AJ Four Ways:
Text Only (by date) | headlines only
- Good Morning
In case you missed it, this week’s AJ Chronicles deeper dive into stories from the past week ponders German philosopher Jurgen Habermas’s notion of the “public sphere,” that space outside control of both state and market forces where culture circulates freely, ideas get tested, and democratic life lives. Democracy, he argued, required it to exist, and he warned it is never guaranteed. It’s worth pondering this insight now, because the public sphere is currently being tested: by the market, from inside the institutions that host it, and from the state. Habermas died last week at 96.
Calvin Tompkins died this week at 100, and with him goes one of the last great interpreters of contemporary art — the critic who spent 62 years guiding New Yorker readers through the often arcane world of what art was becoming (The New York Times). The timing is pointed. While Tompkins spent a career helping people understand artists on their own terms, the federal government is now insisting on a different kind of interpretation: the National Park Service has pulled films about mill workers from a historic site in Lowell, Massachusetts, apparently in compliance with its “only positive history” directive (NBC). And Black Studies departments at American colleges — some of them storied, award-winning programs — are being quietly dismantled, bottom lines and trustees doing what no culture war had managed to finish (LitHub).
Hollywood is feeling its own version of this. Vulture’s week-after Oscars piece notes that with the Warner Bros. sale and the Academy’s imminent move to YouTube, the ceremony felt like it was being preserved in amber even as it happened — a bittersweet fin de siècle moment for an industry in mid-transformation (Vulture).
A lighter item: a Dutch art detective once answered his door to find a blue IKEA bag on the step. Inside, a blood-soaked pillow. Inside that, a missing Van Gogh (NPR). Cultural transmission takes many forms.
All of our stories below.
- Game Developers Use AI For A Lot Of Things, But Not Creating Games
This feels like good news for creators: “‘I feel like the human mind is so beautiful,’ The Melty Way developer Gabriel Paquette told me. ‘Why not use it?’” (Archive Today link) – The Verge
- The Navy Veteran Who Titles His Paintings After Octavia Butler And Dostoyevsky
“’You do four years in the Navy, and you see a lot of blue water,’ said [Walter] Price, standing in his studio in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.” – The New York Times
- Musicians On The Greatness And Legacy Of Alice Coltrane
In just one example, “as the American composer Adrian Younge says: ‘Alice Coltrane took the harp, an instrument of angels and orchestras, and made it sound like the cosmos breathing.’” – The Guardian (UK)
- What’s The Impact Of The US Dismantling Storied, Award-Winning Black Studies Departments?s
“Early investment in race and gender studies ‘favored programs over departments,’ which has always made financing a tenuous proposition. And at the end of the day, even the highest minded universities stay beholden to bottom lines and trustees.” – LitHub
- An Early Target Of Saturday Night Live In The UK?
Shakespeare. Or rather, Hamnet’s Shakespeare, which is not quite the same thing. – Variety
- One Week On, Looking At The Impacts Of This Year’s Oscars
“Put the Warners Bros. sale alongside the Oscars’ imminent move to YouTube, and the whole night carried with it a bittersweet fin de siècle air, as if it was being immortalized in retrospect even as it was happening.” – Vulture
- Theatre Has Kept On Creating And Recreating Antigone, Over 2500 Years
Why? “Antigone isn’t wrestling with a prophecy. In her story, fate is what one powerless girl makes it, and right action is possible, as long as we don’t fear the consequences.” – The New York Times
- The Oscars’ Red Carpet Gets Dumped As Soon As The Ceremony Ends
Turns out dumpster diving in Los Angeles the day after the Oscars can be pretty, well, interesting. – The Guardian (UK)
- We Miss You, Mass Market Paperbacks, But We Live In Reality
Now: Which is better for authors and (or) for readers, hardcover books or trade paperbacks? – LitHub
- National Park Service Pulls Films About Mill Workers From Historic Site In Massachusetts
The suspicion is that’s this is the result of bowing down to the “only positive history” guideline from the federal government, but the people of Lowell are not pleased to have their history questioned. – NBC
- Why ABC Decided To Play With Fire
“ABC knew that [Taylor Frankie] Paul had been charged in a domestic violence incident that led to the injury of her child and somehow thought she would make an excellent Bachelorette anyway. What were they thinking?” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- What It Takes To Bring A Long-Neglected 1930s Cinema Back To Life
“The Holly’s revival offers a case study in how a historic landmark can complement an existing arts ecosystem — strengthening downtown vitality while reconnecting a community to its past.” – Oregon ArtsWatch
- AJ Chronicles: What Habermas Feared for our Public Sphere
This week we collected 118 stories. It’s worth noting, I think, that attempts to address the current collapse of the non-profit culture sector are focused on changing market forces. But this is a larger, more systemic set of issues that has corroded all of civic life — from culture to education to journalism to our politics — and the institutions and structures that nurture it. Indeed, these forces are so much bigger than any one sector, it’s difficult to know where to start in addressing them. - Is This New Movie About Seattle Accurate About The Wealth Gap In The Emerald City?
The Seattle Times analyses Tow, claiming that “it’s the right story at the right time, speaking to a Seattle that’s grown increasingly unaffordable for many of its residents.” – Seattle Times
- The Art Detective Who Follows Clues To Stolen Paintings In A Shadowy, Underground Ecosystem
“One afternoon, Brand says he opened his door and found a blue IKEA bag on his doorstep. Inside, he says, was a pillow soaked in blood. Wrapped within it was the missing Van Gogh.” – NPR
- Nicholas Brendon, Who Played Scooby Gang Member Xander On Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Has Died At 54
Brendon said that “thousands of people had told him that [Buffy] helped them in hard times. ‘It just got them through, which means that this show is more than just dollars and cents,’ he said. ‘It’s something that needs to be honored.’” – The New York Times
- The Oscar-Nominated Movie That Was Supposed To Feel Like A Hug
“I didn’t want my kids in 10 or 15 years to look at my work and say, ‘Oh, Papa was so cynical.’ I wanted them to feel as if I tried to build something, to bring light, to bring hope.” – The Guardian (UK)
- The Protest Music Of Today Is On TikTok
“This new age of protest songs also call out politicians and administrations by name with hyper-specific lyrics, and they’re often shared online within days of a big news event. .. That responsiveness and ‘clever’ lyricism likely also helps the songs resonate on social media.” – CBC
- Calvin Tompkins, Who Profiled The Giants Of Contemporary Art For The New Yorker, Has Died At 100
An early profile of Jean Tinguley “defined an approach that informed the dozens of artist profiles he wrote for The New Yorker over the next 62 years … providing the magazine’s readers with a sophisticated guide to often arcane styles and -isms.” – The New York Times
- Netflix And Warner Music Group Make A Big Music Documentary Deal
“WMG is home to some of today’s biggest stars including Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Charli XCX and Zach Bryan, along with longtime stalwarts including Madonna, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and many more.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- Brooklyn Library Hosts A Booklover’s Dream Slumber Party
Is this real or a dream? “This year’s festival was stuffed like a generalist’s backpack. Events ran from 7 in the evening and wound down deliberately at 3:14 am, in honor of Pi Day. The program was anchored by German filmmaker Werner Herzog.” – LitHub
- Finance Consultant – Arts FMS
As a financial management firm that integrates with nonprofit arts organizations, Arts FMS empowers organizations to focus on their mission while they focus on the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of the organization. By providing a comprehensive scope of full financial management services, Arts FMS is able to bring stability, efficiency, and reliability to an organizations’ financial operations.
Arts FMS is seeking a Finance Consultant who is a highly motivated and self-directed individual with extensive experience with accounting and financial management. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
Experience:
- 5-10 years of nonprofit accounting, managing an organization’s finances, preferably in the arts sector.
- Masters in relevant field preferred.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Dedication to delivering excellent client service.
- Exceptional organizational skills with the capability to handle multiple time-sensitive priorities.
- In-depth knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit accounting, reporting, and compliance.
- Expertise in Excel and QuickBooks Online.
- Strong communication skills.
- A genuine interest in the performing and/or visual arts.
The Finance Consultant role is a full-time position that works within the company’s core working hours from 9am-6pm Eastern and is based in the United States. This role offers an excellent benefits program:
Benefits:
- 100% remote work
- Company paid dental and health
- 3 weeks paid vacation
- 401k with company match
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
Salary Range: $75,000-$100,000 depending on experience
To Apply: https://tally.so/r/3XG20g
Learn more about Arts FMS and current job openings: https://www.artsfms.com/jobs
- Senior Finance Consultant – Arts FMS
As a financial management firm that integrates with nonprofit arts organizations, Arts FMS empowers organizations to focus on their mission while they focus on the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of the organization. By providing a comprehensive scope of full financial management services, Arts FMS is able to bring stability, efficiency, and reliability to an organizations’ financial operations.
Arts FMS is seeking a Senior Finance Consultant who is a highly motivated and self-directed individual with extensive experience with accounting and financial management, specifically in the nonprofit sector. Candidates must have deep expertise in nonprofit accounting and substantial experience running a finance department. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
Experience:
- 10+ years of nonprofit accounting, demonstrating proficiency in managing an organization’s accounting and finances, preferably in the arts sector.
- Extensive experience in leading a finance department and managing all aspects of financial operations including accounting software and transactions management.
- Extensive experience in creating financial management documents for both board and staff.
- Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
Please note: All candidates must have experience working directly in a finance department.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Collaborative skills to work with senior staff in developing organization-wide systems.
- Proven ability to effectively manage 1-3 direct reports and drive projects to completion.
- Dedication to delivering excellent client service.
- Exceptional organizational skills with the capability to handle multiple time-sensitive priorities.
- In-depth knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit accounting, reporting, and compliance.
- Expertise in utilizing Excel and QuickBooks Online.
- Strong communication skills.
- A genuine interest in the performing and/or visual arts.
The Senior Finance Consultant role is a full-time position that works within the company’s core working hours from 9am-6pm Eastern and is based in the United States. This role offers an excellent benefits program:
Benefits:
- 100% remote work
- Company paid dental and health
- 3 weeks paid vacation
- 401k with company match
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
Salary Range: $90,000-$130,000 depending on experience
To Apply: https://tally.so/r/3XG20g
Learn more about Arts FMS and current job openings: https://www.artsfms.com
- Could AI Help Decipher The Indus Valley Civilization’s Writing?
There’s nothing like a Rosetta Stone for the Harappan script (as it’s sometimes called), which developed in and around the ancient cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in present-day Pakistan. Scholars have wide differences about whether the script might ever be deciphered, with or without artificial intelligence. – Live Science
- David Ellison Claims Unique Creative Opportunities In Warner/Paramount Deal
“I firmly believe that uniting Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery presents a unique opportunity to build a true champion for the creative community, one that can and will bring more stories to life, support filmmakers and talent with real scale, and compete effectively on the global stage as an independent media leader,” Ellison said. – The Hollywood Reporter
- The Space Between Criticism And Literary Evaluation
That’s the thing about bad works: they demand talking back to, and unlike the moments of profound inward reflection good works often inspire, we feel better off shouting out loud at the bad ones. – 3 Quarks Daily
- Revisiting Fank Gehry’s Plans For A Grand Avenue Of Culture In LA
Gehry’s vision included completing the original plans cost-cut out of Disney a quarter-century ago, along with new modifications and much more throughout the area. Some are more costly than others. Enough could be done on Grand Avenue in time for the Olympics to make a difference if we begin this minute. – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
- Behold Brisbane’s Shimmering New Performance Venue
The Glasshouse Theatre, a new extension of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Australia’s third-largest city, has a flexible 1,500-seat auditorium designed to accommodate dance performances, opera, orchestral concerts, and musical theatre. The design is by the firms Blight Rayner Architecture and Snøhetta. – Dezeen
- Trump’s Handpicked Arts Commission Says Plans For New White House Entry “Not Beautiful Enough”
The federal Commission of Fine Arts has taken issue with plans for a new 33,000-square-foot security screening center for White House visitors, saying the proposed facility is too big and not beautiful enough. – The New York Times
- Trump’s Handpicked Arts Commission Approves 250th Birthday Gold Coin — With Trump’s Image
The coin, which is supposed to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, shows Mr. Trump with his fists pressed against a desk and a glowering expression on his face. The back of the coin features an eagle. – The New York Times
- Report: Adding Up The Financial Worth Of Public Libraries
A new report has put a figure on the value of public libraries to the community, estimating that they are worth $86.60 in community value per adult per year. – ABC Australia
- Nova Scotia Gets Its First Professional Ballet Company
Port City Ballet Company in Halifax is currently in its first season, offering a full school program as well as professional performances (in the capital and throughout the province) and a living wage for Nova Scotia dancers at home. Founding artistic director Nova Johnstone talks about getting the company launched. (video) – CTV (Canada)
- New Obama Presidential Library Makes Big Bets On Art
Obama and his wife, Michelle, envisioned art as being a fundamental part of the $800 million Obama Presidential Center when it opens on Juneteenth after 10 years of planning and construction. – WBEZ
- The Donut-Hole Of Theatre Attention
Three and a half hours is the danger zone: the length of many an unabridged classic. The artists, too often, haven’t thought of the way time sits on our bodies and our minds. This is the play you’re most likely to feel restless in, like it has taken up too much of your day, like it has outstayed its welcome. – The Guardian
