ArtPourri

The Met-Open Labor Day and More – Galleries, shops and dining areas at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC) will be open to the public on Monday, Sept. 6 (Labor Day), the next “Met Holiday Monday.”  The special viewing day is also the last opportunity for the public to see the popular exhibition Tutankhamun’s Funeral, which explores the materials and rituals associated with the burial of the pharaoh.  The Met has also announced that the landmark exhibition Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art drew 703,256 visitors during its 17-week run, making it the most highly attended show since 2001.

Winner Lands Exhibition – The winner of Bravo’s Work of Art:  The Next Great Artist Television Series, Abdi Farah, currently has an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum (NY).  Work of Art:  Abdi Farah is on view through Oct. 17 and highlights 10 artworks recently created in a variety of media.  Libation, a life-size sculpture of two young men sprawled on the floor and wearing sneakers, is the centerpiece of the exhibit.

Farah is a recent graduate of the U. of Penn.

Auction News – Christie’s has announced worldwide sales of $2.57 billion for the first six months of 2010, up significantly over last year’s figure for the same period.  They continued to lead at the highest levels of the art market, selling 75% of the works sold for over $50 million during this period, including Nude, Green Leaves and Bust by Picasso, which sold for $106.5 million, the highest price ever paid at auction for any work of art.

Fellows Nominated – After being nominated, more than 300 exceptional artists from across the country have applied for the 2010 USA Fellowships.  These artists come from 44 states and two territories and work in nearly every artistic practice, from traditional crafts to avant-garde modes.  This summer, eight discipline-specific panels of experts will meet in L.A. to review and select the awardees, who will be announced at a ceremony in New York on Dec. 7.  This year marks USA’s fifth anniversary and its $12.5 million investment in direct grants for individual artists.

NEA News – Twenty-one grants totaling $3 million have been awarded through the NEA Mayors’ Institute on City Design 25^th Anniversary Initiative.  MICD25 supports creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform sites into lively, beautiful and sustainable places with the arts at their core.  Grants range from $25,000 to $250,000 and were awarded to 21 communities ranging from Easton, PA, to Los Angeles, CA.  See details at www.nea.gov/national/MICD25/index.html.

Postal Stamp News – The new Negro Leagues Baseball stamp pays tribute to the all-black professional baseball leagues that operated from 1920 to about 1960.  A second commemorative stamp features the league’s founder, Andrew “Rube” Foster, who is considered the “father” of Negro Leagues Baseball.   Stamp artist Kadir Nelson also illustrated the award-winning book about the Negro Leagues, “We are the Ship” and “Testing the Ice:  A True Story about Jackie Robinson.”

Day Celebrated – Bring out the Play-Doh on September 16 to celebrate National Play-Doh Day.  Created in 1955 and on the market since 1956, Play-Doh has introduced countless children to working with “clay” and remained a popular child’s modeling compound.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 20 No. 11 — September 2010