Something to (Maybe) Look Forward To…
March 31st, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Archive for March, 2008
Which One is Under Fire? Rushdie and Baron Cohen
March 31st, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
A play based on Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses has “debuted without incident” at a German theater, reports CBC, but according to another CBC story, Sacha Baron Cohen is not fairing nearly as well as he shoots for “Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt.”
Jonathan Jones Worries He Shares Hitler’s Art Taste
March 31st, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
“One of my favourite paintings in the National Gallery was once owned by Hitler - is it wrong to still love it?” wonders the Guardian’s Jonathan Jones of “Cupid Complaining to Venus” by Lucas Cranach the Elder (about 1525).
Artdaily.org has the story about the National Gallery investigating whether the piece has the troubling provenance. According to the release from NG:
The National Gallery now wishes to establish how and when Cranach’s Cupid complaining to Venus came to be in Hitler’s collection. The National Gallery is continuing its investigations to find this out. Any information from the public would be gratefully received.
“When its full story is told it may even end up leaving the gallery and being resold abroad,” Jones concludes, citing Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm episode on Wagner along the way, “so I’ll enjoy it while I can.” See also the Guardian’s coverage here.
Google Trends on Religion and Art
March 31st, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
I plugged a few numbers into Google Trends, where “you can compare the world’s interest in your favorite topics.” Below Christian art is blue, Islamic art is red:
After the jump are Islamic-Jewish and Jewish-Christian. I will try to crunch some more numbers later on… Nothing surprising yet, but it is still interesting to see. Continue reading ‘Google Trends on Religion and Art’
Roundup: Krens on Guggenheim Abu Dhabi & Jewish Donors
March 31st, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
SPIEGEL: But doesn’t it irritate your many Jewish donors?
Krens: What do you think this really is? It’s a cultural bridge. We are setting a clear example. We have a Jewish name. Solomon Guggenheim, the founder of the museum, was a Jew. Frank O. Gehry, our architect, is Jewish. And, of course, we talked with a lot of people, with Israeli politicians and with the Israeli ambassador to the United States.
What a great interview.
Roundup: Occident to Orient, Liturgical Junk
March 29th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Continue reading ‘Roundup: Occident to Orient, Liturgical Junk’
Protesting an Anti-Islam Film
March 28th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
“A demonstrator holds a sign during a protest against Dutch politician and anti-Islam film-maker Geert Wilders at Dam square in Amsterdam March 22, 2008. (Ade Johnson/Reuters)”
In Support of the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
March 27th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
CQ Politics staff writer Matt Korade wonders whether the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (site) at Georgetown should worry about a “threat to impartial scholarship” or “political grandstanding” due to its donor.
Korade writes:
The issue was recently thrust into the public spotlight after Rep. Frank R. Wolf , R-Va., wrote a letter to university President John J. DeGioia on Feb. 14 questioning the center’s use of the donation, which in turn was based on questions raised in an article in The Washington Times.
…Specifically, I would like to know if the center has produced any analysis critical of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, in the fields of human rights, religious freedom, freedom of expression, women’s rights, minority rights, protections of foreign workers, due process, and the rule of law,” the congressman wrote.
I don’t want to pretend like I have any information on the inner workings of the Center, but I did want to say that I have been in touch several times with faculty members associated with the Center, who have been extremely helpful and knowledgeable. John Esposito very politely replied to an inquiry of mine, though it was not his area of expertise, and Diane Apostolos-Cappadona has been an angel on several occasions so far in replying to interview questions.
If experts at a Center funded by Saudi money can be so great talking about Jewish art, I don’t see how one could accuse the same folks of being anti-American. Clearly their primary professional goals are honest and scholarly, not political hate-mongering. I hope this whole pseudo-scandal blows over really quickly.
Roundup: Austrian Culture Minister Wants “Clarity” on Whether Works were Looted by Nazis
March 27th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
D.C.’s “Largest Israeli Art Show”
March 27th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My article “‘’Personal Landscapes’ Exhibit showcases emerging Israeli artists” about the soon-to-open exhibit at the American University Museum’s Katzen Arts Center is in this week’s Washington Jewish Week.
“Solomonic Judgment In Arthur Miller’s ‘The Price’”
March 26th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My review of TheaterJ’s production of Arthur Miller’s “The Price” is in The Jewish Press.
“The Price”
Dir: Michael Carleton
Through April 18, 2008
Theater J, DCJCC
1529 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC
800-494-TIXS
“Are Dreadlocks the New Peyos?” on The Jewish Channel
March 20th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Rebecca Honig Friedman writes on TJC on similarities between Jews and Rastafarians:
The documentary Awake Zion explores the Jewish-Rastafarian connection in depth, but we wanted to know more. So we had the film’s director, Monica Haim, take us down to the world-famous, reggae record store Jammyland, where she shared her inspiration for the film and showed us what this shared tradition is all about.
The piece is great. It seems to me the record album art could be further studied. Some of them are simply stunning.
Bin Laden Threatens Europe over Cartoons
March 20th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
[CNS, AP, Al Jazeera, NY Times, Washington Post, Reuters, BBC, WGY, Sydney MH, VOA, FOX, Sky News]
In an apparently recent 5-minute video, a voice said to belong to Osama Bin Laden has called the Mohammed cartoons a “greater and more serious tragedy” than Western forces killing Arab women, “reckoning for it will be more severe.” The video also attacked the Pope for his “new crusade” against Muslims and referred to President Bush as “oppressive” and King Abdullah as “the crownless king in Riyadh.”
The video added:
The laws of men which clash with the legislations of Allah the Most High are null and void, aren’t sacred, and don’t matter to us … if there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions.
The AP story does a great job of unpacking what can be said about when the video was recorded and whether it is really Bin Laden. AJ provides a good focus on King Abdullah and the cartoons. Michael Kimmelman’s piece in the Times doesn’t focus on this Bin Laden tape, but addresses radical drawings a bit more generally. Reuters carries the most quotes from the film.
“Jews debate anti-gentile prayers”
March 19th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My article on censorship of prayers is in National Catholic Reporter. See also a link to it on DMN Religion Blog. I quoted a post on the blog by Jeffrey Weiss in the article.
Should Buddha Sell This Well?
March 18th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
CBC has the story on a pretty costly wooden, seated Buddha, which set a record for most expensive piece of Japanese art. The piece is by Unkei, “considered one of the best carvers of the early Kamakura period in the 1190s.”
The pre-auction estimate was $1.5-2 million, so the piece has certainly exceeded expectations. But am I crazy to find it a bit strange that Buddha, who is said to have been quite critical of materialism, is selling so well?
India Blocks Jonathan Meese Sculpture
March 18th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Here is an item from artforum which I’m posting in full, because it makes no sense to me:
INDIA REFUSES MEESE SCULPTURE
A sculpture by Jonathan Meese has been turned away at the Indian border. As the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’s Swantje Karich reports, Indian customs officials at Mumbai airport took a “drastic” approach to Meese’s bronze sculpture Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You, 2007, which was en route to the gallery Mirchandani + Steinruecke for inclusion in the exhibition “General Sweetie.” According to Karich, the dealers attempted to persuade the airport customs officials to let the work through by citing “traditional Indian erotic literature.” Just as the shipment was due to be checked again, the commission in charge gave up and simply sent the sculpture back to Germany.
Express of India’s piece is a bit more clear.
Roundup: Hassid Quits Natalie Portman, Christie’s Backs Husain
March 18th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Mormon Art Piece Appears in The Christian Index
March 15th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My article “Artists present an uncensored view of Mormon history” appears in this week’s issue of The Christian Index. See here for a long thread of comments.
Wesley Acres Methodist’s Swastika-shaped Building
March 15th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
AP has the story, about the retirement home’s unfortunately shaped building. The story is amusing, until one realizes the man complaining about it believes it’s part of a larger conspiracy to honor Nazis in architecture, and he’s been forcing folks to shell out a lot of cash to fix their accidentally-swastika-shaped buildings.
Roundup: Ugly Jews, Attractive Sentimentality
March 13th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
“Hungry For Literature And For More Heaven”
March 12th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My review of Joanne Jacobson’s “Hunger Artist: A Suburban Childhood” is in this week’s Jewish Press. Full interview to follow…
Banned in Lebanon
March 11th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
You guessed it — ‘Persepolis‘ is out, because “Authorities likely want to avoid any potential fallout from offending pro-Iranian members of the Lebanese opposition, notably Hezbollah.”
(Is it just me, or do the women in burkas look a lot like No face from Miyazaki’s Spirited Away?)
Roundup: LDS Church Aplogizes for Religious Art Vandalism, an Anti-Koran Film
March 11th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
LDS Church Releases Official Portrait of New First Presidency
March 11th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
According to the Church:
“The First Presidency was reorganized following the death of the Church’s 15th president, Gordon B. Hinckley, who passed away on 27 January.
President Monson is the 16th worldwide leader of the Church. President Eyring, who serves as first counselor to President Monson, previously served as second counselor in the First Presidency. Second counselor, President Uchtdorf, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles prior to his new assignment.
The First Presidency is the most senior governing body in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
I think the painting photograph is mediocre at best. Anyone else want to weigh in on style?
Christiane Amanpour on Iranian Art
March 10th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
At Marvin Kalb’s interview tonight with Christiane Amanpour (God’s Warriors), I managed to get a question in touching on religion and art.
In the program, Kalb asked Amanpour about a variety of things from the evolution of CNN’s newsroom to the struggles of being a foreign correspondent in a world where terrorists specifically target journalists to the ethical questions covering her native land, Iran, without bias. Amanpour said that American media is often “clichéd” in its coverage of Iran, but that her ability to speak Farci and to talk to “people on the ground” helped her transcend this.
During the Q&A period, I asked Amanpour how reliable she thought the information was coming out the artistic community, particularly the new film Persepolis, and bestsellers Reading Lolita in Tehran and The Kite Runner (see my review in Arab American News). Was art about Iran (or Kabul in KR) providing a different form for the same biased content, I wondered, or was it the same sort of transcendence and truth on the ground that she sought in her journalism?
Amanpour compared the pieces to Spiegelman’s MAUS, which she said she enjoyed, and said that she saw the works on Iran as reliable information. This is of course up for discussion, as I addressed in my interview with Fatemeh Keshavarz, chair of the department of Asian and Near Eastern languages and literatures at Washington University, in my piece “The new illiterate Orientalism” for Arab American News. But I did think it was interesting that Amanpour, who did not have good things to say about news in the blogosphere, saw potential for reliable information in religious art.
Image: CNN.
Prof. Finds Drum of the Covenant
March 6th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Brittani Hamm reports for RNS (via Beliefnet) about Indiana Jones-like professor Tudor Parfitt, who thinks the Ark of the Covenant is a drum, which he has found in a Zimbabwe warehouse.
Parfitt hopes “the discovery will end some of the tension between Jews and Muslims,” but Hershel Shanks, editor of the Biblical Archaeological Review, cautions, “Many scholars regard his claims with a very jaundiced eye.”
Roundup: Sacred Art in a Profane Place, Philly’s New Christian Gallery
March 6th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
“Hip Hop’s Unlikely Portraitists”
March 5th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My review of Alex Melamid’s hip hop paintings on exhibit in Detroit and David Scheinbaum’s hip hop photographs on exhibit in DC is in the Forward. The piece touches on Jews and hip hop, and on two Jewish baby boomers who are using their art to capture hip hop upon the suggestions of their sons.
Roundup: A “New Twist” on Holocaust Restitution
March 4th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
Continue reading ‘Roundup: A “New Twist” on Holocaust Restitution’
Roundup: A Controversial Exhibit in Vienna, A Museum Without Jews
March 4th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
