“When James Bond villain Dr No displayed Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington in his lair, he launched the myth of masterpieces being ‘stolen to order’ for criminal masterminds.” But in reality, “there are limited possibilities for a thief with a famous stolen painting on his hands.”
Blog
Broad Vision – A Museum Donor Who Calls The Shots
When philanthropist Eli Broad gave the LA County Museum of Art $50 million for its building project, he also won the right to pick the project’s architect. “Relations between museums and donors get especially dicey during building campaigns, when dreams of grandeur call for creative fundraising and arm-twisting. But in a philanthropic culture that prides itself on snagging big money without ceding control, the L.A. museum’s plan is a special case. The effort to transform LACMA’s melange of buildings into an elegant unity strikes a precarious balance of power with the major donor.”
Opera Director Cleared In Mooning Charges
Brazil’s Supreme Court has dismissed obscenity charges against opera director Gerald Thomas. “After an August 2003 performance of Wagner’s “Tristan and Isolde” at Rio de Janeiro’s municipal theatre, Thomas shocked the audience and members of his cast by pulling down his pants and displaying his buttocks in response to jeers at the curtain call.”
Looking At What’s Original (And How You Decide)
This summer the Globe Theatre in London produced Shakespeare using the original olde English pronunciations. And at the Proms, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performed Wagner in period-instrument configuration. “Both were revelatory. Both pointed toward new ideas for staging Shakespeare and Wagner, and both perhaps suggested new ideas about the very nature of spoken and sung drama today.”
(Another) Banner Ad Museum
A Web designer has made her collection of 15,000 banner ad samples publicly available on her Web site. So what makes a good banner ad? (Is there such a thing?)
Scientists Challenge Hockney Theory
“In 2001, David Hockney … published his theory that great artists including Jan van Eyck and Caravaggio used lenses and simple cameras to ‘trace’ images onto canvas. But at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR) in Cambridge on Thursday, a group of leading computer experts will show that a central image that he used to prove his theory shows clear signs of human error.”
Art Of The Hotel
“Hotel art, once the mainstay of washed-out reproduced masterpieces and the butt of bad jokes, has recently acquired a bold new lease on life. Forget the Frette linens, celebrity chefs and Aveda bath products. To stay on top of the game, luxury high-end chains and boutique hotels must now provide their guests with cultural stimulation too, which is why a growing number of hoteliers in Canada and around the world are investing in serious modern-art collections to spice up their designer lobbies.”
Stolen “Scream” Wasn’t Insured
Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” was not insured, says the Munch Museum, after the painting was stolen over the weekend. “The theft has highlighted gaps in the insurance of major works around the world, with a large number not covered against being stolen, according to some of the UK’s leading art insurers. Many galleries and collectors cannot afford to pay for protection or do not think they will need it.”
Munch Museum Defends Security
The director of the Munch Museum in Norway is defending the museum’s security measures after Munch’s “The Scream” was stolen. He said “a silent alarm went off and police arrived in minutes. ‘We think of security problems all the time and work with security’.”
Bonn Opera House Fire
The Bonn Opera House has been damaged by a fire. “The blaze started in the roof, where welding works were being carried out, authorities have said. There were no reported casualties but the fire and smoke plus water from firefighters also caused considerable damage to the stage and wings.”