File under "There Is Hope For Me": Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz's National Security Advisor is an Art Historian!

Breath a sigh of sweet relief, world. There is hope for a 30-something with a Bachelors Degree in Art History (with a concentration in Modern Art) like me! It looks like Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (I like to think of him as America's favorite Canadian) had found his advisor on national security and she is a doctor in Art History! Now if only I liked politics...

Senator Cruz (of Texas, if you don't know... Which I apparently didn't and had to look it up- I told you I don't like politics) has acquired the talent of Dr. Victoria Coates, a PhD (ahem, she is a doctor which is a real thing) in Art History (she is a "cultural historian" which sounds pretty fancy to me) and author of books like "David's Sling: A History of Democracy in Ten Works of Art" and co-authored "The Last Days of Pompeii: Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection". She comes to us via The University of Pennsylvania (by way of Trinity College in Hartford with a BA in Art History in 1990 and Williams College with an MA in Art History in 1992) with her concentration in Italian Renaissance in 1998.

She got her start in the glamorous world of politics from good old Donald Rumsfeld (Remember him? He was Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975-77 and President George W. Bush from 2001-06). Ms. Coates was the editor for Rumsfeld's book "Known and Unknown: A Memoir" in 2007, and from that moment forward, it was easy street for her. She became Governor Rick Perry's "national security expert" for a hot minute (5 months, I believe) though having no history in politics or even the military (She could have obtained a double major in Political Science while in college but she missed it "by one class credit"). She also had a brief stint as the curator of the Cleveland Museum of Art from 2010 to 2013 before she became Mr. Cruz's go-to-person on the security of our country.

I am at a complete loss for words to describe how I feel about this. On one hand: I am happy because there is something else out there to do in the world with a degree in Art History that doesn't involve 1) working in a super competitive field, 2) working with snot-nosed kids and 3) working with colleagues in a field that think they are better than the next historian... Three things that is keeping me from furthering my career in the arts. But, then I start to think how this woman could make not only us women look bad but also put those in the art community as the new laughing-stock of the academic world. I will forever hear from people questioning my decision on putting myself through college to get a "useless degree."

Now that I think of it, there is no hope for me. I hate politics. Pass. But, good luck Victoria... You are going to need it.

Paolo Porpora painting destroyed by clumsy kid

A 12 year old boy in Taiwan is in hot water after "accidentally" tearing a hole in a 350 year old painting by Italian Baroque painter Paolo Porpora this past Sunday.

The painting, called "Flowers" has an estimated value of about $1.5 million. The boy (according to his statement and video surveillance) apparently lost his balance while standing next to the painting that was part of a Leonardo da Vinci show at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei which was called "The Faces of Leonardo: Images of a Genius". The boys right fist, which was clutching a can of soda, punctured thru the oil painting.

The boy claimed that he had collapsed due to a heart condition but will unfortunately be banned from all art galleries as a result of the accident. One of the organizers of the exhibition stated that "'The Faces of Leonardo: Images of a Genius' exhibition is displaying over 50 authentic painting by prominent artist from the Italian Renaissance period to the 20th century... All 55 painting in the venue are authentic pieces and they are very rare and precious. Once these works are damaged, they are permanently damaged."

He is a very lucky boy as the organizers of the exhibition said that they will not be asked to pay for the cost of restoring the priceless piece. The painting, which was on loan from a private collector, was shipped back to Italy on Monday for restoration.


For your entertainment: The video of the incident...

12 Contemporay African artist that you *should* know

Thanks as always to the fantastic Huffington Post for this article on some of the most influential African artist in the Contemporary world that you should know about. Although, contemporary artwork is not my favorite thing to study in the world of art (I am a pure modernist, with a passion for art from the early 1900s to the 1960s), but these are names that I will be adding to my list.

Syrian Archaeologist beheaded for refusing to lead Isis to antiquities site

Well known antiquities scholar Khaled al-Asaad, known for his extensive knowledge of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, was killed by the Islamic State (or Isis as we know the group as) for refusing to lead the terrorist group to the location of the priceless and valuable artifacts. Asaad was beheaded and his mutilated body was hung from one of the ancient Roman columns and his body was left on display in the town square in front of a museum in the ancient city. It has been reported that he was killed in front of about a dozen people.

It is believed that the Islamic State has been looting ancient locations of their artifacts to then sell the items to fund their activities and eventually destroying the ancient sites all together. The group believed that destroying the artifacts is a way to destroy objects seen as "false idols". 

Asaad, was was 82 years old at the time of his death, had worked as the head of antiquities in Palmyra for 50 years. Asaad had been detained for over a month and was later executed when he refused to cooperate. Asaad was well known in the antiquities community for his early work in the excavation of Palmyra as well as the restoration of key parts of the city. "He was a fixture, you can't write about Palmyra's history or anything to do with Palmytian work without mentioning Khaled Asaad... It's like you can't talk about Egyptology without talking about Howard Carter" said Amr al-Azm, the former Syrian antiquities official who worked closely with Asaad and knew him personally.

*edit*

It has just been confirmed that ISIS has destroyed an Unesco temple in Palmyra. 

ICYMI: Is art history worth studying?

On Sunday nights Fareed Zakaria's GPS on CNN, the topic of the importance of getting a college degree in our current economy. The discussion stems after President Obama made a comment while at a General Electric plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“I promise you, folks can make a lot more potentially with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree."

 Hear what Zakaria and guest Adam Gopnik have to say: Are the Humanities Worth Studying?


PS: I think they are!

More: Obama vs. Art History

ICYMI: PBS's American Experience on "The Rise and Fall of Penn Station"

For all my architecture buffs in the world, on Wednesday night, PBS's program American Experience aired a program about the construction of Pennsylvania Station (or Penn Station as it is also known as) in New York City. In 1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad successfully accomplished the enormous engineering feat of building tunnels under New York City's Hudson and East Rivers, which helped to connect the railroad to New York and the New England region thus uniting eastern half of the United States. The tunnels terminated in what was one of the greatest architectural achievements of its time, Pennsylvania Station. Penn Station covered nearly eight acres, extended two city blocks, and housed one of the largest public spaces in the world. But just 53 years after the station’s opening, the monumental building that was supposed to last forever, to herald and represent the American Empire, was slated to be destroy.

The program had some amazing photographs and videos of the old station. If you love architecture and history, this show is a must see!

Pop Culture: Ai Weiwei inspired nails

Yesterday, I wrote about Ai Weiwei and his vase being destroyed while on display in a gallery in Miami. I found this later and I hope to one day try this out on my own nails.

Ai Weiwei piece destroyed by Florida artist

A vase by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, that was on display at the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAAM), was destroyed this past Sunday as an act of protest and the artist who destroyed it will be facing criminal charges, according to police...

The vase was reportedly valued at $1 million, was destroyed by Maximo Caminero, a Dominican born, local Miami artist. Caminero picked up one of the colored vases by Weiwei, and after security guards told him to put the piece down, he then smashed it on the floor. The accused said that he broke the vase in protest "of the museum's lack of local artists displays." If found guilty in court, Caminero could be found on a third-degree felony criminal mischief which could be punishable by up to five years in prison (since the property that was destroyed was valued over $1000.) When asked about why he destroyed the piece, Caminero said "I was at [the museum] and saw Ai Weiwei's photos behind the vases where he drops an ancient Chinese vase and breaks it... And I saw it as a provocation by Weiwei to join him in an act of performance protest.''

The vase was a painted urn, which dates from the Han dynasty of 206BC-220AD, in bright colors as part of his "Coloured Vases" series which was on display at the PAMM. Behind the grouping of a dozen or so vases are three large photos of Weiwei dropping the pottery on the ground as a way to "express the notion that new ideas and values can be produced through iconoclasm." Luckily, it seems like the museum or insurance will cover the cost of the damaged piece. It is uncertain if Caminero will cover the cost of the vase. Weiwei said that “when I received the report of the damage, I didn't pay much attention, because my work is often being destroyed or broken during the exhibitions.' His exhibition titled 'The Ai Weiwei: According to What?' runs through March 16th.


More:
Ai Weiwei Responds to Destroyed Artwork
Who's the Vandal?: Weiwei or Caminero
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