Hi all, I am looking for articles or books on how the law serves specific factions of society at the expense of others. I am specifically interested in the issue of art fraud and forgery, but I would be happy to learn about more general overviews on this issue as well. Is there a "classic" book on how law is socially constructed to serve specific factions of society at the expense of others? Or maybe an overview on the sociology or anthropology of law that you highly recommend? Or some key terms I should be aware of? My intuitive understanding of the art forgery example is that laws to prevent fraud serve the interests of people involved in the art market (dealers, galleries, museums, auction houses) but hinder artists that work in historical traditions because the border between a "copy" and a "pastiche" and a "forgery" and a "fraud" is blurry. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
posted by tnygard on Nov 25, 2009 - 12 answers

Where should I stay and what should I do in Berlin for a 4 day trip? (Single, clean, safe, cheap, easy to get to the major sights.) [more inside]
posted by gramcracker on Sep 13, 2009 - 15 answers

Help us pick a US vacation destination for a science-obsessed five year old. [more inside]
posted by pootler on Sep 8, 2009 - 39 answers

Travel-Filter: If my wife and I stay downtown in Chicago, how long would it take to see all the tourist-y sights we want to see? [more inside]
posted by QUHZK on Sep 5, 2009 - 9 answers

Best current exhibitions in New York City museums? [more inside]
posted by gerryblog on Aug 7, 2009 - 15 answers

I need a list of museums which watermark (or otherwise alter for the purpose of control) the images they make available online. [more inside]
posted by COBRA! on Apr 29, 2009 - 6 answers

Shopping for somebody else and looking for a digital SLR camera that can handle a handful of specific requirements. I know nothing about these things. [more inside]
posted by synecdoche on Apr 22, 2009 - 15 answers

Last minute paris hotel recommendation [more inside]
posted by Mossy on Apr 13, 2009 - 9 answers

Where in NYC can I see works by Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt on display right now? [more inside]
posted by D.Billy on Feb 14, 2009 - 6 answers

My girlfriend would like to work in the business of art exhibit production. She's got a Master's in Art History and has taught art history at a number of schools and has worked in museums. But she's not sure how exactly she could get into the field of art exhibit production. Does anyone have any experiences in this field that may help her figure out a place to start? [more inside]
posted by aburd on Feb 8, 2009 - 4 answers

Any especially interesting exhibits in NYC next week? [more inside]
posted by moxiedoll on Jan 15, 2009 - 11 answers

Laying hands on a print of a major, but not famous, painting... [more inside]
posted by paultopia on Jan 8, 2009 - 3 answers

I'm going to be in Vienna from September 26 (early morning) - 29 (afternoon). I'm 18 years old and will be traveling with friends. What should we do/ see? I've been put in charge of figuring all this out, but apart from the obvious tourist things I don't know what's good. I guess I'm looking for more off-the-beaten-path stuff. Thank you! [more inside]
posted by howgenerica on Sep 20, 2008 - 10 answers

Art museum painting framing question. A common style of framing in art museums --- especially with abstract paintings such as Cy Twombly and Mark Rothko's works --- involves a thin strip of wood around the edge of a painting, perhaps with a few-millimeter gap between the edge of the canvas and the inner edge of the wood. The strip of wood is usually flush with the face of the painting. That's all there is to it. I would like to replicate this effect with some paintings I have. [more inside]
posted by jayder on Jul 21, 2008 - 3 answers

How can I improve my art awareness (i.e paintings, sculpture, crafts, etc.)? [more inside]
posted by netbros on May 13, 2008 - 25 answers

I'm starting a new job as a telephone concierge at a Brand-new upscale retail/housing establishment in Glendale, CA next week—can you help me get my ear to the ground? [more inside]
posted by carsonb on Apr 27, 2008 - 6 answers

Can you help me find great examples of museums making use of free social web apps? [more inside]
posted by Miko on Jan 29, 2008 - 14 answers

How can I stay up to date on the art/cultural scene in downtown Los Angeles? [more inside]
posted by phaedon on Nov 6, 2007 - 6 answers

[Rambly-what-should-I-do-with-my-life-filter] Useless Master's degrees! Impending weddings! Mild-to-moderate homelessness! Help me figure out my next step before I resort to prostitution or, worse, telemarketing. [more inside]
posted by doift on Sep 24, 2007 - 10 answers

EuroTourFilter How much travel time is involved in getting from: 1) La Flèche d'Or at 102 bis rue de Bagnolet - 75020 to the Louvre? 2) Paradiso at Weteringschans 6-8, Leidseplein to the Rijksmuseum? Is public transport to/from workable for a first time, ignant American visitor? Thanks for any insight you can offer. I'm leaving in about 4 hours...
posted by mundy on Aug 8, 2007 - 11 answers

I want to design museum exhibits. What is the recommended course of action to make this into a career? What schools offer such a program? Are there many jobs available in this field? Anyone have any experience with this? I know that this is my calling, please help me get started.
posted by foxinthesnow on Oct 9, 2006 - 21 answers

Name-my-job-filter: I volunteer at my town's historical society and now I do everything except the financial parts. They recently realized that I'm not going away and asked me to come up with a job title. I'm also trying to get hired by someone who will pay me to do this... [more inside]
posted by cobaltnine on Oct 4, 2006 - 11 answers

Looking for information about a piece of art at the this year's Whitney Biennial [more inside]
posted by Cochise on Aug 28, 2006 - 4 answers

What museums or current art shows should I visit while in NYC over Easter weekend?
posted by joe_from_accounting on Apr 9, 2006 - 15 answers

TravelFilter: Specific Washington D.C. questions from a tourist. [more inside]
posted by ikkyu2 on Dec 2, 2005 - 26 answers

I'm in New York City until Sunday. I've been exploring mostly without direction so far, but I thought I'd throw it out to you guys. What should I see or do before I leave? [more inside]
posted by rfordh on Mar 22, 2005 - 48 answers

MuseumGeeksinDCFilter: Looking for offbeat, trivia-intensive experiences in Washington, DC for a group of maritime history museum geeks. Special Exhibit inside. [more inside]
posted by Miko on Jan 18, 2005 - 8 answers

Spending the weekend in Burlington, Vermont. Any suggestions on getting off the beaten path / weird museums / tours / cool pubs appreciated.
posted by yoga on Oct 21, 2004 - 8 answers

Can anyone suggest any really great art museums in the Southeast US? The girlfriend and I both have a long weekend coming up and need something to do. Specifically thinking in the states of TN, NC, SC, GA, VA...
posted by auzten on Jan 12, 2004 - 10 answers