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There Will Be No McDonald’s At Rome’s Baths Of Caracalla (Phew!)

The fast-food behemoth had originally obtained the city's permission to build the outlet on the site of a former garden center near the baths. Public outrage changed the city council's mind, and McDonald's (which already has 54 locations in Rome) has lost every appeal since. - Smithsonian Magazine

When Harry Reid Helped Michael Heiser Realize His Magnum Opus

A lesser-known part of his legacy—one that’s arguably just as enduring as his political feats—is his campaign to preserve Nevada land that is host to a famed Michael Heizer Land artwork. - ARTnews

Phantom Restorer Strikes Again – “Repairs” Historic Church

While the mayor’s report this fall of a “masked restorer” had set off angry calls for an investigation to find the culprit, information that surfaced later both complicated the whodunit and emphasized just how long these errant interventions had been plaguing the country. - The New York Times

LA Gets A Flashy New Cultural Center For “Older People”

The pavilion, a futuristic, three-story trapezoid with a wood-paneled event center, sunken garden and rooftop terrace in the center of the city, will serve Koreatown, which is among the city’s densest and most diverse neighborhoods. - The New York Times

Uffizi’s Director Wants Museums To Use Art To Address Social Ills

"Eike Schmidt, the director of Uffizi Galleries since 2015, … says it is now crucial for museums to play a role in highlighting the issues of today and confront the 'toxic social structures' of the past rather than simply glorifying its artists." - The Guardian

Why Are NYC’s Public Monuments Crumbling From Neglect?

Dozens of monuments and artworks await repairs and conservation that may never be forthcoming because of rising maintenance costs and shifting priorities to newer memorials. - The New York Times

The Art World’s Biggest Controversies Of 2021

"The public continued to interrogate museums over their treatment of workers, their attachments to patrons with problematic sources of wealth, and their dragon-like hold on items of questionable provenance." And then there's Hunter Biden … - Artnet

AI Robots Are Digitally Reconstructing Lost Works Of Great Art

It's happening with works by the likes of Klimt, Picasso, Rembrandt. Most controversially, if the only surviving photos of a lost work are in black-and-white, the software adds color. - The Washington Post

Second 1887 Time Capsule Found Under Robert E. Lee Statue

News accounts described its dozens of donated artifacts, including Confederate memorabilia. Based on historical records, some have also speculated the capsule might contain a rare photo of deceased President Abraham Lincoln. - The Guardian

The Rare Fabric That Was Coveted 200 Years Ago That No One Now Knows How To Make

Made via an elaborate, 16-step process with a rare cotton that only grew along the banks of the holy Meghna river, the cloth was considered one of the great treasures of the age. It had a truly global patronage, stretching back thousands of years. - BBC

Once Threatened, This One-Million-Pound Artwork Is Being Rehomed

Elyn Zimmerman's rock-and-water installation Marabar was erected in 1984 in the courtyard of the National Geographic Society — which now has other plans for that space. Then American University came to the rescue. - The New York Times

99 Finds: The Most Exciting Art And Artifact Discoveries Of 2021

Sorted into categories such as "Missing masterpieces", "Ancient art", "Prehistoric peoples", African-American and indigenous North American history, and "Royal treasures", here are nearly a hundred pieces of (mostly) good news. - Smithsonian Magazine

“Junk Turned Into Art”: L.A.’S Watts Towers At 100

"Are those towers the most powerful act of recycling that California has ever seen? Maybe." Christopher Reynolds recounts the history of their building, including the 100,000-pounds-of-pressure stress test they had to pass so as not to be demolished. - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)

Is The Met Museum Well-Served By Showcasing Disney?

The self-consciousness isn’t necessary; Disney transcended the high-low debate a long time ago. A better question is whether a major art institution dedicating programming to a multibillion dollar corporate behemoth best serves a viewing public. - The New York Times

Belgium Agrees To Return Art Looted During Colonial Period To DR Congo

"The Belgian government plans to set up an expert commission with the Democratic Republic of Congo that will determine the fate of thousands of museum artefacts acquired by Belgium during the colonial era, with a view to making the first restitutions in 2022." - The Art Newspaper

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