Monster Mash: Downtown L.A. grapples with rise in tagging, graffiti; Metropolitan Opera headed to Japan

Graffiti: Authorities in downtown L.A. continue to deal with a rash of illegal tagging and graffiti that they say is spawned by the "Art in the Streets" exhibit at MOCA's Geffen Contemporary. (Los Angeles Times)

Heading overseas: The Metropolitan Opera has decided to move forward with its planned tour in Japan, despite some objections from artists. (The Wall Street Journal)

Underappreciated: Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne on L.A.'s landscape architects. (Los Angeles Times)

Legal troubles: Guy Wildenstein, a prominent art dealer, is mired in a number of lawsuits. (New York Times)

Unexplained: A Chinese human-rights lawyer linked to the missing artist Ai Weiwei has reemerged after a mysterious five-day disappearance. (The Guardian)

Funny: A painting that depicts WikiLeaks' Julian Assange urinating into Uncle Sam's hat has won Australia's Bald Archy prize, a parody of the prestigious Aussie portraiture award the Archibald Prize. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Change of heart: Local government officials in Marin County have changed their minds about a nude painting they pulled from a local art show. (Marin Independent Journal, via San Jose Mercury News)

Becoming a reality: Construction of the new Boston Tea Party Museum began this week with a groundbreaking ceremony. (Boston Herald)

Also in the L.A. Times: DJs are coming to the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.

-- David Ng

Photo: A space invader made of tiles is on the side of a building at the corner of 4th and Alameda streets in Los Angeles. Credit: Katie Falkenberg / For the Los Angeles Times