Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 20h

Ming Fay is the artist! www.mta.info/agency/arts-...

Shad Crossing, Delancey Orchard

www.mta.info

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Reposted by Jen Bekman

old roadside pics @roadside.xor.blue · 4d

paramount theater, oakland, california, 1978

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 8d

A deluge of Burning Man art for the streets of San Francisco. Very on brand for the unfortunate aesthetics (and politics) of its AI boom.

Sarah Hotchkiss @sahotchkiss.bsky.social · 8d

Here's my commentary piece on the Big Art Loop, and what it means to hand our public space over to a billionaire and his choice of 100 pieces of existing, large-scale art.

And for god's sake: Send your opinions to the agencies/nonprofit/org involved, not to me!

www.kqed.org/arts/1398217...

Who Has a Say In the Flood of Public Art Coming to San Francisco?

The Sijbrandij Foundation’s plan to install 100 pieces of large-scale art around the city needs public oversight.

www.kqed.org

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 8d

Thank you for writing this.

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Reposted by Jen Bekman

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 8d

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations after federal cuts

Thirty paintings by Bob Ross are set to be auctioned to support public television stations

abcnews.go.com

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 14d

Wild, on so many levels.

gregorg @greg.org · 15d

Thanks to John Vincler's IG post, I went through Ron Perelman's failed fire insurance lawsuit and pulled out some buck wild condition reports for the five invisibly damaged paintings he wanted $410 million for. Here's the Twombly, for example greg.org/archive/2025...

one page of a court filing of a condition report for a 1971 cy twombly painting, the kind that would normally get called a blackboard painting, full of rows of loops, but this one is on a white ground, and yet ron perelman, its owner, never refers to it as a whiteboard painting. he says it's a masterpiece, in which case, cy twombly, who i admire greatly, had to have made hundreds of masterpieces, because this one seems fine. except it's inundated here with notations of various anomalies and damage sites and condition problems, tho none of them ended up being attributable enough to the fire at ron perelman's house, at least not enough for the judge.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 14d

Following!

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Reposted by Jen Bekman

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 19d

🦗 Poissons, ecrevisses et crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, .
A Amsterdam, Chez Reinier & Josué Ottens, 1754..

[Source]

A historical 1754 illustration from Amsterdam shows three vividly colored aquatic creatures: two fish and one crustacean resembling a mantis shrimp. The largest fish has an unusual shape with a dark blue and yellow body, decorated with large white spots and pink, blue, and green fins. The smaller fish is yellow with red, blue, and green accents, featuring a distinctive, almost triangular outline. The mantis shrimp-like crustacean at the bottom has a segmented body with alternating pastel colors—yellow, pink, blue—and multiple legs and antennae, emphasizing its intricate, armored form. The image includes handwritten French labels identifying each species.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 21d

*Bay, ofc.

Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 21d

Looking for local, indie media to support? Send your dollars to the very excellent @missionlocal.org!
Their reporting on ICE activity in the Bag Area has been particular good, including this thread here:

Mission Local @missionlocal.org · 21d

ICE has been arresting asylum-seekers in San Francisco for months now—targeting immigration court & sending people to far-flung detention centers.

It's a constant stream of news. Readers often tune out.

So here's a timeline recapping the most significant events so far.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 25d

#refuseuline refuseuline.com

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · 26d

We canceled our Disney+ and Hulu subs today. TV has afforded us lots of comfort + escapism in these tumultuous times, but we refuse to support companies that willingly capitulate to the thin-skinned Cheeto and his cronies.

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Reposted by Jen Bekman

Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 29d

Frog and Toad flying a kite together, standing on a rocky outcropping.

From "A List"
In *Frog and Toad Together*

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 12

Love, expressed in brush strokes.

Michael Lobel @mlobelart.bsky.social · Sep 12

Although it's not in the current show at the Drawing Center, I think all of you need to see this Beauford Delaney portrait of James Baldwin. The two men were very close, and Delaney painted many portraits of Baldwin, but this has to be my favorite. Absolutely stunning

Painted portrait of James Baldwin, seated, legs crossed, surrounded by bright, vibrant colors depicting an interior scene

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 12

Just incredible. The painting itself is amazing, and also somehow radiating affection for its subject.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 11

Little Edie foreverrrrrrr.

Andi Zeisler @andizeisler.bsky.social · Sep 11

I wrote about the 50th anniversary of Grey Gardens and Edith Bouvier Beale’s legacy as a style icon. Huge thanks to the mighty @tomandlorenzo.bsky.social for sharing their thoughts on why Little Edie remains an inspiration 🖤

The immortal influence of Little Edie Beale

"Grey Gardens" turns 50, but Edith Bouvier Beale's inspiration on fashion and queer culture never ages.

www.salon.com

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 10

Thanks to Jason + @404media.co for this reporting, which I found really affecting. Devoting time and attention to hobbies is such a wildly varied, human endeavor. It sucks that this senseless tariff BS is gonna rob so many folks of the pleasure + joy they find in them.

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · Sep 9

Talked to 23 people who suddenly have to pay huge tariffs or otherwise cannot get chainmail from Pakistan, yarn from France, retro computers from Japan, metal music from the Netherlands, DVDs from Germany, cosplay supplies, sunscreen, etc.

www.404media.co/its-just-a-m...

‘It's Just a Mess:' 23 People Explain How Tariffs Have Suddenly Ruined Their Hobby

"The real kick in the teeth is no matter how much manufacturing is brought back to the US these items will never be made in the USA. There is no upside."

www.404media.co

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Reposted by Jen Bekman

Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 9

Today is really and truly the very last day of @20x200.bsky.social’s objectively incroyable LAST CALL sale, where you can save 50-70% off on amazing art. 20x200.com/collections/...

LAST CALL: EVERYTHING 50% OFF + UP

Score big on ready-to-ship prints, photos and Artist-Made Objects. Prices as marked. Surprise freebies included with EVERY order!

20x200.com

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 10

Also also Fotolog dot net, hotdamn! Cc @heif.com.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 10

Also I didn’t remember that it was your very first NYT piece! Auspicious.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 10

This was such important (and smart!) reporting for us. Forever grateful for that, and our friendship too. Crazy to think how novel I was as an art dealer back then, what with my presence on the World Wide Web and my email newsletter and all.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 9

And sincere apologies if my unsolicited helpy-ness is grating! Coming from a place a love, friend, and wishing you comfort.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 9

Oof, I know this feeling in my very bones. Maybe you have time to take a walk (or bike ride!) to clear your head? I must grudgingly admit that such things work wonders.

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 9

Only $6/ea, for just a few more hours: these very fun + sassy af mini-dishes by the wonderful @martharichart.bsky.social (Can personally attest to what well-received gifts these are!) 20x200.com/products/mar...

Speech Bubble Mini Dishes

Martha Rich's tongue-in-cheek giftable ceramic catchalls.

20x200.com

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Jen Bekman @jenbee.bsky.social · Sep 9

And I should also say that any/all orders placed will smooth said transition mightily!

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