Monster Mash: Miami Art Museum names new director; piano project comes to New York

New leader: The Miami Art Museum has named Thomas Collins, who is currently the head of the Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase, N.Y., as its new director. He replaces Terry Riley, who abruptly resigned in 2009. (Miami Herald)

Eighty-eight keys: Pianos will be installed at famous New York venues, including the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park as part of a traveling public art project. (Associated Press)

A resurrection to come? The artist who designed an Ohio church's giant statue of Jesus that was destroyed by lightning this week said he's willing to help replace it. (Associated Press)

Former Beatle working on a score: Paul McCartney is writing the music for a ballet, but details are sketchy. (BBC News)

Crowd pleaser returns: The 25th anniversary revival of "Nunsense" will take place at the off-Broadway Cherry Lane Theatre, where the musical debuted in 1985. (New York Times)

Change of plans: The University of Illinois has canceled plans for a $100,000 sculpture of its president, Stanley Ikenberry. (Chicago Tribune)

Passing: Thomas S. Buechner, the former director of the Brooklyn Museum, dies at age 83. (New York Times)

And in the Los Angeles Times: Esa-Pekka Salonen remembers Ernest Fleischmann; the Museum of Contemporary Art taps L.A. artist Doug Aitken for its next gala.

-- David Ng

Photo: New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg listens as Jaela Cheeks-Lomax, 16, left, Samantha Bogle, 16, second from right, and Alexander Long participate in a new public piano project. Credit: Tina Fineberg / Associated Press