New lidar technology revealed the formerly hidden, at least from the ground, site. The “lidar survey found 21 other monumental platforms, clustered in groups around the region. But Aguada Fenix is by far the largest—in fact, it’s the largest single Maya structure archaeologists have ever found. It took between 3.2 million and 4.3 million cubic meters (113 million to 151 million cubic feet) of clay and soil to build up the platform. That’s a larger volume than the famous pyramids built centuries later during what’s known as the Maya Classic Period. It’s also much older than any other Maya monument, old enough to suggest that the Maya started working together on huge construction projects much earlier than modern archaeologists had suspected until now.” – Ars Technica
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Publishing Hashtag Reveals Serious Disparities
Not that authors didn’t know; or rather, not that authors of color, especially Black authors, didn’t know – but the numbers are stark. The hashtag #PublishingPaidMe, started by author L.L. McKinney, took off on Saturday, with authors talking about their advances, the differences stark. – Vulture
New Job For Furloughed And Laid-Off Theatre Workers: Rebuilding Minneapolis
Theatre workers who design and build productions are perfect for this moment, some of them say. “‘For anyone who has arts training, they are taught early on how to collaborate with people. And that collaboration comes with the ability to quickly organize and problem-solve,’ said University Rebuild organizer Daisuke Kawachi, who pointed out the valuable stagecraft skills volunteers are now applying to their community.” – CNN
In Spain, A Masked Reenactment Of A Velasquez Painting
In a sign that the lockdown really is loosening up, and perhaps that art can’t be stopped, “anyone wandering along a quiet street in central Seville at 8:30pm on Saturday would have witnessed the odd sight of a 17th-century Dutch governor wearing a Covid-19 mask as he once again handed over his city to Spanish forces.” – The Guardian (UK)
Will Portland Protect Its Big Five Cultural Organizations, Including Its Opera?
Economic support already wasn’t great before the pandemic in Oregon, ranked 39th in the country for its support of the arts. “The subscription model, which has been the life-blood of so many arts organizations, was already faltering and on life support.” Some major foundations have changed their priorities, donors are suffering from “donor fatigue,” and, well, now there’s a pandemic. – Oregon Artswatch
Robert Northern, Classical And Jazz Horn Player Known As Brother Ah, Has Died At 86
In the late 1950s, Northern joined the Metropolitan Opera symphony, “where, he later recalled, as the only African-American member he was often subjected to racist abuse — reminiscent of what he had endured from white officers in the military.” He also played “on some of the most storied orchestral recordings in jazz history, including The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall, John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass and Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra.” – The New York Times
The Hashtag OpenYourLobby, And Theatres Bearing Witness
Many theatres have put out statements of support for Black Lives Matter protesters, and some have put up posters saying the same things on their boarded-up windows. Then New York Theatre Workshop opened its doors to provide water and food and bathrooms for protesters, and a hashtag, and a campaign, was born. “In just a week, what started as one theater opening their doors to 64 theaters around the country opening their doors goes to show how easy you can change an industry. Not by waiting for them to do the right thing, but by artists pressuring them to do so.” – Token Theatre Friends
Black Lives Matter Protesters In Bristol Topple Statue Of Slave Trader And Throw It In The River
Why did the protesters pull down Edward Colston’s statue? “The 18ft bronze statue, erected in 1895, has long been a focal point for anger at the city’s role in the slave trade and the continued commemoration of those who were involved in it.” – The Guardian (UK)
How The Black Death Changed Art And The Human Imagination
The Black Death “was the most devastating incident in human history. It altered not only human society but the imagination itself. Its traces can be perceived today, and perhaps more lucidly during these difficult days.” – The Guardian (UK)
How The French Made The Modern Restaurant A Key Part Of A Good Life
Restaurants are reopening in France and elsewhere, and thus social life may be (somewhat) reborn. But how did the modern restaurant become the heart of social life in Paris, London, New York, Rome, and elsewhere? Look to Auguste Escoffier. – Le Monde