The uncomfortable truth is that the age of the Renaissance contributed very little to innovation in science. This was largely because the revival of classical learning and languages concentrated attention on what was called humanitas – literary and rhetorical accomplishment (hence our designation of some academic subjects as “humanities”) – rather than on empirical observation or technical skill in logic and mathematics. – New Statesman
Can My Online Choir Give Me What My Regular Choir Does?
I’m not yet sure how much my life will change without choir: without the paper cuts and warmups, the imagistic instructions from conductors (bite the apple, smell the rose, blow the birthday candle), the nonsense vowels (for learning) followed by foreign words (German, Italian, French) twisting in my mouth. The pauses, the frustrations. A dynamic raised and lowered. A tempo sped and slowed. That radical yet practical ethics of ensemble. The chorus says to the individual, you are not important. Blend, modify your vowel, sing a little softer, tune. At the same time, you matter. You must know your part, you must place the “t” correctly, you must practice, and listen. – Commonweal
Nancy Stark Smith, A Founder Of Contact Improvisation, 68
Ms. Stark Smith, whose signature braid became longer and grayer over time, was also a prolific writer and respected teacher who, beginning in 1990, developed what she called “Underscore,” a structure or framework for practicing long-form dance and improvisation. – The New York Times
Novelist Robb Forman Dew Dead At 73
“Mrs. Dew emerged in the early 1980s as part of a group of prominent female novelists that included her friends Louise Erdrich, Anne Tyler and Nancy Thayer, a onetime neighbor in Williamstown, Mass. A master at breathing life into flawed and complex characters, she had … ‘a special gift for charting the subtle tidal flow of emotions that make up daily life.’ She was 34 when she published Dale Loves Sophie to Death (1981), which won [what is] now known as the National Book Award for a first novel.” – The Washington Post
Coming In 2022: A Virtual Reality Biennial, Curated By An AI Program
“That’s right: the chief curator of the 2022 Bucharest Biennial is Jarvis, an artificial intelligence program in development from the Vienna-based studio Spinnwerk. … Jarvis will ‘use deep learning in order to learn by itself from databases from universities, galleries, or art centers’ and select works that fit the chosen theme, Spinnwerk founder Razvan Ion [said]. … Instead of a traditional in-person exhibition, the show will take place in virtual reality, meaning that it will be accessible to anyone in the world who has access to a VR headset.” – Artnet
Artists, Don’t Worry That The AI Robots Are Coming To Replace You
Ahmed Elgammal, director of the Art and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Rutgers: “Can an artificially intelligent machine be an artist in its own right? My answer is no. While the definition of art is ever-evolving, at its core it is a form of communication among humans. Without a human artist behind the machine, A.I. can do little more than play with form, whether that means manipulating pixels on a screen or notes on a musical ledger.” – The New York Times
The Thought Experiment Problem
While thought experiments are as old as philosophy itself, the weight placed on them in recent philosophy is distinctive. Even when scenarios are highly unrealistic, judgments about them are thought to have wide-ranging implications for what should be done in the real world. – Aeon
How To Fence That Van Gogh You Stole
Arthur Brand estimates that a work of art in the criminal underworld is worth about 10 percent of its value in the legitimate art market — so if a painting might sell for $10 million at auction, it can be traded among criminals for a value of about $1 million. Octave Durham said the value is even lower than that — about 2.5 to 5 percent of market value. – The New York Times
How The Blanton Museum Repurposed Its Staff And Avoided Layoffs
The maintenance man stopped worrying about paint touchups and HVAC repair and started assisting the development department by drafting thank you notes for donors, making use of his beautiful handwriting. Security guards were redeployed to add “alt text,” or descriptions for the visually impaired, to images on the museum website. Art handlers and event planners have been doing collection research about the museum’s lesser-known artists. – Artnet
Broadway Folks Talk About How They Envision Going Back To Work
“As part of our ongoing coverage about the crisis theater faces, and the possible ways out of it, [Tim Teeman] spoke to a range of theater professionals, enduring unemployment and hoping one day to create once more: a producer, choreographer, stage manager, lighting designer, and union chief.” – The Daily Beast
The Last Of Paul Allen’s Arts Projects (Museums, A Theatre, Etc) To Lose Support
Many of the projects under Vulcan’s Arts + Entertainment division stemmed from Vulcan co-founder Paul Allen’s personal interests, and served as showplaces for his collections: his movie costumes and memorabilia at Cinerama; his vintage computer collection at the Living Computers: Museum + Labs; and his military aircraft, vehicles and artifacts at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum. – Seattle Times
How Natalia Makarova Made ‘La Bayadère’ Into A Worldwide Audience Favorite
“An icon of the stage, Makarova was beloved for her grandeur and spontaneity, the same qualities that led her, in 1970, to become the first Russian ballerina to escape the Soviets. But she had never put together a full-length ballet. The one she chose — an overhaul of the 1877 original by the great Marius Petipa, who gave the world Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty — had never been seen in the West,” writes Sarah Kaufman. Says the 79-year-old legend now, “How I had the guts to do it, I don’t know.” – The Washington Post
How To Reopen Your Museum? Here’s What To Think About
The prospect of reopening under the current circumstances also raises vexing strategic dilemmas. In recent years, museums have developed a sophisticated understanding of the many barriers to entry they inadvertently create, and how to overcome them, in order to pursue agendas informed by equity and social justice. No one wishes to raise additional barriers now. But visiting museums will inevitably become more difficult, not less, for the foreseeable future, and this will affect some visitors more than others. – Artnet
How To Make A Theatre Season More Flexible? Here’s One Version
Exact performance dates will be announced for each offering throughout the year, along with such “details” as venue (Writers has two stages), and the names of the full casts and creative teams. In addition, patrons are advised, according to the theater’s press release, that “some titles and artists may change as the production schedule shifts for reasons of health and safety.” – WTTW
Sculptor Peter Alexander Dead At 81
“[He] is most commonly associated with the Light and Space movement, which was pioneered by a group of artists working in California during the 1960s. … Alexander wound up producing understated, sleek objects that seemed at times to reinterpret Minimalism with a less chilly aesthetic. Often, the resin works take on semi-translucent cuboidal shapes, with colors that appear to fade depending on where the viewer stands with respect to the object.” – ARTnews
Philadelphia Orchestra Creates Special In-House Music Channel For UPenn Hospitals
“Patients and health-care workers at Penn Medicine’s six sites can now access a service that brings them archived performance videos of the Philadelphia Orchestra. … New performances will be added each week, and orchestra leaders hope to expand the pilot program to other health systems.” Says one hospital’s CEO, “Patients have given us feedback that they are utilizing it, that they find it helpful, and that they find it comforting.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Walt Disney World In Orlando Sets July Reopening Dates
“[The] Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom plan to open again on July 11, while Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will resume business on July 15. SeaWorld, meanwhile, will reopen to the public on June 11. … New requirements include temperature checks upon arrival, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning, hand-washing and sanitizing stations and ‘limited-contact enhancements,’ such as contactless payments and mobile orders at restaurants.” – Variety
Movie Theaters May Be Reopening In Some States, But Audiences Aren’t Flocking Back
In places such as Georgia (the first state to reopen), Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah, independent cinemas are operating again. (The chains are staying closed for now.) Yet attendance is generally around a quarter of what it would be this time of a normal year. Even so, say owners, it’s important to get used to running with new safety procedures in place before customers start arriving in larger numbers. – Variety
‘Perfectly Preserved’ Roman Mosaic Floor Uncovered Near Verona
“Archaeologists were astonished by the find as it came almost a century after the remains of a villa, believed to date to the 3rd century AD, were unearthed in a hilly area above the town of Negrar di Valpolicella.” – The Guardian
Playwright And AIDS Activist Larry Kramer, 84
An author, essayist and playwright — notably hailed for his autobiographical 1985 play, “The Normal Heart” — Mr. Kramer had feet in both the world of letters and the public sphere. In 1981 he was a founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the first service organization for H.I.V.-positive people, though his fellow directors effectively kicked him out a year later for his aggressive approach. (He returned the compliment by calling them “a sad organization of sissies.”) – The New York Times
Police Arrest Suspected Arsonist In Deadly Anime Studio Fire
“The July 18 attack on Kyoto Animation, a famed anime studio that produced popular ‘slice of life’ shows and movies,” killed 36 people and was the worst mass murder in Japan in decades. “Officials said that the attacker had shouted ‘Die!’ as he entered the building and then tried to escape, but collapsed on the street outside and was subdued by workers.” – The New York Times