Tuesday’s Art Notes

Street artists take part in a demonstration at MASP against a decision of Sao Paulo municipality, which prevents them from performing at Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The City Hall claims that their activity is commercial. Photo by Nelson Antoine/ FotoArena/ LatinContent/ Getty Images

*

Christie’s sold $5 billion of art in 2010, beating its previous sales record set in 2007, via Bloomberg.

*

In Iran, filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been sentenced to six years in prison, and banned from making movies or appearing in the media for the next two decades, via The Washington Post.

*

The National Portrait Gallery has declined a request by AA Bronson to return a photo he took of his partner Felix after the artist announced he wanted to remove it from the “Hide/Seek” exhibit in protest against the museum, via CBC.

*

Another actor in the Broadway version of “Spider-man” was injured Monday night when the safety line broke during an aerial stunt, via The New York Times’ ArtsBeat.

*

After a serious restoration effort, the Metropolitan Museum of Art can confirm that the artist Velasquez himself painted their portrait of Spanish King Philip IV, rather than other artists in his workshop, via The New York Times.

*

BBC profiles a British artist working with Afghans in Kabul to express themselves through street art.

*

The people of Saginaw have all gone to look for America, but lyrics of the famous Simon and Garfunkle song are popping up all over town, via NPR.