Among the honorees this year were scientists who investigated the differential in pain thresholds of people looking at beautiful art versus ugly art, the neuroscience behind people who see the face of Jesus in a piece of toast or the Virgin Mary in a stain on a wall, and the physics behind one of the hoariest gags in all of slapstock comedy.
Tag: 09.18.14
Colorado Symphony Unveils Plan For Overhauled Concert Hall
“The proposed $40 million investment in Boettcher, part of downtown’s Denver Performing Arts Complex, would make it a 21st-century theater that has the capability to broadcast and stream live shows.”
Why All This Concern For The Future Of The Humanities?
“Caricature aside, reflections on the role of the humanities in education and in society have recently entered a predominantly reactive, plaintive mode. This is hardly surprising, given the alarming decrease in funding for these fields, not only in the US but also in Europe.”
15 Signs That Contemporary Dance Is Thriving In Texas
“Although issues of sustainability, training, visibility and funding remain constant, there are some major signs of hope on the horizon. It’s also important for the State as a whole to develop it’s own identity.”
How To Tell If You’re In An MFA Workshop Story
“You drink in a way that is simple and direct and not at all in imitation of Hemingway or Carver, and if it is then it’s an homage, a subtle, searingly thought-provoking homage, and the bartender is a charming old gent who calls you ‘hoss’ and not a college girl with a swallow tattoo on her breastbone.”
Are We Trapped With Dystopian Movies Forever?
“After so many totalitarian bummer allegories of varying quality, audiences, I suspect, are good and hungry for something off-world and a little less dire, set in galaxies far, far away.”
New York’s New Identity Card Comes With A Lot Of Free Culture
“The incentives are meant, in part, to encourage cultural activity among immigrants and other New Yorkers who may feel they cannot afford to visit the symphony or ballet. That anyone can sign up is by design: The de Blasio administration clearly hopes the cards will be embraced by a wide swath of residents, reducing any potential stigma they may carry.”
Germany, Like The U.S., Is Falling Apart
“Autobahn bridges are the most visible sign that a significant portion of Germany’s infrastructure is ailing. Autobahns and federal highways, bridges and locks, railway networks and shipping routes — much of this infrastructure has gotten old.”
And In Chicago, David Bowie Is The Focus Of One Of The Most Expensive ‘Art’ Exhibits Ever
“Asked if staff at the MCA was feeling full-court pressure, Erica Erdmann, senior preparer of exhibitions, said: ‘Everyone here loves David Bowie. No matter what.'”
So It Looks Like Facebook Has Made Ultrasound Images Into ‘Baby’s First Photo’
“Some expectant parents visit spa-like ‘keepsake ultrasound studios’ several times over the course of their pregnancy, to capture images at various stages. Others put ultrasound images on cakes and cupcakes, shower invitations, dog tags, and original prints.”