Mr. B's initial plan for Jewels included, along with the now-standard "Emeralds," "Rubies," and "Diamonds," a section titled "Sapphires." Balanchine said he never finished "Sapphires" because the blue was too hard to get across onstage. Yet Lincoln Jones, director of American Contemporary Ballet, is giving it a try. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
As artificial intelligence systems outpace human performance on an increasing array of cognitive tasks, they risk undermining the intellectual supremacy upon which we have long staked our self-worth. - Psychology Today
"Fable Studio … (has) announced Showrunner, a platform the company says can write, voice and animate episodes of shows it carries. Under the initial release, users will be able to watch AI-generated series and create their own content — complete with the ability to control dialogue, characters and shot types." - The Hollywood Reporter
"(CEO Daniel) Ek probably isn’t too bothered by the lawsuits, or the burdens of running a (post-massive-layoffs) operation, or outrage ... over a more expensive plan to 'justify adding things (they) don’t want' that undercuts the artists whose work makes Spotify what it is. At least the stock price is resurging." - Slate
"'Every year our expenses go up at least five percent, if not more, because we so outpace inflation,' says Ken Davenport, producer of the Neil Diamond musical A Beautiful Noise. 'So flat is terrible.'" - The Hollywood Reporter
The artists demanded control of their works' presentation and that the Contemporary Jewish Museum both boycott Israel and divest from companies doing business there; they withdrew when the museum said it couldn't comply. What the museum did instead is either strikingly gracious or brilliantly passive-aggressive (or both). - The New York Times
The artist, who usually styled himself as simply "Ben," was known primarily for enigmatic slogans, scrawled in white or bright-colored paint, which he sometimes hung en masse on walls. He took his own life just hours after his wife of 60 years died of a stroke. - Artforum
"The support (Barry) Diller has pledged to Little Island’s programming, millions of dollars with no end in sight, is the kind most artistic leaders only dream of. (Zack) Winokur does not have to spend his days courting (funders) or securing residencies; instead, he can provide money and space." - The New York Times
A bushfire that started in Jerusalem's Valley of the Cross spread quickly to the museum — home to, among other archaeological riches, the Dead Sea Scrolls — damaging the roof of the youth wing. Firefighters stopped the blaze before it reached the building's interior. Both natural causes and possible arson are being investigated. - Artnet
Following the decisions by the Hay Festival and Edinburgh International Book Festival, both prompted by withdrawals and boycott threats by participating writers, the Borders Book Festival and Cheltenham Literature Festival have cut ties with the financial firm, Cheltenham at Baillie Gifford's suggestion. - The Guardian
“We don’t have a problem with anyone taking inspiration from Ansel’s photography,” said the Adams estate. “But we strenuously object to the unauthorized use of his name to sell products of any kind, including digital products, and this includes AI-generated output. - The Verge
“Even in a Mahler symphony, the largest number of performers you could have is 120,” says the Chinese-American composer from his New York apartment. “In this case, there will be more than 1,000 – all of them will be creating the symphony together.” - The Guardian
The work was last seen in public in 1952 when Joan Llonch Salas leant it to a group exhibition at the Barcelona gallery Gaspar, as recorded by another label on the back of the work. - Artnet
Last year, data released by audience research company Patternmakers showed somewhat of a rebounding of audience numbers from COVID levels, which was promising. But it also revealed the stark effect cost of living pressures were having on audiences, the majority of whom identified finances as the biggest factor limiting their ticket purchasing. - The Conversation
