Younger, digitally minded collectors are predictably more receptive to online purchases, albeit at relatively low price levels. By contrast, more experienced collectors, conscious of possible condition and provenance issues, remain wary — and it is their spending that makes the art world go around. – The New York Times
Author: Douglas McLennan
The Battle Over What Public Space Means
In the last week, protesters all over the country have come to see their barely walkable cities the way New Yorkers always have seen theirs, as a matrix of public space that must be fluid, free, and safe for everyone at all times. The freedom to walk outside and shout is a bedrock of American democracy. Yet in many places, exercising that right means fighting the city’s layout and design. – New York Magazine
Fixing The Messages On TV’s Cop Shows
“The power of the narrative that comes out of Hollywood — that not only travels to this country but travels globally; that creates a worldview, a mental model of black people and black communities as undeserving of empathy, as weak and damaged, as violent and as operating against society — is killing us. These narratives are killing us. And folks in Hollywood have the power to change that.” – Washington Post
Michael Tilson Thomas Says Goodbye To San Francisco Symphony After 25 Years As Music Director
Despite the unexpected anticlimax, Mr. Thomas’s time in San Francisco should not go unmarked as it comes to a close. From the beginning, it has been a remarkable musical marriage. Mr. Thomas presented an American work in each subscription program he led that first season, a bold statement. But he simply saw the role of an American orchestra as championing American music. If that idea now seems standard, it’s in part because of him. – The New York Times
Hollywood Production Reopens, But It Will Look Very Different
The future of daily life on Hollywood sets will not be the same when movies and TV productions start up again. Entertainment studios and labor unions this week agreed to a detailed set of production protocols that will make major changes to the way movie and TV sets operate, including the elimination of buffet-style meals and requirements to wipe down handheld props after each use. – Los Angeles Times
Engineers “Fix” Golden Gate Bridge Railings… But Now They Whistle Creepily
After work on the Golden Gate Bridge’s sidewalks to bolster their wind resistance, nearby residents of San Francisco are complaining that the 1.7 mile-long structure makes a creepy droning noise when it’s windy. – BoingBoing
An Argument To Ease 2 Metre Social Distancing For Musicians
It’s difficult to see a way of easing social distancing for audiences to make theatres and venues viable during the pandemic, but this was not the case for performers. “There’s no finesse about the 2m rule at the moment. If you’re in a line rather than looking at each other, then it seems to be overkill.” – BBC
How Might We Rethink Public Spaces After COVID?
In recent years, designers and city-builders have largely come to reject defensive strategies and the exclusionary policies from which they stemmed. Great public spaces are now built with flexibility and approachability in mind, offering ample amenities and public resources. Yet, even in the best of times, the creation and operation of public parks, squares and community hubs remains both an honourable and difficult pursuit. – Spacing Toronto
New York Theatres Are Opening Their Buildings To Protestors
A new Twitter account, called “Open Your Lobby,” has encouraged theaters to welcome protesters. A post from the account recommended that the theaters “not permit police inside of the building for the safety of your protesters,” adding that nonblack staffers should block officers from entering. – The New York Times
Where Did “Shit Hits The Fan” Come From?
The true origins of the expression “shit hits the fan” are largely undetermined, though some sources suggest that Canada is to blame—it might have come from particularly picturesque Canadian military language of the early twentieth century. Another suggestion is that the idiom is descended from “an old joke.” – JSTOR