Art World News

How to celebrate Easter in Athens this weekend

By in Art World News

How to celebrate Easter in Athens this weekend
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From egg hunts to church services, parades and festivals, Athens is preparing to observe Easter this weekend. Here are seven ways to hop into the festivities and celebrate the holiday.

Easter Family Fun Day

Where: Crossroads Community Church, 550 Harve Mathis Road

When: Saturday, April 8, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Price: Free

Hosted by Crossroads Community Church, Easter Family Fun Day will feature an egg hunt, a Brella Studio art truck and a Chick-fil-A food truck.

Friends of Five Points Easter Egg Hunt

Where: Memorial Park

When: Saturday, April 8, 11 a.m.

Price: Free

The Friends of Five Points and Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services are hosting their 16th annual Easter egg hunt this year, which will include photo opportunities with the Easter bunny.

Athens Farmers Market Egg Hunt

Where: Bishop Park

When: Saturday, April 15, 10:30 a.m.

Price: Free for children 12 and under

The Athens Farmers Market is back with their annual egg hunt, but this year has a little twist – prize eggs that contain gifts from vendors, such as shirts, plant starts and cookies. Attendees can meet at the welcome booth to participate.

Due to inclement weather, the hunt will be rescheduled from Saturday, April 8 to Saturday, April 15.

Breakfast with the Bunny

Where: Memorial Park recreation hall

When: Saturday, April 8, 9-9:45 a.m. and 10-10:45 a.m.

Price: $5 for Athens-Clarke County residents, $7.50 for non-residents

Hosted by Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services, families can enjoy a sit-down biscuit breakfast, crafts and a morning with the Easter bunny. There are two sessions with 40 spots per session, and all guests are required to register online. Children under the age of one can attend for free and are not required to register.

“I just love seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they have breakfast with the bunny,” said Andrew Sticha, marketing program specialist for ACC Leisure Services. “ It’s adorable, it’s the cutest thing ever. Everybody’s smiling, everybody’s happy.”

Commerce Easter Parade and Egg Hunt

Where: Begins on Georgia Avenue, ends on the First Baptist Church lawn

When: Saturday, April 8, 10:15 a.m. – noon

Price: Free

Just a 30-minute hop from the University of Georgia campus, Commerce Main Street will host their annual Commerce Easter Parade and Egg Hunt. The parade will start on Georgia Avenue and go down Elm Street to the First Baptist Church lawn, with participants in decorated bikes, tricycles and battery-operated vehicles. An egg hunt will then follow on the lawn.

Parade judging is at 10:30 a.m., and those interested in entering the parade must email mainstreet@commercega.gov to register.

Easter Bunny at Rush Athens Trampoline Park

Where: Rush Athens Trampoline Park

When: Saturday, April 8, 10:30-11 a.m.

Price: $16 general admission for one hour jump

Take photos and hop with the Easter Bunny at Rush Athens Trampoline Park.

Attend a church service

As some of the most important days in Christianity, churches all over Athens are hosting Good Friday and Easter services this Easter weekend.

Cornerstone Church will have services on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. with an egg hunt following each service. Services are also available to be streamed online.

Story Church Athens will launch their very first worship night on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at the Morton Theatre.

Athens Church will have Good Friday services on Friday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Easter services on Sunday at 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Other church services around Athens can be found online.

In ‘Fragmented,’ Expansive Scenes Rendered in Ink by Robert Strati Emanate from Shattered Porcelain Plates

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In ‘Fragmented,’ Expansive Scenes Rendered in Ink by Robert Strati Emanate from Shattered Porcelain Plates

All images © Robert Strati, shared with permission

When an heirloom plate crashed to the floor, rather than trying to glue the pieces back together, Robert Strati had a more creative idea to preserve the spirit of the object. He arranged the shards on a two-dimensional surface, mimicking the way the pieces scattered when the plate fell, and began to render intricate ink drawings that extended from the original design. The chance occurrence spurred an ongoing series called Fragmented, which explores “the possibilities of things broken and the stories that can evolve from them,” he says.

Utilizing ink that matches the original, monochrome colors of antique plates, Strati continues lines and patterns into dreamlike scenarios. Brimming with figures, ships, and animals, bucolic landscapes expand into vast vistas and surreal scenes sprout from decorative edges.

See more of Strati’s work on his website and Instagram. (via Kottke)

 

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

An antique plate that has broken into pieces and been assembled onto a white surface, augmented by an ink-drawn scene that extends from the plate's original design.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In ‘Fragmented,’ Expansive Scenes Rendered in Ink by Robert Strati Emanate from Shattered Porcelain Plates appeared first on Colossal.

The Art Market Is All About the 0.1%

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The Art Market Is All About the 0.1%

Billionaires’ selective taste in art means they tend to compete for the same works.

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

The art market is starting to look like a painting that has too much of the action crammed into one corner.

Artworks worth an estimated $67.8 billion were sold globally in 2022, according to a report this week from art-show organizer Art Basel and
UBS.
Although the industry had already made a full recovery from the pandemic by 2021, it seems to be cooling. Last year’s 3% growth was lower than expected.

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Sales were split between dealers with about 55% and auction houses with 45%. Dealers did better than auction houses last year, despite the $1.6 billion sale of late
Microsoft
co-founder

Paul Allen’s
art collection at Christie’s in November—the highest-ever haul for a single auction. A shift to dealers could be a sign that confidence in the market is shaky. A painting that doesn’t sell at auction leaves a public record, while a deal that fails behind closed doors won’t.

What is clear is that the last three years have made the art world more dependent on the super rich. In 2022, works that sold for more than $1 million represented 60% of the value of auction sales, up from 55% in 2019 and 45% a decade ago. These more expensive works are only a tiny share of what goes under the hammer—1% of total lots.

The industry’s performance is becoming more closely tied to how a small group of around 2,600 global billionaires are faring. In 2020, this cluster increased their wealth by almost a third, as tech stocks went on a tear in the early days of the Covid-19 crisis. This contributed to a surge in sales at the top of the art market. In 2022, spending on artworks worth more than $10 million was 177% higher than in 2020. Demand for less expensive art hasn’t been as exuberant, maybe because layoffs have hit well-paid professionals in sectors like tech the hardest. 

Divergence between the top and bottom of the art world isn’t new and may be another unintended consequence of ultralow interest rates. Last year sales of works valued at more than $10 million were 700% above 2009 levels, compared with a 10% increase for art priced below $50,000.

For now, a Rolodex of billionaire clients is a nice problem to have. Wealthy collectors are insulating the art world from problems that have hit alternative investments like cryptocurrencies. Europe’s luxury brands are also benefiting from this defensive trait. Very wealthy shoppers are still spending lavishly at the most expensive labels, such as Louis Vuitton. 

But there are downsides for smaller dealers that cater to affluent but not necessarily rich clients. Their sales fell 3% in 2022 as demand thinned out and buyers became more cautious. And although the market has bobbed around from year to year, art sales have barely grown over the last decade. That suggests the industry hasn’t done a good job of attracting a more diverse set of buyers in the way luxury brands have. New diversified art funds such as one set up by artwork certification expert Artory and Winston are trying to widen art’s appeal as an investment class. 

Billionaires’ selective taste in art means they tend to compete for the same works. This can cause prices to skyrocket in narrow corners of the market. In 2022, a group of only 20 artists accounted for 56% of total sales in contemporary art, which is the largest category at auction. This includes so-called blue-chip artists like Francis Bacon, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol, whose works tend to increase in value over time. Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn fetched $195 million last year, making it the second-most expensive work ever sold at auction.

The lumpy art market is merely reflecting growing disparities in how global wealth is shared. It isn’t a pretty picture for dealers at the bottom.

Write to Carol Ryan at carol.ryan@wsj.com

U.S. Tourism Boards Don’t Want to Give up TikTok Marketing

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U.S. Tourism Boards Don’t Want to Give up TikTok Marketing

Skift Take

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at TikTok marketing challenges, sustainability and inflation colliding, and a Swiss hotel’s inclusive hiring.

Rashaad Jorden

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 7. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Listen Now

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Episode Notes

The U.S. government could follow in the footsteps of several states that have enacted bans on their agencies using TikTok. So how would a national TikTok ban affect the U.S. tourism industry? Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam writes a ban would be a huge blow to the industry’s global marketing efforts. 

Habtemariam reports that U.S. tourism boards have increased their marketing on TikTok since 2021, noting the platform enables them to be less reliant on Google to reach travelers. TikTok has over 750 million monthly users worldwide. But Habtemariam notes there’s a push to ban TikTok in the U.S. due to concerns about its connection to the Chinese government and potential risk to U.S. national security.  

One travel marketing executive said a national ban would drive tourism boards to redirect their advertising dollars to platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts. Habtemariam adds that destinations would lose insight into the experiences of international travelers, which would hamper the U.S.’ efforts to make a full tourism recovery.   

Next, U.S. travelers are generally eager to partake in more sustainable forms of travel. But a new survey reveals inflation is largely preventing them from doing so, reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden.

Travel industry website The Vacationer found that 74 percent of American adults intend to make greener travel decisions. However, Jorden notes a much lower percentage is actually shelling out money for sustainable options. Skift Research revealed in a recent survey that only 23 percent of travelers paid extra for sustainable travel in the past 12 months. 

The Vacationer’s co-founder Eric Jones said while sustainable travel may be important for many consumers, it’s not a major priority for people trying to make ends meet. Roughly 60 percent of respondents to the Vacationer’s survey said cost was the most important factor when booking travel. 

We end today looking at a Swiss hotel that’s made enormous strides in creating an inclusive workplace. Contributor Leslie Barrie profiles the Martigny Boutique-Hotel, where two out of three staff members have intellectual disabilities. 

Forty of the hotel’s 70 team members come from a foundation supporting people with intellectual disabilities. While Barrie writes that the Martigny takes pride in its concept, the hotel’s director Mathis Munoz said its main goal is to provide guests an art-themed experience with comfortable rooms. The Martigny is home to artwork created by people with intellectual disabilities.

Munoz acknowledged that his role at the Martigny has presented him with challenges he hasn’t experienced before. But he said it’s been rewarding in part because team members are less self-conscious about expressing their happiness.  

Covington Impact Report shows dynamic momentum built on ‘solid foundation’ of jobs, investments

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Covington Impact Report shows dynamic momentum built on ‘solid foundation’ of jobs, investments

Borrowing from the manifesto that drives its mission, the newly released 2022 Impact Report of Covington’s Economic Development Department lays out how doing things “of The Cov … by The Cov … for The Cov” culminated in a year that saw the city’s trajectory stay the course of an already dynamic momentum.

(Click for full report)

“Since the start of 2020, we have announced the creation of nearly 5,000 new great jobs and over $270 million in capital investment in The Cov,” Economic Development Director Tom West said. “This momentum provides the solid foundation we will use to attract jobs and investment to the Covington Central Riverfront redevelopment.”

The 2022 Impact Report reflects on a year defined by robust numbers for job creation and retention and capital investment … an array of small business incentives … groundbreaking workforce initiatives like the Enzweiler Building Institute’s construction trades school and the new Covington Academy of Heritage Trades … and big steps forward in the transformation of 23 acres in the new Central Riverfront Neighborhood (aka former IRS site), which will see Covington-based developers get a shot at creating the neighborhood’s projects.

Highlights from the 2022 report include:

• Almost $44.3 million in private capital investment.
• Over $1 million in City Incentives leveraged $19 million in private investment; 19:01 ROI
• Over $126,000 in incentives for small businesses.
• 13 City-organized ribbon cuttings.
• 23 acres nearly ready for development.

The “Of/by/for The Cov” language references the City’s utilizing of local talent for projects and to create opportunities for Covington businesses and residents. For example, Covington businesses and creative talent played integral roles in developing the 2022 impact report and related marketing, creating new branding, a new website, and marketing tools that will enhance efforts to attract new businesses:

• Durham Brands created the department’s new branding and marketing tools, such as a Business Guide that simplifies the process of opening a business in Covington in 10 easy steps.

For the last few years, West’s team marketed the City to prospective businesses, investors, and talent with varied branding messages that touted Covington’s historic spaces and edgy charm. Last May, the department unveiled its formal brand narrative: “Unapologetically Covington” boasts the City’s unabashed embrace of its quirkiness, diversity, and willingness to think big and push the envelope.

• Systems Insight designed the department’s new standalone website, thecovky.gov, to provide businesses, investors, and developers the information they need without a lot of digging through superfluous clutter.

“The new website is a tremendous resource and I encourage everyone to check it out,” said Covington Business Recruitment Manager Susan Smith. “It’s designed for businesses, developers, investors and brokers to easily find what they need when making a decision on where to invest, For example, a business owner can search for available commercial properties to see what may be a good fit, or if a developer would like to know updates on the Covington Central Riverfront Neighborhood. It’s all there, including the video fly-through.”

• AGNT, a strategic design studio, designed the department’s impact report and accompanying video (below).

[embedded content]

• Sam Greenhill, a city-based photographer, brings a uniquely Covington lens to capturing the faces and places in The Cov that are featured throughout the report, on the website, and in marketing efforts. Expect to see Greenhill’s photography throughout the city. Many of his images will play out on a series of panels along a portion of fencing around the Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood along 4th Street.

At the marrow of the impact report are the businesses and people that “keep it real” in The Cov, and the report highlights some of last year’s best by way of the 2022 Authenti-CITY Awards.

Last year’s awards played out at Covington Yard last May and featured the roll-out of Economic Development’s new brand.

After fierce debates among City staff who nominated the businesses, places, events, people and organizations that “keep it real” in The Cov, the five winners emerged: Lost Art Press, Riverside Korean, Hierophany & Hedge, Anchor Grill, and Amy Kummler.

The 2023 Authenti-CITY Awards will take place May 11, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at West Clinton St. alley — between Kung Food Amerasia and Train with Rocco. Nominations and the debate commence soon.

City of Covington

Anonymous art donation worth thousands to Franklin Habitat for Humanity ReStore will help provide affordable housing

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Anonymous art donation worth thousands to Franklin Habitat for Humanity ReStore will help provide affordable housing

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) — One man’s trash is another man’s treasure — and that’s the case of one anonymous donor’s generosity to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Franklin. 

Store manager Scott Schmid recalls getting a large donation of 14 containers filled with artwork last November. 

“It was a total of 200 to 300 pieces of artwork that we had to sift through,” Schmid told CBS 58’s Ellie Nakamoto-White. “With our small team, a lot of those items went up in storage for a while as we went through each donation bin.”

A couple of months passed, and it wasn’t until Schmid tripped over one of three pieces leaning up against the wall in an office.

“I said ‘that’s it.’ I’m done with this,” Schmid said.

After researching the artist, he showed the pieces to Hindman Auctions in Chicago. 

In February, the auction team confirmed that the works were worth an estimated value of between $25,000 to $35,000.

“We were totally unaware of what we had,” Schmid said. “I couldn’t get my heart to stop racing.”

The artwork turned out to be a triptych from 1977 called Green Dominance, Blue Dominance, Red Dominance, by a British artist named Bridget Riley.

According to Hindman, Riley was celebrated for her ‘Op Art’ works.

“Like many of her paintings, this triptych creates an optical illusion that challenges the viewer’s sense of space and perspective,” said Monica Brown, Hindman Vice President of Prints & Multiples. “Its technical precision and attention to detail, with each stripe carefully aligned and printed with vibrant, complimentary colors, presents us with a powerful example of Riley’s contributions to the Op Art movement as well as her ongoing exploration of the ways in which art can shape our understanding of the world around us.”

Jake Brandt, the director of marketing and communications for the Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, said the pieces are “the equivalent of one-week’s sales at one of our stores selling hundreds of items.”

“All of the proceeds that we’re making here at the ReStore go directly to building safe, affordable homes for local families,” Brandt said.

While every donation counts, employees said it’s “very rare” to get something of this much value.

“The logistics of it just go to your head, like how do we turn this into housing as quickly as possible?” Schmid said. “That’s what I love about this place. It’s real, tangible change in Milwaukee.”

Last year, the team built 20 houses. This year, their goal is to hit 30.

If Green Dominance, Blue Dominance, Red Dominance sells, it could cover about one-third of a construction home. 

The triptych will be auctioned off on April 20.

To view the set of three, click here. 

To donate to the ReStore, click here.

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UHD & Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Welcome 3K for the Art Car IPA 5K!

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UHD & Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Welcome 3K for the Art Car IPA 5K!

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates more than 15,000 students, boasts more than 64,000 alumni, and offers 46 bachelor’s degrees, 11 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences & Technology. For the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranks UHD among universities across the nation for Best Online Criminal Justice Programs (No. 27 and No. 15 for Veterans) and Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. UHD has the most affordable tuition among four-year universities in Houston and one of the lowest in Texas. U.S. News ranked the University among Top Performers on Social Mobility and awarded UHD a No. 1 ranking as the most diverse institution of higher education in the southern region of the U.S. The University is noted nationally as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Minority-Serving Institution, and Military Friendly School. For more on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit www.uhd.edu.

As generative AI hype hits full steam, consumers carry reservations

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As generative AI hype hits full steam, consumers carry reservations

Dive Brief:

  • With the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions growing, consumers are valuing brands that prioritize transparency, according to a new Consumer Navigator survey shared by Dentsu.  
  • Over two-thirds (70%) of respondents said brands should disclose when AI has been used to develop products, services, experiences and content. Seventy-seven percent agreed that brands must monitor the technology to ensure it does not propagate existing biases and inequalities.
  • Among those surveyed, 61% supported brands experimenting with generative AI. However, less than half (42%) agreed that they prefer brands that are using AI versus those that are not, pointing to some underlying reticence.

Dive Insight:

Major marketers have jumped on the generative AI hype train as software like OpenAI’s ChatGPT reaches new levels of sophistication and mainstream implementation. As concrete applications multiply, brands must keep consumer preferences in mind lest they fall victim to shiny object syndrome. They must also ensure transparency and learn to navigate a Wild West phase with few regulations and safeguards in areas like privacy and protecting intellectual property. Following that, dedicated PR strategies in relation to AI were recommended by Dentsu.

“Marketers would be wise to start developing communications strategies and frameworks now as generative AI plays a growing role in consumer-facing business,” the authors of the report wrote. 

Dentsu’s survey indicates that consumers are interested in learning more about generative AI but hold some serious reservations. The report found that nearly half (45%) of respondents were “curious” about the sector, with that curiosity prevalent across demographics. On the other hand, skepticism was the second-most common sentiment on a broad basis and stood at particularly high levels with baby boomers (45%). 

A company using AI is not yet a surefire hook for driving engagement or commanding higher prices, per the findings. Just 34% of respondents said they would be willing to pay a premium for products and services built with the help of AI. Consumers do not see every category reaping the same rewards from experimenting with generative AI, either. 

While 72% of consumers view the field as having a positive impact on tech, just 58% said the same for advertising and 48% for arts and culture. Other industry verticals analyzed included entertainment, where 61% expect a positive impact, along with shopping (60%), healthcare (58%), finance and travel (both at 53%).  

That said, 59% endorsed leveraging AI to create ads and content and 61% supported the idea of using it to develop products and services. At the same time, 78% believe brands should disclose when a service was powered by AI, with that desire echoed for disclosures around AI-assisted branded content (75%) and products (73%).

Millennials were the most enthusiastic about generative AI. Half the cohort expressed excitement on this topic versus just 12% of boomers and 29% of Gen Z. Women, generally, seemed less enthused about AI than men, but both sexes cited anxiety over losing their jobs to automation as their top worry. Four in five of those surveyed believe generative AI represents “the future,” but less than two in five were excited about that prospect. Close to one-third (32%) were “concerned” and 29% were neutral on the matter. 

Dentsu’s findings were accrued through online panels conducted with Toluna. Surveys were distributed among a random sample of 1,000 adults in the U.S., with the audience controlled for a representative balance of race and gender.

Despite growing scrutiny, brand buy-in on the generative AI front doesn’t seem to be cooling. Coke in March debuted a platform that is the first of its kind to combine OpenAI’s GPT-4 and DALL-E technologies. Bombay Sapphire and director Baz Luhrmann are planning an art installation with works created with the help of an AI-powered robot. 

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