Grandfather of African literature, Chinua Achebe, dies aged 82
LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, widely seen as the grandfather of modern African literature, has died at the age of 82. From the publication of his first novel, "Things Fall Apart", over 50 years ago, Achebe shaped an understanding of Africa from an African perspective more than any other author.
Tony Awards honor Bernie Gersten, Ming Cho Lee, Paul Libin with Lifetime Achievement awards
By Greg Gilman LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Bernard Gersten, Ming Cho Lee and Paul Libin will receive 2013 Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre, the awards' administration committee announced on Friday.
Argentine Nobel peace laureate Esquivel defends pope
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel defended Pope Francis on Thursday against accusations he failed to speak out against repression during the 1976-83 military dictatorship in their native Argentina, saying he preferred "silent diplomacy". Links between some high-ranking Roman Catholic clergymen and the U.S-backed military regime that kidnapped and killed up to 30,000 leftists between 1976 and 1983 tarnished the Church's reputation in Argentina and the wounds have yet to heal.
David Bowie exhibition breaks box office records
LONDON (Reuters) - Ziggy played guitar. But as a new exhibition devoted to singer David Bowie's long and innovative career makes clear, he also wrote lyrics, checked every detail of his outlandish costumes, appeared in movies and helped design his own stage sets. "David Bowie is", which runs from March 23 to August 11, has broken box office records at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, with 50,000 advance tickets sold.
Sculptors Moore, Rodin meet in English country garden
MUCH HADHAM, England (Reuters) - Nestled in the idyllic English countryside just north of London, the home of British sculptor Henry Moore is playing host to one of France's most revered artists, Auguste Rodin, for the first time. Rodin, renowned the world over for works like his bronze "The Thinker" and "The Kiss" made from marble, will be displayed alongside Moore in a new exhibition that explores the parallels and differences between the two sculptors.
British horror writer James Herbert dies aged 69
LONDON (Reuters) - Best-selling British horror writer James Herbert, who penned novels such as "The Rats" and "The Fog", has died suddenly at the age of 69, his publisher said on Wednesday. Herbert's editor at publisher Pan Macmillan, Jeremy Trevathan, said the writer died on Wednesday morning in bed at his home in Sussex. No cause of death was given but a spokeswoman for the publisher said he had not been ill.
Christie's offers unusual Hannibal work by Poussin
LONDON (Reuters) - Auction house Christie's will offer an unconventional painting by French classical artist Nicolas Poussin, depicting Carthaginian general Hannibal astride an elephant, in July, expecting it to fetch 3-5 million pounds ($4.5-7.5 million). The early work is not considered one of the artist's best and was little known until it appeared in public at an exhibition in Rouen in northern France in 1961.
Tests inconclusive in death of UK artist Hockney's aide
LONDON (Reuters) - A post mortem found "no obvious natural causes" for the death of British artist David Hockney's assistant, who died after falling ill at the painter's home, police said on Wednesday. Dominic Elliott, 23, was taken to hospital from his employer's home in Bridlington in northeast England early on Sunday and later died. It was unknown if Hockney was at the house at the time.
Chinese slump dents global art market in 2012 - study
LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese spending on art and antiques shrank by nearly a quarter in 2012, ending a streak of spectacular growth that helped drive up global prices and made China the biggest player in the market by 2011, a report said on Thursday. The study, commissioned by the European Fine Art Foundation which organizes The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF), estimated the worldwide art and antiques market contracted by seven percent last year to 43 billion euros ($56 billion).
Britain's Royal Opera House makes Tate man its new chief
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Royal Opera House appointed a figure from one of the country's most prominent art galleries as its new head on Tuesday, filling a post left open when the last opera chief left to head the scandal-hit state broadcaster. Alex Beard, 49, deputy director of Tate, a family of four art galleries, was a surprise appointment as he has never worked in the performing arts. He will take up the $380,000 a year position at the start of the 2013/14 season.
