Free art in Seattle

Someone left some sculpture in a Seattle park, promising to remove it before the "next rain."

And, um.

I don't imagine you'll want to watch this whole clip, or the other four parts of it. But it is rather nice to see a famous and successful artist--Lucien Freud--who isn't "media savvy" or working to promote himself. He's, well, quite dull. A nice reminder that if your work is really good you can sometimes skip the forceful personality and self-promotion. They're not all trying to channel Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollack.

This post has nothing to do with art

But if you are reading this (is anyone still reading this?), you are probably heading off to school in the next week or so. Need/want/willing to listen to advice? These tips are good. Best of luck at your new home.

A concise and interesting history of the Guggenheim

On Slate.

In case Tim and Eric are still following violence against art

A Russian woman threw a cup at Mona Lisa. This article includes the obligatory list of other attacks. She (the Russian attacker, not Mona Lisa) was apparently upset at being denied French citizenship. This episode surely won't help her appeal.

If only all hotels worked this way

This hotel in Berlin allows artists to stay for free-if they contribute to the hotel.

Be in Pasadena on September 12

To see some skywriting. (I wonder if it will look any different than what we already picture in our head when we just read about it?)

Microsculpture

I've taken a summer break from TED. But now that I check again, I see some really cool stuff. Like this guy, who makes microscopic sculpture.

Echigo-Tsumari Festival

The website for the Echigo-Tsumari Festival has a searchable index of the participating artists, with a photo for each. It's definitely worth some time. I chose this one from James Turrell. He's familiar to us in Houston, both for the tunnel linking the buildings at the MFAH and the Quaker meeting house with the retractable roof in the Heights. He also has a great piece at the Nasher Center in Dallas.

The best way I found is to go to the Search Artworks page, pick one randomly, and then spend time browsing using the "next" and "previous" buttons.

A quick lesson in perspective

Look at this cool photograph. But more important, read the description at the bottom, about the thousands of men at the back and handful at the base.