News
This Is What Robotic Art Looks Like in 2018
Kazakhstan squirrel art installation sparks backlash over costs
Featured on bbc.com
A 40ft (12m) tall squirrel is causing controversy after popping up in the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan.
The rodent, which is made from straw and wood attached to a steel frame, is part of an art project for a festival commissioned by city authorities.
It reportedly cost 23 million Kazakh tenge ($67,000; £51,000) to create and was paid for in part with public funds.
Cleveland Hopes to Become the Next Venice
With a new citywide art exhibit, Cleveland aims for a spot on the global art circuit; ‘If Kassel can draw a crowd, surely Cleveland can’
Featured on wsj.com
Cleveland wants to be known for more than its craft beers and Cavaliers—especially now that LeBron James is leaving town. This weekend, the Ohio city on the southern banks of Lake Erie will launch a major bid to become the world’s next hotbed for contemporary art.
Glass bender melds art, science to create and restore neon signs
Featured on sfchronicle.com
Amy Palms has been perfecting her skills as a glass bender for more than 20 years. Palms, a Brooklyn native, studied glass blowing, neon and mixed-media sculpture at Alfred University in Upstate New York, where she fell in love with the art of neon.
Do You Like ‘Dogs Playing Poker’? Science Would Like to Know Why
Featured on nytimes.com
If you’ve ever wondered whether the title on a work of abstract art — say “Blue No. 2” — influences how you feel about it, you’ll be intrigued by a new study from the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers there found that people prefer works with straightforward titles like “Curved Lines” or “Dots of Color” to those with figurative titles like “Ice Dancing” or “Sabotage.”
Lurie Children’s Hospital Celebrates NAP Anniversary
This year marks the 5th Anniversary for the National Arts Program® at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Lisa Mulvaney, Creative Arts Program Coordinator, has done a phenomenal job running this show for five years and was presented with our crystal anniversary award by NAP Board Member, Jill Mirkovic. Jill was honored to attend their awards ceremony and commented that, “The Lurie show is a great example of what all the NAP shows strive to achieve, providing ‘artists’ inspiration to exhibit their talents.
Carilion Clinic Employees Take Center Stage
First time coordinator Katie Biddle, as well as the judges, were blown away by the hidden artistic talents exhibited by Carilion Clinic employees during their Fifth Annual NAP show. With fourteen of the sixteen adult awards being presented to hospital employees including the Best of Show, who for the third year in a row was presented to an Amateur artist, it only confirms the amazing talents found within the Carilion community.
Milestone Year at Reno-Tahoe International Airport
This was Reno-Tahoe International Airport’s 10th Annual National Arts Program® Exhibit and as is tradition their wonderful President & CEO, Marily Mora, was on hand to celebrate the artists and their achievements. During the May 16th reception, which was attended by approximately 150 guests, Marily spoke about the show and honored longtime NAP coordinator Kim Matthews by presenting her with the Tenth Anniversary NAP Award and a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her team.
He Couldn’t Refuse a Deathbed Plea. Now He’s Got 10,000 Pieces of Art.
Featured on nytimes.com
Seven words. That’s how it started. “Can you take care of the collection?”
As Arvi Ostrom lay dying more than 20 years ago, he made that request of his grandson Ken Carlson.
Mr. Carlson immediately said yes, of course, even though he really had no idea of the magnitude of the commitment. Mr. Ostrom had been a mostly self-taught artist, and his grandson figured that “the collection” might add up to a hundred or so sketches and paintings. In any case, he said, you don’t deny the last wishes of a grandfather you love.
The Pros and Cons of Stealing Fine Art
Easy to steal, impossible to sell
Featured on bloomberg.com
Ten days ago, a Banksy print valued at about $40,000 was stolen from a Canadian exhibit of the artist’s work. It was a seemingly effortless crime—a man walked in, took the work off the wall, and walked out—but then, most art crimes are. The heavy lifting comes later.
Kids Don’t Just See Art at This Show. They Work With the Artists, Too.
Featured on nytimes.com
A young girl with waist-length golden hair entered a small room where a woman sat at a spinning wheel. Fascinated, the girl approached the device swiftly. Although the scene was in a modern museum, it had the feel of a fairy tale. A powerful spell had indeed been cast, and it was working: Amelia Salenger, the 4-year-old visitor, was becoming enchanted by contemporary art.
New smartphone app lets museum visitors point at art, then see artists discuss the work
Featured on boingboing.net
The Hirshhorn Eye (nicknamed "hi") is a new smartphone application that lets visitors to Smithsonian's Hishhorn Museum of Art point their phones at art and hear messages from the artists themselves.
Via their site:
20+ of the Best Free Online Resources From Art Institutions Around the World
Featured on mymodernmet.com
Today, more and more art institutions are sharing their permanent collections online. Intended to increase visibility and promote accessibility, digitization projects are a great way for museums and libraries to attract modern audiences.
They Suffered for Their Cézanne Portraits
Featured on nytimes.com
There’s an engrossing confab of a show in session at the National Gallery of Art here. It’s called “Cézanne Portraits.” With some 60 likenesses by a notoriously testy, people-averse artist, it’s the largest gathering of its kind in a century. (The last one was in Paris in 1910.) And it has just a few more weeks to run, so if you’re going to catch the conversation, which I seriously recommend, the time is now.