Mar 28
The standards. It’s a term that gets tossed around frequently in the arts education world, sometimes without the speaker really knowing what it means. Few of us know what they are, and even fewer know what the standards are for the arts. Yes, they do exist; and yes, teachers are expected to teach them! Kathleen Dean discusses arts education standards and testing in her article, “What are the Standards, Anyway?” (click to view full article)
Mar 26
by Elyssa Jechow
In an age of constant innovation and novelty, there is also a need to recognize the past, and acknowledge the artistic steps that were taken, which bring us to the world we live and create in today. Jessica Chloros is a conservator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and was kind enough to provide both information and insight about the museum, conservation and its importance, and how it all relates to the preservation of our national traditions. Click here to read the article.
Mar 22
Amrita Sher-Gil, Three Girls (public domain)
There is a qualitative difference between Indian art galleries and national museums. Presented with a rising demand for modern and contemporary Indian art, private galleries have garnered acclaim and viability on the global art market. On the other hand, India’s public museums have slipped toward mediocrity, inconspicuously settling amidst the dusty sheets of bureaucracy. What then are we to see for the future of public exhibition of Indian Art? Naina Singh offers her thoughts in “India’s Museums and Galleries: A Definitive Divide.” (click title to view full article)
Mar 15
“The most potent theater is inextricably tied to the risk of self-revelation.” A German amphitheater (Photo: Jeffrey Carpenter)
Jeffrey Carpenter — actor, director, and Artistic Director of Bricolage theater company — brings the thunder of words to the public role of the theater: “We must overhaul our way of thinking. Take nothing for granted. Dispel the myth of safety and security and create a space where failure is encouraged, and courage is rewarded. Dare to light the fuse. Break the rule. Leap before we look. Vow to always be beginning.”
Click here to read the call and challenge to the arts community from an artist defying convention and conformity as he contemplates the future of creativity in “Occupy Theater”
Mar 10
Imagine you are walking through New York City’s Grand Central Station, and suddenly dozens of other travelers simultaneously freeze, hold the pose, and then indifferently go their way. Or you are on a train in the London Underground and an apparently unrelated group of people bursts into an a cappella performance. Finally, suppose you are at Copenhagen Central Station, and symphonic musicians gather one by one, perform, and then nonchalantly disperse, leaving passersby mystified.
James Ranson discusses the flash mob phenomenon, and its newfound place in public performance. Click here to view the full text of the article.
Mar 6
The Taipei Fringe Festival
Street performances can be dated back to ancient times and are a phenomenon found around the world. In Chinese culture, street art has been a feature of everyday life for centuries. Performances have not been limited to a specific genre, or geographic location. Over the past few decades in Taiwan, street performances have become increasingly popular, drawing the attention of young audiences – and the government.
Yu-San Cheng provides a window into public policy for the arts in Taiwan, and considers the pros and cons to government licensing of public performance. Take an artistic journey to the streets of Taipei in our next contribution to TMD’s examination of public performance: “Cultural Policy of Public Performance in Taiwan” (click to view full article).
