“After 30 years, the iconic Heidelberg Project – [Tyree] Guyton’s internationally acclaimed outdoor wonderland of wit and whimsy, painted abandoned homes and repurposed urban debris on Detroit’s east side – is being dismantled. … No, Guyton is not abandoning his life’s work or waving a white flag in the face of 12 arson-fueled fires that have destroyed six houses since 2013.”
Did You Know The Rio Olympics Has An Artist In Residence?
The program, which began this year, was intended to “open up Olympism and its values to the widest possible audience,” according to a statement by the Olympic committee.
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Plans $25 Million HQ Expansion
“Enrollment at the company’s school has surged since it moved into the custom-built space in 2005. That has created bottlenecks and scheduling conflicts at the building … The plan would add more than 10,000 square feet – including four new studios and classroom space – to [Ailey’s] home base at Ninth Avenue and West 55th Street” in Manhattan.
When Ballerinas And Boxers Trade Places
When a Twin Cities ballet company found itself in new space next door to a boxing gym, the dancers and fighters left their stereotypes and squeamishness behind, and each side learned the other’s disciplines could add to its own skills. (includes video)
Obama’s Reading And Music Lists Are A Spotify Hit
“For the second year in a row, Mr. Obama released his summer vacation music and reading lists. And within a day, Mr. Obama’s playlist was the most listened-to on Spotify, other than those organized by the global music streaming service itself.”
Why This Van Gogh Painting Was Stolen Not Once But Twice
“Given the prominence of some of the museum’s collection—including works by the likes of Monet, Renoir, and Degas—one would think an epic failure of security on such an extreme level would be impossible. But the negligence goes even deeper. According to Egyptian officials, at the time of the theft, only seven of the museum’s 43 security cameras were operational and none of the security alarms were actually active. “
Now This Terrible Singer Is The Subject Of A Meryl Streep Movie – But Was She Trolling Everyone The Whole Time?
“Though a tiny footnote in cultural history, the Jenkins tale endures because its borders can be drawn in so many ways.”
Wired Says It’s Time For Apartments To Have ‘Drone Landing’ Balconies
“Large balconies are always welcome in swanky condos, but they could be so much more if they obliterated your need to use the stairs or elevator, or to even get in a car or subway to reach your office tower.”
A TV Show That Speaks Honestly Of Things Other Shows Might Avoid
Teyonah Parris: “I do think the conversation is shifting, for the better, to be more inclusive. When one of us gets it — light, dark, whatever you are — we’re all winning. As black women, we’re miles behind our white counterparts in being offered the space to create and craft female characters in major blockbuster films.”
The Portrait Of A Novelist On A Completely Different Schedule From The Rest Of The Working World
“After I’m finished working, I always do my exercise, and then I’ll eat something, usually after midnight. The main problem with that routine is all these people who want to do things in the morning.”
A Conversation With Colson Whitehead, Who Won The Oprah Book Club Lottery
“Are you having a good week?”
“Yeah, the best week of my professional career, so.”
Fyvush Finkel, 93, Star Of Yiddish Theatre Before Changing Focus To Little Things Like ‘Picket Fences’
“Known for his 6-foot-3 stature and often expected to play villains, Finkel leaned more toward comedic roles, and he often appeared onstage with his white socks showing. The socks would eventually become his trademark.”
How ‘Grey Gardens’ Transformed Documentaries
“Grey Gardens made quite a splash on its initial release, and not always in a good way. The Maysles were accused of exploiting their subjects and betraying the tenets of the ‘direct-cinema’ movement to which they were deemed to belong, principally by dint of their 1969 masterpiece Salesman, perhaps the pinnacle of the genre.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs For 08.14.16
Audience Insight: This Week’s AJ Stories About Understanding Audiences
This Week: Cyber-fan bullying makes us scared about who the audience really might be… It’s not enough to “reflect” diversity of a community to be diverse… If you want to build an audience try investing … read more
AJBlog: AJ Arts AudiencePublished 2016-08-14
The world is broken. Smile!
Tales from Edinburgh 1 What do you do when the world is broken? You can do worse than laugh. My usual taste is for dystopia, plays for endtimes that will sob you to sleep. … read more
AJBlog: Performance MonkeyPublished 2016-08-13
Ystad: The Wrapup
It was impossible to hear all of the music at the Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival. I came as close as festival scheduling and the need for a minimal amount of sleep allowed. Here are brief … read more
AJBlog: RiffTidesPublished 2016-08-12
False Confidence? A Closer Look at Sotheby’s 2nd-Quarter Report that Lifted Its Stock
The economic picture painted by Sotheby’s in its Form 10-Q second-quarter report (filed with the SEC on Monday) was not as rosy as stock traders seemed to have believed. Notwithstanding the uptick in its share …read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrlPublished 2016-08-12
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Audience Insight: This Week’s AJ Stories About Understanding Audiences
This Week: Cyber-fan bullying makes us scared about who the audience really might be… It’s not enough to “reflect” diversity of a community to be diverse… If you want to build an audience try investing in your community… Pay-as-you-wish ticket schemes seem straightforward but they’re not… Are the arts failing at delivering the audience experience?
Culture Trends: Five Stories From The Week’s ArtsJournal That You Shouldn’t Miss
This Week: Is the music industry’s piracy war really about higher royalty payments?… There are signs the Golden Age of TV might be ending… Theatre’s emotional toll on actors… LA as the next great center of contemporary music… Europe’s tourist glut is damaging its great cities.