WILTON, Conn. – A handwritten note twice signed by Abraham Lincoln just days before winning the 1864 presidential election, ship’s papers from 1794 signed by both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and a 1748 handwritten note signed by Benjamin Franklin are among the highlights of University Archives’ online-only auction slated for Wednesday, April 19. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
NEW HAMBURG, Canada – Once again the legendary Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis (1903-1970) stole the show at Miller & Miller’s two-day, two-session online auctions held March 25 and 26. Seven original paintings by Lewis combined for more than $300,000. The Canadiana & Decorative Arts auction on March 25 grossed $588,613; the Historic Lamps & Lighting on March 26 reached $299,838. All prices quoted are in Canadian dollars.
OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery will hold a series of sales on Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
LONDON (AP) – Artists, if they have really made a mark, might get a gallery dedicated to their work once they are gone. Gilbert and George don’t want to wait that long. The dapper duo, who have been creating beguiling and unsettling art together for more than half a century, have poured their own time and money into the Gilbert and George Center, a permanent exhibition and research space devoted to their work. Located just off bustling Brick Lane in London’s East End, the building opened to the public Saturday, April 1 with an exhibition of the big, bold photo assemblies for which the pair has become famous.
NEW YORK — Alexander Calder became synonymous with kinetic sculptures when he began crafting his mobiles in the 1930s, but he was not the first to create these moving works of art. Vladimir Tatlin and Alexander Rodchenko, among others, explored the form’s possibilities before Calder entered the picture. Stemming from the Greek word kinetikos, which means “of motion,” kinetic sculptures are three-dimensional works made with a wide range of techniques and materials. The key detail they share in common is that they move.