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Lyn Hejinian, Who Helped Remake Poetry In The Sixties, Has Died At 82

Hejinian was "a central figure in the Language poetry movement of the 1970s and ’80s who channeled the seismic social changes and avant-garde artistic climate of the 1960s into work that was both richly lyrical and groundbreaking in its experimentalism." - The New York Times

Pianist Maurizio Pollini, 82

During a flourishing international career spanning more than six decades, Mr. Pollini was steadily ranked among those rare musicians to whom other musicians paid close attention. - Washington Post

Ex-Husband Of Murdered Gallerist Brent Sikkema Arrested

"Daniel Sikkema, the ex-husband of the New York art dealer Brent Sikkema, who is embroiled in allegations that he orchestrated his former partner’s murder in Brazil earlier this year, was arrested in New York on Wednesday, March 20 for alleged passport fraud." - Hyperallergic

M. Emmet Walsh, One Of Hollywood’s Busiest And Most Distinctive Character Actors, Is Dead At 88

"With his distinctive lumbering form and droll delivery, Walsh was an ideal supporting player. A master of off-kilter comic delivery and dogged edginess, he excelled at roles that dwelled in the darker corners of humanity. No matter whom he played, he made a colorful impact." - The Hollywood Reporter

Aribert Reimann, One Of Europe’s Leading Contemporary Opera Composers, Has Died At 88

"A prolific composer with widely performed works, particularly his operas and songs, (he) was revered for his ability to fuse complex and often challenging modern music with lyrical texts. His works were frequently devastating in their emotional impact, sounding like organic expressions of the human voice." - The New York Times

Tim Page Remembers Byron Janis

For years, Mr. Janis was one of the best-known classical musicians in the world, playing major stages from Philadelphia to Paris. - Washington Post

Andrew Crispo, Gallery Owner Involved With Murders And Financial Crimes, Is Dead At 78

"Though he lacked formal training in art, he was widely respected for his exacting eye, which he used to identify promising young painters. … (Yet he was) brought low by a long series of tabloid-worthy scandals, including tax evasion, extortion and implication in (a) grisly 1985 murder." - The New York Times

Pianist Byron Janis, 95

In 1944, Janis became Horowitz’s first student and made his orchestral debut with conductor Arturo Toscanini’s NBC Symphony Orchestra. At 18, he was signed by RCA Victor Records as its youngest artist. - The Hollywood Reporter

Shigeshi Negishi, Inventor Of Karaoke, Dies At 100

Negishi “was in his 40s when he came up with the idea of prototyping a mass-produced, coin-operated karaoke machine, branded 'Sparko Box,' after a colleague at the consumer electronics assembly business he ran in Tokyo criticized his singing." - NPR

After His Oscar, The Question Remains: Will Miyazaki Retire?

Hayao Miyazaki was the oldest person ever nominated for an Oscar for best animated feature - and then, in a surprise moment (Spider-Man: Into the Multiverse was tipped to win), the oldest to win. Now, “rumours are swirling that he will return to work yet again." - The Guardian (UK)

Billy Porter Would Like His Flowers – And Payment – While He’s Here

Porter says, "The world has a difficult time understanding that fabulous and serious do coexist." - The Guardian (UK)

Why Director Ava Duvernay Isn’t On Social Media

"After a decade on Twitter I’d had every possible insult hurled my way. The most awful abuse you can think of. It stopped affecting me. I became desensitised. It’s hard to hurt me now – there’s nothing I’ve not heard. Still, I’m not on there any more.” - The Guardian (UK)

The Frida Kahlo You Probably Didn’t Know About

Yes, we know she was intelligent and gifted, leftist and patriotic, long-suffering physically and emotionally. She also scorned the New York elites feting Diego, had to terminate a pregnancy in Detroit, and absolutely despised the French Surrealists who championed her work. - Artnet

The Fierce, Frustrated Life Of The Real-Life Inspiration For Strindberg’s Miss Julie

Victoria Bruzelius Benedictsson, marooned in a stifling Swedish village, began writing and publishing books and stories under the name Ernst Ahlgren, left her family for a gender-fluid life (half-Benedictsson-half-Ahlgren) of literary celebrity in Copenhagen, and then, rejected in love, committed suicide — whereupon Strindberg immediately co-opted her life as subject matter. - Aeon

Bassem Youssef (“Egypt’s Jon Stewart”) On Building His US Comedy Career While Advocating For Gazans

"A year ago, Youssef wouldn’t have expected his defense of the Palestinian people to be the arc of his return to public discourse. Meanwhile, by his own admission, making a living out of being funny remains his priority." - The Hollywood Reporter

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