“Since the early 1980s, Rath has created kinetic sculptures guided by software of his own making. Rath’s robotic structures often feature computer-generated animations of disembodied human body parts — a roving eye or gaping mouth — exemplifying his interest in the relationship between human nature and mechanical and technological systems.” – ARTnews
Blog
University of Minnesota Museum Under Fire For Keeping Indigenous Artifacts
Despite repeated attempts by affiliated tribes to return the collection to New Mexico, the funerary objects remain at the Weisman. Under a 1990 federal law, institutions that receive federal funding must create an inventory of any Native American cultural objects or funerary remains as a part of the repatriation process. The University and the Weisman have come under fire by Native American communities, anthropologists and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) for their delay of inventory. – The Star-Tribune (Mpls)
At Philadanco, Joan Myers Brown Hands Over The Reins — Gradually
After 50 years, and as she nears age 90, the company’s founder is making way for her longtime assistant artistic director, Kim Bears-Bailey, who first joined Philadanco as a dancer in 1981 and calls her boss “Aunt Joan.” But Brown isn’t stepping all the way back just yet: “I’m number 1, Kim is 1B.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
The 20th Century Movies That Predicted Trump
Throughout much of the 20th Century, American pop culture warned us that something like the last four years could make the leap from cautionary fiction to all-consuming reality. In the early 1930s, the Great Depression led to a peculiar, pre-Roosevelt cycle of what became known as “the dictator craze” in American movies. – Chicago Tribune
The First Of The Dictionaries’ Words Of The Year Is Here, And It Totally Fits 2020
Collins Dictionary has declared lockdown the word of 2020. “The 4.5bn-word Collins Corpus, which contains written material from websites, books and newspapers, as well as spoken material from radio, television and conversations, registered a 6,000% increase in its usage [this year over 2019].” – The Guardian
What Our Robots Tell Us About Ourselves
Building robot versions of oneself is a thing people do a lot now, and in part because there are robots everywhere online. The majority of web traffic is driven by bots, which can send and reply to emails, answer security questions, post comments, tweet, chat, and more. Last year, Twitter estimated that up to 23 million active accounts may be automated bots. – The Atlantic
Where Did The Expression ‘Peanut Gallery’ Come From? It’s Complicated
Early Boomers would associate the phrase with The Howdy Doody Show, where it referred to the studio audience of kids. In fact, the first known printed use of “peanut gallery” comes from an 1867 review of a vaudeville show in New Orleans, and it refers to the food item unruly patrons would throw at performers they didn’t like. (Warning: the sentence in question is pretty racist.) – The Conversation
Lengthy Lawsuit Over Robert Indiana’s Estate Is Near Settlement
“The estate of Robert Indiana and the late artist’s longtime representative have tentatively agreed to settle their legal dispute and asked the judges in the complicated case involving his art and legacy to pause the proceedings so they can work out the details of the settlement. … Indiana died at age 89 within a day after the suit was filed. In addition to dragging on for more than 2½ years, the case has cost the Indiana estate as much as $8 million in legal fees.” – Portland Press Herald
As It Seeks New Owners, Can Second City Fix Its Perennial Problems?
“The company’s ownership and leadership teams are in flux after allegations of institutional racism went viral on social media, and the remaining decision makers vowed to review everything from human resources protocol to material used in shows and artwork on their walls.” In a multi-article package, the Chicago Tribune examines the current state of the institution, considers the search for new owners, looks at the diversity promises the company made this past summer, and spoke with numerous BIPOC Second City alumni. – Yahoo! (Chicago Tribune)
Comedian Norm Crosby, Master Of Malapropism, Dead At 93
He was marketing shoes in Boston when he decided to try his hand at comedy, and he ultimately spent nearly fifty years in clubs and on television entertaining people with his (deliberate) misuse of vocabulary. For example: “He’s got a certain inner flux that excretes from this man, there’s an aura of marination that radiates out of him.” – The Hollywood Reporter