Francisco contributed to the BPI 150th anniversary exhibition at the Ayala Museum under Sandy Castro and Nina Baker's direction. He later joined the Lopez Museum as a collection management consultant, working closely with curators Eileen Legaspi Ramirez and Yeyey Cruz to enhance his understanding of Philippine art and curatorial work.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/06/the-sunday-times/arts-awake/art-curator-and-artist-par-excellence/2144170A provocative pink sculpture, known as the 'Foot Fountain (pink)', has been erected in High Line Park, Manhattan, sparking outrage among locals due to its explicit design. The 10-foot-tall installation features a foot at its base with a flesh-colored column and multiple mouths adorned with protruding tongues, prompting shock and disgust from viewers.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14865355/phallic-sculpture-nyc-high-line-feminist-locals-rage.htmlMalaysian artist, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, believes that artists should continually push their boundaries to stay relevant. He notes that "pitik pitik" - those happy accidents - can lead to new discoveries and innovative techniques. According to Tong, the Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi," which celebrates imperfection, also supports the idea that embracing mistakes can be a catalyst for growth.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/06/the-sunday-times/arts-awake/lito-ballaran-an-artist-who-wears-many-hats/2144171Most working artists face financial instability due to the lack of employer-subsidized insurance in the music industry. Pop phenom Chappell Roan highlighted this issue at the Grammys, sharing her own experience being dropped from a label and going uninsured. Glam punk pioneer David Johansen's death after starting a GoFundMe for cancer treatment raised awareness about the need for long-term solutions. Music Health Alliance founder Tatum Hauck-Allsep emphasizes that crowdsourcing is only a temporary fix, while Alligator Records head Bruce Iglauer notes that artists are self-employed and not entitled to weekly paychecks. Smaller labels like Pravda Records face thin margins, making it financially impossible for them to provide insurance due to rising manufacturing costs and declining physical sales.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/nation/in-already-precarious-industry-us-musicians-struggle-for-health-care/article_6a7bd7f5-00fb-5e25-a93a-52c538830751.htmlThe K-Drama "Our Movie" has received widespread acclaim from the internet, with fans praising it as a work of art. The drama, starring Namgoong Min and Jeon Yeo-been, has been hailed for its storytelling and performances. Fans have taken to social media to express their admiration for the show, with many considering it a masterpiece.
https://www.livemint.com/entertainment/our-movie-internet-hails-namgoong-min-jeon-yeo-beens-k-drama-fans-say-this-is-a-work-of-art-11751746412438.htmlThe Sofia International Film Festival has successfully organized an event outside of its usual location, with organizers receiving praise from Todorov and President Petar Stoyanov for their efforts. The ceremony featured artists, actors, directors, and film enthusiasts, highlighting the festival's growing reputation in the country.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/kultura-art/983854-milko-lazarov-s-herd-triumphs-with-the-grand-prize-at-the-sveti-vlas-film-festThe St. Croix Watershed Research Station is hosting a residency program for four artists, including Kristine Murphy, Natalie Deam and Zoë Fay Stindt, and Haley Prochnow. The program provides a weekly stipend, travel support, and access to the research station's cabin and resources at the Science Museum of Minnesota, J.W.D. Dunn Research Library, and collections vault. In exchange for their participation, the artists will donate an original work developed during the residency to the museum, with donated works from 2003 through 2024 on display.
https://www.twincities.com/2025/07/06/new-artists-at-pine-needles-include-an-illustrator-a-mapmaker-and-a-storyteller/The Australian Design Centre in Darlinghurst has lost federal and state funding, leaving it with a $200,000 deficit. The centre, which supports artisans and designers since 1964, is now facing financial uncertainty after being recommended for funding by peer assessors but missing out on the four-year operational grant. Director Lisa Cahill described the situation as "do or die," urging its 30,000 social media followers to donate $100 each to keep the centre afloat.
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/we-got-nothing-axe-falls-on-galleries-and-the-state-s-only-design-centre-20250701-p5mbno.htmlIn Hiroshima, Japan, students at Motomachi High School have created 15 new artworks using survivors' testimonies to commemorate the atomic bombing of August 1945. The artworks include a painting of Masaki Hironaka with his mother after the devastation, as well as pieces depicting scorched soldiers and a horror-stricken girl surrounded by flames, highlighting the lasting impact of the tragedy on younger generations.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/07/world/asia-oceania/hiroshima-teens-relay-atom-bomb-horror-with-art/2144245