Also discovered are a large variety of objects, from arrows to beads to lice combs.
How Our Sense Of Time Became Defined By Economics
“Time’s unknowable perils contributed to the flourishing of economic thought. But then something interesting happened. The creature became the creator: The economy re-invented time. Or, to put things less obliquely, the age of exploration and the industrial revolution completely changed the way people measure time, understand time, and feel and talk about time.”
When The Science Of Mistakes Made A Big Mistake
“This scientific study of scientific bias would ignite a romance of the mind, one that spanned several decades and ended up transforming both psychology and economics. Danny Kahneman and Amos Tversky went on to show that mistakes in human judgment are not exceptions but the rule, resulting from a host of mental shortcuts and distortions that cannot be avoided. We do not behave like “rational actors,” as economists once presumed; rather, we’re predictably misguided—subject to a “bounded rationality.” Tversky went on to win a MacArthur “genius” grant on the basis of their work. Kahneman would get a Nobel Prize.”
The Wonders Of Neapolitan Christmas Crèches
Garry Wills looks at the spectacular detail and the particular idiosyncracies of the collection of figurines at the Chicago Art Institute.
The State Of The Play In London’s West End
You want a good ticket to a play in London? Head to the box offices on September 20, when about a quarter of tickets haven’t sold just before the curtain rises.
Can China’s Film Industry Serve Up A Global Blockbuster? We’re About To Find Out
“The Great Wall, an epic fantasy film that cost at least $150 million to make, opens with Matt Damon fleeing on horseback through red stone formations in Northwest China. A snarling swarm of razor-toothed green monsters is hot on his heels.”
Ballerinas Take Back The Streets Of Cairo For Women [VIDEO]
In a smart, arts-focused campaign that’s gone viral, the ballerinas use photos and video to show off the ancient city in a new way.
Why Courbet’s ‘Origin Of The World’ Still Has So Much Power After 150 Years
It’s not just because it’s a picture of a naked lady, because there are plenty of those.
Actress Michèle Morgan, 96, Legend Of French Cinema
She gave her star-making performance in Le Quai des Brumes at age 18, went to Hollywood at 22 (where “RKO didn’t know what to do with me”), returned to France after World War II and became the first-ever best actress winner at Cannes.
How Did Red And Green Become The Colors Of Christmas? You Can Thank Coke For That
In 1931 “Coca-Cola hired an artist to create a Santa Claus. They had done this before, but this particular artist created a Santa Claus that we associate with the Santa Claus today in many ways: He was fat and jolly — whereas before he was often thin and elf-like — and he had red robes. … And so the fact that all these things came together — this friendly, fat Santa in these bright red robes, which, I don’t think is a coincidence, match the color of the Coke logo — this really took hold in American culture.”
Colorado Ballet Wins Best “Nutcracker” (Did You Even Know There Was A “Best” Nutcracker?)
“Ticket discounter Goldstar said Wednesday that Colorado Ballet’s production of the Christmas staple was voted the best by Goldstar members who rate and review “The Nutcracker” shows they recently attended. Previous winners include the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Boston Ballet and The Joffrey Ballet.”
Technology, Art, At Some Point The Two Are Indistinguishable
“In these cases, the engineers are as much creators of the work as the named artists are. What is the difference between art and technology here? After all, the most advanced of technology has always been indistinguishable from magic.”
Toronto’s Three Big Theatres Need A Miracle Worker To Reinvent
I’d call it a rescue mission, because each of these three theatres has lost its way in recent years. Now, they need to be reinvented in order to help Toronto solidify its place as one of North America’s top theatre destinations – a reputation that also depends on the Mirvish organization with its four theatres, a lively fringe scene and two internationally renowned summer festivals (Stratford and Shaw) within easy reach of the city.
Selling Out? Why Is That Always A Bad Thing?
We’re all familiar with the way the artistic life gets romanticized as a struggle, but it’s time to put this harmful stereotype to rest; some may be happy waiting tables, asking their friends to support their Kickstarter campaigns or taking every odd gig in hopes they’ll finally get noticed or “make it.” But it’s not the only way. “Selling out,” when it enhances our work without compromising our creativity or our values, is a good thing, and putting a priority on revenue is not the same as betraying our principles. Indeed, nothing compromises our principles more than not having the resources to promote them.
After Oakland Fire, Cities Around America Are Evicting Artists In Sub-Code Spaces
In Baltimore, for example: “We have a shortage of those spaces,” he said of properties where artists can live, work or perform. “This is a great arts city, and it needs to continue to be that way. No one wants Baltimore to become like D.C., where there are no artists who can afford the rent. If we don’t get a space out of this, then that’s basically Baltimore City telling us they don’t want us to exist.”
Why Should Sexual Assault Allegations Against Nate Parker Sink His ‘Birth Of A Nation’ While The Ones Against Casey Affleck Don’t Affect ‘Manchester By The Sea’?
Michael Schulman wonders if the Academy voters don’t need their own rabbi or ethicist.
Why Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ Is So Different From Most ‘Faith-Based’ Films
“‘Faith-based film’ is the label typically used to describe movies with an agenda: Some, like 2016’s Risen, exist to proselytize, while others, like 2014’s God’s Not Dead, seek to make a narrow argument about politics or culture. For some audiences, this kind of work may be satisfying, and that’s fine. But ultimately, movies in this genre usually aren’t designed to complicate or challenge people’s worldviews; they’re not created to deepen people’s understanding of themselves and the world. Silence, by contrast, treats faith not as a simple point to be made, but as a heart-wrenching puzzle.”
Leading Antiquities Dealer Arrested, Charged For Selling Looted Items
“The dealer, Nancy Wiener, has sold illicit Asian objects to Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses, according to the criminal complaint filed in Manhattan Criminal Court. The case is likely to revive questions about the auction house’s due diligence procedures before they sell antiquities.”
Medieval Lamps Stolen From Egypt’s National Museum Found In Emirates
“One Gulf collector had paid £500,000 for one of the lamps while an Abu Dhabi buyer was said to have purchased a second. After lengthy negotiations they were officially returned to Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities in a ceremony in Cairo this month.”
The Dance Moves That Can Heal The Sick, Raise The Dead, And Enable Time Travel (On Netflix’s New Sci-Fi Show)
A Q&A with choreographer Ryan Heffington, who created “the Movements” with magical powers for the series The OA.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 12.21.16
The devastating debut of 4:48 Psychosis (the opera) stands high in 2016’s best
4.48 Psychosis Royal Opera / Lyric Hammersmith, London
The guy behind the ticket counter at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre checked out my Brooklyn zip code and asked “Did you come over for this?” … read more
AJBlog: Condemned to Music Published 2016-12-21
“Meditations on Mortality”: Illustrated Companion to My WSJ Review of Jasper Johns/Edvard Munch at VMFA
John Ravenal, curator of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond , set himself two prerequisites for undertaking the scholarly yet easy-to-love show Jasper Johns and Edvard Munch: Love, Loss, and the Cycle of Life … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-12-21
Jazz warms Chi spots: Hot House @ Alhambra Palace, AACM @ Promontory
There are good arguments for building venues just for jazz. But speaking of arts communities in general: Most are moveable feasts, fluid, transient, at best inviting to newcomers to the table. … read more
AJBlog: Jazz Beyond Jazz Published 2016-12-21
Orchestras Are Charities? Not Compared To Museums
The estimable Adrian Ellis writes about potential pressures on New York’s major art museums in the Trump era, warning about potential tax changes and financial instability:
The outlook for New York’s largest art museums is a little unsettling. A Trump presidency is anxiety-inducing not because of any direct financial impact, but because of its potential impact on the world economy, and therefore on New York philanthropy and tourism. Perhaps more significantly, a culture war between scapegoated elite liberal and humanities institutions and a populist presidency seems likely. This climate may in turn affect both their overall appeal to the narrowing band of philanthropists and put at risk the fiscal privileges they enjoy under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code.
But what caught my eye is one of the accompanying charts showing what percentage of their budgets New York’s major museums earn in revenue:
Yes, that’s right – even charging $25 admission, the Whitney only earns EIGHT percent of its budget from admissions. The Met is close behind at 12 percent and MoMA is at 17 percent.
Compare this to data about symphony orchestras, released a few weeks ago. On average, earned income accounts for an average 40 percent of orchestra budgets. In fact, one of the key headlines in the report was that for the first time philanthropic income exceeded earned income making orchestras “charities”, in the words of the New York Times.
Arts business models are constantly adjusting. The financial mix that was considered healthy 20 years ago is different than what is now considered normal. One key factor is balancing the cost of attending (ticket price) with accessibility. Is $25 “accessible” for a museum? Is $150 for an orchestra seat? Why not $300? Or $5?
The point is that they’re all philanthropic models. The only question is how much of a subsidy can be justified or practically raised. And, as earned income declines as a percentage, that is increasingly a political question about who we want our audiences to be.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Named AP Entertainer Of The Year
The “Hamilton” writer-composer had a great year, winning a Pulitzer and several Tonys, a Golden Globe nomination, won the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History, wrote music for a top movie, and inspired a best-selling book, a best-selling album of “Hamilton” covers and a popular PBS documentary.
Disney Breaks Worldwide Box Office Record, Topping $7 Billion For The Year
With almost two weeks of the year left, the momentum generated by the most famous sci-fi franchise in the world and the popularity of the studio’s animated film Moana ($282m and counting) is likely to push Disney’s overall takings closer to $8bn.
The Woman Conductor Who’s Made Herself A Hong Kong Institution
Over 15 years, Yip Wing-sie has transformed the Hong Kong Sinfonietta from a barely professional part-time orchestra to a full-time, full-pay, adventurous ensemble.