On Artnet Elizabeth Kley has a tour of the seemingly endless series of summer shows in New York, many of them of the group variety.

The Blog of Innocence considers appropriation in art.

The LAT's reports some major LA galleries are expanding.

Last Friday the Oregonian pointed to the growing bills over the Columbia River Crossing. The Oregonian's coverage of this and other major design and planning projects is hobbled because they lack an architecture/design critic. For example, the biggest problem with the CRC so far is that this current design is "design by committee" and it is clear the complicated design is just beyond their abilities. To be frank the the current design is an embarrassment. Because this is a super complex project it requires a major architect who can innovate. Instead of focusing on "innovation" committees tend to study and spend money money on more studies. Right now there is a lot of 3rd rate thinking and design assosciated with the CRC and it's costing way more than getting somebody truly talented would. Questions: Why are all the designs for this thing coming out of Washington State? Why are they so gawd-awful? I'll keep harping on it but we need a major architect to save this badly needed and sadly mismanaged CRC project.

The CRC project is a joke. We're gonna end up with just another Glenn Jackson Bridge (I-205 bridge between WA and OR), and possibly even worse.