Category: visual

“Neon is the gas that has happily leant itself to the most ignoble uses,” writes Peter Conrad of the century-old gas. “Neon plays nasty games with us: it goads us to misbehave, then utters this kind of thunderous reproach.”

In Iceland’s new concert hall, “the big glass wall is active and interactive, made up of the movements of people inside and outside the building, who then take more notice of one another. It is this that sets Harpa, which is in fact a glass box with wonky angles, apart from many other examples of the genre.”

“The stereotype of a lonely grandmother in a pink cardigan who only plays canasta is outdated. Today’s aging population came of age in a different time — they grew up with the Rolling Stones and some are ex-hippies.”

The thefts, “as many as 30 so far this year, have been reported in museums, galleries, antiques dealerships, auction houses and homes across Europe as criminals try to feed a growing demand in China and other Asian countries, where medicine made from ground rhino horns is believed to act as an aphrodisiac and to cure cancer and other diseases.”

“Experience shows that there is a serious danger of destruction during times of social upheaval. It has taught us to look out for looting by unscrupulous individuals, that often damages the integrity of artefacts and of archaeological sites.”

“The museum has defaulted on its construction bonds, moved into its old, smaller space near Lincoln Center and is talking of dissolving and transferring its collections to another institution. … [The] museum’s descent into financial trouble is a parable about how poor decisions and unfortunate timing can undermine even the most noble of ambitious undertakings.”

Federal budget cuts forced the closure of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Save America’s Treasures (SAT) office in July. SAT had provided more than $315m in funding for historic preservation since 1999.

This figure has doubled from around $3bn a decade ago, according to former federal agent Robert Wittman. “Art crime is on the rise because it is basically an economic crime. Art is one of the safe havens at this point, as far as assets are concerned, and criminals are not immune to seeing that in the papers and seeing the rise in auction prices.”

“The Castle, the oldest building on the National Mall, will remain closed to visitors and staff. It contains an information center, a cafe and administrative offices. Five decorative turrets on the Castle were heavily damaged, according to the Smithsonian.”

“Douglas Druick, a 26-year veteran of the Art Institute of Chicago, was named its director this morning following an early morning meeting of its board of directors. Druick had been the museum’s interim director since July 1 following the unexpected resignation of James Cuno, who left the Art Institute to head the J. Paul Getty Trust.”