“I realize that the various arts councils see art as a communications strategy, a way of encoding statements of moral good in visual form. Long ago they surrendered any faith in the aesthetic. What’s so much worse is that many artists seem to share this. But I think I understand. Adorno believed that aesthetic experience was rooted in experiences of natural beauty. If nature is threatened, so too is aesthetic experience. Hence the looming loss of faith.” – Momus
Tag: 08.20.19
The Complicated History Of “This Land Is Your Land”
“As the author of three books on Woody Guthrie, I sometimes wonder how the folksinger would respond to the criticism of “This Land Is Your Land” for its omissions. While we can’t know for sure, a glance at some of his unpublished writings and recently discovered recordings can offer some clues.” – The Conversation
Is The World Turning Against Calatrava And His Projects?
His sleek designs are notoriously high maintenance, over budget, and prone to failure. Here’s a short list of his debacles. – D Magazine
Blackface Opera Controversy In Verona This Summer
Tamara Wilson: “Operas like Aïda and Turandot were written for and performed by white European singers in, what was at that time acceptable, theatrical makeup to make them appear African or Asian. In theatre history, the terms blackface and yellowface would be applied, but today, especially in the U.S., these terms also have historic racist connotations. It is more and more difficult for opera to navigate this line between depicting race versus negative stereotype because they are viewed differently depending on where you are in the world and the individuals in the audience.” – Forbes
The Artist-Architects Who Thought Their Buildings Could Help Their Inhabitants Live Forever (By Driving Them Nuts)
“Madeline Gins and her husband, Shusaku Arakawa (who went only by his last name), 1960s New York conceptual artists and amateur architects who are regarded as a bridge between the Dada and Fluxus movements, … posited that buildings could be designed to increase mental and physical stimulation, which would, in turn, prolong life indefinitely. An aversion to right angles, an absence of symmetry and a constant shifting of elevations would stimulate the immune system, sharpen the mind and lead to immortality.” – T — The New York Times Style Magazine
New York City May Keep Limits On Vendors Selling Art In Manhattan Parks, Rules Appeals Court
“In a 5-0 decision, the appeals court rejected artists’ contentions that the limits covering Central Park south of 86th Street, Battery Park, High Line Park and Union Square Park violated their free speech and equal protection rights under the state constitution, and amounted to illegal discrimination.” – Reuters
What The Music Presidential Candidates’ Play Says About Them
The music booms as people enter the rallies, and then candidates take the stage to a “walk-up” song that can become associated with their platforms. The New York Times analyzed playlists used by nine Democratic candidates and President Trump to see how they help set the tone for each campaign. – The New York Times
Study: Republicans Are Turning Against Higher Education
As the Pew Research Center finds in a new survey, there’s been a sharp increase in dissatisfaction with America’s colleges and universities among Republicans in recent years, and it makes perfect sense for right-of-center policy makers to want to do something about it. – The Atlantic
Kennedy Center’s New “Reach” Is Great Counterpoint To The Original Building
Justin Davidson: “The Kennedy Center’s new complex is not just more fluid, usable, and versatile than we had any right to expect — it is also the rare project that improved on its way from concept and digital renderings to final construction.” – New York Magazine
Going Through The Archives With Bill T. Jones
Reporter Michael Cooper joins the choreographer as he examines photos from the history of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company and tells stories of the time Robert Mapplethorpe photographed the diminutive Zane carrying the very large Jones on his shoulder, why he had to change the title of one of his most famous works from the original Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin Featuring 52 Handsome Nudes, and the evening he told an Italian audience, “Tonight, I am the Pope” and got denounced by the Vatican the next day. – The New York Times