Add Style to Your Snail Mail in 2010

The USPS unveiled its 2010 Stamp Program, which includes images honoring 10 abstract expressionist artists.

WASHINGTON — For those who still find the time to hand-write letters, greeting cards and postcards, and send them via old-fashioned snail mail, the United States Postal Service's new stamp designs will add a touch of style to the outside of any envelope. The 2010 stamp program unveiled Thursday by the USPS pays homage to a diverse range of people, places and events. Featured subjects include Nobel Peace Prize honoree Mother Teresa, legendary actress Katharine Hepburn, the Cowboys of the Silver Screen, American painter Winslow Homer, the Mackinac Bridge, the Sunday Funnies and the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

One stamp pane in particular depicts the artistic innovations and achievements of ten abstract expressionists - Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, Adolph Gottlieb, Hans Hofmann, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell, Barnett Newman and Jackson Pollock. This group of artists revolutionized art during the 1940s and 1950s and moved the U.S. to the forefront of the international art scene for the first time.

According to the USPS release:

"Abstract expressionism refers to a large body of work that comprised radically different styles, from still, luminescent fields of color to vigorous, almost violent, slashes of paint. In celebration of the abstract expressionist artists of the 20th century, art director Ethel Kessler and noted art historian Jonathan Fineberg (Gutgsell Professor of Art History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) selected ten paintings to feature on this colorful pane of self-adhesive stamps. Kessler used elements from Barnett Newman’s Achilles (1952)to frame the stamps. The arrangement of the stamps suggests paintings hanging on a gallery wall."

The abstract expressionist stamps will go on sale March 11, 2010.
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Add Style to Your Snail Mail in 2010

Oh No He Didn't! Banksy Wages a Graffiti Art War

LONDON — The elusive artist Banksy has violated one of the graffiti art world's most stringent laws - you don't paint over someone else's work or incorporate it into your own, not without their permission. But during the Christmas holiday Banksy painted over a 24-year-old wall mural located under a bridge in North London. The painting was done by rival graffiti artist Robbo, whose pioneering artwork had previously remained untouched since its creation in 1985.

Banksy's "you got served" move provoked outrage on internet sites like Flickr, where the community overwhelmingly responded in Robbo's favor. Still, Robbo wasn't about to let Banksy win. In an "it's on" retaliatory response, "King Robbo" returned to the bridge four days later to restore his name.

Is the war over or will these artists fight another battle with their spray cans? We'll be watching.

Graffiti artist Robbo's original 1985 painting under a bridge in Regent's Canal. [Credit: Citrus Topnote, Jr. via Flickr.]

Banksy waged a graffiti art war by painting over Robbo's work during Christmas 2009.

Four days later "King Robbo" retaliated against Banksy's spray attack by restoring his name. 

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Oh No He Didn't! Banksy Wages a Graffiti Art War

Top Ten Art Auction Sales of 2009

With only a couple of days remaining in 2009, writers everywhere are compiling all sorts of Top Rankings for the past year, spanning categories from music to movies to art.

This week, Bloomberg published a list of the Top 10 art auction sales for 2009. And although the economy took a turn for the worse this year, these million dollar sales give hope to an already struggling art market.

The Top 10 Art Auction Sales of 2009 (in descending order):

1) Raphael, "Head of a Muse" (1508-11), chalk drawing on paper.

Sold Dec. 8 at Christies, London - $47.6 million.

2) Henri Matisse, "Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose" (1911), oil painting on canvas.
Sold Feb. 23 at Christie's, Paris - $45.6 million.


3) Andy Warhol, "200 One Dollar Bills" (1962), silkscreen ink and pencil on canvas.
Sold Nov. 11 at Sotheby's, New York - $43.8 million.

4) Constantin Brancusi, "Madame L.R. (Portrait de Mme L.R.)" (1914-17), sculpture on wood.
Sold Feb. 23 at Christie's, Paris - $37.1 million.


5) Rembrandt van Rijn, "Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo" (1658), oil painting on canvas.
Sold Dec. 8 at Christie's, London - $32.9 million.


6) Eileen Gray, "Fauteuil aux Dragons" (1917-19), sculpted wood armchair upholstered in leather.
Sold Feb. 24 at Christie's, Paris - $28.1 million.

7) Piet Mondrian, "Composition avec bleu, rouge, jaune et noir" (1922), oil painting on canvas.
Sold Feb. 23 at Christie's, Paris - $27.4 million.

8) Wu Bin, "Eighteen Arhats" (1615), hand scroll in ink and color on paper.
Sold Nov. 24 at Poly International Auction Co., Beijing - $25 million.

9) Alberto Giacometti, "L'homme qui chavire" (1950), painted sculpture in bronze.
Sold Nov. 4 at Sotheby's, New York - $19.4 million.

10) Edgar Degas, "Petite danseuse de quatorze ans" (1881), sculpture in bronze.
Sold Feb. 3 at Sotheby's, London - $19.2 million.

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Top Ten Art Auction Sales of 2009

Have You Heard the New One About Van Gogh's Ear?

Vincent van Gogh's "Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear" (1889).

Detail from Vincent Van Gogh's "Still Life with a Plate of Onions" (1889) showing a letter dated December 1888, written by the artist's brother Theo; a new theory speculates it was the impetus for Vincent's self-dismemberment.

LONDON — For decades, art scholars have speculated as to why tortured genius Vincent van Gogh sliced off his own earlobe. Some experts attribute the incident to the Impressionist artist's having been poisoned by the lead in his paints, others have blamed it on a dispute with fellow artist Paul Gauguin over a prostitute, and still others believe he was just plain insane. The latest theory is that the artist's brother Theo pushed him over the edge, causing the already mentally disturbed individual to lop off his own ear.

The new explanation, proposed by author and curator Martin Bailey, was formulated after his methodical examination of Vincent van Gogh's painting Still Life with a Plate of Onions (1889). Bailey believes that a detail in the artwork, specifically a letter dated December 1888, is a clue deliberately included by the artist because of its significance in relation to the incident.

The still life painting was completed just a month after the ear injury. The letter was sent from Vincent's brother and art dealer Theo to announce his engagement to his girlfriend Johanna Bonger. Vincent depended upon Theo for emotional and financial support. The upcoming nuptials would have so disturbed the artist, says Bailey, that his brother's news could have easily led to an act of self-mutilation.

In another letter, Theo wrote to his fiancée: “When I mentioned you to [Vincent] he evidently knew who and what I meant and, when I asked whether he approved of our plans, he said marriage ought not to be regarded as the main object in life.” 

An exhibition at London's Royal Academy next month will feature the still life and center around Van Gogh's remarkable correspondence.

The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters January 23, 2010 - April 18, 2010 at the Royal Academy (London)

Have You Heard the New One About Van Gogh's Ear?

"Art Adds" On Top of Cabs in NYC

New York taxis will become mobile public art next month when their rooftop ad boards display works by
Shirin Neshat, Alex Katz and Yoko Ono (left to right). [Credit: Show Media and Art Production Fund.]

NEW YORK — TAXI! The next time you're waiting around for a cab in New York City, take a closer look at the top of the yellow taxis. Why? Because throughout the month of January, the rooftops of the cabs (the so-called cones) that are normally filled with advertisements will display works of modern art designed by Yoko Ono, Alex Katz and Shirin Neshat.

The Art Adds project (pun intended) is the idea of Show Media, a Las Vegas company that sells advertising on cabs around the city. Surprisingly, the company is choosing to institute a plan that will actually cost it about $100,000 in lost revenue. John Amato, one of Show Media's owners explained, “I thought it was time to take a step back. January’s a slow month. I could have cut my rates but instead I decided to hit the mute button and give something back to the city.”

Three New Yorkers - Ono, Katz and Neshat - were chosen by the Art Production Fund, a nonprofit New York organization to create the 14"x48" designs that will appear on as many as 500 taxicabs. Ono's original art is based on "The War Is Over," the famous slogan she and John Lennononce used to promote peace. “It’s almost like a dance,” she said about her design, “the way the message is always in motion.”

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[Read More: Soon You Can Hail an Artist as You Hail a Cab | The New York Times]

"Art Adds" On Top of Cabs in NYC

100 Santa Claus Sculptures Come to (a Beach) Town

100 sculptures on Puri beach set world record for most Santa Claus images in sand.

PURI BEACH, INDIA — After working for nearly 48 hours, internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik and 20 of his students achieved world record status on Christmas eve. Patnaik and his dedicated team of "elves" successfully carved 100 sand sculptures of Santa Claus on the Puri beach in India, finishing just in time for Christmas.

The seaside resort of Puri overlooks the Bay of Bengal and is one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage places in India, a sacred venue for an endless number of those coming to pay homage to the Hindu deity Jagannath. “Puri is the place where sand art started in the 14th Century and the tourist inflow into Puri is another reason why I chose the awareness about global warming by carving images of Santa Claus,” Patnaik said.

Patnaik's environmental message "Save Earth from Global Warming" was carved directly into one of the Santa sculptures. "The popularity of Santa is growing by the year among children," Patnaik explained. "The message on global warming through Santa is especially for them as they alone can convince elders to exercise restraint and avert the looming disaster for earth from global warming."

The 33-year-old Patnaik has participated in more than 40 international sand sculpture festivals and competitions and won several prizes. In 2006 he created the world's longest Santa Claus in sand that measured 100-feet, and last year he sculpted the tallest Santa in sand that stood 35-feet high.
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100 Santa Claus Sculptures Come to (a Beach) Town

Would You Care for Coffee, Tea or Crayolas?

Drawing of flight attendant Jewel  Van Valin done by a Delta passenger.  [Credit: AP/Jewel Van Valin].

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Even with iPods, tabloid magazines and in-flight movies, plane rides can be pretty boring. But if you happen to be on Delta airlines, and your flight attendant is a woman named Jewel Van Valin, you're in for a fun ride.

When Delta began tightening their belts after 9/11, the airline's cost-cutting measures included substituting paper for linens as tray table covers. Passengers weren't exactly thrilled with the downgrades - and that's when Jewel Van Valin came up with a creative idea. She found a box of crayons in her flight bag and put a crayon on each passenger's tray.

"The passengers started laughing and drawing," Van Valin recalled. "It was a way to reconnect after 9/11."

Although some passengers were skeptical at first, and some even warned of their drawing inabilities, everyone eventually got on board with the artistic adventure. Crayola has even supplied Van Valin with complimentary Rainbow Twistables crayons.

Van Valin displays all of the drawings during each flight (creating a sort of mini-exhibit) and collects all of the artwork before the passengers debark. She has saved an estimated 3,500 drawings, many of which are now being shown at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The exhibition, entitled Plane Art - Connecting People is currently on view through January 25.
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[Read More - Museum Shows Drawings Collected by Flight Attendant | The Canadian Press]

Would You Care for Coffee, Tea or Crayolas?

In San Francisco, a Modern Art Museum Celebrates 75 Years

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art turns 75 on January 18, 2010.

SAN FRANCISCO — Hop on a cable car and head over to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the museum is inviting the public to join in their celebration this weekend. On January 18, SFMOMA will turn 75-years-old, and they're starting the festivities early with a new exhibit - The Anniversary Show.

More than 400 works from the SFMOMA's spectacular collection of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, videos, photographs, architectural models, and design objects have been selected for The Anniversary Show. Curators have culled the museum archives and made selections representing  the art and individuals that have made SFMOMA the institution it is today. Artists including Frida Kahlo, Jeff Koons, and Jackson Pollock, Constantin Brancusi, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are among the many whose works are on currently on display.

In addition to the The Anniversary Show, SFMOMA will entertain visitors with a yearlong program of special anniversary exhibitions and events. Each illustrates the stories of the artists, collectors, cultural visionaries, and community leaders who founded, built, and animated the museum. SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art and has been a major influence on modern and contemporary art since its opening in 1935.

The Anniversary Show (December 19, 2010) | SFMOMA

The Anniversary Show brings together more than 400 works from the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art,
including highlights such as: "Michael Jackson and Bubbles" (1988) by Jeff Koons, [©Jeff Koons]; "Two Bathers" (1958) by David Park,
[©Estate of David Park]; "Cityscape I (formerly Landscape I)" (1963) by Richard Diebenkorn; [©Estate of Richard Diebenkorn].

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In San Francisco, a Modern Art Museum Celebrates 75 Years

Critics Name the 13 Best Art Exhibits of 2009

Winner of the 2009 AICA award for Best Thematic Museum Show Nationally:
Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures, organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

NEW YORK — We all enjoy reflecting on the previous year, especially in list form - top 10, people of the year - so with just a couple of weeks left before we welcome in 2010, here's an art-related top 13 of the year...

The 400 active members of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) have nominated and cast their votes for the 2008-2009 art exhibitions of the year. The 26th annual awards recognize excellence in the conception and realization of exhibitions in the United States during the previous year. Honorees include artists, curators, museums and galleries. This year's award ceremony will take place at  the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on February 16. [Note: Members of the public may contact aicausaprogram@gmail.com for more information about attending the event. There are a limited number of seats available.]

The 2008/2009 AICA Award Winners:

1) BEST MONOGRAPHIC MUSEUM SHOW NATIONALLY

William Kentridge: Five Themes, organized by the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA. Curator: Mark Rosenthal.

2) BEST THEMATIC MUSEUM SHOW NATIONALLY

Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures, organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA. Curators: Stephanie Barron and Dr. Eckhart Gillen.

3) BEST MONOGRAPHIC MUSEUM SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY

Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective, organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Tate London, in partnership with the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Curators: Gary Tinterow assisted by Anne L. Strauss and Ian Alteveer.

4) BEST THEMATIC MUSEUM SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY

The Third Mind: American Artists Contemplate Asia, 1860-1989, organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Curator: Alexandra Munroe.

5) BEST SHOW IN A COMMERCIAL GALLERY IN NEW YORK CITY

Picasso: Mosqueteros, Gagosian Gallery, New York. Curator: John Richardson.

6) BEST SHOW IN A COMMERCIAL GALLERY NATIONALLY

John Altoon: Drawings 1962-1968, organized by The Box Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

7) BEST SHOW BY A NON-PROFIT GALLERY OR SPACE

Unica Zürn: Dark Spring, organized by The Drawing Center, New York. Curator: João Ribas.

8) BEST SHOW IN A UNIVERSITY GALLERY
The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles / Recent Art, organized by the Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York. Curator: Lynn Gumpert.

- and -

Dirt on Delight: Impulses that Form Clay organized by the Institute for Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Curators: Ingrid Shaffner and Jenelle Porter.

9) BEST SHOW IN A PUBLIC SPACE

The High Line NYC, organized by The High Line, New York. Curator: Lauren Ross.

10) BEST ARCHITECTURE OR DESIGN SHOW

Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, co-organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Curators: Thomas Krens, David van der Leer, Maria Nicanor, Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Margo Stipe and Oskar Muñoz.

11) BEST HISTORICAL SHOW

James Ensor, organized by the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Curator: Anna Swinbourne.

12) BEST EXHIBITION OF DIGITAL MEDIA, VIDEO, OR FILM

Pipilotti Rist: Pour Your Body Out (7354 Cubic Meters) organized by the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Curator: Klaus Biesenbach.

13) BEST PERFORMANCE

Yvonne Rainer's RoS Indexical (2007) and Spiraling Down (2008) presented at REDCAT, Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theater, Los Angeles, CA in cooperation with the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and the World Performance Project at Yale University. Organizers: Mark Murphy, Emily Coates and Laurel Kishi.

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Critics Name the 13 Best Art Exhibits of 2009

Journey Into the Fantastic World of Jim Henson

Jim Henson among his famous cast of puppets from The Muppet Show

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI — "Prepare to be delighted, impressed and amazed," said Betsy Bradley, Director of the Mississippi Museum of Art at a news-conference on Friday. After a group of children sang the Sesame Street theme song, Bradley proudly announced a new exhibit opening Saturday at the museum - Jim Henson's Fantastic World. "See how [Henson] made the magic that has uplifted and thrilled us for so many years," Bradley said to the crowd.

A native of Mississippi, Jim Henson developed an astounding imagination by exploring and finding inspiration from the creatures inhabiting the wilderness near his childhood home. Although he died in 1990, Henson's legacy lives on through the numerous memorable characters he invented, from The Muppets like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy to  Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. His work is enjoyed in dozens of languages in more than 100 countries, by children and adults of all ages.

Jim Henson's Fantastic World will include 100 original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards that illustrate Henson’s talent as a storyteller and visionary. Among the variety of exhibition objects are puppets and television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video productions, including excerpts from Henson’s early career and experimental films. After Mississippi, the exhibit will travel to 12 other sites across the United States.

"It's such a treat to get to know Jim Henson through his doodles and drawings, his puppets and his fantastic performances," said Karen Falk, curator of the exhibition and archivist at The Jim Henson Company.

Jim Henson's Fantastic World (December 19, 2009 - March 14, 2010) | Mississippi Museum of Art

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Journey Into the Fantastic World of Jim Henson

Vegas Gambles on $40-Million in Fine Art

A rendering of an overview of the entire CityCenter development. [Credit: MGM Mirage]

LAS VEGAS — A huge fireworks display Wednesday night signaled the official grand opening of CityCenter, a massive urban metropolis spanning 68-acres between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. At 18-million square feet, the "city-within-a-city" is the largest private sustainable development in the world and at an estimated $11-billion was the largest privately funded construction project in the history of the United States.

"Big Edge" by Nancy Rubins. [Credit: CityCenter Land, LLC]

In addition to featuring casinos, hotels and residential towers, fine dining and shopping, CityCenter boasts a $40-million fine art program. Works by by acclaimed artists including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Frank Stella, Henry Moore and Richard Long, among others, are featured. Visitors will be particularly impressed by fifteen major works of art, most of which are sculptures, interspersed throughout CityCenter.

"CityCenter will be an international architectural achievement that integrates the talents of world-renowned artists, architects and designers in one development; it will be a landmark of global taste and style," said Terry Lanni, Chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage. "The CityCenter Fine Art Program will be the first initiative of its kind to merge public and corporate interests on this grand scale, and we're proud to deliver this prominent force in contemporary art and culture to Las Vegas."

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Vegas Gambles on $40-Million in Fine Art

The Standoff is Over: France Returns Stolen Relics to Egypt

PARIS — If  Zawi Hawass, the current head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, made a "to do" list, it would read something like this:

• Naos artifact from the Met - check.  
• Steele relics from the Louvre - check. 
• Rosetta stone from the British Museum and bust of Queen Nefertiti from the Neues museum - in process.

Since taking office in 2002, Hawass has been on an international campaign to recover Egyptian artifacts for his country. On Monday, Hawass achieved another victory when France's President Nicolas Sarkozy presented his visiting Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak, with the last of five in a series of what Egypt characterized as "stolen" ancient relics. "Thank you very much," Mubarak said to Sarkozy as the exchange was made.

The items at issue are 3,000-years-old and were taken from a wall painting of an ancient Egyptian tomb in the 1980s. The SCA argued that the pieces were stolen from Egypt, while French officials maintained that the Louvre took them from the country in good faith. Initially, Egypt's demands for the artifacts went ignored. Egypt then cut ties with the Louvre in October, causing the standoff that has now ended peacefully.

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Read More - France Returns Stolen Louvre Relics to Egypt | Agence France Presse

[Photo: French President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (right) on Monday. Courtesy: AFP]

The Standoff is Over: France Returns Stolen Relics to Egypt

A D.C. Museum's Inflatable Baby-Blue Bubble

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The newly appointed director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Richard Koshalek, has announced his plans to erect an innovative seasonal structure over the museum's courtyard. The 145-foot-tall baby-blue balloon-like expansion would be inflated twice a year, in May and October. The new addition will house arts performances, film screenings, and conferences. Since the Hirshhorn building is situated on the National Mall, midway between the White House and the Capitol, the big whimsical bubble would temporarily change the current landscape into a more contemporary one. Koshalek has enlisted the New York design firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro for the project at an estimated budget of $5-million.

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Read More - In Washington, a Different Kind of Bubble | The New York Times

[Image: A Plan for the new Hirshhorn seasonal inflatable structure. Courtesy: Diller Scofidio + Renfro.]

A D.C. Museum's Inflatable Baby-Blue Bubble

Hugh Oughta Know Better Than to Take Art for Grant(ed)

NEW YORK — In 2001, we all watched as Hugh Grant vied for Bridget Jones's affection. In the same year, the British actor also competed for an Andy Warhol painting up for auction. But to Grant's "horror" - as he puts it - he ended up with the winning bid.

So why did the actor bid on a painting that he didn't want in the first place? Alcohol. "It all began with drink," Grant said.

After a two-day drunken binge, Grant ordered an assistant to bid on Warhol's 1963 portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, simply entitled Liz. "I'd been having a drunken dinner with my father the night before, and I said, 'We ought to go see my brother Jamie. You know, the Concorde's amazing.' And he said, 'I hear it is.' So I bought him a Concorde ticket and we went," Grant explained. "We had lunch, drank a lot of beer. And I was thinking about some stuff in the Sotheby's auction and I saw the Liz Taylor."

His assistant, simply following his intoxicated orders, bid on the piece. And "even worse" - she won. Luckily for him, Grant eventually sold the painting for $21-million in 2007; his $3.25-million investment earning an $18-million profit. Is Grant an actor turned art connoisseur? Even he admits, he's not even close.
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Read More - Hugh Grant: 'I was drunk when I bought Elizabeth Taylor painting that made £11million profit' | Daily Mail

[Image: “Liz” (1963) by Andy Warhol.]

Hugh Oughta Know Better Than to Take Art for Grant(ed)

Adopt a Dot from Seurat's 'Grande Jatte'

CHICAGO — Can't decide on a holiday gift for the art lover in your life? The Art Institute of Chicago has a creative idea for you - Adopt a Dot! That's right, this year you can "own" a dot from one of the museum's most beloved paintings, Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884).

Seurat's famous masterpiece is 125 years old this year and the Art Institute is celebrating by allowing museum members to adopt one of the thousands of dots in the painting. Adopt a Dot is reminiscent of the "International Star Registry" program, but nonetheless it's a brilliant marketing plan to increase AIC memberships and raise funds for the museum.

When you adopt a dot, you'll receive a commemorative button pin in one of six colors (light blue, red, green, pink, dark blue, black) chosen from the painting, as well as a card describing the location of your dot. The adoption fees are $10 for one dot, $25 for three dots, and $50 for all six colors. Proceeds will support the museum's conservation and curatorial departments.

Download the Adopt a Dot Order Form Here >

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[Image: A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884) by Georges Seurat turns 125 years old in 2009.]

Adopt a Dot from Seurat's 'Grande Jatte'

Top ART News: Week In Review | Dec. 6 - Dec. 13

■ Police Seize Stash of Masterpieces Hidden by Disgraced Parma Dairy Owner | NEW YORK (12/06/09) — The Italian police have recovered 19 masterpieces hidden in attics and basements of three apartments in the city of Parma. Valued at more than $149 million, the art stash belonged to Calisto Tanzi, the disgraced founder of the recently-collapsed dairy company, Parmalat Finanziaria SpA. More >

■ In Paris, Museum Visitors Are Spared From Strikes on Sunday | PARIS (12/6/09) — Tourists take note: if you're planning to spend the holidays in France this year, you'll want to make sure your favorite museums are actually open before spending on Metro fare to reach your cultural destination. Workers at many of the top museums in Paris were on strike this week, prompting numerous closures - at least periodically. More >

■ Upcoming Global Warming Summit Fuels Artistic Creativity | COPENHAGEN (12/6/09) — Starting Monday and through Dec. 18, scientists and world leaders from over 190 countries will meet in the Danish capital  of Copenhagen to negotiate a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions. More >

■ Underdog Painter Wins the Prestigious Turner Prize | LONDON (12/07/09) — Against all odds and in his last year of eligibility, 49-year-old Glasgow-based artist Richard Wright has been awarded the 2009 Turner Prize. Organized by the Tate gallery, the annual Turner Prize is presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. More >

■ Google Goggles Visual Search: Identify Art in a Snap | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA (12/07/09) — Sometimes you just don't have the time or energy to type keywords into an internet search engine, so the folks at Google have devised a creative alternative - Google Goggles. Unveiled Monday at a Search Event, the new Google Goggles application will allow users to use images to search the web. More > 

■ Future Generation Art Prize Will Offer Celeb-Judges and Hefty Cash Award | NEW YORK (12/08/09) — One lucky artist will be $100,000 richer this time next year, thanks to Ukranian billionaire/art collector Victor Pinchuk. Announced Tuesday, the Future Generation Art Prize hopes to encourage the support of one generation of artists for another, hence the contest's only eligibility requirement that entrants must be under the age of 35. More >

■ Can't Afford a Michael Jackson Painting? Buy His Opus | (12/08/09) — Just when Michael Jackson mania seemed to quiet down a bit, the King of Pop is back in the news this week; the sale of his portrait at Art Basel Miami Beach and the release of the ginormous Official Michael Jackson Opus are making headlines. More >

■ Two Old Masters Set Auction Records in London | LONDON (12/09/09) — An auction Tuesday night in London earned the largest recorded total at a sale of its kind. Artists Raphael and Rembrandt were the stars of the Christie's Old Masters and 19th Century Sale, which fetched an impressive $112.4 million. More >

■ Mysterious B.N.E. Stickers Slap Manhattan | NEW YORK (12/10/09) — His iron-grip stickers are affixed to all things stationary from Prague to Hong Kong. This week, he and his monogram are in New York for their very own gallery show. But who is he? More >

■ Celebrity Paintings Translate to T-Shirts for a Cause | LOS ANGELES (12/10/09) — With paintbrushes in hand, High School Musical star Corbin Bleu, socialite family The Hiltons (sisters Paris and Nicky with mom Kathy), singer Colbie Caillat, Disney actress Demi Lovato and The Hills reality star Audrina Patridge, all applied their creativity to canvas for a good cause. More >

■ USPS Stamp Designs for the Winter Holidays | (12/11/09) — This year, the United States Postal Service is getting into the spirit of the holiday season by issuing a series of 2009 Holiday Stamps, commemorating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Eid. More >

■ In Memoriam: Former Met Museum Director, Thomas Hoving (1939-2009) | NEW YORK (12/12/09) — Former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas Hoving, died of lung cancer on Thursday morning. He was 78. More >

■ Unsolved Mysteries: The Death of Caravaggio | PORTO ERCOLE, ITALY (12/12/09) — What killed Italian Baroque master Caravaggio? Nobody knows for sure, but new DNA research may soon solve this real life unsolved mystery. More >

■ Whitney Museum Announces 2010 Biennial Artists | NEW YORK (12/12/09) — Every two years, the Whitney Museum of American Art hosts an exhibition featuring artists who reflect the latest trends in contemporary American art. On Friday, the Whitney released the names of the 55 artists who will be participating in the 2010 Whitney Biennial, which will run from February 25 through May 30, 2010. More >

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Top ART News: Week In Review | Dec. 6 - Dec. 13

Whitney Museum Announces 2010 Biennial Artists

NEW YORK — Every two years, the Whitney Museum of American Art hosts an exhibition featuring artists who reflect the latest trends in contemporary American art. On Friday, the Whitney released the names of the 55 artists who will be participating in the 2010 Whitney Biennial, which will run from February 25 through May 30, 2010. The artist list has been cut from past years (81 in 2008 and 100 in 2006), with each exhibitor limited to showing one work or series.

Video: Watch as curators Francesco Bonami and Gary Carrion-Murayari announce the artist list for 2010, the Whitney Biennial. Or read the full list below:

David Adamo Richard Aldrich Michael Asher Tauba Auerbach Nina Berman Huma Bhabha Josh Brand The Bruce High Quality Foundation James Casebere Edgar Cleijne and Ellen Gallagher Dawn Clements George Condo Sarah Crowner Verne Dawson Julia Fish Roland Flexner Suzan Frecon Theaster Gates Maureen Gallace

Kate Gilmore Hannah Greely Jesse Aron Green Robert Grosvenor Sharon Hayes Thomas Houseago Alex Hubbard Jessica Jackson Hutchins Jeffrey Inaba Martin Kersels Jim Lutes Babette Mangolte Curtis Mann Ari Marcopoulos Daniel McDonald Josephine Meckseper Rashaad Newsome Kelly Nipper Lorraine O’Grady

R.H. Quaytman Charles Ray Emily Roysdon Aki Sasamoto Aurel Schmidt Scott Short Stephanie Sinclair Ania Soliman Storm Tharp Tam Tran Kerry Tribe Piotr Uklański Lesley Vance Marianne Vitale Erika Vogt Pae White Robert Williams

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Whitney Museum Announces 2010 Biennial Artists

Unsolved Mysteries: The Death of Caravaggio

PORTO ERCOLE, ITALY — What killed Italian Baroque master Caravaggio? Nobody knows for sure, but new DNA research may soon solve this real life unsolved mystery. 

Popular theories speculated that Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was assassinated for religious reasons or collapsed from malaria on a deserted Tuscan beach. But in 2001, an Italian researcher found the artist's death certificate indicating that he actually died in a hospital. Working with the latter theory, a team of Italian anthropologists hopes to determine the true cause of death - if they can locate the painter's remains.

Assuming Caravaggio died in the hospital, his body was most likely buried in the San Sebastiano cemetery. In 1956, the San Sebastiano bodies were moved to a nearby town of Porto Ercole, where scientists will have to exhume the remains of up to 40 people to find Caravaggio. Since the artist died childless, "We will check the DNA extracted from the bones and teeth of possible matches against that of the painter's male descendents," explained Professor Giorgio Gruppioni, who will head the excavation team.

Caravaggio will be the toast of Rome next year, as a major exhibition of his paintings is being organized to commemorate the 400th anniversary of his death.

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Read More - DNA Tests Could Solve Mystery of Caravaggio Death | Reuters
[Image: Chalk portrait of Caravaggio by Ottavio Leoni (ca. 1621). Courtesy: Wikipedia.]

Unsolved Mysteries: The Death of Caravaggio

In Memoriam: Former Met Museum Director, Thomas Hoving (1931-2009)

NEW YORK — Former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas Hoving, died of lung cancer on Thursday morning. He was 78.

Thomas Hoving was the son of businessman Walter Hoving, head of Tiffany & Co. After graduating from Princeton in 1959 with a PhD in art, Thomas Hoving went to work for the Met, serving on the staff of the medieval department at The Cloisters. As the Met's director from 1967 to 1977, at age 35 Hoving became the youngest person to ever hold the position. He has been widely described as charismatic and was known for his controversial decisions. He often organized blockbuster exhibits, with his treasures from Egyptian King Tutankhamun's tomb having been the most popular exhibit in Met history.

Thomas Hoving's philosophy was: anything to make people notice great art.

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Read More - Thomas Hoving, Remaker of the Met, Dies at 78 | The New York Times

[Photo: Thomas Hoving in 1967. Courtesy: Marty Lederhandler / Associated Press.]

In Memoriam: Former Met Museum Director, Thomas Hoving (1931-2009)

USPS Stamp Designs for the Winter Holidays

 

This year, the United States Postal Service is getting into the spirit of the holiday season by issuing a series of 2009 Holiday Stamps, commemorating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Eid.

The 2009 Hanukkah stamp design features a photograph of a menorah with nine lit candles; it  is the third U.S. issuance to commemorate the holiday. The menorah was designed by Lisa Regan of the Garden Deva Sculpture Company in Oklahoma, and photographed by Ira Wexler of Maryland. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, begins Friday evening at sundown.

Since 1978, the theme of each “traditional” Christmas stamp has been the Madonna and Child. The 2009 Christmas stamp features Madonna and Sleeping Child, a painting by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi, (1609–1685), more commonly known as Sassoferrato. The painting depicted on the stamp shows a blonde Madonna clothed in red and cradling the sleeping Christ Child in purple cloth. From each of the two top corners, the childlike face of a cherub looks down from the clouds. The painting is currently in the collection of Hearst Castle in California.

Kwanzaa, a nonreligious holiday, takes place over seven days from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa draws on African traditions and takes its name from the phrase for “first fruits” in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. The Kwanzaa stamp is marked by a family grouping in bright green, red, gold and black. Stamp artist Lloyd McNeill of New York created the festive, highly symbolic design to celebrate the holiday.

The Eid stamp commemorates the two most important festivals — or eids – in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and features the Arabic phrase "Eid mubarak" in gold calligraphy on a blue background. Eid mubarak translates literally as "blessed festival," and can be paraphrased "May your religious holiday be blessed." The stamp was designed by calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya, working under the direction of Phil Jordan, both from Virginia.

The USPS has also released a series of secular 2009 Winter Holiday stamps, featuring a reindeer, snowman, gingerbread man and toy soldier.

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[Image: 2009 Holiday Stamps released by the USPS, commemorating Hanukkah (left) and Christmas (right).]

USPS Stamp Designs for the Winter Holidays

Celebrity Paintings Translate to T-Shirts for a Cause

LOS ANGELES — With paintbrushes in hand, High School Musical star Corbin Bleu, socialite family The Hiltons (sisters Paris and Nicky with mom Kathy), singer Colbie Caillat, Disney actress Demi Lovato and The Hills reality star Audrina Patridge, all applied their creativity to canvas for a good cause. Each celebrity created a painting which has been incorporated into a unique line of t-shirts and tank tops. The fashions will be sold by Forever 21 for $12.80, with proceeds benefiting the Starlight Children's Foundation. Starting December 21, each star's original painting will also be up for sale at Starlight's eBay store.

“I was honored and excited to participate with the Forever 21/Starlight project with my daughters Paris and Nicky," said Kathy Hilton. "It was fun to do together, while at the same time doing something to help others. It's a very good cause, so I hope everyone will enjoy the t-shirts."

The Starlight Children's Foundation helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.

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[Image: Paris, Nicky and Kathy Hilton's original artwork for a line of t-shirts to be sold by Forever 21, with proceeds benefitting the Starlight Children's Foundation.]

Celebrity Paintings Translate to T-Shirts for a Cause

Mysterious B.N.E. Stickers Slap Manhattan

NEW YORK — His iron-grip stickers are affixed to all things stationary from Prague to Hong Kong. This week, he and his monogram are in New York for their very own gallery show.

But who is he?

The New York Times scored the first "formal" interview with the elusive B.N.E., but even so, the details of his identity remain a mystery. Nobody knows the real name of the man in the hooded sweatshirt - and he hopes to keep it that way. His graffiti art is not exactly legal, after all. In fact, mayor Gavin Newsom offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to B.N.E.'s arrest after he covered San Francisco with his logo. He won't even be attending his own gallery exhibition for fear of being nabbed by police.

As for what the B.N.E. moniker means - it's anyone's guess. Maybe its his initials, or maybe it stands for Big Nude Elf? Bert 'N Ernie? Bureau of Naughty Elephants? The speculation by bloggers and fans is endless (and sort of addictive).

“Let’s just say it has a meaning that’s personal to me,” he said. “At this point, it means whatever you need it to mean.”

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Read More - Making a Name for Himself, With Just Three Letters | The New York Times
[Photo: Example of a B.N.E. sticker affixed to various public fixtures.]

Mysterious B.N.E. Stickers Slap Manhattan

Two Old Masters Set Auction Records in London

LONDON — An auction Tuesday night in London earned the largest recorded total at a sale of its kind. Artists Raphael and Rembrandt were the stars of the Christie's Old Masters and 19th Century Sale, which fetched an impressive $112.4 million.

Raphael's drawing Head of a Muse sold for double its pre-sale estimate, earning a winning bid of $47.5 million. That figure established a record, making the work the most valuable drawing ever sold at auction and the second highest price ever paid for an Old Master painting or drawing. The 16th century work was done as a study for one of the artist's frescoes in the Vatican.

Rembrandt's painting Portrait of a Man, Half-Length, with his Arms Akimbo also fetched a record price for the artist and was the fifth highest price paid at auction for an Old Master painting or drawing, selling for $33.2 million. The 17th century piece was previously part of a private collection, and until Tuesday, had not been seen in public for forty years.

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[Images: Left - Raphael, "Head of a Muse" (1508-11). | Right - Rembrandt, "Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo" (1658).]

Two Old Masters Set Auction Records in London

Can't Afford a Michael Jackson Painting? Buy His Opus

Just when Michael Jackson mania seemed to quiet down a bit, the King of Pop is back in the news this week; the sale of his portrait at Art Basel Miami Beach and the release of the ginormous Official Michael Jackson Opus are making headlines.

Over the weekend, artist Kehinde Wiley's 11.5 foot by 10.1 foot portrait of Michael Jackson, entitled Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II, sold to a German collector at ABMB for an impressive $175,000. Although Jackson never saw the final painting, depicting him on horseback, dressed in regal garb and attended by two cherubs, Wiley, who initially thought voicemails from the late pop star were a prank, said she felt a responsibility to complete the piece commissioned by Jackson in 2008.

If you're not willing to fork over the really big bucks, $249 will buy you a copy of the monumental 404-page The Official Michael Jackson Opus: The Ultimate Celebration of an Icon, featuring hundreds of rare, previously unpublished photos and images of exclusive drawings and paintings depicting the pop star. The Opus also includes personal essays by celebrities like Quincy Jones, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Paula Abdul, Sugar Ray Leonard, Spike Lee, Jane Fonda and many others. Released this week, the mammoth tome weighs a whopping 26.5 pounds.

One of the book's images getting a lot of attention is artist David Nordahl's painting, simply entitled Michael. The painting shows a scantily-clad Jackson surrounded by a group of nude cherubs. Nordahl painted hundreds of works for Jackson, who spent millions building up his private art collection.

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[Images: Top - Kehinde Wiley, "Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II." | Bottom - David Nordahl, "Michael."]

Can't Afford a Michael Jackson Painting? Buy His Opus

Future Generation Art Prize Will Offer Celeb-Judges and Hefty Cash Award

NEW YORK — One lucky artist will be $100,000 richer this time next year, thanks to Ukranian billionaire/art collector Victor Pinchuk. Announced Tuesday, the Future Generation Art Prize hopes to encourage the support of one generation of artists for another, hence the contest's only eligibility requirement that entrants must be under the age of 35.

Artists can apply online starting January 18 and through April 18. Then on June 20, a short list of twenty artists will be announced; their works will be posted online and shown at Kiev's Pinchuk Art Center in October.

The artwork submissions will be judged by an international jury of arts professionals. And although the panel has yet to be formally announced, singer Elton John and designer Miuccia Prada have been mentioned as potential judges.

The Future Generation Art Prize winner and up to five finalists will be announced in December 2010. Established artists, including Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, will serve as mentors to the finalists and the winner. The grand prize is $100,000, which comes with one stipulation - $40,000 of the award must be used to create new art. An additional $20,000 will fund artist-in-residency programs for up to five other special prize winners.

Following in the footsteps of this summer's ArtPrize, the Future Generation Art Prize will also offer the public an opportunity to vote for their favorite entries online (American Idol-style) for a non-cash People's Choice Award.

“I am hoping that the Future Generation Art Prize will help promote the Ukraine and Kiev as an important contemporary art center,” said Pinchuk, who plans to offer the Future Generation Art Prize every two years.

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[Photo: Singer Elton John, potential judge of Future Generation Art Prize]

Future Generation Art Prize Will Offer Celeb-Judges and Hefty Cash Award