New Mexico Supreme Court Affirms the Freedom to Marry for Gay Couples

FREEDOM TO MARRY
By Adam Polaski

NEW MEXICO---Today (Thursday), the New Mexico Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in a lawsuit seeking clarification on laws regarding the freedom to marry in the state. The ruling affirmed what a majority of New Mexicans already know: That everyone in the state should have the freedom to marry the person they love. [link]

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Celebrating Two Years of Giving to Culture in Kentucky on power2give

FUND FOR THE ARTS

KENTUCKY---It’s been two years since the launch of power2give.org/Kentucky, an online crowd-funding platform, and the results have been extraordinary! More than 117 organizations have posted 430 projects and more than $1.1 million has been raised. Matching sponsors Kentucky Arts Council, Republic Bank & Trust Company, LG& E, Louisville Metro Government and Humana Foundation, have been an integral part of ensuring the success of the site, helping to leverage more than 3,600 gifts. Any 501(c)(3) organization in Kentucky or Southern Indiana can submit an Arts related project to power2give.org/kentucky for review. For more information please contact Annie Nelson at (502) 582-0128 or anelson@fundforthearts.com. [link]

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Museum Review: The Unfulfilling "Records of Rights" at National Archive

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Ed Rothenstien

WASHINGTON, DC---Before we explore the problems with the permanent exhibition that opened this month at the National Archives here, it might help to recognize the challenges it faced. The exhibition, “Records of Rights,” is the first attraction you see after passing through the building’s new marble-clad entrance. Magna Carta is this exhibition’s promissory note, in more ways than one; its gallery’s promise is also unfulfilled. What are we left with, as we head up to the Rotunda to see the founding documents? No context or perspective; only grim struggles and partially won liberties. This is a peculiar way for an institution that is a reflection of the government itself, to see the nature of its origins, the character of its achievements, and the promise of its ideas. [link]

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Art Institute of Chicago Hosts 200-Piece Italian Nativity Scene From 1700s

ABC7 CHICAGO
By Frank Mathie

ILLINOIS--When we think of Nativity scenes or mangers, we usually think of small religious settings under the Christmas tree. But ABC7 Eyewitness Reporter Frank Mathie says the Art Institute of Chicago has gone big time with this ancient sacred story. "It's a crèche. A Neapolitan crèche. The Italians call it a precepio and it comes from the 18th century for the celebration of Christmas," said Sylvain Bellenger, curator, medieval European sculpture. Bellenger is responsible for acquiring the crèche from a collector in Naples, Italy. The familiar cast of Christmas Eve characters is all here but they are here in abundance, and they're dressed in the finest of Italian silks made by the finest designers almost 300 years ago. [Link]

 

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Peyton Wright Gallery in Santa Fe Opens 21st Annual Art of Devotion Exhibition

ARTDAILY

Ave Maria Gratia, oil on canvas, 14.75” x 12”. Peru, ca. 1775

NEW MEXICO---Peyton Wright Gallery announces the 21st Annual Art of Devotion exhibition of historic art of the Americas. Consisting of ecclesiastical, secular, and decorative art and objects from Europe and the Americas, the exhibition continues through March 9, 2014. This exhibition showcases one of the largest and most significant collections of 17th to 19th century devotional artwork in the country, featuring Spanish Colonial Viceregal paintings, sculpture, furniture, silverwork, and objects from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies – present-day Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, Guatemala and the Philippines. [link]

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Jesus the Homeless' Sculpture May Find Home in Rome

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
By Caroline Hroncich

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A year ago, Timothy Schmalz's bronze sculpture "Jesus the Homeless" had been rejected by St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto. But in late November, Pope Francis blessed the sculpture at one of his weekly general audiences in front of thousands of eager pilgrims. The pontiff touched the knee of the sculpture and prayed for a few moments. Afterward, he told Schmalz he thought the sculpture was a "beautiful piece of art." [link]

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A Culture of Bidding: Forging an Art Market in China

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By David Barboza, Graham Bowley and Amanda Cox

Ma Weidu, a major collector who picked up some pieces in
exchange for cigarettes after the Cultural Revolution devalued art.

CHINA---“The market is in a very dubious stage,” said Alexander Zacke, an expert in Asian art who runs Auctionata, an international online auction house. While the luxury-buying habits in China often mimic those in the West, the demand for art reflects uniquely Chinese tastes. While the rest of the world bids up Pollocks and Rothkos, Chinese buyers typically pursue traditional Chinese pieces, some by 15th-century masters, and others by modern artists, like Zhang Daqian, one of many who have chosen to work in that old style. [link]

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