Author: Michael Janairo

Museums are places that contain things, most often objects of historical or cultural value and significance. Museums are also places in which events can take place, such as galas or concerts. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, one of the most prominent U.S. institutions of contemporary art, held an Internet Cat Video Festival last week.

One of the ironies of the event is that the videos being shown were from the Internet, which allows people to experience the same cultural artifacts (whether significant or not) even if they are separated by place and time; however, on the grounds of the Walker, the videos were watched by people gathered together in one location to watch the same thing at the same time.

Another irony is that even though some may think a bricks and mortar museum as a repository as culture has been overwhelmed by the World Wide Wide as a repository of culture, people remain social animals, willing to gather at a museum to share a cultural experience.

The broader question, though, can be stated two ways:
1. If the Walker is spending time with cat videos, then does that mean it is spending less time with serious artists?
2. Are cat videos art?

This just in:

Hudson Valley Community College’s Cultural Affairs Program regretfully announces the cancellation of An Evening with Stephen Sondheim, an on-stage conversation with the legendary composer and lyricist on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012 in the Maureen Stapleton Theatre on the college’s campus in Troy.

It is hoped the program can be rescheduled during the Spring 2013 semester.

Tickets hadn’t yet gone on sale to the general public, but students, faculty and staff seeking to refund tickets should contact Debby Gardner at (518) 629-8071.

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Two years ago, the Times Union reported on Megyn Kelly, recounting her career trajectory as going “from Bethlehem cheerleader to Albany Law School graduate to anchor of a cable-news program with a daily audience that tops one million. That’s the path — albeit dramatically oversimplified — taken by Megyn Kelly, who grew up in Delmar and is a rising star at Fox News.”

Today, she’ll be coanchoring Fox’s GOP convention coverage, as the Associated Press reports:

Four years ago, Megyn Kelly roved the Democratic and Republican convention floors as a reporter for Fox News Channel. Starting Monday in Tampa, Fla., she’ll be in Fox’s booth as co-anchor with Bret Baier for the 2012 meetings.
The elevation shows how Kelly, host of the daytime “America Live” program, is rising at Fox. Her ratings are increasing even in a rough year for cable news. Recently she single-handedly minimized the damage after a Fox flub covering the Supreme Court health care decision and even had a surprise talk with an old nemesis, Jon Stewart.

Read the AP story here