living national treasures

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In Japan, artists and craft artists (if you want to make the distinction) can be officially designated Living National Treasures. I'm not sure what it achieves, but I rather like it. I'm guessing there wouldn't be too much argument here about so designating say James Brown or Mark E. Smith or Robert Rauschenberg or Bridget Riley or Bob Dylan or Aretha Franklin or... well, who would you want to nominate for this who isn't a totally obvious gimme?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 7 January 2006 14:00 (twenty years ago)

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/07/international/europe/07hoffman.html
(for Switzerland)

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Saturday, 7 January 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

For the US, Dominic DiMarco of DiFara's Pizza in Midwood.

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Saturday, 7 January 2006 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Ray Harryhausen

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Saturday, 7 January 2006 14:34 (twenty years ago)

img src="http://static.flickr.com/1/471898_7172bd20d6_m.jpg"

― tokyo nursery school: afternoon session (rosemary), Saturday, 7 January 2006 14:43 (twenty years ago)

Admit it, the only person who would have some sort of title like this given to them in America is Maya Angelou...

― Jimmy Mod (I myself am lethal at 100 -110dB) (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Beth Parker.

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:43 (twenty years ago)

Tabloid newspapers in the UK usually bestow titles like this on people like Barbara Windsor and Bruce Forsyth. I'd much prefer it were people like Mark E Smith though.

My suggestion = Shane McGowan.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:45 (twenty years ago)

?P?ca, the Kennedy Center Honors essentially fulfill this role with respect to the performing arts (only). the honorees are selected by the Kennedy Center board, itself appointed in part by the President and in part by act of Congress. they are occasionally but increasingly middlebrow.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:49 (twenty years ago)

I've seen Alan Bennett described in these terms.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:50 (twenty years ago)

er, "?P?ca" was supposed to be "in America" - ???

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:51 (twenty years ago)

David Attenborough.

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

Good shout, Markelby.

Patrick Moore. Michael Palin.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:59 (twenty years ago)

In general, does this have an effect on the artist's work, Martin? I know it's received knowledge that no-one has ever written a good book after recieving the Nobel Prize for Literature.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:06 (twenty years ago)

Maya Angelou

...due to the nationwide popularity of Touched by an Angelou reruns on the Hallmark Channel.

― Aimless (Aimless), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:11 (twenty years ago)

Bruce Dickinson!

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:15 (twenty years ago)

oh nytimes why you hate fact checking?

his bright eyes flash with the recollection of a mystical experience he had on a forest path more than 90 years ago in the hills above Baden, Switzerland.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:37 (twenty years ago)

oh, oops, i thought they were talking about lsd day my bad

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:37 (twenty years ago)

Vin Scully

― Stuh-du-du-du-du-du-du-denka (jingleberries), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:54 (twenty years ago)

I've not seen any suggestion that it mars the artists' work. I would think with the Nobel, it might be that they only hand them out when people are past it and on their last legs. I think it started there from a desire to preserve traditional craft skills in a changing society, in the face of westernisation, changing economic patterns and so on, so it was much more about exceptional or rare craft than being a popular entertainer or more conventional artistic acclaim.

I am watching the Day Today, so would firmly nominate Chris Morris.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 7 January 2006 22:01 (twenty years ago)

I had read something along these lines about Carol Thatcher a few months ago, at the peak of this "I´m-a-celebrity-blahblah" fame

― olenska (olenska), Sunday, 8 January 2006 18:33 (twenty years ago)

Chris Morris OTM. Also, Kurt Vonnegut.

― chap who would dare to work for the man (chap), Sunday, 8 January 2006 18:36 (twenty years ago)

(tangent) Hey, Saramgo did some good stuff after his nobelization!

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Sunday, 8 January 2006 21:51 (twenty years ago)

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