“Classics escape the prison of time. Whichever their era, they belong to every other era. People talk of ‘contemporary classics’ but the phrase is tautologous: classics are contemporary by definition. The bad director of an ancient Greek tragedy batters us with parallels to the present day; the good director lets the echoes reverberate for themselves. The classic doesn’t have a sell-by date. If it did, it wouldn’t be a classic.” Still, that timeless aspect is what makes the classics so difficult to stage, and so confounding to bring to a modern audience.
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Artistic Illiteracy: Not Just For Americans Anymore!
A new survey indicates that the average Briton knows about as much about great works of art as the average American, which is to say, not much. Nearly 10% of the UK identified Monet’s famous Water Lilies as having been painted by the Australian Rolf Harris, and fully half of respondants couldn’t say who painted the Mona Lisa. Presumably, they all knew who won the latest edition of Big Brother, however.
Getting The Arts Into Electoral Politics
The arts are not generally on most people’s lists of hot political topics guaranteed to spark rousing debate between candidates. “But scratch the surface and you’ll find that, when elections roll around, Canada’s provincial politicians increasingly do have cultural policies. Partly that’s because many of them have started to buy economic arguments in favour of nurturing the arts; partly it’s because arts lobby groups have had some success in getting their issues seriously debated, even if they aren’t decisive on election day.”
Tokyo’s New Art Palace
The new Mori Museum of contemporary art opens in Tokyo in two weeks. It is being touted as the most significant art development in years in the capital. “The museum will act as an interface between contemporary art, which is in a constant state of change, and a broad audience. The mission is to introduce things to people with which they are not yet familiar and to make the unfamiliar seem attractive. It is a challenge.”
Looted Art and Technology’s Limitations
“The recent unveiling of a new Web site listing artworks that may have been looted by the Nazis had at least two unintended consequences, experts say. First, it underscored how much stolen art falls outside the purview of the new venture — the vast majority. Second, it reminded Holocaust survivors who are trying to reclaim stolen art how far the issue of property restitution has fallen from public consciousness and political discourse.”
The Money’s There. But Who Knows How To Get It?
You could make a fairly convincing argument that, even in times of economic downturn, there is always plenty of money in America that could be used to fund our perennially underfunded theaters, orchestras, and other arts groups. But for many arts groups, the central problem is finding a truly qualified professional who knows how to find that money and convince the people who have it to give it up. In fact the non-profit development director may be the most understaffed position in the American cultural scene at the moment. And that’s a dangerous thing, because, like it or not, money makes the arts world go round.
Rosen On The Piano
Charles Rosen is a brilliant writer about music. But he’s also a major pianist. “He would probably be better known as a pianist if he had not published a single word about music. That he has not belonged to the most visible group of concert pianists that includes Murray Perahia, Emmanuel Ax, Alfred Brendel, Maurizio Pollini, and Richard Goode is a circumstance with multiple causes (including his decision to play Boulez rather than Brahms, Schoenberg and Carter rather than Schubert and Copland).” So his new book about the piano is something to be taken very seriously indeed.
Calgary, Home Of Cowboys and Theatre Geeks
When your city’s image is predicated on a lot of cowboy hats and belt holsters, it might be difficult to envision the rising of a successful theatre scene. But that seems to be what’s happening in Calgary, where an increasingly diverse local populace is slowly coming around to the idea that a rollicking arts scene might not be a bad thing. “Unlike even a few years ago, it seems as if our young artists believe they can make a go of it here, so they’re staying here and doing some very good work.” It may seem like a small step, but at a time when so many cities are taking a budget knife to the arts, Calgary seems to be headed in the right direction.
Making Art, And Maybe Some Money
No one teaches marketing in art school. Most students studying line drawing don’t get much of an education in fiscal self-management, either. A new web site aims to give artists a head start on making their profession pay, and it all begins with a realistic lesson in Selling Yourself.
I.M Pei And The National Gallery (A Love Story)
The National Gallery’s I.M. Pei-designed East Building turns 25 this year. “Pei has staked his career on bold visions and controversial stands. Architects have voted the building one of the 10 best in America. Pei has just admitted to ‘great affection’ for his creation, as well he should. The East Building’s extraordinary geometries and modern spirit established Pei as a 20th-century master. Success here also propelled him on to the challenge of his career, the historic remaking of France’s grand Louvre museum.”