State of the Arts for July 16, 2004
This week on State of the Arts, we'll look at the decline of reading in the US, photographer Alec Soth's very good year, Jacob Slichter's tenure in the pop group Semisonic, Sommerfest's chamber series and the expanded Jaques Art Center in Aitkin.
No One Reads
It's not as bad as that, but less then half of Americans pick up fiction—any fiction—during the year. We'll talk to Sarah T. Williams of the Star-Tribune, Kit Hadley of the Minneapolis Public Library and take your calls about why we don't read as much as we used to and whether that matters.
A drummer's eye view of rock stardom
The idea of a record going platinum conjures images of large sums of money rolling in. However, most people tend to overlook the debt that builds up from costs associated with promoting a band. Chris Roberts talks to Jacob Slichter, a member of the local band Semisonic, who describes life behind the scenes in his new memoir, "'So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful of Record Executives and Other True Tales From a Drummer's Life."
Photographer Alec Soth is coping with fame
Chronicling the world around him, Alec Soth is capturing the attention of galleries, critics and peers. Soth's photographs were on display in the Whitney Biennial, he has a book of photographs coming out and he was nominated for the Magnum photographers collective. Marianne talks to him about his amazing year.
Aitkin Art Center
The Jaques Art Center has its grand re-opening this weekend. The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, now boasts more gallery space and classrooms. Celia Doty, a frequent student at the center, tells Marianne how the arts have changed her and how excited she is about the new space.
Sommerfest
Not only can you hear the full Minnesota Orchestra during Sommerfest, you can also experience quieter nights of chamber music. Critic William Randall Beard weighs in.
