Since the early 1990s, we’ve come to develop a more thorough and accurate understanding of what a brain engaged in creative thought “looks like.” The key, it seems, is integration: the firing of strong, lateral networks, connecting a diverse range of brain pathways in both hemispheres. – Fast Company
Author: Douglas McLennan
America’s Most-Endangered Historic Buildings
They might not be the prettiest, or the most interesting architecturally. But significant bits of history happened there. And they’re in danger of being torn down or falling down. – CityLab
Lessons From The Naomi Wolf Affair: When Generalists Get The Expertise Wrong
“When is a writer erudite, a renaissance person, a polymath—and when are they merely trespassing superficially into areas of knowledge they haven’t mastered, imposing their own prejudices or yanking cherry-picked tidbits out of context?” – The New Republic
Intersectionality And The Meaning Of Culture
The term “intersectionality” was coined in 1989 by professor Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how race, class, gender, and other individual characteristics “intersect” with one another and overlap. “Intersectionality” has, in a sense, gone viral over the past half-decade, resulting in a backlash from the right. – Vox
Some Rethinking On The Philosophical Separation Of Mind And Body
The concept of reason itself is built on a profoundly gendered blueprint. But a surprising rapprochement might be in sight: between feminists who criticise the mind/matter split, and certain philosophers and scientists who are now trying to put them back together. – Aeon
Ojai: The Tiny Music Festival That Reflects The World
Mark Swed: “It is still the quirkiest major music festival in America, and possibly anywhere. If anything, Ojai has become even more a habitat for compulsive experimentation as well as a magnet for many of the world’s most accomplished musicians. Charm and informality continue. But thanks in large part to Tom Morris, the Ojai festival is now a Destination.” – Los Angeles Times
Have The Arts Gotten So Focused On The Mechanics Of Survival That We Forget To Talk About The Art?
Steve Slater: “This is nothing new, and it is not confined to the arts. We see the same pattern repeated again and again in fields like education, health and the police, all of which suffer from diminishing hands-on contact with those they profess to serve.” – Arts Professional
Has Arts Criticism Become Too Political?
Andrew Doyle makes the argument: “The best critics are able to appreciate a piece of work on its own terms, whereas the worst seem to believe that success should be measured on the basis of how closely the artist reflects their own ideological perspective.” – spiked
Museums Are Increasingly Becoming Stages For Outside Protest
It makes sense. As iconic architectural spaces that are mostly free to enter, museums have a lot to offer today’s media-savvy protestors. – Museums Association
The NYT As Talent Scout
The paper of record showcases a dozen performers – dancers, musicians, street performers – in New York, shows you their work in a multimedia package, and gives some insights into their lives. – The New York Times