US law requires cable TV operators to set aside channels for public use – the much-parodied “cable access” channels. The idea is to give ordinary people an uncensored voice in the media landscape, but increasingly, “the loose restrictions governing the shows have unwittingly resulted in diatribes against ethnic and religious groups.”
Tag: 12.29.07
Islam And The Architects
As more Muslims emigrate to the US, mosques are being constructed around the country, and that has given rise to an “uneasy relationship between Islam and the West and the future of mosque architecture in the U.S.”
On The Whole, A Non-Descript Year
For the UK’s visual arts scene, “it was a non-vintage year in many respects. No grand project opened its doors, no assembling of crack old masters (Caravaggio, Velázquez) shook the world-view.” But the art sales boom continued, Brit film made some strides, and all the usual prizes stirred the usual pots.
Chaos Reigns In The Music Biz
“It’s official: Nobody, from the mighty executive to the humble songwriter to the savviest analyst, has a clue what’s going on in the music industry.Chaos continues to be the guiding principle in every facet of the pop landscape, as veterans and upstarts alike grapple with the unraveling of old business models and a deeply uncertain future.”
A Year Of Adaptation And Acceptance
2007 was a year of contradictions and fragmented ideas, a year in which the worlds of politics, entertainment, and art seemed to be in some sort of bizarre holding pattern. “If there was a way out of any dilemma this year – a lesson for would-be fixers – it was the need to be fluid. Don’t try to change your situation. Just adapt.”
Roanoke’s Bold New Museum
Roanoke, Virginia has been trying to reinvent itself for more than two decades, and culture has played an important role in the process. “The latest addition is the new $66 million Art Museum of Western Virginia, one of the most expensive and controversial projects in the city’s history.”
Rough Start For Miami PAC
It was a rough first year for Miami’s $461m Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, with slow ticket sales, administrative chaos, and accusations of overreach. “Its supporters are grappling with the cold truth that if it is going to become a cornerstone of a world-class Miami, both the city and the center have a long way to go.”
Life And Death At Composing Speed
When a composer dies young, what is lost? Had Schubert reached the age of 50 rather than dying at 31, would we now have a much-expanded trove of his greatness? Bernard Holland isn’t so sure: “Life spans measured in years don’t take into account how fast we live them. Composing at the speed of life (forgive me), Schubert at 31 was like any normal musical genius at 65.”
Advancing Dance Online
Dancers and choreographers have been using the internet to full advantage in recent months. “Now artists are using the medium as a way not just to build awareness for their work but also to change the nature of the form.”
New York’s Dancer Of The Moment
“This season Clifton Brown, now 27, has emerged as one of the most gifted members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, standing out for his quietly powerful virtuoso technique and the lyrical grace and translucent inwardness of his performances… He began a career as a stealth performer, a dancer who has the goods but moves slowly up the ranks and into the audience’s consciousness.”