New York Times

Family and tribal disfunctionalism are theatrically portrayed through current news headlines set in Turkey and Iraq. Intensity of emotions and relationships are underscored by journalistic opportunism and militant religious fanaticism. The play even has an aggressively searching agnostic musician boyfriend, a flawed woman prophet and Whirling Dervishes.

Theater, music and dance performances are sprouting up everywhere. Here's a head's up on the most promising. After a hard winter, it's nice to see the Berkshires bloom with life again.

In July it will be 20 years since Tom Krens left the Williams College Museum of Art to become director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. His resignation was announced today. He has changed forever the mandate for major museums and how they are managed.

Since 1998 Richard Criddle has been the Director of Fabrication and Art Installation for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. His own fantasy, figurative assemblages are currently on view in the museum's Kidspace.

Philippe de Montebello, the retiring director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art charmed and captivated a capacity audience at the Clark Art Museum.

While not a "best" and "worst" list in the usual sense we offer an overview of events and what proved to be moving and insightful while covering the arts in 2007.

There may be snow covering Mount Greylock but at Mass MoCA it's Surf's Up with the screening of the Classic Endless Summer launching a new Green film series over the next few months.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Company has announced that it will present a special two week residence and performances by the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company of the work Chapel/Chapter starting on June 23 before the usual opening of the summer season.

On November 6 the Jennifer Hartwell Gallery in Birmingham will open a retrospective of Raeford Liles who recently relocated to his native roots after decades of living and showing his work in New York.

When we visited the artist Stephen Hannock in his Berkshire studio several works were nearing completion including a view of the Oxbow for the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and a landscape for the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Institute.

In reponse to Friday's Federal Court decision in favor of Mass MoCA the artist Christoph Buchel filed an appeal. But today the museum has announced that it will trash the unfinished work immediately to make way for an installation by Jenny Holzer to open as soon as possible.

Originally scheduled to open last December Federal Judge Michael A. Posner ruled yesterday that Mass MoCA may indeed open the unfinished exhibition of Christoph Buchel in its largest gallery. Did the museum simply prevail in a no win situation? The jury is still out.

The volunteers, the deficits, the sniping from the sidelines: You have to expect it when you are biggest target. The BSO's Berkshire summer of 2007 lends itself to parody, speculation and reminiscences.

An eclectic array of possibilities makes this the richest Fall arts season yet.

Taking a stroll along Gallery Row in Provicnetown we encountered some strong and interesting work.

The New York Times has posted a feature on the unique Topia Inn in Adams, Mass. Astrid Hiemer filed this report when it opened.

Reductions in staff and the firing of a senior highly respected reviewer, Peter G. Davis, by New York Magazine, reflect a worrisome trend.

James Bagwell and the Berkshire Bach Society delivered a lifeless performance of Handel's choral masterpiece "Israel in Egypt" marred by poor intonation and ensemble.

The VU, the quintessential NYC band, is commemorated with this major exhibit of posters, recordings, photos, artifacts and ephemera. But to a Massachusetts club operator who booked the Velvets many times, it also details their close ties to that state.

The history of the most important rock band ever to come out of New York is depicted in this extensive show of memorabilia, recordings, artifacts and ephemera commemorating the 40th anniversary of the release of their first LP. But as a Massachusetts club operator who was close to the band points out, the material also reveals their strong ties to the state.

More response to the collection of essays "Critical Mess: Art critics and the state of their practice." And a reply to a Peter Plagens piece on critical writing in the February, 2007 issue of Art in America.

In a collection of essays by leading art critics the eroding influence of their work is discussed. While the arguments and issues are urgent they also seem quite ancient.

In this the first chapter of a series of articles, Dr. Yuri Tuvim recounts the decisions to leave the USSR and the general issues for Russia's Jewish community, There is a decidedly Kafkaesque tone to these true stories.

Five exhibitions at the Clark, the Williams College Museum of Art and the Brill Gallery show a vast range of photographic work.

Overcome by ennui at the prospect of coming up with that annual best and worst list.