Visual Art and the Urban Evolution of the New South recounts the enormous influence of artists in the evolution of six southern citiesmdash;Atlanta; Charleston; New Orleans; Louisville; Austin; and Miamimdash;from 1865 to 1950. In the decades following the Civil War; painters; sculptors; photographers; and illustrators in these municipalities employed their talents to articulate concepts of the New South; aestheticism; and Gilded Age opulence and to construct a visual culture far beyond providing pretty pictures in public buildings and statues in city squares.As Deborah C. Pollack investigates New South proponents such as Henry W. Grady of Atlanta and other regional leaders; she identifies ldquo;cultural striversrdquo;mdash;philanthropists; womenrsquo;s organizations; entrepreneurs; writers; architects; politicians; and dreamersmdash;who united with visual artists to champion the arts both as a means of cultural preservation and as mechanisms of civic progress. Aestheticism; made popular by Oscar Wildersquo;s southern tours during the Gilded Age; was another driving force in art creation and urban improvement. Specific art works occasionally precipitated controversy and incited public anger; yet for the most part artists of all kinds were recognized as providing inspirational incentives for self-improvement; civic enhancement and tourism; art appreciation; and personal fulfillment through the love of beauty.Each of the six New South cities entered the late nineteenth century with fractured artistic heritages. Charleston and Atlanta had to recover from wartime devastation. The infrastructures of New Orleans and Louisville were barely damaged by war; but their social underpinnings were shattered by the end of slavery and postwar economic depression. Austin was not vitalized until after the Civil War and Miami was a postndash;Civil War creation. Pollack surveys these New South cities with an eye to understanding how each locale shaped its artistic and aesthetic self-perception across a spectrum of economic; political; gender; and race issues. She also discusses Lost Cause imagery; present in all the studied municipalitiesWhile many art history volumes concerning the South focus on sultry landscapes outside the urban grid; Visual Art and the Urban Evolution of the New South explores the art belonging to its cities; whether exhibited in its museums; expositions; and galleries; or reflective of its parks; plazas; marketplaces; industrial areas; gardens; and universities. It also identifies and celebrates the creative urban humanity who shaped the cultural; social; and; at times; architectural framework for the modern southern city.
#491883 in eBooks 2014-04-01 2014-04-01File Name: B00J90EPNU
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Serious FunBy Carol HamerSince its opening; the Book of Mormon musical has surrounded by controversy over its degree of vulgarity; its treatment of Mormons; and various other issues. It has also been tremendously popular in the US and abroad; notably sweeping the Tony Awards. Its natural to ask whether its just fluff appealing to the lowest common denominator or whether theres some substance there -- and if theres substance; lets tease it out and have a look.Welker and Shaws book does just that. Theyve collected a remarkable set of original essays by various authors analyzing every facet of the play including its treatment of Mormon culture and beliefs; its treatment of Africans and women; its messages about faith in general; its use of bawdy humor; its illustration of Joseph Smiths techniques and trajectory through the character of Elder Cunningham; and many other points.Even for those of us who have been following the online discussion of this musical; there are plenty of fascinating new ideas in this collection. In the discussions Ive read online; the consensus has generally been that the errors in the portrayal of Mormonism are small and superficial; especially compared with the deeper cultural themes the play got right. Some essays in this book expand upon that point; but I think the book really shines when the authors go beyond the obvious question of "Is it fair to Mormons?" and start to tackle its treatment of other groups. Heres a taste:"As Max Perry Mueller writes in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin; ldquo;Say what you will about the accuracy of the lsquo;Africansrsquo; depicted in The Lion King musical; at least lsquo;Hakuna Matatarsquo; actually means something in Swahili.rdquo; ldquo;Hasa Diga Eebowairdquo; is akin to a modern Broadway musical; set (for example) in China; including a number entitled ldquo;Ching Chong Bing Bongrdquo;mdash;-an unthinkable occurrence. Yet; because this is Africa; this cultural appropriation receives a pass from its predominantly white audience."and:"More shocking and upsetting still was seeing Nabulungi reduced to an accessorymdash;not someone who assists in accomplishing an action; like an accessory to a crime; but in the sense of being an object that completes an outfit. Nabulungi does something thatrsquo;s a punch line in ldquo;You and Me (But Mostly Me)rdquo;: she literally stands next to [Elder Cunningham] and watches."One of the running jokes in the musical is the white Mormon missionaries ignorance about Africa -- yet ironically the musical itself is just as ignorantly Eurocentric; treating Africa and Africans as cardboard cut-outs whose real-life counterparts are irrelevant and uninteresting to the (white) audience. As much as I want to love this play for how well it nailed so many aspects of Mormon culture that I remember from my Mormon upbringing; I cant overlook its blind spots and treat them as minor issues. Im glad to see that this book gives those questionable points some serious scrutiny.Id like to thank the editors and authors of this book for their insights. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys textual analysis and has an interest in the musical.[disclosure note: I am listed in the acknowledgements of this book for having provided some feedback on one of the essays.]2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The editors; Holly Welker and Marc Edward Snow; ...By KevinBThe editors; Holly Welker and Marc Edward Snow; have created an ensemble of eleven cogent voices; inviting the reader to participate in continued story-telling; myth-making; and analysis of Broadwayrsquo;s The Book of Mormon. These eleven scholarly voices offer very different observations on what Parker/Stone/Lopez may have gotten right; may have gotten wrong; and why. The medley asks us to renegotiate; re-enchant; and re-envision metaphor and possibility. Itrsquo;s a tango dance with both the sacred and profane. For me; Welker; Sirvent and Baker blasted solo home runs. Jenn Ashworth; a walk-off grand slam.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. ldquo;Singing and Dancing to The Book of Mormonrdquo; is fantastic read; not just for those who have seen ...By Ellenldquo;Singing and Dancing to The Book of Mormonrdquo; is fantastic read; not just for those who have seen the ldquo;The Book of Mormon;rdquo; but also for any lover of literature and Broadway musicals. Together with many excellent scholars; editors Marc Edward Shaw and Holly Welker went above and beyond to create a rich and diverse perspective on the musical. I enjoyed reading the new interpretations of the musical; the brilliant analysis of race; class; gender; and culture; and of course; a very sharp and insightful look into Mormonism. The essays challenge the reader to look at the ldquo;The Book of Mormonrdquo; in a different light; and ask the reader to question taken-for-granted assumptions about storytelling. Re-listening to the soundtrack of The Book of Mormon has been fascinating with the critiques and commentary the authors provide.
