Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
Australian Artist’s Instagram Account Was @Metaverse. Then Facebook Booted Her Off
Early that morning, when she tried to log in to Instagram, she found that the account had been disabled. A message on the screen...
Propaganda? Let’s Be Clear About What It Is
Although the term is less than 400 years old, the phenomenon of propaganda is far older. The pyramids of Egypt, to take one example, are propagandistic,...
Theatre Numbers: 2020 Was Tough, And Yet…
Not-for-profit theatres contributed nearly $2.1 billion to the U.S. economy and attracted 23 million attendees, according to Theatre Facts 2020. SMU Data Arts
The Making Of Tom Stoppard
The creation of Tom Stoppard, the man as well as the artist, began with a kind of extraordinary disappearing act. - The Nation
Dvorak Predicted Black And Indigenous Music Was the Future Of Classical Music. Why Didn’t...
In a depressingly familiar trope, Joseph Horowitz exposes a deliberateness in denying Black and Indigenous composers and musicians their role in America’s classical-music development. -...
New Yorker Writers Choose Their Favorite Books Of 2021
Nuff said. - The New Yorker
Is The Metaverse Inevitable?
It's said to be a “quasi-successor to the Internet,” with comparable impact and importance, that will give users an individual “presence.” - The Walrus
The Tangled Up Politics Of Post-Modernism
Regardless of whether we call our time “postmodern” or “neoliberal,” the present feels ripe for a more widespread understanding of the dialectical relationship between...
The Politics Of Big Bird (And Sesame Street)
It is political not in a partisan sense but because the way we teach and protect children — and choose which children to teach...
Peloton Wins The Internet With Viral Ad Featuring Mr. Big
Peloton bounced back in a big way: It resurrected Mr. Big for a commercial featuring none other than Peter Noth and Peloton instructor Jessica...
Why Would Vladimir Putin Be A Sponsor Of An Art Show About European Unity?
The message is clear: We are all made up of the same fundamental parts. Biologically, that might be true. Yet, Russia has never quite...
Could You Live A Meaningful Life In A Virtual World?
"I think what happens in virtual worlds can, in principle, be very significant. You can build a meaningful life in a virtual world. We...
Groundbreaking Critic Robert Farris Thompson, 88
He spoke and wrote of African civilizations as infinitely varied ethical, philosophical and aesthetic systems. To grasp their complexity and sophistication, he said, required...
What To See When Geffen Hall Reopens Two Years Early In 2022
Rather than face the unenviable task of enticing post-pandemic audiences to a substandard hall, Lincoln Center and the Philharmonic will unveil an eagerly awaited,...
Peloton Stock Plunges After “Sex in the City” Episode Runs
Shares of Peloton, the fitness equipment company, fell 11.3% Thursday — tumbling to a 19-month low — after a key character in HBO Max’s “Sex...
France Okays Modernization Of The Interior Of Notre Dame
The plan is "to bring a more modern look to Notre-Dame before its planned reopening in 2024, including the installation of contemporary artworks and...
How The Conversations Between Books Has Been Lost
The culture that connected people of my generation was popular television and music. I noticed when I traveled that bookstores were as crammed with...
Lifestyle Over Learning? Today’s Colleges Compete At The Wrong Things
In a higher education system financed mostly by tuition dollars, the customer is king. Colleges and universities have become full-service lifestyle stations, competing for...
A Crisis Of Copyright For Canada’s Education Publishers
Not only is the Canadian copyright crisis now called “the Canadian flu” in international book publishing circles but—for those who love silver linings—it’s believed...
At Last: Met Museum Removes Sackler Name From Its Building
The decision, which came after more than a yearlong review by the museum, was reportedly mutual and made “in order to allow the Met to...
And Now Some Orchestra Business Numbers:
For the last 12 months (November 2020-October 2021), orchestra ticket revenue is down 67%. This is on par with results for the larger performing...
Evidence Vikings Landed In North America Nearly 500 Years Before Columbus
Scientists have known for many years that Vikings — a name given to the Norse by the English they raided — built a village...
Could This Show Replace The Golden Globes?
The Critics Choice Awards has long been something of an also-ran. The 2020 show drew just 1.2 million viewers, about half the audience of...
How Our Talent For Charades Facilitated Spoken Language
If words are arbitrary and purely a matter of convention, then how did they come to be established in the first place? In practical...
Detroit Symphony Picks New Chief Exec
Erik Ronmark has spent virtually his entire career with the DSO, having started as a part-time assistant in the music library in 2005. He was...