A complaint signed by thousands of people has been filed, but artist Fabián Cháirez says, “I think there are other issues we should be protesting against, such as the church’s abuse of power and sexual abuses within the church.” - Hyperallergic
The pieces were stolen from Nigeria's Kingdom of Benin by British soldiers in 1897. The British went on to sell their spoils, and the treasures made their way to the Dutch government,” which is now ready to return 119 pieces of art. - NPR
In the open letter to Creative Australia, the artists write, “To strip the chosen artistic team of this opportunity is unacceptable. Indeed it signals a fundamental disregard for the role of artists in our society – especially by the very institution meant to defend them.” - The Guardian (UK)
“R-Evolution” by sculptor Marco Cochrane had been scheduled to open the evening of Feb. 6 at a public party in the square, but the event was postponed and the installation ultimately canceled due to “unforeseen engineering complexities on site” — to wit, the statue is too damn heavy. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
Since the latest wildfires, interest in natural buildings has spiked, particularly after a widely-shared photo showed a backyard SuperAdobe that emerged from the Eaton fire intact. Well-designed adobes resist earthquakes as well as fires, and they’re quicker and less expensive to build than conventional modern homes. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
Foreign institutions and collectors are returning artifacts with deep spiritual meaning for Cambodians. Where and how to display them remain open questions. - The New York Times
“After a year of discussions, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and M+, a contemporary art museum in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts district, have formalized an agreement that could soon see them share shows, research, and donor development resources.” - ARTnews
An exhibition at the Prado in Madrid has gathered together panels of the altarpiece Doménikos Theotokópoulos painted for the Monastery of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo. The central panel belongs to the Art Institute of Chicago; the others are at the monastery or in private collections. - Artnet
Police seized 71 paintings, including fake Rembrandts, Picassos, Warhols, and Banksys, some completed and others half-finished, along with a plethora of painting materials, forged certificates of authenticity, and bogus catalogues. Authorities say evidence suggests that an art restorer is at the center of the racket. - The Guardian
Not long after midnight in Cusco, once the Incas' imperial capital, a man "apparently intoxicated and out of his mind" used a metal object to attack what's known as the 12-Angle Stone, part of the former Inca Roca's Palace which was subsequently incorporated into the colonial-era Archbishop's Palace. - ARTnews
"Egyptian officials announced Tuesday the discovery of the tomb of King Thutmose II. … It's the first royal Egyptian tomb to be discovered since King Tutankhamun's final resting place was found in 1922." - CBS News
"The four cavernous wings of Cambodia’s national museum are so packed with objects that visitors need to watch their elbows while strolling among the roughly 1,400 on display. … An expansion and a renovation are planned, but it’s unclear who would pay." - The New York Times
"The boom is being spearheaded by Tirana's mayor, Erion Veliaj ... and Albanian prime minister and fellow Socialist Edi Rama. They have made architecture and urban design a key part of the strategy to boost Tirana's international reputation as Albania seeks to attract more tourists and sustain economic growth." - Dezeen
Red is the color we wear when we want to be noticed, the one that appears in the most national flags, the one that casinos and advertisers use to loosen wallets. The science is in on that: red quickens the pulse and sticks in the memory as no other color does... - The New Yorker
