Category: visual

“The Arab spring has brought regime change, but also a whole new dimension of social freedoms – and one aspect of that is the spread of graffiti. But are Arab graffiti a form of art or an act of vandalism?”

“If we move too close to a painting, we can be sure of hearing the warning admonition of the museum guard, an automated alarm, or the complaints of other visitors whose view we are blocking. Such wariness cannot help but limit our ability to fully engage with the art.”

Sean O’Hagen slammed last year’s Taylor Wessing prize photographs, and the judges who picked them. This year, as a judge, he’s walking it all back.

“Dozens of anonymous online comments … included suggestions that Evenden and other senior Glenbow management earn too much money, don’t have much of a game plan for erasing the museum’s deficit and are too busy arranging a pricey trip to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg on the museum dime for potential donors than in erasing the museum’s deficit.”

Maybe – but “discovering forsaken masterpieces at out-of-the way flea markets is a time-tested ruse among art forgers.”

After a summer of controversy, board resignations, and an attempt to recreate unity among remaining board members, MOCA has canceled its usual fall gala (but may reschedule it at some point).

“Faced with a diminished role in the listed-building consent process, there are fears that planning departments will choose to divert funds away from conservation completely.”

“The hunt for King Richard III’s grave is heating up, with archaeologists announcing today (Sept. 5) that they have located the church where the king was buried in 1485.” Greyfriars Abbey church in Leicester, recorded as the site of Richard’s grave, was destroyed during the Reformation and its location had been lost.

“The sales will take several years to complete and are expected to garner about $100 million, increasing the foundation’s endowment, from which it makes grants to nonprofit arts organizations.”

“Lee Kyu Hak has reinterpreted the Dutch painter’s iconic works by wrapping bits of newspaper and magazines around pieces of Styrofoam to create stunning mixed-media mosaics for a collection he calls ‘The Monumental Series’.”