THE FONDATION MAEGHT PRESENTS 'GIACOMETTI & MATGHT 1946-1966'

FROM 27.JUNE THROUGH 31.OCTOBER, THE FONDATION MAEGHT IS PRESENTING AN EXCEPTIONAL RETROSPECTIVE OF THE WORK OF ALBERTO GIACOMETTI. 'GIACOMETTI & MATGHT 1946-1966' WILL ASSEMBLE THE ARTIST'S BEST KNOWN MASTERPIECES, INCLUDING THE BRONZE SCULPTURES L'HOMME QUI MARCHE (WALKING MAN), LE CHIEN (THE DOG) AND LE CHAT (THE CAT). THE EXHIBITION WILL ALSO INCLUDE PAINTINGS, PLASTER CASTS AND DRAWINGS ON LOAN FROM MAJOR FRENCH AND INTERNATIONAL MUSEUMS, AND FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS. THE FONDATION MAEGHT WILL ALSO HONOR THE MAN HIMSELF. ALBERTO GIACOMETTI AND AIME MAEGHT WERE FRIENDS FOR TWENTY YEARS. FOR TWENTY YEARS THEY WORKED, DEBATED AND OBSERVED THE CREATIVE PROCESS TOGETHER. THEIR FRIENDSHIP IS REVEALED IN LETTERS, FILMS AND PORTRAITS WHICH SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE MAN WHO WAS ALBERTO GIACOMETTI. A LONGSTANDING PROJECT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER OVER 170 IMPORTANT WORKS, THE RETROSPECTIVE WILL GIVE VISITORS AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF GIACOMETTI. SOME OF THE HISTORIC WORKS ARE BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHILE SOME EARLY WORKS AND OTHERS FROM HIS SURREALIST PERIOD ARE INCLUDED, THE EXHIBITION WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE POST-WAR PERIOD AND GIACOMETTI'S STRETCHED, LONG-LIMBED SCULPTURES. AMONG THE 170 WORKS IN THE EXHIBITION ARE SOME 60 SCULPTURES, INCLUDING THE ICONIC HOMME QUI MARCHE (WALKING MAN). THE FONDATION MAEGHT IS THE ONLY COLLECTION TO OWN VERSIONS OF THIS SCULPTURE. THEY ARE ALL THE MORE OUTSTANDING IN THAT THE BRONZES WERE PAINTED BY ALBERTO GIACOMETTI AS OPPOSED TO THE USUAL PATINA. WHILE SOME OF GIACOMETTI'S SCULPTURES ARE KNOWN AND ADMIRED THE WORLD OVER, HIS PAINTINGS, LESS NUMEROUS, HAVE YET TO BE DISCOVERED. THEY ACCOUNT FOR A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE EXHIBITION, IN PARTICULAR PORTRAITS OF AIME AND MARGUERITE MAEGHT WHOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH GIACOMETTI IS THE CENTRAL PREMISE OF THE EXHIBITION. PAINTINGS, OILS ON CANVAS, WOOD AND CARDBOARD, TOGETHER WITH OVER 80 DRAWINGS, AND EXTREMELY RARE PAINTED CASTS, ETCHINGS AND LETTERS WILL ALSO BE SHOWN. CERTAIN WORKS AND LETTERS CARRY A HUGE EMOTIONAL CHARGE, SUCH AS GIACOMETTI'S DRAWINGS OF GEORGES BRAQUE ON HIS DEATHBED, OR LETTERS TO AIME MAEGHT.

OAKVILLE GALLERIES PRESENT EXHIBITION OF WORKS BY RON MUECK AND GUY BEN-NER

OAKVILLE GALLERIES WILL BE PRESENTING THE ONLY ONTARIO STOP OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA'S TOURING EXHIBITION 'REAL LIFE', FEATURING ARTISTS RON MUECK (ON VIEW AT OAKVILLE GALLERIES AT CENTENNIAL SQUARE) AND GUY BEN-NER (ON VIEW AT OAKVILLE GALLERIES IN GAIRLOCK GARDENS). THE STUNNING AND UNIQUE EXHIBITION WILL BE ON VIEW AT OAKVILLE GALLERIES FROM 26.JUNE THROUGH 5.SEPTEMBER. REAL LIFE SHOWCASES THE WORK OF TWO IMPORTANT FIGURES IN CONTEMPORARY ART: INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED SCULPTOR RON MUECK, AND BERLIN-BASED VIDEO ARTIST GUY BEN-NER. THE EXTRAORDINARY HYPER-REALIST SCULPTURES OF MUECK REVISIT THE COURSE OF LIFE FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, WHILE BEN-NER'S AFFECTIONATE AND INTIMATE 'HOME VIDEOS' DWELL ON MORE PRECISE MOMENTS WHEN LIFE AND OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHERS BEGIN. TOGETHER, THE WORK OF THESE TWO ARTIST CREATES A NARRATIVE ABOUT THE CONTRADICTIONS, CHALLENGES AND CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF THE HUMAN CONDITION. THE MAGICAL, LIFE-LIKE QUALITY OF MUECK'S HYPER-REALIST SCULPTURES IS STRIKING. THEY SHOW NO TRACES OF THE ARTIST'S HAND, WHICH ALLOWS EACH WORK TO CREATE ITS OWN PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT, FROM DEFIANCE TO PUZZLEMENT TO SORROW, WITHOUT AN APPARENT MEDIATOR. THE ARTIST'S SCULPTURES NOT ONLY ENGAGE THE VIEWER IN AN EMOTIONAL VOYAGE FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, BUT PRESENT A POIGNANT IMAGE OF THE EXISTENTIAL PROBLEM OF THE HUMAN CONDITION. ORGANIZED BY THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA AND PRESENTED BY OAKVILLE GALLERIES, THE EXHIBITION FEATURES TWO SCULPTURES BY MUECK AND FIVE WORKS BY BEN-NER. AN EXTENSIVE DISPLAY OF PREPARATORY MATERIALS FOR EACH ARTIST, INCLUDING SKETCHES, MARQUETTES AND STORYBOARDS IS ALSO FEATURED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.oakvillegalleries.com

WORLD'S LARGEST GOLD COIN SELLS FOR £2.68 MILLION

A SPANISH PRECIOUS METALS TRADING COMPANY BOUGHT THE WORLD'S LARGEST GOLD COIN FOR £2.68 MILLION, ITS EXACT GOLD WEIGHT WORTH, FROM THE ESTATE OF AN INSOLVENT INVESTMENT FIRM AT A RARE AUCTION IN VIENNA ON FRIDAY. THE 220.5 lb PIECE, ONE OF ONLY FIVE $1,000,000 GOLD MAPLE LEAF COINS THE ROYAL CANADIAN INT HAS EVER PRODUCED, WAS BOUGHT ALMOST INSTANTLY IN A WRITTEN BID FROM ORO DIRECT, A GOLD TRADING COMPANY BASED IN MADRID. THERE WERE NO COUNTER OFFERS IN THE AUCTION ROOM THAT WAS PACKED WITH MORE JOURNALISTS THAN POTENTIAL BUYERS. THE AUCTION WAS ORDERED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF AUSTRIAN INVESTMENT GROUP AVW INVEST, WHICH FILED FOR INSOLVENCY IN MAY AFTER ITS OWNER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE WAS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF FRAUD, BREACH OF TRUST AND OTHER CHARGES. AVW HAD ACQUIRED THE COIN IN 2007, JOINING AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB OF OWNERS INCLUDING QUEEN ELIZABETH, WHO IS ALSO DISPLAYED ON ONE SIDE OF THE COIN, TWO UNIDENTIFIED IN INVESTORS IN DUBAI AND ONE WHO IS SO RECLUSIVE EVEN HIS NAME AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE IS UNKNOWN. AVW HAD LENT THE COIN, 21 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND ONE INCH THINK, TO VIENNA'S KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM WHERE IT HAD BEEN ON DISPLAY AS PART OF ITS COIN COLLECTION. ITS PURITY IS 99.999 PERCENT, THE PUREST TYPE IN THE MARKET. THE ROYAL CANADIAN LAUNCHED THE COIN IN 2007 TO SHOWCASE ITS PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND STEAL THE ENTRY IN THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS FOR THE WORLD'S LARGEST COIN.

PRINCE HARRY THROWS FIRST BALL AT NEW YORK METS GAME

PRINCE HARRY OVERCAME A CASE OF NERVES AND TENSION TO THROW THE FIRST PITCH TO START A NEW YORK METS BASEBALL GAME, AND WAS WILDLY CHEERED BY THE HOME CROWD. WHEN ASKED HOW HE FELT BEFORE MAKING HIS WAY TO THE PITCHER'S MOUND THE YOUNG PRINCE REPLIED 'DON'T ASK', THEN JOKED 'CAN I HAVE A PRACTICE FIRST?', POINTING TOWARDS HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY JAMIE LOWTHER-PINKERTON HE SAID: 'HE WANTS TO BAT AGAINST ME.' THE PRINCE APPEARED A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE TO THROW THE BALL TO THE CATCHER AT THE NEW YORK METS' CITI FIELD STADIUM. BUT HE RECEIVED A RAPTUROUS WELCOME FROM THE NEAR CAPACITY AUDIENCE OF AROUND 40,000 PEOPLE WHO APPLAUDED AND CHEERED AS THE PRINCE WAS INTRODUCED. HE POINTED AT THE METS CATCHER ROD BARAJAS AS IF TO WARN HIM ABOUT THE THUNDERBOLT ABOUT TO COME HIS WAY. HARRY WAS WEARING THE LOCAL TEAM'S BLUE BASEBALL CAP AND T-SHIRT SUPPORTING THE WALKING WITH THE WOUNDED EXPEDITION. THE FUNDRAISING TREK, WHICH HAS HARRY AS ITS PATRON, WILL TAKE A GROUP OF INJURED BRITISH SERVICEMEN ON A GRUELING TREK TO THE NORTH POLE NEXT YEAR. THE YOUNG ROYAL WOUND UP HIS RIGHT HAND TO DELIVER THE BALL TO BARAJAS, WHO WAS STANDING JUST BEHIND HOME PLATE, AND AS HE LET GO THE PITCH SLAMMED INTO BARAJAS' GLOVE AND THE CROWD CHEERED WILDLY. THE PRINCE TOOK HIS CAP OFF AND WIPED HIS BROW IN RELIEF RUNNING DOWN THE MOUND TO SHAKE HANDS WITH THE CATCHER.

QUEEN ELIZABETH TO MAKE HISTORIC UN ADDRESS FOR 'WORLD PEACE'

QUEEN ELIZABETH IS PREPARING TO DELIVER ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SPEECHES OF HER 58 YEAR OLD REIGN IN NEW YORK EARLY NEXT MONTH. SHE IS EXPECTED TO APPEAL FOR WORLD UNITY AND WORLD PEACE WHEN SHE ADDRESSES THE 192 MEMBER GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AT THE END OF HER TOUR OF CANADA. ACCORDING TO SENIOR ROYAL SOURCES, THE QUEEN, WHO ARRIVES IN CANADA TOMORROW, IS HOPEFUL THAT HER SPEECH OF 6.JULY WILL BE REMEMBERED AS ONE OF THE HIGH-POINTS OF HER REIGN. THE QUEEN, WHO WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH FOR HER VISITS TO CANADA AND NEW YORK, LAST ADDRESSED THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FIVE YEARS AFTER ACCEDING TO THE THRONE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HER FATHER, GEORGE VI. THE QUEEN WAS 31 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE DELIVERED THE SPEECH ON 21.OCTOBER.1957. THE QUEEN'S SPEECH WILL FOLLOW A NINE-DAY TOUR OF CANADA. SHE WILL ADDRESS THE UNITED NATIONS IN HER CAPACITY AS HEAD OF STATE OF 16 UN MEMBER STATES. THE SUMMER TOUR WILL BE THE QUEEN'S 24th OFFICIAL VISIT TO CANADA. SHE AND PRINCE PHILIP LAST VISITED CANADA IN 2005. STEPHEN HARPER, THE CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER, SAID: 'IT IS ALWAYS A HIGH HONOR TO HOST A ROYAL VISIT. THIS VISIT BY THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF OUR SHARED HERITAGE AND VALUES, WHICH ARE ENDURING SOURCES OF PRIDE FOR MILLIONS OF CANADIANS.'

ACTOR JAMES FRANCO FILMS GENERAL HOSPITAL EPISODE AT MOCA

THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, LOS ANGELES (MOCA), TAPED A SPECIAL EPISODE OF ABC's EMMY AWARD WINNING DAYTIME DRAMA GENERAL HOSPITAL ON THE OCCASION OF THE RETURN OF FRANCO THE ARTIST, PLAYED BY ARTIST AND ACTOR JAMES FRANCO, ON THE PACIFIC DESIGN PLAZA NEXT TO MOCA PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER. CONCEIVED BY FRANCO AS PART OF A PERFORMANCE WORK TITLED 'SOAP AT MOCA: JAMES FRANCO ON GENERAL HOSPITAL', THE TAPING WAS OBSERVED BY A SELECT LIVE AUDIENCE. THE SPECIAL EPISODE WILL BE SHOWN ON ABC, 22.JULY. IN THE SPECIAL EPISODE, FRANCO, JAMES FRANCO'S CHARACTER FROM GENERAL HOSPITAL, HAD AN EXHIBITION AT MOCA PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER, DURING WHICH TIME JEFFERY DEITCH, THE NEW DIRECTOR OF MOCA, AND THE CHARACTERS FROM PORT CHARLES FROM GENERAL HOSPITAL MADE THEIR WEST COAST DEBUT. THE CHARACTER'S EXHIBITION INCLUDED FULL-SCALE MODELS OF THE LOCATIONS IN WHICH HE ENCOUNTERED MOBSTER JASON MORGAN (EMMY WINNER STEVE BURTON), TO THE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT OF HIS ARTISTIC COLLABORATOR KALUP DASHINEL, PLAYED BY CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED VIDEO AND PERFORMANCE ARTIST KALUP LINZY, WHO PERFORMED LIVE DURING THE TAPING, FRANCO ATTEMPTED TO LURE JASON AND OTHERS INTO HIS ART TRAP. IF ALL GOES TO PLAN, MASTERMIND FRANCO WILL TURN JASON MORGAN'S LIFE AND HIS OWN DEATH INTO ART, A PERFORMANCE TO END ALL PERFORMANCES. 'SOAP AT MOCA IS AN ATTEMPT TO BOTH BLUR AND DEFINE THE LINES BETWEEN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, BETWEEN LIFE AND ART, BETWEEN ART AND POPULAR CULTURE, AND BETWEEN REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELF AS BOTH PERFORMATIVE CHARACTER AND AS NON-PERFORMATIVE SELF', COMMENTED JAMES FRANCO.

THE TAKING OF CHRIST BY CARAVAGGIO RETURNS TO NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND

THE TAKING OF CHRIST BY CARAVAGGIO HAS RETURNED TO PUBLIC VIEW IN THE BEIT WING OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN. THE PAINTING, WHICH IS PLACED ON INDEFINITE LOAN TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY FROM THE JESUIT COMMUNITY OF DUBLIN, WAS ON LOAN EARLIER THIS YEAR TO AN EXCEPTIONAL EXHIBITION AT THE SCUDERIE DEL QUIRINALE IN ROME CELEBRATING THE 400th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARTIST'S DEATH. THE EXHIBITION ATTRACTED OVER 500,000 VISITORS OVER A PERIOD FIVE MONTHS. THE GALLERY WISHES TO REMIND VISITORS THAT SOME ROOMS WILL BE SUBJECT TO CLOSURE THROUGH THE SUMMER PERIOD TO FACILITATE THE COMMENCEMENT OF RESTORATION TO THE ROOFS OF THE HISTORIC COMPLEX.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.nationalgallery.ie