The works in this exhibition speak for the Caribbean’s indigenous peoples whose homes were fractured and divided by colonialism. These are spaces that were mercilessly exploited for labor and goods by distant European monarchies. This area also marks the site of one of the West’s first rebellions (the Haitian slave revolt which led to the independence of the island in 1804) and the Cuban War of Independence in 1898, a byproduct of the Spanish-American War.

A not-to-be-missed portion of the exhibit are 17 plates (never before seen in their entirety) for an 1828 publication of Faust by Goethe.   It was an early undertaking that elicited this response from the great author himself: “Monsieur Delacroix has surpassed the mental images that I made for myself from the scenes that I wrote.”  There are plenty of opportunities in his drawings to study his aptitude for classical form and his lifelong love for the Greco-Roman aesthetic (inspired in no small part by the 400-year-old Greek War of Independence against Ottoman rule that ultimately led to the demise of his Greek sympathizer friend Byron).  

The Anita Shapolsky Gallery is pleased to present a cross-cultural and trans-historical exploration of the body in art. “Super Bodies” moves beyond the typical focus on abstract expressionist paintings to exhibit art from a potpourri of artists, periods, countries, and media. Antiques from Japan, China, Burma, and Greece from Anita Shapolsky’s own collection are scattered throughout the exhibition to complement the modern and contemporary works, all exemplifying the ever-present drive to represent the body in both the abstract and the figurative.

The rectangular cut Pink Legacy is rated “vivid,” the highest rating for a diamond’s color, and weighs 18.96 carats, making it the largest fancy vivid pink diamond Christie’s has ever offered for auction. It was once part of the Oppenheimer collection, Christie’s said, referring to the family who built De Beers into the world’s biggest diamond trader. “Its exceptional provenance will no doubt propel it into a class of its own as one of the world’s greatest diamonds,” said Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at Christie’s.

“The fact that Williams painted, much less that he painted in Key West, is a surprise to many and his paintings have mostly remained outside of the public eye. We are honored to have these works here at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, and to be one of the few museums that David Wolkowsky has selected to exhibit these works outside of their Key West home,” according to Susan Gladstone, the Executive Director of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU

For decades, the artists of Montmartre have dazzled sightseers with their rapidly delivered portraits, paintings of Parisian scenes and cartoonish caricatures. But now the painters are threatening to fold up their easels and relocate elsewhere in the French capital, accusing restaurateurs of encroaching on their space.“It’s very difficult to paint now – it’s almost impossible,” said painter Midani M’Barki, 70. “We are now working in the gutter. Is it normal for artists to be put in the gutter?”

The best way to discover Porto is on foot, allowing you to explore its many nooks and crannies, from steep staircases and laundry-festooned alleyways to huge, tree-lined avenues with monumental buildings and many churches. One thing you notice almost immediately is the graffiti. As with many southern European cities, graffiti is rampant. There is a lot of “tagging,” the modern equivalent of writing “Kilroy was here,” I suppose, but somehow not nearly as charming or attractive.

I was lucky to have visited India during the “Spring Festival of Playing Holi” or the “Festival of Colors.” It is a Hindu festival that is celebrated by smearing, or throwing, colored chalk at others and then spraying water to make the colors run. Everyone is fair game. The trip left me with a lasting sense of spiritualism and beauty. I felt peace and harmony as never before. Even though there is obvious poverty in many regions of the country, there is still a sense of contentment you can’t find anywhere else.