The Louvre, that grand dame of Parisian culture, is getting a billion-euro glow-up. Yes, billion, with a 'B.' Because apparently, even the home of the Mona Lisa needs a serious security update and a fresh coat of paint.
France's culture minister just announced the winners of a design competition for the "Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance." STUDIOS Architecture will handle the overall design, New York's Annabelle Selldorf is tackling the interiors, and French agency BASE will make sure the landscaping is appropriately chic. The biggest news? The Mona Lisa is getting a new, dedicated room. Because a smile that enigmatic deserves its own space, obviously.
This whole renovation thing was apparently a hot topic, with initial concerns about cost and whether it was even necessary. Then, in October, someone stole France's crown jewels from the Louvre. Let that sink in. Suddenly, upgrading outdated security systems and preserving the aging royal palace became a top priority. The goal, they say, is to "repair and transform." No kidding.
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Around the World and Back
Meanwhile, in other news that makes you raise an eyebrow:
Art Dubai, delayed by war, just wrapped up a scaled-back edition. Vilma Jurkute, executive director of Dubai's cultural district, called it "a reflection of our collective resilience." Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly heartbreaking.
Sotheby's, ever the stalwart, managed to sell 93% of its 350 lots in a recent day sale, leading to nearly record totals. Because some things, like art auctions, simply must go on.
In Paris, the Shoah Memorial is displaying newly found photos from the first roundup of Jews in France in 1941. They're powerful images, showing families and couples being separated. A stark reminder of history, unearthed.
China, ever with an eye on its past, hopes France's new law on colonial-era looted art will help it reclaim treasures stolen from the Old Summer Palace in 1860 by French and British troops. Because 160 years is apparently not too long to hold a grudge over stolen goods.
And in a move that sounds like it belongs in a Monty Python sketch, Turner Prize-winning artist Keith Tyson is donating £250,000 to Oxford University for its next Savilian chair in astronomy. Because who doesn't want to fund a fancy astronomy chair?
Route 66: Still Weird After All These Years
Finally, America's iconic Route 66 is gearing up for its 100th anniversary this November. The Los Angeles Times sent reporter Christopher Reynolds to drive the entire 1,240-mile stretch from Chicago to Santa Monica. Seventeen days, eight states, and presumably a lot of questionable diners.
He called the road an "American artifact," filled with "curiosities and paradoxes." Think: the Cadillac Ranch, where people spray paint buried cars, an Art Deco gas station now serving lattes, and giant fiberglass space cowboys. Because apparently, that's where we are now.
People from all over the world still pilgrimage to this stretch of asphalt. As Rhys Martin from the National Trust for Historic Preservation put it, "You never know what language or accent you’re going to hear." Which, honestly, sounds like the perfect kind of road trip.
