Disney-Britton

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER Featured Artists for Art & Soul: Mathew Davis, Zakk Knight, Kassim Norris, and Ronne Stone INDIANA--- Art & Soul has become a highly anticipated annual tradition celebrating Black History Month. Starting with a kickoff celebration on January 31 at 12:15 pm, the month will feature weeklong journeys through a variety of geographies and art forms including vocal and instrumental music, dance, spoken word, and visual arts; featured artists; and a juried group exhibition at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. “This February, we will celebrate how Africa and African culture has impacted people around the world for centuries, and how that cultural wave continues to impact Indiana today,” said Director of Grant Services Ernest Disney-Britton.  [ link ]

ARTNET | NEWS By JJ Charlesworth Photo via: National Review Online The fractious discussion that has arisen on the subject of whether or not media organizations pulling or refusing to publish supposedly blasphemous images are “chicken" has generated more heat than light in the last few weeks; and revelations about how art museums put images on display is only going to provoke similar revelations in the future and put museum staff even more on their guard. But while we desperately need an open debate about free speech and the freedom to offend in our society, the obsessive focus on Muslims, religion, and blasphemy has diverted attention away from the bigger question of how we handle offending and being offended as part of a big, broad society where not everyone is going to agree. [ link ]

PEW RESEARCH CENTER By Jeffrey Gottfried and Michael Barthel About three-in-four Americans (76%) have heard at least a little about the attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, conducted January 22-25 among 1,003 adults. Of these, a majority (60%) says that it was okay for Charlie Hebdo to have published cartoons that depict the Prophet Muhammad, but nearly three-in-ten (28%) do not support the magazine’s decision to publish this material – saying it was not okay. [ link ]

THE WASHINGTON POST By Abby Phillip Anti-Muslim bus advertisements in San Francisco have been covered up with posters of a Muslim comic book superhero carrying anti-discrimination messages. CALIFORNIA---The American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization well-known for spreading anti-Muslim hysteria, has once again commissioned an ad campaign on the San Francisco public transit system condemning Islamic countries. This time, the ads equate Islam with Nazism. In the meantime, the ads, which began appearing Jan. 9, are still rolling around on the city’s buses. In response, San Francisco street artists associated with Bay Area Art Queers Unleashing Power and Street Cred have started to push back by “adjusting” the ads with a new message featuring Marvel’s own Kamala Khan , a Pakistani American Muslim super heroine. [ link ]

NATIONAL DESERET NEWS Compiled by Herb Scribner Indonesian author and speaker Felix Siauw believes selfies are a sin. According to Quartz’s Lily Kuo, the Indonesian Muslim cleric posted on his Twitter account a “ 17-pont manifesto ” about how selfies are a sinful act for believers. “Felix Siauw argued that taking a selfie often means succumbing to pride, arrogance, and ostentation — all of which make them a sin under Islam,” Kuo reported. One of the points on Siauw’s Twitter also specifically blamed women for this issue. According to a translation from news website Coconuts Jakarta, Siauw said women put too much emphasis on their selfies , which makes both selfies and women impure. But Siauw isn’t the first religious believer to denounce the selfie. [ link ]

RELIGION NEWS By David Gibson Aaron Huntsman (left) and William Lee Jones (right) are married in Key West, Fla., with the Rev. Steve Torrence officiating, the first couple to marry in the Florida Keys. Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Carol Tedesco/Florida Keys News Bureau * Editors: This photo can only be used with RNS-GAY-MARRIAGE, originally transmitted Jan. 28, 2015. NEW YORK---A high-profile alliance of conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants is set to issue a sweeping manifesto against gay marriage that calls same-sex unions “a graver threat” than divorce or cohabitation, one that will lead to a moral dystopia in America and the persecution of traditional believers. Signers of the statement include popular megachurch pastor Rick Warren and longtime gay marriage foe Maggie Gallagher, as well as prominent conservative Catholic intellectuals George Weigel and Robert George. [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Deborah Solomon “Arms of Nicolas Ruterius, Bishop of Arras,” a 2014 painting by Kehinde Wiley. (Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris via The New York Times) NEW YORK--- Kehinde Wiley began thinking about the stereotypes that shadow black men long before events in Ferguson, Mo., pushed the phrase “unarmed black man” back into the headlines and inaugurated a new wave of the civil rights movement. Now 37, Mr. Wiley is one of the most celebrated painters of his generation. He is known for vibrant, photo-based portraits of young black men (and occasionally women) who are the opposite of scared — they gaze out at us coolly, their images mashed up with rococo-style frills and empowering poses culled from art history. His first museum retrospective opens at the Brooklyn Museum on Feb. 20, before traveling to museums in Fort Worth, Seattle and Richmond, Va. “My work is not about paint,” he told me. “It’s about paint at the service of something else." [ link ]

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER By Leslie L. Fuller INDIANA---Garrett Gray, then 19, and Coleman King, 18, stated they beat Hall to death because they believed him to be homosexual and he allegedly made an advance toward one of them. In 45 other states and the District of Columbia, similar comments and crime would translate to a lengthy sentence for Gray and King, say some legal commentators, including Indianapolis attorney Gary Welsh. However, in the Hoosier State, the testimony, sometimes described as “the gay panic defense” was actually used to reap the coveted prize of lighter sentences for the pair, said Welsh. Why? Indiana has no state hate crime law. Besides Indiana, South Carolina, Wyoming, Arkansas and Georgia do not have a state hate crime law. [ link ]

FOX19 | WXIX OHIO---An exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of World War II's Germany's Auschwitz concentration camp, the deadliest in all of the Holocaust, opens this weekend at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center . "Unlocking the Gates of Auschwitz 70 Later" gives a glimpse of that time period and see rare artifacts, photos and even personal stories of survivors and those who passed away on display in the exhibit. It officially opens Friday to the public and runs through May. [ link ]

SAUDI GAZETTE By Mariam Nihal SAUDIA ARABIA--- Fatimah Al-Nemer , an award-winning Saudi artist, began drawing when she was five; by the age of fourteen she wanted to make a career out of it. “Initially, I used black and white, and then I used colors and began to focus on light spaces and dimensions. Eventually, I used acrylic colors and media art to express feminine characteristics,” Al-Nemer told Saudi Gazette. Al-Nemer focuses on women’s issues and their suffering. After studying plastic art, she focused on the human body through collages and acrylic colors. [ link ]

THE ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest Disney-Britton Portrait of Tony Melendez Last Saturday, January 24, 2015, my dear friend and mentor  Arsenio "Tony" Melendez  passed away unexpectedly. As the  Outsider Art Fair  made  headlines  this week, I enjoyed daily reminders of the spirit and talent of this amazing outsider artist. Below is an interview I did with him for our October 2013  A&O INSPIRE ME! Artist of Month .

BLEEDING COOL By Rich Johnston Created by Eileen Alden and Supreet Singh Manchanda & Illustrated by Amit Tayal. Kickstarter through Feb. 4th, Publishing March 2015. Super Sikh: loves Elvis, hates bad guys! Come meet our new superhero – Secret Agent Deep Singh, aka “Super Sikh”, in his first comic book series. At night, he’s on undercover missions destroying the plans of evil villains. By day, he’s working a technology job as a cover. What’s a Sikh? Well, badassoftheweek.com describes Sikhism as “one of the most badass religions this side of Valhalla.” It’s the 5th largest religion with 20+ million followers not just in India but all over the world. Its values are equality and justice for all people, regardless of gender, race, caste, or creed. So it sounds like a perfect setting for a superhero backstory, right? We think so! [ link ]

CONNECTICUT POST By Brady McCombs and Rachel Zoll, Associated Press In this April 5, 2014 file photo, people walk past the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. UTAH---The Mormon church announced a campaign Tuesday for new laws that protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination while somehow also protecting people who assert their religious beliefs. "We must find ways to show respect for others whose beliefs, values and behaviors differ from ours while never being forced to deny or abandon our own beliefs, values and behaviors in the process," a church elder, Jeffrey R. Holland , said in announcing the church's position. [ link ]

DESIGNBOOM By Nina Azzarello ‘Virgin With Twitter Tattoos’ 18″ x 12″, hand cut paper, 2014 Using paper as an artistic medium, with its distinct delicacy and fragility, requires a meticulous attention to detail and an extremely steady hand. following experimentation in drawing, sculpting, ceramics, and painting, italian artist Carlo Fantin was drawn to paper, for its quotidian quality — physically — and metaphorically, its use in the literally field, to tell stories and relay scenes. The series can be described by their synthesis of Roman Catholic religious iconography and symbols from today’s social media saturated culture. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram logos are ‘tattooed’ onto the face and body of the virgin mary, etched with lines sourced from the bible. [ link ]

OPEN DEMOCRACY By Jeremy Fox Of the many reactions to the recent terrorist events in Paris, perhaps the most controversial concerns the degree to which it is permissible to pillory religion and religious institutions. Let’s begin by recognizing that spiritual beliefs tend come in two basic varieties: polytheistic which accommodate multiple deities, and monotheistic which acknowledge only one. Hindus, Buddhists, followers of Tao and the philosophy of Kung Fu-Tzu (Confucius) belong to the first variety. They make no claims to exclusivity. The monotheistic religions have a rich history of slaughter and butchery. Though acolytes may think of themselves as peaceful, the Abrahamic faiths are grounded in violence and war. [ link ]

ORLANDO WEEKLY By Yulia Tikhonova Tobi Kahn, PATUACH SAGUR PATUACH, 2012, Acrylic on wood, 9 3/4 x 12 3/8 x 8 3/4 in., Courtesy of the artist FLORIDA--- Tobi Kahn's Reverie presents paintings, works on paper and sculptures by the NYC-based artist, whose observant Judaism is integral to his art practice. Most important to a proper understanding of Kahn's art is the fundamental significance of the Jewish ethical principle of tikkun olam (literal translation: "world repair"), which designates an obligation to repair or heal the broken world. These paintings convey the artist's deep belief that God is part of every aspect of our world, as well as his commitment to reach across denominational lines. [ link ] Cornell Fine Arts Museum: " Tobi Kahn: Reverie " (Ends); Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave. Winter Park Area, FL; (407) 646-2526; rollins.edu/cornell-fine-arts-museum/

INDIANAPOLIS STAR By David Lindquist Dancer Ronne Stone will be a highlighted Art & Soul performer on Feb. 12 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden INDIANA---The 19th annual Art & Soul series will commemorate Africa's influence on Indiana's arts and culture. Traditionally a Black History Month celebration of African-American creativity, this year's Art & Soul pays specific tribute to the migration waves of the African diaspora. Sponsored by the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Art & Soul performances are scheduled Jan. 31 to March 1 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, located above the intersection of Washington and Illinois streets. Events are free and open to the public. Stone is one of four featured artists, joined by poet Mathew Davis, musician Zakk Knight and filmmaker Kassim Norris. [ link ]

ARTFORUM ILLINOIS---Barbara Levy Kipper will give the Art Institute of Chicago nearly 400 items from her collection of Buddhist ritual objects and Asian ethnic jewelry, according to Broadway World. Kipper’s gift will augment the museum’s collections of Indian, Himalayan, Central Asian, Southeast Asian, and Chinese art. A life trustee of the museum, Kipper is also giving it more than a dozen objects of African jewelry. Said Kipper, “When I started traveling and casually photographing in the 1960s, it never occurred to me I’d become either a serious collector or photographer.” The museum will stage an exhibition of the objects in the summer of 2016. [ link ]

JEWISH JOURNAL By Yaakov Rosenblatt Eve giving Adam the forbidden fruit, by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Wikimedia Commons Why is popular culture obsessed with sexuality? I would posit that in secular culture, sex is an obsession because sex is where the human touches the beyond. Sex is secular holiness because sex is art. The religious world view is different. Sex, to religious folk, is much more than leaving time and space. It is not art but intimacy, achieving oneness with spouse in the presence of God. Sex, to the religious soul, is achieving unity with the perfect one, in the presence of all that is Perfect. One values art, the other values intimacy. One touches the sublime, the other touches eternity. [ link ]

DELMARVA By Ursula Ehrhardt MARYLAND---"The Dreamers," a video and sound installation by Bill Viola , an internationally renowned artist and pioneer of video art, will be on view at the Academy Art Museum in Easton through March 1. The installation consists of seven videos that are shown simultaneously, each on its own plasma display panel, on three walls of a darkened gallery. They depict three men and three women of different ages, ethnicities and races, plus the young girl seen in the detail. All have their eyes shut, are fully clothed and submerged in water, whose flowing sound fills the space. One also hears what may be human heartbeats, breathing and other body sounds. [ link ]

THE SPYGHANA Courtesy of the Tang Museum and Art Gallery NEW YORK---Tang Museum and Art Gallery in Saratoga Springs in upstate New York will showcase paintings displaying images of various Hindu gods and goddesses in its upcoming exhibition “Realms of Earth and Sky”, which will be held from January 31 to May 17. Hindu deities proposed to be shown in the paintings from India between 15th to 19th century include Brahma, Krishna, Rama, Sita, Radha and Hanuman. These paintings are drawn from Fralin Museum of Art in Charlottesville (Virginia) and major private collections in the Southeast. Daniel J. Ehnbom is the curator. [ link ]

THE TORONTO SUN By Wiktor Szary and Wojciech Zurawski, Rueters POLAND---Auschwitz's last survivors urged the world not to forget the horror of the Holocaust 70 years after the Nazi death camp was liberated in the final throes of World War Two, an anniversary that finds Europe again confronted by intolerance. With deep snow blanketing the Polish countryside, some 300 aging survivors and a host of world leaders gathered on Tuesday under a tent at the brickwork entrance to the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp, the railway tracks that bore more than a million European Jews to their deaths illuminated in gold. [ link ]

THE HINDU By Shailaja Tripathi The Goa International Photography Festival INDIA---The calendar of photography related events in the country is getting a little busy. The upcoming Goa International Photography Festival is the latest to join the list. Photographer Shantanu Sheorey of The One School Goa, an interdisciplinary creative media school, the force behind the festival, says that the aim of the event is to draw more attention to the art of photography. [ link ]

THE BOSTON GLOBE By Loren King Charles Correa designed Aga Khan Museum’s Ismaili Center. CANADA---At a time when anything associated with Muslims or Islam may produce responses ranging from unease to outright hostility, the new Aga Khan Museum in Toronto counters those sentiments with a thoughtfully-designed, tranquil place that honors centuries of Islamic art in a space welcoming to all. The Aga Khan Museum, which opened in September, is the result of nearly 20 years of planning and construction. It’s the creation of the museum’s chairman of the board, the Aga Khan, an honorific title inherited by Shah Karim al-Hussaini, a 1959 Harvard University graduate and British citizen who’s founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network and said to be one of the richest royals in the world. [ link ]

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE Rabbi and Rabbitzin by Mark Gertler, a featured artist UNITED KINGDOM---The St John's Wood-based Ben Uri Gallery is to receive almost £354,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the celebration of its centenary. The grant will enable the gallery to stage a free anniversary exhibition, Art, Identity and Migration, at the Inigo Rooms at Somerset House in central London showcasing work from artists including David Bomberg, Jacob Epstein, Mark Gertler, Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff and Marc Chagall. [ link ]

THE ROOT Nicolas Francès, detail of St. Francis before the sultan, circa 1445-60. Tempera on panel. Prado, Madrid The image of the black demon resolutely leading Francis before the sultan stands at the crossroads of the reception of black people in late-medieval Spain. He appears here simultaneously as the symbolic equivalence of evil in the European consciousness and as a manifestation of the newly arriving numbers of actual black people in Spain. Blackness, and blacks themselves, were considered the allies of the Muslim invaders. On the other hand, the essential naturalism of the black figure leading Francis may indicate the increasing familiarity with actual people of African descent in Spain during this period. [ link ]

ARTNET | NEWS By Lorena Muñoz-Alonso The poster owned by the V&A shows an Iranian artist’s view of Muhammad. Photograph: PR UNITED KINGDOM---The Victoria & Albert Museum in London has removed from its website the image of an artwork depicting the prophet Muhammad, the Guardian reports . The move was triggered by growing security concerns , following the terrorist attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which was targeted for publishing caricatures of the Prophet (see 12 Killed at Magazine Previously Attacked for Satirical Cartoons and Prophet Muhammad is Back on Charlie Hebdo's Cover). [ link ]

DAILY MAIL By Helen Weathers Miss Aitken's father told the Mail she remains a devoted Sikh despite separating from her Indian 'husband' INDIA---The report in a Punjabi newspaper does not mince words. It talks of a ‘crazed’ Englishwoman arousing concerns for her safety in the Sikh holy city of Anandpur Sahib in India. It claims that in the confines of a Sikh temple, she has been seen bathing in sacred pools ‘without clothes’ — which, if true, is an outrageous act in such a conservative, deeply spiritual society — and keeping her underwear near the holy book, akin to sacrilege. So who is this woman, the source of such worrying gossip? None other than former socialite Alexandra Aitken, daughter of disgraced former Tory minister Jonathan Aitken and Sikh convert who now goes by the name of Uttrang Kaur Khalsa. [ link ]

CANTON REPOSITORY By Charita Goshay Daniel Parsley (far right) conducts a rehearsal at Faith United Methodist Church in North Canton, where he has been Director of Worship Arts since July. Parsley and others say the arts not only enhance worship, but are themselves an expression of faith. OHIO---Daniel Parsley’s family is filled with talented artists. Parsley serves as Director of Worship Arts at Faith United Methodist Church at 300 Ninth St. NW. While “worship arts” ministry is a relatively new term, the use of art by religion stretches back thousands of years. In the early church, art was used to explain the Gospel to common people, most of whom were illiterate. Christian artists’ depictions of Jesus and stories from the Gospels broke with the Mosaic prohibition of portraying deities in “graven” images. “It’s service within the worship experience; it’s a relatively new component of worship,” he said. “Churches, I think, are broadening out the things that are provided to people...

ARTNEWS By Dan Duray NEW YORK---On January 29 the Outsider Art Fair will launch its 23rd edition, boasting 50 exhibitors (its most ever) at Center 548 in Chelsea, all part of a trend owner Andrew Edlin (of the eponymous gallery) sees as a growing demand and relevance for outsider art in the past few years. As examples he cited the sale of a Henry Darger work at Christie’s Paris in December for over $700,000 and the prevalence of outsider artists (generally defined as those who work outside the art systems of their time or without training) in the last Venice Biennale, or at the most recant Carnegie International. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  INDIANA---Ancestors play an important part in traditional African religion: wedding, births and deaths as well as arts performances. During February, the Arts Council of Indianapolis is honoring that tradition. It begins with an opening ceremony to thank the ancestors; continues with daily celebrations of the influence of African culture on the arts from around the world; and concludes with with African Ancestry DNA testing. Join the journey beginning on Saturday, January 31st. Arts Council of Indianapolis: " Art & Soul: African Diaspora " (Ends March 1); Artsgarden in downtown Indianapolis, IN; indyarts.org 

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Carol Vogel Two decades ago Larry Gagosian had just two galleries , both in Manhattan — one on the Upper East Side and the other in SoHo. Now, he runs 14 spaces around the world, 15 if you count his bookshop and restaurant on Madison Avenue. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the start of Sotheby’s live eBay auctions , scheduled to be broadcast in the next few months. Some dealers say they have noticed that attendance has begun to slip at events like Art Basel in Switzerland and Miami, and Frieze in London and New York. At the same time, the museum foundations created by billionaire collectors have become part of the culture, with more being planned in Europe, China and the Middle East. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Gregory Disney-Britton In what surprising places have you found Christ waiting? Ceri Richards's " The Supper at Emmaus " is inspired by the story in Luke 24:13-34 . It is the moment, following the crucifixion, when two distracted disciples meet Jesus on the road but do not recognize him. They walk together. They share a meal, and soon their eyes are opened. This water color from the Methodist Art Collection is now on display at Glyndwr University as a reminder to open our eyes, and that makes it my NEWS OF WEEK . ( Apology: Draft for e-news was mistakenly emailed this morning )  

THE NEW YORK TIMES By A. O. Scott Magaye Niang, who once before starred in a film, plays himself in Mati Diop’s “Mille Soleils,” which looks at Mr. Niang’s past and present and those of Senegal. Credit Anna Sanders Films SENEGAL---At the beginning of Mati Diop’s “ Mille Soleils, ” a man drives a herd of skinny long-horned cattle toward a slaughterhouse in a busy section of Dakar, Senegal, bringing car traffic to a halt. Drawing inspiration from “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Easy Rider,” American blaxploitation films and the French New Wave, “Touki-Bouki” is a potent blend of pop energy and political insight, a vivid snapshot of the cultural contradictions facing Francophone Africa in the aftermath of colonialism. Heartbreaking and thought-provoking, “Mille Soleils” traces connections between Senegal’s past and present, and reflects on a cinematic legacy that remains insufficiently appreciated, in the West and perhaps also in Africa. [ link ]

SAINT LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO By Erica Smith A photo from Regina DeLuise's Bhutan exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art in St. Louis. Regina DeLuise MISSOURI---Photographer Regina DeLuise took a chance and ended up in Bhutan. DeLuise, Maryland Institute College of Art’s photography chairwoman, worked with the Volunteer Artist Studio in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, to secure a visa and was able to work with artists and students there. Bhutan is a small predominantly Buddhist country in south Asia, bordered by China and India. DeLuise’s photos will be on display at the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art in St. Louis; the exhibit opens Saturday. [ link ] Museum of Contemporary Religious Art: “ Regina DeLuise's Vast Bhutan: Images from the Phenomenal World ” (Jan. 24-May 10, 2015); 3700 W. Pine Mall Blvd., Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO; (314) 977-7170; slu.edu/mocra

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Christopher D. Shea ILLINOIS---The Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates accepted the 40,000-pound Artes Mundi prize on Thursday night in Cardiff, Wales, offering up an expletive as he announced that he would share the winnings with the nine other nominees. He won the Mundi prize, worth about $60,000, for an installation piece titled “A Complicated Relationship between Heaven and Earth, or When We Believe,” which is now on view at the National Museum in Cardiff . The piece, which aims to compare Christianity with other world traditions, includes artifacts used in several non-Western religious traditions and video of the artist’s spiritual music group, the Black Monks of Mississippi . [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Eve M. Kahn Thomas Merton is the subject of a centennial exhibition coming to Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library next month. Credit Estate of John Howard Griffin KENTUCKY---A forgotten camera said to have been used by the Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton will appear in public for the first time on Feb. 2 in a Merton centennial exhibition at Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Merton, who died in 1968, at 53, had taken vows at a Kentucky monastery that decreed he could own few possessions. With borrowed camera equipment, he took about 1,800 photos, creating meditative abstract compositions out of rocks, leaves, wagon wheels and barn siding. [ link ]

MACOMB DAILY  By Stephanie Preweda, Special to Digital First Media The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center in Birmingham is hosting the exhibit ìSacred Treasures: Religious Traditions, Rites & Rituals,î from Jan. 24 to March 27. Courtesy Nancy Thayer MICHIGAN---A popular bumper sticker that combines different religious symbols to spell out the word “Coexist” is a good metaphor for an upcoming art exhibition. The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center in Birmingham is hosting the exhibit “Sacred Treasures: Religious Traditions, Rites & Rituals,” from Jan. 24 to March 27. The exhibit, organized by the InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit. [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Rick Lyman Soviet troops liberated the camp in 1945. About 1.5 million children were killed in the Nazi Holocaust. Credit Sub/CAF PAP, via Associated Press POLAND---For what is likely to be the last time, a large number of the survivors of the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz will gather next week under an expansive tent, surrounded by royalty and heads of state, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of those held there at the end of World War II . At the 60th anniversary , 1,500 survivors attended. “This will be the last decade anniversary with a very visible presence of survivors,” said Andrzej Kacorzyk, deputy director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. ... This year, on Tuesday, about 300 are expected. Most of them are in their 90s, and some are older than 100. [ link ]

THE COURIER JOURNAL By Tom Davies, Associated Press INDIANA---Broadly worded proposals backed by conservative lawmakers that would give the state's residents and businesses expansive religious freedom protections will be discussed in the Indiana Legislature in the coming weeks. One of the proposals, sponsored by Republican Sen. Scott Schneider, would prohibit any state laws that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her religious beliefs, and extends the definition of a "person" to include religious institutions, businesses and associations. Schneider, R-Indianapolis , declined to discuss the specifics of the proposal this week, saying he would comment closer to a scheduled Feb. 9 committee hearing. [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Martah Schwendener “Seafarer,” electronic text by Caroline Bergvall collaborating with Thomas Köppel (2014), is part of an installation of prints, sound works and a digital, algorithmic collage, at Callicoon. Credit Courtesy of the artist and Callicoon Fine Arts, NY. NEW YORK---One of the blockbusters of Western art history, Théodore Géricault’s “ The Raft of the Medusa ” (1818-19), took as its impetus the true story of sailors left to die at sea, drifting on a raft off the coast of Senegal. Caroline Bergvall’s “Drift,” an installation of prints, sound works and a digital, algorithmic collage, was inspired by a similar tale, only set in the present day. The best things here are the sound works, with their poetic incantations, and some of the prints. A monitor displaying scrambled text from the report on the African boat looks too much like a graphic design project. [ link ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Carol Pogash A statue of the Rev. Junipero Serra in a cemetery in San Francisco’s Mission Dolores. Credit Jim Wilson/The New York Times CALIFORNIA---Last week, Pope Francis announced plans to canonize Father Serra, putting “the evangelizer of the West in the United States” closer to sainthood. These days, the pious preacher who once walked much of what is now California, bringing Christianity to the American Indians, is viewed in less benevolent terms. Prominent Native Americans see Father Serra as far from saintly. Their reaction is as visceral as a dispute over occupied territory in the Middle East. Indian historians and authors blame Father Serra for the suppression of their culture and the premature deaths at the missions of thousands of their ancestors. [ link ]

THE ART NEWSPAPER Henry Moore's Stonehenge lithograph, 1973, was donated by the artist's foundation British Prime Minister David Cameron gave US President Barack Obama a print of Stonehenge by Henry Moore when they got pally during talks at the White House last week. The gift was a thoughtful one: Obama made a flying visit to the Neolithic site in Wiltshire last September, describing it as “very cool”. Moore first encountered Stonehenge by moonlight in 1921, and he remained enchanted with its sculptural form after 4,000 years of weathering, eventually producing the lithograph in 1973. The print received by Obama was donated by the Henry Moore Foundation. The Henry Moore lithograph is worth around £1,000 but with gifts, it’s the thought that counts. [ link ]

SHALOM LIFE By Caitlin Marceau Sabbath (1919) by Max Weber Art has changed tremendously over the years and continues to do so today. So sit back and appreciate as we at Shalom Life count down the ten most influential Jewish painters. A Jewish-American painter, [Max] Weber was born in 1881 in Russian and emigrated to Brooklyn with his Jewish Orthodox parents when he was roughly ten years old. He’s considered to be one of the first American cubist painters who helped bring the movement to the US. See Top 10 Top Most Influential Jewish Painters... [ link ]

ARCH DAILY By Katie Watkins Model of the “Our Lady of Angels” Chapel. Image © Corporación Gaudí de Triana CHILE---Chile may soon be home to the only Antoni Gaudí -designed building located outside of Spain. At a recent press conference, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet confirmed government funding for the construction of the Gaudí Cultural and Spiritual Center in the city of Rancagua, which will include a chapel designed by the Catalán architect. [ link ]

THE HINDU By KS Roshan Menon Joint effort: Satish Gupta's painting. Photo: special arrangement INDIA---While his political acumen has been the subject of several books, and his speeches the focus of all news channels and newspapers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi now finds himself in the spotlight for an entirely different reason. Amidst his multiple administrative actions, Modi has, albeit for a fleeting moment, traded his policymaking self for an artistic instinct, a few brushstrokes in collaboration with Delhi-based artist Satish Gupta . It is reported that the painting completed with the PM’s inputs has found a patron willing to part with 1.3 crore rupees for the artwork. [ link ]

THE ART NEWSPAPER By Anny Shaw and Rachel Corbett In the UK and the US, a labour debate is growing over how artists should be compensated for showing their work in public institutions. Meanwhile, for the first time from 2015, Arts Council England (ACE) is asking national portfolio organisations to demonstrate their commitment to paying artists fairly. The campaign is lobbying for artists to be paid a fee for showing their work in public galleries. It found that 71% of UK artists have not been paid to display their work in publicly funded galleries over the past three years and 63% of artists have turned down exhibitions as a result. [ link]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  Boushra Almutawakel (Yemen, b. 1969), Mother, Daughter, Doll from The Hijab Series, 2010.  CALIFORNIA---A major new exhibition at the Cantor Arts Center, "She Who Tells a Story," presents the pioneering work of 12 leading women photographers from Iran and the Arab world. The artists explore identity, narrative, representation, and war in daily life, inviting a broader understanding of the Middle East than what Westerners glean through media reports. The 79 photographs and two videos—a collection of stories about contemporary life—especially refute the belief that women from this region are oppressed and powerless. The exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) and runs at the Cantor, its only West-Coast venue, January 28 through May 4. [ link ] Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts : " She Who Tells a Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World " (January 28–May 4, 2015);   Stanford University,...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS Nicholas Kripal, "Lust," 2013 PENNSYLVANIA---The gallery at Philadelphia's The Gershman Y explores the use of religious text in contemporary art, from the straightforward to the ironic. Nicholas Kripal  (Philadelphia) will install one of his word-based floor pieces;  Carole P. Kunstadt  (West Hurley, NY) will offer book arts-based work that draws from the Hebrew Bible. Other artists will add to this broad range of media and approaches including  Sandow Birk , Johanna Bresnick ,  Michael Cloud Hirschfeld ,  Stephanie Kirk,  and David Stephens . The exhibition opens on January 22 and runs through May 14, 2015.

STYLE: MODERN MUSLIM LIVING By Merium Kazmi Window Panes 2 (2006) Born in Lahore, Pakistan, mixed media artist Anila Qayyum Agha draws on a culmination of experiences and cultures inculcated on her travels abroad. Anila’s work explores socio-cultural and gender-related issues within contemporary society. Using light and geometric designs which emulate patterns from the Alhambra, "Intersections," her latest piece, addresses women’s limited access to public spaces like mosques in predominantly Muslim countries. Having spoken with Merium Kazmi, she shares her views in her own words. [ link ]

NYTIMES STYLE MAGAZINE By Johnny Magdaleno Ceri Richards's "The Supper at Emmaus" (1958), on view through March 26 at Glyndwr University’s Oriel Sycharth Gallery and Wrexham Methodist Church, both in Wrexham, Wales. Credit Courtesy of Methodist Modern Art Collection UNITED KINGDOM---More than 40 works from the Methodist Modern Art Collection are on display at Glyndwr University’s Oriel Sycharth Gallery and Wrexham Methodist Church , in a celebration of religious modernist art titled “Heaven and Earth,” which opened yesterday. These include surrealist paintings of angels by Ceri Richards and selections from Elisabeth Frink, who died some days after debuting her final sculpture, “Risen Christ,” in 1993. [ link ] On view through March 26, Oriel Sycharth Gallery Glyndwr, Mold Road, Wrexham, glyndwr.ac.uk, and Wrexham Methodist Church, Regent Street, Wrexham, wrexham-methodist.org.uk

ARTNET | NEWS By Sarah Cascone Lucas Cranach the Elder's paintings of Adam and Eve at the Norton Simon Museum. Photo: Rachael Moore/Flickr. CALIFORNIA---The US Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of Pasadena's Norton Simon Museum in the case of the ownership of Lucas Cranach the Elder's paintings Adam and Eve (both circa 1530). The artworks originally belonged to Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who in 1940 was forced to flee the Netherlands following the Nazi invasion. In a statement, the Norton Simon insisted it “remains confident that it holds complete and proper title to Adam and Eve, and will continue to pursue . . . all appropriate legal options." [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  INDIANA---Art & Soul 2015, a celebration of the African Diaspora begins on Saturday, January 31st at the Artsgarden in downtown Indianapolis. Art & Soul has become a highly anticipated annual tradition celebrthroughout the world, including Asia, and North and South Americas. “This February, we will celebrate how Africa and African culture has impacted people around the world for centuries, and how that cultural wave continues to impact Indiana today,” said Director of Grant Services, Ernest Disney-Britton.

BLOOMBERG By Manirajan Ramasamy, Chong Pooi Koon and Andrea Tan MALAYSIA---Malaysia’s top court dismissed a final bid by the Catholic church to use the word “Allah” in its newspaper, highlighting a debate on non-Muslims using the word in a climate of rising religious tensions. “The decision made today is very disappointing,” Father Lawrence Andrew, founding editor of the Herald, told reporters Wednesday. “But we respect the federal constitution and only want peace and harmony for this country, that we love very much. Therefore, we hope the rights and faith of the minorities in this country will not be oppressed.” [ link ]

JEWISH ART SALON Siona Benjamin will be exhibiting "Bridging Pardes," a gouache with mixed media and 22 K gold leaf on wood panel. FRANCE---In the wake of the terrorist tragedy in Paris, France, CARAVAN announces its upcoming interfaith peace-building art exhibition titled "The Bridge" that will open in Paris at the oldest church in Paris. "The Bridge – Caravan" exhibit closes at The Church of Saint-Germain-Des-Pres in Paris runs February 2 - 28, 2015. (Correction: The opening date originally read Feb. 28). [ link ]

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL By Randall P. Lieberman An example of the Judaica of Israeli-born mixed media artist Orna Amrani, of Fort Lauderdale, who will be one of 160 artists displaying their work at the Boca Raton Fine Art Show in downtown Boca on Jan. 24-25. (Submitted photo) FLORIDA---Israeli-born Orna Amrani , a mixed media artist from Fort Lauderdale, has gained international acclaim for her innovative, three-dimensional creations. These creations are exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and abroad. Amrani's art — which reflects her Jewish heritage — may be seen in the traditional designs, themes and motifs that echo her love of Jerusalem and Israel. Her creations demonstrate a lifelong interest in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the scrolls of the ancient Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. [ link ]

CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS By Bill Gladstone CANADA---A Middle Eastern Torah dating from the 10th to 12th century, a 14th-century Torah commentary by Rashi, and an early 15th-century manuscript of the Zohar that once belonged to the false Jewish messiah Shabbetai Tsvi are among the pieces on display in an exhibition of Judaica that opens Jan. 26 at the University of Toronto’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. [ link ]

THE HINDU By Neeraja Murthy A work by artist Jayashree Goradia. Photo: Special arrangement INDIA---At Icon Art Gallery in Banjara Hills one can see faith painted in different hues and mediums in an exhibition titled ‘My God.’ Fifteen artists pay respect to their favourite god and explore their basic and profound emotion – devotion. “Even the most senior and professional artists tend to indulge in drawing their favourite god,” states Avani Rao Gandra of Icon Art. [ link ]