Hawking objects to be auctioned

AP Exclusive: Stephen Hawking Wheelchair, Thesis for Sale

By JILL LAWLESS

Associated press

Monday, October 22

LONDON (AP) – Stephen Hawking was a cosmic visionary, inspirational figure and global celebrity.

Its unique status is reflected in an imminent auction of some of the physicist's property: it includes complex scientific articles, one of the world's most iconic armchairs and a script from The Simpsons.

The online auction announced Monday by auctioneer Christie's includes 22 Hawking articles, including his doctoral dissertation on the origins of the universe, some of his many awards and scientific articles such as "Spectrum of Wormholes" and "Fundamental Breakdown of Physics in Gravitational Collapse". . "

Thomas Venning, head of books and manuscripts at Christie's, said newspapers "trace the evolution of his thinking – this brilliant and electrifying intelligence."

"You can see each breakthrough as it has been produced and presented to the scientific community," Venning said.

Of course, Hawking's reputation is only partly based on his scientific status as a cosmologist who has black holes on the map.

Diagnosed with motor neuron disease at age 22 and having only a few years to live, he survived for decades before dying in March at age 76.

The auction includes one of five copies of the Cambridge University Ph.D. program, published in 1965 by Hawking. thesis entitled "Properties of Expanding Universes", which is priced between 100,000 and 150,000 books (130,000 to 195,000 dollars).

Venning said that the thesis, signed by Hawking in a writing made fragile by his illness, was both a key document in the scientific evolution of the physicist and a glimpse into his personal history.

"He was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) as he was coming to Cambridge to begin his Ph.D. studies, said Venning. "He dropped out of school for a while because he was so discouraged.

The thesis "was the fruit of his reapplication to his scientific work," said Venning, and Hawking "kept him at his side until the end of his days."

The illness eventually left Hawking almost completely paralyzed. He communicated through a voice-activated computer and installed a series of high-tech wheelchairs. One is included in the sale, with an estimated price of $ 13,000 to $ 19,500 (10,000 to 15,000 pounds). Proceeds from this sale will go to two charitable organizations, the Stephen Hawking Foundation and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Venning said that the wheelchair had become a symbol not only of disability, but also of Hawking's "sense of humor". He had already run under Prince Charles' feet – and would have joked that he would like to do the same with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – and appeared in a skit "Monty Python" describing physicist Brian Cox.

Venning said that Hawking "considered himself very much a scientist before being a popular communicator", but he accepted and even appreciated his celebrity status. He has appeared many times in the animated comedy show "The Simpsons" and has kept a figurine of himself in the show of his office.

The sale includes a script from one of Hawking's "Simpson" appearances, a copy of his bestseller "A Brief History of Time," signed with a thumbprint, and a custom jacket that has been worn in a documentary.

Hawking's daughter, Lucy, said the sale had given "admirers of her work the chance to get a souvenir of our father's extraordinary life in the form of a small selection of evocative and fascinating articles."

Hawking's children hope to preserve their scientific archives for the nation. Christie's is negotiating to hand it over to the UK authorities instead of the estate tax.

The articles – part of a scientific sale including articles by Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein – will be on display in London for several days starting October 30th. The auction is open to applications between October 31 and November 8.

Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

The conversation

Banksy and the tradition of destroying art

October 19, 2018

Author: Preminda Jacob, Associate Professor of Art History and Museum Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Statement: Preminda Jacob does not work for, do not consult, does not own shares and does not receive funding from any company or organization that may benefit from this article, and has not revealed any affiliation outside their academic term.

Partners: The University of Maryland, Baltimore County, provides funding as a member of The US Conversation.

When the British street artist Banksy shredded his "Girl With Balloon" after buying $ 1.4 million at Sotheby's, did he know how the art world would react?

Did he expect the critics to claim that the work, in its partially shredded state, would reach at least $ 2 million? That the buyer would not oppose and rejoice instead?

We have no way of really knowing, although the famous anonymous artist suggested that the shredder had malfunctioned: the painting had to be completely shredded, not partially destroyed.

As an art historian, I consider his act in a broader context – as the latest example of artists using guerrilla tactics to denounce their disdain for critics, merchants, gallerists and museum curators they depend on to live.

In shredding "Girl With Balloon", Banksy seems to indicate a central absurdity according to which her art of graffiti is treated like an art. When he appears on the streets of the city, anybody can vandalize him. now that the same images are in galleries and auction houses, they must be handled with white gloves.

But, as he may know, the art market is far too rich and adaptable to be destroyed by a shredder.

In fact, we have seen the same pattern repeat itself over and over again: an artist will launch a scathing critique and instead of being offended, the market just tightens his embrace.

The many versions of subversion

Some of Banksy's best-known subversive artistic predecessors were part of the dada movement of the early twentieth century. One of their main strategies was to deny marketable goods to the market.

The Franco-American artist Marcel Duchamp is perhaps the best known dadaist. In 1917, his "fountain", a urinal placed on his back and mounted on a pedestal, was his first volley against the intellectual claims of the art market on art.

Duchamp wanted to force the world of art to recognize that his judgments on quality were based on hype and money, not on artistic innovation.

However, years later, Duchamp admitted the futility of his gesture.

"I threw … the urinal on their faces as a challenge," he lamented, "and now they admire [it] for [its] aesthetic beauty. "

In 1920, Francis Picabia, a Franco-Cuban dadaist, will follow Duchamp's initiative and take part in a show aimed at provoking the world of French art.

Before a Parisian audience gathered at the Palais des Fêtes, Picabia unveiled a chalk drawing entitled "Rice in the Nose". The friend of the artist, André Breton, one of the hosts of the event, then erased the drawing. The work lasted only a few hours and is now lost to the story. The title of the book, it was noted, sounds too similar to "laughing in the nose" to be a coincidence.

In 1953, Robert Rauschenberg, then a burgeoning American artist, had the courage to ask one of his drawings for one of his abstract expressionists, Willem de Kooning. Rauschenberg did not talk much about Kooning, but only about his intention to use it for an unusual project. Although Kooning disapproved, he nodded.

After receiving his present, Rauschenberg carefully erased, for a month, all traces of the pencil drawing, charcoal and pencil that Kooning had put to paper.

Rauschenberg then renamed the work, which is now preserved in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Art, "Erased of Kooning Drawing".

Jean Tinguely's self-destructive book, Homage to New York (1960), is probably the closest parallel to the Banksy waterfall. Made from scrap metal found in New Jersey garbage dumps, this massive work – 27 feet high and 23 feet long – was supposed to be a mechanical display device, much like a Rube Goldberg machine.

The piece was installed in the sculpture garden of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Collectors Walter Arensberg and John D. Rockefeller III, as well as artists John Cage, Mark Rothko and Robert Rauschenberg attended the show.

Tinguely briefly puts the piece in motion – then it ignites.

The Museum of Modern Art describes the scene:

"… A weather balloon was inflated and burst, colored smoke was unloaded, paints were painted and destroyed, and bottles crashed to the ground. A player's piano, metal drums, a radio show, a recording of the artist explaining his work and a competing high-pitched voice correcting him provided the cacophonous sound track to the self-destruction of the machine – until the fire department stops him short. "

Aside from a fragment of Tinguely's "Homage" in the MoMA collection, there are only a few jerky film sequences left.

A few black and white film sequences captured "Homeage to New York" before disappearing forever.

It's hard to imagine that someone surpasses Tinguely's sound and light show.

But in 2001, Michael Landy of the group Young British Artists orchestrated the work "The art as destruction" the most complete to date.

Entitled "Break Down," Landy placed objects on a conveyor belt that ended up in a machine that was spraying them. In doing so, he destroyed all his belongings – 7,227 pieces – including his own paintings and the art of his Young British Artist peers.

Guerrillas in the middle

These acts of destruction are motivated by the same impulse.

By the end of the 19th century, art production was largely free of church or state support, and artists turned to powerful art dealers to earn a living.

But many found that the radical and critical aspect of the artistic act was seriously compromised – or totally erased – when the most well-known feature of a work became the dollar sign attached to it.

For many, the market symbolized nothing more than a void.

With the urban street as a studio and the insurgency as part of its artistic mission, Banksy's graffiti often criticize institutions such as the art museum and official figures such as the police and the Queen of England.

Although the market value of his work has soared in recent years, Banksy continues to paint images in public spaces making conservation almost impossible – and even inviting theft or degradation.

Nevertheless, as a guerrilla theater, Banksy's recent act will be hard to beat. It is certainly his most subversive and penetrating public incursion into the elite market.

But despite all his criticisms, the question continues to hurt: Banksy is he complicit with the art market? The very society that it undermines, which feeds on show, has made it famous and its art extremely profitable.

Following the First World War, Dadaist artists used to shock their audience by wantonly destroying their own artistic creations. The public quickly learned to encourage and detach them from the attack that the artists were actively engaged in their sensitivity.

A century later, at Sotheby's, the initial shock of a jagged "Balloon Girl" quickly dissipated. The hype has only grown. The market is adapted.

Sotheby's has since issued a statement declaring that the play – renamed "Love is in the Bin" – is "the first work of history to have been created live at an auction".

comments

Terrence Treft: thanks for the interesting article. in the case of rauschenberg, he destroyed the kooning to do his own work, but from tinguely and banks, the "destruction" was an original aspect of the work itself and its design. otherwise, the works would be incomplete, like a missing brushstroke, but on a larger scale. in fact, the banky is not even destroyed, it is intensifying, becoming more relevant and more valuable. Banksy now says that the shredder went wrong, unlike the studio rehearsals, when the paper was completely shredded. a happy coincidence, for the new owner. but there must have been some connivance in this piece, because sotheby undoubtedly noticed the unusual case of the frame and its weight. even viewers would have noticed standing in front of the wall.

Bob Bruce: It goes without saying that the purpose of destroying the artwork auction is the result of secondary sales that do not cause any harm to the creator. Works of art should be the subject of a percentage of continuing benefits for the artist. A simple markup corrects what is wrong.

AG DeWine, Prevention of Blindness, Council of Eye Care Professionals in Ohio: Warning Against Dangerous Contact with Cosmetics

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, an Ohio affiliate for Prevent Blindness, and the Ohio Vision Professionals Board have teamed up to warn consumers of the dangers of wearing contact lenses Decorative No Prescription Valid this Halloween Season.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 45 million people in the United States wear contact lenses. Many consumers may be unaware that contact lenses are medical devices and are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the Federal Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act. In addition, the FDA states that contact lenses are not over-the-counter devices and that the companies that sell them as such do not do so properly and violate the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by selling contact lenses without a valid prescription.

"Wearing non-prescription contacts could cause eye damage," said Attorney General DeWine. "Nonprofit contacts can add creativity to a costume or bring some convenience to the person's routine, but they can also cause serious harm. I encourage consumers to buy contacts from an approved eye care professional. Your view is too important to risk using over-the-counter contacts. "

The Ohio Vision Professionals Board warns that cosmetic contacts can be sold illegally online – including on Craigslist or, more recently, via Facebook – or in costume stores, tattoo parlors, beauty shops, beauty salons, and beauty salons. truck stops, wig shops, gas stations, or savings stores.

Kathleen Eagan, Executive Director of the Ohio Vision Professionals Board, said, "The Ohio Vision Professionals Board takes the risks associated with the purchase of over-the-counter contact lenses very seriously. We are proud to collaborate with Prevent Blindness in efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal contact sales, without the benefit of professional assessment and education on the proper care and wearing of contact lenses. . If you are aware of the distribution of illegal contacts, we encourage you to inform the Council of Vision Professionals. "

Contact lenses are a good option for many as an alternative to glasses. However, the use of contact lenses also increases the risk of infections. Causes may include sleeping in non-ophthalmologist-approved lenses, not cleaning lenses or lens cases properly, sharing lenses, or wearing contact lenses during water activities.

Poorly fitting lenses can cause eye pain, bacterial infections and corneal ulcers. One study found that wearing decorative lenses increased the risk of developing keratitis, a potentially blinding infection that caused an eye ulcer. This increased risk was 16 times more likely than corrective lenses ("regular").

"It can be tempting to create a unique look for Halloween or other social events by changing the look of your eyes. But beware that the use of cosmetic contact lenses to which you have access without a prescription or borrowed from someone else causes you problems. Infections, scars and even blindness can result, "said Sherry Williams, President and CEO of The Ohio Affiliate, Prevent Blindness.

"I have seen many young patients who were not aware of the dangers of these products and who are now living with permanent vision loss," said Thomas L. Steinemann, professor of ophthalmology at MetroHealth Medical Center at Case Western Reserve University. Voluntary prevention of blindness. "Even if the lenses are cosmetic or non-corrective, they remain classified as medical devices and should only be prescribed by an eye care professional."

Prevent Blindness offers the following safety tips for cosmetic contact lenses

• Always visit a licensed eye care professional to wear cosmetic contact lenses.
• Never buy contact lenses without a prescription.
• Always clean and disinfect contact lenses according to the instructions.
• Always use cosmetics that are water soluble or labeled as safe for contact lenses. Do not apply skin cream or moisturizer too close to the eyes.
• Never wear opaque lenses if you have night vision problems.
• Never share or exchange your contact lenses with anyone.
• Seek immediate medical attention and remove contact lenses if your eyes are red or if you feel pain or continuous discharge. Watch for the appearance of your children or teens. If they are wearing cosmetic contacts, ask them where they got them.

The non-profit group has a dedicated web page with free information.

Attorney General DeWine encourages Ohioians to report illegal contact lens sales to the Ohio Vision Professionals Board at 614-466-9709. As a US Senator, DeWine sponsored legislation that requires consumers to obtain a prescription from a licensed professional for the purchase of contact lenses, including corrective lenses and non-corrective lenses.

AAA urges legislators to make Ohio's roads safer

House Bill 293 to save lives by modernizing the driver licensing system for young drivers in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (October 18, 2018) – Road crashes remain the leading cause of death among teens and the problem is worsening. Adolescent accident rates continue to rise in Ohio, putting everyone at risk. In anticipation of Teen Driver Safety Week (October 21-27), the AAA is encouraging lawmakers to enact important legislation that will save lives and make Ohio's roads safer by modernizing the licensing system. drive young drivers from Ohio.

A series of press events and rallies are taking place today in Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus to support this cause. The Columbus event will take place at 10:00 am at the Ohio Statehouse in the Senate Press Room.

"Parents rely on the driver licensing system of young state drivers to guide them, as well as their children, in the process of learning to drive, but the young driver's license system Our state's drivers fail for families, "said Kellie O. Riordan, head of the road safety program at AAA Ohio. . "He did not follow the latest research on teen driver accidents and how to prevent them."

The epidemic of collisions among teenagers in Ohio:

• The number of people killed or injured in crashes involving teenage drivers in Ohio has increased by 15% in just two years. In 2017, 116 teenagers died in road accidents in Ohio. New teenage drivers aged 16 to 17 are three times more likely than adults to be involved in a fatal crash.
• This is a problem for everyone because the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has discovered that two-thirds of those injured or killed in crashes involving teen drivers are people other than the teen driver.
• Inexperience accounts for a large number of teenage crashes. Night driving is particularly dangerous for these young novice drivers.

The solution:

• Bill 293, sponsored by Rep. Gary Scherer (right) and Rep. Michael Sheehy (right), proposes to make roads in Ohio safer for all drivers by offering teens more 'experience. More specifically, the bill:
• Make sure teens gain year-round driving experience with an adult to guide them when obtaining a year-long learner's license. .
• Encourage young, novice drivers to drive at night with an adult driver to ensure their safety, by introducing night driving protection for newly licensed teen drivers by 10 pm instead of midnight.
• The protection of night driving is not a curfew. Newly licensed young drivers can still drive after 22 hours in the presence of an adult. The bill also provides for exemptions for new licensed drivers leading to work, school or religious activities after 22 hours.

A new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study confirms the importance of an adult driver to guide young, novice drivers. The study found that when a teenage driver only has teenage passengers in his vehicle, the death rate increases by 51%. By contrast, when older passengers (aged 35 or older) drive with an adolescent driver, the overall fatality rate for accidents decreased by 8%.

Support for change:

"The increased practical experience offered by HB 293 will help new drivers develop driving skills, improve their ability to assess traffic and become better defensive drivers," said Susan Hans, President of PTA from Ohio. "We think parents are very supportive of an extra driving experience to keep teens safe."

A 2013 AAA survey found that 90% of Ohio parents with teenagers favored late lunchtime. night driving protection. After the promulgation of a 12-month North Carolina apprenticeship permit, 95% of parents surveyed said 12 months was fair or not long enough.

H.B. 293 members of the Transportation and Public Safety Committee of Ohio House voted on February 28, 2018 and were waiting for a vote in the House. The bill must be passed by the House and Senate by the end of the year to become law.

A coalition of more than 50 organizations, including AAA, the insurance industry, law enforcement, hospitals, teens and the Association of Teachers and Parents, urges lawmakers to take action. The bill has no known opponents.

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