The Guggenheim Foundation has announced its appointment of its fifth director since its inception in 1937, former Director of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Richard Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong also spent 11 years at New York's Whitney Museum. He will have vast reach over the art world in his new position, as he controls both the Guggenheim Museum and its foundation, as well as Guggenheim institutions in the leading art capitals of Venice, Bilbao, Berlin and soon enough, Abu Dhabi (the Guggenheim Museum will open there in 2013).

The 89th and 5th fixture has recently undergone a $29 million restoration, just in time for Armstrong's arrival. He starts in November.

I simply LOVE this collection of jewelry! Aptly named Restoration Rocks, each piece contains fragments of Frank Lloyd Wright's historic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum that were set aside and saved during the 2007 restoration process. In the hands of jeweler Cara Tilker the little bits of concrete become wearable works of art that, due to the very nature of the material, are each individually unique and in limited edition. The collection is made of sterling silver and crystal clear acrylic, but a few of the pieces are also available in 14K gold by special order. Prices range from $125 - $4,350.

Via psfk

For a brief shining moment it looked like art was going to be the next big thing in Las Vegas casinos, soon there will be only Las Vegas Strip museum now (the gallery in the Bellagio) that the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in the Venetian is set to close on May 11. In 2001, the Guggenheim opened two Las Vegas museums designed by Rem Koolhaas: the Guggenheim Las Vegas and the Guggenheim Hermitage. The Guggenheim Las Vegas closed 15 months later after one showy exhibit dedicated to the Art of the Motorcycle. The Guggenheim Hermitage was a partnership between the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Guggeenheim Heritage saw shows by Lichtenstein, Johns, Oldenburg, Rauschenberg, Wesselmann, Beckmann, Degas, Picasso, Rubens, Miro, Chagall, Bonnard, Kandinsky, Modigliani and Klee but some say that the New York Guggenheim did not do all it could to help their Las Vegas outpost stay afloat. Others say that even with more exhibits the Guggenheim Hermitage struggled to create community interest. If you want to check out the museum, now is the time, they are offering free admission until the museum closes.

[Thanks, Lana]

I have been steadily watching Abu Dhabi in the United Emirates as it emerges onto the world stage, transitioning toward a Dubai-like opulence. The latest move for Abu Dhabi is the announcement that the Guggenheim Foundation will create a new museum  there for modern and contemporary art. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be designed by Frank Gehry.  It will be the only Guggenheim in the region and the largest worldwide. It is expected to be completed in 2011 and will be built on Saadiyat Island.