The battle between a Chicago architecture critic and developer Donald Trump over a giant advertising kiosk promoting Trump’s ostentatious new high rise is continuing, even after Trump supposedly agreed to make changes. “With help from the ever-compliant City Council, the New York developer was able to plant his kiosk a block east of his Wabash Avenue property and on Chicago’s prime shopping boulevard. He then turned the kiosk from a sign that was supposed to point to the riverwalk along his tower into an advertisement masquerading as a public service.”
Tag: 11.09.06
And It’s Not Like “Wang” Was Such A Great Name, Anyway
“Looking to become a major player in the Boston market quickly, New York-based Citigroup has purchased the naming rights to the Wang Center for the Performing Arts for about $34 million… Citigroup will pay the Wang over 15 years, a dramatic infusion of money for the once-booming nonprofit arts presenter, which has struggled to balance its budget — and fill seats — in recent years.”
Not About The Money, Obviously
Teri Horton, who lives in a mobile home and gets by on Social Security, isn’t exactly your typical high-end art collector. But ever since she was told that the painting she bought for $5 at a thrift store might just be an Jackson Pollock, Horton has given over her life to a tireless quest to prove the painting’s authenticity. How driven is she? Well, she recently turned down a $9 million offer for the work.
Better Late Than Never
“After an on-and-off restitution battle lasting six decades, the Austrian Culture Ministry agreed on Wednesday to return a painting by Edvard Munch, Summer Night on the Beach, to Marina Mahler. She is the granddaughter of the composer Gustav Mahler and his wife, Alma, who originally owned the oil.”
Christie’s Finally Pulls Nazi-Linked Painting, But To What End?
In withdrawing a Nazi-linked Picasso from tonight’s art auction, Christie’s is acknowledging the difficult status of the painting’s ownership history. But the auction house is hardly conceding defeat: Christie’s may yet seek damages from the man who has been claiming rightful ownership of the painting in court.
Indian State To Pay Homeless To Perform
Officials in the Indian state of Bihar ” want to train many of the estimated 100,000 homeless in the state to put on street plays about AIDS and to sing songs about it in trains and buses and on the sides of busy roads.”
Italy Frustrated Over Getty Talks
Italian officials say talks with the Getty Museum over return of art Italians say is stolen have been disappointing. “I don’t think they understand the gravity of the situation. You have a major museum, and it is exhibiting dozens of stolen artifacts.”
The Half-Billion-Dollar Art Sale
The evening’s total, $491.4 million, was well over $200 million more than that for any previous auction, topping its high estimate of $427.8 million. (The previous record was $269 million at Christie’s in May 1990.) Of the 84 lots up for sale last night, only 6 failed to sell. ‘Not only did so much money change hands, but this sale it going to change the whole landscape when it comes to prices for postwar art’.”