Calgary

Marrying music and images

“The manifold pleasures of sight is what Brian Eno hopes people will take away from the brightly coloured, slowly changing, floating abstract images presented in his work, 77 Million Paintings.” Edmonton Journal, January 11, 2011

Toronto

Luminato’s artistic director stepping down

“Chris Lorway, who has been the artistic director of Luminato, the Toronto Festival of the Arts and Creativity, for the past five years, is in the process of resigning.” Toronto Star, January 12, 2011

Instant Coffee awakens with Technicolor assault

“Instant Coffee’s practice combines social awareness — it regularly emails to a huge contact list of people news about show openings or available studio space — with exhibitionist panache.” Toronto Star, January 11, 2011

Los Angeles. 

Broad Museum Design - Not A Promising Start

"Too many critical aspects of the design miss the mark. The galleries, in particular, are deeply flawed; other important elements were either scrapped during the design process or never fully thought through, so that the overall impression is of a project that falls, with an unpleasant thud, well short of its potential."  New York Times, January 12, 2011

New York

Met Announces Gift and Redesign for Costume Institute

The Costume Institute’s redesign will allow the Metropolitan Museum of Art to show off part of its permanent collection in a more contemporary setting. New York Times, January 12, 2011

Hopper's shot-up Mao print fetches $300K

A brilliant blue and green Andy Warhol print of Mao Zedong, pierced by two bullet holes courtesy of former owner Dennis Hopper, soared to a sales price of more than $300,000 US at auction in New York. CBC News, January 12, 2011

Washington, D.C.

AA Bronson Brings Lawyer In To Demand His Work Be Removed From Hide/Seek

The attorney argues that Mr. Bronson holds copyright in the work owned by the National Gallery and, as such, "has the exclusive right to display the work." While the National Gallery "enjoys certain limited rights," Mr. Bronson hasn't, "to our knowledge, granted or expressed any permission or license to exhibit" Felix, June 5, 1994 "to any party . . . in conjunction with" the Washington show."  The Globe & Mail, January 11, 2011

London

Getting grim at the gallery

“Damien Hirst has pushed the boundaries of taste further still by using a dead baby's skull in the creation of his latest work of art.” National Post, January 11, 2011

London's Institute Of Contemporary Art Appoints Gallerist As New Director

“Gregor Muir, who went from the "young British artists" (YBA) scene to curating at Tate before becoming director of one of the world's leading galleries, Hauser & Wirth, will formally take charge on 7 February”. The Guardian, January 11, 2011

Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Spain's Latest Star Building Opens

"Spain's latest architectural extravagance was finally opened to the public today amid complaints that the massive new City of Culture in Santiago de Compostela is a huge and expensive white elephant." The Guardian (UK), January 11, 2011

Brisbane

Brisbane galleries, libraries prepare for flooding

“Art galleries and libraries in Brisbane, Australia, are shifting their collections to upper levels as floodwaters that struck rural areas move toward the city.” CBC News, January 12, 2011

Sydney, Australia

Germaine Greer: Sydney Opera House Is So Much Less Than A Gehry Building

"The Sydney Opera House may be one of the best known structures in the world, but it is also a worse building than anything Gehry would want to put his name to." The Guardian (UK), January 9, 2011

Shanghai

Prominent Chinese Artist’s Studio Torn Down

“The studio designed by Ai Weiwei, an artist who is one of the most outspoken critics of the Chinese Communist Party, was completely razed at the order of government officials on Tuesday, Mr. Ai said in a telephone interview from Shanghai on Wednesday. Mr. Ai said a neighboring studio he had designed for a friend had also been destroyed.” New York Times, January 12, 2011