“Sensitivity Readers” Helping Authors

More and more authors are hiring “sensitivity readers” to help edit their manuscripts before publication in an attempt to check the accuracy and potential offensiveness of a specific minority group’s portrayal. For example, in order to ensure a Korean-American family is being depicted both authentically and sensitively, an author might hire a Korean-American reader. Author Susan Dennard commissioned a sensitivity reader for her young adult novel about a transgender character, explaining: “I was nervous to write a character like this to begin with, because what if I get it wrong? I could do some major damange.” Some authors turn to these readers especially after backlash to a previous work, hoping to avoid criticism in an upcoming work. Standard editors can help writers with grammar, phrasing, and story arcs, but often do not touch on the authenticity or potential offensiveness of the portrayals within the story–sensitivity readers fill this role. Of course, some see the rise of these readers as overly sensitive and reflecting an obsession with political correctness; National Review columnnist Katherine Timpf called such readers “an assault on art” who would reduce fiction to depictions of “nice sensitivity training.” It certainly can’t hurt, though, for writers to seek out whichever editors may effectively call attention to oversights–be they grammatical or representational.

The Art of Making Money (Literally)

The images on money are arguably the most widely circulated art in the world–but where do they come from? An exhibition at the Grolier Club in Manhattan called “Images of Value” is devoted to exploring the answer. With more than 250 items on view, the exhibition is “a bit of an Easter egg hunt,” according to Mark D. Tomasko, the collection’s owner. As a collector, Tomasko tracks down the original artwork behind the engravings on bank notes, stock certificates, and other financial documents. Some of the pieces Tomasko has retrieved from the world of financial art history include a lithograph based on a portrait of Martha Washington by Charles Francois Jalabert that provided the image for a silver dollar bill, as well as an engraving depicting the city walls of Beijing used on a 1918 $1 bill for the Asia Banking Corporation. With the rise of paperless finance, the picture engraving business for currency has certainly declined; still, some remain at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing–worked that Tomasko calls “unsung heroes.” Especially as the bills we use everyday undergo changes (like the imminent replacing of Andrew Jackson on the $20 with Harriet Tubman), Tomasko’s endeavers encourage us to pause and appreciate the works of art behind images that few give a second look!

An Art Museum on the Moon

Several artists are responding to a call for work on a very unusual project– the first art museum on the moon. The Museum of Contemporary Art on the Moon (MOCAM) was conceived in 2016 by visual artist Julio Orta in response to what he views as “the inevitable creation of human communities on the moon in the near future.” The museum purchased a 20-acre plot on the moon through a website that issues deeds for property based on a standard Lunar Chart. In conjunction with the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCAM is intent on “displaying the most interesting, cutting edge, relevant art from the world, moon habitants, or in the case of future encounters, any other form of intelligent life we may meet.” MOCAM’s inaugural curator Joey Cannizzaro explains the unique benefits to locating a museum on the moon: “[I]t seems like the lack of life or activity of any sort, combined with its bare geography allows us to project onto it in a way that a more specific location or symbol would resist.” There are even preliminary plans for the building itself, a subterranean sphere with overlooks and tunnels. Though none of us will be visiting anytime soon, it certainly is fun to dream about!

Art Museums Provide Safe Spaces for Trans Visitors

Art museums across the country are recognizing their role in educating visitors–and not just using canvasses and sculptures. Institutions like the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota posted a photo to Instagram of a sign reading “All Gender Restroom” not long after President Trump announced that the government will no longer stop schools from discriminating against transgender students, rescinding a policy put in place by the Obama administration. The Walker is only one of several museums pushing for inclusivity and accomodation in the wake of the announcement; the Whitney Museum of American Art, the American Folk Art Museum, and the Chicago Children’s Museum have all opted to provide safe bathroom spaces for trans visitors. The Whitney Museum explained on its website that the decision came out of a discussion about museums as safe spaces at the LGBT Community Center in New York City, and is in spirit with the history and culture of the arts: “The arts have long been a home for individuals who may not find support in the culture at large, and have served as a harbinger of broad social changes. The Whitney’s visitors, artists, and staff represent a wide range of gender identities and expressions, and this change will help make the Museum a welcoming space for us.” The Center for the Future of Museums (CFM), part of the American Alliance of Museums, has reiterated the important of all-gender restrooms. Hopefully these moves by prominent museums will help to continue the arts’ tradition of inclusivity and open-mindedness, and make visitors of all identities feel welcome to enjoy and learn from art.