“A competition to pick a designer for the National Eisenhower Memorial, slated for a site just off the Mall in Washington, D.C., is down to seven finalists, including Frank Gehry and Moshe Safdie.”
Tag: 10.29.08
Another Gehry Museum, This Time In Jerusalem
“A Frank Gehry-designed museum can rise in Jerusalem on a site that was once a Muslim cemetery, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled today, clearing the way for L.A.’s Simon Wiesenthal Center to build a Holy Land counterpart to its Museum of Tolerance on Pico Boulevard.”
Sperm Whales Singing Duets
“New underwater recordings have shown that the whales carefully coordinate their song to match the calls of their singing partner. The animals appear to enjoy singing to each other, possibly to strengthen relationships among females within the group.”
Sarkozy v. Voodoo Doll – The Doll Wins
“A French court on Wednesday dismissed a much-mocked attempt by President Nicolas Sarkozy to have a comedy voodoo doll bearing his image banned from sale. […]
It was the president’s sixth lawsuit since he was elected last year and caused widespread mirth in France, generating acres of free publicity for the doll and cheering his political opponents.”
Cambodia’s First Rock Opera
Cambodia’s first rock opera will premiere in Phnom Penh next month, a cultural milestone in the Southeast Asian country where performing arts were banned during the brutal Khmer Rouge years. Where Elephants Weep is an East-meets-West blend of traditional Cambodian music and Western rock that is modeled after Romeo and Juliet and inspired by the Broadway musical Rent.
In Advertising On Hulu, Less Is More
The TV-on-demand site Hulu.com is airing fewer ads per segment and charging more for them; value-adding innovations include “‘thumbs up’ and ‘thumbs down’ ratings for commercials, choose-your-own-advertisement options before shows begin, [and] interactive games during advertising breaks.”
Berlin Goes Into Art Overload
“Berlin has been something of an art mecca in recent years, with artists flocking to the city to make use of cheap space and a vibrant culture while international galleries jostle to establish a presence in the German capital. This week the scene kicks into overdrive with the opening of a new contemporary art gallery, three major retrospectives – and no less than five trade fairs.”
Gerald Arpino Dies At 85
One of the last of the giants who created the American modern dance movement in the mid-20th century, Arpino co-founded the Joffrey Ballet, served as its primary choreographer for three decades, and shepherded the company through several financial crises and an ultimately successful move from New York to Chicago.
Forbidden Broadway A Flop In Chicago
The Chicago edition of the popular satirical revue, Forbidden Broadway, is closing after only three weeks, apparently because of economic pressures. “An earlier edition of the show ran for nearly six months in 2006 at the Royal George Theatre. This time around at the George, the producers say, the well-known revue spoofing Broadway musicals couldn’t sell a ticket to save its life.”
Less Politics, More Literature
“The Association of Literary Scholars and Critics (ALSC), a national organization that began with a reputation for being ‘conservative,’ ‘old-fashioned,’ and even ‘right-wing,’ seems to be shedding much of that image. But “the ALSC’s shift away from a ‘culture war’ mentality has caused internal dissension.”