Image via Wikipedia, photo by Richard Chambers

The exhibit Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor has opened at Washington, D.C.'s National Geographic Museum. This is the fourth and last city on a U.S. tour before the ancient statues and artifacts return to China.

This statue is more than 2000 years old, is one of the clay cavalrymen that once protected the tomb of the first Chinese emperor Qin Shihuangdi. The warrior and his horse are now at the entrance to the National Geographic Museum in Washington, and is among the largest number of Chinese terra cotta figures ever to travel to the United States.
Stanford University Professor Albert Dean curated the exhibit. It includes 15 life-size terra cotta figures and 100 sets of artifacts.
"This army represents an unusual display of the level of craftsmanship in ancient China and of the scale of resources able to be mustered," Dean explained.
Thirty-five years ago a group of farmers near Xi'an in China's Shaanxi province, were digging a well. They came across a terra cotta warrior, leading to one of the greatest archeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Today, archeologists believe that about 7000 vivid, life size ceramic figures, horses and chariots were buried in a massive underground tomb complex. About a thousand have been excavated. The warriors were supposed to protect Emperor Qin Shihuangdi in his afterlife.
Professor Dean says the discovery of the terra cotta soldiers has provided a wealth of information about the Qin dynasty, including the construction of the tomb complex which took 36 years.
"When they start figuring out how much wood it took to build these things, the kind of clays, all of this, the amounts stagger the imagination," Dean said.
This is the largest exhibit of Chinese terra cotta figures to tour the United States.
Xie Feng, a diplomat at China's embassy in Washington, spoke at the exhibit's press preview. He referred to President Barack Obama's visit to Beijing, which was taking place on the same day.
"President Obama's visit to China is historic and so is too this exhibit. Their coincidence is auspicious sign of further developments of U.S-China cultural exchange of mutual understanding and friendship."
Susan Norton, Director of the National Geographic Museum, says the show is already a success. "It is beyond our wildest dreams. As of this morning we sold over 96,000 tickets. This is unheard of," she said.
The museum shop is offering the chance for visitors to take something home: from small replicas of the terra cotta figures to Chinese souvenirs.
The exhibit remains in Washington, D.C. through the end of March 2010.

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Charles Dickens via last.fm

NEW YORK, NY.- Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Mr. Fezziwig, Bob Cratchit, the Ghost of Christmas Past—in the age of film and television these characters from Charles Dickens’s 'A Christmas Carol' are universally familiar. The story has been told as a stage musical, a serious dramatic film, and a modern comedy, and this November will be adapted once again in a new Disney movie starring Jim Carrey.
But, in the end, it all comes back to a magical book written by Dickens in a six-week flurry of activity in late 1843. Greeted with universal acclaim at the time of publication, 'A Christmas Carol' might rightfully be called an “instant masterpiece.” William Makepeace Thackeray called it a “national benefit” and an American factory owner gave his workers an extra day’s holiday when he had finished reading it.
When the manuscript was returned after printing Dickens arranged for it to be finely bound in red morocco leather and presented it as a gift to his solicitor. It was purchased by Pierpont Morgan in the 1890s. Beginning on November 20, visitors to The Morgan Library and Museum can view the original manuscript by Dickens in a special presentation in the museum’s famed McKim Building.
The manuscript reveals the author’s method of composition: the pace of writing and revision, apparently contiguous, is rapid and boldly confident. Revisions are inserted for vividness and immediacy of effect.
Deleted text is struck out with a cursive and continuous looping movement of the pen, and replaced with more active verbs and fewer words to achieve greater concision. Dickens’s manuscript shows vividly his efforts to create the highest-quality literary work in the shortest possible time.

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LOS ANGELES, CA.- Bonhams & Butterfields’ Made in California auction on November 17, 2009 did especially well, signaling that the market for California art remains strong. Regardless of the auction’s regional theme, telephone bidders from around the globe vied for works by the golden state’s leading modern and contemporary artists. The sale, which was simulcast from Los Angeles to San Francisco, established world record prices for works Gregory Kondos, Raimonds Staprans and several other California artists.

Robert Graham’s "Neith" (Duke Ellington Figure) and Gregory Kondos’s "Beach Girl", exceeded pre-sale estimates and sold for robust prices. Neith, the top lot of the sale, brought $103,700 (est. $50,000 - 70,000), while "Beach Girl" sold for $51,850 (est. $10,000 - 15,000) and established a new world record for the artist at auction.
“The cover lot, "Beach Girl", by Sacramento artist Gregory Kondos created quite a stir. Bidders from the east and west coasts competed for the California beach scene. Excited bidders occupied the telephone lines in the San Francisco and Los Angeles salerooms. "Beach Girl" sold for $51,850, more than triple the pre-sale estimate, and established a world auction record for the artist,” said Holly Sherratt, Director of the Made in California Department at Bonhams & Butterfields.
Wayne Thiebaud’s "Third Street Avenue Store" also highlighted the sale. The oil painting from 1956 sold for $85,400. “'Third Avenue Store' was one of Thiebaud’s earliest paintings dedicated to consumer culture. The work was created in 1956 when the Pop Art movement was beginning to emerge,” said Sherratt.
Works by Ruth Asawa and Robert Therrien led the sculptural offerings. Ruth Asawa’s tied wire sculpture came from the collection of the family and sold for $42,700. Robert Therrien’s wall-mounted sculpture was exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 1984 and also sold for $42,700.
Bidders also competed for several works by Raimonds Staprans, Robert Arneson, James Weeks, John Altoon and Sam Francis. Arneson’s portrait of the artist William T. Wiley sold for $35,380 and Staprans’s White Top Boats from 1972 brought $39,650 – a new world record for the artist at auction.
The sale also included several works from the Heller Ehrman Collection. James Weeks Gallery Song Recital sold for $24,400 (estimate $15,000-20,000); Omar Chacón’s Asiatica sold for $4,880 (estimate $1,500-2,500); Francesca Pastine’s Spoondrift sold for $3,050 (est. $1,500-2,500).
“We were especially pleased that the property from the Heller Ehrman Collection sold at or above Bonhams & Butterfields’ presale estimates. Many of these artists were new to auction and we were pleased to see competitive bidding for their work,” said Sherratt.
Made in California auctions will continue in May 2010.

  BERKELEY, CA.- The University of California, Berkeley’s plans for a new Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) are being modified due to lingering economic uncertainty, museum and university officials announced today.

Several intriguing concepts for a new BAM/PFA home are under review and a detailed plan is expected to be unveiled early next year, said Lawrence Rinder, the director of BAM/PFA, which is one of the largest university art museums in the United States in both size and attendance.
Rinder emphasized that the university and BAM/PFA remain committed to building a new facility on university property at the corner of Center and Oxford streets, on the edge of Berkeley’s burgeoning theater and arts district.
“Our goal has not changed,” said Rinder. “We will create a remarkable new home for the museum. I’m confident we will find an innovative and affordable solution that advances our mission to inspire the imagination through art and film.”
He pointed to continued commitment from lead donors and trustees of BAM/PFA, who are embracing the decision by campus and museum leadership to modify the building project.
“The creation of a new home for the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in downtown Berkeley continues to be a crucial step in UC Berkeley’s longstanding commitment to the visual arts and to engagement with our broader community,” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. “While the architectural plans will change, what will not change is our shared goal of building a dynamic, welcoming, and seismically safe new museum at the corner of Center and Oxford streets.”
“Art is educational for students and children of all ages. We’re determined to achieve our goal of a new museum in downtown Berkeley; I couldn’t be more excited about our future,” said Barclay Simpson, chair of the BAM/PFA Board of Trustees.
A structural analysis found that BAM/PFA’s current space on Bancroft Way was seismically inadequate and led to the 1999 relocation of the Pacific Film Archive Theater to temporary campus quarters that it still occupies. A partial seismic retrofitting of the museum in 2001 has enabled BAM/PFA to stay open during planning for a new facility.
Toyo Ito & Associates, a Japanese architecture firm known for its innovative concepts and structural approaches, was brought on in 2006 to design a new museum. Toyo Ito’s design for BAM/PFA met with critical support and enthusiasm in arts and architecture circles and efforts were underway to raise private funds to pay for most of the $200 million campaign.
However, university and museum leaders said that, in the current economic climate, modifying the project’s proposed scope and expense by moving on to a new design is the only way to ensure BAM/PFA remains on track for a new museum.

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Image via Wikipedia, Seated statue of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II, in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Painted Sandstone, 11th Dynasty


















Egypt Severs Ties with Louvre Over 'Stolen' Ancient Egyptian Artifacts


Egypt's antiquities chief says Egypt is suspending ties with the Louvre, saying the French museum has not returned what he says are stolen artifacts.
Zahi Hawass on Wednesday said the Louvre has repeatedly ignored requests to return steles, or large reliefs, that date back to the time of the Pharaohs. Hawass said the Louvre purchased the four archeological reliefs that were stolen from a tomb in Luxor in the 1980s.
French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand said Wednesday that France is willing to return the relics if they were indeed stolen from the tomb site. He says he has asked a special commission to meet Friday to discuss the situation and rule on the matter.
Egypt has launched an extensive campaign to recover its antiquities abroad, including some objects currently exhibited in well-known museums.
In 2002, Egypt's Supreme Council ruled that all international museums must return antiquities that were stolen or smuggled from Egypt, including pieces that were purchased by museums but were ultimately proved to be stolen.
This is not the first time Egypt has cut cooperation with foreign art museums. Mr. Hawass severed ties with St Louis Art Museum in 2006 when it failed to return an ancient Egyptian burial mask. He took similar steps against the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels.

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The Washington Diplomat

‘We Don’t Want to Be Someone’s Attic’

In the Washington Diplomat, John Shaw writes that "G. Wayne Clough, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, is determined to show Washington and the world that his organization is not just a custodian of such intriguing artifacts as Apple’s first personal computer, the Hope Diamond and the command module from Apollo 11. He’s trying to rebuild the Smithsonian’s reputation as a cutting-edge research powerhouse with global reach — and ensure that the institution doesn’t become a relic like the millions it houses in its esteemed collection.'This is a very dynamic, very vibrant institution. We’re growing, we’re evolving. We don’t want to be staid. We don’t want to be someone’s attic,' he said in an interview with The Washington Diplomat at his office in the Smithsonian Castle."

Largest International Light and Music Festival In The Southern Hemisphere To Transform Sydney, Australia In To A Spectacular Living Canvas Of Inspiration And Artistic Expression
 Australia's Tourism New South Wales (TNSW) announces Vivid Sydney, the biggest international music and light festival in the Southern Hemisphere. From May 26 through June 14, Vivid Sydney transforms one of the world's greatest destinations into Asia-Pacific's creative hub, showcasing the city's creativity, colors, ideas and innovations. Replete with amazing light, breathtaking vistas and diverse villages as well as residents who embrace creativity and individuality, Sydney welcomes artists to exhibit their extraordinary avant-garde work on a grand scale.
"The inaugural year of Vivid Sydney is an exciting milestone in the establishment of Sydney as the cultural epicenter of the Asia-Pacific," says Jodi McKay, New South Wales Minister for Tourism. "Our city possesses a wealth of creative talent across a variety of industries and this unique event illuminates the city's most vibrant citizens."
The cultural explosion will include four major events, artistic villages, demonstrations and performances in and around the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Circular Quay and the City Center. Vivid Sydney features Luminous, a music festival at Sydney Opera House, curated by one of the biggest names in international music, Brian Eno. A founding member of Roxy Music, Eno is one of the most significant record producers on the contemporary music scene, having worked with David Bowie, Coldplay, U2 and Talking Heads. The breathtaking concert boasts a ground-breaking collaboration that brings together music, art and light to stunning effect.
Smart Light Sydney will showcase dynamic light art sculptures using smart technology with a free Light Walk around Sydney's iconic harbor precinct. With dozens of beautiful and atmospheric light creations, Smart Light Sydney will inspire in its innovative approach to revitalize urban spaces. Conceived by Sydney born lighting designer and composer Mary-Anne Kyriakou, the event is themed Cities and Memories.
A third major component, Fire Water, a free event, will offer three nights of 'flame, food and spectacle' in the city's famous Rocks district. For the first time ever, a spectacular interpretation will show the dramatic burning of the convict ship the Three Bees, which sank in Sydney Cove in 1814. Stunning wooden fire sculptures and lighting installations will create a warm, magical atmosphere while chefs rustle up flame-grilled food on outdoor barbeques.
Luminous, Smart Light Sydney and Firewater will be augmented by Creative Sydney, a festival of ideas centered around a series of creative industry seminars, workshops and events celebrating the wealth and diversity of Sydney's artistic talent. Staged over the course of the festival, programming covers disciplines such as visual arts, music, performing arts and design and will also showcase the city's emerging creative talents."We have some of the city's best creative minds working on this festival, and we are confident that in time Vivid Sydney will attract the same level of international attention as the City's New Year's Eve celebrations on Sydney Harbour," says Geoff Parmenter, Chief Executive Officer, Events New South Wales.
For more information on Vivid visit http://www.vividsydney.com.au/
NEW YORK, March 20 /PRNewswire/ --

Architect David Adjaye has been selected to design replacement buildings for two public library branches in Washington, DC, reports the Washington Post. The choice of the Tanzanian-born Adjaye came through a competitive process involving library officials and neighborhood representatives.
In 2007, Mr. Adjaye finished the new Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver, his first major public project in the United States.  His work includes the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, an adaptation of a nineteenth-century railway terminal into a high-tech exhibition hall and museum, dramatically framed by a stand-alone aluminum box, thrusting the whole complex into the space age. ArtForum writes that "it was his Idea Stores, glamorous neighborhood libraries that include a wide array of community functions," that led to Mr. Adjayes' selection for this project.  

ARTnews

Nineteen museums are looking for leaders, according to the Association of Art Museum Directors. The list includes the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Seattle Art Museum. The Metropolitan Museum of Art just filled the opening left by Philippe de Montebello’s retirement.
Milton Esterow writes in ARTnews that many able candidates opt out of leadership roles. He attributes this in part to the museum world's trustees and directors, "But perhaps the least-known problem of many museum directors is the people who hire them—the trustees. That’s what I heard from museum directors and former museum directors, trustees and former trustees, curators, and headhunters throughout the country. In many cases, they would speak only on condition of anonymity.
There are museum directors who should not be museum directors as well as trustees who should not be trustees."