“Oftentimes, the most outrageous of plot twists are what make that happen,” say Ben Brantley and Jesse Green. – The New York Times
Author: Matthew Westphal
Two Lawsuits Challenge Iowa Ban On Any Materials Containing Nudity In Prisons
“Under Iowa’s law, inmates no longer have access to mainstream publications such as National Geographic, says the lawyer Nathan Mundy, who represents Michael Lindgren, a tattoo artist challenging the statute in federal court. Mundy adds that his client is now not even allowed to draw his own nude figures, which will hurt Lindgren’s practice when he is released.” – The Art Newspaper
Resourcefulness, Diversity, Engagement — How Kansas City Is Doing The Arts Right
Organizations such as Artists of Color Alliance, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Charlotte Street Foundation, KC StartUp Village and Foundation, and the Mid-America Arts Alliance are helping new work get created and presented to audiences, while the Nelson-Atkins Museum impresses with its robust curation and community engagement. – The Clyde Fitch Report
Why The Dancers’ Union Was Wrong To Push For Amar Ramasar’s And Zachary Catazaro’s Return To New York City Ballet
“In deciding to advocate for these two dancers, AGMA has not only sided with alleged offenders in multiple serious cases of degradation and sexual harassment, but has also sent a clear message to the whole dance community that the redemptive narrative of these male dancers is more important than the trust and safety of their female colleagues.” – Dance Magazine
Cannes Festival Still Bans Netflix, Except For This Part That Doesn’t
“The long-running row between the Cannes film festival and Netflix has taken an unexpected turn as the Directors’ Fortnight, one of the key strands of the festival that runs in parallel to the official selection, has selected a Netflix film for its lineup. This is in marked contrast to the official festival, which has maintained its exclusion of films distributed by the streaming giant for the second year in a row.” – The Guardian
Charity Tillemann-Dick, Who Kept Singing Opera Even After A Double Lung Transplant, Dead At 35
“[She] was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2004, forcing her to undergo two emergency lung transplants needed to save her life. Despite her illness Tillemann-Dick pursued a renowned career, performing … across the world.” – BBC
China’s Biggest Movie Star Makes First Public Appearance In Over A Year
“Megastar Fan Bingbing has appeared in public for the first time in almost a year, after a mysterious disappearance from the public eye believed to be linked to charges of tax evasion. [She] appeared at a Beijing gala on Monday night in honour of iQiyi, a popular video-streaming platform.” – The Guardian
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Has A(nother) Tentative Opening Date
According to director Richard Armstrong, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, part of the emirate’s Saadiyat Island complex of museums, is expected to open in 2022. “The Frank Gehry-designed museum, which would be the Guggenheim’s biggest space at around 320,000 sq. ft, was initially due to open in 2012 and then in 2017.” – The Art Newspaper
Lebanese Author Hoda Barakat Wins International Prize For Arabic Fiction
“Lebanese author Hoda Barakat has won the $50,000 (£39,000) International prize for Arabic fiction (IPAF) for her novel, The Night Mail, which tells the stories of people in exile through their letters. Billed as the ‘Arabic Booker’, the IPAF also provides funding to translate the book into English.” – The Guardian
Pianist Jörg Demus Dead At 90
While he tended to keep his performing career fairly close to home (especially in his later years), Demus became widely known through his more than 100 recordings. He’s especially remembered for his ahead-of-his-time interest in historic pianos and his work in chamber music, particularly with such great singers as Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. (in German; Google Translate version here) – Der Standard (Austria)