Permit, Paint, Phrase, Gadgets, Style
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The Advantage Of Permission
Ian Welsh | 28th September 2021
Simplified yet interestingly provocative look at the rise of corporate oligarchies, which surely cannot last forever. "Oligarchy is always stupid and unproductive. The great oligarchs are made out to be heroes, but almost all of them exist by making more activities impossible than they make possible: they do their best to allow nothing to succeed unless they will profit from it" (1,709 words)
The Artist Paints Herself
Jennifer Higgie | Lapham's Quarterly | 5th October 2021
On the self-portraiture of three artists — Elisabetta Sirani, Sofonisba Anguissola, and Rosalba Carriera — who were successful in their own times but are less well known now. Sirani inserted her own features into her classical paintings too; pleasingly, she gave her own face to Timoclea at the moment that sturdy matron tipped a "Captain of Alexander the Great" head first into a well (2,178 words)
Hello (Bonjour) From Your Friendly TV Translator
David Buchanan | Zocalo | 29th September 2021
Audiovisual translator lifts the curtain on this invisible craft. Ego must be put aside. A translation is always a compromise, but when writing subtitles or a script for dubbing, the aim is to replicate the feeling of watching the film or episode in its original language. Emotions, body language and lip syncing all play a part. "If you don’t notice my work, it means I’m doing my job properly" (1,540 words)
Podcast: Cars, Gadgets, Costume | No Time To Die. Behind-the-scenes podcast from the producers of the James Bond films. Here, the special effects and camera tricks that make the spy's gadgets seem to work on screen are explained (39m 53s)
Video: Everything You Need to Know About American Fashion | Vogue | YouTube | 8m 50s.
Illustrated digest of the major developments in American fashion after the US entered WW2 and European couture ceased to be the point of inspiration.
Interview: Uri Bram Talks To Baiqu Gonkar | 19m 04s
Uri Bram is the publisher of The Browser, and author of Thinking Statistically and The Business of Big Data. This week Uri tells Baiqu about massage school, importing Rwandan chilli oil, and the benefits of philosophy coaching (19m 04s, or read the transcript here)
Afterthought:
"One forges one's style on the terrible anvil of daily deadlines"
— Émile Zola