“A hue of angst and despair might make work more interesting – jury’s out on that – but it doesn’t make it more valuable. In fact, work created during what the researchers call ‘period of bereavement’ was up to 35 percent less valuable than a given artist’ other pieces. On top of that, the morose works were less likely to be included in the collections of major museums.”
Tag: 12.06.17
Why Aren’t Hollywood Films More Diverse? Blame The Overseas Market
“Is it possible that the lack of nonwhite and female lead characters in Hollywood films is driven, in part, by economic concerns from movie studios? Our analysis of more than 800 films sampled between 2005 and 2012 suggests the answer is ‘yes’.”
Why Hearing The Sounds Of Nature Make Us Feel Physically Better
“A study published in March demonstrated that natural sounds have the ability to relieve psychological and physiological stress. Using fMRI and heart-rate monitoring, researchers Gould van Praag, et al, of the University of Sussex found that listening to natural sounds improved parasympathetic activity, whereas listening to artificial sounds prompted sympathetic arousal.”
‘Call Me By Your Name’ Author André Aciman Says That, At First, Elio And Oliver Never Had Sex
“I don’t usually write about sex. I’m kind of a person who wouldn’t. By the time I’m on page 50 or 60, I sense, ‘Okay, this has been a wonderful fantasy, but stop.’ Something told me not to stop. … I said, ‘No, I want them to have fun. I want them to be sexual.'”
How Damien Hirst Outfoxed The Art-Market-Industrial Complex
Financial journalist Felix Salmon explains why the up-and-down prices for Hirst’s art at auctions aren’t a good indicator of how valuable his work really is, and argues that Hirst has basically become a maker and seller of luxury goods – which is as it should be.
This Wikipedia Competitor Aims To Use Blockchain To Create A Better Encyclopedia
“In January, when the site moves over to a blockchain, Everipedia will convert IQ scores to a token-based currency, giving all existing editors an allotment proportionate to their IQ—and giving them a real, financial stake in Everipedia. From then on, creating and curating articles will allow users to earn tokens, which act as virtual shares of the platform. To prevent bad actors from trying to cash in with ill-founded or deliberately false articles and edits, Everipedia will force users to put up a token of their own in order to submit. If their work is accepted, they get their token back, plus a little bit for their contribution; if not, they lose their token. The assumption is that other users, motivated by the desire to maintain the site’s value, will actively seek to prevent such efforts.”
The Best Dance In New York This Year?
The New York Times dance critics pick their favorites.
Celebrating The Success Of The Museum Of Failure
“When people are presented with a perfect image of something — whether a product or a perfect person — it doesn’t feel authentic. And the Museum of Failure, with its artifacts, feels — and is — completely genuine and authentic. And that’s something that’s not so common today.”
Toronto Symphony’s Budgetary Legerdemain In Service Of Survival
“Revenue from ticket sales was down, while production costs continued to rise. Subscription and tickets were down slightly by 1.6% from $8.6M in 2016 to 8.5M in 2017. Production costs increased by 6.4 % from $18.3 M to $19.6 M. The steep cost of touring to Israel set the TSO back over $1.9 M this year, which we can only speculate must have been a point of contention in the board, which last year saw half of its members abruptly resign.”
Overhaul Of Scotland’s National Gallery Well Over Budget Despite Having Been Scaled Back
“When the project was officially launched just over a year ago it was said to be aimed at tackling the “institutional embarrassment” of how work by the likes of Allan Ramsay, Sir Henry Raeburn, Alexander Nasmyth and Phoebe Anna Traquair is displayed. But it emerged in May of that extending the existing 19th century building by around five metres had been ruled out due to the concerns over the cost and complexity of building above railway tunnels.”