ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

Today’s AJ Newsletter Highlights

Good morning! Here are the AJ highlights for today. But first, two more stories to draw your attention to about the psychology of creativity. The first, from Harvard Business Review stresses the importance of play, the need to let your attention wander and explore. The second, from Psychology Today, explores the psychological reasons famous composers have dry spells. Turns out it might have something to do with how their careers unfold and when they became successful. Here are the rest of today’s highlights:

  • London City Ballet Resurrected Christopher Marney is leading the revival of the London City Ballet after discovering that the name and rights were unused. This marks a significant return for ballet in Britain, as regional theaters show strong demand for classical performances. Read more in The New York Times.
  • Booker Prize Shortlist Announced Five of the six authors shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize are women, with the Netherlands being represented for the first time. This diverse selection highlights the increasing global recognition of female voices in literature. Read more in BBC.
  • Museums Embrace AI to Help Authenticate Artworks Museums are increasingly turning to AI technologies to authenticate art and detect forgeries. The use of AI in this process is transforming the art world. Read more in ARTnews.
  • Vinyl and CD Sales on the Rise Again In a surprising trend, younger consumers are driving the resurgence of physical music formats, particularly CDs, as a cheaper alternative to vinyl records. This revival reflects changing consumption habits in the digital age. Read more in MusicRadar.
  • The Movie Business Feels Apocalyptic The movie industry is facing unprecedented challenges, leading to a sense of apocalypse among insiders. From streaming wars to dwindling theater audiences, the industry is navigating existential threats. Read more in The New York Times.

As usual, the rest of the stories we collected in the past day are down below. If you know anyone who might like the AJ newsletter, please forward this email and send them here to subscribe. Until tomorrow.

Doug

Latest Stories

Frida Kahlo Self-Portrait Sets New Price Record For Female Artists

The 1940 self-portrait of the artist asleep in bed, titled El sueño (La cama) — in English, “The Dream (The Bed)” — sold for $54.7 million at Sotheby’s, surpassing the record held by Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1, which sold for $44.4 million in 2014. - AP

Resurrecting Fats Waller’s Lost Broadway Musical

Early to Bed (1943) is the only book musical for which Waller wrote all the music, yet no official score or even libretto exists. Yet John McWhorter (yes, the Columbia University linguist/New York Times columnist) managed to find Waller’s sketches and is presenting the show’s score in concert. -...

A Messy Crisis At France’s Leading Festival Of Graphic Novels And Comics

Bande dessinée (comic strip) is considered the “ninth art” in France, and the Festival international de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême is its pinnacle. But the culture ministry has withdrawn €200,000 in subsidy while graphic novelists and publishers are boycotting the event after a staffer who lodged a rape complaint...

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