DISSENTING OPINION

Although the BBC’s recently announced plans to enhance its arts programming have met with popular approval, one critic at least sees only flaws: “BBC4, the new outlet for eggheads and art-lovers, is foredoomed to failure. Among arts leaders, the BBC is viewed with suspicion verging on contempt. Its credibility vanished years ago, along with all its best producers.” – The Telegraph (UK)

FILMING FRIDA KAHLO

“No Mexican cultural figure has ever been as sought after by Hollywood. For years, filmmakers here have tried to make a movie based on Kahlo’s gripping and tragic life story, but they have found their projects derailed by bickering parties, mediocre scripts, lack of financing and controversy about casting decisions.The latest chapter in the making-of-the-Frida-Kahlo-movie saga is the fierce competition between three bio-pics rushing to be the first in production. They involve some of the biggest Latino names in filmmaking.” – Los Angeles Times

PAYING FOR MUSEUM ART

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s new Eames show has raised charges of conflict-of-interest. The show is sponsored by makers of some of the Eames furniture in the show. LACMA’s gift shop also sells copies of some of the furniture in the show. “If the museum has a problem funding the Eames exhibition without the sponsorship of the company that makes the furniture, they oughtn’t to do the show. The conflict of interest is too blatant.” – Los Angeles Times

FILMING FRIDA KAHLO

“No Mexican cultural figure has ever been as sought after by Hollywood. For years, filmmakers here have tried to make a movie based on Kahlo’s gripping and tragic life story, but they have found their projects derailed by bickering parties, mediocre scripts, lack of financing and controversy about casting decisions.The latest chapter in the making-of-the-Frida-Kahlo-movie saga is the fierce competition between three bio-pics rushing to be the first in production. They involve some of the biggest Latino names in filmmaking.” – Los Angeles Times

ART BEHIND THE POLITICS

News stories are almost never about the art itself; they’re almost always about the people that make art happen, or try to take it down. That’s why I had my doubts about the artistic interest of the stuff I was likely to see in Dust on the Road, the show of Indian art activism now on at Toronto’s York Quay Gallery; despite its very modest scale and ambitions, it has sparked a widespread controversy over the last few weeks. Many of the pictures on display were no great shakes, but the issues that they raised are so important to how art works these days that the stuff is worth a good close look.” – The Globe and Mail (Canada)