THE MAG - News

South Africa Rocks!
Archaelogist and curator Siyakha Mguni has discovered a rare ceremonial rock art site at the foothills of the Cederberg in the Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Retreat. This reserve is known for its rock-art legacy of estimated 130 documented sites.

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Thieves Literally Took US$16,300 Canvas
An artwork made up of glued bank notes worth US$16,300 (12,400 euros) was stolen from a Gallery in Oslo, Norway. The work by artist Jan Christensen, entitled "Relative Value" was cut off the canvas and left the frame behind. The piece was already been sold to a Norwegian buyer at face value.

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Biggest Picasso Collector Dies at 93
An influential collector of Pablo Picasso´s artworks and close friend of the artist, Heinz Berggruen (93), has died in France this last weekend. He died at the American Hospítal in Neuilly-sur-Seine and the cause of his death was not revealed. Berggruen has one of the biggest Picasso collection with more than 130 works.

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Christie´s Buys Haunch of Venison Gallery
Famous auction house, Christie´s bought London contemporary art gallery, Haunch of Venison. The amount of money paid by Christie´s has not been revealed yet. Haunch of Venison main headquarters is located in London and have branches in Zurich and Berlin. Founded in 2002, the gallery represents artists such as Bill Viola, Keith Tyson, and Wim Wenders.

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UK Sex Art Exhibition Only For Adults
The art exhibition, "Seduced: Art and Sex From Antiquity to Now" will only admit over-18s due to the explicit material on display. Images of sex acts from JW Turner´s notebook, Kama Sutra, Lolita and the Marquis de Sade readings, works by Francis Bacon, Pablo Picasso, and Auguste Rodin will be part of the exhibition.

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Prints Worth $250K Stolen From Car Parked In Mall
Every art dealer should be aware by now of a dozen litographs valued by the owner at more than US$250,000 recently stolen from a rental car in San Francisco. The owner was trying to sell the litographs to local art buyers. The most valuable reproduction is a 1960´s Marylin Monroe portrait by Andy Warhol worth US$100,000.

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Art Exhibition Or History Exhibition?
Alhambra residents in California were offended by an art exhibition commemorating the Chinese New Year at the City Hall. Several prints did not get much attention but others were specially offensive for some visitors. One of the silk-screen prints depicts George Washington next to Communist Party dictator Mao Zedong.

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Canadian Church Changes God For Art
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts plans to integrate the distinctive Romanesque Revival building (Erskine and American United Church) into a US$26-million, 21,500-square-foot pavilion that will house its collection of Canadian art. The collection of 11,000 pieces includes religious art as well as works by such major artists as Jean-Paul Riopelle, Alex Colville, Paul-Emile Borduas, the Group of Seven and Inuit artisans.

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Lawyer Arrested in Stolen Cezanne Case
A retired lawyer was arrested at Logan Airport (Boston, Massachusetts) accused by federal authorities for negotiations selling stolen paintings, including a US$30 million Cezanne still life. Robert R. Mardirosian was charged of possessing, concealing, storing, and attempting to sell stolen goods belonging to Michael Bakwin.

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Strip Yourself For An Art Exhibition
A very unusual and unique exhibition is taken place at the Catalyst Arts Gallery in Belfast. A traditional Finnish sauna has been built by Polish-born artist Joanna Karolini as part of a month-long installation. Visitors to the gallery can book themselves for a free evening sessions in the sauna until the exhibition closes on March 09.

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Museum For African Art Moves To Harlem
The Museum for African Art will move to a new home at 5th Avenue and 110th Street in New York City. In the last 22 years, they have moved to three different places. It seems this will be the final destination for the museum. It is expected to open in 2009 and will have over 16,000 feet of exhibition space.

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Banksy Reaches US$200,000 In Auction
Banksy´s artwork "Bombing Middle England" was sold for US$200,000 to an mystery telephone bidder at Sotheby´s auction house yesterday. The price is a record for the artist who already sold pieces to Angelina Jolie, David Beckham and many other personalities. The graffiti artist has remain anonimous through all this years, revealing only that he is from Bristol in southwest England.

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UK Art Prize Nominees
Sotheby´s broke auction record price for a sale of Impressionist and Modern Art in Europe yesterday in New Bond Street, London. It was raised over US$187 million. Twenty-three percent of the lots didn't sell. Demand was so great that an extra room had to be opened to accommodate the estimated 700 observers. Sale records for six artists were broken.

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UK Art Prize Nominees
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has received a nomination for the £100,000 (US$196,623 aprox) Gulbenkian prize art award. The Glasgow gallery was closed for three years for renovation and has attracted more than two million visitors since its opening last July.

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The Ringling Museum Gets US$76 Million Makeover
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art will open its doors on Saturday February 03, to its new Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Wing, John M. McKay Visitors Pavillion, and Conservation and Education Building. This expansion of 30,000 square feet had a cost of US$45 million, apart from the US$76 million plan to transform the historic Renaissance complex into a 21st-century facility. The new building´s exterior architecture is respectful of the 1930´s design, but the interiors are minimalist and 18-foot ceilings.

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