The cultural sections of election manifestos always make for interesting reading. Wonderful-sounding aspirations rarely have detail. Proposals are mostly aspirational rather than costed. This, presumably, means that whatever the intended real-world outcomes are, they have not been factored in to any budgetary strategy. And the numbers that are given don’t always match up. – Irish Times
Blog
This Is “Science”? Researchers Claim Rachmaninov Was The Most Original Composer In 200 Years
The scientists set out to quantify the creativity of 19 of the most prominent composers of recent centuries, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. An analysis of their chord sequences found that none matched the originality of Rachmaninov. – The Times
Sundance’s Focus On Issue Films Suggests A New Wave Of Cause-Driven Stories
At a festival that thrives on the spirit of niche filmmaking, the prevalence of stories and programming about ripped-from-the-headlines causes made for an energizing change of pace. Given the annual event’s reputation as a dependable bellwether for the year in independent cinema, such films could signify a potential wave of policy-driven, urgent stories to come. – The Atlantic
Book Reviews, Self-Help, And A Consumerist Approach To Reading
A consumerist vision of reading . . . presented as a form of anti-elitism” is emanating from the centers of publishing and media power, and that it is embodied by some of these trends. But I also found myself wondering: What fiction about music did they recommend? – The Baffler
Why “American Dirt” Doesn’t Work As Moral Marker
“American Dirt”won’t have much political impact, because Americans who have the capacity to be outraged about children in cages on the border already are; it’s arriving too late and isn’t compelling enough to change many minds. In the best-case scenario, it will be like “This Is Us” — popular, gratifying to some, not capable of moving any needles. As a novel, it’s a profoundly missed opportunity, a displacement of attention and resources that should have gone to more worthwhile books and more informed writers. But as a subject for conversation and controversy, even outrage, I hope “American Dirt” reminds American readers that a vibrant literature of the border already exists and deserves their attention. – Los Angeles Times
How Memphis Got A Pyramid (It Might Now Regret)
The history of the Memphis Pyramid, which is now emblazoned with a massive Bass Pro Shops logo on its side, is as bewildering as its appearance, and as reflective of the people who conceived of it. – CityLab
‘Salvator Mundi’ Is Not By Leonardo (Yes, It Is) (No, It Isn’t)
Art historian Charles Hope, in a review of three books about the world’s most expensive painting, lays out an extensive argument against the attribution of Salvator Mundi to da Vinci and suggests that the UK’s National Gallery, by including it in its 2011 Leonardo exhibition, helped (wittingly or not) pump up the work’s resale value. Both the New York dealer who had the painting at that time and the National Gallery’s then-director respond in letters, and Hope follows up with a counter-response. – London Review of Books
Traveling show
One of the nice things about collecting art is that you needn’t leave home to look at it. I had to miss a major exhibition of Hans Hofmann, whose work I love passionately. Fortunately, Mrs. T and I had a Hofmann of our own — and now we have two. – Terry Teachout
Vienna Proposition: Leave Your Car At Home And Museums And Theatre Are Free
Starting as a pilot project next month, Vienna’s “Culture Token” will track users’ movements—and their chosen mode of transit—across the city via an app. For each car-free kilometer the user travels, the app stores up credits. Once the user has stored up 20 kilograms of carbon savings—possible with about two weeks of car-free commuting—they get a token they can exchange for a ticket to various arts venues, including Vienna’s most respected concert hall, theater, and contemporary art venue. – CityLab
How Matthew Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’ Makes Boys Want To Study Dance
It’s not just that the piece is in the final scene of Billy Elliot. A corps de ballet of muscular men as feral swans, in place of the usual ethereal women in white tutus, shows boys different, powerful images of both strong masculinity and ballet as a genre. That the production has been a success all over the world for 20-odd years helps, too. Roslyn Sulcas talks with four members of Bourne’s current company about the effect his Swan Lake had on them when they were young. – The New York Times