Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
The African Diaspora And Reclaiming Narratives
The central task of writers of the colonial or the Black experience is to claim back their humanity. This profound urge runs through the...
Illinois Town Becomes Home To America’s Fiberglass Giant Statues
“It’s just like any small town. So now, even though he is a 19-foot-tall statue of a guy holding a hot dog, he’s our...
Seattle Art Museum Security Guards Vote To Strike
VSO Union members said two-plus years of bargaining is too long, and that the museum hasn’t provided meaningful counters on its economic demands, including...
Theatre Is Facing A Crisis Of Theatre Workers
“The sector was one of the worst affected by the lockdowns and many, including BECTU, called for a post-pandemic ‘reset’ to address poor terms...
When The Stories We Tell Ourselves Hold Us Back
In some cases, narratives can hold us back by limiting our thinking. In other cases, they may diminish our ability to live freely. They...
Thousands Of Artists Sign Statement Of Concern About AI
“The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works,...
UK Literary Festivals Are Collapsing
The basic costs of running a festival have all risen sharply, while potential audiences have less disposable income. Festival organisers have been faced with...
A Rare Books Dealer Calls For A Rewrite Of His Own Story
His mirthless laugh might have suggested Kafkaesque persecution, or Hardyesque inexorability of fate. Either way, he appeared determined to rewrite the ending. - The...
Today’s AJ Highlights
Good morning: Technology has often upended notions of what art is. And artists have pushed and pulled at existing definitions to redefine and expand...
Why The Notion Of “Zero” Is Difficult To Grasp
It takes children longer to understand and use zero than other numbers, and it takes adults longer to read it than other small numbers....
AI Will Revolutionize How Movies Are Made. But First The Copyright Issue
“I was at the forefront of CGI over three decades ago, and I’ve stayed on the cutting edge since. Now, the intersection of generative...
Unlocking The Secrets Of Ancient Cement To Combat Climate Change
In contrast, ordinary Portland cement must be baked in a kiln at around 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. “It’s a huge saving” in energy, she said,...
Protests In Spain Over Proposed New Guggenheim Museum
Critics argue that the new museum, which would be spread across two sites – one in Guernica and one in Urdaibai – will ruin...
Why Are American Theatres Producing Less Shakespeare?
Over the past 10 years, as American politics and culture have grown more contentious, Shakespeare has become increasingly politicized. - The New York Times
How Artists Are Driving An Industrial Part Of Seattle
This wedge of South Seattle thrums with the rumble of trucks and planes, brims with warehouses and lacks green space and clean air but...
Seeking Wisdom — But What Is It?
Our findings revealed that, when people make judgments about wisdom, they are essentially linking wisdom to two key dimensions that we call reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness....
An AI Revolution: Disrupting Notions Of Art
AI-created artworks are disrupting the accepted norms of the art world. As philosopher Alice Helliwell from Northeastern University London argues, if we can consider...
Today’s AJ Highlights
Good morning: Is it possible to still make a living playing in a working band? Apparently not. There used to be something of a...
Art Of The Farm (With A Bit Of Opera And Ballet Thrown In)
The world’s first ever “Hay Rake Ballet” was a high point of what may be the last iteration of Farm/Art DTour, a 50-mile circuit of...
The Rich Hidden World Of The Music Archivist
For every song that is in print and available, there are at least 10 that are mothballed in storage, an estimated 2.5m pieces that...
Thirty Years Ago Arlene Croce’s Non-Review Review Of Bill T. Jones Ignited A Firestorm
Has a piece of criticism, much less of dance criticism, made such a mark on the culture since? “Discussing the Undiscussable” was in conversation...
Can AI Be Taught To Sing Opera?
The challenge of how to bridge the final gap for synthetic voices will occupy scientists for a while to come. Along the way, opera...
Decline Of The Working Musician
Some of the musicians have mixed feelings about their chosen careers. “It depends on the day,. Today I feel like a tired old whore....
“My Fair Lady” At 60: A Linguist Takes A Look
It is no coincidence that women and working-class people (and Cockneys who are often seen as emblematic of the working class) often bear the brunt of...
Penguin Random House Adds Anti-AI Statement To Its Copyright Notice
It’s a notable departure from other large publishers, such as academic printers Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and Oxford University Press, which have all agreed to license...