“A new study finds that, for some, logic- and evidence-based reasoning may as well have been commandments handed down from God. … Yeah, they’re looking at you, New Atheists.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
What It’s Like To Be A Political Cartoonist Who’s Regularly Charged With Sedition
A Q&A with Malaysian cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, known as Zunar, who’s facing nine charges of sedition (so far), and up to 40 years in prison, for cartoons about the country’s embattled prime minister.
When Brazil Was Even More Troubled Than It Is Today, A Pop Music Movement That Lasted About A Year Transformed The Country
“Tropicália was a movement that lasted just short of a year, spanning from Hélio Oiticica’s 1967 art installation of the same name, wherein viewers walked along a tropical sand path only to come face-to-face with a television set, to the debut of a TV show, wherein its constituents buried the movement on-air. But [it] modernized Brazilian culture just as the country’s ruling military junta began to strangle democracy and expression.”
The Dictionary With The Awesome Twitter Account
“If you were ever a nerd who thought of the dictionary as your best friend … well, this is sort of like that dictionary has finally come to life and loves you back and also tweets about words all the time.” A conversation with the folks behind @MerriamWebster.
Sergei Polunin’s Rise, Fall, And Return To Dance – And What He Thinks About It Now
This preview of the documentary Dancer gives a good overview of the story of “ballet’s James Dean” – with quotes like this one about his troubled period in London: “At first, I didn’t want to talk to the media, I feel like I was shaken into talking to them, then they became [a sounding board]. … I started using the media as psychiatrists, I guess, they were someone to talk to.”
That Alleged Caravaggio They Found In An Attic Is Totally Not Genuine – But It Should Be In A Museum Nevertheless
Same for that notorious fake Vermeer that fooled Hermann Goering, argues Noah Charney, who wrote the book on art forgery. He lays out his case against the painting found under a roof in Toulouse, then lays out a case for it – as art, if not as real Caravaggio.
‘.art’ Is Becoming A Real Internet Address
The domain name is officially launching early in 2017, though a few websites with the address are already online. The 60+ early adopters of the address include some of the most prominent museums in the world (Guggenheim, Tate, Centre Pompidou, LACMA, …). So far, there’s only one organization from beyond the visual arts world, though more may come.
Why Oscars Season, Like Christmas-Shopping Season, Keeps Getting Earlier And Earlier
“When the early ceremonies give out their awards, often the only people who’ve seen the films are critics, festivalgoers, and (sometimes) their own voting bodies. Are these awards about recognition, or are they about advocacy, or are they about attempting to steer a conversation? Or they, at this point, just about being first?”
National Board Of Review Honors ‘Manchester By The Sea’ And ‘Moonlight’
The Board is one of the quirkier awards-giving bodies in the American film world, but their top prizes this year went to two Oscar frontrunners. Even so, there were the usual surprises …
‘Moonlight’ Rules Gotham Independent Film Awards
The surprise hit about a young gay black man took four awards, including best feature film and a special jury prize for best ensemble cast. Don’t draw too many Oscar conclusions from this, though.