The story is already legend: In D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood, Donald Campbell had been cranking go-go music from the speakers of his store at the corner of 7th and Florida Street since 1995, and it had been one of the few places one could still hear go-go in a public space in the city in recent years. But, in April, a tenant of a nearby luxury condo threatened to sue Campbell if he didn’t turn the music off. So Campbell let the streets decide, putting the call out to local media, social media, college networks—whoever would listen—that go-go was once again under attack. The response: Thousands of people flooded Shaw’s streets and thousands more signed a petition (80,329 to be exact) – CityLab
Tag: 11.18.19
The Serious Critic: How James Wood’s Judgment Has Changed
Wood’s earlier essays are more sure of themselves, more eager to please, packed with the kind of aphoristic insights that might have undergraduates reaching for their highlighter pens… In later essays, mostly those written for the New Yorker, there is a more grounded and relaxed voice; a bit less desire to display fizzing erudition, a bit more concern for the messiness of emotional truth. – The Guardian
Art Market Trends Report: Artists Will Need To Diversify Their Income Sources
These changes are symptomatic of several wider cultural shifts that, in combination with rising costs and declining public funding, are ‘squeezing’ the low-to-mid end of the market: the rise of a global elite, art fairs, ‘mega-galleries’ and the commodification of art as the sector became more closely intertwined with fashion, celebrity culture and advertising. – Arts Professional
New Research: 950-Year-Old Bayeux Tapestry Was Made For France, Not England
The textile is long-considered a major cultural icon both in France and England. In light of Christopher Norton’s findings, one news source trumpets that the tapestry is definitely French — a conclusion that pierces as “an arrow in the eye” to some British historians. – The Conversation
Thornton Wilder’s ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ Cycle Will Finally Be Performed Complete
The production presented this week at Suffolk University in Boston, is, according to Wilder’s estate, the first time all seven one-acts will be performed together in a single program.” – American Theatre
Chicago Brass – What Defines The Chicago Symphony
Whether the Chicago brass would be recognizable in a blind test is open to debate — many of the regional styles that once differentiated orchestras have been sanded over in this age of jet-setting maestros and more peripatetic players — but it is still considered one of the jewels of the orchestral world. – The New York Times
Latin A Dead Language? Not Hardly
It’s not enough that the speaker is living to say that the language he or she speaks is alive. A living language is one that endures and produces other languages, which is precisely the case with Latin. – LitHub
Italy’s Art Police Bust Antiquities Trafficking Ring
“The Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, a branch of the Italian carabinieri responsible for combatting art and antiquities crimes, believe the suspects are members of an criminal gang operating in Calabria that trafficked ancient items, such as antique jars, jewellery and vases from the 4th and 2nd century BC and worth millions of euros. … [Agents searched] houses and buildings in four countries, including Britain, and arrested 23 people.” – The Guardian
White House Announces Trump’s First National Medal Of Arts Winners
After skipping 2017 and 2018, the White House announced that Trump has chosen actor Jon Voight, novelist James Patterson, president and chief executive officer of WETA (a Washington, D.C. public-broadcasting channel) Sharon Percy Rockefeller, and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss to receive the presidential honor. – New York Magazine
Thousands Of Subscribers Say They Were Hacked After Signing Up For Disney+
On 12 November, its first day live, people had technical problems and many complained on social media. Others said they were locked out of their accounts, and since they contacted Disney they have not heard back. According to an investigation by Zdnet, thousands of user accounts went on sale on the dark web. – BBC