“For all sorts of understandable reasons, we have become very wary of public and social norms. We are conscious of the legacy of appealing to such supposed norms in the context of gender and sexuality, conscious also of the persistent marginalising of persons who are neurologically atypical or living with learning challenges. The truth, however, is that without some language about what is good and fitting for human beings, what emerges is not a paradise of uncontrolled self-fulfilment but a new tyranny: the global market in which human identity is systematically reduced to purchasing power, and the material environment is reduced to a store of dead stuff that can be processed through the exchange mechanisms of ever-more competitive trading.” – New Statesman
The Forgotten Land Artist
Nancy Holt was always serious. Her journals show how other artists loved talking through ideas with her. She was very close to Michael Heizer, Richard Serra and Joan Jonas. She exchanged concrete poetry by post with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt. But when I ask Le Feuvre if the men saw her as a peer, she answers: “Yes, but.” They valued her input . But she wasn’t exhibiting in the same places they were. Similarly, it’s not that critics were dismissive of her work. They just didn’t mention her at all. – The Guardian
Will NFTs Empower Artists?
As blockchain technology evolves, transaction speed increases, and transaction fees decrease (all of which are slowly, but surely happening) and more content becomes uniquely identifiable using NFTs, the need for central authorities (aka gatekeepers) will diminish and possibly disappear altogether. Why? Because the creator class will be able to do it by themselves. The concept of an open, honest, one-to-one relationship between creator and community isn’t new, but the technology to do it at scale is. – Shelly Palmer
How The 1918 Flu Pandemic Changed America’s Public Libraries
“Public libraries in the United States started to proliferate in the late 1800s and early 1900s, often founded by women’s clubs and other social groups seeking to benefit their communities. Their early focus was on classic literature, which was thought to improve and transform the reader. However, thanks in part to librarianship during the [1918] pandemic, a shift occurred after World War I towards ‘useful information’, … [which] made libraries partners in many public awareness campaigns, from public health to nuclear safety, in the coming decades.” – JSTOR Daily
Singapore’s First Independent Arts Complex Is Closing, And The Arts Community There Is Worried
“The Substation was founded as Singapore’s first independent arts centre in 1990 by theatre doyen Kuo Pao Kun. The careers of some of Singapore’s most renowned artists … were launched here. The arts venue has always been at the forefront of efforts to push the official boundaries that limit public expression.” The closure was supposed to be temporary (its building is being renovated) but was declared permanent without warning last month, and the city-state’s arts community is rife with rumor, recrimination and fear about the decision. – South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
TV Viewing Down? Networks Protest Nielsen Data
Through the trade group Video Advertising Bureau, the networks are perplexed by Nielsen statistics that show the percentage of Americans who watched their televisions at least some time during the week declined from 92% in 2019 to 87% so far this year. – Toronto Star (AP)
Does Grit Predict Success? Not Much Evidence
“As it turns out, there was never much in the literature to support either of the two ideas that launched grit on its way: that it was more useful than conscientiousness and that it seriously outperformed “traditional” measures of cognitive or, in the context of military training, physical performance.” – Nautilus
Is It Really Possible For A Singer To Shatter A Glass With Her Voice? Well …
It can be done, but it’s hardly easy or common, even for people with astounding voices. You have to be hitting just the right note with just the right glass: not any old tumbler or champagne flute will do it, and you have to land — at around 100 decibels — on the precise frequency that will set that particular vessel resonating. (video) – Yahoo! (AmazeLab)
Benchmarking? Maybe Not
A guest post by actor/writer/arts administrator Selena Anguiano, who shares some concerns about the use of benchmarks in the process of pursuing equity in nonprofit arts organizations. – Doug Borwick
Community College Enrollment Plunges
The downward trend is occurring at community colleges across the country — the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently reported a 9.5 percent decline at community colleges nationwide — and is being compounded by the acute socioeconomic effects of the pandemic on students. – InsideHigherEd
For The Guardian, At Least, Charitable Donations To Support News Are Actually Working
The newspaper/website raised $9 million through its dedicated US nonprofit alone over the past 12 months, and has been both active and transparent about getting NGO support to cover specific areas such as human rights and climate change. That said, philanthropy is nowhere near being a primary revenue source, “and after one glorious year of not losing money, The Guardian reported ‘significant financial challenges’ in 2020 amid the pandemic. The philanthropic arm focuses on reporting projects that might be difficult to justify funding while facing budget shortfalls.” – Nieman Lab
The Louvre’s Director Is Mounting A Public Campaign To Keep His Job
“Jean-Luc Martinez, … whose job security has been a matter of public speculation for weeks, … has been on a media tour in recent weeks, offering interviews to newspapers, magazines, and television outlets explaining his achievements at the world’s most visited museum. … ‘His enemies accuse him of selling the museum to tourists, carrying out costly [renovations], buying mediocre works, and behaving like an autocrat,’ according to Le Monde.” – Artnet
Respected Actors Doing Commercial Endorsements Used To Be Considered Déclassé. Not Any More.
“Not too long ago, stars aligning their images with multivitamins or prepaid debit cards might have been eyed skeptically, their efforts coded as a cynical money grab (George Clooney for Nespresso) or a pitiful last resort (the Joan Rivers Classics Collection for QVC). When celebrities cashed in, they also risked diminishing their credibility as serious artists. Now the opposite is true. Stars are respected for how much profit they can generate, even if the stuff they’re selling is inexpensive. This does not in any way compromise their mystique.” – The New York Times
One Of The Movie Theater Chains That’s Closing Also Owns Cinerama Technology. What Happens To That Now?
“Pacific Theatres announced on Monday that it would close all of its locations, which include the ArcLight Hollywood and the historic Cinerama Dome. Not as well known is that the theater chain also owns the Cinerama technology. The three-camera filming technique was introduced in 1952 in response to the rise of television, and was virtually obsolete by the time the Cinerama Dome opened on Sunset Boulevard in November 1963.” But there are still some movies made with the technique extant — what will become of them? Perhaps the leading current expert on Cinerama explains. – Variety
With Theatres Closed, Regular Folks Have Taken To Doing Play Readings On Zoom
“Over the past year, as many theaters worldwide have remained closed, online play reading groups have arisen to fill that dramatic gap, with more or less prowess — on Zoom, on Skype, on the audio-only app Clubhouse. Some participants merely read their lines, scripts in hand, others act them out. Many clubs stick to Shakespeare and affiliated classics, but plenty range more widely, integrating contemporary plays, Star Trek episodes and film scripts.” Some stage professionals have started readings as well, and groups are even moving offline and gathering in parks. – The New York Times
Sydney’s Major Museums Face Huge Funding Cuts From State Government
“The [New South Wales] state government [is] flagging multimillion-dollar cuts for the Art Gallery of NSW, the Australian Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and Sydney Living Museums in budget forecasts.” – The Sydney Morning Herald
Russian Artist In Obscenity Trial For Her Female Nudes
“Feminist artist and LGBTQ+ activist Yulia Tsvetkova … [who] was detained in November 2019 and remained under house arrest in Komsomolsk-on-Amur until March 16, faces up to six years behind bars if found guilty of illegally producing and distributing pornographic materials on the internet.” – Artnet
Baltimore City Council Objects To Proposal That Would Expand Live Music
Pushed by County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., a Democrat, the New Opportunities for Tourism and Entertainment — or NOTE — Act would enable restaurants, bars and other businesses to hold live musical entertainment by amending zoning rules in areas where live music is currently prohibited. But residents and some council members are skeptical of how the county would enforce its noise ordinance, which stipulates a maximum of 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night. – Baltimore Sun
How Endorsements Took Over Celebrity Culture
“The celebrity endorsement is a three-way relationship connecting the star, the product and us, and the internet has worked to draw all of its participants closer and closer together. We’re all mingling on the same platforms, our photos pinned to the same timelines. Social media influencers have narrowed the distinction between celebrities’ claims to fame and their ability to exploit that through sales: Influencers’ notoriety is itself derived from their facility at moving product.” – The New York Times
One Of Australia’s Most Popular Soap Operas Roiled By Accusations Of On-Set Racism
Neighbours, which has been running in Australia since 1985 and is one of the country’s most successful TV shows internationally, has had two indigenous cast members and one of Indian descent publicly describe some brazen behavior from fellow cast and crew members, including one incident where an actor compared the Indian-Australian colleague to a bobblehead doll. – The Guardian
Firsts: Chicago Art Institute Appoints New Board Chair
A 15-year trustee of the museum, Denise Gardner will be the first African-American and first woman leader of the governing body for the museum and the School of the Art Institute. It is believed that she will be the first Black woman to head the board of a major U.S. art museum, although such demographics are hard to come by. – Chicago Tribune