Bangladesh has cancelled an exhibition of rare artifacts at a Paris museum after two statues of Vishnu were stolen en route to France. The 1,500-year-old works — a statue of Vishnu and a bust of the Hindu god — went missing Saturday.
Tag: 12.27.07
In Uganda – Dreaming Of Building A Museum
“The government cares less about the arts and the Ugandans have other worries than to think about contemporary art. Realistically, an average Ugandan cannot afford to buy our works. Art as such is not a basic need. It is people who have extra to spend that think that their walls are empty. It has also a lot to do with education and a specific sense of aesthetics.”
Why Naxos Rules The (Classical) World
“Bluntly, Naxos will go where others fear to tread. The practical philosophy of making and selling records of classical music is this: if it’s obscure, nobody plays it. If nobody plays it, nobody gets to know it. If nobody knows it, do not record it because it’s uneconomical and you won’t be able to sell it. Unless your name happens to be Klaus Heymann and your company is Naxos.”
A TV In Every Room
“In 1975, the majority of American homes owned only one set. That amount has dropped to 19 percent. Decimal points aside, most people now own three sets. You have to be a bit careful about bean counters, though, because, as The AP points out, the overall numbers include all the TV sets in bars, restaurants and airports. Still, the statistics are stunning.”
Library Of Congress Picks 25 Movies For National Registry
“The 25 chosen this year bring the registry total to 475. Both recent and early films are eligible for inclusion, and hundreds are nominated by the public each year. The films are chosen because they are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.”
Writers’ Strike Changing The Way Hollywood Does Business
“Now in its seventh week, the Writers Guild of America walkout has forced producers to reconsider how shows are developed, the type of shows produced and how they’re sold to advertisers.”
2007’s Top Album: Josh Groban?
His holiday album “Noel” was the top-selling album of the year…
A Dreadful Year For Art In Lebanon
“For the contemporary art scene in Beirut, 2006 was a tough year, as it was for nearly every other sector in the country, creative industries and otherwise. Twelve months ago, few might have guessed that 2007 would be worse. But it was.”
Will Video Games Beat TV If Strike Drags On?
“As the Hollywood writers strike drags toward 2008, the video game industry is hoping a lack of fresh episodes in prime-time could motivate more people to pick up video game controllers instead of remotes — especially with the millions of Wiis and copies of “Call of Duty 4″ under Christmas trees this holiday season.”
Sleep Deprived? We’ve Got A Spray That Can Fix That
“A nasal spray containing a naturally occurring brain hormone called orexin A reversed the effects of sleep deprivation in monkeys, allowing them to perform like well-rested monkeys on cognitive tests.”