“The chief result of pedestrianisation has been the trashing of a civic space . . . Official agencies not only fail to protect historic buildings but are complicit in the destruction of a major amenity in the centre of our capital city. The conversion of the fourth plinth into a soap box or theatrical stage may be high-minded in intention but is symptomatic of this pervasive antagonism to architectural order.”
Tag: 07.10.09
Web Site Story – The Sharks And The Jets On Facebook?
“What if Tony and Maria had met on Facebook? If Anita Twittered, would she feel tweety? Those are some of the questions posed by “Web Site Story,” a video parody of “West Side Story” that’s making the virtual rounds.”
The Next Models of Arts Journalism?
“The University of Southern California is collecting intriguing new approaches to cultural coverage, the best of which will be explored at an on-campus summit this fall.”
UK Authors Protest Plans To Make Them Register Before Visiting Schools
“The Independent Safeguarding Authority will vet all individuals who work with children from October this year, requiring them to register with a national database for a fee of £64.”
Time For A New Generation Of Embassy Architecture?
After the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, the State Department produced design guidelines that made security the top architectural priority. The result was a batch of new embassies that were both impenetrable and designed to be built efficiently nearly anywhere on Earth: one-size-fits-all bunkers.
Unfinished Nabokov Novel To Be Published By Playboy
“The story of an unhappy man infatuated with his promiscuous wife was to be burned according to instructions the Russian writer left to his heirs when he died in 1977. However, last year his only remaining heir, son Dmitri, had a change of heart.”
Critical Feedback – Writers Strike Back At Critics (And Everyone Sees)
“In just two days last month, three high-profile authors responded to less-than-glowing reviews with less-than-genteel replies. Ever since a bored Greek complained “The Iliad” was too repetitive, authors have grumbled that their critics just don’t understand them. Now, though, when a writer whines online, anybody can read it — whether the writer meant it to be seen by millions or not.”
Two Old Master Auctions This Week Surprised The Market
“Of the two sessions totaling about $86.08 million, it was Christie’s performance that was the most surprising, if hardly the most glorious. Viewing the offerings that were to be dispersed on Tuesday, few insiders would have imagined that Christie’s would be able to squeeze £20.28 million out of 48 lots and conclude its lackluster sale with only 15 lots unsold.”
Disney Hong Kong Plans $468 Million Expansion
“With attendance falling short of targets, the government has been seeking ways to boost the number of visitors in the long term, given the threat from a rival Disney theme park planned for Shanghai.”
Chris Anderson Discovers The Cost Of Free
“In the weeks leading up to this week’s publication of Free, the author of the bestselling The Long Tail has seen his latest book assailed by traditional journalists, including the New Yorker’s Malcolm Gladwell, characterized by reviewers as simple, even dangerous, and at the same time slammed for by others for not being free enough. A controversy over passages lifted from Wikipedia didn’t help. For Anderson, however, it all just confirms that he’s on to something.”