Maybe the pressure of being mysterious was getting to superstar Frank Ocean, or maybe … well, who knows, with Ocean? But “with Ocean’s mask slipping, it is worth wondering how audience perceptions towards him might shift. From the off, Ocean felt like a pre-social-media artist, with a privacy that forced listeners to focus on the intricacies of his music rather than the life of the man behind it, adding to his enigma and giving rise to one of music’s most dedicated fanbases.” – The Guardian (UK)
Author: ArtsJournal2
A Trailblazing Director Continues Her Quest To Lead (And Pull Others Up With Her)
Leigh Silverman, one of few women (still!) directing on Broadway, assembled an all-woman creative team this year. At a panel, this happened: “Making history ‘was an accident,’ the moderator ventured. Said Silverman, with a hint of incredulity in her voice, ‘It wasn’t an accident, because I meant to do it. The accident is the patriarchy, not the design team.'” – American Theatre
Susan Hiller, Artist Of Neglected Memories, Has Died At 78
The British artist’s “video, audio and photographic installations ingeniously explored extinct languages, alien abductions, girls with psychic powers and the Holocaust.” – The New York Times
Why Are ‘Green Book’ And ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Even In Oscars Discussions?
Ridiculous and, quite frankly, disgusting. (And whatever happened to Roma?) – BuzzFeed
If You’ve Got Writers’ Block, Try Designing Your Characters’ Living Spaces
One novelist, who calls herself a Planner (as opposed to a Pantser), says, “What characters do when I let them loose on the page is often unexpected, but I never regret having nailed down what they see out their window as they lie down to sleep.” – LitHub
The Academy Decides To Include All Five Nominated Songs In The Oscars After All
Yeah, that backlash was pretty fierce. – Los Angeles Times
Is The Guy In That Supposed 1450 Portrait Actually Sporting A Beatles Bowl Cut
That’s a new one: Art historian Christopher Wright says a painting attributed to the mid-15th century artist Rogier van der Weyden’s workshop “is a 20th-century fake, of an unknown man sporting a Beatles-style haircut and reading a paper containing nothing more than nonsense.” – The Observer (UK)
A Violinist Has Questions About The Supposed East-West Divide
Lebanese violinist Layale Chaker isn’t too pleased about some of the choices forced upon her and her classmates as they grew up. “‘From the beginning you chose your path, Western or Arab,’ Ms. Chaker, 28, said recently at her apartment in Brooklyn. ‘I never questioned it.'” Now she has both questions and answers. – The New York Times
One Of The Sundance Winners Had These Bon Mots For Hollywood
Alma Har’el said women directors, who directed 44 percent of the movies at Sundance this year, said, “We’re here; we’re ready; stop sending us to shadow the fucking white men.” (Plus, hey, a list of all the winners.) – Vulture
Artistic Transgression Is So 1990s
What does transgression mean now – and what are artists transgressing against? Laura Miller: “Much of what transgressive art rebels against is politeness, but politeness has many dimensions. It may dictate that you never swear or discuss sex, religion, or politics in ‘mixed company.’ And it also decrees that you don’t use racial slurs when referring to groups you don’t belong to.” Some (not so great) artists can’t figure out the distinction. – Slate