- The Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen has died at the age of 82. Let’s pay our respects to the man by listening to “There Is a War”. It seems appropriate right now. [YouTube]
- A topical discussion between journalist Christopher Borrelli and Coya Paz, Director of Free Street Theater in Chicago, “If art can’t fix problems, what good is it?” Art is still important. Keep making it and we’ll keep paying attention. [Chicago Tribune]
- Roberta Smith affectionately calls Marilyn Minter “A ‘Nasty Woman’ of Contemporary Art” in a great review of her exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. [The New York Times]
- A rogue artist therapist set up shop in the 14th Street subway tunnel between Sixth and Seventh Avenues this Wednesday and asked people to share their thoughts on the election via sticky note. About 1500 people participated and those notes were stuck to the subway wall. [Gothamist]
- Lise Ragbir, director of the Warfield Center Gallery at the University of Texas at Austin, writes about the importance of exhibition space devoted to art and stories about struggle. Concerning The Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture, “true, there is something disconcerting about housing a Michael Jackson costume and 10 shards of stained glass from the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in the same space.” [TIME]
- A new Tumblr, “why we’re afraid”, tracks the surge of hate crimes that have escalated since Trump was elected. I (Michael) personally know two people who have been attacked by Trump supporters in the past 24 hours. This is terrifying. [why we’re afraid]
- Critics are complaining that the lede in this auction report describes a shockingly insulated and privileged group. “There were no signs of a post-Brexit or Donald Trump election victory backlash in the art market tonight as, fairly predictably, every lot found a buyer in the first of Sotheby’s three-part, two-day sale of the David Bowie collection.” I’m going to save my outrage for other matters. [artnet News]
- Steve Jansen theorizes that arts and culture flourish when a Republican is in the oval office, because artists and musicians are inspired by hardship and a rebellious spirit. It’s a compelling argument. But, like, not if we’re all dead. [Houston Press]
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