— posts web list of seven European paintings whose provenance, or history of ownership, may implicate them in the widespread looting of art in Europe during the Nazi era. – Boston Globe
MFA acknowledges that “there are gaps in the ownership history of at least 200 other works in its European collection and that some of these artworks also could be cause for concern.” – Boston Herald
Some 100 of Vancouver’s most prominent visual artists and critics have signed a petition demanding the resignation of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s acting director and the the museum’s board of directors who appointed him. The petition says that “to appoint an unqualified individual with no experience directing a gallery or public institution is irresponsible and reckless.” The museum’s previous director “left in the wake of series of disagreements with the board, the most recent a clash in which he was pressured to mount a show of photographs by rock star Bryan Adams.” – The Globe and Mail (Canada)
“I’m very bothered by the conflict of interest of having a board member take over as director of the gallery.” – CBC
Russian heirs of the pioneering abstract artist Kasimir Malevich (1878-1935) have decided to sell a painting estimated to be worth £13 million at Phillips, the London auction house which has long stood in the shadow of Christie’s and Sotheby’s. – ArtNewsroom.com
Sounds like the intro to a joke, but it’s actually the lineup for the upcoming Great Jubilee Concert for a Debt-Free World at the Rome University. – Times of India (Variety)
Earlier this year the Federal Communications Commission voted to allow low-powered radio stations. Last week National Public Radio, “the mighty non-profit corporation which counts more than 600 member stations nationwide and is heard by 14 million listeners each week,” publicly supported efforts to gut the ruling. Why? “NPR is willing to give lip service to low-power radio and supports its goals of diversity on the airwaves. But behind the scenes NPR’s been incredibly destructive,” charge critics. – Salon
“Distance learning” is all the rage in academia these days as universities rush to get online. But does anyone remember that a century ago correspondence courses were a very lucrative business? And that their history is rather less than glorious? – Le Monde Diplomatique
The cultural capital of Europe in the 18th Century? Paris? Nope – at least that’s the premise of a new blockbuster exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum. “Rome is where all the artistic sparks were going on. It was like Paris in the 19th century and New York in the late 20th century.” – New York Times
It’s not just practice, unfortunately. “A good education helps, but it comes with no guarantees. Winning a contest or two is useful, but doing so demands nerves of steel, bravado and more than a little bit of luck. The biggest problem for a would-be Rubinstein or Horowitz or Cliburn or Yo-Yo Ma involves identifying and achieving the breakthrough.” – MSNBC
“From now on, it will be easy for people outside the country to taste Zambian music through the advances in information technology by simply coming to the Zambia Online website (www.zambia.co.zm).” Zambians with access to the Internet shall also be able to buy the music from the website, though the music will be available in local shops. – The Post of Zambia
Richard Smith was one of the inventors of pop art in the ’50s. In the ’60s he caused a stir in London art circles with his huge, advert-inspired canvases. In the ’70s he was selling paintings as fast as he could make them. Then he simply disappeared. What happened? And what does his story tell us about the nature of fame in art? – The Guardian
