Emmys Make Progressive Steps: The 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were host to historical firsts and powerful speeches. Viola Davis, who won for ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder, became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for best lead actress in a drama. In her speech, Davis argued in her speech that there is still much room for improvement in diversifying roles: “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” Uzo Aduba won the award for best supporting actress in a drama for her role in Orange is the New Black a year after winning a comedy Emmy, for guest star, for the same role. Jeffrey Tambor, who won for Amazon’s Transparent, focused his speech on the show’s revolutionary focus on a transgender character and the continued struggle of transgender individuals for equal rights and social acceptance. A win for Amy Schumer in the Variety-Sketch category continues to disprove the “Women can’t be funny” stereotype that has plagued actresses on the stage and screen (as does a fourth consecutive win for Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her role in Veep). The night stood as an example of the progress being made as well as a reminder of progress yet to come for minorities in the televisual arts world.
Collectors Eye Street Art: Art designed for and inspired by public places is finding a
new home on collectors’ walls. Street art is often infused with political or social themes, mirroring “an increased focus on social and economic matters in the broader culture.” Experts argue over the ethics of relocating street art to other locations (galleries, private homes, etc). Cristina Salmastrelli, director of the Affordable Art Fair New York, argues: “I am not a big fan of moving street art to galleries because the context of the art is so important.” Art may lose value and meaning with relocation–prompting some to argue that public art should never be moved. Even those in favor of relocation may not be able to afford it– Jean-Marc Scialom, found of the Nukod Gallery in Paris, says “you need at least $1 million to start a decent collection.” As collector interest in street art continues to rise, no doubt the debate will rage on over whether art by the people and for the people should ever end up hanging on a private wall.
Watch Artists of the Past Come to Life: Rare videos are giving people everywhere glimpses into history and their favorite artists at work or just living life. The Huffington Post has
compiled videos of (1) Claude Monet at Giverny painting the famous water lilies, (2) Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting in spite of his physical impediments, (3) Auguste Rodin chipping away at a sculpture in his studio, and (4) Edgar Degas walking down a Paris street. These short videos help bring to life the men behind some of the most famous works of art in recent history.
Hip-Hop Coming Back On Stage: New Broadway show “Hamilton” tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton and is filled with references to hip-hop greats like Notorious B.I.G. and Mobb Deep. The show has garnered rave reviews, attracted notable patrons including the Obamas, and has become the second-highest grossing show on Broadway with more than $1.6 million in sales. Succeeding where past hip-hop themed shows have failed (like last year’s Tupac-inspired musical “Holler If Ya Hear Me”), Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” benefits from Miranda’s personal experience and knowledge growing up with ’90s hip-hop and R&B. John Keene, department chair of African-American studies at Rutgers University, praises the musical, saying: “You’re really getting this extraordinary history lesson in the form of hip-hop…It’s really quite remarkable.” The incredible show is educating patrons not only about history but also about forms of music previously unwelcome on the Broadway stage–exposing them to a variety of hip-hop styles from beat-box to chopper to freestyle and stretching their conceptions of what belongs on Broadway.
