'We have focused on creating great value in our online all-access subscriptions, with a large library of varied titles, all available for a single low price' said Total Training founder Brian Maffitt. 'But we have also learned that our customers want choices, including the ability to acquire just a single title, rather than a whole library.'

New individual licenses range from $49.99 per year for newer courses, with vintage titles going for $39.99 or even $29.99, depending on the age and length of the series. All individual licenses are good for a year's access to the videos, as well as project files if available.

Total Training is a leading provider of professional video training for a wide variety of software packages from Adobe®, Microsoft®, and other publishers. All titles can be viewed online via subscription, and many titles are also available separately on DVD-ROM.

For product information visit http://www.totaltraining.com/prod/online/listing.asp or call (800) 546-9620 (toll-free inside the US) or (760) 517-9060 (outside the US), or email salesteam@totaltraining.com .

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Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to return to Japan with its critically-acclaimed and family-friendly big top production OVO with a 2014-2015 national tour that will include Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sendai. Since its world premiere in Montreal, Canada in April 2009, OVO has visited more than 24 cities in Canada, United States, Mexico and Australia, delighting over 2,5 million spectators.

About the show
OVO, meaning 'egg' in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives. It is love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

The cast of OVO is comprised of 54 performing artists from 15 countries specializing in many acrobatic acts. One highlight of OVO is the stunning Flying Act in which a group of scarabs soar high above the stage, from both edges to the middle landing on a platform. This breathtaking act combines many circus disciplines: banquine, Russian swing and swinging chair.

The Creative Team behind the world of OVO is: Artistic Guides Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix; Writer, Director and Choreographer Deborah Colker (first female director at Cirque du Soleil); Director of Creation Chantal Tremblay; Set and props Designer Gringo Cardia; Costume Designer Liz Vandal; Composer and Musical Director Berna Ceppas; Lighting Designer Éric Champoux; Sound Designer Jonathan Deans and for the first time at Cirque du Soleil: Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer Fred Gérard; Acrobatic Performance Designer Philippe Aubertin; and Makeup Designer Julie Bégin.

Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

For more information and images of OVO and Cirque du Soleil please visit our online press room at cirquedusoleil.com/press

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Tate Modern will present a new group exhibition in its Project Space about the relationship between language and power. Word. Sound. Power. is the result of a curatorial collaboration between Tate Modern inLondon and Khoj International Artists' Association inNew Delhi, who will take the exhibition in early 2014. Opening in London on 12 July 2013, the show brings together eight emerging and established international artists, including new and specially commissioned works.

The gallery's window will be transformed into an 'invisible speaker' for the exhibition, playing Caroline Bergvall's Voice 2007. This spoken-word piece involves Bergvall reading poetic verses which describe the varied and familiar experiences of the human voice. Also on display will be a new film work by Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen, which was specially commissioned for the exhibition. This work follows the lives of four young men, living in the local communities around Tate Modern and Khoj. United through hip-hop culture, dance, rap and poetry, this piece highlights their attempts to find expression and empowerment.

Word. Sound. Power. will also feature performances by Indian artist Mithu Sen. In the afternoons of 12, 13 and 14 July she will make public readings of a new work entitled I am a Poet 2013, which she describes as being 'not bound by rules of grammar, diction, vocabulary and syntax'. By speaking this 'asemic' text – a kind of abstract, non-sense writing – Sen highlights how access to power is intrinsically linked to the use of language. The politics of speaking and listening is further explored in the work of Lawrence Abu Hamdan, whose audio documentary The Whole Truth 2012 and voice maps Conflicted Phonemes 2012 will also be on display. In these works, the artist examines a practice used by immigration departments across Europe in which a person's accent is analysed to validate their eligibility for asylum.

Poetry and song play an integral role in this exhibition and are explored through the work of four documentary and experimental filmmakers. An early work by radical filmmaker Amar Kanwar, A Night of Prophecy 2002 records the songs of activists across the Indian regions of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, and Kashmir. An adaptation of Anjali Monteiro & K.P. Jayasankar's film Saccha (The Loom) 2001 features the poet Narayan Surve's encounter with politics through his poetry. Surve was at the forefront of Mumbai's role as the birth place of the Indian textile industry and industrial working class. Pallavi Paul's video montages Nayi Kheti (New Harvest) 2013 and Shadkosh (A Dictionary) 2013 combine fiction with documentary and found footage in order to construct metaphysical conversations between poets living through different epochs of history.

Project Space: Word. Sound. Power. is curated by Loren Hansi Momodu at Tate Modern and Asmita Rangari from Khoj International Artists' Association. The curatorial exchange is supported by Tate International Council with the collaboration of Gasworks.

Notes to Editor

Performances

Mithu Sen I am a Poet, 2013
Friday 12- Sunday 14 July
13.00, 14.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00
In exhibition. Free

Artist Mithu Sen will make public readings from her book of abstracted poetic text throughout the opening weekend.

Screenings

Anand Patwardhan Jai Bhim Comrade, 2012
India 180 min
Monday 15 July
17.00-21.00
Starr Auditorium

Shown as part of the retrospective:
A Cinema of Songs and People: the films of Anand Patwardhan
12 July 2013 -28 July 2013
Organised in collaboration with The Otolith Collective.

A screening of Jai Bhim Comrade by Anand Patwardhan will take place on the 15 July 2013 as part of the retrospective A Cinema of Songs and People: the films of Anand Patwardhan at Tate Modern. Focusing on the voices of Dalit poets and activists through their long-standing tradition of street-songs, music and poetry the film captures the perseverance and resistance of an oppressed community through its soul-stirring songs and poetry. The date of the screening also marks a tribute and memorial to the spirited poet, singer and activist, Vilas Ghogre whose death becomes a poignant motivation for the film. Ghogre committed suicide on 15 July 1997, in horror and despair following the indiscriminate police firing at a predominantly Dalit community in Mumbai, killing men, women and children. Jai Bhim Comrade highlights a critical subaltern perspective to multiple layers of repression faced by the Dalit community and foregrounds a new generation of young activist songwriters such as Kabir Kala Manch who have been forced to go underground as the power of their words in protest have been viewed as a threat to the State.

About Project Space

Project Space at Tate Modern (formerly the Level 2 gallery) is dedicated to presenting contemporary art through a series of collaborations with cultural organisations around the world. The programme brings together emerging curators from both Tate Modern and other international venues for contemporary art to work together on an exhibition for both locations. Based on curatorial exchange and dialogue, the series showcases the work of new, recently established or rediscovered international artists. The exhibitions therefore open up the possibility of introducing new work and interpretations within differing global contexts. The curatorial exchanges are organised in collaboration with Gasworks.

This series of discursive exhibitions began in 2011 and, to date, has included collaborations with institutions in Amman, Lagos, Istanbul, Mexico City, Warsaw, Cairo and Lima. Forthcoming exhibitions are being developed with partners in Eastern Europe and Costa Rica. The Project Space series aims to explore the most challenging art of today as well as the complexities of operating within a global context for contemporary art.

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DETROIT – – Emerging from more than 1,400 submissions, 84 projects were named finalists today in the Knight Arts Challenge, a community-wide contest funding cultural projects that engage and enrich Detroit.

The projects represent a wide range of ideas that would enliven public spaces, use vacant buildings as artistic canvases and celebrate local traditions, including puppetry, Armenian folk music and the Detroit Jit. Most of the finalists are grassroots efforts proposed by individual artists and small organizations.

A full list is below and at KnightArts.org. Winners of the challenge, a project of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will be announced in September.

'These finalists reflect the city's growing community of artists creating new narratives for Detroit and a promising momentum for the city's future,' said Dennis Scholl, Knight Foundation's vice president for arts.

At their core, the finalists have one thing in common, Scholl added: 'In addition to reaching for artistic excellence, they each keep the community at the heart of their efforts.'

In addition, the public will have a say in who receives funding with the Knight Arts Challenge People's Choice Award. Later this summer, Detroiters will be invited to vote via text message for one of several up and coming cultural organizations. The winner will receive $20,000 in support.

Launched in early 2013, the challenge, which is open to anyone, offers matching grant money to the best ideas for the arts. Applicants must follow only three rules: 1) The idea must be about the arts; 2) The project must take place in or benefit Detroit; 3) The grant recipient must find funds to match Knight's commitment.

The challenge is part of a $19.25 million investment in the Detroit arts that Knight Foundation announced last fall. It includes support for the three-year challenge, which provides funding, exposure and momentum to smaller arts efforts, and $10.25 million to some of the region's premiere cultural institutions: the Arab American National Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit School of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Opera Theatre and the Sphinx Organization.

For more information, visit www.knightarts.org.

2013 Detroit Knight Arts Challenge finalists

A Host of People

To reinvent the theater experience by making it 'radically inviting' through original performances that feel more like neighborhood potluck dinners

Adrienne Maree Brown

To help Detroiters generate new ideas and narratives about the city's future through a series of sci-fi writing workshops that bring together a cross-section of residents

ADULT

To build on the city's musical legacy by having this band invite international and national musicians as 'house guests' to live together and collaborate on music

Allied Media Projects

To help fuel new ideas for the classroom by providing digital media teachers with a week-long artists' retreat

Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Project

To celebrate the exhibition of an international book project commemorating the 2007 bombing of the famed street of Baghdad booksellers through a book arts festival

Alonso del Arte

To introduce classical music to new audiences by driving an ice cream truck through the city playing Anton Bruckner's March in E-flat major and other works

Ara Topouzian

To preserve the heritage of Armenian-American Detroiters by producing a documentary that highlights their history through traditional folk music

Arts League of Michigan

To help inspire local artists by creating a community hub that offers multidisciplinary workspaces, including studios and rehearsal spaces

Audrey Allison

To showcase the family of thumb piano instruments, which originated in Africa and have variations worldwide, by creating an ensemble that will present original works

Biba Bell

To honor Detroit's legacy as the birthplace of the assembly line through a performance that explores the relationship between two forms of movement: modern dance and factory labor

Brightmoor Alliance

To revitalize open spaces in the Brightmoor community by commissioning artwork for neighborhood projects

Carrie Morris Arts Production

To expose Detroiters to experimental art forms – think Shakespeare told through Lego action figures – via an intimate 'Living Room' performance series staged in an abandoned house

Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest

To preserve and expand the reach of traditional Mexican music by creating a mariachi youth ensemble that would celebrate the popular format while incorporating the music of other Latin American countries

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

To illuminate some of Detroit's dark neighborhood streets through an outdoor video art installation showcasing the faces and wisdom of the city's elders

Christa Grix

To honor iconic jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby through a Hip Harp Happening consisting of community lectures and recitals

Clinton Snider

To help redefine and inspire Detroit's neighborhoods by turning billboards into works of art

Collaboration of Marsha Music and Juanita Anderson

To explore the resilience and vitality of Detroit's mid-century, African-American community through a documentary on Joe Von Battle and his seminal record shop

Complex Movements

To explore the relationship between art, science and social justice movements through a multimedia performance installation inspired by community-led efforts in Detroit

Corktown Cinema

To expand the region's cinematic offerings by creating a community-oriented art house cinema in Hamtramck that presents films in addition to music and performance art

Cosmic Slop Festival

To celebrate rock music's multicultural roots through a festival that showcases rock musicians of color

CutTime Productions

To inspire a love of the classics by having classical music performers play at neighborhood bars, clubs and eateries

Detroit Chamber Winds

To expand the audience for classical music through a program where the city's architecturally and historically significant locations are transformed into musical performance spaces

Detroit Educational Television Foundation

To show the possibilities for art making in communities by having artists solicit project ideas from residents, work together to produce works, and document the process on video

Detroit SOUP

To engage more Detroiters in giving to creative projects by converting a bread truck into a portable space where people can meet to microfund ideas

Detroit Techno Foundation

To provide exposure for Detroit visual artists by showcasing large-scale projects that reflect the city's future at the annual Movement Electronic Music Festival

East Side Riders

To foster a community of urban bike design by helping the East Side Riders – artists who build bikes as a means of expression – open a shop and expand

Frank Pahl

To experiment with the musical experience by filling a home in Detroit with instruments that play when guests enter, flip a light switch, or do a variety of other activities

Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation

To promote creative expression in local youth through a free summer art program for teens

Gunstar Productions

To explore Detroit's neighborhoods through the arts by distilling the essence of 30 communities into 30 short plays that will be performed back to back in the order chosen by the audience

Hardcore Detroit

To preserve the legacy of the 1970s dance craze, the Detroit Jit, through a video featuring the original Jitterbugs and an instructional video on how it's performed

Hatch: A Hamtramck Art Collective

To foster a community of art collectors through an art library, where they can borrow a Detroiter's work to display for two months

Heritage Works

To explore cultural understanding through the arts by having a trio of choreographers engage the community in creating new works that explore cultural identities and stereotypes

Holladay Brothers

To create a musical map of Detroit where residents and visitors can access a smartphone app to listen to a composition that matches their location

HYPE Teen Center Makerspace

To help Detroit teens discover their inner artist and inventor through a Makermobile that will bring computers, 3D printers, paint, robotics kits and more to libraries and community events

InsideOut Literary Arts Project

To help teens develop their artistic and entrepreneurial skills by producing and marketing an online literary journal

Jazz Network Foundation

To strengthen Jazz in Detroit by creating a competition for musicians where the winners will form a performance band

Jeff Karoub

To create an intimate yet profoundly engaging musical experience through a series of small concerts rotating through Detroit homes

Jon Brumit

To create a drive-through audio collage of the city's 143 square miles through a series of community radio stations playing from the frequency 143FM

Leander Johnson

To engage Detroiters in the city's history by creating a series of 'zines that explore the city's people and places

LeeLeeFilms

To engage the community in a conversation on the creative process through screenings of a documentary on Chinese-American philosopher and activist Grace Lee Boggs

Leni Sinclair

To preserve the history of Detroit musicians by archiving a photography collection that dates to the 1960s

Living Arts

To weave the arts into neighborhoods by creating a performance series with local youth and adult artists at a theater at the Mexicantown Mercado

LO & BEHOLD! Records & Books

To present and document traditional music in Detroit by preserving and making available the traditionally produced recordings of the store's Folk Blues Night performances

Maison LaFleur

To spur interest in contemporary art from Africa and the Diaspora through a series of art exhibitions, Afrofuturist lectures and events

Mark Wallace

To turn abandoned homes into a source of creativity by using reclaimed lumber to create guitars

Megan Heeres

To engage Detroiters in papermaking projects through traveling workshops that use invasive plants as pulp

Michigan Arab Orchestra

To help bridge cultural gaps in Detroit through an education program centered on the performance of classical Arab music

Michigan Equity Theatre Alliance

To strengthen local theater management by creating a network that matches administrators and performers with boards of directors that need their expertise

Michigan Philharmonic

To bring together Detroit's diverse cultures and communities by producing a fusion event featuring the Michigan Philharmonic and the Michigan Arab Orchestra playing Middle Eastern music

Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion

To produce writing and filmmaking workshops that will explore the city's rich history through recording Detroiters' personal involvement in the civil rights movement

Michigan Theater

To inspire Detroit through film by creating a signature film festival for the city

Midtown Detroit

To bring Detroiters together by expanding the light-based outdoor art festival DLECTRICITY to include, among other things, a permanent installation on Woodward Avenue

MODCaR

To use the power of design to produce vibrant civic spaces by bringing together architects and creatives with community advocates

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit

To inspire the city's youngest minds through a new program that integrates the arts into every element of an elementary school's curriculum

Motor City Brass Band

To help build community through the arts by creating a series of events that use brass band music and the movies to celebrate the people of Detroit

Mt Elliott Makerspace

To celebrate Detroit's vibrancy by creating a Hyper Interactive Hip Hop Mardi Gras Parade that combines the unique traditions of the city's Caribbean Mardi Gras Festival, local Hip Hop artists and the DIY innovators at the Mt Elliott Makerspace

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)

To give teens a stake in the arts by creating a teen council at MOCAD that will produce programs, events and materials for both their peers and adults

Thomas Kloc

To bring Detroit kids together around creative projects by installing sandboxes around the city where children can build their creations, share them online and come together for a culminating event on Belle Isle Beach

NKSK Events + Productions

To engage the community in creating art through workshops at the Charles Wright Museum's African World Festival where visitors participate in craft and performance projects alongside professional artists

N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art

To strengthen the city's galleries by creating a training program where workers learn skills in installing, shipping and archiving art

North American Residency

To showcase Detroit to the city's neighbors by creating a residency for Canadian visual artists in the city

Notes for Notes

To promote free and creative expression by Detroit's youth through an afterschool music program where children can explore, produce and record music

Omowale Entertainment

To bring Detroit residents together through a series of West African drumming and dancing workshops that teach the form's historical and cultural significance

Plowshares Theatre Company

To help high schoolers discover their artistic talents through theater workshops in partnership with Michigan State University

Popps Packing

To create a venue for fostering creativity across artistic disciplines by bringing together artists with architects, tradesmen and craftsmen to transform a storefront and attached home

Power House Productions

To bring art to the public by creating a sculpture park that combines a large-scale, skateable artwork and space for meditation

Public Art Workz

To provide an artful space by placing handcrafted, whimsical porch swings – equipped with LED lights and cellphone charging stations – at bus stops and in parks around the city

Public Pool

To cultivate interest in the written word by expanding a neighborhood art space's literary series to include authors from outside the city

PuppetART Theater

To challenge modern perceptions of puppetry by bringing together four Detroit organizations for puppet theater productions

Re(Fab) Creating Consulting

To use art to help revitalize the Livernois Corridor by creating pop-up fashion, art and design galleries in three vacant storefronts

Rowe Niodior African Dance Company

To illustrate how African groups use music and dance to create community through four days of workshops and performances

Scott Hocking

To turn Detroit's aging and vacant cast concrete structures into artworks by creating and photographing site-specific sculptural installations

Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers

To bring Detroiters together through spoken word by expanding a monthly show where Detroiters share a true, personal story

The Alexandrine Street Seminars

To document the emerging movement of artists and social entrepreneurs in Detroit through a journal of contemporary culture

The Heidelberg Project

To infuse the city with photography by launching Detroit Photo Day, where each resident is invited to take a picture and submit it for the chance of appearing on billboards, on public transit and in an exhibition

The Hinterlands

To help unite Hamtramck and Detroit by creating a 24-hour festival along the municipalities' border

The Woodward Line Poetry Series

To expand the local audience for poetry by broadening the poetry series to include more prominent national writers and a session where guest authors discuss Detroiters' unpublished works

Theatre Bizarre

To inspire performers and audiences alike through a large scale, immersive art installation that brings together local artists, including acrobats and circus and sideshow artists

Trinosophes

To shine a spotlight on Detroit's contributions to soul, R&B and jazz by transforming a Gratiot Avenue storefront into a small music museum with a community-run radio station

uRban Detail

To increase Detroit's awareness of the built environment by spreading knowledge of architecture and design through a series of panel discussions, competitions and a mobile design unit

Wayne State University Press and Signal-Return

To create uniquely Detroit narratives by holding writing workshops where residents create limited-edition letterpress printings of their work that will be showcased at community events

Wayne Writers Forum

To engage the city in literature by expanding a literary walk in Midtown where national and local writers read at a series of stops a short walking distance from each other

Young Nation

To spread art into neighborhoods by commissioning local artists to create a series of skateboard and bicycle designs that will be sold out of a local shop

Zimbabwe Cultural Centre in Detroit

To unite artists in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Detroit by transforming two living spaces into cultural consulates

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About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.

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'We hope that visitors enjoy the National Aboriginal Day celebration, which complements our We Are Here exhibition,' said Claire Loughheed. 'We're pleased to be able to participate in this important day and give visitors an opportunity to learn about the rich heritage of Aboriginal peoples in our community.'

PAMA's We Are Here: The Story of Aboriginal People in Peel Region museum exhibition opened in February 2013. Through personal stories, music and art, Aboriginal people tell their own stories in their own words. Visitors to We Are Here on June 23 are invited to choose a spirit guide card to help guide them through the exhibition as they explore and discover the rich culture of Canada's First Nations and Métis communities.

The Governor General of Canada first proclaimed June 21 as National Aboriginal Day in 1996. The date was chosen because many Aboriginal peoples in Canada celebrate their culture and heritage around the summer solstice. National Aboriginal Day gives Canadians an opportunity to participate in Aboriginal cultural events and learn about the heritage of Aboriginal peoples in their community and across the country.

PAMA is a place to explore and learn about Peel's culture and heritage, as well as use conversation, questions and stories to help make new and fascinating connections to the surrounding community. Throughout the year, PAMA offers family-friendly activities and a variety of workshops and programs for all ages. Operated by the Region of Peel, PAMA is located at 9 Wellington St. E. in Brampton. Visit pama.peelregion.ca for more information.

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Exploring over 3,000 years of accomplishments of this ancient civilization to reveal the significance many still have on our lives today, Mesopotamia features over 170 priceless objects from the esteemed holdings of the British Museum. These artifacts, most of which have never been seen in Canada, are augmented by iconic objects from the ROM's own renowned collections and other leading institutions, including the University of Chicago Oriental Institute Museum, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum, Philadelphia), and Detroit Institute of Arts.

Mesopotamia is presented by the British Museum in collaboration with the ROM. The curator of the internationally touring exhibition is Sarah Collins, the British Museum's curator for Early Mesopotamia. She says, 'The British Museum is highly fortunate to have rich Mesopotamian collections as a result of British archaeological excavations undertaken in the past. As custodian of these ancient objects, it is a privilege to make them available to as wide an audience as possible – both in London and internationally. I am very happy to work with the ROM to present some of Mesopotamia's many achievements. While it is challenging for us today to feel a connection to people of a civilization that existed thousands of years ago, I hope that exhibition visitors will discover aspects of Mesopotamian life and legacy that relate to their own lives.'

Janet Carding, the ROM's Director and CEO states, 'We are pleased to collaborate with our colleagues at the British Museum to uncover this intriguing ancient civilization. Mesopotamia has it all — longevity, noteworthy accomplishments, and a certain amount of mystery. We look forward to sharing with our visitors this dramatic story told through remarkable objects.'

Dr. Clemens Reichel, Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology at the University of Toronto and Associate Curator for the Ancient Near East in the ROM's Department of World Cultures, is the Museum's expert on ancient Mesopotamia. As an experienced field archaeologist who recently returned from a trip to Iraq, he is pleased that his area of research is highlighted in the exhibition — but cautions against a narrow view of this ancient society. Dr. Reichel stresses, 'Mesopotamia was a true frontrunner, with great cities of sizes not achieved by Paris or London until the Industrial Revolution; empires that controlled most of the known world of that time; and technological achievements still shaping our lives. However, Mesopotamia was also ruled by kings who were as brutal as they were brilliant, whose rise to power was as stellar as their demise was cataclysmic. With the ancient society reflecting some of mankind's earliest 'highs' and 'lows', we are still able to learn from Mesopotamia.'

In his work Reichel is assisted by Tracy Spurrier who has joined the ROM's exhibition planning team as assistant curator. Spurrier, who has worked on numerous archaeological projects in Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, is a Ph.D. candidate in Mesopotamian Archaeology and a specialist for the Neo-Assyrian period.

'RSA Insurance is proud to partner with the ROM as the exhibition's presenting sponsor to make Mesopotamia accessible to all in this one-of-a-kind exhibition for Canada and North America,' says Rowan Saunders, President & CEO, RSA. 'As a global insurance organization with a proud heritage insuring progress around the world for over 300 years, we're incredibly excited to be working alongside the ROM to bring to life these amazing artifacts and we are confident this exhibition will prove to be a fascinating adventure for all.'

Background

Geographically, Mesopotamia (from the Greek '[land] between the Rivers') encompasses present-day Iraq, north-eastern Syria, and south-eastern Turkey. Urban civilization originated in the area, accompanied by the establishment of the first cities and complex forms of social organization and economic activity. Significant developments during this period include the invention of writing, long-distance communication, trade networks, and the first empires. Sophisticated art and literature began and flourished concurrently with remarkable intellectual, spiritual, and scientific advances.

Exhibition Introduction

That the people of Mesopotamia were great innovators is established immediately on entering the exhibition. This assertion is effectively illustrated throughout the space, allowing visitors to discover their personal connections to the ancient civilization. First encountered in this Introduction area is a series of six installations or 'cubes'. Interspersed throughout the exhibition and employing several media, each cube powerfully connects ancient Mesopotamian innovation to contemporary life. While Mesopotamia addresses numerous benchmarks of the society's social and technological developments, including the Agricultural Revolution and the development of village economies, its main focus is on the emergence of cities and states in ancient Sumer (4000 - 2000 BCE); the Assyrian World Empire (1000 - 600 BCE); and the rise and fall of Babylon (600 - 540 BCE).

Sumer

During the third millennium BCE, southern Mesopotamia consisted of two main regions — Sumer, in the far south and Akkad, to the north. A common culture of shared beliefs and artistic traditions united southern Mesopotamia for much of the period between 3000 and 2000 BCE. One of the most significant advancements taking place in Mesopotamia was the emergence of the city. While large towns had evolved before 3500 BCE, there was a massive change in scale around this time. The largest city was Uruk and, by about 2600 BCE, it displayed the elements of the period's important centres: administrative buildings, residential areas, streets, canals and, the most visible feature, cultic high terraces with temples.

True writing began in Mesopotamia, with the earliest script found on clay tablets excavated in the cities of Uruk and Susa (southwest Iran) dating to about 3300 BCE. These cuneiform tablets, several of which are included in this section, provided important administrative information, such as the tracking of quantities of malt and barley or oxen.

From 1922 to 1934, British archaeologist C. Leonard Woolley directed excavations at Ur on behalf of the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. This city was inhabited from about 6000 BCE until the 4th century BCE and was an important political, religious, and economic centre. For a time, Ur was the capital of a state that dominated most of Mesopotamia. Some of the most spectacular discoveries were found in the Royal Cemetery, dating to the Early Dynastic Period (2600-2300 BCE). Predating the Tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt by more than a thousand years, 16 graves were identified as 'Royal Tombs' due to their construction, the abundance of grave goods, and the bodies of numerous soldiers, servants, and palace ladies who willingly (or, perhaps, unwillingly) followed their masters or mistresses into their afterlives. The jewellery and other gold objects worn by the women, including elaborate headdresses, necklaces, and bracelets made of lapis lazuli, gold, and carnelian are among the exhibition's highlights.

Other notable artifacts displayed in this section, exclusively seen in the ROM's engagement, include two objects from the Royal Cemetery: the magnificent 'Ram in the Thicket,' a delicate figure comprised of silver, gold foil, lapis lazuli, and shell, and the massive 'Great Lyre' featuring a gold-plated bull's head and inlays of precious materials — both on loan from the Penn Museum. The 'Ram', displayed during the first half of the exhibition's engagement, is to be replaced by the 'Lyre' for its second half. An exquisitely carved statuette of Gudea, a ruler of the city state of Lagash, is also seen in this section. On loan from the Detroit Institute of Art, it is one of the finest pieces of sculpture from the Neo-Sumerian period (2150 – 2000 BCE).

Assyria

Named for the ancient city of Ashur, Assyria was located in northern Mesopotamia on the Tigris River. For many centuries, Ashur was little more than a city-state. After 1350 BCE, however, Assyria emerged as a political and military power, becoming the dominant world power during the Neo Assyrian period (1000-612 BCE). At its height (about 660 BCE), this empire controlled an area covering Iraq, Syria, Israel, Egypt, and parts of Iran and Turkey. Several of its kings founded the new capitals at Nimrud, Khorsabad, and Nineveh. Of central importance in the administration of the Assyrian empire, in his religious role the king was the people's direct mediator to the great gods of Assyria while politically, he was head of the state and the military. One of the most famous Assyrian kings was Ashurnasirpal II (883 - 859 BCE), represented in the exhibition by a statue made of magnesite. This figure is a rare surviving example of Assyrian sculpture in the round. Other kings represented include Tiglath-Pileser III (744-727 BCE), Sargon II (721-705 BCE), Sennacherib (704-681 BCE), and Ashurbanipal (669-627 BC).

Assyrian cities were dominated by large palaces adorned with elaborately carved stone reliefs. Artifacts from Nimrud and Nineveh's most famed palaces dominate this section. Some of the reliefs' scenes recount military achievements, deportations, and the punishment of rebels, while others show cultic performances involving the king. By highlighting the king's achievements, these scenes also convey strong ideological messages: submitting to Assyria's throne brings peace and prosperity, while rebellion results in defeat and annihilation.

Babylon

Babylon was located on the Euphrates River in what is now central Iraq. First referenced in cuneiform texts in the third millennium BCE, the city rose to prominence after 2000 BCE and controlled most of Mesopotamia by 1755 BCE. The armies of King Hammurapi, Babylon's most famous ruler, who reigned from 1792 – 1750 BCE, united southern and central Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule. Hammurapi is best known for the collection of a set of laws named after him (Codex Hammurapi). Displayed in this section is a life-sized copy of the legendary Hammurapi Stela, on loan from the Penn Museum. The 'Bismaya Head', an elaborately carved alabaster sculpture of a ruler or tribal leader, on loan from Chicago's Oriental Institute Museum, is another section highlight.

Following the fall of the Assyrian empire in 612 BCE, Babylonia became the dominant power of the Ancient Near East. A 3-D fly-through of Babylon, then the world's largest city, features the city-state's famed landmarks such as the Tower of Babel, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Ishtar Gate is an exciting component of this section. Artifacts here include the ROM's Striding Lion Terracotta Relief, once adorning the throne room façade of the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar II (605 - 562 BCE) — where Alexander the Great later died.

Epilogue

A look at the devastation wrought by years of nationwide looting during the war in Iraq, particularly the 2003 plunder of Baghdad's Iraq Museum and the catastrophic impact on Iraq's archaeological and cultural heritage, is included in the exhibition. For Dr. Reichel, who coordinated the documentation of these losses in the Iraq Museum Database Project at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, this presentation evokes many poignant memories. He says, 'Those were among the worst days of my life. Mesopotamia, our 'cradle of civilization' had been trampled upon and, in some extreme cases, destroyed.'

Other Information

To complement the exhibition's significant objects and enrich visitors' enjoyment, the ROM incorporates several dynamic interpretive elements, delivering a distinctive experience. These include ROM-produced audio-visual installations, seven touchable reproductions of the exhibition's artifacts, the translation of ancient text, and interactive touch-screens revealing a series of interesting facts pertaining to the ancient society. A children's activity corner offers hands-on activities for younger exhibition visitors.

Enlightening public programming takes place through the exhibition's engagement. Friday Night Live (FNL) is now in its third successful season. The city's singular social destination calls on Mesopotamia for its June 21st edition, the season's finale, as it celebrates Middle Eastern culture including live performances by Juno-nominated composer/DJ Adham Shaikh and multi award-winning and JUNO-nominated Jaffa Road. That the ancient civilization has been credited with inventing beer makes the exhibition a fitting FNL theme! A lecture series, including a talk delivered in French, hosts internationally respected scholars addressing numerous exhibition concepts. A symposium, scheduled for October 19 and 20, features renowned speakers engaging in lively dialogue around the issues of looting in Iraq and the long-lasting impact on its cultural heritage. The symposium's key note event is a discussion between Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, a US Marine Officer and author of Thieves of Baghdad (2005) and McGuire Gibson, Professor at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute and one of the world's leading authorities on ancient Mesopotamia. Interactive and creative exhibition-themed weekend activities ensure an enjoyable experience for the whole family. Families can also expect exciting ROM for the Holidays programming. Additional details on all programs are to be announced.

Continuing its award-winning commitment to accessibility for all visitors, the ROM has developed an Accessibility Strategy outlining its promise to remove barriers to participation for visitors with disabilities. Throughout the exhibition, several enhancements will be encountered including touchable objects, audio described tour and captioned videos. For specific questions or concerns, call 416.586.8000 prior to visiting. For those who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, Bell Relay Service can be reached by dialing 711 or 1.800.855.0511.

ROM Members already know that the best way to experience the ROM is through Membership. The Mesopotamia Member Preview takes place on Friday, June 21. For additional information or to purchase a membership, visit www.rom.on.ca/members or call 416.586.5700. Timed exhibition tickets are available at 30-minute intervals. Groups of 20 or more may email groupsales@rom.on.ca or call ROM Group Sales at 416.586.5801 (ext 2) for information on special rates, private lectures, guided tours and themed menus. Ontario school groups should contact ROM Education at www.rom.on.ca/schools or call 416.586.5801 (ext 1) for information on school visits. Public exhibition tours are offered daily for an additional cost of $5, with French tours scheduled weekly.

Visitors may feel like international travelers on stepping into the exhibition's dedicated shop or the ROM Boutique on Level 1. Evoking the ambiance of a Middle Eastern bazaar, the shops' distinct exhibition-themed wares include jewellery, home décor, stationery, beauty items, fashion apparel, and reproductions of some of the exhibition's most dramatic objects. Also available is an array of books, including an exhibition souvenir guide, on sale for just $5. Published in both English and French, and filled with fascinating text and gorgeous full-colour images, the guide is also on sale at the ROM's admissions kiosks and in select stores. Weary world travelers can pause and refresh with Middle Eastern fare in DRUXY's ROM Cafe.

Visit www.rom.on.ca/meso for full exhibition details and follow the ROM via Facebook, YouTube, the ROM blog, and Twitter (@ROMToronto, #ROMMeso) for regular updates. The ROM's e-newsletter is free and can be subscribed at www.rom.on.ca/en/newsletter.

Mesopotamia arrives at the ROM directly from the Hong Kong Museum of History (January 30 to May 13, 2013) following a successful engagement in 2012 at Australia's Melbourne Museum.

The engagement of Mesopotamia is complemented by Catastrophe! Ten Years Later: the Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past. Originally developed by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in 2008, the display looks at the devastation of Iraq's cultural heritage during, and following, 2003's Iraq War. Now, marking the tenth anniversary of the looting of Baghdad's Iraq Museum and the destruction of numerous other sites, the award-winning, internationally touring display has been updated. The revised presentation makes its debut at the ROM from June 22, 2013 to January 5, 2014.

ROM Ancient Cultures

Mesopotamia is a stunning introduction to one of the ROM's new Centres of Discovery. ROM Ancient Cultures seeks to be recognized globally as an essential destination for making sense of how past societies inform our lives and help us plan for the future. Assembling collections and expertise from the ROM Department of World Cultures, in partnership with the ROM's Programs, Education, volunteers, Friends groups and Museum users, this Centre will provide a focal point for research, programs and activities related to Ancient Cultures and Archaeology at the ROM and in the community. Follow @ROMAncient.

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Mesopotamia is presented by the British Museum in collaboration with the Royal Ontario Museum.

Mesopotamia: Inventing Our World at the ROM from June 22, 2013 to January 5, 2014

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TORONTO—This fall the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) offers North America its first chance to take an exciting odyssey through the world of pioneering artist David Bowie—musician, performer and style icon—in the acclaimed exhibition David Bowie is, direct from the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London, England. Spanning five decades and featuring more than 300 objects from Bowie's personal archive, the multi-media show exposes the groundbreaking artist's collaborations in the fields of fashion, sound, theatre, art and film. David Bowie is will open on Sept. 25, 2013 and runs to Nov. 27, 2013, giving Toronto two full months to live the experience. The AGO is the exhibition's first stop on its world tour.

Acclaimed by the New York Times as 'united in sound and vision in a way rarely seen in a museum,' David Bowie is marks the first international exhibition devoted to the British-born musician and performer (born David Robert Jones in 1947), who has sold more than 140 million albums to date throughout his genre-defying career. Organized thematically, the show immerses visitors in a spectacular and interactive trip through Bowie's numerous personae and legendary performances, with particular attention paid to his artistic influences. His experiments with Surrealism, German Expressionism, Music Hall, mime and Japanese Kabuki performance are all explored in an explosion of colour, light and sound.

'This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate a living artist whose radical artfulness of identity has had an enormous influence on art, design and contemporary culture as we know it,' said Matthew Teitelbaum, director and CEO of the AGO. 'We are thrilled to work with the world-class V&A in bringing the provocative genius and vision of David Bowie to Toronto.'

Maintained by the artist himself, the David Bowie Archive is home to more than 75,000 objects. Working with Sandy Hirskowitz, the collection's archivist, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh (curators of theatre and performance at the V&A) were granted unprecedented access to explore and hand-pick the costumes, footage and objects for the exhibition. This marked the first time a museum has been allowed to display items from the collection.

David Bowie is will be on view on the fourth and fifth floors of the AGO's contemporary tower. In addition to Bowie's own handwritten set lists, lyrics, diary entries, instruments and sketches, the show highlights the many artists who have collaborated with the culture chameleon over the years. The collection includes:

• More than 50 stage costumes including Ziggy Stardust bodysuits (1972) designed by Freddie Burretti;
• Music videos by David Mallet including Boys Keep Swinging (1979) and Let's Dance (1983);
• Set designs created for the Diamond Dogs tour (1974);
• Kansai Yamamoto's flamboyant creations for the Aladdin Sane tour (1973);
• Photographs by Helmut Newton, Brian Duffy and John Rowlands;
• Album sleeve artwork by Guy Peellaert and Edward Bell; and
• Excerpts from films and live performances including Top of the Pops (1972), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) and Saturday Night Live (1979).

David Bowie is was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Costumes, materials and objects courtesy of the David Bowie Archive, with thanks to Archivist Sandy Hirshkowitz.

Sound experience by Sennheiser.

ABOUT SENNHEISER
To ensure the best audio experience for visitors, the AGO is working in partnership with audio specialist Sennheiser. 'We are extremely pleased to work with the renowned Art Gallery of Ontario on this outstanding exhibition,' said Paul Whiting, President of Global Sales at Sennheiser. 'We will not only bring equipment to this exhibition but also our audio expertise offering visitors an immersive 3DAudio experience.' The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, and has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. Sennheiser is represented by subsidiaries and partners worldwide. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).

ABOUT THE AGO
With a collection of more than 80,000 works of art, the Art Gallery of Ontario is among the most distinguished art museums in North America. From the vast body of Group of Seven and signature Canadian works to the African art gallery, from the cutting-edge contemporary art to Peter Paul Rubens' masterpiece The Massacre of The Innocents, the AGO offers an incredible art experience with each visit. In 2002 Kenneth Thomson's generous gift of 2,000 remarkable works of Canadian and European art inspired Transformation AGO, an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that in 2008 resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed architectural achievements in North America. Highlights include Galleria Italia, a gleaming showcase of wood and glass running the length of an entire city block, and the often-photographed spiral staircase, beckoning visitors to explore. The AGO has an active membership program offering great value, and the AGO's Weston Family Learning Centre offers engaging art and creative programs for children, families, youth and adults. Visit ago.net to find out more about upcoming special exhibitions, to learn about eating and shopping at the AGO, to register for programs and to buy tickets or memberships.

Mar. 16 – June 16, 2013: Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art

Aug. 17, 2013 – Oct. 27, 2013: Ai Weiwei: According to What?

Nov. 30, 2013 – Mar. 2, 2014: The Great Upheaval: Modern Masterpieces from the Guggenheim Collection

Contemporary programming at the AGO is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts and generous contributions from AGO members, donors and private-sector partners.

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Tickets for American Ballet Theatre's 2013 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $20, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit www.abt.org

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In anticipation of 'Man of Steel,' global master toy licensee Mattel unveils its vast toy line, including action figures, vehicles, playsets and collectible figures, highlighted by the fan-favorite and much-anticipated Movie Masters line, which captures the superior accuracy and details of the film's characters. Mattel will also introduce 'Man of Steel' QuickShots, a new way to play with Superman, incorporating elements of flight and strength into the toy. Also supporting 'Man of Steel' are global licensees such as LEGO, with exciting construction sets inspired by memorable scenes from the film; and Rubie's Costume Co., with a new line of 'Man of Steel'-inspired costumes and accessories for both kid and adult fans.

'With a Super Hero as iconic and beloved as Superman, it is no surprise that fans worldwide are excited for Zack Snyder's new vision of this classic story,' said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. 'We are thrilled to be a part of the phenomenon as we work closely with our licensees to offer fans a variety of products that bring 'Man of Steel' to the world beyond the big screen.'

Additional toys, games, and collectibles partners bringing the 'Man of Steel' products to life include Thinkway Toys, with a full role-play line, interactive figure and other engaging toys; Jakks Pacific, with a 31-inch collectible Superman figure; and Cardinal Industries, with games and puzzles; among many other licensees. Enthusiasts also won't want to miss statues from Sideshow Collectibles; authentic prop replicas from The Noble Collection; an 18-inch articulated figure from NECA; fun, stylized plush and vinyl figures from Funko; and high-end creations from Kotobukiya and SquareEnix.

The roster of licensees includes a number of categories, ranging from apparel and accessories, to stationery and publishing. Perennial partner Bioworld brings a line of 'Man of Steel'-inspired apparel and accessories, utilizing a number of graphics and icons; high-end t-shirt label Kinetix offers statement S-Shield t-shirts; New Era Cap Company with a range of hats; and Under Armour with high-end sportswear. Publishers include Insight Editions, with an official 'Man of Steel' guide and a behind-the-scenes look at the film; Titan Books, with the film's official novelization; and HarperCollins, with a range of children's books based on 'Man of Steel.' Additional licensees include Mead Westvaco, Hallmark, Bakery Crafts, and many more.

Around the world, a number of licensees have started to celebrate the debut of 'Man of Steel' with offerings in their local markets. Throughout the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, partners supporting 'Man of Steel' include TV Mania, FCUK, Prenatal, Aquarapid, Leomil and many others, with fun designs in apparel and accessories. D'Arpèje and Maverix offer tons of outdoor fun with 'Man of Steel' outdoor products; while Pyramid, Proburo, and Cartorama bring the fun indoors, with themed back-to-school and paper products. In Asia and Australia, fans can listen in style with gavio's 'Man of Steel' digital lifestyle collection, or collect their favorite scent with the Heat Group's 'Man of Steel' eau du toilette, among other fun products. In Latin America, apparel from Aurimoda and Distribuidora de Textiles Avante is sure to delight, and kids can't wait to get back-to-school with fun items from Targmex.

Products inspired by the film will be available at retailers worldwide, and at www.WBShop.com.

About 'Man of Steel':
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes 'Man of Steel,' starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, under the direction of Zack Snyder. The film also stars Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, and Russell Crowe. 'Man of Steel' is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer and Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment. Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters are serving as executive producers. The film opens beginning on June 14, 2013, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products:
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League Super Heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

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An outright record in visitor numbers in May – 37,800, an increase in size of over a thousand square metres and three amazing cars, the stars of a show dedicated to Ferrari in the cinema. These are the numbers for the new Museo Ferrari, officially opened this morning in Maranello.

The record number of visitors last month bodes well for the new building and even more significant is the percentage of tourists visiting from abroad, which has now reached around 60%. It confirms the pull Ferrari has and explains how a museum which, even if it is not located in one of the great tourist spots in Italy, can manage to attract three hundred thousand visitors a year.

It's not just the very beautiful cars from the Scuderia's past on show in the permanent collection which constitutes the strength of the Museum, because that also comes from the exhibitions, which change often under the guidance of its Director, Antonio Ghini. From Cinecittà to Hollywood, all the Ferraris in the cinema,' is the latest show and there are two others also running at the same time and all can be visited with just one 13 Euro entry ticket: one is dedicated to the Supercars and even the latest LaFerrari is on show, the first hybrid car to be built in Maranello. The other is called 'Ferrari from another world. Mules and Adventure,' which explores the secret cars destined to be used for experiments and those that have tackled endurance events in the hands of international journalists.

Apart from its new display areas, the Museum also has a new large cafeteria that looks out over gardens at the back and also provides light meals and features areas big enough for events and conventions suitable for private evenings outside the normal museum hours. Finally one of the most popular attractions for the visitors are the semi-professional Formula 1 simulators which give people an insight into what it's really like driving these cars for Alonso and Massa in the Grands Prix. The Museum also hosts courses for youngsters and classes known as Red Campus on technical themes and for team building, that can be booked on line.

The Museo Ferrari is located at: via Dino Ferrari 43, 41053 Maranello. It is open every day from 09h30 to 19h00 (summertime) or 18h (winter time) with the exception of Christmas day and New Year's Day.

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Simon Raab's work is being presented by the Michael Schultz Gallery Beijing at The Solo Project fair in Basel, Switzerland, this week. There he presents his conventional bronze grenade sculptures and a single highly symbolic and important piece in the Parleau medium called 'Andy Boom'. The symbolism of 'Andy Boom' is best summarized by a quote from a recent article:

gnomemag.com/a-new-patent-issued-for-an-art-form-the-artistinventor-turns-his-back-on-a-2-billion-dollar-art-factory

'I have come to a late-in-life epiphany ... I now believe factory art is a lie. I have meticulously managed beautiful and enormously complex pieces of art with the help of many talented technicians, but I never really touched those pieces of art. I realize that my original factory artworks are not art. Koons' balloon dogs are not art, Hirst's dot paintings are not art, and Murakami's steel Pokémon atrocities are not art. My grenades are meant to explode this delusional dollar-awestruck-industrial convention we find ourselves in. Art is made by the hand of the artist, every stroke every chisel mark must belong to the artist. I created 'Andy Boom', a Parleau of Andy Warhol holding a grenade, his sad expression says: 'I know I started something awful and I am sorry and with this grenade I will perform Seppuku.'

The work of Simon Raab can be seen at booth E3 at The Solo Project Basel from June 12th-16th, 2013.

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In recognition of her generous gift, the museum's theater will be named the Oprah Winfrey Theater. One of the largest spaces in the museum, the 350-seat theater will be a forum in the nation's capital for performers, artists, educators, scholars, authors, musicians, filmmakers and opinion leaders. The theater's programs will enable audiences to gain a broader understanding of how African American history and culture shape and enrich the country and the world.

Winfrey's gift marks a significant milestone in the museum's fundraising campaign. Design, construction and exhibitions are expected to cost $500 million, half provided by congressional funding and the remainder raised by the museum. Currently under construction on a five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument, the 19th Smithsonian museum is expected to open in late 2015.

'We are inspired and profoundly grateful for Ms. Winfrey's generosity at this important time,' said Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the museum. 'Her gifts will forever be associated with harnessing the power of art and creative expression to build bridges between cultures and enrich people's lives. Programming at the Oprah Winfrey Theater will mirror the museum's commitment to use African American history and culture as a lens to see what it means to be an American and to help all Americans remember.'

'I am so proud of African American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole,' said Winfrey. 'I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps. By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.'

Winfrey is chairman and CEO of OWN, which develops original programming for TV and digital platforms. She is the founder of O, The Oprah Magazine and a channel on SiriusXM satellite radio. In addition, Winfrey is a leading philanthropist who has awarded hundreds of grants through her private philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation.

'At its heart, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is a showcase for a richer, fuller picture of the American experience,' said Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough. 'The Oprah Winfrey Theater will bring untold stories alive through films, live performances, artistic expression and public dialogue. The new theater's designation could not be more fitting, as Ms. Winfrey's name is synonymous with generosity, education, excellence and the arts.'

About the Museum

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established as a Smithsonian museum by an Act of Congress in 2003. It will be the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to showcasing African American life, art, history and culture and the national place for visitors to fully appreciate the broader American story.

The legislation also established a Council to advise the museum on a range of issues, including the planning, design and construction of the building; its administration; and the acquisition of objects for the museum's collections. The council co-chairs are Linda Johnson Rice, president and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company Inc., and Richard D. Parsons, former chairman of Citigroup. Other members of the Council are:

-Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), U.S. House of Representatives
-Willie Brown, Jr., former mayor of San Francisco
-Laura W. Bush, former First Lady of the United States of America
-James Ireland Cash, Jr., retired professor and senior associate dean of Harvard Business School Publishing
-Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and CEO of American Express Co.
-G. Wayne Clough, secretary, Smithsonian Institution
-Ann M. Fudge, retired chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam Inc.
-Allan C. Golston, president, U.S. Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
-James A. Johnson, vice chairman of Perseus LLC
-Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of RLJ Companies and founder of Black Entertainment Television Inc.
-Quincy D. Jones, CEO of Quincy Jones Productions Inc.
-Ann Dibble Jordan, executive committee member, National Symphony Orchestra
-Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund
-Brian T. Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America
-Homer Alfred Neal, director of the University of Michigan Atlas Project and professor of physics
-E. Stanley O'Neal, former chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.
-Samuel J. Palmisano, chairman and CEO of IBM Corp.
-Gen. Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State
-Franklin D. Raines, former chairman and CEO of Fannie Mae
-Ruth J. Simmons, president of Brown University
-Gregg W. Steinhafel, chair, CEO and president of Target
-Patricia Q. Stonesifer, vice chair, Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents
-H. Patrick Swygert, president emeritus of Howard University
-Anthony Welters, executive vice president of United Health Group

While its building is under construction, the museum is presenting exhibitions in its gallery at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Its current exhibition, 'Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and The March on Washington, 1963' explores the historical context of these two events, their accomplishments and limitations, and their impact on the generations that followed. It will remain open to the public through Sept. 15.

For more information about the exhibition and the museum, visit the museum's website.

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London, UK - Leveraging the power of mobile technology, Nokia has partnered with The ONE Campaign to support their mission of ending extreme poverty around the world. ONE's new music-based campaign, agit8, launches today to showcase the incredible progress that has been made in the fight and to amplify the call for action. Extreme poverty has been cut in half in the last 20 years, and the facts show that it can be virtually eliminated by 2030 - but only if we act now. The campaign includes a digital music platform featuring new video recordings of classic protest songs, a new film that will be projected on the iconic façade of the Tate Modern in London and impromptu live performances. As the visual voice of this once-in-a-lifetime global media campaign, Nokia is helping spread the word via images captured around the world.

Evocative images taken by prominent photojournalists, bloggers, amateur photographers and celebrities across the world using Nokia's Lumia 920 smartphone will be projected onto the Tate Modern the evenings of 11-13 June. Moreover Nokia is encouraging its community to make their voices heard by capturing and sharing images, stories and experiences that support ONE's "Progress via Protest" theme. The images, inspired by protest songs, are available to view and can be shared on Twitter using the official hashtag #nokiaxONECampaign or uploaded to Nokia's official Facebook page (facebook.com/Nokia).

"A shared belief in connecting people has facilitated this exciting and dynamic partnership," said John Nichols, Global Brand Director at Nokia. "With our leading-edge imaging technology, and the power of photos to help raise awareness of world issues, and bring people together, we are committed to help spread the mission of this incredible organization."

ONE will use the high-quality photography generated by Nokia users to inspire millions of people to support their on-going grassroots advocacy work targeting extreme poverty and preventable diseases around the world. Visitors to one.org/protestsongs will find beautiful photography powered by Nokia alongside a diverse array of artists putting their own spin on classic protest songs. The site will include video performances from everyone from internationally-known artists to street buskers, and gives users the opportunity to add their voice to the fight against extreme poverty

"Advocacy at its core is a collective experience, a movement, that is meant to be shared with others," said Jeff Davidoff, Chief Marketing Officer of ONE. "People share their experiences through pictures, making Nokia the perfect partner for our members to connect and campaign against extreme poverty."

About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. Nokia's technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com/about-nokia.

About ONE
Co-founded by Bono and strictly nonpartisan ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organization of more than three million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease because the facts show extreme poverty has already been cut in half and can be virtually eliminated by 2030. Learn more at ONE.org.

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LONDON, - - Imagine the most forward-thinking DJs collaborating with leading street artists, world-class action sports athletes and Lotus F1® Team drivers. This is burn Yard™, a new creative program from burn, which will encourage leading innovators from art, music and sport to collaborate and form a cross-culture collective.

The results of the collaboration will be showcased at burn Yard™ Live, the first in a series of live events which will take place in Budapest on July 26, 2013. Housed in an ex-industrial building in the city, the theme of burn Yard™ Live will be to bring a new creative energy to discarded and obsolete objects and make them beautiful again. Transforming the space through sculpture and street art, burn Yard™ Live will bring a new lease of life to the abandoned building, climaxing in performances from some of world's most sought after DJs.

The artists joining the burn Yard™ Collective are forward thinkers and creative leaders in their own fields. Members include international DJ Avicii, street artist M-City, conceptual artist Gerry Judah, skateboarder Rune Glifberg and Lotus F1® Team driver Kimi Räikkönen. They will work together by testing new creative fusions to inspire people across the world.

Highlights of the burn Yard™ program include Avicii and Lotus F1® Team working on a groundbreaking new track incorporating the passion of F1®. Judah and Glifberg will design an interactive sculpture to be used by the world's best skateboarders, which will be the centerpiece for burn Yard™ Live.

Gerry Judah commented: 'I'm pleased to have a young guy like Rune keeping me on my toes. He speaks his own language in terms of art, passion and creativity and I speak mine. No one can say how well these languages will come together but burn is taking a risk as we collaborate to create a structure which bears the mark of two very different men.'

M-City said: 'In my country, Poland, street art has a very long history. At first, it was to give a political message but now street art has become more and more expressive. It can be hard to collaborate sometimes because I have my own expressive style so working with burn and the other guys will be a real experiment of creativity.'

burn Yard™ Live, in Budapest, will be a public event where people can live the fusion of music, art and sports. Throughout the year, burn will produce an inspirational video documentary to tell the story of burn Yard™. This will demonstrate how the Collective has been working together to produce innovative creative projects. The challenges and triumphs of their collaborations will be told through this inspirational documentary.

To apply for tickets to attend burn Yard™ Live in Budapest, go to www.burnyardbudapest.com. The burn Yard™ program aims to nurture and inspire creative talent and provide a platform to showcase groundbreaking ideas.

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Notes to Editors

About the Collective

Avicii
What Avicii and his manager Ash Pournouri have managed in a few years is astonishing. Beginning his career at 18, the self-taught, fresh-faced Swede that is Avicii has had greater success at 22 than most could ever hope for in a lifetime. With chart-toppers such as Seek Bromance, My Feelings For You, Fade into Darkness, Silhouettes and LE7ELS, Avicii has, since 2008, risen from bedroom music-maker to international superstar. He has headlined Ultra Music Festival with Madonna, completed a $1 million charity tour with his manager Ash Pournouri, done an exclusive collaboration with Ralph Lauren: Denim & Supply and embarked on one of the biggest Electronic Dance Music arena tours to date. Avicii now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the most in-demand and elite artists on the planet.

M-City
Mariusz Waras, known professionally as M-City is Poland's best-known street artist renowned for his for his work within public spheres. Intrigued by industrial spaces and their surroundings, M-City creates large-scale murals - some up to 85 metres long, taking his inspiration from the factories, hydroelectric plants, chimneys, and cranes that dominate his native town.

Gerry Judah
Gerry Judah is one of the world's leading installation artists. He has created settings for the BBC, British Museum, Imperial War Museum, performers including Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, The Who, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and has worked in a number of theatre productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera House and the English National Opera as well as creating spectacular sculptures for the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed and bridges in London and Cambridge.

Amongst a number of commissions from public museums and institutions, Gerry has produced a highly acclaimed body of large three-dimensional paintings exploring the devastations of war and the ravages man has made upon the environment, many of which have entered international public and private collections.

Rune Glifberg
Universally recognized as one of the true legends of the sport and one of the most stylish and progressive skaters on the planet, Danish skater Rune Glifberg brought his skills and experience to burn's new skate program, as team founder and mentor. 'Adding burn to my list of sponsors is an honor and a privilege. It opens up new doors and opportunities for my career, and I couldn't be happier with my decision to join the burn skateboard team.'- Rune Glifberg

Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi Räikkönen burst onto the Formula 1 scene in 2001 and was quickly recognised as a star for the future. After finishing as runner-up in the Drivers' Championship to Michael Schumacher in 2003 and again to Fernando Alonso in 2005, he finally took the title in 2007 at the very last race of the year. After a two year hiatus from the sport in 2010/2011, Kimi announced his return to Formula 1 with Lotus F1 Team for the 2012 season and instantly demonstrated the skill and technique which have seen him rated as one of the most natural talents of a generation; seven podium finishes – including victory at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – seeing him clinch P3 in the Drivers' Championship during his comeback year. Picking up where he left in 2012, the Iceman currently occupies P2 in the Driver's Championship having taken four podiums from the opening five races in 2013; including an emphatic victory at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.

About burn
BURN® energy drink is a category leader in the global energy drink explosion. The red formula is a symbol of active fire that provides drinkers with the energy needed to leave their original vision on the world. Dismantling category norms, consumers embody a live-out-loud mentality, without fear of boundaries created by society. Burn is a brand of The Coca-Cola Company. Burn is available in over 80 countries worldwide.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo or visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com.

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NEW YORK, — The Museum of Modern Art's Summergarden: New Music for New York free concert series returns to The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden for four Sunday evenings beginning July 7, 2013. Summergarden, a tradition since 1971, is part of MoMA's long history of presenting contemporary classical music and jazz. MoMA once again welcomes the collaboration of its programming partners, The Juilliard School and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Members of the New Juilliard Ensemble, under the artistic direction of Joel Sachs, perform on July 7 and 21, offering two distinctive programs of contemporary compositions, all of which are receiving their New York premieres. Jazz at Lincoln Center has selected two up-and-coming jazz groups whose concerts on July 14 (Melissa Aldana Quartet) and July 28 (Aaron Diehl Trio) emphasize original works, each with one New York premiere.

Summergarden is free and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Entrance to Summergarden is through the Sculpture Garden gate on West 54th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The Sculpture Garden opens at 7:00 p.m., and concerts start at 8:00 p.m. and run approximately one hour to 90 minutes. The Sculpture Garden closes at 10:00 p.m. In the event of rain, concerts will be held in The Agnes Gund Garden Lobby, and the Museum's 54th Street entrance will open at 7:30 p.m. The Garden Bar sells gelato and seasonal sorbetto from Il Laboratorio del Gelato, with sweet and savory treats from Cafe 2. Prosecco, New York State wines, American craft beer, specialty coffees, and bottled water are also available for purchase.

The exhibition galleries are closed during Summergarden. See MoMA.org/summergarden for details. Summergarden is made possible by a partnership with Volkswagen of America. Additional support is provided by Paul D. Shein and family, in memory of Ethel P. Shein.

Summergarden 2013 Schedule

July 7
Juilliard Concert I: New Music for Mixed Ensembles
Members and Alumni of the New Juilliard Ensemble: Joel Sachs, conductor; Jessica Han, flutes; Weixiong Wang, clarinets; Sam Budish, percussion; Naomi Causby, piano; Alex Shiosaki and Alexandra Boyanova, violins; Jiwon Kim, viola; Jonathan Lo, cello

-Nigel Westlake (Australia, b. 1958)
Refractions at Summer Cloud Bay (1989)—Western hemisphere premiere
Refractions at Summer Cloud Bay, commissioned by the Australia Ensemble, was named Classical Composition of the Year by the Australian Performing Rights Association. The work is in four short movements, and, as Mr. Westell writes, "the title serves to suggest images of light on water, the sun's rays dancing on the ocean, refracted light changing color at every moment."

-Ted Goldman (United States, b. 1983)
digidigidha (2011)—New York premiere
digidigidha was commissioned by Canada's Banff Centre, where it premiered. Unlike a traditional composition where different versions compete, with one selected, to create the final score, in this piece different versions coexist and then coalesce halfway through.

-Joe Duddell (United Kingdom, b. 1972)
Grace Under Pressure (2007)—Western hemisphere premiere
Mr. Duddell writes: "Strong riffs (or motifs) can help audiences navigate their way through this piece. It is intended to be a 'fun' piece in the same way composers use the world 'bagatelle'—something and nothing, and not to be seen as a profound statement."

-Reza Vali (Iran/United States, b. 1952)
Folk Songs—Set no. 15 (1999)—New York premiere
This is the 15th set in an ongoing cycle of Persian folk songs that Mr. Vali has been writing since 1978. Its seven movements are each composed in the style of an imaginary folk song, with thematic and motivic material that interrelates all the movements and reappears in the last movement as a summary of the entire composition.

July 14
Jazz Concert I: Melissa Aldana Quartet

Melissa Aldana, tenor saxophone; Glenn Zaleski, piano; Pablo Menares, bass; Jochen Rueckert, drums
From Santiago, Chile, the tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, who is in her early 20s, has already released two albums. For her Summergarden concert, she and her quartet will present the premiere of Turning, a long-form tune with several sections based on Latin American rhythms as well as on contemporary jazz. It thus reflects her own experience of coming to New York City from Chile. The title derives from the form of the work, which moves to different sections that the composer calls "sonic neighborhoods."

July 22
Juilliard Concert II: New Music for String Quartet
Members of the New Juilliard Ensemble: Elizabeth Derham and Maria Im, violins; Kim Mai Nguyen, viola; Paul Dwyer, cello

Aleksandr Lasoń (Poland, b. 1951)
String Quartet no. 4, "Of Tarnowskie Góry" (2000)—Western hemisphere premiere
Although not explicitly depictive, Mr. Lasoń's String Quartet no. 4 is dedicated to lovers of the region of Tarnowskie Góry, an ancient, picturesque town northeast of Kraków. The quartet, composed in 2000 on a commission from a regional association, was premiered the Silesian Quartet, a distinguished Polish group known for its dedication to new music.

Elinor Armer (United States, b. 1939)
String Quartet 2011 (2011)—New York premiere
Ms. Armer writes: "String Quartet 2011 was inspired by circular images. It is organized around human experiences of circularity—from confinement to fulfillment, from stasis to mobility, from repression to expression, from departure to return—in an arch form with quintuple meters."

Alessandro Annunziata (Italy, b. 1968)
String Quartet no. 1, "Griko" (2011)—United States premiere
Mr. Annunziata says, "The quartet is based on the lively musical forms and melodic inflections of Salento—a region in southern Italy that was a Greek colony in ancient times." The composer draws on and elaborates this folk material in his four-movement composition.artet no. 4 is dedicated to lovers of the region of Tarnowskie Góry, an ancient, picturesque town northeast of Kraków. The quartet, composed in 2000 on a commission from a regional association, was premiered the Silesian Quartet, a distinguished Polish group known for its dedication to new music.

July 29
Jazz Concert II: Aaron Diehl Trio
Aaron Diehl, piano; Paul Sikivie, bass; Lawrence Leathers, drums
The pianist and composer Aaron Diehl is committed to unearthing the treasures of the jazz aesthetic through collaborative efforts with musicians across generations. The 2011 Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz of the American Pianists Association, he has won many other accolades and awards. His trio displays the delightful, easygoing confidence of an ensemble whose personalities are in perfect harmony. Mr. Diehl will premiere a new composition at Summergarden. He writes, "My compositions focus on the musicians with whom I perform, featuring them in various contexts while continuously highlighting the ensemble dynamic. My personal aesthetic draws on a broad range of influences in the language of jazz."

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ABOUT THE NEW JUILLIARD ENSEMBLE:
The Juilliard School established this country's standard for performing arts education in music in 1905, adding dance in 1951, and as a Lincoln Center founding member, adding acting in 1968. More recently, Juilliard added programs in playwriting, jazz, historical performance, and in 2012, an MFA in drama. Partner programs explore Juilliard's resources, as with the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; faculty appointments such as the New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert; and shared supervision of The Academy with Carnegie Hall, Weill Music Institute, and the New York City Department of Education. Juilliard's 800 students come from 43 U.S. states and 40 foreign countries. They participate in more than 700 annual performances, in five theaters inside Juilliard's newly renovated building, plus Alice Tully, Avery Fisher, and Carnegie Halls. For further information, please visit juilliard.edu.

ABOUT JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER:
The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich, and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy. We believe that jazz is a metaphor for democracy because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression; jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others; and jazz is rooted in the blues, it inspires us to face adversity with persistent optimism. With the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and guest artists spanning genres and generations, Jazz at Lincoln Center produces thousands of performance, educational, and broadcast events each season in its home in New York City (Frederick P. Rose Hall, "The House of Swing") and around the world, for people of all ages. Jazz at Lincoln Center is led by Chairman Robert J. Appel, Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis, and Executive Director Greg Scholl. For more information, please visit jalc.org.

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MoMA NIGHTS:
Thursdays, July 4, 11, 18, and 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Live music set at 6:30 p.m., The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden (weather permitting)
Regular admission applies. In the event of rain, the Sculpture Garden will close, and music will take place indoors in one of the Museum theaters. Sculpture Garden and indoor seating are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. The MoMA Nights 2013 music series includes indie acts selected by MoMA's PopRally committee (July 4, 11, 18, and 25), and concerts related to the exhibitions Soundings: A Contemporary Score (August 1, 8, and 15) and American Modern: Hopper to O'Keeffe (August 22 and 29). Further information: MoMA.org/nights

MoMA SUMMER HOURS: Monday: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (July and August)
Friday: 10:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (Uniqlo Free Friday Nights begin at 4:00 p.m.)
Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Sunday : 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

* * *

Public Information:
The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street, New York, NY 10019, (212) 708-9400, MoMA.org.
Hours: Saturday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Museum Admission: $25 adults; $18 seniors, 65 years and over with I.D.; $14 full-time students with current I.D. Free, members and children 16 and under. (Includes admittance to Museum galleries and film programs.) Free admission during Uniqlo Free Friday Nights: Fridays, 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
MoMA.org: No service charge for tickets ordered on MoMA.org. Tickets purchased online may be printed out and presented at the Museum without waiting in line. (Includes admittance to Museum galleries and film programs.)
Film and After Hours Program Admission: $12 adults; $10 seniors, 65 years and over with I.D.; $8 full-time students with current I.D. The price of an After Hours Program Admission ticket may be applied toward the price of a Museum admission ticket or MoMA Membership within 30 days.

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CULVER CITY, Calif. - On Saturday, June 22, 2013, in celebration of the birthday of Peyo, the creator of the Smurfs (born June 25, 1928), Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation will once again coordinate events all over the world as part of Global Smurfs Day, a worldwide event in anticipation of the release of The Smurfs™ 2, in theaters July 31, it was announced today by Marc Weinstock, president, Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures.

This will be the second celebration of Global Smurfs Day in what is quickly becoming a tradition. In 2011, the round-the-world events included painting one of the famous White Towns of Andalusia blue and setting a new record for Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Smurfs within a 24-hour Period (Multiple Venues).

This year, the studio has lined up an equally impressive program of events, highlighted by a worldwide Smurf Ambassadors initiative, in which over 40 ambassadors from 28 countries will represent Smurfs fans from around the world with a special day of events celebrating Peyo's creation. The ambassadors - celebrities, prominent journalists, and contest winners among them - will dress as Smurfs as they begin their day in Brussels, where Peyo's daughter Veronique Culliford will officially appoint them as Smurf representatives of their countries. The fun-filled (if irreverent) ceremony will take place under the watchful eye of an important Brussels monument: a Smurf statue unveiled just a year before. Freshly charged with their ambassadorial duties, the group will board a Thalys train and shoot off to Paris, the locale of the adventures in Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation's The Smurfs 2. With a few surprises in store and a sightseeing tour of the French capital, the ambassadors will be tasked with a mission that is the stuff of high diplomacy: to leave a happy trail of blue smiles in their wake, and herald the arrival of the new film.

The Ambassadors will also be taking photos and posting them on Instagram with the hashtag #GlobalSmurfsDay. The Ambassadors' photos will stream to the official Global Smurfs Day microsite at www.GlobalSmurfsDay.net, where users can also virtually check in to Global Smurfs Day activities and find information about all worldwide events, official photos, and a sizzle reel.

Festivals and celebrations will be dedicated to the Smurfs in locations as far and away as the Buenos Aires Planetarium, Mumbai's Imagica theme park, and Rio de Janeiro's iconic Sugarloaf Mountain. Blue brushes will brighten Portugal's Cova da Moura neighborhood and paint daycare centers and orphanages in South Africa. In Australia, Surfers Paradise will officially become Smurfers Paradise for the day, with local signage to match. Moscow's famed Gorky Park and Dublin's Ha'Penny Bridge will be covered in smurf-blue flowers. Smurfs will visit children's hospitals and media centers; invade Warsaw's Old City Square; engage in sand sculpture marathons; run Smurfathons around the world; and kick off a massive sing-along with the group Right Said Fred in London. And in Los Angeles, families will enjoy the day with appearances by the Smurfs, play the Ubisoft video game, sample Menchie's Smurfberry frozen yogurt, and participate in other fun activities; in addition, the U.S. Forest Service and Ad Council's Discover the Forest campaign will be on hand to distribute activity booklets and encourage children and their families to get outside and experience the many benefits of nature, and in the evening, families will be able to catch the first Smurfs film at an evening outdoor screening.

Commenting on the announcement, Weinstock said, "We're thrilled that we can continue the tradition we started on the first film with an all-new Global Smurfs Day celebration. This is a great way to honor Peyo's birthday and his legacy, by bringing the world together across generations for a day of fun and festivities."

In this sequel to Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation's hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs™, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world's greatest sorcerer. It's up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue? The film is directed by Raja Gosnell and produced by Jordan Kerner. The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn and Karey Kirkpatrick with a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss & Jay Scherick & David Ronn, Based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

About the Smurfs
The story of the Smurfs – a property created by Peyo – started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more products. In all, more than 3,000 derived products have been produced and leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs. A multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!

About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits - the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the 2011 hybrid live action/animated blockbuster The Smurfs, and the 2009 mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - with The Smurfs 2 in July 2013, and Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 in September 2013. Sony Pictures Animation, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

Website: http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SONYPicturesAnimation
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sonyanimation
Tumblr: http://sonyanimation.tumblr.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonyAnimation

About Lafig Belgium S.A.
Lafig Belgium is the owner of the rights to produce audio-visual works based on the Smurf universe and of the Smurf worldwide licensing rights (together with IMPS). Lafig Belgium is controlled by the heirs of Pierre Culliford, better known under his pseudonym Peyo, the author/creator of the Smurfs. For 50 years, the Culliford family has controlled the Smurf characters and all licenses worldwide.

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Bank of America announced that it has provided funding to assist with the restoration of Simon Rodia's Watts Towers in Los Angeles through its 2013 Art Conservation Project, a global effort that will conserve 24 projects in 16 countries around the world, including eight in the United States.

The funding has been used to help Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) provide staff time and expertise to identify repairs to the Watts Towers, provide day-to-day maintenance and long-term care of the Towers, and increase awareness of the landmark. The project was selected because the Watts Towers, constructed between 1921 and 1954 by Simon Rodia, are an iconic part of Los Angeles and due to wear and tear are in need of necessary restoration efforts.

According to Michael Govan, CEO, and Wallis Annenberg, director of LACMA, 'Simon Rodia's Watts Towers are among the most iconic works of art in the world, and they must be preserved for future generations to see and enjoy. We are grateful that Bank of America saw the importance of this endeavor and has chosen to support our conservation efforts.'

Art conservation project recipients were unveiled today at an event at LACMA, including notable projects such as 'Number 1A,' 'One,' and 'Echo' by Jackson Pollock at the Museum of Modern Art; 13 mural drawings by Diego Rivera at the Detroit Institute of Arts; four Tudor paintings at National Portrait Gallery in London, England; 'Scholar in His Study' by Rembrandt at the National Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic; and a Frida Kahlo photography collection at La Casa Azul in Mexico City, Mexico.

The program was introduced in 2010 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and expanded to the Americas, Asia and Australia in 2012. All of these global regions will continue to receive grant funding in 2013. Including this year's recipients, the Bank of America Art Conservation Project will have funded the conservation of 58 projects in 26 countries.

Through the conservation of these important works of art around the world, Bank of America is helping to preserve local culture and engaging present and future communities where we live and work.

'Art has a unique ability to connect people and communities and to help economies thrive,' said Rena DeSisto, global arts and culture executive, Bank of America. "The works of art we have selected as part of the 2013 Art Conservation Project can provide a lasting reflection of people and history. As a company with clients in more than 100 countries, we are funding the preservation of these important works to contribute to the cultural enrichment and advancement of future generations."

Bank of America's support for the arts is diverse and global, and includes loans of our art collection to museums at no cost, sponsorships, grants to arts organizations for arts education, and the preservation of cultural treasures.

'The Watts Towers are an integral part of the culture and history of Los Angeles, so it made sense for us to support its preservation given the bank's extensive local history,' said Raul Anaya, Bank of America Los Angeles market president. 'Bank of America's philanthropic focus on the arts includes funding for art conservation as a way to protect aging landmarks and artwork of historical significance.'

The full list of 2013 grant recipients includes:

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pa.
• Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, Mich.
• Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Mo.
• Museum of Modern Art in New York, N.Y.
• Miami Art Museum in Miami, Fla.
• Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minneapolis, Minn.
• New Bedford Free Public Library in New Bedford, Mass.
• The Montreal Museum of Fine Art in Montreal, Canada
• Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland
• National Portrait Gallery in London, United Kingdom
• New National Gallery in Berlin, Germany
• Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France
• Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria
• National Art Gallery of Brera in Milan, Italy
• National Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic
• Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul, Turkey
• La Casa Azul – Frida Khalo Museum in Mexico City, Mexico
• Museu de Arte Moderna de Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Johannesburg Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa
• National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia
• The Independent Administrative Institution National Institute for Cultural Heritage – Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo, Japan
• Shike Yisha Bowuguan (Art Museum of Stone Carving) in Beijing, China
• Shanghai Art Museum in Shanghai, China.

Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility
Bank of America's commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.

Visit the Bank of America newsroom for more Bank of America news.

About LACMA
Since its inception in 1965, LACMA has been devoted to collecting works of art that span both history and geography-and represent Los Angeles's uniquely diverse population. Today, the museum features particularly strong collections of Asian, Latin American, European, and American art, as well as a contemporary art museum on its campus. With this expanded space for contemporary art, innovative collaborations with artists, and an ongoing Transformation project, LACMA is creating a truly modern lens through which to view its rich encyclopedic collection.
Location and Contact: 5905 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax Avenue), Los Angeles, CA, 90036 | 323.857.6000 | lacma.org
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; closed Wednesday
General Admission: Adults: $15; students 18+ with ID and senior citizens 62+: $10
Free General Admission: Members; children 17 and under; after 3 p.m. weekdays for L.A. County residents; second Tuesday of every month; Target Free Holiday Mondays
Press Contact: For additional information, contact LACMA Communications at press@lacma.org or 323.857.6522.

www.bankofamerica.com

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130610006553/en/

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In 2012, Christie's welcomed a record number of visitors to the exhibition over three days. To further enhance the accessibility and potential for art lovers to engage in this increasingly anticipated exhibition, Christie's has extended the 2013 viewing period to 5 days. The beauty, quality, provenance, rarity and condition of the works exhibited set the tone for the wealth of works to be offered at Christie's during June and July when art collectors from all over the world congregate in London for the busy annual season of exhibitions and sales.

Jussi Pylkkänen, President & Chairman of Christie's, Europe, Middle East, Russia & India: 'A masterpiece is a work of art that has lasting beauty. As art collectors from around the world congregate in London for the summer

season of major international auctions, Christie's is proud to present a truly exceptional offering of masterpieces in our 5th annual exhibition of curated highlights, which has become one of the most anticipated events in the London art calendar. This initiative allows us to celebrate and share with the public a broad array of extraordinary works of art - many of which have rarely, if ever, been seen in public. This will be an extraordinary show."

Masterpieces Exhibition Co-curator and International Director of Old Master Pictures, Henry Pettifer noted: 'We have really given equal emphasis to works of all different values which are interesting for their inherent cultural value.' Masterpieces Exhibition Co-curator and Head of Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Auction, Darren Leak added: 'The way that we have juxtaposed and also installed the works is very different to how a museum or especially an auction house would traditionally display them.'

Selected highlights of the exhibition

An epic large scale diptych by Jean-Michel Basquiat from 1982, Untitled (illustrated page 1 top left) forms part of the pantheon of great double portraits including Untitled (Two Heads on Gold) and Dustheads. A pivotal year in the artist's career, the full length double portraits of 1982 marked Basquiat's ascension to the big time, the dominant figures exalt the joyous spirit of the early, heady days when he had just broken through to art world super-star status. Towering above the viewer, one is instantly struck by the monumentality of scale, the decisiveness of his line and the sheer brilliance of the artists' signature colour palette of vibrant red, azure blue, and blaring yellows. Boldly articulated in Basquiat's confident scrawl, Untitled is a defiant assertion of artistic and individual independence. Fuelled by the buzz of celebrity and television and music-fuelled creativity, coupled with a sense of the artist's own potent existentialism, the two heavy-handed postures and screaming features of the figures are expressive of the confidence that came with this newly received fame (estimate on request, Post War & Contemporary Art Evening Auction, 25 June).

Studie zu Improvisation 3, 1909 is a rare Expressionist masterpiece by Wassily Kandinsky. With the majority of works from Kandinsky's 'Improvisation' series in major institutions – including the final version of this work which is in the Centre George Pompidou, Paris - this painting provides international collectors with a very exciting opportunity, following Christie's landmark sale of Studie für Improvisation 8, 1909, which set a record for the artist at auction in November 2012, selling for $23 million. A work of great art historical importance, Studie zu Improvisation 3 belongs to Kandinsky's revolutionary series of paintings, started earlier that year, known as 'Improvisations', which mark his first major forays into the realm of abstraction. These were the very first paintings intended to convey an inner emotional response to and understanding of the visual phenomena of the outer world, through spontaneously and unconsciously created near-autonomous coloured forms. They are among the first paintings in the history of art to mark the deliberate freeing of form and colour from their conventional pictorial duties towards the creation of non-material, non-objective and abstract art of the spirit (estimate: £12-16 million, Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale, 18 June).

David Linley, Chairman, Christie's UK:

'Masterpieces have the ability to transcend time.'

Acquired by the 1st Earl of Lonsdale in 1763, it is exactly 250 years since Easy Come, Easy Go by Jan Steen (1626-1679) last appeared on the art market. A work of exceptional quality and inventiveness, it has long been regarded as one of Steen's masterpieces and can now be considered the most important large-scale genre scene by the artist still to remain in private hands. Painted in 1660 at the pinnacle of Steen's career, the picture reveals his mastery of composition and his supreme skill at rendering light, texture and detail. The artist cast himself as the decadent wastrel and warns that over-indulgence and selfish greed will lead inescapably to ruin, a message as pertinent and universal today as it was in 17th century Holland (estimate: £7-10 million, Old Master & British Paintings Evening Sale, 2 July).

Orlando Rock, Deputy Chairman, Christie's Europe:

'To me, a masterpiece is something that completely revolutionises the history of the field in which it is created."

Unseen in public for over 50 years, Love among the Ruins is a rare, important pre-Raphaelite masterpiece, by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt., A.R.A., R.W.S. (1833-1898). It is the most important work by the artist to come to auction since Laus Veneris was sold to the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle in 1971. A highly-significant work in the artist's oeuvre, it has been much celebrated since it was first exhibited in 1873, at the Dudley Gallery in London. It went on to be shown at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1878, where it established the artist's international reputation, and was also shown at the exhibition which inaugurated the Birmingham Art Gallery in 1885-6 (the artist's hometown), the Royal Jubilee Exhibition at Manchester in 1887, an annual loan exhibition at the Guildhall, London, in 1892, and in the Burne-Jones's retrospective exhibition at the New Gallery, London later that year. It is expected to realise £3-5 million in the Victorian & British Impressionist Art sale on 11 July 2013.

Charles Cator, Deputy Chairman, Christie's International:

'a masterpiece has the ability to communicate directly, independent of its age and CULTURAL origin.'

Christie's is pleased to present the Lequesne coffee-pot, a Rococo masterpiece by Paul de Lamerie (1688–1751) - the greatest silversmith working in Britain in the 18th century – it is the most important coffee-pot ever to come to the market (detail illustrated right and in full on page 1). This George II silver coffee-pot was created in 1738, for a successful merchant. An exceptional piece of craftsmanship, it was recently the centerpiece of the British Silver exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum in New York. It is expected to become the most valuable piece of English silver ever to be sold at auction when it is auctioned in The Exceptional Sale on 4 July 2013 (estimate: £3.5– 4.5 million).

A newly discovered, deluxe copy of Opera by Virgil (70-19 B.C.) will be offered in the sale of Valuable Printed Books & Manuscripts on 12 June 2013 (estimate: £500,000 – 800,000, detail illustrated left and in full on page 1). The Aeneid is accepted as the foundation stone of western literature, and this copy is the earliest edition a collector could ever aspire to own. Printed in 1470, within a year of the beginning of printing in Venice, it is the second edition, acknowledged to be textually superior. Its rarity is indicated in the fact that the last copy to come on the market was sold almost a century ago, in 1920. This newly discovered copy is complete and printed on costly vellum for a wealthy patron; the elegance of its pages and the hand-painted decoration add to its resemblance to a Renaissance manuscript, and indeed, an earlier owner may have regarded it as a manuscript, perhaps contributing to its true identity not being recognised until now. This book combines rarity with great aesthetic beauty but also represents a monumental moment in the history of printing.

Giovanna Bertazzoni, Christie's International Head of Impressionist & Modern Art:

'A masterpiece is a work that changes – boldly – everything that has been executed before.'

The extraordinary Ogden Mills Armoires à Sept Medailles (estimate: £1– 1.5 million, The Exceptional Sale, 4 July) were acquired circa 1910 by the philanthropist and collector Ogden Mills (1857-1929) for his Parisian residence. They are lavishly decorated with spectacular gilt-bronze mounts that fuse seamlessly with the scrolling foliate pattern of the sumptuous ground of brass and tortoiseshell première and contre-partie marquetry. The Louis XIV armoire in contre partie is attributed to André-Charles Boulle, while the late Louis XV in première partie is by Delorme. They are decorated to the doors with trails of medals celebrating the Life of Louis XIV as well as the figures of Aspasia and Socrates. Conceived initially with shelves to house collections of precious medals, this series of armoires proved so successful it remained in production in Boulle's workshop throughout the first half of the 18th century and was subsequently continued by Boulle's followers.

Henry Pettifer, International Director of Old Master Pictures:

'A masterpiece can be something that perhaps alters one's perception.'

Unreleased lyrics by Bob Dylan will be offered in the Pop Culture sale on 26 June 2013. The 'Bomb' song, Go Away you Bomb, was written for an unpublished book of anti-nuclear protest songs in 1963 when Dylan was working on his seminal album The Freewheelin Bob Dylan. The lyrics were never released and have never before been seen on the market. They include handwritten deletions and alterations, providing invaluable insight into the mindset of the great artist as he composed. The lyrics are being sold by Israel 'Izzy' Young, founder of the Folklore Center in Greenwich Village, New York, who organized Bob Dylan's first ever concert. The lyrics are estimated to realise between £25,000 and £35,000 and proceeds will benefit the Folklore Center in Stockholm.

A stunning large solid gold plate by Pablo Picasso, Visage Tourmenté comes to the market for the first time, having been unseen in public for over 40 years. Weighing over 2.5kg, it is made from 22 carat gold. It is extremely rare to see gold pieces by Picasso at auction as the artist only created a limited number of designs for platters in precious metals. Of the 19 designs made in collaboration with celebrated goldsmith François Hugo, 20 were produced in silver and only one in gold. Visage Tourmenté was bought by the current owner directly from François Hugo in the early 1970s (estimate: £100,000-150,000, Picasso Ceramics, 18 June 2013).

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About Christie's
Christie's, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2011 that totaled £3.6 billion/$5.7 billion. Christie's is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie's offers over 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War and Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totaled £502 million / $808.6m in 2011, an increase of 44% on the previous year.

Christie's has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie's has led the market with expanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai.

*Estimates do not include buyer's premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer's premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer's or seller's credits.

Complete catalogue available online at www.christies.com or via Christie's Mobile, iPhone, iPad and Android apps.

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Explore: Mesopotamia Lecture Series

Thursday, June 27, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Kings of the Universe: The Rise and Development of Political Leadership in Mesopotamia

Dr. Clemens Reichel, Associate Curator, Royal Ontario Museum

Ancient Mesopotamia was home to some of the world's earliest states and empires. Politically, these entities were controlled by rulers that were both powerful as well as charismatic--from tribal leaders in Neolithic village context to powerful kings of Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia that controlled much of the known world. This lecture will describe the significant changes in political ideology over time by exploring Mesopotamian leaders through monumental architecture, art, and ancient inscriptions.

Dr. Clemens Reichel is the ROM's curatorial representative of Mesopotamia: Inventing Our World; Assistant Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, and Associate Curator (Ancient Near East), Department of World Cultures, ROM.

A graduate from the University of London (M.A., 1990) and the University of Chicago (Ph.D., 2001), Dr. Reichel was a Research Associate at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute from 2001 - 2008. He has excavated extensively on sites in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. Since 2004 he has directed the Hamoukar Expedition, a large Late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age site in northeastern Syria, in conjunction with the Syrian Department of Antiquities. Since 1999 he has coordinated the publication of over 15,000 objects, excavated by the Oriental Institute's Diyala Expedition between 1930 and 1938, in an on-line database. Following the Iraq War and subsequent looting of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad in 2003, he organized the creation of an on-line database of artifacts likely to have been stolen from the museum. Dr. Reichel's research interests concentrate on complex societies and the evolution of urbanism. He has a comprehensive background in Sumerian and Akkadian, Mesopotamia's ancient languages written in cuneiform writing. His publications include studies on "text archaeology," the history of writing, ancient warfare, aspects of divine kingship in Mesopotamia, and current threats to Iraq's cultural heritage.

Clemens Reichel's talk is followed by questions from the audience.

Thursday, September 12, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Lions, Temples and Tablets on the Plain of Antioch: Assyrian Imperialism on the Mesopotamian Periphery

Timothy Harrison, Prof Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto

The excavations by the University of Toronto (U of T) at Tell Tayinat, located on the Plain of Antioch in south eastern Turkey, have uncovered the impressive remains of an Assyrian settlement (ca. 8th-7th Cent. BCE), including a temple and a cache of cuneiform tablets, and most recently a citadel gate adorned with spectacular monumental sculptures. Historical sources attest that Tayinat (ancient Kunulua) was destroyed by the great empire builder Tiglath-pileser III in 738 BCE, and then transformed into an Assyrian provincial capital equipped with its own governor and imperial administration. This illustrated lecture highlights the exciting discoveries of the U of T's ongoing excavations at ancient Tayinat, and what they reveal about the nature of Mesopotamia's cultural and historical influence on its ancient Near Eastern neighbours.

Dr. Timothy P. Harrison is Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology, and Chair of the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto. Prior to his 1997 appointment at Toronto, he was a Research Associate at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. He earned his Ph.D in Near Eastern Archaeology from the University of Chicago in 1995, completing a dissertation on the Early Bronze Age in the Highlands of Central Jordan. He has directed excavations at the Bronze and Iron Age site of Tell Madaba, in Jordan, and currently is directing the Tayinat Archaeological Project excavations on the Plain of Antioch in southeastern Turkey. These projects form part of a wider, interregional research effort that seeks to shed light on the early development of urban life and state-ordered society amidst the diverse cultures that have given shape to the eastern Mediterranean world. In addition to his own projects, Dr. Harrison has participated in numerous other excavations and field expeditions in Israel, Jordan and Turkey. In 2007, he was elected President of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR).

Timothy Harrison's talk is followed by questions from the audience.

Thursday, September 26, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

New Light on an Administrative Device from the Dawn of Writing in the Ancient Near East

Dr. Christopher Woods, Professor of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, University of Chicago

Small, unassuming clay balls have come to play a central role in the debate over the origins of writing, having been made famous by Denise Schmandt-Besserat and her theory of the origins of writing. The balls, which range from the size of golf balls to baseballs, are better described as envelopes, as they are hollow and contain small clay artifacts commonly referred to as clay counters, or 'tokens." The envelopes with their associated tokens have been excavated in Iran, Syria, and Iraq, and are contemporaneous with, or slightly earlier than, the first texts (c. 3200 BC). It is thought that the envelopes represented an early administrative device serving, essentially, as receipts for various economic transactions. Schmandt-Besserat connected these early administrative devices directly to the origins of writing in the ancient Near East, arguing that both the numerical and logographic signs of cuneiform evolved out of the earlier token system. A major obstacle in testing this theory and understanding these proto-literate accounting devices has been our inability to easily inspect the contents of the majority of clay envelopes. Major advances in computed tomography (CT) and digital imaging technology have occurred in recent years and it is now possible to determine the exact number of tokens and whether they have markings or not; critical data for understanding their meaning. In collaboration with North Star Imaging of Rogers, MN, a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art industrial CT systems, and Kinetic Vision of Cincinnati, OH, the Oriental Institute is currently scanning and analyzing the clay envelopes excavated from Choga Mish, Iran in the 1960s and early 1970s. In this presentation, Dr. Woods discusses the imaging project, the current state of the ongoing investigation, and initial results.

Dr. Christopher Woods is Professor of Sumerology, Oriental Institute and in the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, University of Chicago.

Christopher Woods' talk is followed by questions from the audience

Thursday, October 10, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

The Royal Cemetery at Ur

Dr. Richard Zettler, Chair, Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania; Associate Curator in Charge, Near East, Penn Museum

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COME

Richard L. Zettler is the Department Chair, Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania; Associate Curator in Charge, Near East, Penn Museum. He is an archaeologist specializing in Mesopotamia. He received his MA and PhD (1984) in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago. He worked at Nippur and Umm al-Hafriyat in southern Iraq, as well as Üç Tepe in the Hamrin or upper Diyala River basin in the late 1970s, and directed excavations at Tell es-Sweyhat on the upper Euphrates in Syria, from 1989-2007. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley in 1985-86 prior to arriving at the University of Pennsylvania in 1986-87. Dr. Zettler is currently working on the publication of the excavations of the temple of Inanna at Nippur, which took place in the 1950s and early 1960s, and his own excavations at Tell es-Sweyhat. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Zettler is Associate Curator-in-Charge of Penn Museum's Near East Section, which houses more than 100,000 artifacts from excavations across the Middle East. He co-curated Penn Museum's Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur, a highly successful traveling exhibit which appeared at venues across the US from 1998-2007. He collaborated on the re-installation of the Museum's collections from the Royal Cemetery of Ur, entitled Iraq's Ancient Past: Rediscovering the Royal Cemetery of Ur.

Richard Zettler's talk is followed by questions from the audience.

Thursday, November 7, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Revealing Meaning in the Art of the Ancient Near East

Dr. Irene Winter, Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts Harvard University

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COME

Dr. Irene Winter received her MA in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago, and her PhD from Columbia University in History of Art and Archaeology. She is currently Boardman Professor of Fine Arts emerita at Harvard University. In 1996-7 she was Slade Professor at Cambridge University; delivered the Flexner Lectures at Bryn Mawr College in 1999; and presented the Andrew H. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts at the National Gallery in Washington DC in Spring 2005. Professor Winter has participated in archaeological excavations at Godin Tepe and Hasanlu, Iran, and at Tell Sakhariyeh, Iraq. She has been awarded numerous fellowships, prizes, medals of distinction and grants throughout her career. Her principal work is on the art and archaeology of the Ancient Near East on topics ranging from ivory carving to royal sculpture and cylinder seals. Two volumes of collected essays, entitled On Art in the Ancient Near East, were published by Brill in 2010. The Mellon lectures will be published as Visual Affect: Aesthetic Experience and Ancient Mesopotamia.

Irene Winter's talk is followed by questions from the audience.

Thursday, November 21, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Foresight, Forecasting, and the Future in Ancient Mesopotamia

Dr. Francesca Rochberg, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Images uncovered from splendid palaces at Nineveh and Nimrud, coupled with vivid accounts in the Bible where Assyria was reviled by the prophet Isaiah, give us something of the face Assyria presented to the outside world. A more behind-the-scenes look at the internal workings of this first of all empires, however, takes us to the systematic institutional implementation of foresight by Assyrian kings. State- sponsored divination by the stars and by the liver of a sacrificial sheep were the techniques employed by kings to know the future and gauge their chances of success. From cuneiform tablets produced by the diviners of the 7th century BCE Assyrian court, we are afforded an intimate look at the Assyrian Empire, and gain insight into the context, practice, and purpose of Assyro-Babylonian divination and its role in the earliest and most fully documented cultivation of foresight.

Francesca Rochberg is the Catherine and William L. Magistretti Distinguished Professor of Near Eastern Studies in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Office for the History of Science and Technology, and the Graduate Group in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently a Senior Fellow of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at NYU. She has also been a Guggenheim Fellow, a Visiting Fellow at Magdalen College, Oxford, and a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. In 1982 she was the recipient of a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship, and in 2008 was elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society Dr. Rochberg has published and lectured widely on Babylonian celestial sciences and produced editions of cuneiform texts that set Babylonian science in various contexts, from cultural to cognitive history.

Francesca Rochberg's talk is followed by questions from the audience.

Wednesday, December 4, 7:00 – 8:00 pm (FRENCH LANGUAGE LECTURE)

Regards de l'historien sur la chute de Babylone en 539 av.J.C

Paul -Alain Beaulieu, Professor, Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COME

Price for Paul-Alain Beaulieu's lecture

General Public: $20.00

Member: $18.00

Student: $14.00

All lectures take place in the Signy and Cléophée Eaton Theatre (except December 4th lecture to take place in RBC Foundation Glass Room).

Tickets are now available:

Individual lectures (other than December 4):

$25 Public/$22 ROM Members/ $18 Students

Special value! Purchase tickets for the series and get one lecture free (six lectures for the price of five)

$125 Public/$110 ROM Members/$90 Students

To register for lectures go to www.rom.on.ca/whatson

Additional information on the full Mesopotamia lecture series may be found here:

http://www.rom.on.ca/en/activities-programs/events-calendar/explore-mesopotamia-lecture-series

Mesopotamia is presented by the British Museum in collaboration with the Royal Ontario Museum.

Program Patron

ANNE Y. LINDSEY

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