She was most recently the executive director of the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan, but “that was just the latest stop in a career that included leading Visual AIDS, an organization that uses art to encourage dialogue about AIDS and supports H.I.V.-positive artists, and the nonprofit Manhattan gallery and arts organization Artists Space. She also curated exhibitions and served on the boards of arts organizations.” – The New York Times
Is The Novel Dead?
Nah, say UK booksellers, who reported a drop in fiction-buyers last year – but who expect a couple of new books to drive strong sales soon. – The Guardian (UK)
Race To The Bottom
What a so-called “private” Sotheby’s would really mean for the art world, and for art. – Lee Rosenbaum
What It Looks Like To Make A Book By Hand [VIDEO]
In this short video of a bookbinding house in England, “from folding pages to sewing and gluing paper to the leather spine, skilful human hands are front and centre throughout.” – Aeon Magazine
Latest Investment? Now You Can Invest In Hit Songs
The fund floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2018 and recently published its first-ever annual results. The man who founded it, Merck Mercuriadis, says hit songs are “as investable as gold or oil”. – BBC
Pilgrimage: Is It Better To See Tintoretto In A Museum Or In The Original Setting?
Phil Kennicott: “Yes, go see Tintoretto in Venice, but never slight the power of a museum to present art with a clarity and care one rarely finds in the ordinary world in which that art was made.” – Washington Post
Sales Of Print Books In UK Tumble In 2018; Sales Of Audio Books Surge 43 Percent
The UK publishing industry was hit by a surprise fall of £168m (5.4%) in sales of physical books last year, ending a period of growth stretching back to at least 2014. – The Guardian
American Library Association Cancels Inventor Of The Dewey Decimal System
American librarians have voted to remove the name of Melvil Dewey, widely seen as the father of modern librarianship, from one of their top awards, citing his history of antisemitism, racism and sexual harassment. – The Guardian
Does Truth Equal Beauty? (It’s A Problematic Idea)
The problem is that it’s difficult to defend the notion that the truth is recognisable by its beauty and simplicity, and it’s an idea that has contributed to getting fundamental physics into its current mess. – Aeon
Juilliard Dean Ara Guzelimian To Step Down
Guzelimian has been dean and provost for 13 years and is known as the “musical gravitas” at the school. – Musical America