Taron Egerton wrote on Instagram, “‘I, in no way, condone this decision and feel disappointed I wasn’t made aware and given the chance to fight this move. Love is love. No compromises.’ He also added a rainbow emoji.” Elton John and others have also condemned Russian film censors for removing what one Russian film critic called, “a principled five minutes, very important for artistic purpose.” – The Guardian (UK)
Author: ArtsJournal2
Virginia Zabriskie, Art Dealer Who Promoted The Formerly Overlooked, Has Died At 91
Zabriskie’s New York gallery started in 1954 and closed in 2010; her Paris gallery was so beloved that when she closed it after a 21-year run in 1998, the city awarded her a Medal of Honor. – The New York Times
The Two Writers Taking Over From Hilton Als At The New Yorker
Vinson Cunningham and Alexandra Schwartz have been staff writers at The New Yorker since 2016, and they “filled in on the stage beat while longtime chief critic Hilton Als was on leave. Cunningham and Schwartz officially begin as alternating co-theatre critics next week. (Als is reportedly not leaving theatre criticism entirely but stepping back from regular reviewing.)” – American Theatre
Will Netflix’s New Rom-Com Change The World For Its Stars And Other Asian American Actors?
That wasn’t 100 percent the plan when comedian Ali Wong and actor Randall Park wrote and starred in Always Be My Maybe, but … well. “As writers and producers they give an unprecedented array of Asian American experiences space to exist in … a film that portrays the rich diversity and texture of Bay Area life within the bounds of a modern-day rom-com.” – Los Angeles Times
Hurray, A Popular Art Festival, And Boo, The Popular Art Festival’s Thousands Of Visitors
In the planning for New York’s Figment Arts Festival, moving from Governors Island to Roosevelt Island this year, “‘Everything was fine,’ Judith Berdy, a longtime resident said. ‘And then came the catastrophe of the cherry blossoms.'” – The New York Times
The Existential Fear Of Losing Your Online Self
The return of the paper diary may be at hand. “Contrary to what I’d like to believe, media that lives ‘on the internet’ is not actually floating above our heads in a cloud, like Mike Teavee in WonkaVision. It exists on real, physical servers that are owned by these tech companies. And, sometimes … things go wrong.” – LitHub
We’re All Stuck In ‘Corporate Stockholm Syndrome’ With Disney’s Endless Round Of Movies
Let’s look a little more deeply into Avengers: Endgame. (Yes, it’s been covered, but this is different.) “It’s a reality-bending cultural phenomenon that proudly wallows in its own mind-numbing hugeness. It’s the biggest possible participatory advertisement for two of the most powerful brands in the entertainment industry. It’s an irresistible pop-culture overload, produced and marketed by people with an almost preternatural understanding of what we find enjoyable.” – Los Angeles Review of Books
That Proposed Harvey Weinstein Settlement Is Unlikely To Last
No, a $44 million settlement is not going to satisfy everyone – or, more likely, anyone at all. “Attorneys for two of the alleged victims rejected the proposal outright; while another questioned whether this was an attempt to derail the deal and maximize their clients’ position and grab the lion’s share of compensation. Victims expressed disgust at the entire process; one called it ‘absolutely re-traumatizing.'” – Los Angeles Times
Artist Tells Facebook And Instagram To Free The Nipple
Spencer Tunick takes photos of choreographed crowds of naked people at monuments and in natural settings all over the world. He calls them “flesh architecture,” and he’d like it if Instagram would quit censoring his art. – Asbury Park Press (New Jersey)
How The LA Phil Turned A Beethoven Concerto Marathon Into More Of A Relay
This music story has more sports metaphors than most sports stories, but let’s just run with it: Lang Lang got injured and could only perform one of the five concertos, and now, ‘four pianists are pinch-hitting: Conrad Tao, Beatrice Rana, Yulianna Avdeeva and Javier Perianes.” The LA Times spoke with all of them to find out how they’re handling this unexpected experience. – Los Angeles Times