“In the long revolt against inherited forms that has by now become the narrative of 20th-century poetry in English, no poet was more flamboyant or more recognizable in his iconoclasm than E.E. Cummings. By erasing the sacred left margin, breaking down words into syllables and letters, employing eccentric punctuation, and indulging in all kinds of print-based shenanigans, Cummings brought into question some of our basic assumptions about poetry, grammar, sign, and language itself, and he also succeeded in giving many a typesetter a headache. That said, determining Cummings’ influence and his present stature in the poetry world calls for a more measured view.”
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Where To Sit In The British Library?
Finding a seat in the British Library is getting difficult. “It had always been the case that the British Library kept users down to manageable levels through a series of polite, but formidable, barriers. You were interviewed, and had to demonstrate a need to use the library. A reader’s ticket was, one understood, a scholar’s privilege, not a citizen’s right. Above all, the BL was at pains to keep at bay London University’s 100,000 students. But, in the last few months, undergraduates have suddenly been made very welcome. Word of mouth means more are streaming in every day. Why is the British Library now Liberty Hall? Bums on seats is mission statement 2005. And, if there are more bums than seats, it’s hard luck for the seat-less.”
Nice Building. What’s It For, Again?
The San Francisco Conservatory is moving into a beautiful new building and hopes to raise its national profile and become recognized as one of the world’s top training ground for classical musicians. But it’s difficult to escape the elephant in the room: with classical music widely viewed to be on the decline, what sort of professional world will exist for today’s conservatory students after graduation?
NEA Scales Back Plans For Traveling Exhibition
“The National Endowment for the Arts has scaled back a new initiative to send the best of American culture around the country and is starting with only a tour of visual arts. Earlier plans included dance and music components.” President Bush had asked Congress to approve $18 million for the “American Masterpieces” project, but legislators only appropriated $2 million, necessitating the cuts.
How About A Pope For The Rest of Us?
“For those of us who came to Manhattan precisely because you’re guaranteed never to meet anyone who has read the Left Behind series, America’s much-celebrated spiritual revival can have its trying moments.” But even the jaded and secular Tina Brown has to admit that Catholicism has made itself look awfully alluring over the weeks since the death of Pope John Paul II. But the election of Cardinal Ratzinger has sent what remains of the ‘religious left’ scurrying right back into hiding. “Secularists, humanists and quiet worshipers of an unpoliticized God have felt beleaguered, frustrated and unfairly disrespected. There’s no energy on the non-zealot side of the cultural debate. There’s no Voltaire, no Clarence Darrow, not even a Lenny Bruce to balance the stifling, censorious religiosity.”
Is There Anything Not Being Added to A Cell Phone?
Several techno-savvy companies are banding together to explore the possibility of combining FM radio and cell phone technology to entice a new generation of consumers to re-embrace radio. “The technology would combine the traditional over-the-air FM broadcast — through a receiver included in the phone — with text and graphics displayed on the phone’s screen. Those text-and-graphics images could be coordinated with the broadcast — to display the title of a song and the name of the artist, for example — or provide information such as concert schedules, allow the user to buy ring tones from the artist or participate in radio station contests.”
Leave Cable Out Of The Decency Debate
Much of the raging debate over broadcast indecency centers on programs airing on cable networks, which are not regulated by the FCC, since their programming is not distributed over the public airwaves. So why exactly do politicians and bureaucrats think they have any right to interfere with what we watch on channels that use no public resources, accept no public subsidy, and for which the public voluntarily pays on a month-to-month basis?
MCA/Denver Gets Closer To A New Home
The Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver has raised $7 million of the $12-to-$15 million it needs for construction of its proposed new home. The museum is hoping to break ground for the 26,000-square foot building later this year, but must still do some additional fundraising before construction can begin. In particular, MCA/D is still looking for a lead donor to step up with $5 million.
Lilly Prize Awarded
“Poet C.K. Williams, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and many other honors, has been named this year’s recipient of the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, for which he will be awarded $100,000.”
Cannes Includes Iraqi Film
“An Iraqi film will compete at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time, vying for the top prize against veteran directors and past winners such as Gus Van Sant. The United States accounts for four of the 20 movies (from 13 countries) selected to compete at the festival.”