Scratching Out A Living In The Art World

A new gallery has opened in Brooklyn, showcasing the artwork of one Tillamook Cheddar. Tillie’s works, which consist mainly of semi-random scratch marks and are always executed in blue, yellow, black, or red, “have drawn comparisons to such abstract artists as Jackson Pollock and Cy Twombly.” Prices at the gallery range from $40 for a lamp to $1000 for a full-size painting, which sounds quite reasonable, except for one caveat: Tillie is a 5-year-old Jack Russell terrier.

Lesbian Film Begets Violence In India

“Police are to guard dozens of Indian cinemas after Hindu hardliners tore up posters and burned effigies in protest at a film about a lesbian love affair. Officers will flank cinemas showing the Hindi film Girlfriend in Bombay, New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi and Bhopal.” The film has upset both right-wing groups who are angry about the whole concept of homosexuality, and women’s rights groups who claim that the film promotes stereotypes.

iTunes Launches European Service

The online song market is officially getting crowded in Europe, with the continental launch of Apple’s iTunes, which has sold 70 million songs in its first year of operation in the U.S. The cost of a single download from the European site will be 79p (€1.19), and a full album will cost £7.99 (€12). Meanwhile, media company OD2 announced plans to launch an online “penny jukebox” where listeners can hear songs for 1p apiece, although they cannot download the songs.

A Virgin Gets Her Saints Back

“Three masterpieces painted by El Greco for the same chapel but separated for nearly 400 years went on display together for the first time in Spain yesterday, at Madrid’s Prado museum. The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, a towering altarpiece considered to be one of El Greco’s greatest works, was reunited with two paintings of saints, lit up by her radiance, which the artist designed to flank her.”