The city of Phoenix has announced a multi-pronged strategy aimed at nurturing the arts in the urban core. Under the terms of the proposal, a loan fund wuld be created expressly for the purchase and renovation of downtown buildings by artists, artists would be given economic incentives to locate downtown, and a portion of the city center would be designated as an official “arts district.”
Tag: 07.30.04
Tavener From Above
Composer John Tavener, turning 60, says his music is inspired by God. “Critics, who tend to like complexity, have accused him of attracting audiences by over-simplification. But this is, surely, to miss his point. Tavener strips away the complexity to get to what he calls the ‘essence’.”
Denver Airport Removes “Stressful” Art
Denver Airport has removed three pieces of art from its terminal after six employees complained. The art – called “The Luggage Project” consisted of suitcases made by artists around the world. One of the suitcases is “splattered with glossy red and black paint and contains bricks. A bumper sticker inside the suitcase reads, ‘Blood for oil. Billionaires for Bush’.” Airport officials deemed the art “too stressful for passengers and workers to view in light of the heightened security following 9/11
Two Arrested For Stealing From The Whitney
Two Whitney Museum employees have been arrested for stealing admission money. One, “Nafeem Wahlah, 29, the museum’s manager of visitor services, stole $850,000 by voiding ticket sales and keeping the money. Investigators found $800,000 in a safe in her Brooklyn home, and she was caught on camera putting cash into her purse.”
Tired Muscles Might Be Brain Function…
So maybe we don’t get tired after exercising because our muscles are tired. “Traditionally, fatigue was viewed as the result of over-worked muscles ceasing to function properly. But evidence is mounting that our brains make us feel weary after exercise. The idea is that the brain steps in to prevent muscle damage.”
Buy The Channels You Want?
Consumer advocacy groups have been asking Congress to look into why cable companies won’t let subscribers pick the channels they want in their subscription packages instead of being forced into accepting dozens of channels they may never watch while still paying for them.” Cable companies say such a system would wreck the econbomics of the current TV business. The FCC seems skeptical…
West End Woes
“London’s theatrical business is enduring a summer of ennui. But is it a seasonal slump, or a sign of long-term decline? In the last couple of months, a slew of West End shows has closed early, many within weeks — or even days — of opening.”
A Line From Shakespeare To Clinton?
In watching this week’s Democratic National Convention, Anna Deveare Smith is struck by the theatricality of the political show. “Four years ago, I would have pooh-poohed the notion of politics as theatrical. If theater is anything, it is life made urgent. We don’t waste words, gestures or time on stage. But politicians can learn from us and we can learn technique from them. In this election year, none of us can waste a moment. The theater could afford to be more political and politics needs to be a lot more theatrical.”
Viola Frey, 70
“Frey was one of a number of California artists working in clay in the 1950’s and 60’s who turned away from that medium’s conventional refinement to produce works with robust sculptural qualities associated with Abstract Expressionist painting, Pop Art and what would come to be known as California Funk.”
The Politics Of Art Of Politics
Should Linda Ronstadt have been able to express her politics at a Vegas concert? John Rockwell: “Art exists in a context inevitably conditioned by politics, and politics and the values behind it express themselves in art. There is an obvious linkage between mass commercial art and politics, quite apart from individual actors and directors and pop musicians espousing a political view. Popular art makes money by reflecting what its producers think people want. But given the leftward tilt of Hollywood and our coastal cultural elites, the right has reason to complain that commercial television, films and music often advance a left-leaning political agenda.”