He was a Roman soldier martyred in the 3rd century CE, traditionally depicted tied to a tree, wearing only a loincloth, his bare torso pierced with arrows. Here's what we know about his life and why he became a gay icon. (It wasn't just the bare torso.) - Artnet
Gilliam’s abstractions are unusual in that they are often sculptural, in essence suggesting that painting need not be two-dimensional. Working by methods in which his paint was allowed to roll down his canvas on its own accord, he embraced chance and relinquished control. - ARTnews
"(He) helped pioneer the science and art of computer graphics and made many of the first computer-generated pictures, portraits and movies." - The New York Times
"Known today primarily for his literary works, it is often forgotten that ETA Hoffmann, a multi-faceted artist and universal genius, also practised as a lawyer, composer, Kapellmeister, music critic and illustrator." - Bachtrack
Allen, who has died at 76, inspired filmmakers and playwrights. She ran a charm school for young trans people in Chicago, usually from the economic margins. "Lessons covered table manners, dating etiquette and job-interview comportment, as well as tips on hygiene, dressing and makeup." - The New York Times
“Maybe writing this book would make my father’s … catastrophic personality, seem beautiful to me. … And … maybe … I would seem interesting and modern to him.” - Washington Post
"To be honest, no one I know under 30 cares or knows much about Elvis. The classic version of rock ’n’ roll just doesn't exist the way it once did, and that's in large part because younger audiences are less interested in it." - Yahoo
With a larger-than-life personality and a taste for extravagance, she built a loyal fan base and was sometimes called classical music’s answer to Beyoncé. Now she hopes to persuade the cultural world to look beyond her ties to Putin. - The New York Times
So your Alexa may soon be able to mimic your departed nan, long-lost friend or, presumably, someone off the TV. The goal is to "make the memories last" after "so many of us have lost someone we love" during the pandemic, said Rohit Prasad, an Amazon senior vice president. - Sky News
Contrary to popular lore, Rado and collaborator (and then-lover) Gerome Ragni weren't out-of-work actors writing themselves roles (they played Claude and Berger), they were actors with a growing career. And they had no idea of what Hair would become. - The New York Times
It has been a rocket-fueled rise to the top of the contemporary art world for Ms. Weyant—and far from her unassuming start in Calgary, Canada. Spotted on Instagram three years ago and quickly vouched for by a savvy handful of artists, dealers and advisers, Ms. Weyant is now internationally coveted. - The Wall Street Journal
"Giacomo Casanova practiced many trades — violinist, gambler, spy, Kabbalist, soldier, man of letters — but his main line of work was deceiving fools. ... His conquests in the boudoir, not to mention those in carriages, in bathhouses, or behind park shrubbery, have eclipsed his accomplishments while fully dressed." - The New Yorker
Returning to Barbados after university in England, "(he) became a moral, political and intellectual force for a newly independent country seeking to tell its own story. ... His calling was to address the crimes of history, unearth and preserve his native culture and forge a 'collective sense' of the future." - AP
Paul Haggis "is accused of sexually assaulting the woman over the course of two days while in for an entertainment industry event." - Los Angeles Times
