The Uffizi in Florence was never shy about saying what happened to the painting Vase of Flowers by Dutch master Jan van Huysum, but soon it won’t need that “STOLEN!” label on a reproduction on the wall. – BBC
Author: ArtsJournal2
This Library Is Bound For Freedom
Well, of course it’s free – it’s a library! – but more than that, “The Free Black Women’s Library, a mobile pop-up library and community for black women, is creating spaces [across Los Angeles]. A movement that was first sparked in New York, the library hopes to cultivate an appreciation for black female writers but also a safe space for communities of color.” – Los Angeles Times
If This Art Was In Defiantly Bad Taste In 1852, What Is It Now?
Well … it’s an important piece of cultural history. “This provocative show about domestic tastes was a landmark in changing national attitudes – and especially the section of it the newspapers dubbed the ‘chamber of horrors.’” – The Observer (UK)
Barbara Hunt McLanahan, Champion Of Diversity In The Arts Organizations She Ran, Has Died At 55
She was most recently the executive director of the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan, but “that was just the latest stop in a career that included leading Visual AIDS, an organization that uses art to encourage dialogue about AIDS and supports H.I.V.-positive artists, and the nonprofit Manhattan gallery and arts organization Artists Space. She also curated exhibitions and served on the boards of arts organizations.” – The New York Times
Is The Novel Dead?
Nah, say UK booksellers, who reported a drop in fiction-buyers last year – but who expect a couple of new books to drive strong sales soon. – The Guardian (UK)
Race To The Bottom
What a so-called “private” Sotheby’s would really mean for the art world, and for art. – Lee Rosenbaum
What It Looks Like To Make A Book By Hand [VIDEO]
In this short video of a bookbinding house in England, “from folding pages to sewing and gluing paper to the leather spine, skilful human hands are front and centre throughout.” – Aeon Magazine
AMC Theatres Says It Wants To Make Sure Franchises Don’t Entirely Consume The Theatre Experience
Yes, yes, AMC has done plenty of gobbling of arts theatres, or so say the (former) owners of those theatres, but now they’re concerned about the films. Well, not just now: “This is not the first time AMC has sought to showcase its indie film bona fides, however. The company in 2010 launched something called AMC Independent in an effort to dedicate more screens to arty movies. That followed a similar 2006 initiative, AMC Select.” – Los Angeles Times
What – And Who – Inspires Scottish Novelist Ali Smith?
Toni Morrison, of course, and Helen Oyeyemi, and books that make her laugh, and The Beatles. Also, Smith on how useless it is to try to rate books or authors. – The Guardian (UK)
Living In A Gaudi-Designed Apartment Building Means Having A Million Guests Every Year
And trying to avoid them all: “Intrepid visitors have sometimes overstepped the boundaries, forcing Ms. Viladomiu to add a barrier outside her apartment, to keep tourists at bay.” – The New York Times