Scholars today, using multi-spectral imaging technology, are able to decipher the otherwise inscrutable surface of black ink on black fabric of the papyrus scrolls. A multinational team has assembled to transcribe the collection. But work has stalled as they await refinement of a new technique, an application of the CT scan, which will allow some of the untouched texts to be deciphered without exposing them to the risk of further damage.
Tag: 08.06.08
Can Outside-funded Documentaries Be Trusted?
Documentary filmmakers have long leaned on non-profit organizations to fund and market their work in the U.S., where public broadcasting and other state-sponsored agencies provide them with little of the financial support afforded to their European counterparts. Now that British filmmakers are increasingly relying on the likes of Amnesty International for support, The Guardian expresses skepticism about the impartiality of their work.
Investor, Artist Team Up to Rescue Cult Polaroid Cam
Like all Polaroid cameras, the 20×24–a sophisticated, refrigerator-sized model introduced in the ’70s and favored by Chuck Close and Julian Schnabel for large-scale portraiture–faces swift obsolescence. Investor Daniel H. Stern and visual artist John Reuter have launched an enterprise to manufacture the film and accessories that will keep the cult cam in business even after Polaroid Corporation discontinues production on instant photography film next year.
Mozart Reinterpreted For An Eco-Conscious Today
A dance performance and an art installation showcased during this year’s Mostly Mozart Festival rethink the composer’s Requiem to express concerns about climate change and other current threats to the eco-system.
In Search Of The Great Post-9/11 Novel
“Why is it that our novelists, despite their best efforts, cannot write a politically informed, psychologically convincing book about Islamic terrorism?” wonders Adam Kirsch in an essay that argues that contemporary writers have yet to put forth works of fiction that give definitive shape and meaning to the post-9/11 experience.
In Movie Openings – Wednesday Is The New Friday
“Between now and Labor Day, the major studios and several independent distributors will release more than half a dozen new films on a Wednesday, usually considered one of the slowest days of the week for moviegoing. ‘You get a lot of positive word of mouth going into the weekend. You have two days of people validating the movie locally’.”
Study: Millions Of Kids Are Seeing Violent “R” Movies
“In a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Medical School researchers found that violent movies attract, on average, 12.5% of 10- to 14-year-olds in the country, with boys, minorities and children whose parents don’t restrict viewing habits seeing the most gore.”
Why Philly’s Great Old Theaters Remain Dark
Philadelphia has some grand old theaters and a thriving local theatre scene. So “why can’t our successful local companies simply use our wonderful existing theaters? Because what they need today is out of sync with yesterday’s grand playhouses. Size is a big issue.”
The Mystery of Trafalgar’s Empty Fourth Plinth
Why is it empty? “The plan sheds new light on why the plinth has never had a full-time occupant and has been used recently to showcase the work of modern artists. It also explains why the Mayor of London, who has been informed of the plan, recently performed a mysterious U-turn on proposals for a permanent statue to be placed on the monument, blaming ‘complex planning issue’.”
A Bookstore That Works (And Is Financially Successful)
“In addition to organizing New York’s McNally Robinson intelligently–literature is arranged by region; a cozy enclave in the center of the main floor houses books on interior design, fashion, graphic design and architecture–Sarah McNally hosts several events per week with top-tier authors as well as a monthly book group and a Tuesday night political discussion; an ongoing series that she is particularly proud of brings together authors and their editors.”