Good thing breakthroughs in the human condition happen outside of politics. History is the record of political failure. Progress is the march of science and technology. Just think of the past 100 years: mass communication, penicillin, refrigerators, computing, commercial air travel, cheap birth control, PCs, the internet, smartphones, gene sequencing, fracking—altogether producing more human freedom and wealth than wars or laws.
Tag: 09.18.18
Do All-Women Exhibitions Help Or Hurt The Cause?
Whether all-women’s shows are an effective long-term strategy for achieving gender equity in the art world at large remains a subject of heated debate. At a panel discussion that accompanied the Studio School exhibit, some artists and curators argued that gender-based shows encourage tokenism and relegate women to the sidelines, while others argued that, after centuries of art shows that featured only men, all-women shows are a necessary corrective.
Why We Need Older Dancers
I wanted to work with dancers I didn’t have to explain myself to as I might have to with younger performers. At the same time, I sensed this might provide a reflection of the “aging” general audience and public at large. I’ve received feedback that what I’m doing is “political,” that I’m “influencing perception, changing bias, working outside the norm.” Personally, I’m just working. And intend to keep doing so.
Choreographer Ralph Lemon Wins $250,000 Heinz Award
The dance-theater-visual artist won the prize in the Arts and Humanities category, one of six. “During more than four decades of performance-making, Lemon has explored race and memory, as well as experiences of grief and spirituality, through nonhierarchical movement and language.”
Facing Cuts, Austin Arts Groups Push For Revamp Of City’s Funding Process
“Local arts groups facing dramatic cuts in their funding levels from the city could get some relief this budget year, and possibly an earlier heads-up in future budget years if their funding allocations appear headed for a decrease. … The cuts were brought about by a combination of more than 100 new applicants for funding, increased administrative costs and lack of reserves that are typically rolled over from the previous budget year.”
Could Art Fairs Solve The Gallery Crisis?
The major art fairs should acknowledge that the nature of artist representation is changing and that the traditional model of a fixed gallery is losing legitimacy, in large part, ironically, because of the popularity of the fairs. A concomitant decrease in gallery visitor numbers has led several art dealers to turn to alternative, hybrid or nomadic galleries that depart from the traditional model centered around a fixed, expensive, exhibition space. The biggest art fairs should relax their admission criteria and open up their events to more curators and directors behind these new gallery models.
Rachmaninoff Uncorked
Rachmaninoff’s impromptu solo-piano rendering of his Symphonic Dances documents roaring cataracts of sound, massive chording, and pounding accents powered by a demonic thrust the likes of which no studio environment has ever fostered. Rachmaninoff’s humbling presence, re-encountered, is gigantic, cyclopean.
New Trump Tariffs On China No Longer Include Chinese Art
On Monday (17 September), the Office of the United States Trade Representative issued a revised list of imported goods subject to the tariff—which is due to rise to 25% by next year—that no longer includes Chinese-made art and antiquities.
City Of Calgary Weighs Olympic Bid Versus Funding Arts
“I guess the question that I have is we have so many fundamental organizations that provide incredible quality of life for Calgary and we’re talking about cutting them and at the same time we’re talking about the Olympics. And I’m really struggling to rationalize this austerity budget or the Olympics.”
Reconciling A Need For History With The Necessity For Contemporary Skills
Fact-checkers know that in a digital medium, the web is a web. It’s not just a metaphor. You understand a particular node by its relationship in a web. So the smartest thing to do is to consult the web to understand any particular node. That is very different from reading Thucydides, where you look at internal criticism and consistency because there really isn’t a documentary record beyond Thucydides.