Although it is possible to see a wealth of artistic portrayals of Swiss moun-tains around the world, it has so far not been so easy to find similar views of the Bernese Oberland -particularly the area around Gstaad, with the very special beauty of its natural surround-ings. The situation has now changed, however: spurred by Karl-Friedrich Scheufeie, co-president of Chopard, acclaimed art dealer and gallery owner Irene Schönholzer brought Swiss pho-tographer Michel Comte to Gstaad.

The paintings of New York artist Alice Neel were diametrically opposed to those of her contemporary, Andy Warhol. But she nonetheless painted a portrait of the pop artist that exhibits more empathy for him than any other likeness.

London is still a gateway to the world
At the end of 2009, despite the obvious decline in contemporary art sales, it was clear that art collectors and dealers – old and new – are still interested in, and have funds to purchase, highly desirable artworks.

From theme parks to reality: Centre Pompidou in Paris is currently featuring a superb exhibition that shows how the extravagant architecture of world fairs and theme parks have influenced urban architecture, and have engendered artificial cities such as Dubai and Shanghai.

What is bad taste? The debate is over – the distinctions between kitsch, cult and trash have vanished.

The good old days were when the distinction between kitsch and art was so sharp that you could cut yourself without paying the slightest attention! In the 1930s, the American critic guru, Clement Greenberg, attributed everything that was not avant-garde to kitsch and wrote: “Kitsch is mechanical and functions according to fixed rules. Kitsch is second-hand experience, faked sensation.”

A genius arrives at the château

From Aix-en-Provence

A flag under the bed, a forest of leaves in the bathroom and dust everywhere: Picasso settles in as an eccentric owner of a château in Vauvenargues in the south of France. The rooms are now open for the first time for a show about his rapport with Cézanne.