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State Poets Laureate Convene

A first-ever meeting of American states’ poets laureate gathered in New Hampshire. “There was an aura of self-congratulation about the conference, with many of the poets extolling what they said was poetry’s newfound power. Many said the best thing that ever happened to them was the postponement by the first lady, Laura Bush, of a White House poetry conference this year after she learned that the invited poets were sending antiwar poems to one of the scheduled participants, Sam Hamill, who was organizing a protest. “Ever since Laura Bush, my readings have been crowded,” said Grace Paley, poet laureate of Vermont and, at 80, a rabble-rouser. “Even if they’re not about the war, they’ve been crowded.”

The Cult Of Frank Lloyd Wright

Was architect Frank Lloyd immortal, as he declared? “More than 50 years later, it would seem the flamboyant, self-promoting genius heralded by himself and others as the “greatest architect” may have been right. Of the more than 500 buildings he designed, 400 are still standing. His legacy as both an architect and interior designer is such that each May thousands of devoted fans line up for the privilege of standing in a Frank Lloyd Wright ‘space’ for just a few minutes.”

Sawallisch – The Exit Interview

Wolfgang Sawallisch’s time directing the Philadelphia Orchestra is coming to an end. “The 79-year-old maestro, who restored the trademark Philadelphia string sound, performed Beethoven and Brahms with matchless authority, and premiered important new works by American composers, has long lived his public life in a businesslike, nonconfiding fashion. Though his charm and still-hearty handshake suggest he’s always glad to see you, there’s a sense that his availability has fairly strict limits, ones not to be challenged.”

Classical Music – Getting The Lowdown On Cool

David Patrick Stearns wonders about all these attempts to make classical music cool. As if it isn’t already. So maybe watering it down, or sexing it up exposes more people to the art. But does it really? And besides, doesn’t art reward those who make efforts to get close to it (rather than the other way aound)? “So if the latest wave of classical crossovers isn’t making us cool, what is it doing, besides attempting to make money?”

The Barnes – A Unique Art School

The Barnes Collection outside Philadelphia is a great museum yes. But it’s also an extraordinary art school. “There probably isn’t another art school, anywhere, in which students are immersed week after week in one of the world’s great collections. They sit on folding metal chairs in the foundation’s galleries as the instructors teach from celebrated paintings by Renoir, Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso, and dozens of other modern masters. It’s hard to overstate the value of such exposure.”

Florida Philharmonic Demise Could Threaten Region’s Culture

Last week the Florida Philharmonic announced it must raise $20 million by May 2 or face a bankruptcy. “In the meantime, some arts executives and community leaders fear that bankruptcy could cloud major cultural plans, including a proposed concert hall in Boca Raton, and send a dangerous message about the health of the cultural scene. But some also say the orchestra’s collapse is long overdue, given the organization’s nearly $3 million deficit and constant cries for help.”

Destruction Of Culture – Holding American Leadership Accountable

“There is much we don’t know about what happened this month at the Baghdad museum, at its National Library and archives, at the Mosul museum and the rest of that country’s gutted cultural institutions. Is it merely the greatest cultural disaster of the last 500 years, as Paul Zimansky, a Boston University archaeologist, put it? Or should we listen to Eleanor Robson, of All Souls College, Oxford, who said, ‘You’d have to go back centuries, to the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, to find looting on this scale’? Nor do we know who did it. Was this a final act of national rape by Saddam loyalists? Was it what Philippe de Montebello, of the Metropolitan Museum, calls the ‘pure Hollywood’ scenario — a clever scheme commissioned in advance by shadowy international art thieves? Was it simple opportunism by an unhinged mob? Or some combination thereof? Whatever the answers to those questions, none of them can mitigate the pieces of the damning jigsaw puzzle that have emerged with absolute certainty. The Pentagon was repeatedly warned of the possibility of this catastrophe in advance of the war, and some of its officials were on the case. But at the highest levels at the White House, the Pentagon and central command — where the real clout is — no one cared.”

The Barnes & Noble Way

Dennis Loy Johnson has noticed that Barnes & Noble seems to be less interested in selling new books these days. It follows the B&N formula: “Remember the scenario? It was enacted across America — B&N comes to town and builds a super store right next to the best independent bookstore around. They promise to enhance the local book culture, to spawn a local literary café society, by letting people making all kinds of periodicals available in the entrance way, where people can also post notice of literary events and reading groups. The store also hosts lots of readings by local writers, and organizes reading groups. It’ll be good for all the bookstores and book lovers around! they proclaim. Meanwhile, they sell books at a drastic discount until all the local competition has gone under. Then they stop discounting, prevent anyone from putting free periodicals in the entry way, take down the bulletin board and stop hosting readings and reading groups.”

Zagreb – City Of Art

The city of Zagreb claims to have more museums and galleries per square foot than any other city. “One of the oddities of Zagreb is that although there’s an amazing abundance of museums and galleries, there’s no national art gallery. Instead, several of the leading galleries are named after prominent collectors who left their treasures to the nation.”