The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, with its world renowned collection of contemporary and award-winning architecture, has acquired major new works by artists Anish Kapoor and Alex Katz, adding to its exciting, diverse and innovative collection of contemporary art.

Talking about High’s latest editions, Michael Shapiro, the High’s Nancy and Holcombe T. Green, Jr, Director, said:

“The High’s collection of contemporary art is growing in exciting and diverse ways, and signals our commitment to creating an anthology of important 21^st-century works. We are grateful to Alex for his generous gift of ‘Twilight’ and look forward to adding to our holdings of his work; his extraordinary paintings bridge the Museum’s fine collection of post-painterly abstraction with his expanding collection of Pop art.”

Alex Katz was born in New York in 1927 and is a figurative artist who became best known for his involvement in the Pop art movement, particularly for his sculptures, paintings and prints.

The artist, who has been described as being “one of the most significant artists of his generation”, has had his work exhibited across the world, including more than 200 solo exhibitions, and almost 500 group exhibitions since 1951.

With the inspirational artist’s works being displayed in the world’s biggest galleries and museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Hirshhorn Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Sculpture Garde, it is no wonder the High Museum of Art is excited about being given Katz’s “Twilight” (1998) painting to enhance its exquisite collection that includes the works of many other Pop art sensations, including Andy Warhol and Chuck Close.

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Europe’s leading in-water exhibition returns later this year for its 34^th anniversary.

The exhibit offers visitors the opportunity to preview the finest yachts and boats on the market, all amongst the unique and exclusive setting of Cannes.

Yacht owners and buyers from countries gather from around the world to discover what the luxury boating world has to offer.

The show averages around 54,000 visitors each year and exhibits 500 boats in water, 87% of which are from overseas. It introduces 139 new models, and features 169 vessels that measure over 20 metres long.

There are also around 400 exhibitors, coming from 39 different countries. However, the organisers are continually pushing to expand into new exhibition areas to open the exhibition up to even more exhibitors and visitors.

The boat show is separated into 3 main areas:

The Vieux Port specialises in showing new yachts to potential buyers, boasting around 470 of the latest boat designs. They offer visitors the chance to preview the finest new models from the world’s leading shipyards. The collection is a mix of motorboats and sailing boats, measuring from 10 – 50 metres long. The Vieux Port also has 200 smaller boats that are shown on land, measuring less than 10 metres.

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A collection of the late actress’ jewellery, art and clothes are to go on display around the world, before eventually being sold at auction in December.

Taylor’s possessions will be exhibited on a tour beginning in September.

This will include stops in Moscow, London, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong and Los Angeles, before ending in New York. This is where the items will be displayed at Christies’ gallery space at the start of December.

The auction itself will be held in the middle of December, just in time for Christmas. The proceeds from the auction will go to The Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation.

Elizabeth Taylor died in March, aged 79, and was estimated to be worth around $1 billion at the time of her death.

Her jewellery collection alone was valued at $150 million in 2002. This includes her most prized possession – La Peregrina pearl, whose previous owners include Queen Mary I of England. This coveted piece was a present to Taylor from Richard Burton on Valentine’s Day during their first marriage.

Marc Porter from Christies says that the tour “will be a window into the world of a true icon”.

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It’s not the first time a celebrity has turned into a fashion designer and it certainly won’t be the last, but unlike many of the singer-come-dabblers-in-fashion-design who enjoy minimal success in the cutthroat industry, rapper Kayne West is causing quite a stir in the world of high-end fashion design, with the likes of Louis Vuitton requesting his creations.

The American rapper, singer and record producer now even has his own studio in Paris where he designs high-end fashion collections  for both men and women. Rumours are even circulating that West has enrolled at London’s notorious school of fashion, Central Saint Martins.

Speculation is also surfacing to whether the rapper with exhibit his spring 2012 collection this September, although a venue and specific date has yet to be announced.

In designing his landmark ‘rapper’ gear, similar to the outfit Kayne West wore to this year’s ‘106 & Park’ in June and at the CFDA Fashion Awards, which included a Mitchell & Ness Chicago Bulls snapback hat, a pair of black/red Air Jordan 1s, a Salt and Pepper Zip Hoody from American Apparel and black waxed jeans, Kayne is bringing ‘Hip Hop’ and ‘Rapper’ fashion to a high-end market.

Although Kayne West is not the only rapper to be stretching his creative instincts into the world of fashion. Nathan Thompson, aka Hollowman Giggs, who, in 2010, was signalled as the hottest rapper in the UK, has launched his own clothing store in Peckham, London, known as SN1.

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The iconic Travilla dress that defined Monroe’s sex symbol status has been sold at auction for more than double its estimate.

The legendary dress worn by the star in the 1955 film, The Seven Year Itch was originally expected to fetch between $1 and 2 million.

However, it ended up exceeding expectations as a one lucky bidder managed to take home the dress for staggering $4.6 million (£2.8 million). The garment was featured in one of the most famous film moments of all time – Monroe clutching the dress as a gust of wind from the subway causes it to billow up and expose her legs.

This was one of Marilyn Monroe’s crowning moments as the sex symbol she is known as today.

It was just part of a collection held by actress Debbie Reynolds, which featured several pieces of Hollywood history.

The whole sale, which included a lot of Monroe memorabilia, was valued at $22.8 million altogether. The collection was sold at Profiles in History auction house in Calabasas California.

It was made up of items that Reynolds had collected over the years as Hollywood studios sold or emptied their old warehouses. The dress, which was ivory and has now turned cream with age, was the highest value feature of the auction, which consists of around 700 pieces.

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