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Culture is cool again in Kingston
Bill Hutchins, EMC Kingston, Posted Nov 3, 2011
KINGSTON, ON – “It's been one year since Kingston's first ever
cultural master plan was rolled out on stage to the thunderous applause of
politicians and the arts and culture community alike. City councillors not
only gave the 60-recommendation plan a Standing O, but decided to bring it to
life with tax dollars - $2.2 million to be invested over a four year period.
One year into the plan, cultural services director Brian McCurdy has produced
a status report. In his 2010/2011 report to council November 1, McCurdy
talked of the accomplishments thus far, expanding programs offered at the
Grand Theatre, MacLachlan Woodworking Museum, Pump House Steam Museum,
cataloguing City Hall's art work, Summer Jazz Festival, appointment of a Poet
Laureate, plus special projects largely funded outside the culture plan's
envelope such as the redevelopment of the J.K. Tett Centre for Creativity and
restoration of the Spirit of Sir John A. Some would argue that Kingston's
cultural sector is enjoying a renaissance with the millions of dollars now
being invested in sprucing up attractions, expanding community programming
and marketing their worth. It is certainly a far cry from the years in which
arts and cultural groups languished in relative obscurity and paltry civic
funding to enhance and showcase their wares to the mainstream. Culture is
cool again. …”
MP commits to helping secure federal funds for Royal Alberta
Museum
But could compromise future LRT funding, Ambrose warns
Karen Kleiss, Gordon Kent and Keith Gerein, Edmonton Journal, 2
November 2011
EDMONTON – “Edmonton-Spruce Grove MP Rona Ambrose committed Wednesday
to helping the province secure funding for the Royal Alberta Museum,
but warned the contribution could reduce the amount the federal government
can give to future LRT projects. In an interview, Ambrose clarified her
position after releasing a confusing statement that had suggested provincial
and city officials told her the museum trumps the LRT on Albertans’ list of
infrastructure priorities. “We are all partners in this. We are all on the
same page and we want to move the museum forward,” Ambrose said. “But we only
have a finite amount of money for infrastructure.” …” [see also Squabbling over Royal Alberta Museum could undermine project, Keith Gerein, Edmonton Journal, 29 October
2011]
New Delhi-based artist Gauri Gill wins $50,000 Grange Prize
2011 for photography
Recent News, artdaily.org, 2 November 2011
TORONTO – “After an eight-week public vote, the Art Gallery of
Ontario and Aeroplan announces that Delhi-based artist Gauri Gill is the
winner of The Grange Prize 2011. The $50,000 prize is Canada’s largest
photography prize, also granting $5,000 and an international residency to
each of the runners-up, and is the only major Canadian art prize to have its
winner chosen by the public. Gill is an Indian photographer born in 1970 and
based in Delhi, India, whose body of work includes a decade-long study of
people living in marginalized communities in Rajasthan, India. Her
photographs “often address ordinary heroism within challenging environments,”
says a statement on behalf of the nominating jury, “depicting the artist’s
often-intimate relationships with her subjects with a documentary spirit and
a human concern over issues of survival.” …” [see
also The 2011 Grange Prize: India Bound, (Art Gallery of
Ontario, Toronto Nov 1 2011), By Bryne McLaughlin, Canadian Art, 3
November 2011]
Open house for museum feasibility study
Kevin McQuaid Jr., Windsorite.ca, 1 November 2011
WINDSOR – “An Open House for the Museum Feasibility Study being
conducted to evaluate if Windsor needs a new museum location will be held on
Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 7:00 pm to 9:00pm at Willistead Manor located
at 1899 Niagara Street in Old Walkerville. Lord Cultural Resources,
consultants on the project, will provide a brief presentation followed by a
question and answer session. Cathy Masterson, Manager of Cultural
Affairs for the City of Windsor, Parks and Recreation will be present.
The Museum Feasibility Study is one of the key recommendations in the City of
Windsor’s Municipal Cultural Master Plan.”
AGO acquires works by four artists at Art Toronto 2011
Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011
TORONTO – “Art Toronto 2011 launched last night with an Opening Night
Preview Gala to benefit the Art Gallery of Ontario. Two drawings by
Margaret Priest, a large photographic work by Scott McFarland, a video
projection by Nick and Sheila Pye, and a triptych of photographs by Chris
Curreri have been purchased for the AGO’s permanent collection with funds
raised at the preview. “The AGO is honoured to be adding pieces to our
contemporary collection by both emerging and established artists,” said
Elizabeth Smith, executive director of curatorial affairs at the AGO. “The
pieces we purchased represent a diverse range of timely subject matter, each
rendered beautifully and distinctly. All are outstanding additions to the
AGO’s collection of contemporary Canadian art.” …”
Branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim at Abu Dhabi island hit
by more delays
Adam Schreck (AP Business Writer), Recent News, artdaily.org,
30 October 2011
DUBAI – “Branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim art museums
being built as part of an ambitious cultural district in Abu Dhabi could now
open at least a year later than planned, the developer and an official with
knowledge of the projects said Saturday. Questions about the future of the Saadiyat
Island cultural district have swirled among contractors in the Gulf for
months. They came into sharper focus this week when the project's
government-backed developer disclosed that it was temporarily dropping plans
to award a major construction contract. The Louvre branch, designed by French
architect Jean Nouvel, was originally scheduled to open in 2012, but that
date was later pushed to the following year. A national museum and the Frank
Gehry-designed Guggenheim were expected to follow in quick succession, with
all three museums open by 2014. The Tourism Development & Investment Co.,
the projects' government-run developer, now says it won't meet those targets.
…” [see also L’ouverture
des musées d’Abou Dhabi est retardée, Artclair,
2 November 2011]
ROM slashes admission prices to attract more families
Shawne McKeown, CityNews Toronto, 27 October 2011
TORONTO – “The Royal Ontario Museum has lowered its admission
prices in an effort to make one of the city’s most important attractions more
affordable for families. Beginning Thursday, an adult general admission to
the museum is $15, down from the previous $24. A child admission is down to
$12 from $16, and senior and student admissions have been lowered to $13.50
from $21. Kids three and under still get in for free. Lord Cultural
Resources, an international consulting firm hired by the museum, said
high prices were deterring families from visiting the attraction more often.
“It’s a bold, unprecedented move for a Canadian museum,” the firm’s
co-president Gail Lord said in a statement. …”
[For more commentary on this topic, see also ROM cuts ticket prices, By
Jaclyn Tersigni, The Globe and Mail, Published October 27, 2011 9:12PM
EDT, Last updated October 27, 2011 9:19PM EDT]
The Workforce of the Future Starts Now
AAM Center for the
Future of Museums, Thursday,
November 3, 2011
UNITED STATES – “We get a
lot of questions about who will be working, or should be working, in the
museum of the future, and how museums should be finding, recruiting and
training these future staff members. Any exploration of the future of the museum
workforce has to start with an accurate snapshot of what we have now. So CFM
commissioned an analysis based on U.S. Census data. […] For now, this is probably the best
reflection of the current museum workforce as a whole. The workforce is: 80%
white; 52% male; full of people who attended college (70%), but only 11% have
a master’s degree or doctorate. We take a broad view of the “museum workforce,”
so these numbers include everyone who draws a museum paycheck—from the
director of the Met to the custodian at your local historical society—and not
just the professional staff. …”
Grim food in the Great Hall
Despite the involvement of a top chef, National Gallery’s café is an
embarrassment
Anne Desbrisay, Ottawa Citizen, 3 November 2011
OTTAWA – “There is a woeful gap in the growing gastronomy of this
great capital city of ours, the missed-opportunity sort of gap and one I long
to see filled. I refer to the dearth of a decent dining room in any of our
national museums. Other cities are way ahead of us in this regard. They've
moved past the notion that eating options in museums - places that nourish
the soul, that create culture and community and national identity, that
provide signature tourism experiences - should be limited to cellophaned
sandwiches in basement cafeterias. …”
After Gadhafi, Hope for Modernity
Ann Marlowe, The Wall Street Journal, 2 November 2011
TRIPOLI, LIBYA – « 'Now we have to hurry to do everything we want.
Everyone from his place. Me, from this museum." Fatheia al Howasi, the
director of Libya's National Museum since 2007, is soft-spoken, determined,
and refreshingly honest in her serviceable English. She is also eager to get
to work bringing the museum up to international standards and reopening it to
the Libyan public—it has been closed since the revolution started in Benghazi
on Feb. 17. Though the capital grows calmer every day, life is far from
normal; armed men are ubiquitous and there is a serious shortage of cash. On
Sunday, Ms. Howasi led me on an all-too-brief tour of the five-story
structure, built in 1988 with Unesco help inside Tripoli's 17th-century
Saraya al Hamra, or Red Palace. … »
Une
nouvelle fiscalité britannique pour favoriser les legs privés aux musées
Artclair, 2 November 2011
LONDON - "Afin de faire face à la diminution des financements publics,
dans le domaine de la culture notamment, l’Etat britannique a créé une
nouvelle mesure fiscale destinée à inciter aux dons privés. Ce système
s’inspire du modèle en vigueur aux Etats-Unis, où les libéralités
individuelles sont deux fois plus élevées qu’au Royaume-Uni. "
Vanity, vanity: the problems facing China’s private museums
Spaces bloom and then wither
as founders’ commitment quickly fades
Lisa Movius, The Art
Newspaper, Issue 229, November 2011, Published online: 02 November 2011
CHINA – “In China,
government interference with private museums can take many and peculiar
forms. For the reopening of Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum on 15 October, it
was all about monkeys. The artist Zhang Huan’s Q-Confucius No. 6, 2011, was
originally meant to include a mechanical figure of Confucius in a cage, which
would repeatedly rise and recline while nine monkeys frolicked overhead to
symbolise primordial human society. “It was the first time the government was
asked for a permit for live animals at a museum,” says the museum’s deputy
directory, Liu Yingjiu. It would have been given on the condition that any
excreta were collected for health and safety testing, so, ultimately, the
monkeys only frolicked during the opening night, which, as a private event,
did not need the permit. Private art museums are proliferating in China,
growing somewhat chaotically and facing challenges beyond communist
bureaucracy, forbidden monkeys and robot sages. Most begin as showcase
architecture and vanity projects. Property developers have opened many to
provide a varnish of high culture and to justify high prices, while others
have been founded by enthusiastic members of the nouveau riche aiming to
share their art collections. The practicalities of running a non-profit art
space, and the inevitable legal, funding and personnel issues, come as
surprises. …”
Ross Farm Interpretive Centre funding is in hand
Adam Jacobs, South Shore Now, 2 November 2011
NEW ROSS, NOVA SCOTIA – “About two years ago the New Ross District
Museum Society and the people of Ross Farm began down the long road that
finally came to an end on October 29. It was on that day the NDP
provincial government announced a $1 million contribution to help build a new
learning centre for the working museum. "Supporting the learning centre
project means that Ross Farm Museum will be able to offer enhanced
interpretive programs and educational experiences for visitors and members of
the community," said Denise Peterson-Rafuse, local MLA and minister of
Community Services. "I've been in this position for a little bit over
two years and from Day 1 when I became knowledgeable of the project here I
saw how valid this project, having a learning centre in New Ross, is not just
to the community in New Ross, not just to the Municipality of Chester, but to
the entire province. As you learn more about the Ross Farm, you learn how far
the farm extends throughout, not only Canada, but internationally in terms of
the support and the projects that they do." …”
Où est l’avenir du Musée populaire de la photographie?
Maxime Rioux, L’Express (Drummondville), 1 novembre 2011
QUEBEC – “Le directeur général de l’établissement commandera une étude
de faisabilité Soucieux de connaître l’endroit où le Musée populaire de la
photographie (MPP) pourra continuer son mandat, le directeur général de cet
organisme, Jean Lauzon, a récemment indiqué qu’il commandera une étude de
faisabilité d’ici quelques mois afin d’étudier cinq options quant à la
localisation future du musée. …”
Art Museum Partnership Directors forum: "Expecting the
Unexpected"
Joyce Beckenstein, Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011
MATTITUCK, N.Y. – “For the 2011 Art Museum Partnership Directors Forum
(October 23-October 25), AMP co-founders, John Nichols and Katherine Crum
again assembled a stellar roster of speakers to tackle an eclectic range of
issues, all of them pulled together under the thematic banner, “Expecting the
Unexpected.” AMP was established in 2006 to meet the needs of the
approximately 1800 small to mid-sized museums that do not qualify for the
American Association of Art Directors, comprised of the 200 largest museums.
“The conversations are germane to the issues we face,” commented Audrey
Kauders, Director, Museum of Nebraska Art. Those issues included: The IRS
says your tax-exempt organization owes Uncle Sam; there are authenticity
problems with a Baule mask; who will manage Facebook… YouTube…and do we
really need an app? Participants exuberantly ricocheted among venues as
diverse as the ensuing conversations -- Christies, The Morgan Library &
Museum, and El Museo del Barrio, with evening stops at Swann and Franklin
Parrasch Galleries. …”
Harvard Grad Starts Math Museum Helped by Google, Hedge
Funder
Patrick Cole, Bloomberg Businessweek, November 01, 2011, 8:40
PM EDT
NEW YORK – “As a devout numbers geek, Glen Whitney was bothered that
the cultural landscape offered no museum celebrating the field of
mathematics. So he left his job as an algorithms specialist and manager at
Renaissance Technologies LLC, a quantitative hedge fund started by Jim
Simons, and created the nonprofit Museum of Mathematics. This year, he found
a 19,000-square-foot space on East 26th Street in Manhattan and plans to open
the doors in 2012. “I started this museum because I wanted people to have a
chance to see the beauty, excitement and wonder of mathematics,” said
Whitney, 42, speaking in the empty space under construction. When it opens,
MoMath won’t display slide rules or other relics initially. It will offer
math experiences for visitors of all ages …”
Tel Aviv Museum of Art doubles size with $55 million addition
by Preston Scott Cohen
Tia Goldenberg (Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 1
November 2011
TEL AVIV – “Israel's main modern art museum is unveiling a striking
new wing Wednesday that provides a permanent home for hundreds of works by
Israeli artists, a space lacking until now. The $55 million addition, which
doubles the Tel Aviv Museum of Art's previous space, will present dozens of
rotating exhibits every year but still will not suffice to permanently
showcase one of the world's largest collections of Israeli art, mostly held
in storage. "Today Israeli artists are known around the world... They
have exposure and a reputation around the world. Therefore Israeli art needs
to be presented properly here as well," said Shuli Kislev, the museum's
acting director. "They now have a home." …”
Contemporary Art and Question Marks in Britain
Roslyn Sulcas, The New
York Times, 1 Nov. 2011
COLCHESTER, ENGLAND — “The
architect Rafael Vinoly laughed when he was asked about the gold cladding on
his latest project, a gallery called Firstsite in the old Roman town of
Colchester, about an hour northeast of London. “Why not?” he said. Mr. Vinoly
was taking a small group of journalists around Firstsite just before its
opening in late September, and the building, a curvaceous, low-lying swoop,
stood empty of the art that now fills its light-filled, cavernous interior.
The gallery is the latest and last in a series of 10 big-name-architect,
regional fine-arts buildings to open in England during the past 10 years. It
arrives just a few months after two David Chipperfield projects — the starkly
modern Turner Contemporary in Margate, and the Hepworth Wakefield in West
Yorkshire — and its gilded exterior harks back to the happier economic
climate in which these buildings were planned. …”
Occupy Museums Week 3: The David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing of the
American Museum of Natural History
Occupy Museums, Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 9:37pm
NEW YORK – “In 2006, David
H Koch, made a $20 million gift to the American Museum of Natural
History, a tiny portion of his 20 billion manufacturing and oil fortune,
which sufficed to bestow his name upon rooms filled with the bones of
Tyrannosaurus Rex, Allosaurus, Tryceratops, and the other fearsome creatures of
the Jurassic Period. David Koch and his brother are major funders for the tea
party, anti-global warming campaigns and research as well as funding some of
New York’s more treasured cultural institutions. Could it be that this money
comes with strings attached? Is it possible, that to finance the
narrative of science and art is to control people’s sense of culture
itself? And how is cultural philanthropy used to maintain the image of
the do-gooder who actually does bad? These are some of the questions Occupy
Museums tackles in week 3 …”
Nunavut heritage centre put on hold
Artifacts will continue to be stored in Yellowknife and Ottawa
CBC News, 1 November 2011
NUNAVUT – “Nunavut’s long-promised heritage centre has been put on
hold indefinitely, as the territorial government says it simply can't afford
the project. Finance Minister Keith Peterson said MLAs decided last spring to
cancel the project for now. $7 million allocated in the budget for planning
the heritage centre will be redirected to other projects. These changes were
officially made to the capital budget last week. “When you plan these
projects, they can become quite costly, depending on what your requirements
are, and the estimates were coming in way too high for this government,” said
Peterson. “The estimates were over $100 million just for that building alone
and our annual capital budget for the Government of Nunavut is in the neighbourhood
of $100 million to $120 million a year. …”
Are Blockbuster Exhibitions Damaging Art?
Queuebism : Even if reports of the death of the blockbuster
exhibition are somewhat exaggerated, it’s true that galleries are having to
change the way they stage big shows, says Ivan Lindsay
Ivan Lindsay, Spears Wealth Management Survey, [October 31,
2011 ?]
« OVER THE SUMMER, the National Gallery and Royal Academy in London
announced their autumn exhibitions, Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court
of Milan (9 November–5 February) and Degas Dancers: Eye and Camera (17
September–11 December). The news, along with the announcement that, to
capitalise on the huge influx of foreign visitors expected in London for the
2012 Olympics, the Tate Gallery will stage extensive exhibitions of works by
Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch and even Damien Hirst, reopened the debate as to
the importance and effectiveness of such exhibitions and whether they remain
a viable way to show art to the general public. … »
Threatened Downsview museum gets support from Smithsonian
CTV Toronto, 31 October 2011
TORONTO – “The Canadian Air and Space Museum facing departure from
Downsview Park has received a letter of support from its counterpart in the
United States. In a letter dated Oct. 25, the director of the Smithsonian
Institution's National Air and Space Museum, J. R. Dailey, told the Canadian
museum's chair, Ian A. McDougall, that the heritage of the site merits
recognition. "Many of Canada's accomplishments over the past 85 years
have emerged from a single facility in the centre of Metropolitan Toronto,
which is currently the home of the Canadian Air and Space Museum,"
Dailey wrote. He was referring to the former de Havilland Aircraft Company
plant that operated there when Downsview functioned as a working airport.
Built in 1929, he plant played a significant role in building aircraft for
the Allied war effort during the Second World War. "We are very aware of
the lasting contribution of the museum and the historic value on the building
in which it operates," Dailey wrote. "We do hope that this heritage
will be properly recognized as Canada considers the future evolution of its
plans for the area." …” [For more commentary
on this topic, see also Air and Space Museum heads for demolition amid heritage
status confusion, By Alyshah Hasham, Toronto
Star, 29 October 2011]
The Museo del Prado is increasing its activities by opening
every day of the week
Recent News, artdaily.org, 31 October 2011
MADRID – “The Museo del Prado took the decision to increase its
opening hours to every day of the week in order to improve and expand its
cultural activities and thus guarantee its commitment to covering 60% of its
budget through self-financing. This new initiative starts with the exhibition
'The Hermitage in the Prado', which will be open every day of the week, from
Mondays to Sundays, from the day it opens on 8 November. The Museum’s
Permanent Collection will also have new opening hours from 16 January. The
Royal Board of Trustees of the Museo del Prado approved the initiative to
extend the Museum’s opening hours to every day of the week. This decision
falls within the “Current Situation Reaction Plan” that the Museum has set in
motion in the light of the ongoing reduction of public funding arising from
the present economic circumstances in Spain. It includes a wide-ranging
series of actions aimed at improving the service offered to the visiting
public and at increasing the Museum’s activities in order to guarantee its
financial stability and viability over the coming years. …” [see also Le
musée du Prado ouvert 7 jours sur 7, Artclair,
31 October 2011]
Sparks flying at new Telus science centre
Jeremy Klaszus, Calgary Herald, 31 October 2011
CALGARY – “With its angular steeland-glass design, Calgary's glistening
new $160-million science centre is packed with exhibits that educate visitors
on everything from the intricacies of the human heart to the mechanics of
wind turbines.
But the first lesson is in the lobby, where the heavily subsidized
science centre crudely illustrates the science of price gouging. The
membership fees at Telus Spark are beyond exorbitant, signalling a sharp
change in direction for an organization that until recently provided
affordable science education for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Most Canadian science centres offer an annual pass that costs a family
with up to four kids less than $150. Regina's is $75, Toronto's is $120,
Edmonton's is $135 and Vancouver's is $140. The quality and size of the
facilities obviously vary, but they share affordability in common. The same
used to be true of Calgary's science centre; two years ago, a basic family
pass was $130. …”
War Museum panel discusses how to keep Holocaust stories and
memories alive when its survivors are gone
Carolyn Thompson, Ottawa Citizen, 30 October 2011
OTTAWA – “[…] As Holocaust
survivors […] get older, historians and
human rights activists are worried about how to keep the stories alive when
there is no one left to tell them. A panel at the War Museum on Sunday
afternoon brought together leading historians and activists to discuss this
very problem. Panelist Irwin Cotler, a former federal Minister of Justice and
an expert in international and human rights law, said it is essential to
remember the Holocaust both for its victims and as a means of education to
help avoid future genocides. He stressed the importance of remembering. “Of
remembering things that are too terrible to be believed,” he said, “but not
too terrible to have happened.” Carleton University professor Dierdre Butler,
also a panellist, said the ability to continue to provide an individual focus
to Holocaust education will be crucial. …”
Stuff That Defines Us
Carol Vogel, The New York Times, 28 October 2011
GREAT BRITAIN – « It was a project so audacious that it took 100
curators four years to complete it. The goal: to tell the history of the
world through 100 objects culled from the British Museum’s sprawling
collections. The result of endless scholarly debates was unveiled, object by
chronological object, on a BBC Radio 4 program in early 2010, narrated by
Neil MacGregor, director of the museum. Millions of listeners tuned in to
hear his colorful stories — so many listeners that the BBC, together with the
British Museum, published a hit book of the series, “A History of the World
in 100 Objects,” which is being published in the United States on Monday.
… »
Museums learn importance of being connected
Wu Jin, China.org.cn, 28 October 2011
CHINA – « Ever since the establishment of China's first museum in
Nantong, Jiangsu Province 106 years ago, museums have been stereotyped as
venues for education and the appreciation of objects. Now, though, Chinese
museums are being confronted by shifting social trends and expectations.
Facing an overwhelming onslaught from online social networks, domestic
curators can no longer cling to traditional one-way modes of communication,
in which museums are considered the privileged and exclusive domains of
certain types of knowledge. "The functions of our museums fall far
behind the pace of social development," said Yu Ping, deputy director of
Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, speaking at the Forum on
Museum Development held at the Capital Museum, Beijing, on October 26, 2011.
"Museums should no longer simply be institutions for housing
collections. They should expand their services to every aspect of public
life, highlighting mutual communication and upgrading their services,"
said Yu. … »
Réouverture
du musée d’Orsay après 1 semaine de grève
Artclair, 28 October 2011
PARIS - "Le musée d’Orsay a rouvert le 27 octobre 2011. Ses portes
étaient fermées au public depuis 7 jours en raison d’une grève du personnel
due à un manque d’effectifs. Le ministère de la Culture et de la
Communication a promis, le 26 octobre 2011, lors d’une nouvelle session de
négociation avec les représentants syndicaux, l’attribution de 13 nouveaux
postes d’agents sur les 20 demandés. "
Islamic Treasures: At the Metropolitan Museum, a New Wing, a
New Vista
Randy Kennedy, The New
York Times, 27 October 2011 [interactive guide]
NEW YORK – “On Tuesday,
after eight years of renovation, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will open its
new Islamic wing — the Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran,
Central Asia and Later South Asia. Below, a tour of some of the collection’s
highlights, including smaller images of artworks from other parts of the
world, made at the same time …” [see also the
accompanying review, A Cosmopolitan Trove of Exotic Beauty, By Holland Cotter, 27 October 2011, and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art opens new galleries for
the art of the Arab Lands
Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011]
China's latest boom: Museums
More than 100 new museums a year are being built in China. Here are
three of the best
CNN GO, 12 October 2011
CHINA – “When it comes to
number of museums, Beijing now ranks second in the world, surpassed only by
London, according to the China News Service (CNS). London is at the top of
the list with more than 300 museums, while Beijing is home to 159. With 3,020
museums, China is well ahead of the United Kingdom, which has around 2,500
museums. Every year, approximately 100 new museums open in China, CNS
reported. …”
Bamboo building bonanza in Bali
Michael Holtz (Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 2
November 2011
BALI – “Off Bali's beaten track, past a towering banyan tree and next
to an ancient Hindu temple, the world's largest bamboo commercial structure
is slowly taking shape: a chocolate factory. The three-story, 23,000-square-foot
building — made from more than 3,000 long, flexible poles — is crowned with a
graceful, sloped ceiling nearly 50 feet high.
Frederick Schilling, co-owner of the Big Tree Farms factory, calls it
his "bamboo cathedral." The tropical plant, favored in the West for
flooring, furniture and household accessories, is increasingly being touted
as the construction material of choice by green advocates from South America
to Africa. Bali is leading the charge, attracting carpenters, architects and
designers from across the globe to use bamboo in building everything from a
school and luxury villas to exclusive resorts. …”
Finalists for National Mall Design Competition Announced
A long list of illustrious firms are vying for the chance to refurbish
and reimagine three Washington, D.C., landmarks
Bruce Buckley, Architectural Record, 1 November 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “The Trust for the National Mall has announced the
finalists in a design competition that aims to restore and improve three
prominent sites on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Snøhetta, Diller
Scofidio + Renfro, Michael Maltzan Architecture, and Ten Arquitectos are
among the bevy of notable firms whose proposals have advanced to the next
stage of the multi-tiered competition. …”
Architect selected for American Revolution Museum
Melissa Dribben, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 01, 2011
PHILADELPHIA – ”Third time's the charm. After years of debate, two
rejected sites and immeasurable frustration, plans for the Museum of the
American Revolution are finally under way, with the announcement Tuesday that
the architect chosen to design the museum is - again - Robert A.M. Stern.
"The institution is incredibly important," Stern said. "It's a
thrill to be part of the process." And, no doubt, a test of patience.
The New York architect, longtime dean of the Yale School of Architecture, has
been selected twice before to design the museum - first in 2004, when it was
to be built in Valley Forge National Historical Park, and a year later, when
the site was moved to an adjacent property. …”
DesignPhiladelphia 2011: Transforming Dilworth Plaza
Ilyssa Shapiro, core77, 1 Nov 2011
PHILADELPHIA – “On the west side of City Hall in Philadelphia sits
Dilworth Plaza; a public space designed in the mid-1970s as an urban renewal
project. The plaza received funding through the federal Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program and is in the
midst of a major makeover. Philadelphia's Dilworth Plaza lies above several
levels of transit infrastructure and is known to those that use it as a
labyrinth of granite walls and stairs as well as a home for the homeless and
the current site of Philadelphia's Occupy Wall Street tent city. In
fact—since the beginning of the Philadelphia Occupy Wall Street protests in
October this is possibly the most Dilworth Plaza has ever been used in its 40
years. …”
Crystal clear vision of architecture: Siemens explore how they can create a better future for our cities
World Architecture News, 31
October 2011
LONDON – “"The
Crystal", Siemens centre for urban sustainability, a knowledge hub, an
education and exhibition facility is currently under construction in London.
Recently celebrating its “Topping-Out” ceremony, attended by Mayor of London
Boris Johnson, the £30 million project is due to open next summer in the
Royal Victoria Docks […] Designed to showcase everything from natural
ventilation, making air conditioning unnecessary, to community gardens where
fruit and vegetables can be grown by local residents. The Crystal will serve
as a conference and research centre, and host interactive exhibitions
showcasing infrastructure solutions that promise a higher quality of life in
city environments. …”
Life in the Slow Lane
Mini-parks built atop parking spaces are cropping up throughout San
Francisco. The trend is spreading to other cities, as well.
William Bostwick, Architectural Record, 28 October 2011
SAN FRANCISCO – “It’s the ultimate revenge on the modern city: one
less parking space, one more park. A century and a half after San Francisco
city planner Jasper O’Farrell was driven out of town by a lynch mob for
taking farmers’ land to widen Market Street, parklets are reversing his
folly, expanding the sidewalk into the flow of traffic, reclaiming street for
feet. Nearly two dozen of these miniparks, designed by a coterie of local
architects, have appeared in neighborhoods across the city, from Outer Sunset
to the Financial District. Built atop parking spaces in front of cafés,
galleries, and shops, these slivers of refuge often contain planters, bike
racks, and tables at which passersby can enjoy their locally roasted
macchiatos. Technically temporary, they’re designed to slip through city
bureaucracy. Permits last one year, at which point the parklet is reevaluated
at a public hearing. “It’s representative of a new kind of city planning:
full-scale prototypes and iterative, changeable design,” says Matthew
Passmore of the firm Rebar, which has designed and built three parklets so
far. …”
Russia's Bolshoi reopens after reconstruction that restored
it to its original imperial splendor
Vladimir Isachenkov (Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 28
October 2011
MOSCOW – “Russia's Bolshoi Theater reopened Friday after a massive
reconstruction effort that restored it to its original imperial splendor. The
$700 million, six-year effort meticulously recreated the opulent 19th-century
decor, many elements of which had been simplified or removed during communist
rule. The renovation also added state-of-the art stage gear and created an
additional underground hall. Russian and international celebrities, including
former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, opera diva Galina Vishnevskaya,
ballerina Maya Plisetskaya and Italian actress Monica Bellucci, filled the
grand gold-and-red, 1,743-seat hall in Moscow for Friday's gala opening led
by Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev. The most challenging part of the
reconstruction effort was reinforcing the building's foundation and the walls
weakened by erosion. …”
Loved, hated, and much-delayed China TV tower by architect
Ole Scheeren to open next year
Ben Blanchard, Recent News, artdaily.org, 27 October 2011
BEIJING – “The much-delayed but striking steel, concrete and glass
headquarters for Chinese state television is expected finally to fully open
in the new year, said Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, whose firm designed the
building, on Thursday.
The skyscraper, described by its chief architect Ole Scheeren as a
"loop folded in space," is two towers sloped together and joined by
a gravity-defying canopy equivalent to 80 stories in height. Dominating the
skyline of Beijing's central business district, the building was among
several projects the city undertook to reinvent itself for the 2008 Olympics,
along with Norman Foster's $3.6 billion new airport terminal and French
architect Paul Andreu's egg-shaped National Grand Theater. …”
OMA Building Plays Nice With Its Neighbors at Cornell
Rem's addition to Cornell's architecture school keeps a low profile on
the university's famed Arts Quad but speaks louder on the other side
Clifford A. Pearson, Architectural Record, 27 October 2011
NEW YORK – “Rem Koolhaas and his Office for Metropolitan Architecture
(OMA) partner Shohei Shigematsu showed off Milstein Hall, their
47,000-square-foot addition to Cornell's College of Architecture, Art and
Planning (AAP) on October 23. The new structure connects two existing
buildings to create a large, horizontal box at the second floor, while
providing on lower levels a 253-seat auditorium and a 5,000-square-foot
critique space under an interior dome. …”
Roadside Digital Galleries: Coming to a City Near You
Elizabeth Quaglieri, Technology in the Arts, November 2, 2011
UNITED STATES - “Every some-odd miles along the highway you zoom past
a billboard […] Hoping to attract potential consumers or clients, the
billboard is one of the most prominent and far-reaching means of advertising
to a certain geographic location. From the morning commute to the bus ride
home, and every moment between, we are inundated with advertisements in one
form or another. Though the constant stream of advertisements is admittedly
annoying, advertising powers our economy, encourages consumerism and inspires
us to try new products and attend performances. But commute after commute,
the billboards and their advertisements littered along the highway become
nothing more than white noise. The Billboard Art Project, a Virginia based
not-for-profit, is temporarily reclaiming a handful of digital LED billboards
in select cities across the country. Repurposing the advertising billboard as
an artistic medium and a public art venue, the Billboard Art Project is
marketing a different, non-commercial message …”
To sir, with love: Opera House is just a click away
The Sydney Morning
Herald, 2 November 2011
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA –
“Students and teachers won’t necessarily have to travel to Bennelong Point to
engage with the Opera House next year. In what Opera House CEO Richard Evans
describes as an “exciting expansion” of the House:Ed program, the Opera House
will offer arts and educational experiences not only onsite at the World
Heritage-listed icon but also online and offsite at Port Macquarie on
the Mid North Coast. The new online program means that schools with
video-conferencing facilities can book a digital excursion at the Opera
House. As an example, primary school students can take a 40-minute
interactive behind-the-scenes tour that brings to life the history and
architecture of the icon, along with learning about the indigenous history of
Bennelong Point. They can also ask the presenter their own questions. …”
Google jumps into Canadian e-book business
Nick Patch (The Canadian
Press), The Globe and Mail, Published Tuesday, Nov. 01, 2011 5:47PM
EDT, Last updated Tuesday, Nov. 01, 2011 5:56PM EDT
CANADA - “Google entered
the crowded Canadian e-book market Tuesday, launching an online store that
will compete for readers against established giants Amazon and Kobo. The company
says its new e-books store is distinctive because titles purchased there will
be stored online and accessible on a variety of devices, including Android
and Apple tablets as well as smart phones, PCs and compatible e-readers
including the Kobo, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and Sony's Reader. Amazon's
Kindle, however, won't be compatible with titles bought at Google's e-book
store. “When you buy a Google e-book you actually get it in an open format –
you don't need to buy a device from us. You can read a Google e-book on any
device that supports an open standard,” Scott Dougal, director of product
management for Google Books, said from California. …”
Hackers collaborate to uncover Northern culture
HOW-DO, Tuesday 01 November 2011
ENGLAND – “Arts and
heritage organisations across the North of England are opening their digital
archives to 50 digital developers (“hackers”) to create new and innovative
digital prototypes. Culture
Hack North: Leeds 2011 will involve a number of prestigious cultural
centres including the Cornerhouse, Manchester Museums, Opera North and the
National Media Museum. “Culture Hack North: Leeds 2011 marks a significant
step forward in creating exciting and invaluable opportunities for some of
the country’s leading cultural organisations to work with developers, and the
creative industries to explore bold new ideas and new ways of channelling
innovation in digital technologies,” said Ashley Mann, digital communications
manager at Opera North. …”
The Next Ecology: Arts and Technology Come Together in
Istanbul
Sean Bowie, Technology
in the Arts, October 31, 2011
ISTANBUL – “Half a world
away, the arts and technology communities are coming together this week to
explore what organizers are calling the “Next Ecology,” a new framework which
looks at the power and possibilities of technology and interprets the impact
it has had on politics, production, consumption and art, viewed through
stunning works of art, exhibits, events and workshops over a week-long
period. The international Amber Art and Technology Festival kicks off this Friday
in Istanbul, and runs through November 13th. Currently in its fifth year, the
festival has examined a different issue at the intersection of arts and
technology since the inaugural event in 2007. …”
The future is amazing, and Microsoft has video to prove it
Todd Bishop, GeekWire, October
27, 2011 at 6:01 am
“This might be as close as
we’re going to get to a time machine. Unless they’re working on that, too.
Microsoft this morning is premiering a new video that shows how the company believes technology
is poised to evolve over the next five to 10 years, based on the trends its
researchers and engineers are seeing in software, devices, displays, sensors,
processors and intelligent systems.
Library and Archives Canada launches the Canadian Feature
Film Index and recognizes UNESCO World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
Library and Archives
Canada, 26 October 2011
CANADA – “In order to mark
the UNESCO World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, Library and Archives Canada
(LAC) is pleased to launch the Canadian Feature Film Index database. This is one
component of how LAC wishes to acknowledge this international day of
recognition of audiovisual documents and their importance in society’s
evolution. The Canadian Feature Film Index, created as a printed index in
1972, is now available as an online database. This research tool provides
information on over 4,300 Canadian feature films produced from 1913 to 2009.
Selected entries include images of movie posters from LAC’s holdings.
Additions to the database will include entries for post-2009 films. …”
Premier Gala des arts visuels au Québec
Éric Clément, La Presse, 3 novembre 2011
QUEBEC – “Signe de l'effervescence actuelle du milieu des arts
plastiques au Québec, l'Association des galeries d'art contemporain
organisera, le 13 décembre prochain, au Théâtre Rialto, le premier Gala des
arts visuels, qui sera animé par le comédien amateur d'art Emmanuel Bilodeau.
Un total de 15 prix et une bourse seront remis à cette occasion, notamment
les prix Pierre-Ayot et Louis-Comtois que la Ville de Montréal décerne chaque
année. …”
Going to the wall for memorial
Michael Lea, Kingston Whig Standard, 3 November 2011
KINGSTON, ON – “The day before Remembrance Day, a groundbreaking
ceremony will be held for a unique national memorial that will honour the
dead from all of Canada's wars. What that memorial will eventually look like
can only be found in the imaginations of those who want to build it. The
National Wall of Remembrance will be built next to and inside the Military
Communications and Electronics Museum at CFB Kingston. That much is
reasonably certain. Most of the other details surrounding the project are
still in the planning stages, according to Terence Cottrell, chairman of the
advisory board for the wall. …”
La
Palestine devient membre à part entière de l’UNESCO
Artclair, 2 November 2011
PARIS - "Les 193 états membres de l’UNESCO, réunis en
« Conférence générale » au siège parisien de l’organisation, ont
voté, le 31 octobre 2011, l’admission de la Palestine comme membre à part
entière. La France, qui avait exprimé sa réticence la semaine dernière, a finalement
voté pour. Les Etats-Unis et Israël, qui s’étaient exprimés contre cette
candidature, ont annoncé le retrait de leur contribution financière. Ce vote
permet aux palestiniens de présenter, en leur nom, l’inscription de sites
culturels et religieux à la Liste du patrimoine mondial de l’humanité. "
Artists File Lawsuits, Seeking Royalties
Patricia Cohen, The New
York Times, 1 November 2011
CALIFORNIA - “When the taxi
baron Robert Scull sold part of his art collection in a 1973 auction that
helped inaugurate today’s money-soused contemporary-art market, several
artists watched the proceedings from a standing-room-only section in the
back. There, Robert Rauschenberg saw his 1958 painting “Thaw,” originally
sold to Scull for $900, bring down the gavel at $85,000. At the end of the
Sotheby Parke Bernet sale in New York, Rauschenberg shoved Scull and yelled
that he didn’t work so hard “just for you to make that profit.” The uproar
that followed in part inspired the California Resale Royalties Act, requiring
anyone reselling a piece of fine art who lives in the state, or who sells the
art there for $1,000 or more, to pay the artist 5 percent of the resale
price. That law is now at the center of three class-action suits brought this
month by artists who include Chuck Close and Laddie John Dill and the estate
of the sculptor Robert Graham. They have filed suit against the auction
powerhouses Sotheby’s and Christie’s and the online auction site eBay for
failure to pay royalties. …”
Culture treasure from Canada’s dawn to see publication
Randy Boswell (Postmedia News), Ottawa Citizen, 1 November 2011
OTTAWA – “One of Canada's "fundamental documents" — a
335-year-old, lavishly illustrated manuscript describing the First Nations,
wildlife and geography of the country at the dawn of European settlement —
will finally be published in book form this month, giving unprecedented
exposure to a historic Canadian treasure that, surprisingly, has been held
since 1949 by a museum in Oklahoma. The Codex Canadensis was created around
1675 by an observant, artistic and sometimes fantastically imaginative Jesuit
priest named Louis Nicolas, whose pioneering achievement was lost to Canadian
history for more than two centuries. It's being published for the first time
by McGill-Queen's University Press in a hefty, 550-page, bilingual volume,
along with Nicolas's collected writings about Canada in the age of New
France, The Natural History of the New World. …”
Engagez-vous... dans l’art
Une étude recense différents degrés de la participation culturelle
Frédérique Doyon, Le Devoir, 1 novembre 2011
UNITED STATES – “Après les omnivores, voici les cocréatifs et le
public-artiste. Non seulement le public de la culture peut écouter un opéra
avant d'aller voir la dernière superproduction au cinéma, mais il entend
désormais la «faire» cette culture. Y assister ne suffit plus. La James
Irvine Foundation, aux États-Unis, vient de publier une étude visant à
documenter le spectre de cet engagement dans les arts, en profonde mutation
notamment à cause des nouvelles technologies. …”
Dr. Marek Bartelik elected as the 15th president of AICA
international
Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011
PARIS – “The International Association of Art Critics has elected its
new President, Dr. Marek Bartelik, during the General Assembly that took
place in Asunción, Paraguay, on October 20th, 2011. Dr. Bartelik succeeds
Yacouba Konaté from Ivory Coast, who served as AICA’s President since October
2008. Dr. Bartelik is the XVth President of the Association. Previous
Presidents include: James Johnson Sweeney (USA, 1957-1963), René Berger
(Switzerland, 1969-1975), Jacques Leenhardt (France, 1990-1996), and Henry
Meyric Hughes (United Kingdom, 2002-2008). …”
Noah Horowitz joins The Armory Show as Managing Director to
help shape the creative vision of the fair
Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011
NEW YORK – “Paul Morris, Co-Founder of The Armory Show, announced the
appointment of Noah Horowitz, Ph.D., as the art fair’s Managing Director.
Horowitz joins The Armory Show leadership team — including Morris and
Managing Directors Michael Hall and Deborah Harris — effective today. In his
new role, Horowitz will help shape the creative vision of the fair and
cultivate relationships with galleries, partner institutions and collectors
for Pier 94, the contemporary section. The appointment of Horowitz is among
the signals of the important changes being made to the fair’s infrastructure
and amenities for the 2012 edition, which will take place March 8-11, 2012 at
Piers 92 & 94 in New York City. …”
China orders dissident artist Ai Weiwei to pay $2.4 million
in fines for "tax evasion"
Sui-Lee Wee, Recent News, artdaily.org, 1 November 2011
BEIJING – “China has ordered dissident artist Ai Weiwei to pay 15
million yuan ($2.4 million) in back taxes and fines allegedly due from the
company he works for, Ai said on Tuesday, a case supporters said was part of Beijing's
efforts to muzzle government critics. The 54-year-old artist, famous for his
work on the "Bird's Nest" Olympic Stadium in Beijing, was detained
without charge for 81 days this year in a move that drew criticism from
Western governments. He was released in late June. Ai told Reuters he
received the notice from the tax authorities that described his title as the
"actual controller" for Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd.,
which has helped produce Ai's internationally renowned art and designs. …”
Nouvelle Loi sur le patrimoine culturel: pour les générations
futures
Baptiste Ricard-Châtelain, Le Soleil, 1 novembre 2011
QUEBEC – “Depuis 40 ans, Yvette Michelin est une des rares
flécherandes du Québec, détentrice d'un savoir ancestral de tissage de
ceintures fléchées avec les doigts. C'est elle qui a confectionné celle qui
habille Bonhomme, le roi du Carnaval d'hiver de Québec : 240 heures de
boulot! Craignant de voir son art hérité des colons français disparaître,
elle se réjouit de l'adoption récente de la nouvelle Loi sur le patrimoine
culturel, qui pourrait assurer la survie du «fléché authentique québécois».
La législation remplacera la Loi sur les biens culturels qui fêtera ses 40
ans. La nouveauté? Les biens physiques, tels les édifices anciens, ne seront
plus seuls à prétendre au titre «patrimonial». Des paysages uniques, des
chants, une danse typique et des personnages historiques pourront maintenant
être reconnus comme matériaux du patrimoine national et être préservés. Il en
va de même pour des techniques artisanales, comme celle que tente de sauver,
par passion, Yvette Michelin. …”
The Group of Seven, unshackled
Murray Whyte, Toronto Star, 31 October 2011
LONDON – “Well, this is different. For as long as I can remember — often
like it or not — I’ve been looking at the Group of Seven in one of two very
distinct ways: either as cherished flag-bearers of a shopworn nationalism
that’s unassailable in its true patriot love, or as outdated, overworked and
overblown sacred cows ripe for the tipping. The background noise that seems
to accompany their every showing in our home and native land can be
deafening. At the Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London, where the group is
having its most significant showing in Europe to date, it’s been notably
silenced. […] Painting Canada may
refresh in only one way, but it’s a biggie: With the group’s work released
from the yoke of being the spiritual representation of the true north strong
and free, Dejardin chooses to look at it as — wait for it — paintings. Just
paintings. Imagine that. …”
Arts giving: A big-money game
Kate Taylor, The Globe and Mail, 29 October 2011
CANADA – “[…] The country’s arts
institutions rely increasingly on generous supporters like [Michael] Audain.
Government grants are static, and arts groups can’t make the broad
humanitarian appeals that health and development charities use to inspire small
contributions from vast numbers of donors. In 2007, the last year numbers
were tracked, a mere 3 per cent of Canadians’ total donations went to the
arts. […] That leaves arts groups
increasingly dependent on a fund-raising niche: the small numbers of the very
well off who give out of a personal passion for the arts – and for the cachet
of having a hand in what appears on the stages and walls of national cultural
institutions. It’s an intensifying relationship that raises some tricky
questions: Can Canadian arts groups court enough new donors to copy the
American model, where donations can cover up to half an institution’s costs?
And, if they succeed, how will that dependency on wealthy patrons affect the
art they create? …”
L’Union
européenne apporte son soutien financier à la restauration de Pompéi
Artclair, 28 October 2011
ROMA - "L’Union européenne consacrera 105 millions d’euros à la
restauration de Pompéi. C’est ce qu’a déclaré son commissaire pour la
politique régionale quelques jours après qu’un mur du site se soit écroulé.
Preuve supplémentaire de l’urgente nécessité d’une intervention, un nouvel
effondrement s’est produit dès le lendemain de cette annonce. "
Who is Michael D Higgins?
Jennifer O'Leary (Dublin reporter), BBC News, 28 October 2011
IRELAND – “The official polling published at the beginning of the
Irish presidential campaign notice listed all of the candidates' names,
addresses and occupations. Michael D Higgins occupations were listed as a
'lecturer' and 'poet'. The latter was indicative of the bohemian tinges the
70-year-old has espoused, alongside a 30-year-political career with separate
roles as a sociology professor and a published poet. […]
As Ireland's minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht in the
1990s, he scrapped the controversial Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act,
re-established the Irish Film Board and set up the first Irish language
television station, Telefis Na Gaeilge (now TG4). …” [see also Irish
presidential election: Michael D Higgins elected, BBC News, 29
October 2011]
Art Toronto 2011: Canada's only Modern and Contemporary
international art fair
Recent News, artdaily.org, 28 October 2011
TORONTO – “Collectors, curators and art enthusiasts converged on
Toronto to experience the twelfth edition of Art Toronto - a four-day fair
which showcases exhibits by 109 leading and emerging international galleries
from 13 countries. Art Toronto 2011 runs from October 28 to 31, and features
alternative spaces curated by The Drake Hotel, Canadian Art magazine, the Art
Gallery of York University and the Art Dealers Association of Canada. Other
highlights of the fair include solo exhibitions, installations and curated
projects by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Kent Monkman, Edward
Burtynsky, Chuck Close and many more. “Art Toronto is more than a place to
buy and sell art, it’s also about opportunity: opportunities for galleries to
meet artists, fellow dealers and curators,” said Linel Rebenchuk, of Art
Toronto. “It also allows visitors to see the best of what the art world has
to offer, and gives attendees the opportunity to learn and take part in
forums, interviews, performances and panel discussions.” …”
5th anniversary edition of the Shift Festival of Electronic Arts
opens in Basel
Recent News, artdaily.org, 28 October 2011
BASEL – “British maverick musician Tim Exile explores the instrumental
potential of everyday voices in his fascinating live acts while LA line-up
Nite Jewel melds musical tapestries with the haunting vocals of Ramona
Gonzales to create somnambulistic sound trips; Canadian artist Alexis O'Hara
lures the public into an igloo made of 100 loudspeakers for experimental play
with the power of voice and Jürg Lehni sets two computers talking via voice
recognition and other language software to create a medley of
misunderstanding: this is only a sample of the entertainment rolled out from
27–30th October 2011 on the Dreispitz site in Basel/Münchenstein, when the
5th Anniversary Edition of the Shift Festival of Electronic Arts turns the
spotlight on musical and artistic experiments with electrified voices, in
concerts, exhibitions, performances, film and video screenings, workshops and
panel discussions. …”
Release the culture genie
Raymond Zhou (China Daily),
China Daily (US Edition), Updated: 2011-10-21 08:07
CHINA – “To thrive Chinese
culture needs much more than a favorable regulatory or financial framework.
The strength of culture comes from freedom of the mind more than the
overflowing of capital. That is the underpinning that was left untouched at a
key leadership meeting earlier this week. It caught many by surprise that a
plenary session of the Communist Party of China Central Committee threw its
weight behind such a seemingly fluffy and perennially vague issue as culture.
Anyway, feeding a population of 1.3 billion is no easy task and now,
entertaining them has emerged as a growing necessity. But, as the event seems
to indicate, there is a sense that there is money to be made here and the
authorities are ready to lend their support. That is a far cry from the early
years when speaking of culture and industry in one sentence would incur the
wrath of a vast legion of purists. …”
Culture in the spotlight
Wu Yixue, China Daily
(US Edition), Updated: 2011-10-21 08:05
CHINA – “Attention of top
leadership on cultural development points to further reform and a more open
and diversified market. China's cultural development is likely to enjoy a
golden time in the years ahead, as culture was elevated to an unprecedented
height at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the
Communist Party of China (CPC), which concluded in Beijing on Tuesday. At the
meeting, a guideline was approved to deepen the reform of China's cultural
system and promote the development of its socialist culture. It is the first
time in the past 15 years that the Party has focused on cultural issues at
its plenary session, and highlights the great importance that has been
attached to boosting the country's cultural development. At a time when the
world is undergoing profound changes and China's own economic structural
adjustments are at a critical juncture, the adoption of such a guideline is
of great historical significance. …”
Where Creative Class Women Should Work
Richard Florida, The
Atlantic Cities, 3 November 2011, 7:30 AM ET
UNITED STATES – “Yesterday
we learned that while women make up the majority of the creative class, a
substantial earnings gap persists. Today we will look at which states
are the best for creative class women to work in. To get us started, the map
below charts women’s share of the creative class across the 50 states and the
District of Columbia. …” [see also The Income Disparity of Women in the Creative Class, By
Richard Florida, The Atlantic Cities, Nov 02, 2011]
In Australia, a National Plan for Urban Planning
Kaid Benfield, The
Atlantic Cities, Nov 02, 2011
AUSTRALIA - “The government
of Australia has released the final draft of a report encouraging "world
class design" for the nation’s cities. Its title, "Creating Places for People," signals from the
beginning that this is about design with a purpose: creating a built
environment that supports the lives of the Australian citizenry. The report
is far from prescriptive. Indeed, it is somewhat abstract, featuring a
"protocol" of hierarchies and flow charts of planning and design
elements and objectives, with few live examples. But it does take a holistic
approach to design, focusing on both humans and urban form. The interplay
between people and places is expressed across a transect of scales from
regions all the way down to buildings. The principles in the protocol are
said to be based on lessons learned from the Australia’s best performing
cities and addresses urban challenges on different scales. …”
Plug and Play: Japan looks at creating world’s first backup
city
World Architecture News, 31
October 2011
JAPAN – “Standby generators
and batteries have been used extensively in industry, usually as a safeguard
to keep vital production lines rolling. However a radical plan just unveiled
by the Japanese Government for a standby city for Tokyo takes this concept to
a whole new plane. The new city, code named IRTBBC, or Integrated Resort,
Tourism, Business and Backup City, will stand in for the capital in the event
of it being hit by a disabling earthquake. …” [see
also the accompanying commentary Japan's back-up city, by
Richard Doone, World Architecture News]
NEA Announces New Research Note on Artists in the Workforce
Research offers industry-specific, regional, and demographic data on
the 2.1 million artists working in the U.S.
National Endowment for the Arts, October 28, 2011
UNITED STATES - “There are 2.1 million artists in the United States
workforce, and a large portion of them -- designers -- contribute to
industries whose products Americans use every day, according to new research
from the National Endowment for the Arts. Artists and Arts Workers in the
United States offers the first combined analysis of artists and industries,
state and metro employment rates, and new demographic information such as
age, education levels, income, ethnicity, and other social characteristics.
…” [see also the full NEA report Artists and
Arts Workers in the United States]
Innovation Cities Index 2011: Toronto Named Among 10 Most
Innovative Cities In The World
Daniel Tencer, The
Huffington Post Canada, 25 October 2011
WORLD - “A list of the
world's most innovative cities places Toronto in the top 10, a sign the city
continues to be a vibrant economic centre despite the financial problems of recent
years. Toronto placed tenth in a ranking of 331 benchmark cities from
2thinknow, a Melbourne, Australia-based consultancy. Boston placed first on
the list, while two other U.S. cities -- San Francisco (second) and New York
(fourth) -- also placed in the top 10. The remaining top 10 cities were all
in Europe -- Paris (third), Vienna (fifth), Amsterdam (sixth), Munich
(seventh), Lyon (eighth) and Copenhagen (ninth). 2thinknow's index is based
on 162 indicators that the consultancy groups into three general categories:
cultural assets (arts, sports franchises); human infrastructure (startup
companies, health, education); and networked markets -- the city's access to
and role within the global economy. …” [2thinknow’s
full Innovation Cities Global Index 2011 is available at http://www.innovation-cities.com/2011-innovation-cities-index-world-city-rankings/]
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