The dilapidated 1919 structure, a former furniture store that was remodeled with an Art Deco flair in the late 1930s, has been on and off the market for more than a decade as a succession of owners unsuccessfully attempted to redevelop it as a dialysis center, a vegan restaurant, a brewery and an organic grocery store.
Tag: 12.21.17
New Visions For A New Generation Of American Public Monuments
“This new school of public sculptures, monuments and plaques range from lifelike portraits of millennial rappers to boulders honouring the lives lost in the Orlando massacre. It proves a new vision is under way to commemorate America’s updated values.”
New York Times’s 12 Small Gifts To Be Grateful For From The Arts In 2017
From the leotards in the Netflix comedy GLOW to a Janet Jackson backup dancer who got cheers of her own to the single-take episode of Mr. Robot, “these 12 blink-and-you-might-have-missed-them cultural moments of 2017 brightened up a year otherwise defined by the threat of nuclear war, natural disasters – from hurricanes to wildfires – that left hundreds of thousands homeless, a string of sexual harassment charges against some of the country’s most prominent political and entertainment figures and yet more terrorist attacks.”
500 Academics Protest Polish Government’s “Repurposing” Of WWII Museum
“The museum, which opened to the public in February, has been at the centre of an ongoing battle over national memory. The right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), elected to government in Poland in 2015, is determined to use the museum displays to present the “Polish point of view” while its critics argue for the autonomy of historians and museums.”
A ‘Herculean Task For An Actor’: Playing An English Pantomime Dame
“What may seem disarmingly simple is actually incredibly complex. The dame is definitely a man in a dress, and one who needs to combine a character with strong maternal instinct, a mouth that’s full of broad innuendo and ensure that the joke is always on them. The great dames also form the bridge between the audience and the action on stage. … A great frock and wig can only take you so far.”
Where Is St. Nick Buried? Turkey Makes The Claim
“Since claims emerged of a newly discovered chamber beneath the church, an archaeological debate has raised questions on the ultimate resting place of his remains. Theologians say the most logical possibility is that his body was smuggled to Italy in the 11th century. But Turkish officials believe his remains may lie beneath the Byzantine church.”
How Museums Are Trying To Diversify
“Museums aren’t just working to cultivate new audiences because inclusiveness is a moral imperative — there’s also a strong business case for widening their nets. In an era of Snapchat videos and Instagram art, American cultural institutions are also trying to figure out how to cultivate the next generation of museum goers. 23 percent of the U.S. population is under the age of 18, according to census data — a generation that’s not particularly white, and not particularly wealthy. By 2020, more than half of all American children will be members of a minority population.”
How Weird Al Yankovic Stayed Relevant For Four Decades And Outlasted Most Of His Parody Targets
“In terms of longevity, Al falls somewhere between The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live, though rather than an ever-cycling comedic ensemble, Al’s just one bespectacled, poodle-haired accordionist with an adenoidal voice who’s never done illegal drugs in his life and kept the same band and manager for the duration of his career.” Andy Beta looks at how he did it.
The High-Pressure, High-Drama World Of Kids’ Competitive Dance
“The children who enter these competitions train up to 30 hours per week, primarily on weekends and after school. Because children must compete in many styles – hip-hop, ballet, jazz and others – versatility is essential, and training can be rigorous to the point of extremity.” Says one judge, “It was never like this when I was a kid. These kids are like gladiators.”
New York Public Radio Fires Longtime Hosts Leonard Lopate And Jonathan Schwartz
The two were suspended two weeks ago over allegations of “inappropriate conduct”; following an investigation, they were dismissed on Thursday. “It’s a stunning end for two of WNYC’s most recognizable voices: Lopate interviewed everyone from Barack Obama to Liza Minnelli on his long-running weekday show, while Schwartz maintained a devoted following for his weekend program dedicated to the American Songbook.”