AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Good Morning
Today’s AJ highlights: In a move that signals a return to aggressive media management, the Trump White House is targeting late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, calling for “equal time” provisions that could chill political satire on network TV (Los Angeles Times ). This battle over content is mirrored in Russia, where the show Heated Rivalry has become a surprise hit despite—or perhaps because of—calls to purge it from the internet for violating LGBTQ+ censorship laws (Washington Post (MSN) ).
Domestically, institutions are shedding their history and their homes. The Academy Museum has dissolved its oral history project and laid off staff, a move the union calls a “reckless choice” that abandons the preservation of film legacy (Los Angeles Times (MSN) ). Meanwhile, Sundance is holding its final festival in Park City, preparing to leave its home of 40 years for Boulder without its late founder, Robert Redford (San Francisco Chronicle ).
We mark the end of an era with the passing of two titans: Marian Goodman, the gallery owner who championed the European avant-garde and prioritized museums over private mansions (The New York Times ), and Beatriz González, the Colombian artist who turned mass-produced culture into critiques of violence (The New York Times ).
Finally, a check on the digital frontier: Meta has paused teen access to its AI characters, admitting that the current iteration lacks sufficient parental controls (The Verge (Archive Today) ).
All our stories below.
- Tom Stoppard’s ‘Leopoldstadt’ Helped This Religion Reporter Uncover Her Own Lost History
“Stoppard wasn’t telling a story of Nazis and gas chambers; he was exploring the psychological danger of hiding one’s Jewish identity. A month after seeing the play, I decided to fly to London in search of some of my own hidden pieces.” – The Atlantic
- What To Read Now
At least according to Ali Smith, whose 2024 book Gliff is such a good, terrifying book about the surveillance state that you’ll think it’s nonfiction. (Her comfort read, should anyone be looking for such a thing for some reason, is Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book.) – The Guardian (UK)
- Seattle Rep Has Rare Paid Apprenticeships, And Washington State Approves
“Apprentices can study one of five tracks: directing and artistic programs, lighting design, production management, scenic paint or stage management. The apprenticeships are about 10 months long.” – Seattle Times
- Marian Goodman, Renowned New York Art Who Helped Bring Post-War European Avant-Garde To Prominence, Has Died At 97
“Famously loyal to her artists, Ms. Goodman aimed to place their work in museum collections rather than in private mansions. Her priorities could amount to a thorn in the side of collectors.” – The New York Times
ISSUES
- Restoring “America’s Notre-Dame” — Which Is In, Of All Places, Kentucky
The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington (across the Ohio River from Cincinnati) is a scaled-down copy of Notre-Dame de Paris on the outside, while the interior is modeled on the French cathedral in St.-Denis. It’s a product of America’s turn-of-the-20th-century Gothic Revival, getting its first restoration in its 125 years. – AP
- Comic Con Bans AI Art
“Material created by Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability.” – Artnet
- Curator Resigns After Nan Goldin Acquisition Voted Down
A senior curator and two collections committee volunteers have resigned their posts at the Art Gallery of Ontario after the institution voted against acquiring a new slideshow work by the artist Nan Goldin. The purchase was defeated after several members expressed concern about Goldin’s remarks denouncing Israel’s attacks on Gaza as genocide. – Artnet
- The Remarkable Art In A Building The Federal Government Has Marked For Sale
What would happen to the murals is an open question, as removing them may prove difficult. Advocates for the building fear that without protections put in place ahead of a sale, the buyer would have no incentive to maintain the historical features inside. – Washington Post
- The Real Battle For The Smithsonian
Americans argue about the Smithsonian far more than we would if only its possessions mattered. When our museums of record tell us a story, that story matters enormously. – The Atlantic
MEDIA
- Spanish Prosecutors Drop Investigation Into Julio Iglesias For Sexual Assault
“They ruled that Spanish courts had no jurisdiction and were therefore not competent to investigate crimes committed abroad involving complainants who were not Spanish citizens or residents and who had never travelled to Spain with the star.” – BBC
- A Call For ‘Equal Time’ Could Have A Chilling Effect On US TV And Radio
“It’s the Trump White House’s latest salvo against the network late night talk show hosts, primarily Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel, who pound away at President Trump nightly in their monologues and offer ample airtime to his political opponents.” – Los Angeles Times
- At The Academy Museum, There’s No More Oral History Project Staff
The museum’s union calls the cuts “a sad and reckless choice.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- Wait, How Exactly Did Heated Rivalry Become A Hit In Russia?
“The popularity of the show has prompted calls in Russia to purge it from the internet.” – Washington Post (MSN)
- Minneapolis Arts Organizations Join General Strike Today
“We’re pausing operations to recognise the weight of this moment in our community and to care for our employees and people in the Twin Cities community.” – The Art Newspaper
MUSIC
- What To Read Now
At least according to Ali Smith, whose 2024 book Gliff is such a good, terrifying book about the surveillance state that you’ll think it’s nonfiction. (Her comfort read, should anyone be looking for such a thing for some reason, is Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book.) – The Guardian (UK)
- NPR Has Some Plans For Your Winter Storm Reading
For instance: A cultural history of ice in the United States and Val McDermid’s new memoir, entitled Winter. – NPR
- The Love Letters From Lord Byron’s Boyfrien
“While performing the role of the straight heartthrob in public, Byron was concealing his more complex history—no matter the sacrifice to his feelings.” – Paris Review
- Author Declares Culture Dead, Publishers Still Printing Books
W. David Marx diagnoses 25 years of creative stagnation in a new cultural history. Presumably the irony of launching a fresh cultural critique about the death of cultural innovation isn’t lost on anyone involved. — Artnet
- The Heart Of Small-Market Weekly Newspapers? The Obituaries
“It has long been recognized that newspaper obituaries hold value for communities, documenting lives and preserving local history. Their significance is rarely debated. Their value to the business of news and in sustaining local newsrooms is far less understood.” – Reynolds Journalism Institute
PEOPLE
- Good Morning
Today’s AJ highlights: In a move that signals a return to aggressive media management, the Trump White House is targeting late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, calling for “equal time” provisions that could chill political satire on network TV (Los Angeles Times ). This battle over content is mirrored in Russia, where the show Heated Rivalry has become a surprise hit despite—or perhaps because of—calls to purge it from the internet for violating LGBTQ+ censorship laws (Washington Post (MSN) ).
Domestically, institutions are shedding their history and their homes. The Academy Museum has dissolved its oral history project and laid off staff, a move the union calls a “reckless choice” that abandons the preservation of film legacy (Los Angeles Times (MSN) ). Meanwhile, Sundance is holding its final festival in Park City, preparing to leave its home of 40 years for Boulder without its late founder, Robert Redford (San Francisco Chronicle ).
We mark the end of an era with the passing of two titans: Marian Goodman, the gallery owner who championed the European avant-garde and prioritized museums over private mansions (The New York Times ), and Beatriz González, the Colombian artist who turned mass-produced culture into critiques of violence (The New York Times ).
Finally, a check on the digital frontier: Meta has paused teen access to its AI characters, admitting that the current iteration lacks sufficient parental controls (The Verge (Archive Today) ).
All our stories below.
- Tom Stoppard’s ‘Leopoldstadt’ Helped This Religion Reporter Uncover Her Own Lost History
“Stoppard wasn’t telling a story of Nazis and gas chambers; he was exploring the psychological danger of hiding one’s Jewish identity. A month after seeing the play, I decided to fly to London in search of some of my own hidden pieces.” – The Atlantic
- What To Read Now
At least according to Ali Smith, whose 2024 book Gliff is such a good, terrifying book about the surveillance state that you’ll think it’s nonfiction. (Her comfort read, should anyone be looking for such a thing for some reason, is Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book.) – The Guardian (UK)
- Seattle Rep Has Rare Paid Apprenticeships, And Washington State Approves
“Apprentices can study one of five tracks: directing and artistic programs, lighting design, production management, scenic paint or stage management. The apprenticeships are about 10 months long.” – Seattle Times
- Marian Goodman, Renowned New York Art Who Helped Bring Post-War European Avant-Garde To Prominence, Has Died At 97
“Famously loyal to her artists, Ms. Goodman aimed to place their work in museum collections rather than in private mansions. Her priorities could amount to a thorn in the side of collectors.” – The New York Times
PEOPLE
- Good Morning
Today’s AJ highlights: In a move that signals a return to aggressive media management, the Trump White House is targeting late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, calling for “equal time” provisions that could chill political satire on network TV (Los Angeles Times ). This battle over content is mirrored in Russia, where the show Heated Rivalry has become a surprise hit despite—or perhaps because of—calls to purge it from the internet for violating LGBTQ+ censorship laws (Washington Post (MSN) ).
Domestically, institutions are shedding their history and their homes. The Academy Museum has dissolved its oral history project and laid off staff, a move the union calls a “reckless choice” that abandons the preservation of film legacy (Los Angeles Times (MSN) ). Meanwhile, Sundance is holding its final festival in Park City, preparing to leave its home of 40 years for Boulder without its late founder, Robert Redford (San Francisco Chronicle ).
We mark the end of an era with the passing of two titans: Marian Goodman, the gallery owner who championed the European avant-garde and prioritized museums over private mansions (The New York Times ), and Beatriz González, the Colombian artist who turned mass-produced culture into critiques of violence (The New York Times ).
Finally, a check on the digital frontier: Meta has paused teen access to its AI characters, admitting that the current iteration lacks sufficient parental controls (The Verge (Archive Today) ).
All our stories below.
- Tom Stoppard’s ‘Leopoldstadt’ Helped This Religion Reporter Uncover Her Own Lost History
“Stoppard wasn’t telling a story of Nazis and gas chambers; he was exploring the psychological danger of hiding one’s Jewish identity. A month after seeing the play, I decided to fly to London in search of some of my own hidden pieces.” – The Atlantic
- What To Read Now
At least according to Ali Smith, whose 2024 book Gliff is such a good, terrifying book about the surveillance state that you’ll think it’s nonfiction. (Her comfort read, should anyone be looking for such a thing for some reason, is Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book.) – The Guardian (UK)
- Seattle Rep Has Rare Paid Apprenticeships, And Washington State Approves
“Apprentices can study one of five tracks: directing and artistic programs, lighting design, production management, scenic paint or stage management. The apprenticeships are about 10 months long.” – Seattle Times
- Marian Goodman, Renowned New York Art Who Helped Bring Post-War European Avant-Garde To Prominence, Has Died At 97
“Famously loyal to her artists, Ms. Goodman aimed to place their work in museum collections rather than in private mansions. Her priorities could amount to a thorn in the side of collectors.” – The New York Times
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Delroy Lindo Is Getting His First Oscar Nomination At 73
Many observers expected the actor to get a nod for Da 5 Bloods (as did the actor). There’s an easy answer about why he didn’t get a nod – it even has a hashtag – but there’s a more complex question about his characters and the movies he starred in. – The Root
- AI Art’s Predictable Problem: The Cliché Machine Cranks On
As algorithms churn out endless variations on tired themes, human artists are discovering their secret weapon isn’t perfection—it’s the beautiful, messy unpredictability that no code can replicate. — Aeon
- Justice System Meets Its Deepfake Moment
When seeing is no longer believing, Canadian courts face an existential crisis: how do you prove what’s real when reality itself can be manufactured? The legal system’s analog truth tests meet digital deception. — The Walrus
- Why Movies Launch And Music Drops
A key reason why it’s now more complicated to promote an album than, say, a theatrically released film, is the ephemeral, immaterial nature of contemporary music consumption. By comparison, most films that see a theatrical release maintain a predictable, streamlined promotional schedule. – The New Yorker
- How We Lost The Art Of Paying Attention
Most of us are by now familiar with the broad mechanisms of the “attention economy” – the hijacking and monetising of consumer attention through addictive channels. The ravages of this system are ever more apparent. – The Observer
