Frank Gehry designs official poster for Grammy Awards

Architect Frank Gehry has designed the new official poster for the 54th Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy, which organizes the awards, said on its website that that the poster "integrates traditional Grammy iconography with [Gehry's] unique architectural style in a piece that mirrors The Recording Academy's commitment to celebrating excellence and diversity in art and culture year-round."

In a statement published on the site, Gehry said: "I have been fortunate to have worked with and become friends with some of the top musicians in classical music. ... They are my inspiration and my heroes. I am pleased to work with the Grammys to help celebrate all of these talented people."

Gehry, 82, sits on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and designed its Walt Disney Concert Hall. Other high-profile Gehry buildings include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; the Cinematheque Francaise in Paris and the IAC Building in New York.

As it happens, the L.A. Philharmonic has received a Grammy nomination in the category of orchestral performance for its recording of Brahms' Fourth Symphony, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.

Born in Canada, Gehry has resided in Los Angeles for most of his life. He will be designing sets for the L.A. Philharmonic's May production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" at Disney Hall.

The Grammys are scheduled to be held Feb. 12 at Staples Center and will be broadcast live on CBS.

(You can see a larger image of the Gehry-designed poster, courtesy of Archinect.)

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-- David Ng

Photo: Frank Gehry's poster for the 54th annual Grammy Awards. Credit: Grammy.com

 

Monster Mash: Broad Museum at MSU; World Trade Center site

Appointment: The Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University has named its curator of contemporary art. (GalleristNY)

Uncertain future: A planned performing arts center to be designed by Frank Gehry for the former World Trade Center site in New York is in limbo as organizers await the creation of a board of directors. (Wall Street Journal)

Top secret: Coca-Cola is making its closely held formula part of a display at its corporate museum in Atlanta. But the formula itself will remain out of view. (Associated Press via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Still struggling: The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has posted a $1.8-million deficit for 2011. (Detroit Free Press)

Monumental: The Art Institute of Chicago will project Andy Warhol's eight-hour "Empire" onto the Aon Building on Friday night. (Chicago Tribune)

Honored: Ralph Fiennes is to receive the Shakespeare Society Medal in New York. (Theatermania)

Popular: New York's New Museum is charging premium prices for admission to its Carsten Höller show. (WNYC)

Going under: A top venue operator for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has gone bust. (The Stage UK)

Taking the high road: Playwright Tony Kushner has donated $100,000 to the City University of New York, even though the school blocked a decision to award him an honorary degree earlier this year. (Guardian)

Hard times: A town in China known for exporting stone carvings is suffering due to the European economic crisis. (Reuters)

Also in the L.A. Times: Playwright Lydia R. Diamond on race, class and Broadway's "Stick Fly."

-- David Ng

Photo: A view of the former World Trade Center site in New York. Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

Monster Mash: Banksy joins Occupy London?; Frank Gehry looks east

Do not pass "Go": Banksy, the anonymous street artist, is believed to have unveiled a new sculptural work inspired by the Monopoly board game and dedicated to the Occupy London movement. (ArtLyst)

Looking east: Frank Gehry is seeking projects in Asian countries, including China and India, in the face of slower U.S. economic growth. (Bloomberg)

Recovered: Picasso paintings believed to be worth millions of dollars have been found in Serbia three years after being stolen. (Telegraph)

Moving on: Benjamin Millepied is stepping down from his role as a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet. (Los Angeles Times)

Branching out: Pop star Lance Bass is involved in a new stage play, "The Fabulous Lies of Hollywood Whores," that is aiming for Broadway and could star Kirstie Alley. (New York Times)

Seal of approval: A judge has given the OK to a new contract between the Philadelphia Orchestra and its musicians. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Blockbuster potential: Matthew Bourne will choreograph a new production of "Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky. (Guardian)

Pricey: New parking rates on London's West End are causing a stir among theater patrons. (The Stage)

Feeling better: Baritone Mariusz Kwiecien began performing "Don Giovanni" at the Metropolitan Opera on Tuesday following an injury that had sidelined him for a few shows. (New York Times)

Hypocritical? A violinist suing over age discrimination believes the judge in the case is too old. (New York Daily News)

Experimental: A Dutch artist is creating sculpture in an attempt to produce a "glacier" out of thin air in the desert. (Associated Press via Washington Post)

Celebrity art: Actress Lucy Liu is publishing a book featuring her own artwork. (CNN)

Also in the L.A. Times: Art critic Christopher Knight on Larry Bell and Frank Gehry.

-- David Ng

Photo: A giant Monopoly board game in London, believed to be a creation of the street artist Banksy. Credit: Andy Rain / EPA

Art meets architecture: Larry Bell and Frank Gehry

Architect Frank Gehry has often talked about the influence artists have had on his building designs. A good example illustrating what he was getting at just went on view at Frank Lloyd Gallery in Santa Monica, while others are in the Pacific Standard Time show "Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface" at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. An early work from the 1960s by sculptor Larry Bell in the Frank Lloyd show offers a partial template for a Gehry design built three decades ago in Toluca Lake.

Gehry's World Savings and Loan branch at Riverside Drive and Mariota Avenue is a sky-lighted, one-story hall framed by tall facades out front and in the back, as if a full second story had been planned but never built. Gehry cut open-windows into the tall rear wall, which mesh with the residential scale of the neighborhood beyond the modest parking lot behind the bank. The pair of two-story facades gives this relatively small building greater presence on the low-rise suburban street -- a presence that the current occupant, Wells Fargo, has ratcheted up with a blast of bombast in the form of over-scaled signage.

But it's the front facade where Bell's influence is most obvious.

Monster Mash: 'Carnage,' 'Pina' slated for AFI Fest; Frank Gehry

Red carpet: "Carnage," "Coriolanus" and the 3D dance documentary "Pina" will be part of this year's AFI Fest. (Indiewire)

Mixed reaction: Architect Frank Gehry explained his design for the future Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial to architecture colleagues Tuesday at the Corcoran Gallery. (Associated Press, via Washington Post)

Stepping down: John Murdoch, director of art collections at the Huntington, will be retiring in June. (Los Angeles Times)

Early look: An architectural tour of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is scheduled to open in November. (Architectural Record)

Honored: Beverley Taylor Sorenson, a Utah philanthropist, has received the Eli and Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Lawsuit: A group of prominent artists is suing Christie's and Sotheby's for "resale royalties." (Los Angeles Times)

All grown up: Haley Joel Osment is starring in a Philadelphia production of John Logan's Tony-winning play "Red." (Playbill)

Refund?: A bride and groom have sued an opera trio for a "disastrous" performance. (Daily Mail)

Before Camilla: A rarely seen portrait of King Charles II's mistress Nell Gwyn will go on display as part of a new exhibition opening in London this month. (Press Assn.)

Also in the L.A. Times: Was Leonardo da Vinci the artist behind a portrait that sold for just $21,000?

-- David Ng

Photo: Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, which will serve as a venue for the AFI Fest. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Monster Mash: Gehry's Eisenhower memorial; Schwarzenegger in Austria

More hurdles: Architect Frank Gehry has revealed new details about the planned Eisenhower Memorial. But not everyone is happy about his design. (Associated Press, via ABC News and Washington Post)

Home again: Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Austria to personally inaugurate the new museum dedicated to his life and career. (Associated Press, via Washington Post)

Moving forward: A judge has upheld the Barnes Foundation's disputed relocation. (Los Angeles Times)

Backstage drama: Actor Fred Melamed has abruptly departed the Broadway production of "Relatively Speaking" after clashing with writer Ethan Coen. (New York Times)

Coming soon: The controversial new revival of "Porgy and Bess" will have a limited run on Broadway, opening Jan. 12 and running through June 24. (Boston Globe)

The King's play: David Seidler's play "The King Speech," which inspired the Oscar-winning film, will open a five-city UK tour, including a stop in London's Richmond Theatre on Feb. 10. Adrian Noble directs. (Playbill)

Fragile: Ancient paintings in Spain's Altamira cave are in peril once again. (MSNBC)

Pop star: Justin Bieber is being sought to appear in a Toronto production of "Les Miserables." (Toronto Sun)

Money problems: The Colorado Symphony has canceled half of its fall concerts due to budgetary reasons. (Denver Post)

Destructive?: Turkey's appetite for tourists could be damaging to ancient sites, according to some experts. (The Art Newspaper)

Positive buzz: "First Position," a new documentary that follows six young ballet dancers, will be distributed by Sundance Selects in the U.S. (Indiewire)

Also in the L.A. Times: A review of the dance production "more more more ... future" at REDCAT.

-- David Ng

Photo: A model of Frank Gehry's design for the Eisenhower Memorial. Credit: Associated Press

Monster Mash: John Paul II statue; Frank Gehry and Eisenhower

Religious icon: The artist who created a widely criticized sculpture of the late Pope John Paul II said he will carry out changes recommended by a committee. (Associated Press, via ABC News)

Master builder: Architect Frank Gehry will discuss the creation of the Eisenhower National Memorial in a talk scheduled for Oct. 5 at the National Archives. (Washington Post)

Speaking out: The wife of artist Ai Weiwei is urging Chinese lawmakers to reject draft legislation that would formalize police powers to hold dissidents in secret locations without telling their families. (Reuters)

Party time: A look at conductor Gustavo Dudamel and musician Herbie Hancock at the L.A. Philharmonic's season-opening gala. (Los Angeles Times)

Impressive line-up: New plays by Edward Albee, Kenneth Lonergan and Katori Hall will be part of the new season at New York's Signature Theatre Company. (Playbill)

Pretzel wars: Food vendors are involved in a new skirmish for prime spots in front of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. (New York Times)

Trippingly on the tongue: Shakespeare's Globe in Britian will host multilingual performances as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. (The Stage UK)

Second chance: A British dance company mixes former drug addicts with professional dancers. (BBC News)

Surprise find: Police in Poland are puzzled by the discovery of a collection of 300 paintings that is believed to be worth in the millions of euros in a bricklayer's shed. (Telegraph)

Supporting the troops: Producers of Broadway's "War Horse" said they will donate the net proceeds from the Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day performance to the USO. (Playbill)

Separate ways: A court has approved the severance between the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philly Pops. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Signed: The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's musicians and management have agreed to a new five-year contract. (Buffalo News)

Also in the L.A. Times: Music critic Mark Swed on the L.A. Philharmonic's season-opening concert with Gustavo Dudamel; a review of the San Francisco Ballet at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

-- David Ng

Photo: Sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi's controversial depiction of Pope John Paul II in Rome. Credit: Gregorio Borgia / Associated Press

Monster Mash: 'Book of Mormon' movie; Amy Winehouse sculpture

Cashing in: Trey Parker and Matt Stone say they will make a movie version of the hit Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon." (Entertainment Weekly)

Poor taste?: Artist Daniel Edwards has created a nude sculpture of recently deceased pop singer Amy Winehouse. (E! Online)

Defaced: A cast of Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" has been vandalized in Buenos Aires. (BBC News)

Watch them write: Neil LaBute and Theresa Rebeck are to participate in a live play-writing session today at 1 p.m. (Culture Monster)

Prop. 8 play: Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black explains why he wrote "8," which will have a one-night staged reading in New York. (Associated Press)

Dip: Ticket sales for most Broadway shows dropped sharply last week due to the traditional post-Labor Day slump as well as heavy security in Times Square for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. (New York Times)

Residential complex: Architect Frank Gehry talks about his first building in Hong Kong, which is near completion. (CNN)

Celebrity art: James Franco has bought fan art of himself by a 13-year-old girl at the Toronto Film Festival. (Zap2It)

Also in the L.A. Times: A new permanent mural by the L.A. Chicano arts group Asco is slated for the City Terrace neighborhood.

-- David Ng

Photo: A scene from the musical "The Book of Mormon." Credit: Joan Marcus

Monster Mash: Artist Lucian Freud dies; Met sees big attendance

 

RIP: British artist Lucian Freud, famous for his unconventional nude paintings, has died at age 88. (Los Angeles Times)

Popular: New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art said it has broken attendance records in the past fiscal year. (WNYC)

Policy change: An Egyptian official said the ministry of antiquities would be downgraded to a Cabinet-affiliated office and not be its own ministry. (Los Angeles Times)

Stumbling block: The building of a Frank Gehry-designed cultural site in Arles, France, faces delays due to concerns over its possible effect on the city's heritage. (The Art Newspaper)

Unabomber: The National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington has unveiled a new exhibit devoted to convicted murderer Ted Kaczynski. (MSNBC)

Money trouble: Plans to build the U.S. National Slavery Museum in Virginia could be halted by an unpaid tax bill. (New York Times)

Stalemate: The musicians' union of the Philadelphia Orchestra is continuing to push for the release of information relating to the orchestra's endowments, despite resistance from management. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Out of control: The cost of producing a Broadway show is big compared with London. (New York Times)

Ensemble piece: Rachel Griffiths and Judith Light are joining the cast of the upcoming Broadway transfer of "Other Desert Cities." (Hollywood Reporter)

New purchases: The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced acquisitions of works by Monet, Pissarro and more. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Cultural diplomacy: Conductor Charles Dutoit of the Philadelphia Orchestra wants to create a joint South and North Korean youth orchestra. (Associated Press)

Also in the L.A. Times: Television critic Mary McNamara reviews Eddie Izzard's solo show at the Hollywood Bowl.

-- David Ng

Lucian Freud self portrait. Credit: Centre Pompidou / European Pressphoto Agency

The Arts on TV: 'Mona Lisa'; 'Hamlet'; 'Cyrano de Bergerac'

"Late Show With David Letterman" 11:35 p.m., Thursday, CBS: A performance from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

"How It Was" 7 a.m., Friday. NGC: "Secrets of 'Mona Lisa'": Historians discover that Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" can answer longstanding questions about the artist and his methods, materials and model.

"Great Performances" Midnight, Saturday, KVCR: The Royal Shakespeare Company presents a contemporary retelling of "Hamlet."

"The Artist Toolbox" 9 p.m., Sunday, KLCS:  Abstract artist Sam Gilliam.

"Great Performances" 12:30 a.m., Monday, KVCR: Kevin Kline stars as Cyrano de Bergerac in the play's first return to Broadway since 1984.

"Craft in America" 8 p.m., Tuesday, KOCE:  Artist Charles Carillo evokes a traditional Spanish colonial style; jewelry and metalsmith Thomas Mann; blown glass still-life artist Beth Lipman; glass bead artist Joyce Scott.

"Masterclass" 6 a.m., Wednesday, HBO: Frank Gehry helps five artists understand the challenges in urban design.

-- Compiled by Ed Stockly

Image: Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa"