Month: April 2004

Of Value And Art

Sure, there’s the obvious connection between art and money, writes Thomas Crow. But art also “has its business in the world, in how a society functions and sees itself. As works of circulate from creator to patron, from dealer to collector, from private interior to public gallery, the transactions can be as much about sheltering the emotional, cultural and intellectual value of art as they are about money, even as prices climb and currency changes hands.”

Warning: US/Aussie Free Trade Proposal Will Harm Aussie Culture

Cultural leaders in Australia are warning that a proposed free trade agreement with the US will impinge on Australia’s home-grown culture. “The proposed deal caps the amount of local content at existing levels of 55 per cent on free-to-air commercial television and 25 per cent for commercial radio, and at 10 per cent on pay TV. If the government reduces these content levels, they cannot be raised again. The deal also prevents the government from regulating local content levels for new media without consulting the US, which can challenge any proposed changes.”

Wanted: Poet Laureate

Canada is looking for a new poet laureate. “Officially the Parliamentary Librarian is looking for someone who can, according to their press release, ‘demonstrate literary excellence though a substantial history of published works, including poetry; have written work reflecting Canada and the Canadian experience; have made a contribution to the writing community; have influenced other writers; and be a Canadian resident.’ Not everyone thinks having a veteran as the officially endorsed face of Canadian poetry is the best idea, however.”

John Kerry’s Share In A Dutch Master

Senator John Kerry’s biggest source of income after his Senate salary last year was the sale of a Dutch master painting. Kerry’s wife Teresa Heinz Kerry and her first husband, the late Senator John Heinz, “were famous art collectors, specializing in 17th-century Dutch works, primarily still lifes. Kerry, too, has become quite knowledgeable about art during his second marriage. ‘He’s fairly intellectual,’ one dealer noted, admiringly.”

The Angry Black Woman

“Stereotypes about black women have coursed through pop culture for centuries. They range from the smiling, asexual, and often obese Mammy to the promiscuous Jezebel who lures men with her sexual charms. But the one getting a major workout these days is the angry black woman.”

NEA Announces New Writing Program For Troops

“The NEA this week is unveiling ‘Operation Homecoming,’ in which troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will attend workshops run by such writers as Tom Clancy, Tobias Wolff and James McBride. The best submissions will be published in an anthology, scheduled to come out at the end of 2005. ‘I’ve always believed that one of the signs of a healthy society is when all aspects of that society communicate with each other,’ NEA chairman Dana Gioia said.”

Vettriano Sells In The Big Leagues

Critics don’t think much of painter Jack Vettriano’s work, but the public likes it. And there’s a market for it. “The Singing Butler, the Jack Vettriano painting – arguably Britain’s most popular art image but loathed by critics – last night entered the financial territory occupied by the world’s great contemporary artists when it sold at auction for £744,800.”