STYLE SPOTLIGHT

“Carbon Footprint” is the work of Janet Van Fleet.

Putting the Pieces Together
On the heels of 2006’s successful public art project, the citizens of Vermont will celebrate their connection to art and to each other by painting 8,000 wood and 50,000 paper puzzle pieces for “Art Fits Vermont.”

The Vermont Arts Council will distribute the blank puzzle pieces to communities throughout the state, who are free to determine how to decorate and display them. In 2006, more than 40,000 citizens participated in a similar project using palettes.

“Art Fits Vermont” got its start earlier this year and will continue through 2009, when several of the puzzle pieces will be joined with pieces distributed to artists in New York and Quebec. The completed project will be displayed at “puzzlePALOOZA,” an exhibition held in conjunction with the Lake Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration in Quebec in July 2009.
— Christine Kloostra

Reclaiming Stolen History
The facts of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and World War II are well known. What isn’t as often discussed is how the failed artist stole, repatriated and collected art and other valuable objects from the homes Nazis pillaged, largely of Jews in seven countries. The acclaimed book by Lynn Nicholas detailing the Nazi regime’s attack on Europe’s cultural heritage is now a compelling film that is making its way to theaters and museums throughout the U.S.

“The Rape of Europa” tells the harrowing story of the theft—and sometimes destruction—of art across Europe, and the stunning efforts of museum officials and art historians to rescue the works before each was seized during the Nazis’ 12-year reign of terror. To find a list of upcoming screenings near you, visit www.rapeofeuropa.com.
— C.K.

Topping the Charts
The Art Newspaper recently released its annual report on museum exhibition attendance, reporting a record-setting exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation” at the Tokyo National Museum in Japan. More than 10,000 visitors a day saw the work, which was on loan from the Uffizi gallery in Florence.

• “The Mind of Leonardo,” Tokyo National Museum
• “Monet’s Art and Its Posterity,” National Art Center, Tokyo
• “Legacy of the Tokugawa,” Tokyo National Museum
• “Richard Serra Sculpture: 40 Years,” Museum of Modern Art, New York
• “Masterpieces of French Painting from the Met,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
• “Milkmaid by Vermeer and Dutch Genre Painting,” National Art Center, Tokyo
• “From Cézanne to Picasso,” Musée d’Orsay, Paris
• “Masterpieces of French Painting from the Met,” Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin
• “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” Franklin Institute, Philadelphia
• “What Is Painting?” Museum of Modern Art, New York

Sizing Up Your Collection
Keeping detailed records of your collection is important. Whether you’re looking to supplement and want to know the market price for a new piece, or need to jot down a missed detail, a trio of books from U.K.-based Miller’s Publications can provide the latest answers.

A panel of more than 20 international experts weighs in on the pieces in Miller’s Antiques Price Guide 2008 ($39.95), which covers everything from antiquities to late-20th-century objects in more than 60 categories. It includes in-depth coverage of the latest buying trends and 8,000 color images, so products are easy to reference.

If you have a few pieces in your collection that have hard-to-identify marks, consult Miller’s Pottery & Porcelain Marks ($15.95) by Gordon Lang. He details more than 3,000 marks from major ceramic centers and gives advice on how to spot fakes and copies.

In Miller’s Silver & Sheffield Plate Marks ($14.95), John Bly examines all major marks on British and Irish silver, Sheffield plate, gold and platinum, and gives examples of shapes and decoration to help you authenticate pieces. He also teaches the basic principles of hallmarks.

For a closer look at the American market, pick up the 40th anniversary edition of Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price List 2008 (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, $27.95), by Ralph and Terry Kovel. It has undergone a facelift, retaining more than 42,000 listings while adding five times the number of color images—2,500. It is also easier on the eyes, with more readable type, and features color labels on more than 700 categories. If you watched the record prices at auctions in 2007, this is a guide that can’t be missed. — C.P.

Collecting for Dummies
Starting an art collection can be daunting, but a recent article on www. artinfo.com highlights some unexpected tips from collectors and gallery owners uncovered during a recent panel discussion.

• Focus on the future. It’s worth sacrificing a balanced budget now for a piece you know will dramatically increase in value.
• Be selfish. Buy what you love. If you love teapots, become an expert. If you prefer landscapes, make them the focus of your collection.
• Do your homework. Budding collectors can’t afford to buy everything immediately. Read art books and magazines, and experience work firsthand so you can make informed purchases.
• Have patience. Make a list of what you want and wait for those works to become available. Look beyond major art shows for innovative (and more affordable) work.
• Avoid the “gallerinas.” Customer service at many galleries is like speaking a foreign language. One way to avoid an intimidating gallery sales staff is by buying work at benefit auctions.
• Get the best bang for your buck. If you can’t afford a major work by an artist you adore, consider a smaller work on paper.
• Haggle. You can often take up to 10 percent off the price of a work in a gallery. Also consider eBay, friends with employee discounts and payment plans. Above all, commit to the purchase.
  — C.K.

NYC Change, Consistency
Three venerable New York City art institutions reevaluated top positions this spring.

Following a 30-year tenure, Philippe de Montebello announced in January that he would step down as the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He led the museum through numerous expansions and renovations and oversaw a dramatic increase in annual attendance. The museum launched a nationwide search for de Montebello’s replacement. He plans to step down by the end of this year.

Also departing his post, but not his employer, is The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation director Thomas Krens. As director, Krens oversaw the Guggenheim in New York, as well as its outposts in Venice, Spain, Berlin and Las Vegas. He will transition to a new position as senior advisor for international affairs once a replacement is found, and will oversee the development of the new Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

The Museum of Modern Art, on the other hand, is sitting out the hunt for a new director. It announced in February that its board had reappointed director Glenn Lowry to a new five-year contract. The recent appointment of associate director Kathy Halbreich, the former director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minn., had raised speculation that the museum was preparing for Lowry’s departure.
— C.K.