First Pass

5 stories from 2 sources

Arts institutions looked backward while marking cultural change

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

8:00 AMThe Guardian Art and Design

Mildred Howard on her first retrospective in a major museum: ‘My art is part of who I am as a person’

Summary

Mildred Howard is finally getting a big, full-career moment: the Oakland Museum of California is mounting the first major museum retrospective of her work, spanning 50 years. In her garage, one of her newest pieces looms 10 feet tall, a sculpture of California missionary Junipero Serra bound and blindfolded, wrapped in what she calls “Make America Great Again red.” It is part of a series where she remakes public monuments to colonizers and slaveholders and then literally restrains them.

Why it matters

A major retrospective cements Howard’s rise and spotlights an artist using sculpture to confront how history gets honored, sanitized, and displayed.

Link to Story
5:02 AMNew York Times Arts

Carter Brey, New York Philharmonic Cellist, Retires

Summary

Carter Brey is stepping down as the New York Philharmonic’s principal cellist at the end of the season. He’s held that chair for 30 years, meaning he’s been the cello sound at the center of the orchestra for an entire era.

Why it matters

This is a major changing-of-the-guard moment for a top orchestra, with big ripple effects for its sound and future identity.

Link to Story
10:36 PMNew York Times Arts

‘Death of a Salesman’ Wins the Tony for Best Revival of a Play

Summary

Broadway just handed Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” another Tony, taking Best Revival of a Play. It’s not the show’s first lap around the winner’s circle, either. This revival joins earlier wins for the same category in 1984, 1999, and 2012.

Why it matters

A repeat Tony win shows how enduring “Death of a Salesman” is, and how Broadway keeps returning to big American classics to anchor a season.

Link to Story

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

1:56 PMNew York Times Arts

‘Earth, Wind & Fire’ Review: Questlove’s Tribute to an Inspiration

Summary

Questlove is out with a new tribute that puts Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, front and center. “To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World” sketches White as more than a hitmaker, showing how his ideas about spirit, sound, and showmanship shaped the band’s whole universe. The result is a loving portrait of a leader whose influence still echoes every time that groove hits.

Why it matters

It reframes a legendary band through the mind of the person who built it, and makes the case for why that legacy still feels alive.

Link to Story
2:00 AMThe Guardian Art and Design

Paris frozen in time in May 1970 – in pictures

Summary

Paris decided in 1970 to make a full-on photo time capsule of the city as big redevelopment plans were kicking off. Officials split the map into 1,755 squares and sent photographers out to document every last block during May, producing an eye-watering 91,655 images. A selection is now on view at the Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris through 7 October 2026.

Why it matters

These photos turn urban change into something you can actually see, block by block, before and after the wrecking balls and rebuilds.

Link to Story

Make it yours

Build Your First Pass.

Pick your topics, set your cadence, and receive your personalized First Pass in your inbox. It’s that simple!