ArtPourri

Awards Announced – The MacArthur Foundation has named 25 new Fellows for 2008, all selected for their creativity, originality and potential to make important contributions in the future.  Among those receiving $500,000 in “no strings attached” support over the next five years are Tara Donovan, a sculptor from Brooklyn, NY, and Mary Jackson, a fiber artist from Charleston, SC.

– The Japan Art Association has announced the recipients of the 20^th Praemium Imperiale, recognized for their achievements, for the impact they have had internationally on the arts and for their role in enriching the global community.  Included among the five categories are Richard Hamilton, United Kingdom, for Painting; and Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Russia/U.S. for Sculpture.  Each received $140,000, a diploma and medal.

USPS News - Vintage movie posters highlighting various facets of the African-American cultural experience as represented in early film have returned on 42-cent commemorative stamps dedicated by the USPS.  The Vintage Black Cinema stamps feature posters advertising movies produced for African-American audiences prior to 1950:  Black and Tan, The Sport of the Gods, Princess Tam-Tam, Caldonia and Hallelujah.

NEA News – The NEA has announced that the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs is the recipient of the 2008 National Accessibility Leadership Award/grant. The award recognizes exceptional initiatives or programs that make the arts accessible and inclusive for older adults and individuals with disabilities.

Refurbishing Completed/Begun – The San Diego Museum of Art (CA) recently revealed its newly restored historic façade.  The richly-detailed building has been obscured by cladding for almost ten years, while a restoration took place to preserve the façade and ensure the longevity of the Spanish Renaissance-style building.

—The Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, took another major step forward in restoring the Southwest Museum, beginning an upgrade and repair of the Caracol Tower for damage sustained during the 1994 earthquake and over decades of deferred maintenance.  In 2012 the museum will re-open as the Southwest Museum Education and Cultural Center and house exhibitions of Native American artifacts from the Southwest Collection in two galleries, as well as complementary educational and cultural uses.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 19 No. 1 — November 2008