Philippe Starck is to front a new BBC2 series in which he will attempt to discover the next generation of British design talent.
Tag: 06.24.08
Needed: Better Laws To Combat Art Forgery
“An art industry forum in Melbourne yesterday heard stories of some commercial galleries, dealers and auction houses attempting to pass off questionable paintings as authentic.” Solutions? “Uniform national legislation, an art-crime register, education about fraud for artists and collectors, and industry guidelines.”
Nelson-Atkins Museum Sees Attendance Upgrade With New Building
“Almost half a million people visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art since the opening of the new Bloch Building a year ago. But the museum’s attendance figures–465,000 visitors between June 1, 2007 and June 1, 2008–falls 185,000 short of its goal of 650,000 visitors.”
Chicago Public Library Gets A Tech Upgrade
“Library patrons can now renew and reserve books from their home computers and download audio books and digital music, thanks to an $11 million technology expansion almost entirely paid for by largesse generated by the Chicago Skyway lease.”
Iowa Museum Cleans Up After The Floods
Now the meticulous work of cleaning and restoring begins…
A Spike In CD Sales
CD sales are down 10 percent this year. But finally some (temporary) good news. In the past two weeks, it’s been like the old days, with a couple of mega-seller albums…
Star Charts Date Odysseus’ Adventures
Using clues from star and sun positions mentioned by the ancient Greek poet Homer, scholars think they have determined the date when King Odysseus returned from the Trojan War and slaughtered a group of suitors who had been pressing his wife to marry one of them.
Arts Council England’s “Damaged Brand”
Arts Council England “has haemorrhaged talent in the last few years. It now has a staff lacking in confidence, working for an organisation whose own chief executive recognises as a “damaged” brand. Not surprisingly the Arts Council is facing difficulty recruiting new high-calibre staff. Only a genuine change of culture will enable the kind of two-way exchange of talent and expertise between the Arts Council and the theatre sector that is needed if damaged relationships are to be repaired and aspirations and ambitions fulfilled.”
Monet Sells For Record 40 Million Pounds
Monet’s 6-foot, 7-inch-wide canvas, “Le Bassin aux Nympheas,” dating from 1919, had been expected to sell for between 18 million pounds and 24 million pounds, said Christie’s. The auction house said the seller had been guaranteed an unspecified minimum price.
Philadelphia Museum Names Interim Director
The Philadelphia Museum of Art appointed chief operating officer Gail Harrity to serve as interim chief executive officer until a permanent successor is found for director Anne d’Harnoncourt, who died on June 1.