“In the decades since the 1980s, and after the victory of capitalism over communism in the cold war, we have lived, Chantal Mouffe told me, within a sense of the “normal” to which there has seemed no alternative. Words and concepts that had been so important for those struggling for freedom from authoritarian rule in the twentieth century Mouffe now saw as having been co-opted by purely economic interests: “choice,” for example, had become a way to justify relinquishing public control of schools and hospitals; “liberty” had migrated in meaning to bolster the selling-off of state assets.” – New York Review of Books
Tag: 08.23.19
The Great Book Scare: When Readers Worried They Might Get Infected
This scare, now mostly forgotten, was a frantic panic during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that contaminated books—particularly ones lent out from libraries—could spread deadly diseases. – Smithsonian
Ferlinghetti At 100: Beating The Drum Of American Originality
“The fact that Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a friend and publisher of his better-known confreres, has recently celebrated his hundredth birthday in style by publishing Little Boy, an uncategorizable stream-of-consciousness bildungsroman offers an inspiriting case study of keeping the blessed callings of poetry, art, and political radicalism alive by example.” – The Baffler
Despite Tyranny And Censorship, Ugandan Women Are Leading A Literary Renaissance
“Uganda was once at the fulcrum of African literature. It was at Makerere University, on a hill above Kampala, that giants such as Chinua Achebe and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o gathered in 1962 for the first African Writers’ Conference, a landmark event held on the eve of independence for many countries. But Uganda would soon sink into an abyss, where power flowed from the gun and not the pen. … Yet in a place where history and politics weigh heavy, writers are finding fresh voice.” – The Economist
Brazil’s Culture Minister Resigns Over Bolsonaro Administration’s Moves To Defund Queer-Themed Projects
In response to the suspension of a government funding program for film and TV over LGBT+ projects, culture minister Henrique Pires said, “It is very clear that I am out of tune with … the president on freedom of expression. I don’t agree that culture can have filters, so I’m leaving. … We need to pacify Brazil to work, not keep looking through a magnifying glass to see if there is a naked man kissing another man.” – The Art Newspaper
Four Years Ago, Italy Hired Its First Museum Directors From Abroad. It May Soon Be Sending Them Home
“In 2015, Italy unveiled a series of reforms that had the potential to transform the country’s storied museums. For the first time, foreign museum directors took the helm at major institutions across the country and all national museum directors were granted more independence than they had had in the past. Now, however, those measures have been rolled back.” – Artnet
Alaska State Legislature Saves State Arts Council After Governor’s Veto
In late June, Gov. Mike Dunleavy exercised a line-item veto over the $3.87 million in funding for the Alaska State Council on the Arts. An attempt to override that veto in July failed and the Council shut down, but subsequent negotiations between lawmakers and the governor restored that item to the state budget. – Alaska Public Media
Should The Curator Of An Art Exhibition Get A Mention In A Review?
Guardian arts editor Alex Needham started a Twitter tempest with this: “Dear curators, in the same way that I don’t get a byline when I commission and edit a piece, chances are you won’t get mentioned in the Guardian when we cover one of your shows. That’s just how it is.” Naomi Rea explains why Needham has gotten so much pushback. – Artnet
US Cities With The Most College Graduates
The list of the cities with the highest share of college grads overlaps considerably with the list of leading metros, with eight places showing up on both. – CityLab
Two Artists Withdraw Their Work From The Shed
The latest withdrawal at the Shed highlights the increasing tension surrounding institutions accepting support from trustees whose sources of income are controversial. – artnet