NICOLAS CAGE, CHINA’S “DEBT-TRAP” LENDING, + SLEEP LOSS
aRTS iNDUSTRY
The Ford and Mellon Foundations have just announced an expansion of their program that supports through grants ” disabled creative practitioners.”
Jane Kaufman – one of the fiercest feminist artists of the twentieth century – has passed away at age 83. Not only was she instrumental in advocating for including women artists in galleries and exhibits, but she was a leading member of the Pattern and Decoration artistic movement – one of the most overlooked movements of the twentieth century. Read more about the importance of the Pattern and Decoration movement as a reaction against Expressionism:
Nicolas Cage has experienced a widely varied career. We’ve been fans of his ever since we read that one of his favorite music albums is a recording of Hilary Hahn performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Mr. Cage is now appearing in a new, compelling film, Pig. Read more about his career:
Beyond the Arts
We all need a reminder that our time away from work should be just that – time away from work. This Atlantic article examines the history behind why we’re abandoning leisure time in favor of added productivity:
In the COVID age, developing nations have found themselves in greater debt than at any time in history. While the IMS is lending enormous sums to help bring these vulnerable nations back to financial solubility, China also continues its lending to such states. China’s lending practices beg the question “are loans to developing countries meant to exert political will?” Certainly that seems to be the case for China, whose “cancellation, acceleration, and stabilization clauses in Chinese contracts potentially allow the lenders to influence debtors’ domestic and foreign policies.” Some have termed China’s lending “debt-trap diplomacy.” Read about China’s lending practices and about a new study detailing how China protects itself from credit risk:
Studies continue to detail the enormous toll that sleep deprivation takes on the body. Just three consecutive nights of sleep loss can cause “great deterioration” of both physical and mental wellbeing.