Macoto Murayama

Macoto Murayama's botanical illustrations were brilliant. I really liked it. Many thanks to Sonia Zjawinski for sharing the info.

There’s an overwhelming charm in the detailed drawings of both plants and machines. Machines have an organic side, while plants have a mechanical side.
- Macoto Murayama

Useful link:
http://macotomurayama.blog62.fc2.com

So true.

Edgar Degas Controversy

William D. Cohan's viewpoints in ARTnews about the authenticity of 74 recently discovered plaster casts of Degas sculptures and the actors/experts in the intriguing drama was interesting. Many thanks.

Useful links:
http://degassculptureproject.com
www.metmuseum.org
www.clarkart.edu
www.nga.gov
www.mfa.org
www.appraisersassoc.org
www.collegeart.org
www.macedonian-heritage.gr
www.herakleidon-art.gr
www.tamuseum.com
www.hirschlandadler.com

Chaim Even Zohar Viewpoint

Chaim Even Zohar was spot on. Diamonds are easily removable and hard to recover product. Many thanks for sharing the info about Roman Rozzen from Rikko Company. Diamonds don't cheat; it's the people who cheat all the time, period.

Identity theft is a far greater problem. In the United States, the second-largest group of filings of Suspicious Activities Reports has to do with identity theft. According to research data, there were 10 million victims of identity theft in 2008 in the U.S. alone. Actually, one out of every 10 U.S. consumers has already been victimized. Some 1.6 million households have seen their bank accounts, credit or debit cards being compromised. Half of the victims discover within three months that someone else is using their name or identity. In 20 percent of the cases, the victims don’t’ learn that their identity has been stolen for four or more years – and the damage can be awesome. But the scariest part of this whole identity-theft problem, according to a 2004 study, is that “it can take up to 5,840 hours (which is the equivalent of working a full-time job for two years) to correct the damage from identity theft depending on the severity of the case. The average victim spends 330 hours repairing the damage.”
- Chaim Even Zohar

Useful links:
www.diamondintelligence.com
www.dmia.net

Jaume Plensa

Hilarie M. Sheets's viewpoints in ARTnews about Jaume Plensa was educational and insightful. I enjoyed it. Many thanks.

On the day of the opening, the people put on a parade, with an orchestra playing, that ended up at the head like it was a divinity. I'm from the Mediterranean and I can understand that in my culture, but I never expected that in England—or in Chicago. People get crazy. For me it's nice, because you see that humanity needs very similar things. You have to offer possibilities and then they react.
- Jaume Plensa

Useful links:
www.jaumeplensa.com
www.millenniumpark.org
www.artic.edu
www.galerielelong.com
www.richardgraygallery.com
www.nashersculpturecenter.org

Luke Johnson Viewpoint

Luke Johnson was spot on. Experience will teach each of us when to follow our innate judgment, and when to call for more technical back-up. Period.

When I have been considering whether to buy a company and what price to offer, I have been blinded too often by reams of due diligence from the accountants and lawyers. Usually it pays to stand back from such mountains of grey data and weigh up the really important issues – and decide how you feel about the opportunity. It can be fatal to let small negative matters put you off an acquisition that you know in your heart is a wonderful deal. It might mean you spend your life dreaming about the brilliant chances you missed because you let overcautious advisers frighten you. Never allow quantitative drawbacks to defeat overwhelming qualitative arguments.
- Luke Johnson

Useful links:
www.lukejohnson.org
www.riskcapitalpartners.co.uk
www.thersa.org

Joris Laarman Lab

Check out Joris Laarman's latest work at www.jorislaarman.com

Magic Show

Magic Show explores the relationship between art and magic. Check it out.

Useful links:
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
www.grundyartgallery.com
www.tulliehouse.co.uk
www.chapter.org
www.pumphousegallery.org.uk

Art Market Update

The Economist report on global art market + China’s art market was educational and insightful. I think China’s auction market is likely to grow considerably despite the short lifespan of many Chinese auction houses/fakes and forgeries + the dubious auction laws in China. Stay tuned.

Useful links:
www.artseconomics.com
www.tefaf.com
www.christies.com
www.forever-christies.com
www.sothebys.com
www.polypm.com.cn
www.cguardian.com