Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
How AI Is Deciphering Ancient Languages
Because the technology works on the basis of image analysis, it is in theory applicable to any writing whatsoever, from Egyptian hieroglyphs to copperplate....
Morality In AI? Is That Even Possible?
Human moral judgment is rich and subtle, emerging through the complex interplay of reason and emotion—not the sort of thing that you’d expect a...
Our Notions Of What Constitutes An “Adult” Are Changing
Setting aside their feelings about being an adult, what did people say defined adulthood for them? They in fact tended to place little emphasis on the...
Iowa Public Radio Listeners Take Over Funding After State and University Slash Funds
The network is nearly entirely funded by listener donations after its budget was slashed by state lawmakers and the Iowa Board of Regents discontinued funding the station in...
Report: Israel Has Destroyed More Than 100 Cultural Sites In Gaza
Historic religious sites, museums, and archaeological sites have been destroyed, the report says, noting that Gaza has been a cultural hub for every civilization...
A Second Mona Lisa Goes On Display. Was It Really Painted By Leonardo?
“We have proved beyond reasonable doubt that Leonardo painted two Mona Lisas and this is the only candidate to be the second,” said Joël...
The Jewish Foundations Of American Theatre
Though Jews had been an integral part of mainstream theater for decades — creating, presenting, teaching and consuming it — and had found in...
Broadway’s Profitable Thanksgiving Week
With total attendance holding steady – and three fewer shows on the roster – the increase in receipts can be attributed to a 27%...
How Art Works On Us
A gesture, a tear, or just silence may be more eloquent than words. It is this ‘beyond’ in our imperfect communications, that hint at...
Museum Reclassifies Roman Emperor As Trans. The Real Story Is More Complicated
While the Romans clearly engaged in acts that we today consider gay or straight sex, they would not recognise the sexual orientations we associate...
Our Complicated Interdependent Relationship With Machines
Human beings make machines, but machines remake human society, too. Reliable, spring-driven clocks enabled precision time measurement, forcing us into regimented daily schedules, but...
They Sold An NC Wyeth Painting Bought For $4 At A Thrift Store For...
The Donahues have since retaken possession of their painting from the auction house, Bonhams. All they have to show for their efforts is a...
GroupMuse: Building Classical Music Communities One Concert At A Time
"One of the big lessons on my mind recently is that certain types of communities are difficult to scale. We’ve spent a lot of...
Mellon Foundation Doubles Down On Monuments
The foundation said the half-a-billon-dollar commitment is the largest multiyear funding initiative in its history. “I feel proud that we’ve been catalysts and contributors...
A Prescription For American Well-Being: The Arts
At a time when more Americans feel stressed, face mental health challenges, and feel more disconnected from each other than ever before, the arts can serve as...
Why It’s Good To Be Comfortable With Not Knowing
Those who shun the indefinite tend to see the world in shades of black and white, ignoring the gray. They are prone to jump to...
British Prime Minister Cancels Meeting With Greek Prime Minister After Parthenon Marbles Comments
According to the BBC, the decision was made after Mr. Mitsotakis, appearing on British television on Sunday, called for the marbles, which include statues of...
The Indispensable New Music Ensemble
With that sprawling stylistic range and its technical mastery, its enthusiastic curiosity about eminent and student composers alike, its precision and passion, the JACK...
At 72 She Dreamed Of Being A Musician And Picked Up A Trombone. At...
Now 84, Noreen Davies has gigged throughout the West Midlands with groups exploring everything from the blues to vintage jazz and big band funk....
Suppressing History: My Book Was Banned In Tennessee
The law, passed by the Republican-dominated legislature, prohibits schools from teaching fourteen concepts, including that any individual is “inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive,...
Anodyne ChatBots Aren’t Very Useful – It’s Called The Spicy Mayo Problem
ChatGPT felt new because it was capable of something much like a discussion. You can start with a half-baked idea and develop it with...
Ai WeiWei On Cancellation Of His European Shows Because Of His Comments
“When a society cannot withstand diverse voices, it teeters on the brink of collapse. I am committed to voicing my perspective. The irony lies...
When A Music Festival Isn’t Really A Festival (We’re Looking At You, California)
Ideally, music festivals serve two purposes. They engage audiences by focusing on some topic in concentrated fashion and they generate interest in a given...
The Beatles’ “New” Song Suggests Some Thorny Uses For AI
While the current legacy-I.P. production boom is focused on fictional characters, there’s no reason to think it won’t, in the future, take the form...
Why Sondheim Is So Hard To Let Go Of
Ravishing individual songs may reassure us that no one is alone but, in the five decades since “Company” made his reputation, Mr. Sondheim had...