Asian
Art Museum
Pietermaritzburg.com, 1 March 2012
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - "The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is a
museum in San Francisco, California, United States. It has one of the most
comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world. Until 2003 the museum
shared a space with the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park; during its last
year in the park it was closed for the purpose of moving to its new location,
and it re-opened on March 20, 2003 in the former San Francisco city library
building opposite the San Francisco Civic Center, renovated for the purpose
under the direction of Italian architect Gae Aulenti. Lord Cultural
Resources, a cultural professional practice, was also commissioned to
undertake a three-part sequence of planning studies for the relocation of the
Museum."
Transitional funding awards begin
Harris Museum and Museums Sheffield to restructure
Geraldine Kendall and Patrick Steel, Museums Journal,
28.02.2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "Former hub museums that did not receive Major
Grant funding from Arts Council England (ACE) have been negotiating
transitional funding, with some bids awarded this week and others to come in
the next fortnight. [text omitted]. Museums
Sheffield, which was unsuccessful in its bid for Major Grant status, has
been awarded £341,000 in transitional funding from the arts council. This
follows a previous award of £190,000 in transitional funding from ACE, bringing
the total to £531,000. The money is designed to cover the next four months
and will help Museums Sheffield maintain its current exhibition commitments
while it undergoes a restructure. The museum is to make 21 posts redundant at
the end of March, with a further 23 redundancies expected in late summer.
Chief executive Nick Dodd announced today that he had taken voluntary
redundancy and would be stepping down in June."
Louvre building new galleries for Islamic art; single largest
expansion project since pyramid
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 27 February 2012
PARIS, FRANCE – "The creation of a new wing dedicated to
Islamic art at the Louvre represents a decisive phase in the
architectural history of the palace and in the development of the museum. The
design and installation of these new galleries is the museum's single largest
expansion project since I. M. Pei created the now-famous Pyramid twenty years
ago. The new department will soon be home to one of the most exceptional
collections of Islamic art in the world, owing to its geographic diversity,
the historical periods covered, and the wide variety of materials and
techniques represented."
SFMOMA transforms into an interactive gameboard
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 27 February 2012
SAN FRANCISCO,
CA - "From the museum that brought visitors the
very first interactive multimedia gallery tour back in 2001 comes a new way
to explore modern and contemporary art. The San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art presents ArtGameLab, an ongoing exhibition in the museum's Koret
Visitor Education Center that presents a selection of prototype crowdsourced
games designed by SFMOMA's community, for SFMOMA's community. Last summer
SFMOMA issued an open call for simple games devised to be played inside the
museum for audiences of all ages. Visitors can now view the results and pick
up instructions for playing five of the 50 game proposals that artists and
game designers submitted, along with a series of digital games designed by
the museum's education department. The exhibition is organized by Erica
Gangsei, manager of interpretive media at SFMOMA."
OK, So it's Winnipeg – But Finally Our Human Rights Champions
Will Get Their Due
Raymond Heard, Huffington
Post, 26 February 2012
WINNIPEG, MB – "At the very crossroads of Canada, at the
historic Forks site in Winnipeg, on a hallowed river plain where leaders of
the First Nations convened to make peace, a museum is being built to
celebrate human rights. Its huge steel and glass exterior reflects the blue
Prairie sky, the snow and ice of winter, and the green crops and brown earth
of Canada's heartland where food is grown to feed the world. Its mission is to
mark how far we have come in civilization's highest achievement: the respect
we hold and nurture for one another. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
will necessarily include expositions of human wrong, but it is not, and was
never meant to be, a genocide museum.
Critics who say
this first national museum to be built outside Ottawa is just another
chronicle of past injustices, are focusing too narrowly. The Museum's
founders and planners, who include the late media baron Izzy Asper and his
family, are devoted not only to mounting exhibits, many of them interactive,
that document the past. They also challenge visitors to become active
participants in the evolution of human rights in Canada and abroad."
2012 Chicago Cultural Plan calls for ideas, solutions to
improve Chicago culture
Jim Dallke, Medill
Reports, Chicago, 22 February 2012
CHICAGO, IL – "Frank Lloyd Wright once said Chicago
would eventually be the "most beautiful great city left in the world." With the launch of the 2012
Chicago Cultural Plan, that vision has legs. The Chicago Department of
Cultural Affairs and Special Events held its fourth and final town hall
meeting Tuesday to get input from residents about the 2012 plan and
the future of arts and culture in Chicago. More than 100 artists, performers
and invested community members gathered at the National Museum of Mexican Art
in Pilsen to offer ideas and solutions to improve Chicago culture. [text omitted] The city has hired New
York-based consulting firm Lord Cultural Resources to help spearhead
the 2012 cultural plan. Lord has worked on more than 1,900 cultural projects
all over the world and senior consultant Orit Sarfaty said that level
of experience will benefit Chicago. "We offer global expertise," Sarfaty said. "But that's only part of what makes an
excellent cultural plan. The other part is real intimate knowledge of what the
city of Chicago is and what its needs are." Sarfaty
said the plan will be finalized in September, with a draft plan available by
late spring or early summer."
Back to Top
Editorial: Holocaust Museum looks back and ahead
Naples Daily
News, 1 March 2012
NAPLES, FL -
"The Naples-based Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida records its 10th
anniversary. From humble beginnings as a middle school history project, the
museum — on U.S. 41 North in the Tanglewood shopping complex south of Pine
Ridge Road — has become an educational engine. Thirty-thousand students visit
every year and its Holocaust boxcar tours schools through Southwest
Florida." [see also 'It's grown beyond our dreams': Holocaust museum celebrates
10 years of educating community, By Virginia Russell Daily News
Correspondent, Naples Daily News, Posted March 1, 2012 at 4 a.m.]
Premier and Minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu announces
leadership duo for the National Gallery of Victoria
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 1 March 2012
MELBOURNE,
AUSTRALIA - "Premier and Minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu today
announced the appointment of Mr Tony Ellwood as the new Director of the
National Gallery of Victoria, and the re-appointment of Mr Allan Myers AO QC
as President of the NGV Council of Trustees. Mr Baillieu said that after a
national and international search, Tony Ellwood had been appointed to succeed
long-serving NGV Director Dr Gerard Vaughan. Mr Ellwood will begin his new
role on 1 August 2012."
London plans museum on 2012 Games
Alan Baldwin
(Reuters), Toronto Sun, 29 February 2012
LONDON, ENGLAND
- "London will set up its own Olympic museum
near the new stadium as a legacy of this year's Games, the British Olympic
Association said on Monday. Plans for the museum, to be situated next to the
landmark Orbit Tower in the Olympic Park in a formerly rundown part of east
London, are for it to open in 2014 with visitors likely to be charged "a
modest entry fee". "As the only city to have earned the honour of
hosting the Olympic Games three times, London occupies a truly unique place in
Olympic history," said BOA chairman Colin Moynihan in a statement.
"I believe the British Olympic museum is the perfect way to ensure the
spirit, excitement and unforgettable memories of the London 2012 Games live
on to inspire future generations to follow their own dreams." "
Hamilton police museum to open in Ancaster
Hamilton
Spectator, 29 February
2012
HAMILTON, ON - "The oldest house in Ancaster will soon be
transformed into the permanent home of the Hamilton Police Museum. Hamilton
police Staff Sgt. Steven Hahn said the police service is working toward a May
completion date for renovations at the Samuel Tisdale House at 314 Wilson St.
E. "We are cautiously optimistic that it will
be done by late spring," said Hahn."
China builds museum on Confucius
IANS, TwoCircles.net,
29 February 2012
QUFU, SHANGDONG,
CHINA - "China is building a museum to display
over 100,000 cultural relics related to ancient philosopher Confucius.The
museum is being built in the eastern Shandong province, Xinhua reported.
Built at a cost of 500 million yuan (around $79 million), the museum located
in Confucius' hometown of Qufu will cover over 56,000 square metres. A total
of 110,000 pieces of cultural relics and 260,000 archive materials about
Confucius will be showcased in the museum, to be completed in three years."
Museum of Natural History gets new look
Colin Chisholm, Halifax News Net, 29 February 2012
HALIFAX, NS – "The Museum of Natural History in Halifax has been
undergoing some major changes over the past couple of years, from exterior
renovations to entirely new exhibits, there's lots of new mixed in with the old to check out.
"If you're looking at things
from a pre-September 2009 to now scenario, it's completely new," said Jeffrey Gray, curator
of marketing and communications at the museum."
New arts of Japan gallery opens culminating five-year initiative
to expand presentation of Asian art
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 28 February 2012
HOUSTON, TX –
"The new, permanent Arts of Japan Gallery at the Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston, opened to the public on February 19. The Japan gallery is the final
installation in a suite of permanent Arts of Asia galleries surrounding
Cullinan Hall in the Caroline Wiess Law Building, culminating an effort begun
in 2007 to expand the presentation of Asian art at the museum. The Arts of
Japan Gallery opened with a special inaugural exhibition, Elegant Perfection:
Masterpieces of Courtly and Religious Art from the Tokyo National Museum,
showcasing important objects from the collection of the Tokyo National
Museum, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties that
will stay in Houston for only eight weeks."
Wanted: Tenant for former Canada and the World pavilion
Maria Cook, Ottawa
Citizen, 28 February 2012
OTTAWA, ON –
"The former Canada and the World Pavilion, whose future has been the
source of lively debate over the years, is for rent. The National Capital
Commission (NCC) is seeking a public or private sector tenant who can turn the
vacant building beside the Rideau Falls into a national attraction.
"We're looking for any kind of proposal," says Mary Ann Waterston,
NCC director of real estate management. "Public access is very important
to us. We are looking for something that would have a national purpose so
that it could benefit all Canadians. It's an absolutely stunning
building." [text omitted] However,
a museum rather than an office building would be an example of something with
broad public interest, she said. "I wouldn’t accept a restaurant." [text omitted] The pavilion opened in
2001 as a museum to showcase Canadian achievements in culture and sports,
international co-operation, technological innovation and trade."
Museums love teenagers, but only if they are in uniform
Salford Museum's
decision to throw out two teenagers was more about protecting its
cathedral-like status than the girls' safety
Dea Birkett, The
Guardian, 27 February 2012
SALFORD, ENGLAND
- "What do you have to do to get thrown out of a museum? Smear sticky
fingers on the Persian tapestries? Scream so loud that other visitors can't
thumb quietly through the browning albums of dried Azolla caroliniana? Do a
cartwheel in front of a Caravaggio? Last week, two girls were asked to leave
Salford Museum and Art Gallery. They were thrown out for being 13. The museum
explained that their expulsion was "for their own safety". Like
most self-respecting teenagers, they'd gone out over half term without an
adult."
Athènes
veut renforcer la sécurité dans ses musées
Le Journal des Arts, 27 Février 2012
ATHÈNES, GRÈCE – "Secoué
par les vols ayant récemment eu lieu dans des musées à Athènes puis à
Olympie, le ministère grec de la Culture réagit en revoyant la surveillance
et les mesures de sécurité dans ses musées."
Francfort
fait sauter la banque
Connaissance des Arts, 27 Février 2012
FRANCFORT, ALLEMAGNE – "En
Allemagne, les banques collectionnent traditionnellement l’art contemporain,
au point de réunir des ensembles considérables, que leur envient bien des
musées. L'accumulation ayant atteint ses limites, la Deutsche Bank a décidé
de confier sa collection de quelque six cents œuvres au Städel Museum de Francfort,
imitée bientôt par la DZ Bank, qui y a déposé près de deux cents
photographies."
Pictou County Military Museum will need to look at other
options to expand
The News (Pictou County, NS), 27 February 2012
WESTVILLE, NS – "Westville council will not allow the
Pictou County Military Museum to expand into a portion of the building
currently used by the town's police department. While the room is only used
minimally now by the police, Coun. Gerald Jones said it is used for
interviewing victims and others and is needed by that department. Museum
curator Vincent Joyce the extra space is needed to help them fulfil their
goal of becoming the best in Nova Scotia. As an alternative Joyce said in a
letter to the council, they could also look at building an addition onto the
side of the building, but pointed out that that would be a more expensive and
time-consuming venture. Council voted to send requests to the other
municipalities to see if they would contribute to an expansion project as it
is a county museum. Mayor Roger MacKay also recommended that they write to MP
Peter MacKay to see about possible federal funding."
World's Oldest Holocaust Museum, in London, Gets New Life
D.D. Guttenplan,
The New York Times, 26 February 2012
LONDON, ENGLAND
— "In a sun-drenched room overlooking
Russell Square, a visitor’s eye is immediately drawn to a display of cheerful
coloring books, a brightly colored board game and photographs of laughing
children. On closer inspection, the children in one photo can be seen
crowding around a cake decorated with a swastika. The board game, a German
version of Parcheesi or Sorry made in Dresden in 1936, is called Juden Raus!
(Jews Out!), in which the first player to chase six Jews out of the walled
ghetto is the winner. A deck of trivia cards for teenagers features the faces
of Nazi leaders. And in a beautifully illustrated book aimed at teaching good
German boys and girls the alphabet, "A" is for "Adolf." "A is for Adolf: Teaching Children Nazi
Values” is the first public exhibition at the Wiener Library, a combination
of museum, archive, research center and academic institution."
New York City's Hispanic Society of America, which holds a
world-class collection, seeks to make itself known
Ula Ilnytzky
(Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 25 February 2012
NEW YORK, NY – "Situated behind a wrought-iron gate on an
attractive brick terrace in upper Manhattan, the Hispanic Society of America
is an imposing museum and research library. It has a world-class collection
of Iberian art that includes works from such masters as Goya, Velazquez and
El Greco, and monumental sculptures by Anna Hyatt Huntington, the wife of the
society's founder. Yet the 104-year-old institution in Washington Heights,
just blocks from the Audubon Ballroom where Malcolm X was assassinated, is
not high on the itinerary of many tourists — or even New Yorkers. Some don't
even know it exists. The Society had briefly contemplated abandoning the area
for more tourist-accessible locations downtown like some of its former
neighbors: the American Numismatic Society and the Museum of the American
Indian. But it has resolved to stay."
UNI to cut athletics budget, close museum in plan to save $1
million
Jens Manuel
Krogstad, Indystar.com, 24 February 2012
CEDAR FALLS, IA - "University of Northern Iowa
officials on Thursday announced plans to save $1.1 million by closing the
school’s museum building, cutting the athletics budget and outsourcing print
services. [text omitted]The museum, which
has had a single physical location on campus for 120 years, will close June
30. Its art collection will be spread to departments throughout campus. The
closure will save $200,000; an unknown number of positions will be cut,
officials said."
Obama
pose la première pierre du Musée de l’histoire et de la culture
afro-américaines
Le Journal des Arts, 24 Février 2012
WASHINGTON, ÉTATS-UNIS – "Barack
Obama a inauguré mercredi 22 février le chantier du futur Musée de l’histoire
et de la culture afro-américaines au centre de Washington. Le musée de deux
hectares devrait ouvrir ses portes en 2015."
Black Loyalist museum rising from ashes in Birchtown
South shore
heritage site torched in 2006; now has money to rebuild
CBC News, 24
February 2012
BIRCHTOWN, NS –
"The Black Loyalist Heritage Society in Birchtown, N.S., has gathered
more than $4 million to build a new interpretive centre. Elizabeth Cromwell,
president of the society, said the money promised by the federal government
this week means they can now rebuild the centre after it was destroyed in an
apparent arson attack six years ago."
Greek museums to increase security after thefts
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 24 February 2012
ATHENS, GREECE –
"Greece's Culture Ministry says it is
taking extra security measures at museums across the country after two major
thefts in as many months netted antiquities and paintings by 20th-century
masters. The ministry said Thursday that a task force set up to review security
at museums and archaeological sites recommended increasing surveillance at
archaeological museums, improving guard training and upgrading closed-circuit
TV and fire detection systems."
The making of masterpiece
MOCA's bid for
expanded gallery space latest development in 100 year civic saga
Allie Jaynes, Fast
Forward Weekly, 23 February 2012
CALGARY, AB –
"It's 2012. Calgary has a population of 1.2 million hailing from all
over the world, a booming economy and, whether you want to admit it or not, a
thriving arts scene. So how is it possible that we still don’t have a major
civic art gallery? The Winnipeg Art Gallery is celebrating its centennial
this year. Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax have all had big public
galleries for decades. And yes, in our biggest rival city, the Art Gallery of
Alberta (formerly the Edmonton Art Gallery) has been alive and well since
1924. Sure, the Glenbow Museum houses some world-class art collections and
exhibitions. But with its split focus between visual art and cultural
history, it doesn't exactly fulfil the role. [text
omitted] MOCA/IMCA is hoping to finally change that. Formerly the
Triangle Gallery, MOCA has just signed a memorandum of understanding with the
Institute of Modern and Contemporary Art (IMCA) with the goal of eventually
establishing a "stand-alone, full-service art museum."
THE BIG PICTURE: Why are foreign museums only interested in
Group of Seven or Aboriginal art?
Paul Gessell, Ottawa
Magazine, 23 February 2012
CANADA – "The Canadian Museum of Civilization
recently announced it is making plans to tour an exhibition of West Coast
aboriginal art around several European countries during the next few years.
The exhibition — titled Haida: Life. Spirit. Art — previously appeared
at Civilization and at the McCord Museum in Montreal. Most of the artifacts
are owned by the McCord Museum but Civilization is spearheading the
travelling project because of expertise developed over the years in forging
foreign partnerships. The announcement of this deal raises important
questions: Why do foreign museums only seem interested in Canadian
aboriginal art? Or is that all we offer them?"
Art museums have become pointless: they should learn from
Christianity
Alain de Botton, ABC.net (Australian Broadcasting Corporation),
22 February 2012
"You often hear it said that "museums of art are our new
churches." In other words, in a secularising world, art has replaced
religion as a touchstone of our reverence and devotion. It's an intriguing
idea - part of the broader ambition that culture should replace scripture -
but in practice art museums often abdicate much of their potential to
function as new churches (places of consolation, meaning, sanctuary,
redemption) through the way they handle the collections entrusted to them.
While exposing us to objects of genuine importance, they nevertheless seem
unable to frame them in a way that links them powerfully to our inner needs."
The Agenda with Steve Paikin: Do Museums Still Matter?
TVO (TV Ontario), 20 February 2012 [video: 53:40 minutes]
WORLD - "Increasingly, our world is filled with tablets, smart
phones and lap tops. We move at a pace that would have been unimaginable only
a few decades ago. Steven Conn's book "Do Museums Still Need
Objects" uses museums as a lens to explore 21st century challenges
around public space and civic identity. How have globalization, technology
and progress influenced our relationship with the museum? Steven Conn joins a
panel of world-renowned experts to debate the importance of having a public
space to be among tangible artifacts which connect us to the past." [panelists include Steven Conn (Professor of History
and Director of the Public History Program, Ohio State University), Glenn
Lowry (Director, Museum of Modern Art), Janet Carding (Director and CEO, The
Royal Ontario Museum), Caitlin Kelly (Freelance Journalist and Author), and
Jaye Robinson (Toronto City Councilor for Ward 25, Don Valley West)]
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST "ME IN MY MUSEUM"
The International Council
of Museums is sponsoring a photo contest to celebrate the 35th anniversary of
International Museum Day
ICOM press release, 20 February 2012
WORLD - "Every year
since 1977, International Museum Day is organized worldwide around May 18.
From America to Oceania, through Europe, Asia and Africa, International
Museum Day is a fantastic opportunity to encourage public awareness of the
role of museums in the development of society. In 2011, International Museum
Day garnered record‐breaking participation with almost 30,000 museums
hosting events in more than 120 countries. International Museum Day turns 35
on 18 May, 2012. Upon this occasion, ICOM is launching a photo contest for
museum lovers and budding photographers of all ages."
Últimos deseos de Archangelo Ianelli
Ibermuseos e Ibram hacen posible la donación póstuma de obras del
artista paulista
Ibermuseus Ibermuseos, 02/02/2012
SAO PAOLO, BRASIL - "El artista plástico de São Paulo (Brasil),
Archangelo Ianelli, es una de las figuras más importantes del arte
contemporáneo brasileño. Fallecido en 2009, dejó dictado en su testamento la
voluntad de donar sus obras a algunos de los más importantes museos de
Iberoamérica."
Back to Top
On the crest of the wave: ALA complete their first major
commission, Kilden, a performing arts centre in Norway
World Architecture News,
1 March 2012
KRISTIANSAND, NORWAY - "ALA is a Helsinki-based architecture firm seeking fresh angles,
flowing forms and surprising solutions on all levels of architecture. [text omitted] The team have just completed
their first major commission: Kilden, a performing arts centre in
Kristiansand, Norway. The 15 000 m2 complex consists of a 1200-seat concert
hall with symphonic acoustics, a 700-seat theatre & opera hall, smaller
halls for experimental productions, and full support and public facilities."
Städel Museum Renovated with a Gorgeous Green Roof Dotted
With Skylights
Bridgette Meinhold, Inhabitat,
02/29/12
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - "One
of the most important art collections in Germany now has a newly renovated
home and a fantastic, polka-dotted green roof garden! The Städel Museum in
Frankfurt am Main recently reopened to the public after three years of
extensive renovations, the highlight of which is a domed green roof garden
with circular skylights that cover the new subterranean contemporary gallery.
Local firm Schneider Schumacher took the helm with the renovation and
visitors are delighted with the revamped space and the energy efficient
facility."
[see also La
nouvelle galerie souterraine du Städel Museum à Francfort, Le Journal des Arts, 24 Février 2012]
Bertrand
Delanoë s’oppose au projet architectural du futur centre culturel russe à
Paris
Le Journal des Arts, 28 Février 2012
PARIS, FRANCE – "Les travaux du Centre spirituel et culturel
orthodoxe russe, qui s’établira sur le quai Branly, devant le pont de l’Alma,
doivent débuter prochainement. Dans un communiqué, le maire de Paris,
Bertrand Delanoë exprime son opposition à ce projet. En cause : l’architecture
de l’édifice qui briserait « l’harmonie » des berges de la Seine."
Back to Top
Birmingham
Museum of Art Introduces iPad App For A Close Look at Tiny Objects
PRWEB.COM Newswire, Digital
Journal, 29 February 2012
BIRMINGHAM, AL - "The Birmingham Museum of Art announces the launch of
its first app,'The Look of Love' optimized for the Apple iPad and designed to
enhance visitors' exhibition experience. Now available for download worldwide
through the Apple App Store, visitors will also find this app installed on
each of the 20 complimentary iPads available for checkout at the entrance of
the Museum's exhibition, The Look of Love: Eye Miniatures from the Skier
Collection."
Smithsonian building archive of printable 3D scans
Cory Doctorow, Boing
Boing, 4:03 pm Wednesday, Feb 29, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC -
"The Smithsonian, the world's largest museum, is planning on producing
3D scans of its collection and making them freely available to the public to
print out at home on their 3D printers (or incorporate into their virtual
worlds). CNet's Daniel Terdiman has the story:
Update: Sarah Taylor Sulick from the Smithsonian
sez, "Unfortunately we have no plans to make 3D scans of our collection
freely available for the public to print. The CNET story is a bit misleading
on that point. Our 3-D team mentioned that we COULD go there theoretically,
but as of right now it is not part of our plan. The reality is also that we have
137M objects in our collection and only 2 people working on this project. So
we are no where near being able to scan everything and essentially never will
be." " [see also the original story Smithsonian turns to 3D to bring collection to the world,
By Daniel Terdiman, CNET, February 24, 2012 4:00 AM PST]
The Best of Both Worlds: QRpedia.
Elizabeth
Quaglieri, Technology in the Arts, February 29, 2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "While scanning a quick response (QR) code
on the back of a cereal box only to find it directs you to the cereal’s web
site is, how can I put this politely, fun (that’s my attempt at sarcasm), it
neither reflects the appropriate usage nor does it maximize the potential of
those nifty little black and white squares. There’s the cereal box QR code,
and then there’s QRpedia. QRpedia is a program announced by the Wikimedia
Foundation in September 2011. It is currently competing in Barcelona at the
Mobile World Congress for the title of the United Kingdom’s “most innovative
mobile company.” Today, on February 29th, the winner of the award will be
announced. The reward? The United Kingdom Trade and Investment’s (UKTI)
support to expand the company internationally."
Where
we used to live – new website of maps from the past launched
JISC, 28 February, 2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "The broadest single collection of historical maps
from around the world is now available online. The JISC-funded Old Maps Online,
described by its creators as like Google for old maps, will act as a central
repository to a vast collection of maps held by institutions across the
globe. It is the first time that access to such an extensive collection has
been made available online."
Unprecedented imaging project supported by the Getty reveals
master work in minute detail-online
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 26 February 2012
GHENT, BELGIUM /
LOS ANGELES, CA – "It is now possible to zoom into the intricate,
breathtaking details of one of the most important works of art in the world,
thanks to a newly completed website focused on the Ghent Altarpiece. A
stunning and highly complex painting composed of separate oak panels, The
Mystic Lamb of 1432 by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, known as the Ghent
Altarpiece, recently underwent much-needed emergency conservation within the
Villa Chapel in St. Bavo Cathedral in Ghent. As part of this work, the
altarpiece was removed from its glass enclosure and temporarily dismantled—a
rare event which also made it possible to undertake a comprehensive
examination and documentation, supported by the Getty Foundation in Los
Angeles. [see also L’Autel de Gand à la loupe numérique grâce à la Fondation
Getty, Connaissance des Arts, 28 Février 2012]
Picasso's "Guernica" undergoes medical check at the
Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid
Ciaran Giles
(Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 25 February 2012
MADRID, SPAIN –
"Pablo Picasso's "Guernica," one of the world's most iconic
paintings, is getting a full health check as it marks its 75th anniversary. A
giant robotic machine is taking tens of thousands of microscopic shots of the
black-and-white anti-war masterpiece to allow experts to penetrate the work
like never before and see its real condition after a hectic life traveling
the globe. Madrid's Reina Sofia museum — where "Guernica" is housed
— has teamed up with Spanish telecommunication company Telefonica to develop
the technology, which uses advanced infrared and ultraviolet photography. The
machine was built so that "Guernica" does not have to make the
risky move to a conservation laboratory, where normally such investigative
work would be done."
Cooper-Hewitt releases dataset to broaden access to online
collection
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 25 February 2012
NEW YORK, NY – "The Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum today announced the release of its collection dataset, which
will broaden access and allow for increased analysis of the museum's object
holdings. Basic museum data for more than 60 percent of the collection (more
than 120,000 records) is now available as a single downloadable file at
cooperhewitt.org/data. This open data release is the first of its kind for
the Smithsonian Institution. "Following the lead of NYC's Open Data and Data.gov
in driving transparency and access, Cooper-Hewitt's data release connects to
a philosophy of publicly shared information, collaboration and inclusive
participation," said
museum director Bill Moggridge."
What Pinterest means for the arts
What's the point of Pinterest? Matthew Caines takes a closer look and
weighs up the benefits for arts organisations
Matthew Caines, Guardian Professional (Culture
Professionals Network), Friday 24 February 2012 11.17 GMT
"There's been a deafening hype around Pinterest since it
exploded on to the social media scene in last month. Like the noisy new kid
on the block, it's impossible to ignore – have a quick look at #Pinterest on
Twitter and you'll notice it's a little like Marmite; you either love it or
you hate it. A cross between an
image-sharing social network and a bookmarking tool, Pinterest works by
organising or "pinning" images from anywhere on the web to a virtual
personal pinboard. You can create as many boards as you want, on any theme –
fashion, food, craft, architecture, interior design – then locate images and
use a "Pin It bookmarklet" to stick them to your moodboards."
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La
cour d’appel déboute les découvreurs de la grotte Chauvet
Le Journal des Arts, 1 Mars 2012
NÎMES, FRANCE – "La cour d’appel de Nîmes a refusé, mardi 28 février
2012, de reconnaître les droits qu’ils revendiquaient aux trois spéléologues
qui avaient découvert la grotte Chauvet en 1994. Estimant que l’État ne les
avait pas assez associés à l’exploitation de la grotte, les découvreurs de
Chauvet avaient fait appel de la décision de justice de 2009. Ils ont décidé
de se pourvoir en cassation."
Archivist of the United States Appoints New Director of
Presidential Libraries
Press Release, National
Archives, 29 February 2012
WASHINGTON, DC - "Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero
announced today the appointment of Susan K. Donius as the Director of the
Office of Presidential Libraries, effective February 26, 2012. In her new
position, Donius will direct and coordinate the Presidential Library system,
currently comprised of thirteen libraries that house the records of
Presidents Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush. She will provide oversight
and support for the Presidential Libraries to preserve and provide access to
historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and
exhibits that educate and inspire. She will also lead the development of new
Presidential Libraries into the National Archives."
China enhances culture industry competitiveness
Xinhua, China Daily,
29 February, 2012
BEIJING, CHINA - "The Ministry of Culture released Tuesday a cultural
development plan that includes a goal of doubling the added value of the
culture industry by 2015. The plan specifies guiding principles, strategies,
goals and policy support for the culture industry from 2011 to 2015, Vice
Culture Minister Li Xiaojie said. The ministry oversees opera houses,
libraries, art galleries and art troupes. The industry is expected to see an
annual growth rate of over 20 percent in years towards 2015, increasing gross
added value of the industry to between 800 and 900 billion yuan ($127 and 142
billion), Li said. The development plan came days after China published a
detailed culture reform outline from 2011 to 2015."
Les
ventes aux enchères se dotent enfin d'un code de bonne conduite
Le Monde, 29 Février 2012
FRANCE – "Mercredi 29 février, Catherine Chadelat, présidente
du Conseil des ventes volontaires (CVV), l'autorité de régulation du marché
des ventes aux enchères publiques, devait présenter à Michel Mercier, garde
des sceaux, ministre de la justice et des libertés, le "Recueil des
obligations déontologiques des opérateurs de ventes volontaires de meubles
aux enchères publiques"."
Vente
aux enchères des trésors du "Titanic"
Le Journal des Arts, 29 Février 2012
NEW YORK, NY – "Tout juste 100 ans après le naufrage du « Titanic »,
les 5 500 objets retrouvés dans l’épave par les expéditions de la compagnie
RMS Titanic seront vendus aux enchères. La totalité de la collection sera
cédée en un seul lot, estimé 189 millions de dollars (141 millions d’euros)."
Le
Beau Sancy sort de son coffre
Le Figaro, 29 Février 2012
GENEVE, SUISSE - "Sotheby's va mettre en vente le plus gros des
diamants de Marie de Médicis. Le 15 mai un concentré d'histoire d'une densité
rare sera mis aux enchères. À Genève, la maison Sotheby's sortira de son
coffre le Beau Sancy, l'un des diamants les plus importants jamais passés
sous le marteau."
Businesses abandon culture
Corporate investment falls for fourth consecutive year
Rebecca Atkinson, Museums Journal, 29.02.2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "Corporate investment in culture fell by nearly
£10m last year, despite initiatives from the culture secretary Jeremy Hunt to
make 2011 what he called the "year of corporate philanthropy".
Figures from Arts & Business show that private sector investment in
culture grew slightly in 2010-11 to £686m on the back of a 6% increase in
individual giving and a 10% rise in funding from trusts and
foundations." [see also New Figures for Private Investment in Culture reveal
contrasting fortunes for the arts world, Arts & Business, 28
February 2012]
An Emirate Filling Up With Artwork
Sara Hamdan, The New York Times, 29 February 2012
QATAR — "As Qatar develops a
sophisticated art scene, with exhibitions by high-profile artists and plans
for nearly a dozen new gallery openings in the next six months, analysts say
an increasing number of Qatari buyers and collectors are becoming major
investors in art. The emirate itself was the world’s biggest buyer in the art
market by value last year, according to The Art Newspaper, an international
art publication."
OAS report highlights growing economic benefits of creative
industries
Coalition for Cultural Diversity, 29 February 2012
WASHINGTON, DC — "The Organization of American States (OAS) has received a report from
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on the economic
importance of the creative industries in 30 countries of the world, including
various member states, that highlighted the rapid growth of the sector — 2.5
times faster than the average growth of economies in general — and the
significant contributions it makes to the development of countries. The
report, with studies developed in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Jamaica,
Colombia, Peru, and ongoing in Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago, was elaborated
by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and presented at an
event co-organized by the International Intellectual Property Institute
(IIPI) and the OAS Executive Secretariat for Integral Development." [see
also full report COPYRIGHT + CREATIVITY = JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, WIPO, 2012]
Researchers push to open United Nations archive
Edith M. Lederer
(Associated Press), Recent News, artdaily.org, 29 February 2012
NEW YORK, NY –
"Locked inside U.N. headquarters is a huge but largely unknown archive
documenting 10,000 cases against accused World War II criminals, from Belgian
charges against Adolf Hitler to the trial of a Japanese commander for
inciting rape. Leading British and American researchers are campaigning to
make the files — hundreds of thousands of pages in 400 boxes — public for the
first time in 60 years, arguing that they are not only historically valuable
but also might unearth legal precedents that could help bring some of today's
war criminals to justice.
The U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington is also seeking to have the archive
opened."
Sept
tableaux ayant appartenu à Adolf Hitler découverts dans un monastère tchèque
Le Journal des Arts, 28 Février 2012
PRAGUE, RÉPUBLIQUE TCHÈQUE
– "On avait perdu leur trace depuis 1945, sept
peintures ayant fait partie de la collection personnelle du dictateur
allemand ont été retrouvées dans un monastère au nord de la République
Tchèque."
Vancouver's arts community gets back its voice at City Hall
Jeff Lee, Vancouver
Sun, 28 February 2012
VANCOUVER, BC –
"Vancouver's vibrant arts and culture community will be getting back its
voice at City Hall.
More than 20
years after city council did away with an advisory committee on the arts, it
is bringing in a new "arts and culture policy council" to broadly
represent arts and culture. The 15-member advisory committee, approved
Tuesday, comes after years of lobbying by arts and culture groups who felt
they lost a voice at city hall with the disbandment of the former
committee."
Culture Montréal: dix ans, ici et maintenant
Daniel Lemay, La
Presse, 28 février 2012
MONTRÉAL, QC –
"Avant, le milieu de la culture ne s'identifiait pas à Montréal, parce
que les fonds venaient de Québec et d'Ottawa." "Avant,"
c'était avant l'arrivée en scène de Culture Montréal, "mouvement
d'idées" qui fête aujourd'hui ses dix ans de réflexion et d'action. De
"ville-décor," "Montréal est devenue une métropole culturelle
non pas plus riche, mais plus résiliente, qui serait difficile à mettre sur
les genoux," lance Simon Brault, cofondateur et président de Culture
Montréal depuis le début."
Henley Review of Cultural Education published
Report calls for continuation of strategic commissioning funding
Sharon Heal, Museums Journal, 28.02.2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "The Henley Review of Cultural Education was
published today. The report makes 24 separate recommendations including a
broad cultural education for every child with detailed targets for the range
and type of cultural activities a child should have taken part in by the ages
of seven, 11 and 16. Other recommendations include a national plan for
cultural education in England and that arms-length bodies should set up a
Cultural Education Partnership group that could result in "a single
strategic commissioning fund for cultural education money"." [see also the full report by Darren Henley, Cultural
Education in England]
Arts head: Jeremy Newton, Prince's Foundation for Children
& the Arts
From the Face Britain project to the importance of arts education in
the UK, we talk to foundation CEO Jeremy Newton
Matthew Caines, Guardian Culture Professionals Network, 28
February 2012
UNITED KINGDOM - "Can you tell us a bit about Face Britain? What
is the project, how does it work and what does it hope to achieve?"
"Face Britain is our biggest project to date. We're inviting every young
person in the UK aged 4-16 to create a self-portrait and upload it to a huge
online gallery. All those images will be incorporated into a montage portrait
of Her Majesty the Queen and projected onto the front of Buckingham Palace
from April 19-21 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations."
Statement by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian
Heritage and Official Languages, on the Occasion of the Presentation of the
Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts
CNW, , 28 February 2012
CANADA - "Arts and culture enrich the lives of all
Canadians and strengthen our communities, not to mention our economy. The men
and women who dedicate themselves to the arts play an essential role in our
society. They are a source of pride and inspiration, and they are to be
congratulated on their achievements. Every year, the Governor General's
Awards in Visual and Media Arts celebrate the outstanding work of Canadians
in a wide range of disciplines, including visual arts, architecture, video,
independent film, audio, new media, and applied arts. I am pleased to
congratulate the recipients of the 2012 Awards:
- Margaret Dragu,
performance artist
- Geoffrey James,
photographer
- Charles
Lewton-Brain, artist-goldsmith
- Ron Martin,
visual artist
- Diana Nemiroff,
art gallery director and curator
- Jan Peacock,
visual artist - media and installation
- Royden Rabinowitch,
sculptor
- Jana Sterbak, visual artist " [see also Toronto Artists Win GG Awards, Contributed by
Christopher Jones, TO Live With Culture, 28 February 2012; and Ottawa curator honoured: Diana Nemiroff and creator of
the 'flesh dress' among Governor General’s Award winners in visual arts,
By Melissa Leong (Postmedia News), Ottawa Citizen, 28 February
2012]
Cuts could undermine creative industries' contribution to the
economy
Marvel at digital products, but don't ignore the creative heart that
beats into them – it's the arts that breathe life into technology
Toks Majek-Akisanya, Guardian Culture Professionals Network, Monday
27 February 2012 16.45 GMT
UNITED KINGDOM - "Tech companies, however enormous, remind me of
cut flowers. They look and smell fantastic but wither and die regardless.
When David Cameron recently visited London's Silicon Roundabout – a tech
focussed entrepreneurial hub – he would have done well to have travelled a
little farther east and taken a look at the roots of the tech revolution: the
creative and cultural industries. [text omitted]
Can you imagine a tech company without a creative and artistic contribution?
Myspace without music and pictures, Facebook without faces, Twitter without
@kanyewest? Of course, without artists all of these sites would look a bit
like MSDOS and Apple would have simply ceased to be."
B.C. fossil site to get heritage designation
McAbee fossils
provide 'an incredible window into prehistoric life'
CBC News, 26
February 2012
CACHE CREEK, BC
– "The provincial government is taking steps to protect fossil beds
located just hours from Vancouver.
The McAbee
fossil beds in Cache Creek — known around the world for their abundance,
diversity and quality — are being formally recognized as a Heritage
Site."
Asia Week New York capitalizes on surging world market for
Asian art and antiques
Recent News,
artdaily.org, 25 February 2012
NEW YORK, NY –
"A connected global economy, affordable global travel, and constant
global migration are the clear signposts of a world that has truly shed its
boundaries. Is it any wonder that interior design has itself become
globalized? And nowhere will that trend be more in evidence than at the
upcoming Asia Week New York 2012, which runs from March 16 to March 24. Asia
Week New York is a collaboration of Asian art specialists, five auction houses,
and 17 museums and cultural institutions throughout the metropolitan New York
area, all promoting and celebrating the remarkable realm of Asian art,
antiques and design."
Héritage Montréal identifie les dix sites les plus menacés
dans la métropole
L’îlot
Saint-Laurent, le Horse Palace et tout un pan de Griffintown en péril
Isabelle Paré, Le
Devoir, 24 février 2012
MONTRÉAL, QC –
"Des sites emblématiques du Montréal d'hier sont plus que jamais en
péril, affirme Héritage Montréal (HM). L'organisme de sauvegarde du
patrimoine, qui tenait hier son assemblée générale annuelle, a dévoilé pour
la première fois depuis 2006 une liste des 10 sites patrimoniaux les plus
menacés de la métropole."
Le
budget de la culture amputé malgré les promesses
Le Monde, 24 Février 2012
FRANCE – "Souvenons-nous, c'était il y a quelques mois
seulement : en octobre 2011, alors qu'il dévoilait son projet de budget pour
2012, le ministre de la culture et de la communication, Frédéric Mitterrand,
saluait "le choix courageux" du gouvernement qui avait choisi de ne
pas diminuer les crédits à la culture, contrairement aux voisins européens.
Quelques semaines plus tard, le 18 novembre 2011, lors du Forum d'Avignon,
Nicolas Sarkozy se gargarisait des bienfaits de la culture, "un
investissement qui va nous permettre de sortir de la crise, et non une
dépense qu'il faudrait couper", lançait le président de la République."
Les
artistes chinois en tête sur le marché des enchères d'œuvres d'art
Le Monde, 23 Février 2012
"L'artiste chinois
Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) est devenu numéro un au palmarès des enchères
mondiales cumulées en 2011, détrônant Pablo Picasso qui, pour la première
fois depuis plus de vingt ans, échoue au pied du podium. Le célèbre peintre
espagnol a été relégué à la quatrième place derrière le Chinois Qi Baishi et
l'Américain Andy Warhol, a annoncé Artprice, jeudi 23 février."
À
l’audience du double procès de l’artiste Chu Teh-Chun contre le galeriste
Enrico Navarra
Le Journal des Arts, 21 Février 2012
PARIS, FRANCE – "À l’action en justice intentée contre lui par le
peintre Chu Teh-Chun, pour rupture de contrat dans une affaire de céramiques,
le galeriste Enrico Navarra répondait par l’assignation de son accusateur
pour dénigrement. C’était en 2008. Ces deux dossiers viennent d’être plaidés
le 17 février 2012 devant le tribunal de grande instance de Paris.
Compte-rendu de l’audience présidée par Madame Renard en présence du juge Halphen."
Finlande
: le pays où le design est roi
Le Journal des Arts, 17 Février 2012
HELSINKI, FINLANDE - "Helsinki, Capitale mondiale du design 2012 » a été
inaugurée début février. Avec près de 60 projets susceptibles de la
transformer, la ville espère gagner en attractivité."
More
than 3.4 million books bought and loaned in typical January week in Canada.
10% of English book sales are now in digital format.
National Reading Campaign, February 16, 2012
CANADA - "The numbers are in for the second annual National
BookCount, sponsored by the National Reading Campaign (NRC), and for the
first time e-book sales have been counted. E-book sales comprised 10% of all
books sold in English Canada. Public libraries reported that 3 % of their
circulation comprised digital formats. This finding puts English Canada near
the very top of international estimates on e-reading."
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Lorne Gunter: The idea of a Confederation Theme Park is too
easy to make fun of
Lorne Gunter, National
Post, 1 March 2012
OTTAWA, ON – "It's easy to mock Preston Manning's idea
for a Confederation Theme Park … for starters, it's somewhat odd to see the
pro-small-government, West-wants-in Reform Party founder to be proposing a
large government expenditure on a historically slanted amusement park to be
located, of all places, in Ottawa." So said the Ottawa Citizen's Mark Sutcliffe —
two years ago! It's still easy to mock. [text omitted] [The Globe and Mail's Jeff] Simpson's point (and
Manning’s, too) is that the rest of Canada should put billions into making
Ottawa a grand capital and a tourist destination. The exercise would pull the
country together. But isn't that what the Museum of Civilization, the
Canadian War Museum, the Museum of Nature, the National Gallery, the Aviation
Museum, the Science and Technology Museum and the currency, postal and
photography museums were designed to do? Ottawa isn't unloved or
under-museumed. It's cold six months of the year and hot and humid another
two. As a national-unity mecca, the city's problem is too much geography rather than too little vision."
Un
"Napoléonland" en Seine-et-Marne
Le Journal des Arts, 1 Mars 2012
MONTEREAU-FAULT-YONNE,
FRANCE – "Tandis que le château de Versailles revisite les
batailles napoléoniennes en peinture, le député-maire de
Montereau-Fault-Yonne (Seine-et-Marne) Yves Jégo souhaite redynamiser le sud
du département avec un parc de loisirs dédié à Napoléon Ier. L’ancien
ministre entend capitaliser sur la venue en masse du public aux célébrations
annuelles du "Bivouac de
Montereau"." [see also A Roller Coaster Ride of an Empire, By Robert Zaretsky, The
New York Times, 25 February 2012]
Destination Gatineau, une aventure de 135M$
Michel Moyneur, La
Revue, 1 mars 2012
GATINEAU, QC – "Les grandes lignes de ce qui pourrait
s'avérer le plus important projet récréotouristique de l'histoire de Gatineau
ont été dévoilées en grande pompe mercredi soir au Musée canadien des
civilisations. Devant un auditoire majoritairement composé de gens d'affaires
et de politiciens, le maire de Gatineau, Marc Bureau, et le promoteur Claude
Hamelin ont présenté, à l'aide d'images et de chiffres, les résultats de
l'étude de faisabilité de Destination Gatineau. Annoncé par M. Bureau durant
la dernière campagne électorale, en 2009, l'ambitieux projet, qui doit être
réalisé en collaboration avec la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN),
nécessitera un investissement de 135M$ pour sa réalisation complète."
Moving Moscow: Shortlist announced for Moscow Agglomeration
Master Plan Strategy
World Architecture News, 27 February 2012
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - "Last week, ten diverse groups of designers,
academics, urban design specialists and engineers were selected by the
Architectural Department of Moscow City Government as a shortlist for the
Moscow Agglomeration Masterplan Strategy. This colossal scheme will expand
the boundary of the Russian capital to incorporate 148,000 hectares of land
to the south-west of the city, with the ten shortlisted partnerships
presented with the task of preparing concept ideas within the next six
months. These concepts will then be placed on public display following a review
in September 2012."
U.S. Bachelor Degree Rate Passes Milestone
Richard Pérez-Peña, The New York Times / International Herald Tribune,
23 February 2012
UNITED STATES - "More than 30 percent of American adults hold
bachelor’s degrees, a first in the nation’s history, and women are on the
brink of surpassing men in educational attainment, the Census Bureau reported
on Thursday. The figures reflect an increase in the share of the population
going to college that began in the mid-1990s, after a relatively stagnant
period that began in the 1970s. They show significant gains in all
demographic groups, but blacks and Latinos not only continue to trail far
behind whites, the gap has also widened in the last decade."
New satellite images: SOM wins masterplan competition for
Beijing Bohai Innovation City
World Architecture News, 22 February 2012
BOHAI RIM (BEIJING TO TIANJIN), CHINA - "SOM has won the job to
design a compact, environmentally-enhanced community of satellite cities
along the Chinese high-speed rail corridors connecting Beijing to the port
city of Tianjin. The city expansion will host 17.6 million sq m of mixed use
development with a focus on providing a premier headquarters location for
advanced industries in the dynamically growing Bohai Rim, a region that now
accounts for more than a quarter of China’s GDP. Half of the 1,473-hectare
site is allocated to open space, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable
urban growth."
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