There has long been a debate about the ethics of translation, about how to translate not just the words but the spirit of the original, too. Today’s identity controversies, however, are not just about issues of formal translation but also about the kinds of informal translation in which we engage every day. – The Guardian
Warner Bros. Has Dropped Pepe Le Pew From Looney Tunes
The amorous/borderline-rapey skunk was cut from Space Jam 2 and is not included in any future projects, though studio sources say that this is not because of last week’s tweet from New York Times columnist Charles Blow that Le Pew “added to rape culture.” (Alas, it seems the cut scene from the Space Jam sequel showed the stinker finally getting what he deserved.) – Deadline
At The Critics Choice Awards, Nomadland Retains Its Shine
And The Crown‘s season four, which concerns Princess Diana’s difficulties with the Royal Family, won Best Drama Series even as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah became a trending topic on Twitter. (You will find the complete list of winners at this link.) – Variety
Amy Sherald’s Portrait Of Breonna Taylor Will Find A Home In Louisville
Sherald, who painted the portrait for a Ta-Nehisi Coates-edited edition of Vanity Fair, decided that she wanted to sell the painting where Taylor lived and was killed by police. Stephen Reily, the director of the city’s Speed Museum: “The killing of Breonna Taylor and a year of protests have really changed the course of Louisville, and we’re struggling. … Our goal and ambition is to use the work of great artists to help process what we’ve been through and collectively find a way forward.” – The New York Times
Chadwick Boseman Could Make Oscars History, Posthumously
He wouldn’t be the first actor to have been nominated for an award after death, but if he were nominated both for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for actor in a leading role and for Da 5 Bloods for supporting actor, that would be a first. Voting began March 5 and runs for six days; nominations will be announced March 15. – Los Angeles Times
The Coronavirus Has Become An Inspiration For Visual Artists
Some of it might seem tasteless as the pandemic rages on, but as one artist points out, there aren’t exhibitions now – and artists make art. “One online art gallery, Singulart, is featuring collections of Covid-inspired art, with 300 pieces by artists from all over the world priced at up to £21,190. Co-founder Véra Kempf says they originally received 1,500 Covid-inspired artworks from professional artists.” – The Observer (UK)
There’s No Hollywood Ending For Movie Theatres Yet
Studios are fighting with movie theatre chains; not enough people have been vaccinated yet to feel comfortable going to theatres; and, well, there’s streaming. To be obvious: “‘It’s going to take some time for things to settle out,’ said David A. Gross, who runs Franchise Entertainment Research, a movie consultancy.” – The New York Times
Melbourne Theatre Company Starts Rehearsals With Hope
The director of a play in tech rehearsal says of the theatre building, abandoned a year ago as the pandemic swept the world, “I walked in, it was very quiet and I found myself touching everything, it was hard to believe it was actually real and it was happening.” – The Age (Melbourne)
The Planned V&A Restructuring Will Take Away Most Of The National Art Library’s Librarians
The details of what appears to be an outrageously short-sighted plan: “They are guardians of some of the nation’s most valued treasures, including Dickens’s manuscripts, a Shakespeare First Folio and five Leonardo notebooks. But librarians at the National Art Library in the Victoria and Albert Museum are feeling far from valued themselves, as two-thirds of them face losing their jobs. Thirty librarians have been told that their numbers are to be reduced to just 10, as part of a major restructuring at the museum.” – The Observer (UK)