America’s obsession with superheroes and their comic book adventures is seen by some as a reliable reflection of the country’s social history. From Captain America battling Hitler to Spider Man battling his own demons, superheroes represent our national hopes and fears, and their profiles have evolved to encompass decades of changing societal mores.
Author: sbergman
A Museum That’s Only Skin Deep
Akron, Ohio has a glitzy new museum with an architecturally stunning facade any big city would be proud of. “Unfortunately, that spirit stops at the gallery doors. After the initial euphoria of taking in the big public spaces, the galleries feel surprisingly drab. You’re left with the deflating impression that the client and the architect experienced a failure of nerve at the moment that mattered most.”
Where The Journey Of A Lifetime Began
A new museum in Hamburg, Germany, is devoted to memorializing the journeys of the millions of emigrating Europeans who left for America from the city’s port. “The exhibits cover every stage of immigrants’ journeys — from the conditions that led them to flee their homelands to arrival on Ellis Island and beyond. Though Mr. Birkner said the museum was not aimed at any particular audience, the colorful and unorthodox presentation styles, which sometimes border on kitsch, should appeal to younger museumgoers.”
UK Movie Attendance Falls Again
“The number of people going to the cinema in the UK fell for the second consecutive year in 2006, despite an increase in the number of films shown. Admissions dropped by 5%, from 164.7m in 2005 to 156.6m in 2006.”
The Glorious (And Populist) Proms
The BBC Proms kicked off this weekend, and petty quibbles aside, there’s little doubt that the two-month festival remains the premier summer music event in the world. “For range of concert, the Proms is unmatchable, as audiences from every corner of the globe are happy to endorse. And, if you are willing to stand, as thousands are, you can get in for a fiver.”
The Changing Nature Of The Orchestral Business
Michael Linton says that orchestras aren’t in danger of fading from the national cultural scene, so long as they recognize the evolution of their role in it. “Music managers typically think that their job is to present the highest level of musical performances possible and pay for them by selling seats and catching grants. It isn’t… Music executives’ real business is developing communities of patrons. And educating their children.”
Orchestra For Everyone, Regardless Of $$
Music can be an expensive hobby for young musicians, and even joining a youth orchestra often requires the payment of hefty fees. But a new organization in San Diego is offering the orchestra experience free of charge to anyone who can pass muster at the audition. “East County Youth Symphony wants to attract more members and enough donations to eventually purchase instruments and pay for music lessons for students whose families can’t afford them.”
Did You Catch That New Art Show In Terminal 3?
“Airport terminals are increasingly the go-to places for contemporary art. Today’s mega terminal continues to morph toward something more akin to the modern upscale mall, theme park or play world. In all of its mammoth made-up quality, it’s a world existing almost entirely apart from the host country, a kind of glowing, Never Never Land of a non-place. Yet it is in constant contact with other airports worldwide, in a private world of high functioning connectivity. It is, of course, the perfect mirror to the world of the contemporary artist, now with studios, dealers and backers worldwide.”
Pavarotti’s Condition Stabilizes
“Luciano Pavarotti’s wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, has told Italian daily La Stampa that the renowned singer is finally ‘doing well’ in his fight against pancreatic cancer… Ironically, his wife said, he hasn’t shown two of the side effects of radiation therapy: ‘Despite the heavy treatment, he has not lost weight – which, by the way, he would have liked – or his hair.'”
Columbo Takes On Broadway
A new Columbo murder mystery is ready for its national debut, but you won’t see it on television. Nope, Columbo is coming to Broadway, rumpled trench coat and all. Peter Falk will not play the role he made famous, but the producers hope to recreate the same absent-minded spirit that made the character a hit over multiple decades on TV.