\t\tThe Headlines\t<\/p>\n
\n\tMORE KENNEDY CENTER CUTS<\/strong>. The\u00a0Kennedy Center<\/strong>\u00a0has fired the head of its jazz programming, as well as the last member of its social impact team, reports the\u00a0Washington Post<\/a>.\u00a0Kevin Struthers<\/strong>, senior director, music programming, and\u00a0Malka Lasky\u00a0<\/strong>, a social impact staffer and coordinator for the center\u2019s free Millennium Stage shows, were laid off on Wednesday with no explanation, per reports. The firings are the latest shake-ups to roil the center since\u00a0President Donald Trump<\/strong>\u00a0took over the institution, ousted its former leaders, and replaced them with his own political allies. Trump is currently chairman of the Washington D.C. art center\u2019s board of trustees.<\/p>\n \t\tRelated Articles<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\tCEASE AND DESIST<\/strong>. The Canadian artist who made the iconic\u00a0Brutalist<\/strong>\u00a0water fountain in San Francisco\u2019s Embarcadero Plaza,\u00a0Armand Vaillancourt<\/strong>, 96, has sent a cease-and-desist letter via his lawyer, in an attempt to block plans to demolish the art piece made in 1971, reports the\u00a0Art Newspaper<\/a>. A redevelopment project by the city\u2019s\u00a0Recreation and Parks Department<\/strong>\u00a0specifically requires that the\u00a0San Francisco Arts Commission<\/strong>, which owns the sculpture, \u201cproceed with the formal deaccession of the Vaillancourt Fountain \u2026 and its removal.\u201d The sculpture remains fenced off today, because it is crumbling in parts, and considered a hazardous risk. News of the plans have sparked a fierce outcry from groups demanding the sculpture be preserved. The artist is among them, and his letter sent via a lawyer, dated August 29, demands all those involved, \u201cimmediately cease and desist from taking any steps whatsoever that may endanger or damage the Vaillancourt Fountain.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\tThe Digest\t<\/p>\n \n\tTwo floral still life paintings by Dutch artist\u00a0Abrosius Bosschaert\u00a0<\/strong>(1573-1621), that were looted by Nazis and French collaborators, appear to have surfaced at an Ohio auction house. The paintings were recovered from an abandoned safety deposit box, and if authenticated, will be returned to the descendants of\u00a0Adolphe and Luci Haas Schloss<\/strong>, a Jewish family of art collectors who lived in Paris during World War II. [The Columbus Dispatch<\/a>]<\/p>\n \n\tIn his will,\u00a0Giorgio Armani<\/strong>\u00a0named\u00a0LVMH<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0L\u2019Or\u00e9al\u00a0<\/strong>among his preferred buyers of his private luxury label, kicking off a competition to take control of his namesake brand.\u00a0Luxottica<\/strong>\u00a0was also named among the three preferred buyers. The designer who died last week at the age of 91 was also an active arts patron. [The Financial Times<\/a>]<\/p>\n \n\tThe\u00a0Maison Europ\u00e9enne de la Photographie (MEP)<\/strong>\u00a0in Paris has fired its director,\u00a0Simon Baker<\/strong>, and is quickly looking for a replacement. Baker was selected to lead the French museum after heading the photography department in London\u2019s\u00a0Tate Modern<\/strong>, and for seven years, presented acclaimed international exhibitions. According to reports, his firing comes after he was the subject of an internal investigation conducted at the museum for \u201cpsychological harassment,\u201d and the departure of several staff. [\u00a0Le Monde<\/a>]<\/p>\n \n\tSevere drought in Iraqu\u2019s Khanke northern region is causing a humanitarian crisis, as well as exposing about 40 of ancient tombs believed to be about 2,300 years old, located along the banks of the receding\u00a0Mosul Dam<\/strong>. More archaeological sites are expected to surface as the water level drops, according to researchers. [France 24 and AFP<\/a>]<\/p>\n \n\tFive people have pulled out of a September 15th seminar about Jews living in Paris, to be held at the\u00a0Mus\u00e9e d\u2019art et d\u2019histoire du Judaisme<\/strong>\u00a0in the French capital. They said the cancellation was in protest against\u00a0Hebrew University of Jerusalem\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0funding for the travel expenses of another researcher and participant,\u00a0Elisheva Baumgarten<\/strong>. However, Baumgarten and several Israeli universities have been outspoken against\u00a0Benjamin Netanyahu\u00a0<\/strong>\u2019s government and have publicly called for a ceasefire in Gaza. \u201cThe university is one of the strongest forces against the current government and the war,\u201d said two Israeli academics in a\u00a0Le Monde\u00a0editorial. \u201cBy boycotting us, our colleagues are not helping the Palestinians of Gaza.\u201d [Le Monde<\/a>]<\/p>\n \t\tThe Kicker\t<\/p>\n![\"PARIS,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1098021808.jpg\")
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