ARTTalk - Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has announced a second round of grants

.com
...the link between you, the visual artist, and the manufacturer of art materials.
Established 1990

ArtPourri

Additional Grants Announced--The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has announced a second round of grants, totaling approximately $6.6 million, to be made from the special $50 million fund to assist NYC cultural and performing arts organizations, as well as public parks, that were directly affected by events of 9/11. Recipients include 29 museums and related organizations that are generally small to mid-sized. Also, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has announced $600,000 in emergency grants for NYC arts groups below 14th St. Grants of $15,000 to $25,000 will go to 29 small to midsize visual arts organizations in lower Manhattan.

Stolen Painting Discovered--Postal employees at a postal center in Topeka, KS, recently opened an undeliverable package to discover a painting. Marc Chagall's 1914 gouache entitled "Study for 'Over Vitebsk'" was stolen in June from the Jewish Museum in Manhattan. Valued at over $1 million, the discovery has been deemed authentic.

Milestone for New Chairman--Michael P. Hammond, who only days before had assumed duties as the new chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, has died in Washington, D.C. He was 69 and apparently died of natural causes.

Portrait Conference Scheduled--The American Society of Portrait Artists will present an international study conference on "The Contemporary Portrait" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Hilton-New York from May 2-4. Demonstration, lecture and dialogue, as well as the International Portrait Competition and an Awards Dinner are on the bill. Call 1-800-622-7672; or go to www.ASOPA.com for more information.

Exhibitions:

New Orleans, LA -- Louisiana State Museum, The Presbytere -- A new permanent exhibition, Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana, captures the essence of this event through rare artifacts, elaborate displays and imaginative technology. Five major themes are explored: History, Masking, Parades, Balls, and the Courir du Mardi Gras. Open Tues. through Sun. from 9am-5pm. http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/mgras/mardigras.htm.

Chicago, IL -- Chicago Cultural Center -- here is new york: a democracy of photographs is the first major venue for the exhibition outside of NYC. Included are more than 1,500 photos of powerful and poignant images taken by professional and amateur photographers relating directly to the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy and its aftermath. Through March 30. www.hereisnewyork.org.

Hartford, CT -- Wadsworth Atheneum -- The Women's Committee celebrates the arrival of spring with the 21st Annual Festival of Fine Art and Flowers, Design for Entertaining, from April 4-7. Visitors will enjoy select works of art from the museum's collections which have been interpreted by imaginative floral arrangements, innovative table settings, and garden landscapes. Interesting special events have been planned each day to complement the visual experience. www.wadsworthfestival.org/flowers/.

New York, NY -- Whitney Museum of American Art -- The 2002 Biennial Exhibition opens March 7 and runs through May 26. In the largest Biennial since 1981, most of the museum will be taken over by the work of 113 artists and collaborative teams. For the first time, in conjunction with the Public Art Fund, several Biennial pieces will be presented in Central Park. For the second time, The Bucksbaum Award, the largest in the world given to support the work of a living artist, will be presented to an artist included in the exhibition. www.whitney.org/exhibition/biennial.shtml.

• ARTtalk's Manufacturer Art Materials/Product Info. Center •