ARTS IN REVIEW
Neither the economy nor the impending flu epidemic cast their gloomy shadows over the 2012 arts scene, especially in the Boston area. MIT established the Center for Art, Science & Technology and awarded the Eugene McDermott Award to multidisciplinary artist Robert Lepage, who is now an MIT artist in residence and will use the $80,000 prize to further his work in nearly every form of theater craft.
On the other side of the river, The Boston Ballet re-vamped their Nutcracker with all new costumes, sets, and choreography. Legendary Georgetown Cupcake opened on Newbury Street, taking the city’s cupcake-craze a little further. PSY’s Gangnam Style music video released last summer now has the most views in YouTube history. The 2012 Burning Man festival had more interest that ever; over 120,00 tickets were requested, versus the 40,000 that were available. The top-rated films of the year were mostly melancholy or historical (Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty, etc.), while the top-grossing films were mostly family-friendly hits featuring superheroes (The Avengers, Batman, Spiderman, Hunger Games, etc.). The Tech shares it’s favorite moments in art from the year.
—Grace Young