Politically charged plots and subversive undercurrents are par for the course in much of the modern theatre world. But isn’t there a distinct lack of authenticity to a bunch of actors putting on a play about suffering that they themselves have never known? For that matter, where do playwrights reared in the comfortable classes get off writing from the perspective of those who have never known comfort? “There is something improper about the well-heeled seeking to represent the disadvantaged; it is an unacceptable invasion of territory.”
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Minneapolis Library Troubles Aren’t Over Yet
Three years ago, voters in Minneapolis overwhelmingly approved a $110 million bond issue to build a new downtown library. But that was before the tech bubble burst, before 9/11, and before Minnesota’s largest city became a primary target in a statewide budget-cutting push by Governor Tim Pawlenty. The city council is determined to move ahead with the project, and groundbreaking is set for this week. But a significant chunk of money must still be raised from private sources, and a shortfall could affect the design of the building and its surrounding area, and could even cause funding to be diverted from branch libraries elsewhere in the city.
John Adams, Voice of America
“An interesting thing has happened to John Adams during the past year or so. With neither discussion nor fanfare, he has become America’s composer laureate.” Not bad for a guy who saw performances of his music cancelled after 9/11, and has often been sharply criticized for an opera based on a real-life terrorist attack. The fact is, though, that America hasn’t had a true National Composer since Copland. “Samuel Barber’s music, for instance, is too genteel, [Charles] Ives’ too ornery and disruptive, Leonard Bernstein’s too inconsistent, Elliott Carter’s too ugly.” Adams, it seems, is just about right.
The Orchestra Cycle: Program Continuity or Overdoing A Good Thing?
Why do orchestras constantly make a point of programming season-long strings of works by the same composer? What is it about, say, a Beethoven cycle, that is so irresistable to programmers, and is the idea really backed up by sound artistic and financial reasoning? “The investments go beyond time. Orchestras hold preconcert lectures and discussions with audiences to help put a series into context, and many work with theater companies and museums to create stage productions and visual-arts exhibitions connected to the series theme.”
The Chicken/Egg Conundrum of Modern Architecture
Has modern photography changed the face of architecture? Increasingly, it seems as if every new building that goes up in a big city is designed to make a great poster when photographed from that perfect angle. With the rise of photography as an art, the scale and substance of architecture changed forever, but the jury is still out on which form was more influential on the other.
The Art Of Internet Porn
Thomas Ruff’s nudes are not what one generally expects from a serious artist. He starts with the crass, hardcore images of internet porn, then molds and blurrs colors and shapes, creating works which retain the raw sexuality of the ‘net, but with little of its horrifying starkness. It’s a dicey art form, Ruff admits, but his work is starting to win admirers all over the world, and inherent in his success is the question of where the lines between art and reality lie these days.
The Culture-Mall of America?
It’s not a great time to be the head of an American arts organization, but Kathy Halbreich is thriving at the helm of Minneapolis’s Walker Art Center. The Walker, already one of the Twin Cities’ most popular cultural destinations, is embarking on a massive expansion at a time when other museums are having to scale back, and Halbreich is determined to prove that contemporary art can be a cultural centerpiece even in the dumbed-down world of 21st-century America. “I believe that if the Mall of America is about the consumption of things, a cultural institution like the Walker — if it is properly designed and programmed and inviting enough — can be about the consumption of ideas.”
A Beacon For The Arts In New York State
“The meaning of Dia:Beacon — a highly touted nonprofit showcase for contemporary art that opens Sunday — lies in the minds of its beholders. But everyone agrees on one thing: It’s big. Big in terms of dimensions, [and] big in terms of image and ambition.” The gallery, located along the Hudson River in upstate New York, features a jaw-dropping 240,000 square feet of exhibition space, and will feature the collection of the New York City-based Dia Foundation.
A Chance For New Experiences
“Many of today’s first visitors to Dia: Beacon — even the skeptics among them — ought to come away speechless and with a profound understanding of the art, without the help of tidy explanations. For devotees of the kind of work Dia owns, it is as evidently and immediately great and touching as anything by Leonardo or Monet. Maybe easy-on-the-eyes Old Masters only seem so much less difficult than more current work because most art lovers have been raised on them. Dia: Beacon gives us the chance to feast on art we may not have been fed as kids.”
Piering Into the Future
The seafronts at Brighton and Hove are a shadow of their formal selves these days, and the once-proud piers of the UK are decrepit old wrecks with none of the tourist-drawing power they once held. But the time may be right for a seaside revival in Britain. Architects are being hired, and thoroughly modern plans are being fleshed out for the revival of the old piers. The question is, will the public embrace what is to come, and can a simple pier really generate a great deal of interest in the fast-and-furious 21st century?