Gaga over Rio Guggy.New York's Guggenheim Meyer Guggenheim, 1828–1905, b. Aargau canton, Switzerland, emigrated (1847) to the United States, prospered as a retail merchant in Philadelphia, and in time built up a flourishing business importing Swiss embroidery. When nearly 60 he purchased from friends some Colorado mining property. Sensing that sure profits were in processing rather than in mining, he built large smelters in Colorado and Mexico and a refinery at Perth Amboy, N.J. Foundation and the city of Rio de Janeiro are embarking on an ambitious and highly controversial U$$170 million project to build a Guggenheim museum Guggenheim Museum, officially Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, major museum of modern art in New York City. Founded in 1939 as the Museum of Non-objective Art, the Guggenheim is known for its remarkable circular building (1959) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It holds major exhibitions of the works of contemporary artists. Its permanent collection includes, among many modern works, numerous pieces by Brancusi and Kandinsky. on the Maua Pier in Guanabara Guanabara (gwänäbä`rä), former state, SE Brazil, on the Atlantic Ocean; since 1974, part of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Guanabara Bay, a deep inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, is noted for its beauty. The site of the city of Rio de Janeiro, it is also called Rio de Janeiro Bay. Bay. Rio will provide the site, the building and the money, including an estimated $32 million for the rights to the Guggenheim name. The New York-based museum, along with Russia's State Hermitage Hermitage, cottage, near Montmorency, FranceHermitage, in France: see Montmorency, France.Hermitage, museum, St. Petersburg, RussiaHermitage (ĕr'mētäzh`), museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, one of the world's foremost houses of art. and Austria's Kunsthistorisches Museums, will provide expertise in development and curatorial matters. French architect Jean Nouvel has been tapped to design the world's sixth Guggenheim, joining New York, Berlin, Barcelona, Venice and Las Vegas. "Nouvel's building is a work of architectural brilliance," Guggenheim Director Thomas Krens said upon announcing the project at the end of April.Critics have pummeled the plans, starting with the non-Brazilian architect. Nouvel's design, which calls for the museum to be partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean, has been likened to a sinking ship. And, of course, the budget--four times the annual outlay of Brazil's Culture Ministry--is considered outrageous. To boot, the Guggenheim canceled its own plans for a $950 million, Frank Gehry-designed museum in Manhattan last December. Rio Mayor Cesar Maia 1 In Greek mythology, oldest of the Pleiades. She was the mother of Hermes by Zeus. 2 In Roman mythology, goddess of fertility; also called Maiesta. She was often identified with Bona Dea. The month of May was probably named for her. remains undeterred. The city's massive, $618 million surplus, he argues, can easily support the project, which he says will promote development in the city's historic center when completed, in 2007. |
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