Monster Mash: Obama proposes reductions in arts funding for 2012; Van Gogh color mystery explained

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Austerity measures: The Obama administration’s proposed fiscal 2012 budget calls for reductions in almost all areas of cultural funding. (Washington Post)

Mysterious: Scientists offer an explanation as to why some of the yellow colors in Van Gogh’s paintings are turning brown. (Los Angeles Times)

Still going strong: Producers of ‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’ on Broadway have reported strong ticket sales in the wake of nearly universally bad reviews from the critics. (Los Angeles Times)

Controversial figure: The chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus said a plan to name a national museum research center for J. Edgar Hoover is inappropriate if it does not recognize the former FBI director’s history of racial intolerance. (USA Today)

Passionate: Fans of singer Justin Bieber are believed to have hacked the Wikipedia page of jazz artist Esperanza Spalding, who won the Grammy for best new artist over the teen star. (Salon)

Looking ahead: Charles R. Wall, the chairman of the New York City Opera, expresses optimism for the troubled company’s future. (New York Times)

Screen to stage: ‘Newsies,’ the musical stage adaptation of the 1992 Disney film, will premiere at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse in September. (Playbill)

Plum role: Sierra Boggess, who recently starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Love Never Dies,’ will join Tyne Daly in the upcoming revival of ‘Master Class’ on Broadway. (Theatermania)

Masterpiece: ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt was named the most romantic oil painting by Overstockart.com for Valentine’s Day 2011. (Art Daily)

Passing: Jazz pianist George Shearing has died at age 91 in New York. (Los Angeles Times)

And in the L.A. Times: Theater critic Charles McNulty reviews the new musical ‘Dangerous Beauty’ at the Pasadena Playhouse; Kent Kresa has been named the chairman of the board of the Music Center.

-- David Ng