Category: visual

Forty-one artists are involved in this latest Australian iteration, including Georgia Hill, Tom Gerrard, Sarah McCloskey, Ghostpatrol, Callum Preston and E.L.K, as well as anonymous artists.In one poster, a Caramello Koala has burst and is melting above the words “Save an Aussie icon”. In another, Blinky Bill runs from an encroaching wall of flames. The collective launched three weeks prior to the posters going up, via a group chat of artists on Instagram. They were dismayed at what they saw as biased bushfire coverage and at the misinformation being shared by some media – particularly the Murdoch-owned press. – The Guardian

Only 15 paintings are attributed to Leonardo. He lived off and on in Florence but for long periods was cosseted by potentates such as the Duke of Milan and the French King Francis I who considered him their pet genius. He took forever to finish paintings, if he finished them at all. He was born out of wedlock, his father a small-town lawyer and his mother a peasant. He had little formal education. When he tried to steal papal work from the young Raphael and Michelangelo, he failed. By 1510 in Rome, however esteemed Leonardo was, they were more fashionable, and reliable. Why, then, is Leonardo the genius for all seasons, the original Renaissance man? – National Review

The CAFA Art Museum (CAFAM) in Beijing announced its decision to suspend the inaugural edition of its CAFAM Techne Triennial, an ambitious exhibition of media art scheduled to open on February 20. More than 130 artists and collectives planned to exhibit their work in the museum’s 5,000-square-meter space, including Alex Da Corte, Wang Gongxin, Hito Steyerl, Tauba Auerbach, Zhang Peili, and Hans Haacke. – Hyperallergic

London’s thoroughfare is a tidal river, and when the river retreats, the mudlarks emerge. These mudlarks are people, and they find cool things: “A gold ornament from the 16th century, ancient Roman coins, shards of medieval pottery, prehistoric flint – these are just some of the thousands of historical treasures … Lara Maiklem has found searching the banks of London’s River Thames.” – NPR

The city might not be so walkable, but for a concrete savannah laid out and built within four years, Brasília is holding up pretty darn well. “I worried before I visited Brasília that the huge expanses of space between the buildings would mean that it could be a little sterile, lacking in atmosphere, yet it’s an incredibly welcoming and open city.” (Architecturally, at least.) – The Observer (UK)

The 19-year-old leapt to his death around 6 pm on Saturday, with hundreds of tourists near him. “On Sunday, dozens of visitors waited in line to enter the sculpture. No areas appeared to be restricted, and a security guard was not aware of any extra security measures but said guards were trained to look out for possible suicides.” – The New York Times

Rowan Moore spares no words in this scathing overview of Tory-approved developments – and finds the Tory architectural guru, the late philosopher Roger Scruton, useless on this count. “Beauty, in other words, is more than skin-deep. It is ugly to cut affordable housing, to force people into their cars if they want to go out for something to eat, to put people into dank boxes, no matter what their architectural style.” (Don’t miss the line about the publisher of Asian Babes and Horny Housewives.) – The Observer (UK)

It’s not an easy line to walk, and there’s a question of how far back they should go to “restore” the original work. Now, some conservation studios are also starting to work with contemporary artists, especially those who work in materials that can, er, “morph” over time, so that the art remains in good shape for centuries. – The Observer (UK)

The pledge raises the total commitments to $640 million. The $50 million from Keck is the second-largest private pledge to the project, after a $150 million pledge from entertainment mogul David Geffen in 2017. Casino and hotel magnate Elaine Wynn, co-chair of LACMA’s board of trustees, in 2016 also pledged $50 million. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has authorized $125 million in taxpayer funds for construction of the new building. – Los Angeles Times