Enfilade

After five years, I hope you’ll indulge me as I ask a small favor that has nothing to do with HECAA or the eighteenth century. A former student and now friend of mine has recently launched a blog, and I would be grateful if you have a look. Pure Judgment—related to the eighteenth century only in owing its title to Kant—reports on juried awards in a variety of cultural fields, with an emphasis on the arts. The site’s editor, Anna Hanchett, was good enough to put up with me in a handful of classes, including January term trips to Venice and London. She’s currently working as an assistant to a particularly fine bookbinder (and in this capacity does handle an enviable share of eighteenth-century material culture). –CH

Here’s the link and more information:

In contrast to the thousands of blogs built around highlighting an individual’s tastes, preferences, and recommendations, Pure Judgment reports on juried standards of excellence. Covering a wide range of cultural production—including literature, the visual arts, music, fashion, film and food—the site aims to inform readers of people whose work has been recognized by experts within a given field as outstanding. Among the award-winners recently highlighted are David Titlow (Taylor Wessing Prize), Uxua Casa Hotel (Smith Hotel Award), Richard Flanagan (Man Booker Prize), Paper Airplanes (CinefestOz Film Award), and Iris Van Herpen (Andam Prize).

While other sites report on particular areas of cultural production, Pure Judgment is exceptional for its expansive scope . . . because you shouldn’t have to know about a particular award to care about the category or the winner. Pure Judgment aims to broaden the horizon for all of us.