Wednesday's Art Notes

_After three decades of restoration, the Greek government has removed the last blocks of scaffolding from the Parthenon,_ "reports Artinfo":http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/34790/clean-as-a-whistle-the-parthenon-drops-its-scaffold/. _For the first time since 1983, visitors can see the full ancient temple. Photo by Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images._ * Former Beatle Paul McCartney "visited Washington on Tuesday":http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/01/AR2010060103363.html to receive the Library of Congress "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song,":http://www.loc.gov/about/awardshonors/gershwin/ which "celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding." Here's what McCartney had to say: * Patrick Stewart joined Sir Paul McCartney into the knighthood on Wednesday. The actor "officially became Sir Patrick Stewart":http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_PEOPLE_PATRICK_STEWART?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-06-02-08-57-49 when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Jeffrey Brown "talked to Stewart":http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2010/04/conversation-sir-patrick-stewart-stars-in-hamlet-tonight-on-pbs.html in April. * England's "stately homes" are being targeted by gangs who are stealing important porcelain pieces, "reports the Art Newspaper":http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Porcelain-robbers-target-historic-houses/20908. There gave been at least 21 major cases in the past three years. * After assessing screams from more than 100 movies, researchers found that filmmakers use "chaotic, unpredictable sounds to evoke particular emotions." Scientists were hoping to get a better understanding of how fear is expressed by exploring the use of such dissonant, harsh sounds in film, "reports Wired Science":http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/05/why-screams-in-horror-movies-are-scarier/.