It’s been ten years since Denver’s new airport opened and along with it some very ambitious public art. A decade later it’s instructive to see what art has succeeded and why. “Some remain popular favorites. Some that were delayed have turned out to be hits. Some do not work, or show damage from construction mishaps more than a decade ago, or are difficult to see.”
Blog
Da Vinci Code Movie Puts Vatican On Edge
The Da Vinci Code has sold more than 25 million copies. Perhaps that’s one reason the Vatican has lashed out at the book. And now that production has started on the Tom Hanks movie, the Vatican’s mood is even darker…
A “Non-Offensive” Da Vinci Code
How to make a blockbuster movie hit out of Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and not offend Catholics? “Controlling that controversy will be the key for Columbia in protecting its investment. That’s why its team of PR experts are sending the message that it will be an enjoyable “popcorn” fiction. The filmmakers are distancing themselves from Dan Brown’s much-vaunted “research” into a private sect that has supposedly kept a 2,000-year-old secret that would undermine traditional Christianity.”
Hyping Harry – We’re In Full Swing
Hype for the launch of the much anticipated next installment of Harry Potter is cranking up. “Bookshops have been equipped with 16-day “count-down clocks”, modelled on the Weasleys’ clock in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in the lead-up to the worldwide launch on 16 July. The main event will be a reading by JK Rowling at Edinburgh Castle, to be broadcast on ITV1. It is understood there are plans to project an image of Rowling on to the castle rock.”
Death Throes For The Videocassette
Media retailer HMV has announced it’s ending sales of VHS tapes in its stores. “VHS videos, which accounted for 6 per cent of the retailer’s turnover a year ago, now make up only 2 per cent of its sales as consumers throw away their old video recorders in favour of the newer technology.”
Rewrite! Mr. DeNiro Doesn’t Like His Line!
You’re a big star and you don’t like the line you’ve been asked to say in a movie. What do you do? Call in your own “personal writer”. More and more stars are working with their own writers on the set. “While these kind of personal writers may be well-known inside Hollywood, they often toil in public obscurity. Don’t shed any tears, though. Even without screen credit, top rewrite artists can bank more than $250,000 a week for script revisions and frequently can stay on a movie for months at a time.”
How The Internet Is Democratizing Art
“Entertainment conglomerates and arts-grant bureaucrats still hold the strings to attractively fat purses. But their power is being tempered by the reach of the Internet and the resourcefulness of creative minds paired with cheap, versatile tools.”
Suing To Get Stolen Art Returned (It’s Problematic)
Armed with a new US Supreme Court precedent, Americans are taking on foreign governments to “force the return of artwork. But the plaintiffs face big obstacles, ranging from resistant museums and murky ownership records to less-than-sympathetic European law. And then there’s the matter of enforcement: if you win a lawsuit against Austria or the city of Amsterdam – both defendants in current cases – how do you collect?”
The Man Who Bought An Orchestra
When the founder of the Queensland Pops Orchestra in Australia died last year, the orchestra was put up for sale. Barrie Gott bought it. “What Mr Gott gets for his money includes a substantial library of scores, about 650 titles, access to the core of professional musicians who come together for each Pops concert, and the mailing list of avid listeners known as Friends of the Pops.”
What’s Wrong With The MFA’s Art Rental Program
For a second time, Boston’s Museum of Fine Art has “rented” some of its artwork to a casino gallery in Las Vegas. Why should anyone care? “The MFA’s rental deals are wrong for lots of ethical and moral reasons,” writes Tyler Green…