Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm assembled their book of stories as folklorists, not children’s authors, and they intended their book for adult students of German culture, not for parents to read to the kiddies at bedtime. And the stories themselves could be violent: for example, “Cinderella” ends with white birds pecking out the stepsisters’ eyes. – National Geographic History
Tag: 09.24.19
Searching Through The Myths (Some Of Them Her Own) For Zora Neale Hurston
“On February 4, 1960, the Associated Press ran her obituary. It read, ‘Zora Neale Hurston, author, died in obscurity and poverty.’ And with those words, syndicated in The New York Times and in papers from Jamaica to California, a new set of myths formed. Some listed her age at 57, others 58. After all, depending on what suited her, she told people she was born in 1901, 1902, or 1903 — in Eatonville, Florida. But as it turned out, none of this was true.” – The Bitter Southerner
How Columbus, Georgia, Got An Indie Theatre Scene
Sure, there’s more craft beer and more restaurants than there were 10 or 15 years ago – and there are also a lot of Millennials who left Columbus for the city, and then returned because Columbus is a lot more affordable. But they missed theatre, and so they made theatre. – American Theatre
There Are 633 Languages Spoken In New York City
Some have few speakers, 12 speakers of Wakhi, for example. “For all the justifiable concern about language loss — thousands may go dormant globally — there have been success stories, like Irish, Maori and Hawaiian. These are languages that overcame considerable stigma.” – WNYC
California’s New Gig Economy Law Could Impact Arts Workers
In the cultural sphere, architects, graphic designers, grant writers, and fine artists are identified as exempt, as are photojournalists and journalists who contribute fewer than 35 times a year to a particular company or publication. But prolific freelance photographers and writers, and other art professionals not named in the law such as independent curators, catalogue researchers and art handlers, could be affected. – The Art Newspaper
This City Is Turning An Old Train Shed Into A Major New Cultural Center
“A new arts district opens next weekend in the Swiss city of Lausanne, on the site of the city’s former train sheds. After a decade of planning and development, Plateforme 10 includes the relocation of three of the Lausanne’s top museums to form a new cultural hub.” – The Guardian
The Man Who Built Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Into An International Dynamo Prepares To Turn Over The Keys
Choreographer Lin Hwai-min, who founded the company in Taiwan in 1973 and led it to acclaim abroad and superstar status at home, is stepping down as artistic director at the end of this year. Judith Mackrell meets Lin and his successor, Cheng Tsung-lung. – The Guardian
Orange County Museum Of Art Breaks Ground On New Home
OCMA’s new three-story, nearly 52,000-square-foot building will rise from a dirt lot next to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The project is slated for completion in 2021. – Los Angeles Times
Shakespeare’s Globe Begins Writers-In-Residence Program To Create New Plays For Its Old-Style Stages
“The 12-month residency will mentor three writers each year, during which time they will create new work for the outdoor Globe Theatre and the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, as well work together to create a production for the main stage. This will take place in summer 2020.” – The Stage
New Queens Library As “Third Place”
“With this project, Steven Holl ran with the idea that architecture could sculpt the experience of bringing together a community in a free-of-charge, 22,000-square-foot “third place,”—reflecting the belief popularized by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg that people need a place to socialize that is neither home nor the ubiquitous privatized realm.” – Architectural Record