The gorgeous new Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture Is a grand proposition.”At a total of 824 pages, the Atlas includes entries on 1,052 buildings built over the last six years by 656 architects in 75 countries. The text is accompanied by 62 maps and 7,000 illustrations. The book comes in its own clear plastic carrying case, and is a foot and a half tall and 12 inches wide and weighs about 18 pounds. At $160 plus tax, it also comes with sticker shock. Though it’s priced in reference-book territory, most copies won’t ever see the inside of an architecture firm or library.”
Tag: 07.01.04
Here’s A Good Idea – Music Reviews For Dummies?
National Public Radio ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin has a problem with NPR’s music reviews. “NPR regularly reviews new music. This is good, since it takes NPR listeners out of what is familiar and exposes them to what is happening in other parts of the culture. problem, according to some listeners, is that NPR’s reviews are too hip to be good journalism. In short, some musical commentary, especially on All Things Consdered, is incomprehensible to some listeners, and I confess, to me.”
UK Report: Dance Needs New Strategy
A new study of dance in the UK says that dance companies have become too reliant on public funding, and need a new strategy to survive. According to the study, “about 12% of the population went to a live dance event in 2003, with overall attendance at ballet and contemporary dance events reaching 5.1 million. More than a quarter of all adults in 2001 took part in some form of dance, ranging from tap dancing to nights out ‘clubbing’.”
Anderson – Fiddling On Mars?
Laurie Anderson is NASA’s artist-in-residence. Didn’t know NASA had an artist? Yup – the program was started in 1963. But previous a-i-r haven’t been performance artists. “The idea of an avant-garde electronic fiddler hanging out with rocket geeks at NASA’s research centers may seem like an odd collaboration. The researchers’ reaction to their visitor was mixed, according to a NASA newsletter. One confessed to being a huge fan; another doubted the partnership of art and science. ‘What’s she going to do, write a poem?”
Bishop Museum Goes Native?
Hawaii’s Bishop Museum has “adopted a more activist role in contesting Native Hawaiian claims on cultural artifacts in its possession by asserting that it, too, qualifies as a ‘Native Hawaiian organization’ under federal law.” The museum says “the move will place the museum on equal footing with other groups that seek to gain custody of cultural items and lays out its intention to defend its possession of most items. The museum’s new stance is drawing fire from some in the Hawaiian community who say the policy defeats the intent of federal law enabling the return to native people of cultural treasures held by museums.”
Stolen Paintings Seized In NY
“Two paintings allegedly stolen from an Italian castle in the 1990s were seized after federal authorities learned that Christie’s was putting the works on the auction block, officials said Thursday.”
UN: Urbanization Threatens World’s Cultural Heritage
Unesco is considering 48 nominations for new designation as World Heritage sites. The UN body says that urban growth is the biggest threat to conservation of the world’s important cultural heritage. “What is most important at the moment is the very, very big urban development… which in many cases is made without proper respect for historical sites.”
Is Seattle The Nation’s Best Arts Town?
“According to a new study by Americans for the Arts titled ‘The Creative Industries,’ the Seattle-Tacoma area has more arts-related businesses, institutions and organizations per capita than any area of the country… The study is the first to measure not just non-profit arts groups, but also for-profit arts businesses… Eleven metropolitan areas have more than 10,000 arts-related businesses. The New York area leads the list with 54,894. Next is Los Angeles, with 48,862, followed by San Francisco (21,232) and Washington, D.C. (16,360.)”
Preemptive Protest in South Texas
It’s only a staff recommendation, but a report suggesting that funding for many San Antonio arts groups be zeroed out to help balance the city’s budget is drawing early fire. The Cultural Arts Board has recommended killing all funding for the long-embattled San Antonio Symphony, the ballet, and the Josephine Theater, and proposed heavy cuts for several other groups. “The issue of entitlement has been the largely unspoken bone of contention at the core of this funding cycle, with much of the anger from applicants focused on the peer panelists who have been called unqualified at worst and unprepared at best.”
Attendance Up In Cincinnati
In another sign that the American orchestra crisis may be abating, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has announced a second straight year of increased ticket sales. Overall sales jumped 2% for the 2003-04 season, with a 4% jump in subscriptions and a 12% uptick in online sales. An average of more than 1,900 concertgoers attended each CSO performance.