“Of the roughly 150 people who attended the talk, most seemed sympathetic to the National Portrait Gallery’s position, having taken on a potentially controversial show and then had to endure the wrath of both conservative and liberal critics. A few people, however, sharply criticized the decision to remove the artwork.”
Tag: 12.16.10
A New Stock Market For Art In Paris
“Based on a stock market model, Art Exchange will offer collectors the chance jointly to own works of art with shares available from between €10 and €100.”
Istanbul’s Capital Of Culture Year – Why So Underwhelming?
“Declaring a millennia-old city that had been a capital of both Christian and Islamic empires as a European Capital of Culture (Ecoc) is akin to calling Venice a place with good water features or commending Paris for its decent museums. So why, as its tenure draws to a close, has the city’s year seemed so much less than it might have been.”
Europe Rules Dan Flavin, Bill Viola Work Is “Not Art”
“In an astonishing move, the European ComÂmisÂsion (EC) has reversed a decision made in a UK tax tribunal, and refused to classify works by Dan Flavin and Bill Viola as “art”. This means that UK galleries and auction houses will have to pay full VAT (value added tax, which goes up to 20% next year) and customs dues on video and light works, when they are imported from outside the EU.”
Want To Know If Someone’s Lying? It’s In The Brain
“A neural circuit has been identified that allows people to predict whether someone is going to lie to them. The finding could help to explain why some people become paranoid.”
Silence Is Golden (The Viral John Cage)
“Silence is being hailed as the solution. John Cage’s 1952 silent piece, “4’33”,” is the theme song. The Brits are calling it “Cage Against the Machine,” and the movement for a silent night this Christmas, or Cagemas, has gone viral. In London, Cage’s picture is showing up on fake million-pound notes and the slogan is on posters with clenched fists and Che Guevara’s image.”
Stephen V. Stephen – Sondheim V. Colbert…
“The rapid-fire irony of Colbert’s show has been known to stymie many a guest, but the 80-year-old Sondheim proved a worthy foil for the comedian’s tongue-in-cheek pomposity.”
Why Does The Press Pay Any Attention To The Golden Globes?
“The Globes are sort of the Hollywood equivalent of the New Hampshire presidential primary, which inspires a tsunami of media coverage, even though as a small state its voters represent a tiny fraction of the overall presidential voting public.”
Riccardo Muti Talks About His Health And Leaving Chicago
“I feel very well. I’m not a sick man. My doctors told me the machine was perfect, it was just low on gas (laughs). The reason I had to leave Chicago when I did was that the car wouldn’t move. I did not stop as a result of the work I did in Chicago. I stopped because I was exhausted from working practically nonstop two to three years before coming to Chicago.”
Museums Around The US To Show Wojnarowicz Video That Smithsonian Removed
“The ICA and other museums around the country, which have responded to the decision by displaying Wojnarowicz’s work in their galleries, have done the public a much bigger service. They have made it easier for us to make up our own minds.”