But with its makeover into the House of Britain, it’s fallen down on the job, writes one critic. “Now it is a card table on which teams of spectacularly ignorant modern curators play snap with the nation’s heritage. Here’s a 17th-century portrait of a squat Englishman. Here’s a 20th-century portrait of a squat English dog. They’re both squat, so let’s hang them together. Snap!” – The Sunday Times (UK)
Author: Douglas McLennan
WHO OWNS ART
In the 1950s Maxfield Parrish gave employees of the Windsor County National Bank a painting he had done to thank them for the help they gave him, month after month, balancing his accounts. The bank’s been sold a couple of times, and the painting has appreciated in value; it’s worth several hundred thousand dollars. The bank’s new owners tried to sell it, but the townspeople are mobilized for action to save their much-loved civic treasure. – Boston Globe
STEPPING STONES
Many of Britain’s major arts institutions are now being run by foreigners. Not to worry though. They seem primarily interested in using their tenure to spruce up their resumes for the next job. “For the new breed of arriviste, an English appointment is merely a staging post; the country is becoming an extension of the flight connections lounge at Heathrow.” – The Observer (UK)
WANTED: “BETTER MINDS IN GOVERNMENT”
- NEA chairman Bill Ivey on supporting the arts: “Society devalues art. The arts are still on the fringe. They are in the style section of the newspaper. And yet we frame our most pressing social concerns around art and art-making. The arts don’t matter until they get under our skin; then we realize we use art to talk to each other about a whole range of issues. The arts irritate us.” – Chicago Tribune
SWEATIN’ THE SWEETNIN’
Everyone in the opera business knows that hidden microphones are sometimes used to help project voices from the stage. “It has gone on for years.” Doesn’t it detract from the performance? And if it’s happening shouldn’t the audience know? – The Independent (UK)
TELETRONIC SEGREGATION
“The latest Nielsen demographic ratings reveal a stunning racial chasm: Seven of the 10 TV shows most watched by blacks are also the seven programs that come in dead last among whites.” Should we be trying to get together? – Philadelphia Inquirer 04/02/00
ART ON TV
Why has TV been so bad about featuring the arts? Who knows, but the TV arts landscape is beginning to thaw somewhat with a couple of new productions. – Boston Globe 04/02/00
CAPOBIANCO RETIRES
For 17 years, Tito Capobianco has ruled the Pittsburgh Opera with persistence and an iron hand. Now he’s retiring. “I don’t believe in democracy in the arts. You don’t use four persons to do the same painting.” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
BETTER INMATES THROUGH DANCE
Dancer takes on the guys in juvenile detention and they go for it. “In here, we don’t get to jump around. Because we’ve got to get along with other people when we are dancing, it also helps us do that when we aren’t dancing. In class you see that not everyone can learn the same and so you get to know a little about them if you help them with the steps.” – Dance Magazine
THE CHOREOGRAPHER CRITIC
Mark Morris goes to see the Kirov and writes what he sees. – Threepenny Review