicit trade of the same year–should enter North American collections.”
Is The Internet Bad For Research?
“The forced browsing of print archives may have stretched scientists and scholars to anchor findings deeply into past and present scholarship. Searching online is more efficient … but this may accelerate consensus and narrow the range of findings and ideas built upon.”
A Scientific Explanation For ABBA?
“ABBA’s songs continue to endure as what scientists have dubbed ”earworms” 35 years after the band’s first album was released. Like those little bugs, the tunes burrow into our brains and keep hitting the repeat button. With all this renewed interest, we wondered if it was possible to break down scientifically why the music is so irresistible.”
Movie Employment Drops In LA
“Movie and television production employed 157,800 people in the area last year but will drop this year to 151,800, said the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. It gave the industry a C-minus, one of the lowest grades among all major export industries. The 3.8% drop puts entertainment second from the bottom among major industries, ahead of only construction, which will see a 6.6% drop in employees.”
Louvre Gets A Major Hit Of Islam
“The Louvre’s bold new Islamic art wing had its first stone laid by Sarkozy yesterday , launching the museum’s most daring project since IM Pei created the giant glass pyramid 20 years ago. The world’s most visited museum will have Europe’s biggest purpose-built exhibition space for an Islamic art collection, which France hopes will reconcile the secular republic with the world of Islamic heritage.”