Over the weekend they pulled off their heist at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. “Employing low-tech cunning against the hi-tech security features of a heavily protected modern gallery, the cat burglars thwarted CCTV cameras, alarms, motion sensors and 24-hour security guards by simply leaning a ladder against the back of the museum, climbing in through the roof and taking what they wanted.”
Blog
For The Good Of The World – We’re Keeping The Art
Directors of 18 major museums from around the world have signed a declaration that their institutions act as “universal museums” for the good of the world, and therefore they will not hand back ancient artifacts to their countries of origin. “The universal admiration for ancient civilisations would not be so deeply established today were it not for the influence exercised by the artefacts of these cultures, widely available to an international public in major museums.”
The Secret Bestsellers
Yes there’s the prestigious New York Times Bestseller List. And the names that appear on it are generally known to one and all. But talk to the people who are actually in the bookstores selling books, and you hear about an entirely different list… Are these the “real” bestellers?
Canada’s New “Turner” Prize?
The new $50,000 prize for a young Canadian contemporary artist is meant to draw attention. “The Sobey Art Award is the new Turner Prize, the Giller of the visual art world. With only one award behind it so far, it’s not as prestigious as either yet, but give it time. It’s rich, it’s backed by a bona fide collector of fine Canadian art and it’s truly national in scope.”
Chicago Buildings In Peril
Chicago – land of historically-significant skyscrapers – has a plan to preserve important buildings. Only one problem – the department that’s supposed to protect the buildings is so laughably understaffed, the system is unworkable. That’s how embarrassing mistakes are made…
More On Baz’s Boheme
“Given his bad-boy reputation and hipness quotient, one might expect Baz Luhrmann’s late 1950s-set “La Boheme” to, in effect, go nuts. It doesn’t. Based on his 1990 Australian Opera production, it’s a surprisingly straightforward, generously entertaining, ravishingly designed accomplishment. Few will find it truly moving.”
All In The Casting
“To assist with the overhaul, Baz casts luscious twentysomethings in the four romantic leads, bringing cheer to those of us who feel that attractive people have always been an oppressed and ignored minority in the performing arts.”
Somewhere Between Pop And…
“Luhrmann maintains his exotic persona by keeping the Italian original and using slangy, conversational, occasionally silly hep-cat-man supertitles, undertitles and side titles with contrasting type fonts – including script for romantic arias and even a “KA-POW” in the struggling-artist horseplay – as part of the multitasking collage sensibility. This can be amusing. It can also be self-conscious.”
A Treat As A Musical
“The total result is a very special and very appealing style somewhere between romance and chic, that actually is new on Broadway.”
Rejoicing In Live Theatre
“Whether you queue up for the cheap seats or splurge on the more expensive ones, Luhrmann’s paean to love and death is worth experiencing at least once.”