Waterfront Park is thus making its debut in a city eager for a win. When it began opening in stages over the last year, Seattleites swarmed the space, dodging construction fences and heavy equipment to check out the progress. Now much rides on its success. - Bloomberg
Since the heist, information has resurfaced showing that gaps in security appear to have been known for years – including a 2014 warning that alleged one of the museum’s key passwords was simply “LOUVRE.” - CNN
Joseph Langelinck’s “highly unpleasant” tours cost around $8 USD, and they’ve reportedly sold out every session since they launched in May, with bookings well into 2026. - The New York Post
One solution might be to put it in a separate structure — climate-controlled, transparent — in the neighboring Tuileries Garden. Time-controlled tickets could be sold at a premium, while the general public could view it for free at a distance, through the glass walls. - Washington Post
On Monday, a 19-year-old hurled water at a 19th-century portrait and a 16th-century altarpiece, then ripped two tapestries. His mother turned him over to police, who said he seemed to be to be under the influence of an “unknown substance” and took him to a hospital before having him arraigned for criminal mischief. - ARTnews
“This means LACMA United cannot move forward with collective bargaining efforts until it is formalized by a National Labor Relations Board election. Complicating matters further, NLRB activities — including elections — are on hold amid the federal government shutdown.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
The renovation is thoughtful and deeply respectful, with a stress on materiality and crisp detail that is typical of Herzog & de Meuron. - The New York Times
In March, a painting by M.F. Husain became the highest-priced modern Indian artwork ever; in June, an auction of his work in Mumbai was nearly cancelled after Hindu extremists threatened it. Last January, an Indian court ordered impoundment of two “offensive” Husain paintings; in October, Qatar announced an entire museum for his work. - CNN
Back in 1930, Gaetano visited Athens with the Italian Navy. And at the Acropolis—the Greek capital’s hilltop covered in ancient architecture—he picked up a small piece of carved marble near the base of the Parthenon, a temple built for the goddess Athena in the fifth century B.C.E. - Smithsonian
“DIA staff are seeking to unionize with AFSCME Cultural Workers United (AFSCME Michigan), a division of the national AFSCME union that represents workers at cultural institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and Philadelphia Museum of Art (sic).” - ARTnews
“This is not quite everyday delinquency … but it is a type of delinquency that we do not generally associate with the upper echelons of organized crime,” Laure Beccuau told France Info Radio. - ARTnews
Trump’s aggressive moves to accumulate political power — deploying National Guard troops, invoking massive tariffs —have prompted protests and lawsuits as well as plaudits. But he is also asserting his power through what might be called an imperial aesthetic: surrounding his presidency with visual cues designed to project personal command and grandeur. - Washington Post
“The 25,000-square-foot facility, to be known as the Grainger Center for Conservation and Science, will contain conservation laboratories, offices and a study center as well as a gallery offering conservation-related exhibitions and opportunities to watch conservators at work.” Construction will begin early next year. - WBEZ (Chicago)
“A divided San Francisco Arts Commission on Monday approved a plan to at least temporarily remove the Vaillancourt Fountain from Embarcadero Plaza, a final sign-off that means the massive artwork could be dismantled as soon as early next year.” - San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)
During renovations on the 13th-century Torre dei Conti, the structure started to collapse, trapping two workers. During the 11-hour rescue operations, passersby watched as more of the tower crumbled. Both of the trapped men were rescued alive, though one died of his injuries shortly afterward. - AP
