Norwegian police have recovered three Edvard Munch artworks stolen over the weekend from a hotel restaurant. “It seems to be a fashion among criminals to steal Munch. How professional is it to steal art? Great value, big risk and hard to sell. They would have to be very slow in the head to do it.”
Tag: 03.07.05
The World’s New Tallest Building
Taiwan is now officially home to the world’s tallest building. “The official opening of the Taipei 101 Tower in December 2004, makes it — for now — the world’s tallest building. In the 20th century, competition for this title was largely waged in Chicago and New York, but it has recently migrated to Asia.”
On The Runway At Maastricht
“What draws people to this, the world’s largest art fair, is the expectation of seeing the best the market has to offer in every collecting category from old master paintings and sculptures to antique furniture, antiquities, silver and decorative objects. This year there were no $40 million paintings by Rembrandt or $15 million sculptures by Bernini as there have been in years past. Some dealers grumbled about the scarcity of objects coming to the market; others said they didn’t bring any blockbusters, fearing that if they didn’t sell they might be overexposed and therefore less desirable. Still, there was an impressive array of about 30,000 works being offered for sale by some 200 dealers from 14 countries.”
Here Come The 9/11 Books
“After three years of near silence about the attacks of Sept. 11, the literary world has begun to grapple with the meanings and consequences of the worst terrorist attack ever to happen on American soil. A half-dozen novels that use 9/11 and its aftermath as central elements of their plot or setting, from some of the most acclaimed literary novelists and the most respected publishing houses, are being released later this year. A similar number have already made their way into bookstores in the last few months.”
Going Out For Munchies – Thieves Strike Again
Thieves have stolen three more works by Edvard Munch, this time from a hotel in Norway. “Thieves took a 1915 watercolor, “Blue Dress,” and two lithographs — a self-portrait and a portrait of Swedish playwright and novelist August Strindberg.”
The Bagpipes And The Library (A Story)
“Susan Stafford decided she needed to practice her bagpipes outside her Lake Elmo home after her veterinarian warned her the high-pitched tones could affect the hearing of her two parrots. She didn’t want to give up the birds or the instrument. But she was worried about the birds, her diabetic cat, the multitude of distractions at her house and, finally, that neighbors might complain. Bagpipes, after all, are loud. So a few weeks ago, she called City Hall in hopes that someone might suggest places she could practice without interruptions and without disrupting others…”
Is Graffiti Just Urban Noise?
“Whether it’s a simple, hastily scrawled tag on a laundromat’s exterior wall or an extravagant, “wild style” mural of cartoon figures and gigantic bubble letters sprawled across a factory facade near the freeway, spray-can and paint-stick imagery is a constant presence. At the low end of our attention meter, it teases, nettles and tingles. At the other, it blares out and demands to be consciously seen, whether in loathing, admiration, perplexity or some confounding amalgam of the three.”
UK Musicians Protest US Visa Fees
UK musicians are protesting what they claim are outrageous visa fees for visiting the US. “A singer hoping to perform in the US can expect to pay $1,300 (£680) simply for obtaining a visa. Groups including the Musicians’ Union are calling for an end to the “raw deal” faced by British performers. US acts are not faced with comparable expense and bureaucracy when visiting the UK for promotional purposes.”
Is The Museum Building Boom At An End?
It seems like every museum in America has expanded in the past few years. But is all this growing sustainable? Is it warranted? Eric Gibson: “Every business sector goes through cycles, and there’s no reason to believe museums are an exception. Instead of continuing to assume visitorship will grow indefinitely and that they should build accordingly, their officers should begin to imagine a future where demand slackens, as people find other ways to replenish themselves. It may already be here.”