Times are tough, and lots of folks are pinching pennies. But culture doesn’t have to be expensive – a British journalist is attempting an entire week’s worth of arts-going on the cheap. His goal: spend no more than £50, “including food, drink and transport within central London – which also happens to be one of the most expensive cities in the world.”
Tag: 07.29.08
Hirst’s Latest Pickled Beasts To Hit The Block
“A small menagerie of new Damien Hirst pickled animals took a bow yesterday, including a new shark, a zebra, a calf with solid gold horns and hoofs valued at up to £12m, and even a unicorn – a white foal fitted with a resin horn… All have been churned out by his small army of assistants this year for an auction at Sotheby’s in September which will sell more than 200 pieces. The auction is predicted to raise £65m.”
Sculpture In Emin-Curated Show Smashed Accidentally
“The £6,000 sculpture was part of an exhibit in a display at the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition curated by Tracey Emin, who described the work as a star of her show… A visitor fell into the cordoned off piece on Saturday, sending it to the floor and smashing into hundreds of pieces.”
Isserlis On Education
Cellist Steven Isserlis is well-known as an advocate of music education, and a performer who goes out of his way to work with kids. He also has some strong opinions on the right and wrong way to win new fans for classical music. “You have to bring them in gently. You can’t bring in a child and plonk him down in front of a Bruckner symphony”
Embracing Musical Uncertainty
“Making it up as you go along might work well in the worlds of experimental theatre, freeform jazz, or when you’re caught pilfering biros, but in the world of classical music improvising went the way of Beethoven at around the same time Beethoven went… [Now,] most soloists prefer the security of jotting down a few bars before they put a shoe on stage. Not so Gabriela Montero, the 38-year-old Venezuelan concert pianist who is reviving this neglected art.”