“What do New York painter Chuck Close, L.A. artist Laddie John Dill and the estate of L.A. sculptor Robert Graham have in common? They are lead plaintiffs in a pair of class-action lawsuits filed Tuesday against the New York operations of Sotheby’s and Christie’s, alleging that the auction houses violated the California Resale Royalty Act.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
After Three Losses, Julian Barnes Wins Booker Prize
“Julian Barnes finally won the literary prize that has eluded him on three previous occasions when he was tonight presented with the Man Booker prize for his short novel, The Sense of an Ending. His victory came after one of the most bitter and vituperative run-ups to the prize in living memory.”
‘Poet Of The Airways,’ Radio Writer/Director Norman Corwin Dead At 101
“[The] legendary writer, director and producer of original radio plays for CBS during the golden age of radio in the 1930s and ’40s … [created] landmark broadcasts ranging from celebrations of the Bill of Rights and the Allied victory in Europe to a light-hearted rhyming play about a demonic plot to overthrow Christmas.”
Detroit Symphony Offers $20 Tickets To City Residents
“Detroit residents can now buy tickets to any Detroit Symphony Orchestra classical or jazz concert this season for $20. Paul Hogle is executive vice president of the DSO. He says the new Detroit Rush Initiative is one way the orchestra can ‘connect more deeply’ to the city.”
Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker On Making Dance A Popular Art Form
“You should always include your audience in your working process and in the performance, but that doesn’t mean making compromises or concessions. A lot of the most interesting dance work these days is for smaller audiences. It’s very challenging to create beauty on a large scale. That goes against the stra-tegies of the mainstream entertainment industry, which is concerned with numbers and transient experiences.”
Edgar M. Villchur, 94, Made Home Hi-Fi Speakers Possible
“[His] development of what he called the acoustic suspension woofer made it possible for music lovers to buy loudspeakers that were domestically acceptable” – because they weren’t the size of a refrigerator. “A guy’s wife could accept their presence on the bookshelf in the living room.”
Why Does God Love Beards?
“Although beards appear repeatedly in religious texts, God never explicitly tells us why they’re so holy.” Yet Islam, some strains of Judaism and Eastern Christianity, the Amish and Mennonite faiths, and especially Sikhism all encourage or require men to grow facial hair. What reasons do they offer?
When Edward Watson Lost His Bicep
“When it went, it was like a relief because there was no pain for the first time in eight months. Then I looked down and all of this was … there,” recounted the Royal Ballet principal as he traced the outline of a bicep muscle at his elbow joint.
Johnny Weir On The Level Of Taste In Figure Skating
“The taste level of figure skating is a little bit suspect. It is, after all, a sport, and people will try to do anything to win a gold medal. … I am an American man, and in America, we still think of figure skaters as little girls in pretty, sparkly dresses – I worked very hard to change the perception and image of figure skating, and I think I’ve done a great job on my end, but in figure skating, taste needs to evolve.”
Who Should Take Over The RSC?
“There are three strong contenders to fill Michael Boyd’s shoes: Gregory Doran, Rupert Goold and David Farr. Or could a Shakespearean twist see the job going to a maverick outsider?”