Travelrific® Travel Journal
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Premier Art Collection Comes to Philadelphia
By Linda Tancs
Dr. Albert C. Barnes was a Philadelphia native and co-inventor of an antiseptic silver compound used in the prevention of infant blindness. The product’s commercial success enabled Dr. Barnes to acquire a vast art collection comprising post-impressionist and early modern art. Beginning on 19 May founding members of the Barnes will be the first to experience the collection at its new home in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Nestled on 4.5 acres of landscaped grounds, the new building features a light-filled indoor court, functional classrooms, and intimate galleries surrounded by a series of external garden spaces. A special exhibition gallery will feature regular temporary exhibitions of past and contemporary art to complement the Barnes Foundation’s collection. Nonmembers won’t feel left out of the action. During the weekend of 26 May, 56 consecutive hours of free access and activities for all ages will feature some of Philadelphia’s finest cultural and performing arts organizations, such as Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Relâche, Peter Tang’s Chinese Music Ensemble, and AfroTaino Productions.
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Art Fair Celebrates Quarter Century
By Linda Tancs
The world’s leading art and antiques fair is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Center in the Netherlands. Taking place from 16-25 March this year, the event features elegantly displayed genuine masterpieces offered by more than 260 of the world’s most prestigious art and antiques dealers from 18 countries. To celebrate its silver anniversary, two unique contributions this year are (1) an exhibition of master drawings by some of the greatest artists in history, including da Vinci, Guercino, Rembrandt and Rubens, and (2) the first-ever BMW Art Car. This is one jubilee you won’t want to miss.
Fabergé Debuts in Palm Beach
By Linda Tancs
The iconic Fabergé egg is the highlight of this year’s fine arts fair in Palm Beach, Florida. Now in its 16th year, the American International Fine Art Fair is the premier art, antique and jewelry fair in the United States, returning to the Palm Beach County Convention Center from 4 to 12 February. Fabergé will present a special exhibition and lecture series – Faberge: The Rebirth of an Icon-by Geza von Habsburg. Paying homage to the legendary Imperial eggs created by Peter Carl Fabergé for the Romanov family, Fabergé has designed a collection of one-of-a-kind egg pendants, Les Fameux de Fabergé. Each design illustrates a traditional Russian proverb. Now if that doesn’t egg you on to attend, nothing will.
The Year of Klimt
By Linda Tancs
2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Klimt, an Austrian painter and illustrator. Ten Viennese museums will herald the event with special exhibitions throughout the year, featuring his paintings, drawings and designs. The Belvedere has the world’s largest collection of Klimt paintings, where a special exhibition is already underway highlighting his collaboration with Josef Hoffmann. Later, in May, don’t miss the first public viewing of the Wien Museum’s collection of 400 Klimt drawings. In the meanwhile, don’t miss the Art History Museum event beginning next month, or the spectacular events scheduled for Albertina, the Theatre Museum, Kuenstlerhaus, Folklore Museum, Leopold or the Museum of Applied Art.
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First Time Opening of London Mansion
By Linda Tancs
Two Temple Place, the neo-gothic mansion on London’s Embankment once owned by financier William Waldorf Astor, has opened to the public for the first time. Now an exhibition space, the magnificent dwelling will also be the first venue in London to showcase regional collections. Admission to the gallery is free.
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Through the Looking Glass
By Linda Tancs
Stained glass, leaded glass, art glass–the possibilities are endless. That’s what the folks at the Shanghai Museum of Glass want you to take away from their new museum celebrating the art and technology of glass making. Boasting ancient and contemporary collections from around the world, the glass-encased facility includes a hot glass demonstration hall for those interested in understanding the process and performance of glass blowing. Handle with care!
Museum Weekend in Holland
By Linda Tancs
Three of the most significant museums in Holland are in Amsterdam’s Museum Square: the Van Gogh Museum, the state museum and the municipal museum. How’s that for convenience? If you’re like millions of other visitors each year, you’ll want to see Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers portrait, immortalized in postcards and greeting cards. Most of his paintings have never left Holland, so viewing his work is a uniquely Dutch experience to enjoy. During the first weekend in April it’s also uniquely Dutch to visit as many museums as you can–free–thanks to Museum Weekend, now 30 years’ strong. Over a million visitors attended last year’s event.
The Best in Fine Art
By Linda Tancs
The world’s leading arts and antiques fair is beginning on 18 March. TEFAF Maastricht offers an impressive array of paintings, antiques, contemporary art, manuscripts, classical antiquities, jewelry, watches and decorative objects, applied art, prints, paintings and other paper. That’s an exhaustive list. Thankfully, you have until 27 March to walk through it.
Ridgway Rendezvous
By Linda Tancs
The art of wood carving takes center stage at the International Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous in Ridgway, Pennsylvania through 26 February. Previous entries have included life-sized bears, owls and other animals, statues, bench works, human-like depictions and gargantuan works of art. According to a founder of the event, chainsaw carving will do for art what the electric guitar did for music. Considering that the event is 12 years’ strong, maybe you should stop by and see if you agree.
New Nutcracker Debuts in London
By Linda Tancs
The English National Ballet celebrates 60 years of artistry this year. And what better way to mark the occasion than to produce a new version of the holiday classic Nutcracker, appearing seasonally for all those 60 years. This year’s tenth new production will appear at the London Coliseum for the first time from 10 – 30 December. At a family friendly matinee, up to two children go free with one full-paying adult. Children under five are admitted to these performances without charge. Clara and her Nutcracker await you.
