– North Korean Art Comes to Vienna: In the show at the city's Museum of Applied Art, pictures of happy farmers, "well-nourished children," and other unlikely fascist subjects abound. "A cotton-candy palette predominates in the eerily upbeat paintings, whose high technical proficiency is matched by a severely limited range of subjects." [NYT] 

– Adams Authentication Kerfuffle Continues: PhotographerPatrick Alt, who is working to authenticate the contested Ansel Adamsnegatives, now says that Rick Norsigian's claim that his negatives are worth $200 million is "the biggest bunch of crap I've heardin my life." [LAT]

– Sound-Art Smackdown: Art People, submit sounds that you'veused in installations in galleries and museums over the past fiveyears to blogger Paddy Johnson for a DJ battle record! [Art Fag City]

– From Franco to Franzen: New York magazine book critic Sam Anderson has followed up his latria to cryptoartist James Franco with a review of Jonathan Franzen's new book, "Freedom," which Anderson writes is a "work of total genius." Word count? It's 1326 versus Franco's 6499. [NYM]

– "A Living, Breathing Work of Art": Speaking of Franco, the Los Angeles Times isthe latest publication to take a good, long look at the life of this hero of our time, thetelevision star turned art-world royalty. [LAT]

– A Quieter Festival?: The Edinburgh International Festival faces major cuts in government funding next year, up to 10 or 15 percent. [Herald Scotland]

– When is an Adams Not an Adams?: With all of thissummer's attribution debates and lost masterpieces being pulled out ofthe basement, the Wall Street Journal asks what is in a name. An AnselAdams is an Ansel Adams is an Ansel Adams, unless it's not. [WSJ]

– The Sons and Daughters of Hirst and Emin: The new YBA's are distinguished from their forbears by a "whiff of the rock star" and about a million other things. [Independent]

– Shirley Thomson, Former Director of the National Gallery of Canada, Has Died: At the institution's helm for 10 years, she presented shows that ranged from Degas to "Egyptomania." [ArtDaily]

– Jonathan Jones of the Day: Of "Picasso: The Mediterranean Years" the critic writes: "A less enticing title mighthave been Picasso: The Retirement Years. I kept thinking of MarlonBrando playing with his grandson in the garden in "The Godfather" – thefearsome old Don putting orange peel in his mouth to entertain a child,a Picasso-like visual game if ever there was one." [Guardian]

– VIDEO OF THE DAY: Chuck Close Takes to the "Colbert Report" [Colbert Nation]