– George Lucas, Video Artist?: The Star Wars director told the New York Times Magazine that he plans to retire and make "experimental films" — non-narrative short films and visual collages. But, as Time points out, Lucas has been parroting that line for years now, and "the closest he’s come to 'experimental' is the dialogue in the Star Wars prequels." [Time]

– Hirst Forger Behind Bars: The real estate broker and amateur art dealer Richard Silver will go to jail for 60 days for knowingly selling 10 fake Damien Hirst “Spot” prints to a British art dealer, and forging bogus appraisals to clinch the deal. He pleaded guilty, if you recall, on opening day of Hirst’s worldwide global spot exhibition. [NYPost]

– Former Met Curator Honored by France: Gary Tinterow, who recently left his job as curator of 19th century, modern, and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum to become the next director of Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, has been appointed to the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, joining Meryl Streep, Paul Auster, and Robert Redford in one of France’s highest cultural honor societies. [CultureMap] 

– Sterling Ruby Leaving Pace: The L.A. artist, who joined Pace Gallery two years ago and was a cornerstone in its contemporary program, has "parted ways" with the gallery. [Baer Faxt]

– Darwin's Fossil Collection Reemerges After 150 Years: Dr. Howard Falcon-Lang stumbled across the wooden cabinet containing the fossils in a "gloomy corner" of the British Geological Survey. Collected by Darwin and his entourage, the 314 specimen slides he found include those gathered by the scientist during his expedition on HMS Beagle, which laid the foundation for his subsequent work on evolution. [HuffPo]

– Green Light for Paris's Revamped Grand Palais: The RMN-GP, the French state's body managing public museums, has accepted a restoration plan destined to turn the Grand Palais into a prestigious cultural showcase. The total cost is estimated at €236 million ($301 million). [Artclair]

– MAM Gets $1 Million for Contemporary Art: The Miami Foundation's Helena Rubinstein Philanthropic Fund has donated a $1 million challenge grant for contemporary acquisitions at the Miami Art Museum. The donation comes a month after wealthy developer Jorge Perez controversially won naming rights to the museum with a $35 million gift. [Press Release]

– Game On: The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s highly anticipated exhibition exploring the art of video games will travel to several sites across the country, including Yonkers, Seattle, Boca Raton, and Memphis. It opens in D.C. on March 16 and will focus on the evolution of graphics and storytelling in 80 games, from Atari to PlayStation 3. [HuffPo]

– “Debt Free” Folk Art Museum Faces the Future: The embattled American Folk Art Museum now reports its financial situation is “reasonably secure.” The debt-riddled institution has been buoyed by more than $3.5 million in contributions and pledges since it sold its main building to the Museum of Modern Art last year for $31.2 million. Its first show at its smaller Lincoln Square location is on view now. [BusinessWeek]

– Pick Your Favorite Romney Portrait: Yes, there’s more than one. In the Massachusetts governor’s official portrait, he awkwardly perches next to a framed photo of his wife, while in another on view at Brigham Young University, he appears to be flanked by images of the end times. [Gawker]

– Eyes on the Middle East: Work by Arab artists is attracting more attention than ever, and record prices at auction. “There’s an appetite to understand the context of the uprisings, and there’s a real flourishing of work that’s more edgy,” said the London-based dealer of Arab art Reedah El-Saie. [Guardian] 

– R.I.P. Damien Hirst?: The Village Voice's Christian Viveros-Faune has announced the British artist's death. It occurred last Thursday, January 12, "following complications from acute diverticulitis brought on by a swinishly speculative, grossly cynical, intellectually constipated effort to pinch out 11 concurrent exhibitions of rehashed expensive crap." But fans, rest reassured: Hirst is alive and well — and ready to shove more spots down your throat at Tate Modern next April. [Village Voice]

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