Vancouver

Get ready: The fall season's packed. September 24^th is the opening day of An Autobiography of Our Collection at the Vancouver Art Gallery. How do galleries go about collecting their art? Where do they draw the line on what makes the cut? The Vancouver Art Gallery digs deep into its vaults to trace its collections, amassed over 80 years. The Province, September 6, 2011

Surrealism: Aboriginal Artwork’s Long Journey Home. One of the artworks in the Vancouver Art Gallery‘s Surrealism exhibition illustrates an ongoing story among many aboriginal groups in B.C. about reclaiming physical objects and artefacts from their past. Vancouver Sun, September 6, 2011

Toronto

How Kent Monkman—a half-Cree illustrator from Winnipeg—sexed up the exploitation of First Nations people and conquered Toronto’s art world. Monkman is one of the few mid-career artists to see his work enter the auction market—a privilege reserved for the safely dead or famous.  Toronto Life, September 6, 2011

Winnipeg

Winnipeg artist to put touch on square. Winnipeg-based photographer and architect, David Firman, has been chosen to design a performing stage that will be part of the $1.9-million Trans­cona Centennial Square project. Winnipeg Free Press, September 7, 2011

Fairbanks, Alaska

Another one bites the dust as Fairbanks art gallery closes. The Fairbanks area gallery known as The Annex, one of the largest exhibition spaces in Alaska, is shutting down after seven years. The article includes a mention of the Yu’pik mask in the Surrealism exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery and compares the cost of admissions at galleries in the Pacific Northwest.  Anchorage Daily News, September 3, 2011

Rome

Vandal Sacks Roman Fountains "A man accused of vandalising the Moor Fountain in Piazza Navona has been arrested by the Italian police. ... The man, who subsequently attempted to damage Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, was tracked down by local police through his distinctive footwear." The Telegraph (UK) September 5, 2011  (includes video)

China

Chinese Art Collectors Prove to Be a New Market Force  A growing wealthy class is aggressively pursuing a costly passion for both Western and Asian works.  New York Times, September 7, 2011 

International

Is Close Encounters Of The Third Kind The Founding Work Of Postmodern Art? Jonathan Jones: "I have been watching Steven Spielberg's 1977 science-fiction film and it struck me as a work of art, almost a filmed installation, that defines what 'postmodernity' is, or was, or will be." The Guardian (UK) September 5, 2011

Did 9/11 Mark The Death Of The Skyscraper? Not At All "The decade since the 2001 destruction of the twin towers, an attack that some predicted would spell the end of the tall building, have turned out to be the busiest ever for skyscraper design. More skyscrapers have gone up in the last 10 years than in all of architectural history before the destruction of the World Trade Center - and by a significant margin." Los Angeles Times, September 4, 2011

Artists, Funding Bodies, And The Expectation Of Gratitude "Nothing wrong with wanting great plays, concerts and books. But I have a sneaking suspicion that we want something more from artists. We expect them to be grateful. This is a sensitive subject that is rarely spoken about publicly: the relationship between artists and the funding bodies, sponsors and donors who enable them to do what they do." The Australian, September 6, 2011