For people familiar with Cage’s work, McWhorter’s argument appeared antithetical to the spirit of “4’33.” Cage’s conception of silence, though heavily and often debated, went beyond the idea of serene nothingness. See, for example, his explanation of listening to traffic. - Mother Jones
The €5 charge is meant to discourage overcrowding and pay for extra upkeep costs. Yet, says one activist, "You can’t impose an entrance fee to a city; all they’re doing is transforming it into a theme park. This is a bad image for Venice … I mean, are we joking?" - The Guardian
Why it was introduced, on what dates will it be charged, who does and doesn't have to pay, where does and doesn't the fee apply, how it will be implemented, how to buy a ticket, and what will happen to you if you're caught sneaking in without paying. - The Guardian
"Setting aside the possibility that the courts declare the law unconstitutional, here are (some) of the glaring logistical issues facing the legislation: First, recommendation algorithms … are part of China’s export-control list. … This might make for a tough sell, which raises the second issue: Who is going to buy TikTok?" - The Atlantic (MSN)
“We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes,” said the 4-3 decision by the New York Court of Appeals. “The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial.” - AP
"Internal documents … and interviews with more than two dozen current and former public radio executives show how profoundly the nonprofit is struggling to succeed in the fast-changing media industry. It is grappling with a declining audience and falling revenue — and internal conflict about how to fix it." - The New York Times
"The Art Institute of Chicago contends that decades of investigation and litigation have concluded that a watercolor it now holds was never stolen by the Nazis from a cabaret performer who later died in a concentration camp — but rather was legally sold by the man's heirs." - Chicago Sun-Times
"An audit report conducted by France’s Court of Auditors revealed that the Centre Pompidou‘s economic model is unsustainable. The museum faces financial strain from an ongoing renovation project of its primary institution in Paris and the creation of a new branch in Massy, France." - ARTnews
In an era dominated by poststructuralist and politically influenced literary criticism, Ms. Vendler, who taught at Harvard for more than 30 years, adhered to the old-fashioned method of close reading, going methodically line by line, word by word, to expose a poem’s inner workings and emotional roots. - The New York Times
Romanian conductor Christian Macelaru, who holds prestigious posts in Europe, leading both the Orchestre National de France and the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne, Germany, will succeed the veteran conductor Louis Langrée, the ensemble’s leader since 2013. - The New York Times
The growing dumbphone fervor may be motivated, in part, by the discourse around child safety online. Parents are increasingly confronted with evidence that sites like Instagram and TikTok intentionally try to hook their children. - The New Yorker
It was commissioned by a family of Jewish industrialists in 1917, a year before Klimt's death. However, there are many unanswered questions about the painting and debates about who the woman in the portrait is, as well as what happened to the painting during the Nazi era. - BBC
The Turner Prize carries a £25,000 purse; shortlisted artists will be awarded £10,000. The Turner Prize exhibition at Tate Britain opens on September 25 and runs through 16 February, 2025. - ARTnews
“All of this frankly is a bit of a distraction relative to the transformation our organization needs to undergo in order to best serve our mandate,” Maher said in an interview. - The Wall Street Journal
Stanislav Olshanskyi fled Putin's invasion of Ukraine for the Netherlands, where he was discovered by choreographer Alexei Ratmansky; later that same year, he found himself joining Miami City Ballet. He's relieved, but the adjustment from his solid Slavic schooling to MCB's fleet Balanchine style hasn't been easy. - The New York Times
