Darkness Visible Darkness Visible
The remarkably gifted artist Francesca Woodman abruptly ended her brief life and career on January 19, 1981, leaping to her death from a window in her New York studio.
Oct 28, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Arthur C. Danto
Eminem Aims at Bush Eminem Aims at Bush
"Mosh" could be one of the most overtly political pop music videos ever produced.
Oct 26, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Sam Graham-Felsen
Guided by Voices Guided by Voices
The new Tom Waits album begins, in very Waitsian fashion, with a racket: a squall of percussive noise that sounds like it was recorded in a freight elevator.
Oct 21, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Jody Rosen
Art Makes a Difference Art Makes a Difference
The Bush era has seen an explosion of sharply political creativity.
Oct 21, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon
Pay Attention Pay Attention
A star is on the rise for Death Cab for Cutie. The Seattle-based indie band's last record, Transatlanticism (Barsuk), has sold just over 184,000 copies.
Oct 14, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Hillary Frey
In the Cut In the Cut
Throughout the four decades of his great career--which is the same thing as saying, throughout the history of filmmaking in sub-Saharan Africa--Ousmane Sembene has switched back ...
Oct 14, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Presumed Innocent Presumed Innocent
Unlike news reports, theater isn't expected to stick to the facts. By nature, the form is duplicitous, built on a sandy foundation of make-believe and pretense.
Oct 14, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon
Picking Up the Pieces Picking Up the Pieces
Brian Wilson began recording his masterpiece, Smile, in 1966; the project collapsed a year later, unfinished.
Oct 7, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Douglas Wolk
Rhythm Nation Rhythm Nation
Since Fidel Castro's brief fainting spell during a speech in June 2001, Miami, Havana and Washington have been caldrons of feverish speculation on his succession and the politics...
Oct 7, 2004 / Books & the Arts / Ann Louise Bardach
Springsteen for Change Springsteen for Change
A culture war's going on. The 2004 election does not merely pit red states against blue states; it places the cultural community against the Bush establishment.
Oct 7, 2004 / Books & the Arts / David Corn