Did you know that art crime is big business? It is now the fourth largest international crime, after drug dealing, gun running and money laundering and is estimated to be worth between $1.5 - $6bn (£1- £4bn) annually.
This is Rembrandt's self-portrait from 1630 (image courtesy of bbc.com.) It was recovered by an art detective or an Art Crime expert, in a hotel room in Copenhagen. Painted on copper, the size of a paperback book, it is worth tens of millions of pounds. It was stolen from The National Museum of Sweden in one of the most daring art heists of modern times.
Art comes in many forms. Sculpturing is one of them. There is the common wood and ceramic sculpture, even sand sculpture and ice sculpture. What about lard sculpture? Take a look at this award-winning lard sculpture of Buddha in Hampshire, England.
US has a lot of troops overseas, helping to keep peace. Xerox has set up a "Let's Say Thanks" program providing Americans the opportunity to show appreciation to members of the armed forces overseas by way of sending them a free printed postcard. These postcards are drawings, art pieces done by children.
And there are more cards here..
Didn't know about art crimes! I guess it really is a big biz! Somehow reminds me of that funny scene in a Mr Bean movie on how Mr Bean made such a mess on the piece of art! LOL
ReplyDeleteWow! No. 4? That's new. =) I never know about it.
ReplyDeleteLike Ashley's painting *thumbs up*
ReplyDeleteMine says, "come home".
ReplyDeleteFoong, so sad that there is a demand for stolen art. Like everything else, if there is a demand, there is always a supply albeit scarce. More people should be given the chance to appreciate beauty in art than to have the artpieces in private collections.
ReplyDeleteI saw that Mr Bean movie. Glad it's only a movie.
T, you meant the lard sculpture? Me, neither.
PandaB, it's going to materialise soon. But then again, with so much unrest elsewhere, troops may need to be redeployed elsewhere.