“The audiences for many of our greatest cultural events — I’m thinking in particular of the Proms — is still a long way from demonstrating that people from different backgrounds feel at ease with this.”
Tag: 03.04.08
Arab Countries Boycott Paris Book Fair
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco) has urged its 50 members to boycott the fair, which starts on March 14. So far, Iran, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon and Tunisia have confirmed they are to pull out.
Why Do Novelists Have A Problem With Sex?
“When novelists try to make their sex scenes literary, when they try to orchestrate each moan and groan into the book, wasting all that time trying to create the perfect scene, trying to make it seem believable, they fail miserably. The literary approach to writing a decent, believable sex scene is the most embarrassing thing about contemporary literary fiction today.”
Scientists Recreate Puzzling Traffic Jams
“Traffic that grinds to a halt and then restarts for no apparent reason is one of the biggest causes of frustration for drivers. Now a team of Japanese researchers has recreated the phenomenon on a test-track for the first time.”
Why Hollywood Is Flunking The Digital Age
“To succeed in the digital realm, Hollywood needs to offer total convenience, almost infinite choice, and the freedom to watch any way we want. Instead, we have iTunes, which delivers video you can’t watch on any portable device that wasn’t made by Apple, and Amazon Unbox and Netflix’s Watch Instantly, which feature downloads you can’t watch on any device that was made by Apple.”
A First Look At New Still Museum
Leaders of Denver’s new Clyfford Still Museum unveil architect Brad Cloepfil’s plans for the new museum. “It’s not about about the building as an object,” he said. “It’s not about the building as a form. But it’s about what we hope is a series of spaces that provide moments for introspection and repose.”
Penguin To Offer Copyright-Free Audio Books
“Penguin is planning to offer audiobooks that are free of digital copyright protection technology, which will allow buyers to play them on any digital device, dismissing fears that they could become the latest target for online pirates.”
Bolshoi Ballet Names New Director
Yuri Burlaka, a choreographer known for reconstructing classic ballets, has been appointed as the successor to Alexei Ratmansky as the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet.
The Millstone Of Rich People Who Love The Arts
“In today’s climate, if you’re looking to appoint someone to lead an arts organisation, you will be looking for a candidate… whose address book was stuffed with friends and contacts who have inherited large fortunes or made a killing in the City, and are now ready to show some largesse towards the arts. It’s a circle that is pretty near impossible to square.”
Berlin – The Painted City
“The city’s skyline might be defined by a Sputnik-era TV tower, bombed-out churches and the ghost of a certain wall that once split the German capital. But its streetscape is largely molded by graffiti.”