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"The $12 Million Stuffed Shark" a book to be published this month by Aurum Press, reportedly asserts that Damien Hirst's share in the diamond skull, said to have been acquired for $100 million by an investment syndicate, was 24 percent. Andrew Johnson of the London Independent reports: Don Thompson, an economist, writes in his book...that Hirst retained a 24 per cent stake. … [Read more...] about Diamond Damien’s Share in $100-Million Skull Is Reportedly 24 Percent

Having belatedly posted information last summer about the art and Judaica in its possession that was looted during World War II, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, will mount two Nazi-loot related exhibitions, Feb. 19 through June 3. Orphaned Art: Looted Art from the Holocaust in the Israel Museum will display more than 50 paintings, drawings, prints, and books, as well as selected … [Read more...] about Israel Museum Mounts Exhibitions Seeking Rightful Owners of Nazi Loot UPDATED

If they want to prepare for their trip to North Korea by listening to a government-certified classic, the NY Philharmonic players could start here. Don't miss the rousing subtitles, extolling beloved Comrade Kim Jong-Il: Who needs the "Star-Spangled Banner?" (I HOPE you know I'm just kidding!) … [Read more...] about What the Korean-Bound NY Philharmonic Will Have on Its iPods

This continues my venerable tradition (begun last year) of disclosing artworld luminaries' resolutions for the New Year. As predicted, few fulfilled their 2007 Resolutions, but hope springs anew. Philippe de Montebello: I will appoint that youngster, John Elderfield, as the Met's new head of modern and contemporary art, so that Gary Tinterow can focus on the 19th … [Read more...] about Artworld Luminaries’ 2008 Resolutions UPDATED

For when you've had enough of other New Year's countdowns, here's CultureGrrl's Top 20 for 2007, in chronological order from the beginning of the year. (The 2006 Year in CultureGrrl is here.) I'm focusing mainly on issue-related posts, rather than reviews of shows or new museum facilities. To get the full flavor of my acerbic offerings, you may also want to click the righthand … [Read more...] about The Year in CultureGrrl: 2007

Music critic and composer Greg Sandow (who blogged here about the NY Philharmonic's trip to North Korea) responds to my NY Philharmonic's Korean Overture: An American in Pyongyang: I'm on your side, of course: I think they should go. But I don't have any high-minded goals in mind for the visit. I guess I just hope that some of the North Korean elite will have sparks lit in … [Read more...] about BlogBack: Greg Sandow on NY Philharmonic’s North Korean Visit

This makes me sad. But it does suggest another hot-button issue ripe for another position paper from the Association of Art Museum Directors: What constitutes appropriate expenditures for travel, entertainment and other activities of museum officials, and what kinds of reporting and oversight should be instituted? I think W. Richard West Jr. did a fine job realizing the … [Read more...] about Another Smithsonian Compensation Controversy: Rick West’s Expenses Exposed

Michael Conforti, president designate of AAMD I really should look at the Association of Art Museum Directors' website more often. It turns out that last month AAMD quietly adopted a statement on "Art Museums and the Practice of Deaccessioning." (Go to Position Papers and click the first item on the list.) With the "Gross Clinic" Debacle, the The Albright-Knox Pox, the Maier … [Read more...] about AAMD Issues New Statement on Deaccessioning

I knew that when I reacted to the notion of Egypt's copyrighting the pyramids with a snide crack about New York City's copyrighting the Statue of Liberty, someone was probably going to inform me that the the lady with the torch (above) IS copyrighted. Indeed, so said Richard Lacayo in his Looking Around blog yesterday. So I decided to check it out, and found this web page from … [Read more...] about Department of Monumental Copyrights, New York City Division UPDATED

Iris You, who describes herself as "a Korean-American frustrated with South Korea and U.S. policy against North Korea," responds to NY Philharmonic's Korean Overture: An American in Pyongyang: The general public living in Pyongyang ARE social elites. People elsewhere can't afford food let alone concert tickets and transportation to concert halls. Children are starving but the … [Read more...] about BlogBack: A Korean-American on Philharmonic’s Korean Gambit

---What's next for Zahi Hawass? Copyrighting the pyramids, of course. Rory McCarthy of the Manchester Guardian has the story. Do you think that New York City can copyright the Statue of Liberty? ---The indefatigable Martin Bailey of The Art Newspaper moves on from the faux "Faun" to a possibly false or incomplete export-license declaration. He reports that a Customs … [Read more...] about Links While We’re on the Brink: Copyrighting the Pyramids, Blocking Coello’s Export from U.K., Adding Up the Auctions

"Sabina," formerly from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, in a publicity image for Italy's restitution exhibition In an essay prepared for the recent opening of Nostoi. Recovered Masterpieces, Italian Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli slyly appropriated the rhetoric of "universal museum" proponents to chide them. You can click the "Cartella Stampa" link at the above website to … [Read more...] about Rutelli Deploys Universal Museum-ists’ Own Rhetoric Against Them

Taking questions at the Dec. 11 press conference: the NY Philharmonic's chairman Paul Guenther, its president Zarin Mehta, North Korea's U.N. ambassador Pak Gil Yon (left to right) Should the NY Philharmonic travel to North Korea, the erstwhile member of the "axis of evil"? YES. Does the announced program for the orchestra's controversial foray into cultural diplomacy---"An … [Read more...] about NY Philharmonic’s Korean Overture: An American in Pyongyang

---There is a certain irony to the exhibition that opened Friday at Italy's Quirinal presidential palace, proudly showing off recently repatriated antiquities as precious museum pieces worthy of admiration as beautiful, isolated objects. Isn't the whole point of Italy's campaign to emphasize that these objects have been robbed of much of their power because they were stripped … [Read more...] about Links While You Clink: Italy Unveils Trophies, Greece Unveils New Museum, Barnes Case Delayed, Afghan and Russian Shows On, Guggenheim Partly Unveiled

As my art-lings already know from previous posts, my mother's broken hip and its aftermath have been keeping me from my appointed blogging rounds. We have much to catch up on together in the coming days and weeks. Before I try to get back to what this blog is about (what was that again?), let me try to wrap up the healthcare updates by observing, "It's Hip to Be Home." (Don't … [Read more...] about My Final Hipster Post?