Contemporary Artist

I am delighted that you have finally devoted a cover story to that major contemporary artist, Tiffany, and the dilemma that involves her and her mother ("The Trials of Tiffany," by Dennis McDougal, June 12). Perhaps you can provide us a future article on someone of equal importance, such as George Michael, and his struggle with post-adolescent acne; I'll be waiting patiently. JAN RAINBIRD Irvine

The head of the Prado museum in Madrid, home to classic works by Goya, El Greco and Velazquez, has ignited a controversy in the Spanish art world by inviting a contemporary artist to exhibit there. "The Prado is a depository of the past. It does not make sense to exhibit an artist whose work is still evolving," said a former director of the museum, quoted in the London newspaper the Guardian.

An accident has forced artist Robert Rauschenberg to cancel his appearance at a major fund-raising event for the Orange County Museum of Art. Rauschenberg, 76, was scheduled to accept an achievement award Sunday during the "Art of Dining XIV." His longtime friend, Sidney Felsen, who co-founded the famed Gemini G.E.L. printmaking studio in Los Angeles, will accept the honor in his place. Rauschenberg underwent surgery this week for a leg injury.

One reason some contemporary paintings sell for millions of dollars is that most of the world's true art is not floating around in pricey auction galleries but rather is permanently hung in the great museums. It is literally priceless, is not for sale, and can't be purchased at any price. Consequently, so-called New York intellectuals "with a little money" are forced to bid on whatever is leftover--that leaves contemporary art, which is a dime a dozen. Its price can easily be manipulated by creative marketing, auction scheduling, gallery showings, art dealers, etc. As I recall, toward the end of his life, Spanish contemporary "artist" Jean Miro was turning out six or seven pictures every day. How much thought or talent goes into one of those million-dollar "works"?

An art dealer and attorney were charged Thursday with bilking several clients out of nearly $1 million in fraudulent art investments, authorities said. Sherman Oaks lawyer Lawrence Stephen Miller and Chatsworth art dealer Robert Kenneth Goldman posted $100,000 bail each Thursday, one day after they were arrested at their homes on suspicion of grand theft.

Campbell Soup Co. is looking for the next Andy Warhol and promising at least 15 minutes of fame. The company is sponsoring a national contest for the best new artistic representation of its famous soup can, which Warhol turned into a pop-art icon that scandalized and revolutionized the art world in the 1960s.