You might have wondered where artists like Marina Abramovic go to have their large installations made. One source is a fabrication company located outside of Madrid, Spain. Called Factum Arte, it was founded in 2001 and has created large-scale installation works for artists like El Anatsui and Jenny Holzer. There are other fabricators around the world as well, like Prototype New York in Long Island City, Mike Smith Studio and MDM Props, in London, and Carlson & CO in San Fernando, California.

The Guardian discusses the fate of lost, destroyed or stolen masterpieces around the world, with the provocative headline "Lost, stolen, blown up and fed to pigs". They write about specific works that are missing, their history, and where they could possibly be found.

A video made in 2016 introduces us to the possibilities conjured by Google for uses of the reams of data they collect from all of us. The chilling implications include affecting the behavior of large populations. Titled "The Selfish Ledger", the film begins with the concept of Lamarckian epigenetics and then proceeds to look at how Google-collected data could motivate us to set goals, suggest that we purchase locally-grown produce, or focus on environmentally friendly choices.

Apparently Whistler's Mother may not have been about his Mother, or motherhood, at all. An exhaustive new study of the artist and the painting concludes that the subject matter was actually the technical challenge of using tones of gray and black so that they could be read in half light. Whistler, it appears, had not the slightest interest in portraiture, so he would have found it ironic that a study in color and volumes came to be known as a portrait of his mother.

A fascinating installation called the "Rain Room" has intrigued visitors to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, MOMA in New York, and London't Barbican Centre. Now the recycled raindrops have found a permanent home at al majarrah park in the United Arab Emirates, courtesy of the sharjah art foundation. Self-cleaning filters and reused water make this project earth friendly.

From now until mid-September, the Belgian city of Bruges will be hosting public art installations. 15 architects and artists have used the theme "liquid city" to create innovative projects, including this organic floating paviliion right on the water's edge. It was created by the Spanish architectural firm Selgascano, who used hot pink and orange semi-translucent walls to build a peaceful resting spot for visitors.

Architects and engineers are working at Innovation Imperative to create an unusual hotel. Made of concrete pods, the hotel is meant for remote locations. The proposed building will take advantage of local materials and will be constructed onsite. Being considered are places like Cape Verde, Andorra, and New Zealand.

Five architectual buildings that appear to move in space are the subject of this article in dezeen. Be sure to scroll down and see the Dancing Towers in Seoul created by Studio Daniel Libeskind.

Their collection has been described as "boisterous" and "controversial", but there is no doubt that Corina and Max Krawinkel have been buying large and lively pieces. Concentrating on the work of West German artists, the pair lives with what they love rather than putting the pieces in storage elsewhere. In Corina's words, "My taste hasn't changed; I was always inspired by radical artists".

Frans Oomen began collecting by acquiring editions. That interest became a passion, as he feels that art doesn't have to be expensive to be beautiful. Oomen is a visual arts teacher at the College of Education in Haarlem. He also runs an online gallery, so that he can raise funds to buy more work.

Were you to visit Tulum, you would find yourself at the site of a former Mayan walled city on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. There, the great grandson of Peggy Guggenheim has opened an unusual gallery with wave-like walls and undulating floors. Called 1K Lab, its elaborate organic shape uses locally-found wood, cement, and natural light. Furniture in the gallery is made of cement as well. Be sure to browse through the slide show; this gallery is anything but ordinary.

c. Corinne Whitaker 2018