“The institution, which opened a $150 million building on Independence Mall in 2010, laid off 12 staff members outright on Friday. Other positions, now empty, will not be filled; others will be made part-time or consolidated. All told, 18 of the museum’s 50 full-time staff positions will be eliminated.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Actress Glenne Headly Dead At 62
“[Her] acting career took shape at the renowned Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago and found its biggest audience in Hollywood with films like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Dick Tracy … [She] moved easily from comedy to drama and from stage to screen. Not often cast in lead roles, she played her parts with a subtle, scene-stealing panache.”
Pat Metheny, Dianne Reeves Among NEA’s 2018 Jazz Masters
“The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Masters award, which comes with a $25,000 prize, is widely described as United States’ highest honor for jazz. Today, the NEA announced its four newest recipients of the prize: pianist Joanne Brackeen, guitarist Pat Metheny, singer Dianne Reeves and producer Todd Barkan.”
National Museum Of Women In The Arts Gets Record $9 Million Donation
“Madeleine Rast became a supporter of the National Museum of Women in the Arts before it opened its doors in 1987, and she remained a loyal and generous donor throughout her life. But the California business professional, who died on Jan. 29 at 92, saved her biggest gift for last.”
Alain Trudel Named Music Director Of Toledo Symphony
“The Toledo Symphony Orchestra named noted Canadian conductor-composer Alain Trudel as its new Music Director this morning, less than a month after its last maestro, Stefan Sanderling, officially vacated the position.”
Animal Rights Activists Attack Artist’s Studio At Documenta In Athens
“Animal-rights campaigners smashed windows and threw blue paint on the work space of Aboubakar Fofana in Athens … Fofana’s piece, Ka touba Farafina yé (Africa blessing) (2017), features 54 sheep – one for each country in Africa – that have their wool dyed in different shades of indigo. It deals with the ‘tragedy of migration’, Fofana says, using a sheep’s quest for new pastures as a symbol of humans risking their lives in search of a better one.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 06.12.17
A Masterpiece That Needs More Attention
On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal published my latest entry in its Saturday Masterpiece column, about Enguerrand Quarton’s Pietà of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, … Many people have told me that they’ve never noticed the work in the Louvre. Yet is it a large work, more than 5 by 7 feet. … read more
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2017-06-12
A Better Idea for the Guggenheim
One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s fantasies for his design of the Guggenheim Museum was to color it pink. … But Richard Hamilton had a better idea: … read more
AJBlog: Straight|Up Published 2017-06-12
How Watching Congressional Hearings Became An American Pastime
“Turning on the television to follow the action is a relatively new practice. It dates back to a set of dramatic crime syndicate investigations in the 1950s that became a televised political theater triumph – and set the stage for what has become a uniquely American pastime.”
‘Wonder Woman’ Barred From Screens In Tunisia (And Not Because Of Skimpy Costumes)
Tunisia, in fact, is relatively relaxed by Arab standards about female dress. The reason for the ban does, however, have to do with star Gal Gadot (and it will probably make you mutter, “Gawd, not that again”).
How An Obscure Eastern European Symphony Sold A Million Copies And Changed The Classical Record Industry
William Robin traces the history of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, from its unhappy premiere at a French avant-garde festival 40 years ago (allegedly, Pierre Boulez shouted “Merde!), through the release, 25 years ago, of the surprise hit recording by conductor David Zinman and soprano Dawn Upshaw, to the major labels’ attempts to repeat the work’s success.