Kentridge mural threatened by market stalls in Rome; Uffizi battles ticket scalping

William Kentridge's monumental riverside frieze 'Triumphs and Laments' on Rome's Lungotevere is again at risk of being obscured, this time by market stalls set up for the Estate Romana festival in Piazza Tevere, between Ponte Mazzini and Ponte Sisto. A petition on Change.org, launched by Trastevere resident artists and signed by figures including Achille Bonito Oliva, Silvana Bonfili, Daniele Luchetti, and Giuseppe Piccioni, calls for institutional protection of the area as a cultural hub. The article notes that the stalls have existed for decades and that the real issue may be the low quality of the stalls, which the Soprintendenza requires to be made of white plastic. Separately, starting May 24, 2016, Eike Schmidt, director of the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, will broadcast recorded messages in Italian and English reminding tourists of ticket prices, the option to book in advance, and where to buy tickets legitimately, aiming to curb scalping and theft. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the 20 new museum directors appointed by Minister Franceschini.