Necessary Links: How Trump boosted a graphic novel and the great inauguration painting debate
Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! Er, I mean, Trumpa! Trumpa! Trumpa! With the inauguration around the corner, we are all president-elect all the time — featuring Trump and the the Smithsonian, the Trump boost of a civil rights graphic novel and the ongoing debate about a painting that’s headed to the Trump inaugural lunch. Here are your Necessary Links:
— Donald Trump was reportedly scheduled to visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but canceled reportedly because of scheduling problems. The Hill
— In the meantime, the president-elect’s Twitter war with Rep. John Lewis has led to sky-high sales for Lewis’ new graphic novel. Are Trump’s hate Tweets the new Oprah Book Club? Los Angeles Times
— And because too much president-elect is never enough, debate continues to rage over the St. Louis Museum of Art’s decision to loan a George Caleb Bingham painting to the inaugural luncheon. Critic Philip Kennicott has a good examination of the painting in question. “The image,” he writes, “depicts a (likely) proslavery candidate triumphing in the name of an America that denies not only full suffrage, but basic human and constitutional freedoms to its African American population.” Excellent read. Washington Post
— Speaking of art, Shepard Fairey has created a series of protest posters for the inauguration, along with L.A. artist Ernesto Yerena and Bay Area muralist Jessica Sabogal. PBS Newshour
— A pair of handy lists: All the cultural spaces holding events related to the Women’s March L.A. and the Southern California institutions giving free admission on Jan. 29. Artillery, Los Angeles Times
— And because we all could use a little exercise: May I introduce you to the choreographer-designed workout for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I would so do squats in front of “Madame X” because there’s nothing like conditioning your inner thighs while basking in some John Singer Sargent. New Yorker
— On a totally unrelated note, here’s the ’80s aerobic video I watch whenever I’m in a dark place. You’re welcome. YouTube
A note to regular readers: Since we are entering a new year and a new era, I’m making a few changes to ye olde blogge. Roundup, generally published on Mondays, will be replaced by the new “Necessary Links” (see above) which will be shorter and published on a more flexible (and hopefully more frequent) schedule. As always, thank you for reading!!
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