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EMAIL: Douglas McLennan, Editor artsbeat@artsjournal.com

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Vostell’s ‘Lipstick Bomber’ Caught My Attention
MoMA’s redesigned galleries have put some great previously unseen pieces on display, like Wolf Vostell’s antiwar art. Lipstick tubes replace bombs in this “widely circulated ... read more
AJBlog: Straight|UpPublished 2019-10-22
The twenty-five record albums that changed my life (6)
Various forms of the records-that-changed-my-life meme have been making the rounds lately, so I came up with my own version, which I call “The Twenty-Five ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-22
Lookback: the (unrealized) promise of film criticism
From 2009: Film was the master medium of the twentieth century. Within a few years of its invention, it had supplanted live theater and the ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-22
Almanac: Peter Drucker on learning from other people’s mistakes
“Don’t ever try to learn from other people’s mistakes. Learn what other people do right.” An unknown first-century rabbi (quoted in Peter F. Drucker, Adventures ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-22
Recent Listening: “New” Ones By Anne Phillips And Roger Kellaway
Until recently, it may have seemed that the singer and songwriter Anne Phillips had resigned as a performer. She had not. Those who remember her ... read more
AJBlog: RiffTidesPublished 2019-10-21
The twenty-five record albums that changed my life (5)
Various forms of the records-that-changed-my-life meme have been making the rounds lately, so I came up with my own version, which I call “The Twenty-Five ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-21
Just because: a 1970 visit to Shelly’s Manne-Hole
“Jazz on Stage,” an episode from a 1970 syndicated TV series. This episode was directed by Jack Lewerke and filmed during a performance at Shelly’s ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-21
Almanac: Eugenie Schwarzwald on unprincipled “principles”
“I have no use for principles which demand human sacrifice.” Eugenie Schwarzwald (quoted in Peter F. Drucker, Adventures of a Bystander) ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-21
Solomon Volkov on Stalin and Shostakovich
Of Joseph Stalin the culture-czar, Solomon Volkov comments: “People underestimate the level of control that Stalin maintained. I once tried to count the ... read more
AJBlog: Unanswered QuestionPublished 2019-10-20
This Week’s Top Audience Stories: Perils Of Letting Algorithms Dictate Taste
This Week’s Insights: Pinterest Is Changing Its Algorithm… Why We need curators, not algorithms… Instagram gets rid of “likes”… Background dancers are becoming stars (thanks ... read more
AJBlog: AJ Arts AudiencePublished 2019-10-20
Confronting the MoMA Monster: How Its Rehang Lynches the Collection
How do I not love the Museum of Modern Art’s reinstallation of its permanent collection in it expanded, renovated galleries? Let me count the ways. ... read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrlPublished 2019-10-18
Propwatch: the pig’s head in Mephisto [A Rhapsody]
When historians of the future chronicle the last days of Britain, a pig’s head may enjoy its own footnote. Assuming that there are still historians, ... read more
AJBlog: Performance MonkeyPublished 2019-10-18
Recent Listening: Singers
Who is your favorite singer from the Canadian province of Newfoundland? Don’t have one? If you listen to Heather Bambrick, that could change. Ms. ... read more
AJBlog: RiffTidesPublished 2019-10-18
The twenty-five record albums that changed my life (4)
Various forms of the records-that-changed-my-life meme have been making the rounds lately, so I came up with my own version, which I call “The Twenty-Five ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-18
Replay: José Iturbi plays Liszt
José Iturbi plays Liszt’s Eleventh Hungarian Rhapsody in a 1940 film: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-18
Almanac: Arturo Toscanini on the tragedy of the great performer
“No true musician can be satisfied with his performance, even through an audience is driven to a frenzy.” Arturo Toscanini (quoted by Halina Rodzinski in Our ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-18
Expensive laughter
In today’s Wall Street Journal I review the Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo. Here’s an excerpt. * * * Were a visitor from ... read more
AJBlog: About Last NightPublished 2019-10-17
Mission Creep??!!
A colleague recently shared that when they advocate for community engagement in their organization they get pushback about “mission creep.” Mission creep??!! If connecting ... read more
AJBlog: Engaging MattersPublished 2019-10-15