“[Her] novels and biographies often examined the lives of women as creative forces and as muses, and [she] published an acclaimed memoir that explored her complicated personal history … [with] what she later recognized as the monstrous egos of mother and her stepfather.” — The Washington Post
Author: Matthew Westphal
As Senegal Opens New Museum Of Black Civilizations, It Wants France To Return Objects Taken During Colonial Period
“The scale of artifacts in question is staggering. Up to 95 percent of Africa’s cultural heritage is held outside Africa by major museums. France alone holds 90,000 sub-Saharan African objects in its museums.” — The New York Times
Top Carnegie Hall Exec To Lead Berkeley’s Cal Performances
Jeremy Geffen, who has been Carnegie’s top artistic administrator for 12 years, succeeds Matias Tarnopolsky, now CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. “New York is wonderful,” said Geffen, “but it can be difficult to get people’s attention … whereas in Berkeley, I was struck by the degree to which people are aware of, and open to, great attractions.” — San Francisco Chronicle
New Fund To Restore And Protect Heritage Sites In War Zones Announces Its First Projects, In Iraq And Mali
The organization — called Aliph, based in Geneva, chaired by billionaire Thomas Kaplan, and funded with $60 million so far — will work on restoring the museum in Mosul and the fourth-century Mar Behnam monastery in Iraq, both wrecked by ISIS, and the 15th-century Askia tomb, a victim of Boko Haram, in the Malian city of Gao. — The Art Newspaper
As Drag Queen Story Hour Spreads, Christianists Stage Protests (And Scream At Children)
“Drag queen storytime began popping up in 2015 in San Francisco and have spread across the country to libraries, community centers, and increasingly, bookstores. … Protests are commonplace at the readings and some communities have even seen lawsuits attempting ban such readings, though these efforts have largely been thwarted by the courts.” — Publishers Weekly
The Amazing Internet Radio Station With Almost Every Kind Of Music There Is
Joan Harvey sings the praises of the astounding variety of music to discover (and facts to learn) at Concertzender.nl. (We here at ArtsJournal can recommend it, too.) Yes, the site is in Dutch, but most of it is available in (sometimes quirky) English if you click on the tiny Union Jack in the upper right corner. — 3 Quarks Daily
Response to ‘Listen vs. Tell’
In “Listen vs. Tell” I spoke of the necessary switch from telling people about our work to listening to them as a pre-requisite for effective communication. As happens not infrequently, Carter Gilles responded thoughtfully and at length. He has given me permission to share his expansion on my thoughts here. — Doug Borwick
Editing Marcel Proust Was A Nightmare (Especially After He Died)
“Proust composed by an immensely complex process of writing and rewriting, weaving together passages sometimes composed years apart, filling his margins with additions and, when the margins ran out, continuing on strips of paper glued to the pages.” Carol Clark writes about the challenges of editing and translating The Prisoner, one of three volumes the author didn’t live to see through publication himself. — Literary Hub
Is It Really A Good Idea To Demand That Only Gay Actors Play Gay Roles?
Ryan Gilbey points out some of the unintended consequences beyond the usual “it’s called acting for a reason” argument. As one out gay actor put it, “In the current cultural climate I am invited to participate only on the basis of my supposed oppression.” — The Guardian
In L.A. County, Using The Arts To Help Keep Kids Out Of Jail
“A one-year, $750,000 grant from the Ford Foundation’s Art for Justice Fund will help launch the Arts and Youth Development Project, intended to serve youth and families at risk of involvement or already involved with the juvenile justice system.” — Inside Philanthropy