The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District in Alaska “cited ‘sexually explicit material’ and ”anti-white’ messaging’ in [Maya Angelou’s] I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, … [and] language and sexual references in [F. Scott Fitzgerald’s] The Great Gatsby. … The other books on the list — Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien — were judged to be inappropriate because they contained mentions of rape, incest, racial slurs, profanity and misogyny.” – The New York Times
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How Asia’s Theatrical Powerhouse Has Kept Shows Running Through The Pandemic
“South Korea, which has a burgeoning theatre economy with a size and scale to rival the West End, has become the big player in Asia. … Its theatres were given the choice, rather than demanded, to close. A 15-day quarantine restriction has been applied to any theatre that remained open if a member of the audience or company develops COVID-19 symptoms, with a system in place to quickly contact and test all attendees and staff.” – The Stage
Will We Take The Wrong Lessons From The Pandemic?
Will the current pandemic change human attitudes to death? Probably not. Just the opposite. Covid-19 will probably cause us to only double our efforts to protect human lives. For the dominant cultural reaction to Covid-19 isn’t resignation – it is a mixture of outrage and hope. – The Guardian
Formality Is Out Of Fashion – But Ritual Helps Make Things More Democratic
Comfort has won, and most formality is gone. But the freedom of informality comes at a cost. Formality is the bulwark against some of the nastiest human impulses, and acts as a vaccine against our most dangerous tendency: forming in-groups and out-groups. – Aeon
20 Major Film Festivals Will Stream An Online Festival
The 10-day “We Are One: A Global Film Festival” will feature content curated by the Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, Toronto and Tribeca film festivals, among others, starting on May 29, organizers Tribeca Enterprises and YouTube said in a statement on Monday. – Reuters
From People Who Care: The Opera Recordings That Got Them Hooked
Talk to a fan or performer, and they usually have a moment, a performance, a recording that got them hooked on whatever the art was. The Times asked 14 famous opera-lovers what their moments were. – The New York Times
How Italy Will Reopen Its Museums
The next phase is set to start on May 4, with museums slated to welcome visitors again on May 18. They must follow safety guidelines drawn up by the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, which requires that all tickets be purchased online and visitors must practice social distancing in the galleries. – Artnet
How To Save Indigenous Culture? Pop
Their argument is that there is no better way to become visible than through pop culture. – The New York Times
Is This An Art Collective Or A Private Equity Firm? Group Buys Brand-Name Artwork And Literally Breaks It Up To Sell Off The Parts
“The Brooklyn-based artists and designers behind MSCHF purchased a $30,000 Damien Hirst spot print and cut out all 88 of its dots. Starting today, they’re selling the dots for $480 each.” (That’s $42,400 in total.) “Meanwhile, the original print, now just a piece of paper with 88 holes and Hirst’s signature, is up for auction for a minimum of $126,500.” (Wow, they really are like Bain Capital.) – Artnet
Why Zoom Makes You Feel Bad
To be sure, video calls are great for letting toddlers blow kisses to their grandparents, showing people what you’re cooking for dinner or maybe demonstrating how to make a face mask out of boxer briefs. But if you want to really communicate with someone in a meaningful way, video can be vexing. – The New York Times