C-MONSTER.net

Swoon at the Luggage Store in S.F., through April 26th. (Photo by Luna Park.)

• A history of the ampersand (via ackackack). In related news: Graffiti taxonomy.
• Photo Essay: Chicagoland: Chained by Matt Nighswander. (Via I’m Not Going To…)
• Q&A with MoMA’s Glenn Lowry, in which he discusses the impact of a recession: “I wake up anxious every day. We’re subject to a local audience, a national audience and an international audience. An inexpensive dollar is terrific for international tourism, but the U.S.’s restrictive visa policy has an adverse effect. Price increases on fuel means the cost of flying from California goes up. It’s a very delicate moment.” (Via AO.)
• A new exhibit at the British Museum provides a survey of Iraqi archaeological splendors at Babylon—and shows how American and coalition troops have wrecked priceless archaeological remains. (Via AJ.)
• As Modern Art Notes reported yesterday, the Smithsonian just can’t seem to stay outta trouble: this time it’s the former director of the Latino Center who was busted, for “abusing her expense account, trying to steer a contract to a friend and soliciting free tickets for fashion shows, concerts and music award ceremonies.” And here’s the kicker: when she was asked why she made her hotel reservations at (very) expensive hotels at the last minute, paying full price, she allegedly replied that the center’s Latino constituency “doesn’t operate in the same time frames everyone else is used to—in many Latin cultures, arrangements are made at the last minute.” Way to play into the stereotypes…
• Photo Essay: Chicano art at LACMA. Story here.
• The Brooklyn Museum is looking for photographers to contribute to Click!, it’s crowd-curated exhibit.
• More on the is-Goya’s-El-Coloso-a-Goya? controversy.
• Portraits of Artists: Tatiana Wills Heroes and Villains. (Via Right Some Good.)
• Artspeak of the Day.
• A photo essay about newsroom layoffs. (Thanks, Adrienne!)
• It only took the U.S. military two years to determine that an AP photographer they’d incarcerated wasn’t a threat.
• When neon goes Dalí.
• ¡Alarma! The Mexican crime magazine. (Gracias, Vidalia.)
• The day in artistic appropriation: Richard Pettibone.
• Graff of the Day: Sego in Mexico and Specio in Bordeaux.
• Bloodwars Magazine. (Via Remain Awesome.)
• The day in light graffiti: Nick Walker will project his works onto famous British landmarks this evening.
• Upcoming book: Piece Book: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers by Sacha Jenkins and David Villorente.
• House of the Day: The Rustic Reuse Cabin by Paul and Scott Stankey. (Via NotCot.)
• Weltstadthaus flagship store by Renzo Piano in Koln.
• The work of Ron Radziner. (Via ackackack.)
• The architect’s birdfeeder.
• In honor of tax day: Your moment of ball busting.