Required Reading

This week, lies on the web, how retrospective worthy is Damien Hirst, reported values at auctions, micro arts patronage, the value of handmade and lots more.

 Oh, shit. Someone at MIT is creating a lie detector for the internet. We’re all going to get it.

 The Independent newspaper explores two opinions on whether Damien Hirst deserves a Tate retrospective next year. What do you think? (via criticismism)

 Two museum people — one from the National Portrait Gallery and the other from the National Postal Museum — discuss the US Postal Service’s decision to issue stamps of living people overturning an old rule that someone had to be died for five years before they get their mug on a stamp. Wait, does this mean we’re about to be flooded by Justin Bieber stamps?

 Felix Salmon had a really illuminating post this week on why we can’t trust auction prices. He writes:

But now, with the system of third-party guarantees, we no longer know for sure that the reported price was in fact the price actually paid by the buyer.

 What the hell is micro arts patronage and can this EVER be a viable way to support art via the internet?

 Robin Cembalest is always a good read and her current article in Tablet is about rare illuminated Hebrew books currently on display in the Metropolitan Museum that demonstrates some connections between the Sephardic and Islamic traditions.

 Ever wonder why stuff that is handmade costs so much? Somer Sherwood breaks it down for you and makes you realize you’re getting a steal!

 The Atlantic looks at the history of New York’s distinctive grid street pattern (though I think they mean Manhattan, more than New York):

Ultimately the commissioners chose a grid system full of streets and avenues placed at right angles because they felt it was most conducive to housing. The alternatives at the time would have been to design circles or plazas, in the style of Washington, D.C., or capital cities in Europe …

 And finally, Flavorpill has a slideshow of 20 art works that are inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Required Reading is published every Sunday morning-ish, and it is comprised of a short list of art-related links (10 or less) to long-form articles, videos, blog posts or photo essays worth a second look.