Truly, so-called generative AI isn’t there yet on the composing side. “I’ve played the basic chord progression from 'Soul Of The Machine' — and variations of it —countless times. So, when I say that the chords meander in nonsensical ways, it’s because I’ve also wandered in this style.” - The Verge
The Art Institute’s effort to change "can especially be seen in the museum’s arts of the Americas department, where 33 percent of its acquisitions in 2016-23 were by named women artists — 61 out of 183 objects. That pace is significantly higher than that of the museum world at large." - Chicago Sun-Times
According to the data, 1,250 artists generated over $1 million each in recording and publishing royalties in 2023; 11,600 generated over $100,000 and 66,000 generated over $10,000 — numbers that have almost tripled since 2017. - AP
The awards, mostly predicted with one or two slight surprises, have been shelved for 2024, but some wounds are fresh. Diane Warren has 15 nominations and no wins. Then there’s Bradley Cooper. (And Glenn Close! Ah, Glenn Close.) - Vulture
Laurent de Brunhoff took a character his mother and father invented when he was 5, and kept him going for decades. "'Babar, c’est moi,' Mr. de Brunhoff often said. By all accounts, artist and elephant shared the same Gallic urbanity and optimistic outlook." - The New York Times
"This is not the religious end of time, or eschaton, that has fascinated humanity for thousands of years, but the end of the world as a pervasive mood – a vibe." - The Guardian (UK)
Hejinian was "a central figure in the Language poetry movement of the 1970s and ’80s who channeled the seismic social changes and avant-garde artistic climate of the 1960s into work that was both richly lyrical and groundbreaking in its experimentalism." - The New York Times
Inside, the Stadtschloss is publicly funded. Donors control the exterior. "A Christianised dome was hoisted atop the palace in 2020, complete with a band of text, compiled by 19th-century King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, calling on all peoples to submit to Christianity.” Now? Old Testament prophets. - The Observer (UK)
The budgetary alarm bells are ringing for fabled institutions, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, says a new arts lobbying group. "The new campaign frames culture as part of the crucial infrastructure of any successful country, let alone one that enjoys Britain’s arts and entertainment track record." - The Observer (UK)
The Sun Valley museum has no permanent collection, a small exhibition space, and an audience that’s mixed - contemporary art-fan resort visitors and local kids. The curator says, “I think about exhibition schedules in terms of what schools or what teachers, what grades might be interested in." - Slate
That was the remit for Dune, both Part One and the strike-delayed, well-reviewed Dune, Part Two. "For language constructors — conlangers, as they are known — small touches enhance the verisimilitude of even gigantic edifices like the Dune series." - The New York Times
The DOJ antitrust lawsuit will change the phone ecosystem. Sure, many people love Apple products - “but the federal government makes a compelling case that much of this love, especially within United States borders, is coerced." - Slate
