Are depictions of Muhammad strictly prohibited? “Art’s history disputes this. True, that strict taboo today is honored now by almost all Muslims, but old paintings of the prophet — finely brushed expensive ones, made carefully and piously by Muslims and for them — are well known to most curators of Islamic art.”
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Book Review Overload
There are so many book reviews available now, they’ve lost their impact on much of the public. “This is why recommendation from a friend is an increasingly powerful factor in book purchases. It is why reading groups are growing in size and stature. And it is why the recommendations of an unlikely pair such as Richard and Judy can carry such weight. They are all examples of recommendations by people who readers have a relationship with and trust.”
Zukerman Returns To Ottawa Orchestra
Pinchas Zukerman has ended his “medical leave” from Ottawa’s National Arts Center Orcehstra. “Last week, Zukerman apologized to the NAC players in a letter. It was not made public but included the words ‘I am sorry,’ said orchestra manager Christopher Deacon. Initial reaction from the players was conciliatory. ‘I think that sort of thing goes a long way to correcting the situation’.”
London Tube Cuts Crime With Mozart
Classical music has been shown to reduce crime. So “the London Underground is broadcasting Mozart and Pavarotti through loudspeakers and claims it has resulted in a drastic reduction in anti-social behaviour by gangs of youths.”
Laderman To Lead American Academy
Composer Ezra Laderman has been elected president of The American Academy of Arts and Letters. The 108 year-old institution, made up of 250 members including artists, architects, writers, and composers gives nearly one million dollars a year to artists, architects, writers, and composers. Laderman is only the sixth composer ever elected to this position.
Met Opera Slashes Ticket Prices
The Metroploitan Opera is cutting the price of its cheapest tickets to $15. “The Met faces a box office shortfall of approximately $4 million this season as opera finds its harder to compete with other forms of entertainment. The Met’s new general manager, Peter Gelb, unveiled his strategy on Monday, and promised to maintain the venerable institution’s reputation for quality while broadening opera’s appeal.”
Domingo Backs Out Of Paris Walküre
Placido Domingo has pulled out a Robert Wilson production of Wagner’s “Die Walküre” in Paris. “Unfortunately, my timetable does not allow me to be fully devoted to such intensive work. Rather than performing an approximation of (Wilson’s) conception, it is my duty … to withdraw so that another singer, who will have more rehearsal time, can make that conception his own.”
Seattle’s New Sculpture Al Fresco
Seattle’s new $85 million sculpture park is being built on the city’s downtown waterfront. “Seattle’s park will be free, fenceless and in the heart of the city. Officials hope the easy access will encourage a greater appreciation of the arts from people cycling, jogging or just strolling through the area. The collection will mix seminal works from sculptors Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Serra and Mark Di Suvero with with newly commissioned sculpture from Louise Bourgeois and Mark Dion, among others.”
Report: US Museums Are Minor Players In Antiquities Trade
A report by the Association of Art Museum Directors seeks to put American museums’ antiquities collecting in perspective. “The report states that 53 member institutions actively collect antiquities and altogether spent an average of $7 million per year purchasing antiquities over the last five years. This total is less than 10% of the global annual trade in antiquities, the report states, basing that figure on published reports that estimate the global trade anywhere from $100 million to $4 billion.” The point is that the collecting activities of American museums are not driving the international antiquities trade.
Gehry: Toronto Missed Its Chance For Architectural Greatness
Frank Gehry says his hometown Toronto has missed out on being a great architecture center, even though several prominent projects are now underway. ” ‘It’s like every other community. There’s very little social planning; it seems to be more a world of opportunism and entertainment. … It doesn’t feel right, but I think I am just fuddy duddy because of my age,’ said Gehry, who is 77.”