Hélio Oiticica, one of the most influential and famous contemporary Latin American painters, lost around 2,000 pieces and an estimated $200 million in a fire while in storage in Rio de Janeiro. The storage facility was owned by Hélio's brother, César Oiticica, who was unable to save the paintings before 90% of them were destroyed. Hélio had been storing his work there since 2007 when the Centro de Arte in Rio forced him to remove his collection due to improper storage conditions and an argument over unpaid exhibition fees. The only major Hélio Oiticica pieces remaining are those currently with the Museum of Modern Art and Tate Modern among other museums and private collections. Among the lost, uninsured, works were original pieces by Hélio's father, a famous photographer in his own right. Sufficient to say, it seriously sucks for Oiticica family right about now. Join discussion...

In Rio de Janeiro, Peter Coffin flew his U.F.O as part of a rather freeform art exhibit of its own; because there are so many UFO sightings in R.d.J, he chose that place for this second showing of his piece of art: a huge light-show of a flying saucer. The first show was in Poland last year. Join discussion...