NEW YORK (AFP) ― A Pop Art canvas by Roy Lichtenstein, “I Can See the Whole Room! ... and There’s Nobody in It!,” popped previous world records for the landmark contemporary artist when it sold for $43.2 million in New York on Tuesday.The sale at Christie’s beat the artist’s previous auction record of $42.6 million and led a strong performance for contemporary works.“I Can See the Whole Room! ...” was executed in 1961 with oil and graphite in Lichtenstein’s familiar cartoon style, depicting a st

LONDON (AFP) ― A landmark exhibition of paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci goes on show at London’s National Gallery on Wednesday, the first time so many of his masterpieces have been displayed together.Among the nine paintings are his two versions of the “Virgin of the Rocks,” which will hang face to face for the first time.Da Vinci is thought to have produced about 20 paintings during his lifetime, but just 15 have survived. Art fans will also be able to see “Salvator Mundi”, which was only recent

  Seoul Fashion Artist Association kicks off the three-day 2012 S/S Seoul Collection on Tuesday at Fluxus Building in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. Three up-and-coming designers ― Lee Jung-eun, Heo Hwan, Son Sung-keun ― will be presenting their collections along with eight established labels by SFAA designers ― Shin Jang-kyoung, Pak Dong-jun, BAKANGCHI, Rubina, Kim Dong-soon, P+ by Park Youn-soo, Sul Yun-hyoung and KUMANN OH Eun Hwan Designed by Yoo Hye-jin. “SFAA which has been spearheading Korea’s fa

MADRID (AP) ― Spain’s Prado museum is hosting a large exhibition of European art lent by Russia’s Hermitage, a rare opportunity to see such work outside the vast St. Petersburg museum.Two large paintings by Rembrandt, an imposing Caravaggio and a historic segment of early 20th-century art, an area in which the Hermitage’s collection excels, are among the close to 180 items. Works by Spanish artists Diego Velazquez, Pablo Picasso and Diego de Rivera temporarily return home, flanked by famous piec

LONDON (AP) ― Cultural events will take over Scottish castles, ancient English monuments and every corner of London as part of a giant arts festival running in conjunction with the 2012 Olympics.The lineup for the 12-week London 2012 Festival, announced by organizers Friday, ranges from pop-up William Shakespeare to vintage Alfred Hitchcock, and includes artists, musicians, writers and performers from Britain and around the world.The festival opens June 21, 2012 ― Midsummer’s Day ― with a series

A collection of South Korea’s ancient ceramics, known for the art of inlaying designs using black-and-white pigments, has arrived in Washington for display at a national museum, officials said Thursday.Forty-four stoneware vessels dating from the 11th through the 16th century will be displayed in the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery starting this weekend, according to the officials. The assemblage showcases a decorative technique known as “sanggam.”Originally, san

An installation titled "Simple Black & White" by artists Alan and Julie Aston is part of the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Sydney, Friday, Nov. 4, 2011. Over 100 works by local and international artists are on display along a popular beach-side walk. (AP-Yonhap News) People move between

Quick makeup services attract budget-conscious women who want more for same moneyDropping by a salon to get a touchup on your makeup and hair before brunch is no longer a luxury reserved for celebrities and the well-off. Makeup salons offering quick and reasonably priced makeup and hair services are emerging to attract beauty-conscious women who are reluctant to spend time and money on more up-market services. Park Dong-mi, a 31-year-old office worker, dropped by blowblush, a hair and makeup sal

The director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art abruptly quit four months before the end of his term of office. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism accepted the former MOCA head Bae Soon-hoon’s resignation on Tuesday. He is known to have submitted his letter about 20 days ago, soon after attending the parliamentary audit in which he felt extremely humiliated, according to museum officials. Several members of the National Assembly rebuked him for his “bad attitude” presented by cr

BEIJING (AP) ― Outspoken artist Ai Weiwei said Tuesday that Chinese authorities are now seeking $2.4 million in back taxes and fines from him, a sign that the government is not easing pressure on the dissident detained for nearly three months earlier this year.Two officials from the Beijing Local Taxation Bureau delivered a notice to the artist Tuesday saying he owed just over 15 million yuan ($2.36 million) in back taxes and fines, Ai said in a phone interview. He had been served a tax notice i

LONDON (AP) ― America Ferrera is ditching the clunky braces and the thick fake eyebrows of “Ugly Betty” for sexy, slinky outfits in her West End debut as the showgirl Roxie in “Chicago.”The American actress who starred in the U.S. television series about a wise but wacky New York fashion magazine assistant is embarking on an eight-week stint in “Chicago” at the Garrick Theatre beginning Nov. 7.At a press conference Monday, the 27-year-old Ferrera said performing on the London stage is something