From: "Mats Roswall" m.roswall@modernamuseet.se
I would like to now what the museums are doing with transporting art and personnel by air at this time when it is very insecure what is happening in the world. Are they going as normal or have they cancelled transport to other museums? I would be very happy for guiding from other museums.
Mats Roswall Tel:08-5195 5240 Fax:08-5195 5242 Mobil:0708-838966 Mail: m.roswall@modernamuseet.se
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ART FORGERY IS PART OF "FABULOUS FAKES" ART SHOW IN NEW ROCHELLE
In addition to some two dozen original works of art created in the styles of the Masters, the exhibition: Fabulous Fakes also includes over a hundred images with narrative material chronicling the History of Art Forgery through the ages. "Prior to the 19th Century, the copying of work by other artists was considered an acceptable form of homage to the Masters, and considered an important part of an artist's training," notes Joe L. Dolice, Exhibition Director for the NRCA, who created this part of the exhibit. "It was only when art became a commercial enterprise, and the demand for fine art far exceeded the supply, that copying became forgery", he adds.
In addition to examples of ancient and Renaissance art faked by any number of unknown art forgers throughout the ages, a section of the exhibition entitled Rogue's Gallery of Art Forgers illustrates the criminal and often amusing careers of famous forgers, mostly of the 20th Century. They include characters such as Lothar Malskat, who forged medieval frescoes in two European cathedrals and the famous forger of antiquarian sculpture, Alceo Dossena. The career of Han Van Meegeren, whose fake Vermeers were hailed by worldwide experts for years as the best of this Master's work is noted, and other contemporary fakers who concentrated on the Impressionists and later: Elmyr de Hory, David Stein and John Drewe are all scrutinized in this part of the show.
Extracts from art forger Eric Hebborn's : Art Forger's Handbook illustrates actual examples of how forgers works their craft; and many materials actually used in making art forgeries are on display. Techniques in forgery detection are part of the show, as are illustrated notes on modern replication techniques in the creation of commercial art replicas and reproductions. The exhibition will run from October 19 through November 30, 2001; and will be available to travel after November.
more information:
http://www.museum-security.org/nrca.htm
Museum Security Mailinglist subscribers are invited to attend the reception to meet the artists at the New Rochelle Library Gallery on Sunday, November 4th from 3 to 5 p.m. The library is located at 1 Library Plaza in New Rochelle, and directions can be had at 914-632- 7878.
Date sent: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 16:27:18 +0100 (BST) From: Boylan P P.Boylan@city.ac.uk To: MSN securma@xs4all.nl Subject:
ENQUIRIES ABOUT MUSEUM STRUCTURAL PLANS
I agree with Steve Keller that such enquiries to architects, engineers or the museums themselves sound suspicious. However, I suspect that such structural information and plans are far more likely to be sought out and used by those planning a burglary or perhaps armed robbery than by terrorists. This was a significant concern to us when for more than 18 years my responsibilities included a large county archive office holding over a third of a million building plans legally deposited and approved for new buildings and later structural alterations from the 1850s to the present, and which are by law on public deposit and access, and which included the structural plans for e.g. local prisons and banks. (In relation to current concerns, there are probably many hundreds of times as many domestic criminals around as international terrorists.)
Perhaps, however, some of the enquirers are genuinely researching the adequacy (or otherwise) of building designs in relation to all kinds of disaster risks? This ought to be a particular concern in regions which have infrequent, but potentially disastrous natural risks. For example, certainly London in Britain, and I believe much of southern New England and the mid- Atlantic States of the USA, have a record of major earthquakes, though at long intervals: perhaps one "big one" every 300 to 500 years on average (the last one being about 500 years ago!), yet not allowance for this risk is included in the national or local Building Regulations or Planning Conditions.
It is currently proposed to build a new - largely glass - skyscraper, which will be the biggest in the City of London, on the very site of (much more substantial in structural terms) buildings which were destroyed by an Irish terrorist car bomb less than five years ago, yet the proposed new building is reported to be like the World Trade Center towers in not having even one services and escape "core" fully protected against shock and fire.
Clearly in regions subject to frequent natural hazards the design of new or recently constructed museums will take into account the most recently experienced risks, but even there will a one-in-a-hundred-years structure actually cope with a risk of an order of magnitude greater - at perhaps a thousand year frequency? Do any of us even ask the architect and structural engineer about such risks?
Patrick Boylan
From: IntlArtCop@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 01:43:44 EDT Subject:
Re: (Fwd) ENQUIRIES ABOUT MUSEUM STRUCTURAL PLANS
To: securma@xs4all.nl
In a message dated 10/7/01 9:42:46 AM, Patrick Boylan writes:
Do any of us even ask the architect and structural engineer about such risks?
Of course. That's what I do for a living. Similarly, while I understand your point that there are more burglars than terrorists, I posted the warning because today, burglars are a secondary concern to most of us on this side of the Atlantic. We have prepared ourselves for burglars for a century. Now we need to prepare for terrorists. I would have been remiss by not reporting this to the readers of this list. If they choose to make assumptions that they don't have to worry about terrorists, that's their decision. But just as I question each and every architect and engineer about the quality of the building they design when I am on the design team, I question whether a man with a middle eastern name requesting blueprints for a museum on September 11 is likely to be a terrorist or a burglar. If I prepare as though he is a burglar and he is a terrorist, I may miss something. If I prepare as though he is a terrorist and he turns out to be a garden variety burglar, well, won't he just be surprised when the FBI comes calling! It is a matter of what risk managers call criticality. I can't afford to ignore this situation. I am obligated to alert my clients to what I know. The cost of not doing so is so high that we must be a bit paranoid. Who questions architects and engineers? Hundreds of professionals have advised against skyscrapers as tall as the World Trade Center for decades. Were they paranoid? Not now.
Steve Keller Security Consultant from ConsDisList:
From: Susan Braovac susan.braovac@ukm.uio.no Subject:
Limiting number of visitors
The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo is one of the most visited museums in Norway receiving about 400,000 visitors per year. The museum is not climate controlled, however it has massive walls which manage to buffer climate changes very well, except during the summer months: the high- season. From May to September we usually register over 300,000 visitors. Most visitors come as a part of guided tour groups (run by private guide companies).
We are very aware of the problems high visitor numbers are capable of causing, especially to the ships which are displayed in the open. We would like to know if anyone on the list has any experience in the design of visitor control strategies for museums. We are also considering the installation of a climate control system, and would also like to hear about the experiences with the effectiveness of these systems for such large groups of visitors.
Susan Braovac Archaeological Conservator University Museum of Cultural Heritage Oslo, Norway The Art Newspaper.com http://www.theartnewspaper.com
This week's top stories:
BRITAIN’S TOP ART DEALERS, 1999-2000: A HEALTHY PICTURE
LONDON. Reports filed by the leading 113 fine art and antique companies in Great Britain for the 1999/2000 period paint a picture of healthy performance, with an average growth of 9.3% in pre-tax profits and 3% in sales. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7677
THE WORLD AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER: A SLOW-DOWN IN THE EXHIBITION WHIRL?
NEW YORK. One area that will certainly be strongly affected by the terrorist attacks is travelling exhibitions of works of art. “Special exhibitions are so important to us and to every institution,” said Lynn Rossetti at the Phillips Collections in Washington DC. “No one can really know what is going to happen right now”. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7676
THE MAN WHO TRIED TO BUY THE BAMIYAN BUDDHAS FROM THE TALIBAN
TOKYO. Hiroshima survivor and artist Ikuo Hirayama campaigns tirelessly for the Asian cultural heritage. On 6 August 1945, as a 15-year-old student, Hirayama narrowly avoided death as the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb. Today he is one of Japan’s most famous artists. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7675
ASPREY AND GARRARD DEMERGE, REINVENT THEMSELVES AS "LIFESTYLE HOUSES"
LONDON. The 220 year-old royal jewellers Asprey and Garrard are demerging and reinventing themselves as "complete luxury lifestyle houses". The companies, which were combined in 1998 and bought by investors Silas Chou and Lawrence Stroll of Tommy Hilfiger last year, are to be separated, although they will remain within the same group. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7674
THE V&A: IN SEARCH OF GLOBAL PARTNERS
LONDON. Mark Jones took over as director of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in May, ending a difficult interim period when major decisions had been put on hold. Until last month Mr Jones kept a low profile, but in an interview with The Art Newspaper he talks of his vision. Mr Jones emerges as a an enthusiast for the proposed extension by Daniel Libeskind known as the Spiral, which has been hanging fire since 1995 for lack of funding. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7673
CHRISTO AND HIS WRAPS RETURN TO BERLIN
BERLIN. Six years after conquering Berlin by wrapping the Reichstag, Bulgarian-born artist Christo and his French wife, Jeanne-Claude, return to the city for two shows, one big, one small. At the Martin Gropius Bau there is “Wrapped Reichstag”, while at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (NBK) a show documents two ongoing projects: “The gates” for New York’s Central Park and “Over the river” for the Arkansas River, Colorado. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7672
A DUBUFFET RETROSPECTIVE OPENS AT THE POMPIDOU CENTRE
PARIS. An exhibition of the work of Jean Dubuffet marking the centenary of the artist’s birth has opened at the Pompidou Centre (until 31 December). The exhibition comes 16 years after the artist’s death, and at a time when interest in Art Brut, a term Dubuffet coined to describe the works of children and mental hospital patients which he collected, is once again on the rise. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7671
THE YOKOHAMA TRIENNALE: MEGA-WAVING, NOT DROWNING
YOKOHAMA. The Yokohama Triennale, Japan's first large scale international contemporary art expo is currently underway and continues until 11 November. A total of 109 artists are exhibiting at the event which has been four years and ¥600 million in the making, with works on show at a clutch of indoor and outdoor locations across the wharfside Minato Mirai area of Yokohama. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7670
SOTHEBY'S TO CUT JOBS
LONDON. The troubled auction house Sotheby's is "in consultation" over planned restructuring which will result in as many as 200 job losses. While the firm has refused to comment on the matter, employees have received a memo telling them that jobs will have to go. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7632
HERMITAGE DIRECTOR TO HEAD RUSSIA’S LARGEST TV STATION
ST PETERSBURG. The Hermitage director, Mikhail Piotrovsky, has been elected chairman of the board of Russia’s largest television network, ORT. The move is part of the government’s bid to bring order to the station which has long been embroiled in conflict and corruption. http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7631
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM, NEW YORK: SMASHING OBJECTS
NEW YORK. A 9th-century Egyptian stained-glass bowl decorated with a plump bird surrounded by fish has what looks like bluish details on a plain background when light is shone on it. When light passes through the bowl, the glass turns a lush purplish red. Is it a work of illusionism or just a chance effect? http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7611
20/21 BRITISH ART FAIR: BUYERS ARE THERE, BUT BARGAINING HARD
LONDON. Although business at the 20/21 British Art Fair (held at The Royal College of Art, 26 to 30 September) was not exactly booming, dealers were pleasantly surprised with the results. "It's all a question of expectations", said Jane Houldsworth of Flying Colours Gallery. "I was expecting to do nothing, so it is a bonus to have made several good sales". http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=7610