Smithsonian to Launch World’s First Yoga History Exhibit

INDIA WEST

WASHINGTON, D.C.---“Yoga: The Art of Transformation,” dubbed as the world’s first exhibition of the visual history of yoga, will be held at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Oct. 19 to Jan. 26, 2014. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian, the world’s largest museum and research complex, will display over 130 stone and bronze sculptures, devotional icons, illustrated manuscripts, court paintings, photographs, books, missionary postcards, magic posters, medical illustrations and films borrowed from 25 museums and collections worldwide.  [link]

Smithsonian Institute: "Yoga: The Art of Transformation" (October 19, 2013 - January 26, 2014). Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 050 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC, 202.633.1000 or asia.si.edu

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From Dante to Dan Brown: How Artists Have Portrayed the Divine Comedy

THE GUARDIAN 
By Jonathon Jones

Holly roller...Dante Illuminating Florence with His Poem, painted by Domenico di Michelino. Photograph: Corbis

UNITED KINGDOM---Dan Brown's Inferno is doing wonders for Dante and the artists who have illustrated him. For instance, the other day a story in the Observer about the thriller writer's gift to tourism in Florence was illustrated with a painting by Domenico di Michelino in the city's cathedral. In this picture, which dates from around 1465, the medieval poet Dante Alighieri stands, a red-robed colossus, revealing his poem The Divine Comedy to the city of Florence which he dwarfs. Give yourself a treat this summer. Read Dan Brown; why not. But also read Allen Mandelbaum's Everyman translation of The Divine Comedy that is illustrated with Botticelli's wonderful drawings. [link]

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'Star Trek Into Darkness' Eyes $100 Million Box Office Opening

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
By Todd Cummingham

HOLLYWOOD---Projections for "Star Trek Into Darkness" have surged in the past week, putting J.J. Abrams' space epic sequel on track to take in more than $100 million at the box office over its extended debut weekend. Paramount Pictures will dock "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 336 Imax 3D theaters Wednesday, one day ahead of its nationwide rollout in more than 3,800 locations. The sci-fi adventure should easily knock Disney's Marvel superhero sequel "Iron Man 3," which is coming off a $72 million second week, out of the weekend's top box-office spot. Other studios are steering clear: there are no other wide releases this week. [link] (A&O Rating: ★★★)

On Tuesday, tickets for "Star Trek Into Darkness" accounted for 71 percent of online ticket broker Fandango's sales, and rival Movietickets.com reports more than 300 sellouts. The reviews have been very strong; it has an 88 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Police Charge Art Students; Catholic Bishop Seeks Restrictions on ‘Freedom of Speech’

THINK PROGRESS 
By Ian Millhiser

Carnegie Mellon University police filed charges of indecent exposure against
two art students  including sophomore Katherine B. O’Connor, 19 

PENNSYLVANIA---Katherine O’Connor is an art student at Carnegie Mellon University who allegedly decided to dress as the pope and march in a campus parade — or, at least, dress as the pope from the waist up. Police charged her with public nudity because she allegedly wore nothing at all below the belt. As Eugene Volokh points out, there’s nothing unconstitutional about arresting someone this kind of childish stunt. If O’Connor actually displayed her genitals in public, police may arrest her for public nudity. [link]

Yet, in a statement expressing satisfaction with O’Connor’s arrest, Catholic Bishop David Zubik of the Pittsburgh Diocese endorsed far greater restrictions on free speech:

“As I have said over these last few weeks, this is an opportunity for all of us to be reminded that freedom of speech and freedom of expression do not constitute a freedom to dismiss or disrespect the beauty of anyone’s race, the sacredness of anyone’s religious belief or the uniqueness of anyone’s nationality.”

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Islamic Mosque in Croatia is a Contemporary Masterpiece

ISLAMIC ARTS MAGAZINE

South-west side of the Mosque in Rijeka / Courtesy of Islamic Community in Rijeka

CROATIA---The Mosque In Rijeka (in Croatia) – The Mosque is the result of decades-old aspirations of Muslims in Rijeka to have an adequate religious space. Now they have, and what a space it is; one of the most beautiful religious buildings in Europe. The most interesting fact is that the design was not defined by architects, but by one of the most prominent Croatian sculptor, Dušan Džamonja (b. 1928 - d. 2009). He created a miniature model of the mosque, reflecting his well-known abstract sculptures. Later, the architects Darko Vlahović and Branko Vučinović have undertaken the task to implement this conceptual idea in order to achieve the superior aesthetics of the project. [link]

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Art Review: Mathew Barney's Fixations on Fabulists, Hermetics and Mysticism

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Holland Cotter

Matthew Barney, KHU: Djed, 2011, Brush and ink, gold leaf, iron,
and lapis lazuli on black paper in polyethylene frame, 12 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 1 1/4 inches 

NEW YORK---The Morgan Library, with its Gospels, missals and reliquaries, is just the right place for “Subliming Vessel: The Drawings of Matthew Barney,” the first survey of graphic work by the most medievalizing of American contemporary artists. Mr. Barney, who was born in 1967, first came to the art world’s attention with a New York solo show in 1991. He was just two years out of Yale, but as an undergraduate had already developed a version of the body-centered, performance-based work that would bring him fame. There’s a lot of work to see, none of it simple. Mr. Barney’s recurrent themes are death and resurrection, or transformation, and they’re the abiding subjects of his drawings. [link]

“Subliming Vessel: The Drawings of Matthew Barney” runs through Sept. 2 at the Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street; (212) 685-0008, themorgan.org.

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Holocaust Opera Cancelled After Guests Traumatised

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
By Sandy Rashty

A scene from a new production of Richard Wagner’s opera "Tannhäuser" in Düsseldorf.

GERMANY---A Holocaust-themed opera production was cancelled last week after its traumatic scenes caused a number of guests to seek medical help. The modern production of Richard Wagner’s Tannhauser, had its opening night at the Rheinoper in Düsseldorf. Despite initial protests from the opera house, director Burkhard C Kosminski reportedly insisted on a realistic portrayal of atrocities at a concentration camp "for artistic reasons", an opera house spokesperson told the BBC. Graphic scenes included rape, suicide and a family having their heads shaved before they were shot. Some guests were subsequently treated for shock. A spokesperson for the opera house added that “some scenes were depicted very realistically [and caused] psychological and physical stress." [link]

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