“The word ‘blurb’ was coined in 1907 by the comic writer Gelett Burgess but they have been around a long time. … One of the first major carnivals of blurbery came in 1516, when, ahead of the publication of his satire Utopia, Thomas More wrote to his friend Erasmus, urging him to make sure the book ‘be handsomely set off with the highest of recommendations, if possible, from several people, both intellectuals and distinguished statesmen.’ More’s shameless grasping is all too recognisable: then, as now, public knowledge of private connections was seen as an essential part of book promotion.” – Prospect
The Bludgeon Of History — And How It’s Defining Our Politics
Today it is not conservatives but liberals who are most sincerely committed to American history. Yet they too have evolved, perhaps even more dramatically, from their ideological forbearers. – Harper’s
Listen To A Never-Aired 1979 James Baldwin Interview (And Read Why It Never Aired)
The far-ranging interview was a resounding success… When the reporter inquired about the delay in airing it, ABC reported that it had been scrapped, because, “Who wants to listen to a Black gay has-been?” – Esquire
Why Newspapers Should Revive The Vanishing Art Of Obituaries
“We all know people who we think are so cool, or interesting, or exciting, but a lot of times those stories vanish if no one is there to tell them.” – Poynter
Hong Kong Police Raid Gallery For Showing “Seditious” Art
They claimed to have received a complaint that the space was exhibiting “seditious” content—a criminal offense under Hong Kong’s controversial new national security law. – Artnet
Has The Jazz Scene Survived The Pandemic?
The tentative return of gigs could not have come soon enough for jazz performers. A 2008 study on the economics of the genre found that 49% of jazz musicians’ income came from live performances. – The Guardian
‘Miniature Pompeii’ Unearthed Under Derelict Movie House In Verona
“Construction workers renovating an abandoned cinema in the northern Italian city of Verona have stumbled upon what’s been dubbed a ‘miniature Pompeii’ during excavations of the building’s basement. The ancient site was probably abandoned after a fire, but ‘the environment was preserved intact, with the magnificent colors of the frescoed walls dating back to the second century,'” said the local preservation authority. – Artnet
COVID’s Toll On Argentina’s Tango Scene Has Been Heavy
“The empty, dark dance floor at the Viruta Tango Club is a symbol of the pandemic-induced crisis facing dancers and musicians of an art form known for close physical contact and exchanging partners. … Equally damaging has been the closing of borders, preventing the arrival of tourists, the main source of financing for the local tango industry. Tango tours abroad have also been canceled as Argentina continues to suffer high coronavirus caseloads more than a year after the pandemic began.” – AP
MacKenzie Scott Is Now A Major Arts Philanthropist, Too
The total of $2.7 billion in grants announced this week “marks the third time in 12 months that Scott … has issued a wave of donations worth a combined ten figures. It’s also the first time she has funded arts organizations at scale. (The latest round of recipients also includes racial justice groups, universities, and other organizations.) Absent from the list of arts recipients are big names that wealthy donors often favor, such as the Museum of Modern Art or Lincoln Center. Instead, Scott opted to fund smaller, largely BIPOC-led groups.” – Artnet
Choreographer Cathy Marston Will Be Next Director of Zurich’s Ballet
“Particularly noted for her narrative work, … Marston will take over as new Ballet Director and Chief Choreographer for an initial period of two years, starting from the 2023-24 season. … Marston has previous directorship experience in Switzerland, having been Ballet Director at the Konzert Theater Bern from 2007-2013. There, she created several world premieres including Wuthering Heights (2009), and led the ballet from the brink of closure to a flourishing period of ensemble work.” – SeeingDance
How Too Much Information Can Make Things Less Clear
Sometimes, attention can mislead us about the world. This is not to say that attention always distorts our knowledge of the world, but it does suggest that it might not be the unproblematic guide to knowledge that we originally thought. – Psyche
Rethinking “Lord Of The Flies”
Responses to Golding’s work tend to be polarised, varying from the adulatory to the contemptuous. – 3 Quarks Daily
Of Course Networks Are Sexy Right Now. But You, Yourself, Are Not A Network
The network idea is so powerful in our connected world, that it’s tempting to apply it to everything. But not to us… – 3 Quarks Daily
Mapping Canada’s Indigenous Culture and Language
The online, interactive map divides the province up into Indigenous territories, including some areas where there is overlap, with sections featuring language, art and culture. – CBC
New Study: What Accounts For The Lack Of Women In Jazz?
Among audiences, the government survey data showed that more men than women report attending jazz concerts, and that the gap is larger for jazz than for rock. – The Conversation
MacKenzie Scott Gives Tens Of Millions To Arts Organizations
The lack of fanfare associated with the June 15 announcement, which came in the form of a simple Medium post rather than a costly PR blitz, was part of the point, according to Scott. – Artnet
Tensions Seethe Inside America’s Biggest Public Radio Station
“Employees at [WNYC] are terrified that criticizing their station’s leadership could result in being singled out for layoffs and reprimands by human resources.” Employees express particular concern about editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper, hired away from The San Francisco Chronicle one year ago this month. Says one staffer, “I can’t remember a time when newsroom morale has been lower.” – The Daily Beast
How Many Streaming Services Can One Person Be Expected To Pay For? We’re Starting To Find That Out
“The average number of video streaming services utilized per U.S. user has fallen for the first time, according to technology research firm Omdia. … ‘In the past, many have posited an ultimate limit to the number of services a consumer will be able to manage,’ Omdia highlighted. ‘With U.S. growth stumbling, many will be asking if seven is the new ceiling for video streaming video services (pay and free).'” – The Hollywood Reporter
California Removes COVID Restrictions On Arts Venues
“The reopening means the end of mandatory [capacity limits and] mask requirements for vaccinated patrons of California movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, stores and family entertainment centers. However, businesses may choose to retain mask requirements or opt to implement a vaccine verification system, but those verification systems have not yet been developed. ‘It’s the honor system,’ [Gov.] Newsom admitted. ‘We’re not requiring passports.'” – Variety
The Tango Is Just What We Need As Pandemic Eases
Watching audience members take to the stage of a Washington theater for a “milonga” — a gathering to dance the tango — one observes a moving milestone in the ending of the drought of human contact. – Washington Post
America Slow Dance
That’s the name of a variation on “America the Beautiful” that I wrote for Min Kwon’s America/Beautiful project.
But wait … what IS that? – Greg Sandow
New Report: Music Industry Has A Diversity Problem
While the report’s tone and conclusions are unambiguous — in just one telling example, across 70 major and independent music companies, just 13.9% of top executives across were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, 4.2% were Black, and 13.9% were women — its wording is polite. – Variety