A SUMMARY OF THE MOST EXCITING ART NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
While we focus on Indian art, we can’t obviously function in a vacuum. It’s a small world and everything is connected, especially on the web. So, let’s train our spotlight across the world map to see what’s going on — from art trends to socio-political issues to everything that affects the great aesthetic global consciousness. Or, let’s just travel the world and have some fun!
The wicked Witch’s hourglass from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was at an $8 million auction of movie Memorabilia
Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wicked Witch’s hourglass, Moses’s robe, and one of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets were among nearly $8 million in movie memorabilia snapped up over the weekend at the “Hollywood and Entertainment Signature Auction” at Heritage Auctions. The gargoyle-decorated hourglass from The Wizard of Oz was the sale’s leading lot, fetching $495,000. In the 1939 film, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) threatens to end Dorothy Gale’s (Judy Garland) life when the glittering red sands run out. The prop was made of wood, papier-mâché, and handblown glass. The sale also included two costumes from the classic movie, known for its pioneering use of Technicolor in a feature film. The Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida, snapped up a test version of Dorothy’s blue-and-white gingham pinafore for $125,000 and a jacket from a resident of the Emerald City for $37,500. Read more on Artnet news.
Fake heiress Anna Delvey sold $340,000 in artworks often featuring herself
Socialite scammer Anna Sorokin
Fake heiress Anna Delvey has made real money selling her paintings and drawings, mostly featuring herself, totaling $340,000. The 31-year-old Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, was convicted of larceny, grand theft and financial crimes in 2019 for thefts so notorious they were made into the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna by Shonda Rhimes. After completing a two-year-sentence at Rikers Island, Delvey was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement for 17 months for overstaying her visa. In May, she launched a solo art show titled “Allegedly,” making a surprise virtual appearance from detention. Delvey was released on house arrest in October. Details on New York post.
Glass barriers to protect Saint Mark’s Basilica from high tide
Visitors walk on a raised path in St Mark’s square past glass barriers preventing seawater from flooding the basilica
How can Venice save Saint Mark’s Basilica from the rising waters of Acqua Alta, the lagoon’s seasonal high tide? In a simple and straightforward solution, the Italian city has erected glass barriers around the 900-year-old church to keep the waters out. The new barriers will protect against up to three-and-a-half feet of water, which would allow for a high tide of over six feet above sea level. Working in concert with the transparent fencing is an engineering project to create underground drainage channels below the church and the square that are designed to remove flood waters from the area. “Let’s hope that, from now on, there are no more high waters that will touch the base of the basilica,” Mario Piana, the basilica’s architect and restoration expert, told the Guardian.
