Just wanted to say, sorry about the broken links on my journalism page and throughout this blog. Juxtapoz has revamped their website, and most of the links to their archived online content are now broken. I’ve contacted them (weeks ago, actually!) to find out if these links will eventually be repaired. I suspect I will have to slowly upload my original versions of this content if I want it on the web. So I’ll get around to doing that, at some point…
Till then, thanks for your patience!
Italian researchers say they are but a ghostly whisper from identifying the 400-year-old bones of Caravaggio—just two more weeks and they should have the results of DNA tests. If they’ve found the bones, they might be able to determine the circumstances surrounding the artist’s untimely death. An exhibit of art and crafts made by Japanese detainees in World War II internment camps is showcased at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C. Many of these works, some of which are by Isamu Noguchi and Henry Sugimoto, have never been publicly displayed before. At Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum, a gaggle of geese and goslings gave the Van Goghs a passing glance on their shortcut to the pond—through the museum lobby! A statement made by the new Supreme Court nominee a couple decades ago has concerned parties wondering if Elena Kagan has already ruled against art, and Lou Reed, former Velvet Underground frontman and photographer, was one of the curators of the third annual New York Photo Festival. Keep reading at ArtWeLove.com.
Mark Ryden and Marion Peck at his recent opening; courtsey of Paul Kasmin Gallery
TURF WARS: ELI BROAD, SHEPARD FAIREY, AND BANKSY
Debate continues as to whether Los Angeles should lease city-owned land to billionaire Eli Broad for $1 a year, as incentive for Broad to fund construction and operating costs on a public museum housing his art collection. Critics say that taxpayer loss is not worth the gain on what is arguably the most valuable real estate in the city. Meanwhile on the East Coast, Shepard Fairey’s new mural, painted to coincide with “May Day,” the final exhibition at Deitch Projects, was tagged, punctured, and stickered by other street artists almost immediately after it went up on the Lower East Side—despite the big names involved and guards protecting the work. In Melbourne, a graffiti-removal crew accidentally painted over a mural by Banksy from 2003. And, it turns out, Banksy accidentally stole a London band’s name for the title of his documentary, “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” The band agreed to change their name, and in gratitude, Banksy gave them a painting worth over $300,000. Keep reading at ArtWeLove.
For the week of April 5: London’s Eiffel Tower, censorship in Zimbabwe, and long lost Ansel Adams prints were among the week’s news headlines.
For the week of April 12: A painting disowned by Picasso, a BMW designed by Jeff Koons, and a new underwater museum in Mexico were among the week’s news headlines.
I’ve got a new gig writing the weekly Insight section of ArtWeLove.com, which is syndicated by Bomb. ArtWeLove is a sort of a 20th century art crash course/venue guide/target-audience social networking thing…Meanwhile, this week’s news highlights include: New Orleans Art Museum goes for broke while Polaroid just goes broke, starchitects rocket back to Earth and Bob Dylan’s Blue Period.
