“After years of buildup, a debate about the nature of humor that verged on the metaphysical and the specter of a trial featuring testimony from Patton Oswalt and Andy Richter, Conan O’Brien settled a lawsuit against him Thursday, ending a standoff with a freelance comedy writer who had accused the late-night host of stealing jokes.” (O’Brien announced the settlement in an op-ed published in Variety.) – The New York Times
Author: Matthew Westphal
Wildenstein Gallery Sued For Allegedly Selling Fake Bonnard Painting
“The art collector and real-estate investor Neil Wallace, who with his brother Monte are thought to be the sellers of a $100 million Impressionist art collection at Christie’s London in February, is part of a trust suing Wildenstein & Co. over a Pierre Bonnard painting bought more than three decades ago that they now deem ‘a clever fake.'” – Artnet
‘Magic Mike’ Musical Hits Trouble As Almost Entire Creative Team Quits
Composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal) and book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (the chief creative officer for all Archie Comics properties) “have departed the production due to ‘creative differences’ … Director Trip Cullman and choreographer Camille A. Brown, who collaborated this season on the Tony-nominated Broadway production of Choir Boy, remain attached.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Teenagers Who Assaulted Cleveland Orchestra Member And Stole His Violin And Car Sentenced To Prison
Two defendants, aged 17 and 15, were convicted of attacking violinist Yun-Ting Lee, pistol-whipping his husband, forcing their way into the couple’s house, and stealing some electronics and the couple’s car, which contained Lee’s 18,000 violin and $20,000 bow, which got pawned the next day for $30. – The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
Thomas Nozkowski, Painter Of ‘Gentle’ Abstract Art, Dead At 75
“With their Matisse-like color schemes and Miro-esque organic forms, Nozkowski’s works recalled places or things their creator had glimpsed in the world. He described his paintings as memory devices.” – ARTnews
One Of World’s Largest Corporate Art Collections To Be Sold Off To Fund Social Projects
“The Italian bank UniCredit has announced plans to sell off its art collection — one of the largest corporate holdings in the world — to help finance social initiatives across Europe. … The collection of 60,000 works includes those by Gustav Klimt, Giorgio de Chirico, Fernand Léger and Gerhard Richter.” – The Art Newspaper
‘We Are In The Early Stages Of A New Filmmaking Revolution’
“An array of rapidly developing technologies offer thrilling potential for the future of motion pictures – such as the rise of AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) and the ever-increasing capacity for computers to power detailed digital worlds. What will films look like in 20 years’ time? And how will the cinematic stories of the future differ from the experiences available today?” Correspondent Luke Buckmaster asks some of the people working to make it all happen. – BBC
We need to unearth some history
There should be a book about all the changes orchestras went through in the last few decades. I’ll be doing posts on some of the things I think should be in this book, often things that aren’t revealed publicly. Here, to start, are a couple of examples. – Greg Sandow
Sontagian Revulsion: My Notes on “Camp” at the Metropolitan Museum
Camp: Notes on Fashion begins promisingly with a deep dive into the early history of camp, including the derivation of that designation as an aesthetic category (first known usage: Molière). But its sprawling, diffuse finale embodies the “camp” worldview at its worst, as it devolves into a parody of a museum exhibition. – Lee Rosenbaum
Then There’s This: Brecker With Holmquist And The UMO
We have been meaning to call to your attention to an instance in which – unlike, say, the trade talks between the US and China – international cooperation works beautifully. – Doug Ramsey