High-tech artwork is gaining more mainstream acceptance in the art world, yet artists themselves are still struggling with ways to navigate between the worlds of art and technology, both of which are crucial to their creative output. The collaboration between the two will be a focus of this week’s “.art frontiers” conference in Silicon Valley. – Wired 11/01/00
Tag: 11.01.00
LESS MESS
Securing grants for future projects is about to become a lot easier for England’s artists after a recent promise by the Arts Council of England to simplify the funding-distribution process and reduce the layers of red tape artists have traditionally had to cut through. – BBC 11/01/00
REDISTRIBUTING THE WEALTH?
A debate is going on in Australia about how to best spend money on higher education. “While Australia’s best universities are well below Ivy League status, the lower end of the spectrum is well above America’s worst.” If making the best schools truly great isn’t easily possible, should effort be made at general improvement? (In which case the best are diminished while the worst improve). – Sydney Morning Herald 11/01/00
BUYER’S REVENGE
In the midst of the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation, a class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Sotheby’s and Christie’s customers alleging price-fixing and collusion among both companies’ top executives. – New York Times
COMING TO TERMS WITH THE PAST
Germany has only recently begun to come to terms with what to do with art stolen during the Nazi era. But finding solutions is problematic. “What was legal in this criminal era? Was there a semi-normality and a decent, civil art market in the early years of the Nazi regime? This might be determined on the basis of the prices obtained on the art market. Or should all sales of art owned by Jews after 1933 be regarded as ‘a result of persecution’?” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
THE WRITING ON THE WALL
Wall texts in museums have gotten completely out of hand. People spend more time reading the text than they do looking at the art. Is it time to cut back? A critic talks the issue over with a curator. – The Globe and Mail (Canada)
TRIANGULAR COMPETITION
As the major auction houses gear up for their big fall sales over the next two weeks, a third player is giving them a run for their money. “The historical tug-of-war between Sotheby’s and Christie’s has turned into an expensive three-way fight. Since LVMH bought Phillips, the London-based auction house a year ago, it has been going after property at any cost, dipping into LVMH’s deep pockets to become a major player.” – New York Times
WELCOME BACK, DEALERS
Once the center of the art auction world, France has handled only 5% of international art sales in recent decades due to an antiquated, protectionist system that has prohibited foreign auction houses from selling in Paris. But now imminent reforms will soon end French auctioneers’ monopoly and open the door to a more vibrant art market. “Many new foreign dealers have already opened branches in Paris in recent months and are eagerly awaiting the starting gun.” – The Age (Melbourne) (DPA)
THINK YOU’VE GOT PROBLEMS
The new musical now in development about the life of Minnesota governor/wrestler Jesse Ventura is full of special needs. As in – “We’ll need to find someone who can sing, act, dance – and wrestle.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press
ESCAPE FROM AUSTRALIA
Eleven dancers are leaving the Australian Ballet. “It is known that among those departing are three of the eight senior artists and two of the three leading soloists.” – Sydney Morning Herald