Artist Andy Warhol once predicted "In the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes". In the age of reality TV and social media networks, Warhol's prediction seems particularly prescient as well as provocative. What does fame mean? How has its meanings changed over time? Is fame merely a condition of celebrity status? Celebrity once meant a broad, community-based recognition of accomplishment, but we frequently hear complaints today that celebrity status is claimed without real achievements or renown. While ideas of celebrity and fame clog the blogosphere, where is the notion of genius, that is, of great intellectual ability leading to significant, original, inventive and creative contributions in the arts and sciences? The word genius comes from the ancient Roman belief that one was assigned a guardian spirit at birth that would influence one's destiny. In this scenario, ability is pre-endowed, suggesting innate natural abilities. But can these abilities also be taught and acquired?
Learning from the examples of others is arguably one of the most significant ways we acquire knowledge; moreover, in our culture, we have created institutions, such as museums and orchestras, which allow us to showcase the talents of past and current generations. The Baker-Nord Center, in this academic year, investigates the concepts of genius, celebrity and fame. Questions to be posed include are these concepts inclusive or exclusive; do these concepts have enduring value or do they only reify existing power relations; by what processes does our culture identify, understand and preserve genius, celebrity and fame; and what is the role of considering genius, celebrity and fame in education today? We intend to explore these topics through interdisciplinary inquiry, juxtaposing and comparing different cultural and artistic forms.