The Park Avenue Armory has received a gift of $65 million from the The Thompson Family Foundation, bringing the total amount of money given by the foundation to the institution to a total of $129 million over the past years.  The Foundation, set up to honor the memory of businessman Wade Thompson, has long been a staunch supporter of the Armory.  “He passionately believed that the Armory should be rescued as one of the country’s most important landmarks,” says his widow, Angela Thompson. (more…)

Artists Elmgreen and Dragset will install a commissioned sculpture on the High Line next month, a “dysfunctional” telescope that plays on lines of site for New York landmarks.  “The telescope will be located at a point where it is possible to see with the naked eye landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty,” Elmgreen says. “It is an oversized black structure with very thin legs; it looks a little like an insect.” (more…)

The dispute over the movement of Picasso’s Le Tricorne tapestry from the Four Seasons restaurant in New York has resulted in a lawsuit, filed by the Landmarks Conservancy (which owns the piece), in an attempt to prevent any movement that could damage or destroy the work.  “We’re just trying to do our duty and trying to keep a lovely interior landmark intact,” says Peg Breen, president of the conservancy. (more…)

The construction of an enormous tower next door to the Art Students League has raised fierce debate among members and supporters of the institution.  The soon to be built Extell Building will stand as one of the tallest buildings in the world, with several cantilevered segments hanging over the school, for which developers will pay the organization $31 million.  While many at the Art Students League are eager to accept the money, others worry about rushing into a deal that may ultimately endanger the school’s future.  “The League is too beautiful and too venerable to be messed with like this,” says member Beth Karts. “Some things in this world, like the League, are worth a lot more than money.” (more…)