Blog

What Does Australian Culture Need?

“The answer to Australia’s cultural crisis under Howard, according to the artists and their academic handbags, is more money. Our money, of course, in the form of taxpayer-funded subsidies to the arts. But those calling for more money had better be careful what they wish for. By all means let’s start a debate on this issue, but that means, as a starting point, following where the money has gone over the past few years. And it’s not a pretty picture…”

Design Debate: Engineering Or Art?

There’s a debate going on about the mainstream of design. “The key point at issue is whether design should retain its traditional industrial focus and concentrate on assisting in the creation of new devices that work better and more efficiently than old ones, or whether it should move with the times, align itself with the so-called ‘knowledge economy’ and offer a primarily aesthetic experience.

‘Ol Blue Eyes Back In London

A new show about the life of Frank Sinatra is ready to hit London’s West End. “The show has the blessing of the Sinatra family; it is described in publicity leaflets as ‘bona fide, 100 per cent Frank’, which sounds a little like a junk food chain trying to convince a recalcitrant public of the purity of its burgers. It is a beefy story, all right; but there is also a slightly cheesy whiff to the proceedings. Ersatz tribute shows such as this have their place, but it is surely not proper theatre?”

Do The Beatles Still Rate?

It’s been 36 years since the Beatles made their last album. Terry Teachout wonders: “What was it that made these four musically untutored pop stars stand out in such high relief from their contemporaries? And has their music proved to be of lasting interest, as their admirers of four decades ago predicted it would?”

What Led To Munitz’s Downfall At The Getty

Last month then-Getty president Barry Munitz rewarded his assistant with a huge severance award. “Munitz promised Jill Murphy severance worth twice her annual salary at a time when he was under investigation by both the state attorney general and the Getty board, and despite a clear warning from the board that he should seek prior approval for any controversial moves, several trustees said. By acting ‘unilaterally’ to benefit a staff member who had come to symbolize his divisive administration, Munitz turned trustee sentiment against him as they were weighing his future at the Getty.”

Canada’s Cultural Capital? How About Baffin Island

Okay, maybe not quite. But a new study says the desolate arctic island has more artists per capita than anywhere else in Canada. “Using data from the 2001 census, Hill Strategies Research Inc. discovered that of a total working population of 485 individuals in Cape Dorset, 110, or 22.7 per cent, were working as artists. That’s almost 30 times the national average of 0.8 per cent and more than double the country’s second-most-artistic municipality, British Columbia’s Squamish-Lillooet, between Vancouver and Whistler.”

Cautionary Tale: Star Building Buzz Fades Fast

Three years ago, Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center opened a new building designed by star Zaha Hadid. There were crowds and there was lots of attention. But now the crowds have gone and the attention has faded. “This would-be icon stands as a cautionary tale: In an age when celebrity architects are courted by cities and institutions desperate to make a splash, brand-name buzz can fade quicker than a fresh coat of paint.”