The 932-mile railroad project, connecting cities, historical sites, and beach resorts in the Yucatan Peninsula, has turned up more than 13,000 Mayan artifacts so far, and it’s still early in the building process. The central government says it has hired 80 archaeologists and is spending millions to identify and preserve whatever historical material is discovered, but “the Mayan community fears that history will repeat itself and their cultural heritage will once again be laid bare to looting, pillaging and destruction in the name of progress.” (in English) – El País (Spain)
AI Used To Restore Rembrandt’s “Night Watchman”
“It is wonderful to be able to now see with our own eyes The Night Watch as Rembrandt intended it to be seen.” – BBC
Can LA Design Its Way Out Of A Housing Crisis?
During the second half of the last century and the beginning of this one, Los Angeles County fell a million homes behind, relative to its population growth, after becoming a single-family mecca. – The New York Times
When ‘Rent’ Came To Cuba
Andy Señor, Jr., a Cuban-American actor and director who played the role of Angel on Broadway and helmed productions of the musical around the U.S. and overseas, talks about directing the show’s first-ever staging in Havana, which happened at a key point in American-Cuban relations. (audio) – Variety
Another Thing Brexit Could Be Messing Up: Hit British TV Series
“Last year, EU countries agreed that 30% of offerings on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime should be European-made. The concern among some EU capitals is that currently the UK makes up the vast majority of that 30%, despite Brexit. This month, EU diplomats were invited to discuss whether the ‘privileges’ the UK continues to enjoy were appropriate. They were given a briefing paper, seen by the BBC, which warned that the ‘disproportionate’ prominence of British productions could be a threat to the ‘cultural diversity’ of the European Union.” – BBC
As Viewers Flock To Streaming Video, One Cable Channel Keeps A Devoted Audience: Turner Classic Movies
“The Atlanta-based TCM has long been the sanctuary of classic film on TV, presenting mostly pre-1980 movies commercial-free with a deep respect for moviemaking history going back to the silent film era. … TCM also appeals to an older audience that is more likely to hold onto its cable subscription than younger viewers who quickly adapted to streaming platforms. The channel also connects with fans through live events, cruises, books, an annual film festival and even a wine club.” – Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)
Here’s What It Takes To Move A 60,000-Pound Fresco By Diego Rivera
“After a four-year, multimillion-dollar undertaking involving mechanical engineers, architects, art historians, fresco experts, art handlers and riggers from the United States and Mexico, the 30-ton, 74-foot-wide-by-22-foot mural” — titled Pan-American Unity, painted in 1940 and installed at City College of San Francisco in 1961 — “has been carefully extracted and moved across town to San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where it will go on display on June 28.” Carol Pogash reports on how it was done. – The New York Times
Pennsylvania Ballet Changes Its Name To Philadelphia Ballet
“I by no means want anyone to think we’re abandoning Pennsylvania,” said executive director Shelly Power. “but it’s about our identity as one of the most important cities in America.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Soprano Pretty Yende Says She Was Strip-Searched By French Customs Agents
The South African coloratura, who is currently starring in Bellini’s La Sonnambula at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, says she was detained by authorities at Charles de Gaulle Airport who took her cell phone and other belongings, strip-searched her, and held her for more than an hour. A French government source says she attempted to enter France on a South African passport without a visa and that she was released after a phone call confirmed her identity. – AP
Australia’s Largest State Pours Money Into Culture
“A funding bonanza of more than $1.3 billion” — roughly $980 million US — “will create jobs and will place New South Wales as a cultural heart of Australia, with a raft of high-profile projects in the pipeline funded, including two new museums and a blockbuster fund to bring attractions to NSW.” – ArtsHub (Australia)
From the Seine to the Hudson: The “Jersey City Pompidou”? Incroyable!
As a loyal New Jerseyan, I’m trying to squelch my own customary skepticism about such international museum undertakings, but the pronouncements about this project have been high on hype, low on specifics. My efforts to extract more details about what’s planned have been mostly met by: “It’s too early to say.” – Lee Rosenbaum