Arts & Culture
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American Dream turned deadly
He just needs to pass the bar now. But blue-collar Conor’s life spirals after a tangled affair at old-money seaside enclave in Teddy Wayne’s literary thriller
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Just one family’s history – and the world’s
Claire Messud’s autobiographically inspired new novel traces ordinary lives through WWII, new world orders, Big Oil, and rise and fall of ideals
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Digging into the Philippines Collections at the Peabody Museum
Filipino American archivist offers personal perspective to exhibit
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Better to be talented or lucky?
If you want fame, Cass Sunstein says, it typically requires some of both — and is no pure meritocracy
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‘Tell the cities about us … and tell our neighbors about what we do’
‘HUM SAB EK’ harvests stories of self-employed Indian women’s hardships — and victories
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A Chekhov play relatable to Americans today
At first, Heidi Schreck wasn’t sure the world needed another take on ‘Uncle Vanya’
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Hitting the books after hitting a wall
Miguel Garcia ’17 found meaning and salvation in his humanities studies after a bout with mental illness forced him to take a sabbatical in his Junior year.
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No rest for the witty
In the current political climate, using humor as a legitimate form of discourse is on par with scholarly essays and newspaper op-eds.
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When potatoes become art
“Analogia I” by Victor Grippo is one of the Harvard Art Museums’ many works by artists who were redefining the global artistic landscape in the second half of the 20th century. The piece incorporates a series of potatoes connected to electrodes and a meter that registers the energy they produce.
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Fresh off Oscar win, another honor for Davis
Viola Davis was honored by the Harvard Foundation as Artist of the Year during the 32nd annual Cultural Rhythms Festival.
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Life in wartime, etched in sound
Radcliffe Fellow and Boston Globe critic Jeremy Eichler is working on two books examining music and memory against the backdrop of World War II.
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Reviving the past, one revision at a time
Ahead of a Harvard visit, Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan talks about the research behind her forthcoming historical novel, “Manhattan Beach.”
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Bogie, Bergman, and the Brattle
Harvard scholars weigh in on the range of factors that have made “Casablanca” one of the most beloved movies in history.
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‘Moonlight’ reflection
Composer-pianist Nicholas Britell ’03 will celebrate with Harvard friends this weekend as his score for “Moonlight” competes for the Oscar for best original score.
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A close reading of Elizabeth Bishop
Megan Marshall ’77 talks about the personal and scholarly perspective behind her new biography of the poet Elizabeth Bishop.
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More than language lessons
María Luisa Parra teaches a course that caters to students of Latino heritage who spoke Spanish at home but never had formal instruction in the language.
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On stage: Nights of ‘the Iguana’
Director Michael Wilson is bringing Tennessee Williams’ “Night of the Iguana” to the American Repertory Theater with an all-star cast.
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Poetry unbound
Harvard Professor Elisa New’s Gen Ed course, “Poetry in America,” attracts students from across disciplines.
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Hope and loss made vivid
Arab-American artist Helen Zughaib tells the story of the Middle East’s spate of revolutions with brightly colored paintings in her latest exhibit, “Arab Spring/Unfinished Journeys.”
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Jeff Koons: High king of middlebrow
Though he may be the favorite artist of oligarchs, Jeff Koons sees his art as democratic experience for viewers and a vehicle for his own transcendence and self-actualization.
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Drawing wisdom from drawings
A new exhibition at the Harvard Art Museums offers up a diverse sampling of the museums’ rich collection of drawings, while highlighting the creativity of Harvard’s classrooms.
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A study in contrast: Copley’s America, America’s Copley
Historian Jane Kamensky’s new book explores the life and times of painter John Singleton Copley.
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A vocal stand
Harvard Choruses will join a performance of Grammy-winning composer Craig Hella Johnson’s “Considering Matthew Shepard” Feb. 5 at Symphony Hall.
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Novelist Perrotta headlines LITFest
Novelist Tom Perrotta, who headlines Harvard’s LITFest on Feb. 4, talks with a television co-writer and a Harvard instructor about the craft.
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Prescribing art in medicine
A Wintersession course studied compassion and suffering through the lenses of dance, music, and science.
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Shadows of Cuba’s past
An exhibit by Cuban mixed-media artist Juan Roberto Diago at the Ethelbert Cooper Gallery folds history into imagery.
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What’s in a (scientific) name
The Harvard Museum of Natural History is taking on names — both common and scientific — together with companion institutions in a series of new installations that introduce the public to the color and complexity of appellations.
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Best choice for photography curator
Makeda Best has been named the new Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography at Harvard Art Museums.
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One stage, many stories
“Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women,” now at the A.R.T., is drawn from more than 75 interviews conducted by writer-producer Paul Lucas.
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From Harvard to ‘La La Land’
The composer for “La La Land” met his Hollywood collaborator, Damien Chazelle, and charted his musical path while at Harvard.
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Even in ‘Hamilton,’ a glimpse of mediocrity
New research by Derek Miller, an assistant professor of English, highlights the starring role of “decidedly average” in the history of art.
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Building character
Molly Antopol, a Radcliffe Fellow and author of “The UnAmericans,” talks about the creative process behind her fiction.
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Making magic out of 26 letters
Harvard’s creative writing program is growing in creativity and size.
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In ‘Fingersmith,’ lead role for lighting
Lighting designer Jen Schriever talks about her vision for the A.R.T.’s adaptation of the Sarah Waters novel “Fingersmith.”
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Forever bringing joy
Professor Alex Rehding talks about his research for a book on Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
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The potter’s magic fingers
Native American potters offer hands-on insights into centuries-year-old artistry.