“Now Google Earth has embraced a frontier dating back 17 centuries: ancient Rome under Constantine the Great. Soaring above a virtual reconstruction of the Forum and the Palatine Hill or zooming into the Colosseum to get a lion’s-eye view of the stands, Google Earth’s 400 million users will be able to explore the ancient capital as easily ‘as any city can be explored today,’ Michael T. Jones, chief technology officer of Google Earth, said Wednesday….”
Author: Laura Collins Hughes
A Bacon Goes Unsold As Art Market Shows Flickers Of Life
“In a bumpy sale of contemporary art at Christie’s on Wednesday, some paintings, drawings and sculptures were eagerly sought, but there were also big disappointments as the art market struggled to adjust to today’s financial climate. What was expected to be the star — a 1964 self-portrait by Francis Bacon that was estimated at $40 million — went unsold without so much as a bid. But other works brought prices that surprised even Christie’s executives.”
All Grown Up, Can The Kids Who Loved Kotter Save TV?
“It’s never good news to discover that your generation, broadly speaking, is in charge of things. … But it’s nice, sort of, that the people tasked with putting stuff on TV at least remember what it was like to love it, to love Bosley, to love Squiggy, to love Les Nessman, to know who Skippy and Mallory are. If you’re going to fix something, it helps to love it first.”
Sacramento A.D. Resigns Over His Support Of Prop. 8
“The artistic director of the California Musical Theater, a major nonprofit producing company here in the state’s capital, resigned on Wednesday in the face of growing outrage over his support for a ballot measure this month that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.” Scott Eckern donated $1,000 to the campaign for Proposition 8.
Cinematography, Where Oscar Honors Only Men (So Far)
“First the bad news: When it comes to Oscar nominations, cinematography rivals the best actor category in number of women honored: zero. That comes as no surprise to Women in Film president Jane Fleming, who calls the discipline ‘by far the worst’ in its male-to-female ratio.” The good news? “This year, two female d.p.s stand a good chance of bucking the trend….”
Toronto Museums Place Their Bets On Higher Attendance
“Like Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum,” the newly refurbished Art Gallery of Ontario, which reopens Friday, “has built the business plan for expanded premises around the assumption that more people will pay more money to see more art and artifacts. And, like the ROM, it remains bullish about the prospects of increased attendance and revenue from a higher ticket price despite a looming recession.”
Laramie Project Plans To Counter Protesters With Rally
“News that U.S. anti-gay campaigner Fred Phelps is encouraging followers from his Westboro Baptist Church to travel to Vancouver to protest against a production of The Laramie Project, has met with outrage. In response, a cast member of Fighting Chance Productions set up a Facebook page … and within 36 hours had 1,200 members interested in a counter-rally.”
Ward & June Would Be So Proud: Their Boy At The Louvre!
“Eat your heart out, Eddie Haskell. Tony Dow, best known as the actor who portrayed The Beav’s big brother, Wally, in the ’50s TV series ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ will have one of his abstract sculptures on display at the Louvre.”
On The Tricky Timing Of This Week’s Art Auctions
“This week, the auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s will attempt to sell works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol, along with Roy Lichtenstein and Mark Rothko.” Sarah Thornton, author of “Seven Days in the Art World,” explains who won’t be bidding in this hideous economy, as well as why owners might be hanging on to their art for emotional reasons right now.
In Seattle, New Theatre Companies Undeterred By Economy
“There are no hard statistics for how many fledgling drama groups emerge each year in the Puget Sound region. Judging from theater listings, a conservative estimate is at least a half dozen. And you can add that to more than 50 existing companies.” The treacherous financial landscape doesn’t seem to be discouraging newcomers.