Vicky Varga, a twenty-four-year veteran of Edmonton Public Library, described how the city had moved toward fully integrating social work into the activities of its main library branch. - The Walrus
As the world became almost unfathomably strange, many people reacted by demanding seriousness; social and political critics understandably turned very sober. And this too marginalized satire, which addresses serious issues by mocking them. - 3 Quarks Daily
AI-driven image-making—far from heralding some future post-human development—appears to be reviving long-dormant visual strategies that dominated the arts, and art theories, of the past. - Artforum
Sydney cemented the idea that grandiose political and architectural ambitions — some would say hubris — can merit the expenditure of much larger sums than bean counters would countenance. Some of these facilities ultimately proved transformative for their cities and nations. - Bloomberg
With the group now back in power, Bamian holds new symbolic and economic importance to the cash-strapped region: Officials see the Buddha remnants as a potentially lucrative source of revenue and are working to draw tourism around the site. - Washington Post
“We've been basically in a recovery mode since the 2020-21 pandemic. And I think that's the real reason why things have been stressed more. We've had some management and infrastructure issues that didn't adapt well to those two major business disruptions.” - Jefferson Public Radio
"The museum was built on the site of Gadsden’s Wharf, where an estimated 100,000 enslaved African individuals disembarked between 1783 and 1807. The new museum will explore the historical and cultural impact of the African diaspora" - vital as South Carolina bans discussion of race in schools. - Hyperallergic
"Sometimes, when they'll cast these wonderfully handsome men as Peter Parker - and, you know, some fans will complain like, that's not what Peter Parker looks like. But to be honest, that's how John Romita drew him." - NPR
Candace Hicks: "No one else is reading the same books as me in the same order, so in a way, my reading is my life’s work. The hand-stitched notebooks that I make recording the coincidences I uncover are a by-product of that process." - LitHub
"What might sound empowering in the United States and thought-provoking in the Netherlands, however, is anathema to Egypt’s government and many of its people," who see themselves as not exactly "African." - The New York Times
At the Venice Biennale, many of the works move "from the postcolonial to the civilisational, where pride in the rediscovery of one’s own traditions takes centre stage and the west, no longer a benchmark of judgment, fades into irrelevance." - The Guardian (UK)
Those were the heady days. But now, "the initial promise of streaming has given way to frustration and fatigue for consumers and creators alike. Peak TV is in retreat and in its place is a new era of discontent." - Los Angeles Times
"One of the places 3D seems to persist is in animated kids' movies, which is the last place it belongs. Why would you want to watch an explosively colorful world unfold while wearing sunglasses?" - NPR
"This year’s edition of the storied festival will be scaled back, featuring seven programs — nearly half the last slate." One BAM associate director says, "We prefer to think of it as dense and not necessarily shrinking." - The New York Times
