Jane Alexander is back performing on a Washington stage again. “It’s possible, though, that her four-year run as NEA chairman, during the political tumult dubbed the Culture Wars, will prove to be her most memorable local performance. It had everything: hostile congressmen vowing to take the NEA apart, life-or-death budget battles year after year, angry artists urging defiance. ‘Jane kept it alive and reinstated a sense of credibility for the agency.’ Alexander is proud of its survival. A weakened agency can be strengthened again, she reasoned at the time. But ‘if it had gone under, it’s doubtful it would have been revived within 20 years. Certainly not in this climate.’ Could she have done anything more, or differently? Arts supporters doubt it. The consensus is that Alexander salvaged what could have been salvaged.”
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Iraq – News Explosion
Iraq, which formerly had a media tightly controlled by the government, has seen an explosion of new publications. “Dozens of daily and weekly newspapers have sprung up in the capital since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in April, a raucous rush of unfettered expression that is utterly new to this country, and rare for any part of the Middle East.”
British Museum The Greatness Of 250 Years
In its more recent history, the British Museum has been beset with problems, not the least of which being a lack of money to keep the place running as it ought to be. But the weekend, the BMA turned 250 years old, and a party was held to celebrate one of the world’s great museums.
Margaret Atwood, Chanteuse
As part of a fundraiser for the literary magazine Brick, Margaret Atwood (known for her pen) is planning to sing (something she’s not known for). Until late this week, it remained unclear just what Atwood would be singing and with whom (if anyone) when she appears at The Berkeley Church in east-end T.O. There had been talk of her interpreting Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, accompanied by fellow novelist André Alexis on banjo. Alas, this won’t come to pass. There also was a rumour that she’d be fronting a band featuring yet another novelist (and media maven) Evan Solomon on electric guitar. But this was denied as well. Now it seems Atwood will be singing a cappella, doing two original works.”
Should The Guggenehim Get To Choose US’ Vennice Artist?
There’s always much interest in which artist gets to represent the US at the Vinnice Biennale. The Guggenheim owns the US pavilion, and it appears Guggenheim director Thomas Krnes tried to steer this choice to Matthew Barney (who wasn’t chosen). “The Art Newspaper has discovered recently that the entrepreneurial director proposed a deal to the State Department, suggesting that his museum have periodic control of the US participation in the Biennale.”
Why Maxwell Anderson Is Leaving The Whitney
“ ‘It has become clear in recent months that the Board and I have a different sense of the Whitney’s future, in both the scale of its ambitions and the balance of its programming.’ In March the board had cancelled a long-planned expansion by architect Rem Koolhaas, which a disappointed Mr Anderson says, ‘Signals a pace of growth that is different from what I envisioned’.”
A Trio Of Pianos At 150
Three of the world’s great piano companies – Blüthner, Bechstein and Steinway – turn 150 this year. “Since 1853, artists have praised their instruments. Claude Debussy remarked that piano music should only be written for Bechsteins. For Wilhelm Furtwängler, Blüthner was best. ‘Blüthner pianos can really sing, which is the most wonderful thing you can say about a piano.’ Martha Argerich, an Argentinian-born artist, believes a Steinway sometimes plays better than the pianist — ‘a marvellous surprise’. In business terms, the three fared very differently…”
Met Removes Vilar’s Name From Building
The Metropolitan Opera has taken down patron Alberto Vilar’s name from the opera house after Vilar failed to make good on a number of promised donations. “The Vilar name had been affixed to the Grand Tier since 1998, when Mr. Vilar pledged $20 million over five years toward a $400 million endowment goal, as well as $5 million to match grants by others. The opera did not say how much he was in arrears or in what form, cash or stocks, but the statement suggested that the amount was substantial. The un-naming at the Met — a stinging rebuke in the genteel world of big-time philanthropy — was the latest sign that arts groups were losing patience with Mr. Vilar’s missed commitments and were willing to speak out, even at the risk of losing any future largesse.”
If You Play Contemporary Music And No One Comes, Is It Still Good Music?
Birmingham’s Floof! Festival of contemporary music was first rate. But there was no one there to listen. “The trouble with Britain is that it has a showbiz culture, and things are not regarded as worthwhile unless they fill halls. It is important for those involved in contemporary art music to push home the notion that small audiences are acceptable, that new music deserves a protected status, that it should not be judged by how many bums are affixed to seats. This is reasonable. But while it is fine to accept the position that new music can be a minority interest, which ought not be judged according to popularity, it by no means follows that we should be satisfied with that.”
Will Disney Hall Be LA’s Defining Building?
Many cities are anxious to have some sort of iconic defining piece of architecture to add to add to their skyline. “This sense of a great city with a vast meeting place at its heart is important. Los Angeles has failed as a place for public spaces, but civic connectedness is something L.A. needs to be a truly great city.” So will Frank Gehry’s new Disney Hall be that building?