Given the sad state of Haiti, still laid low by the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake and now paralyzed by a 100-day-old government that has been unable to take office -- more frightening details are in today's New York Times -- I thought I'd mention an art-world effort to help.  Gallerist David Zwirner and Ben Stiller have organized "Artists for Haiti," a sale of 26 works by 25 artists donated to raise money for the cause. The works will be auctioned on the evening of Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at Christie's. The e-catalogue is … [Read more...]

Although I would not expect museum directors, say, to agree, I was cheered when I read a recent article about the Norton Museum of Art in the Palm Beach Daily News headlined "New Norton exec Alswang, economy redesigning art museum's cultural identity." But maybe not for the reasons you'd think. The article, published last Saturday, contained these passages: The Norton Museum's 2011-12 exhibition schedule doesn't look much like those of the past.... Noticeably absent is a big, scholarly touring exhibition of older art... "The … [Read more...]

Dallas is a long way from New York, and traditional African societies are a long stretch from hatmaker Stephen Jones. But exhibitions of both -- African Headwear: Beyond Fashion at the Dallas Museum of Art and Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Bard Graduate Center in New York -- show that visual sense may carry over from one place to another fairly frequently. Just take a look at the four pictures, featuring two hats from each, running down the sides of this post. There's probably no direct connection, but … [Read more...]

This Frank Lloyd Wright moment (which included the exhibit at the Guggenhein in 2009 and the restoration of the Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, among other things) continues. This summer, the Historic Park Inn Hotel (at left) in Mason City, Ia., was reopened following a complete, $18-million renovation aided by a Save America's Treasures grant. (Hat Tip to Architects + Artisans, which published an excellent blog post about this, including a slide show, on Aug. 12.) And now, the grand celebration, and an attempt -- what else? -- … [Read more...]

There's good news out of Richmond: the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has received a bequest of nearly $70 million, mostly to support acquisitions of art. That's a nifty windfall, a boon to an already fine collection. The bequest results from the dissolution of a trust created upon the deaths of Arthur Graham and Margaret Branch Glasgow in the 1950s; it occurred this summer, with the death of their heir, son-in-law, Ambrose Congreve, at 104, in London. VMFA director Alex Nyerges said in a press release that the … [Read more...]

This week's East coast earth quake prompted people to ask about the capital's museums -- what cracks occurred, and so on. The Smithsonian took a big hit, and its "castle" remains closed. There's a broader question, though, which was raised a couple of years ago by Heritage Preservation in the wake, I think, of 9/11. Maybe that's what prompted the Washington Post to write this article, "Curator Andrew Robison Decides What Goes into National Gallery's Emergency Box," published on Aug. 14. (At left is one work in the box; the WashPost … [Read more...]

The Art Institute of Chicago just announced that it has chosen Douglas Druick (left) as its next director, succeeding Jim Cuno, who left in June to head the Getty Trust. He has been serving as acting director since then then. Druick is well-known and well-respected, and not a surprise. As the press release recounts: During his tenure at the Art Institute, Druick has conceived and organized or contributed to some of the most significant exhibitions in the museum's history. These exhibitions include Degas (1988); Odilon Redon: Prince of … [Read more...]

Art galleries come and go all the time in New York, but when was the last time you recall one opening to specialize in Impressionist and 19th century paintings? Can't remember one? Neither can I. A quick look at the Art Dealers Association of America website, which lists dealers by specialty, shows many members that handle "19th Century European" but most of them really specialize in something else, be it Old Masters or Modern. And all of them, seems to me, have been around a long time. So I took notice when a press release arrived today … [Read more...]

The marvelous Mauritshuis in the Hague, renowned for its collection of 17th Century Dutch paintings, is taking on a modern look in September with a show called Dali Meets Vermeer: Modern Masters Come to Visit at the Mauritshuis. "Modern" is to be taken seriously -- these are not in any way contemporary. Their names include Van Gogh, Monet, Beckmann, de Chirico, and Dalí and all the works were made between 1860 and 1960. But what makes the exhibit noteworthy to me is its design: each of the Modern paintings is paired with … [Read more...]

It's not often that I receive a theft alert from the Art Loss Register -- despite all the art that is stolen -- so I'm posting here the one I received the other day. The ALR must have its reason, and I do also note that the FBI is on the case. It simple read, along with the pictures here, Stolen out of Westport CT, two Louhan sculptures, 15x10x15 inches. Estimated value $800,000 each, as reported to Westport Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Then it directed anyone with knowledge of the case or the whereabouts to … [Read more...]