07.24.00 – ArtsJournal Wayback

A LITTLE-KNOWN PICASSO MUSEUM —

— north of Madrid has sixty of the master’s artworks – all of which were donated by Eugenio Arias, the Spanish barber who cut Picasso’s hair for 26 years while both men lived in the south of France. It pays to barter – Arias always took his payments in trade. – The Age (Melbourne) (AP)

A HISTORY OF LOOKING AT SCULPTURE

“Most modern sculpture – and its sidekick, installation – occupies space in a quite aggressive way.” Historically, sculpture didn’t always do that. “From the Renaissance until the 19th century, statues tended to be placed flat against walls or in niches that neatly framed them. Viewers were expected to contemplate them from a relatively fixed position, as if they were pictures.” – New Statesman

EMBASSY ENVY

Why do embassies have a way of always bringing out the worst in architects? Britain’s newest embassies in Berlin and Moscow are leaving critics (not to mention the Queen) numb. “What is it that makes these buildings second rate? Is it the architects’ failure of nerve, or the clients’ desire for nothing too difficult or arty? Is it a bout of poet laureate syndrome when faced with designing for Britain?” – The Guardian

41,000 DOWNLOADS LATER, —

— Stephen King has confirmed his faith in the popularity of internet publishing. Fans flocked to his website Monday as soon as the first installment of his new novel “The Plant” was posted. An amazing 78% abided by the honor system and actually paid the $1 download fee. – Inside.com

THE HORROR: “King is one of about 25 fiction writers capable of pulling off this sort of thing: He has a substantial, loyal fan base; he has developed a solid relationship with his readers through his Web site and various fan organs; and he writes the kind of fiction that’s really, really hard to stop reading once you start.” – Salon
NOT QUITE THE MONSTER: “‘The Plant’ is a story recycled, in part, from a manuscript begun in the 1980s. Despite a flurry of interest from the press, it hasn’t received much publicity. And at its current rate of sales, it remains to be seen whether the book will prove very profitable for any of the parties involved.” – Variety

FRENCH DIRECTOR CLAUDE SAUTET DIED —

— Wednesday at age 76. One of France’s most popular filmmakers, he directed more than 30 features and won the Oscar in 1978 for “Une Histoire Simple.” – CBC

IDENTITY ISSUES

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri (“Interpreter of Maladies”) reflects on the elusive nature of identity politics and the need of readers and critics alike to compartmentalize authors. “Take, for instance, the various ways I am described: as an American author, as an Indian-American author, as a British-born author, as an Anglo-Indian author, as an NRI (non-resident Indian) author, as an ABCD author (ABCD stands for American born confused “desi”). According to Indian academics, I’ve written something known as “Diaspora fiction”; in the U.S., it’s “immigrant fiction.” In a way, all of this amuses me.” – Feed

IS STEPHEN KING LEADING A REVOLUTION —

— in book publishing, as he’d have us believe, or “just exploring the power of celebrity in the digital age?” After the success of his earlier e-tale, King releases his next e-novel – this time available in installments over the net. “The launch has touched off a debate over whether the Web can liberate authors from their dependence on publishers, or just make it easier for truly famous people to rally their fans.” – New York Times

ALSO TO LA OPERA

Over the past decade, Vilar has given gifts totaling $33 million to New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Other donations and pledges worldwide include $5.6 million to restore the Seventh Avenue facade of Carnegie Hall, $6 million to the Salzburg Festival, $10 million to London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and underwriting for major productions by the Kirov (Maryinsky) Opera and Ballet Company.” – Los Angeles Times

GLIMMEROPERA

Upstate New York’s summer opera company Glimmerglass is celebrating its 25th season. In 1987 it built the 914-seat Busch Opera House, the first new American opera house since the Metropolitan opened at Lincoln Center in 1966. “In 1996, Glimmerglass’s artistic director, Paul Kellogg, was also appointed general and artistic director of the New York City Opera (NYCO), and the two companies began sharing productions, a development that financially stabilized Glimmerglass while artistically invigorating the City Opera.” – The Globe and Mail (Canada)