If artistic objects like Munch’s “The Scream” have monetary worth only because we agree that they do, what is it that makes us value them? “Myths develop around great artists, and objects associated with their actual physical presence become imbued, in many people’s minds, with some kind of spiritual aura.”
Blog
Warner Bros. Nixes Antiwar Documentary
“Warner Brothers has decided not to distribute the director David O. Russell’s new antiwar documentary when it re-releases his 1999 Gulf War movie, ‘Three Kings,’ this fall, judging it ‘totally inappropriate’ to do so in a political season.”
Conservative Authors Say Big Publishers Shut Them Out
Sure, conservative books — including “Unfit for Command,” this week’s No. 1 nonfiction title — have lately occupied a hefty percentage of the best-seller list. But at a Manhattan forum this week, right-wing authors said they were feeling marginalized. “Alleging a sort of liberal conspiracy to keep conservative authors from getting their books to the reading public, conservative authors said they had been forced to turn to scrappy, little-known alternative publishers.”
What Would Shakespeare Say?
At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Nicholas Kristof ponders what Shakespeare would tell the Republican National Convention and President George W. Bush. “The paramount lesson in Shakespeare’s plays is that the world is full of nuances and uncertainties, and that leaders self-destruct when they are too rigid, too sure of themselves or – Mr. President, lend me your ears – too intoxicated by moral clarity.”
Avignon Fest Dispute Leads To Leadership Change
“A disagreement at the Avignon festival has led to the departure of one of its founding fathers, the actor Alain Leonard. His resignation comes after a rift between his not-for-profit organisation, Avignon Public Off (APO) and Association de Lieux de Festival en Avignon (Alfa), a rival organisation set up last summer by the directors of 40 of the fringe venues.”
Ireland’s Abbey Downsizing
Ireland’s Abbey Theatre – the national theatre – is facing a funding crisis, and is taking measures to downsize. “The Abbey employs more than 100 people, many of whom work on a fixed-contract basis. Sources close to the theatre say the literary department is likely to face the brunt of cutbacks with some of its functions transferring to the artistic director, Mr Ben Barnes.”
Summer Of Free Music
This has been a bountiful summer for free music in the UK. “Magazines have long used cover-mounted CDs to boost sales but this year newspapers have embraced them enthusiastically…”
Official Download Chart Debuts
The new download chart measuring music downloaded on the net debuts in the UK. “The countdown, broadcast on BBC Radio 1, is an attempt to take account of the thousands of tracks that are bought legally from online sites such as iTunes and Napster. But if supporters of online music were hoping it would herald a break in the dominance of the music industry majors, they were disappointed:” all the music in the Top 20 was produced by major labels.
The Just-Ask-Heloise Historic Restoration
“Sure, there are plenty of commercial products available to clean and restore architectural treasures, but quite often, preservationists turn to items such as Ivory soap, candles, sponges, spatulas, tea, and eggs. It’s simply a matter of using common sense to determine which products work best…”
Salzburg’s Tough Summer (How About Lucerne?)
The Salzburg Festival has a difficult summer. It “was the last century’s most illustrious summer camp for musical and theatrical talent, but seemed more than ever trapped between the glories of the past and an uncertain future in more competitive times. In the years since the death in 1989 of Herbert von Karajan, who ruled over the proceedings as if by divine right, Salzburg’s artistic focus has been blurred.”