Constantin Boym and Laurene Leon Boym, designers in London, have taken everyday, mundane objects and cast them in a polymer that looks like bronze, focusing attention on the forms of ordinary objects and elevating them to a heroic, artistic status, forcing us to reevaluate the design that we encounter everyday in jugs, bottles, plates, and lamps, to name a few. "'Constantin and Laurene use design as a forum for exploring contemporary culture,' said Zoë Ryan, design curator at the Art Institute of Chicago. 'Their singular approach illustrates the notion that design is not only about industry or formal and functional considerations, but also about ideas.'" Join discussion...

The newest exhibition, "Slash", at the Museum of Arts and Design (formerly American Craft Museum) features the full spectrum of approaches when it comes to paper cutting. Although paper cutting is not a cutting edge area of art, this show explores different approaches to this ancient art. Some specific works include Jane Scott's "Wall" and Mia Pearlman's "Inrush". Scott's evokes an urban, industrial feel while Pearlman's is like a gigantic white wave of paper cascading from the ceiling. Other themes from the show include slavery, colonialism, and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the environmental impact of using paper was somewhat glossed over. Coffee Filters, graphite, rice starch, and silk flowers are some of the alternative materials used. Even though this type of exhibition is to be expected from the Museum of Arts and Design, the new innovations of the artists really make it a standout show. Join discussion...

"For decades, the main argument against the return of the sculptures -- known as the Elgin or Parthenon Marbles -- was Greece's lack of a suitable location for their display. The new Acropolis Museum is a stunning rebuttal." To highlight what's missing, the museum intersperses "plaster casts of the sculptures housed in London ... with original pieces." Join discussion...

In Vienna, Greece, one of the most prestigious stone panels called Heroon of Trysa was rebuilt after a destructive accident. The panel is made of limestone created in about 380 BC. The panels were originally built at the burial site of an honored ruler. The panel represents Greek Classical style. The reassembly of the 500 pieces took about 7 years. Join discussion...

Richard Dupont creates 180 replicas of his own body. The forms are bare and slightly melted. They were displayed at the Armory Show this year after being worked on for 2 years. Join discussion...

Richard Dupont produced 180 replicas of his own body and is showing them in the lounge of the Armory Show. He made the piece during the height of the Iraq war, but he believed that it was not ready to be accepted. The replicas are slightly melted and he is fascinated how the meaning of his work changes as the environment around it changes. Join discussion...

Marko Kulju, a 26-year-old Finnish tourist, knocked an ear off of one of Easter Island, a territory of Chile's, famous and iconic moai statues. He was climbing on the statue (directly disobeying both a prohibitive sign and common sense). The vandal was fined $6,000, with $17,000 for damages, and is now banned from Easter Island for three years. He narrowly escaped a five-year prison sentence supported by the Chilean government. It will be very difficult and expensive to repair. Join discussion...

A study finds that people have become so overwhelmed when they go to see michelangelo's David that they get dizzy and disoriented. They are so intoxicated by its beauty that they literally feel a dsense of ectasy and heart palpitations. Join discussion...

This article featured in the Moment, a section from T-Magazine, on December 2, 2008, is written by Mark Ellwood. He wrote about how Art Basel Miami Beach is opening soon, along with a public art projcet made entirely from sand. The Swedish artist, Olaf Breuning, is creating a sand scuplture of a sphinx-like reclining woman. The scultpre itself weighs over 150 tons. This masterpiece will most likely vanish in a matter of days due to erosion of the wind and sea. However, Breuning is delighted about his project, saying "I’m very proud to be making an art piece you cannot buy. In our time, it’s actually really perfect.” The sculpture can be seen on the beach between Lincoln Road and 17th street in South Beach. Also, there is webcam available to view the progress at www.sagamorehotel.com. Join discussion...

Carole Feuerman spent three years creating her notorious sculpture, Survival of Serena. This four foot by twelve foot sculpture, which was made of resin and oil-painted fiberglass, depicted a woman grasping onto a tube. Feuerman was inspired to create this sculpture by the recent massive flooding in Venice, Italy. Her sculpture was suppposed to be one of the main exhibits at a show in Miami. However, it was somehow completely destroyed on the trip from Italy to Miami. It was flown on Continental Airlines and then transported by a vehicle. No one is sure how the sculpture came to be so destroyed but it was discovered in that condition on November 26 in a warehouse in Miami. Unfortunately for Feuerman, her work was demolished and she will most likely receive only $9,100, rather than the sculpture's $300,000 value. Join discussion...