Arts
The Arts
How A College Prank Turned Into A Public Art Tradition
The inflatable replica that rests on the lake’s solid surface isn’t a political statement, nor a throwback to the ending of 1969’s “Planet of the Apes,” but a decades-long tradition founded on a good laugh. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has staged the display at different times for more than four decades, starting in 1979 as a campaign stunt.
In An Age Of Streaming, ‘Oscar Bounce’ At The Box Office Is … Less Bouncy
Films used to get a boost at the box office from Academy Award nominations — and the bounce still exists for films hanging on at the multiplex. But changes in the industry are altering the calculus.
Author L.L. McKinney Says Barnes & Noble ‘Diverse Editions’ Are ‘Literary Blackface’
Barnes & Noble suspended its campaign to reissue classic books with covers depicting protagonists as people of color after many authors, including McKinney, criticized the initiative.
Portraits Of Barack And Michelle Obama Going On Tour Next Year
The National Portrait Gallery unveiled the official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama two years ago this month. Now it is sending them on a yearlong tour to five cities.
BOOK REVIEW: In A Dark Future, These ‘Upright Women’ Bring Hope
Sarah Gailey’s new novella is set in a dystopian future where the United States resembles the Old West, and bands of women on horseback distribute government-approved media to distant villages.
NFL Star To Broadway Star: Nnamdi Asomugha Says The Stage Is Another ‘Team Sport’
Nnamdi Asomugha, a four-time All-Pro NFL cornerback, is making his Broadway debut in A Soldier’s Play. It’s been “a pretty surreal journey,” he says.
BOOK REVIEW: Pain Drives The Creation Of A Sanctuary In ‘Remembrance’ By Rita Woods
Rita Woods’ ambitious novel spans 200 years and multiple storylines — it’s a complex story of loss and survival that doesn’t always work. But Woods creates memorable characters readers can relate to.
‘First, Last And Always, I Am A Fan’: Michael Chabon Steers Latest ‘Star Trek’
The Pulitzer prize-winning author says he never had the “chutzpah” to dream of writing for Star Trek. But now, he’s showrunner and executive producer on Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access.
Meet Donna Zakowska, The Designer Who Makes ‘Mrs. Maisel’ Look So Marvelous
Donna Zakowska has already won two Emmys for her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and two of her costumes are in the Smithsonian. Now she’s up for an award from the Costume Designers Guild.
FILM REVIEW: In ‘Zombi Child,’ The Real Horror Is Colonialism
Writer-director Bertrand Bonello uses the tale of a Haitian zombie to explore intergenerational racial trauma in this quiet, moody film.
Latinx Critics Speak Out Against ‘American Dirt’; Jeanine Cummins Responds
Latinx writers and critics are speaking out against Jeanine Cummins’ new book American Dirt, calling its depiction of the migrant experience inauthentic and harmful. We asked Cummins to respond.
For MLK Day, ‘Just Mercy’ Attorney Asks U.S. To Reckon With Its Racist Past And Present
Stevenson built a museum and monument in Alabama dedicated to slavery and its legacy. “We need to create institutions in this country that motivate more people to say ‘Never again,’ ” he says.
