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Britain’s Arts Venues Are Selling Out

Sure, maybe it feels necessary for survival, but the corporate branding at work is gross at best, and more commonly, smacks of "art-washing" by desperate corporations who need a PR win. - The Guardian (UK)

Artist Spent Years Hand-Painting A Video Game Set Inside Monet’s Eyes

Players who succeed at solving the game's levels are "rewarded by a dozen or so pieces scrolling together to create one of the impressionist master’s full works." - Washington Post

The British Museum’s Reputation May Never Recover

Oops: There are "reports of theft every single day from various museums, cultural institutions, churches around the world. What surprised us was the fact that it was the British Museum, one of the most important museums in the world and a benchmark in security." - The Observer (UK)

What We Know About The British Museum’s Missing Items, So Far

The twists and turns are intense - and ongoing. - BBC

Why Helsinki’s Architecture Is Unlike That Of Most Major Cities

"Some of it is – and more will be – sited below ground. There is no single clear reason for this, though factors include the exigent climate, respect for that polite skyline, and the key part that open space plays as amenity, in the city as in the overwhelmingly forested country." - Apollo

British Museum Director Steps Down In Wake Of Thefts Scandal

This week, Ittai Gradel, a Dutch antiquities dealer, said he had told the British Museum about the thefts two years ago and claimed that his allegations had gone unheeded. Fischer previously claimed that he took Gradel’s allegations “seriously.” In a statement issued on Friday, Fischer changed his tune. - ARTnews

Rumors Are Flying That A Right-Wing Journalist Will Be Made President Of The Venice Biennale

No announcement has been made, and the current president remains eligible for a second contract term. Nevertheless, several Italian newspapers report that author/broadcaster Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, a lifelong friend of the new culture minister with no management experience, is the leading candidate. - Artnet

The Culture And Museums Lost In The Maui Fire

“We’ve lost four museums. If you’re into environmentalism, if you’re into surfing, if you’re into history, something was lost in all those ways.” - Artnet

LACMA Finally Meets The Fundraising Goal For Its New Building That’s Already Half-Finished

"The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced on Tuesday that it has exceeded the $750-million goal set for its fundraising campaign for a new building — the David Geffen Galleries, designed by architect Peter Zumthor. … Reaching its final goal has been a long road for LACMA." - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)

Jackass Tourists Paint Graffiti On Vasari Corridor In Florence

The Carabinieri have identified two German tourists in their early 20s as the alleged culprits who spray-painted letters and numbers associated with a Munich soccer team on columns of the Vasari Corridor, a covered passageway connecting two historic palaces. - AP

This Art-Dealing Dynasty Is Even More Filthy Rich Than Anyone Knew — For Now

The Wildensteins' business goes back five generations and 150 years; family members have always been secretive, even by art-world standards. But a lawsuit by a disinherited widow has uncovered what a prosecutor alleged is "the longest and most sophisticated tax fraud" in modern French history. - The New York Times Magazine

“We Are Smack Dab In The Middle Of A Neofascist Revival”: Is The Directorship Of Italy’s Museums Being Politicized?

Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government is replacing the directors at the country's landmark museums — a number of which, such as the Uffizi, have highly professional but non-Italian directors. In the wake of changes at the national broadcaster, some cultural leaders worry about a return of Mussolini-style policies. - MSN (The Washington Post)

British Museum Knew Of Thefts From Its Collection As Early As 2021

According to the PA news agency, the missing items are believed to have been taken over a "significant" period of time. Some of them reportedly ended up on eBay, being sold for considerably less than their actual estimated value. - BBC

How AI Can Be Used To Design Public Art In Public Spaces

Creating interactions in public space turns the urban space into a playful and social venue that could attract residents of all ages. However, there are challenges when designing interactive urban installations. - The Conversation

Oops: Image Metadata On Christie’s Website Inadvertently Revealed Locations Of Artwork

As was the case with the professor, photos uploaded to Christie’s oftentimes include GPS coordinates for where they were taken; those coordinates are so precise that they reveal not just a street address but can even indicate within a few feet exactly where inside a building a photo was taken. - Washington Post

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