1) Art Supply Sales Jump Thanks to Large Protests

A recent report has indicated a jump in art supply sales throughout major cities in the United States, thanks mainly to the increase in large-scale protests following the election of Donald Trump. According to the report, the week prior to the International Women’s March on January 21st saw a 33 percent increase in sales of poster boards and a 42 percent increase in sales of foam boards. Other supplies such as markers, glue, and scissors were also up. Art supplies stores that are used to a customer base of art school students saw a marked increase in new customers.

2) Man Attacks 18th-Century Painting in London

A 63-year-old man was charged with the crime of attacking a painting with a screwdriver. The Morning Walk, a 1785 painting by Charles Gainsborough, was attacked shortly after 2PM on Sunday in its home wing of the National Gallery in London, England. A spokesperson for the gallery stated that the screwdriver had caused two long scratches through the layers of paint, but had not slashed the canvas itself. Charles Gainsborough is regarded as one of Britain’s most important artists, and the painting had recently appeared in the background of a James Bond film.

3) Brad Pitt Takes up Sculpture

Brad Pitt appears to have taken up sculpture, working together with his friend Thomas Houseago. The actor has apparently spent a great deal of time working with Houseago in a Los Angeles studio, following his divorce from Angelina Jolie. According to reports, Pitt has long been interested in the arts with previous collaborations leaning more toward architecture (with Frank Ghery) and industrial design.

4) Tom Finklepearl on What the NEA Means to NY

As the Trump administration continues to double down on its plans to remove funding from the arts in the United States, more and more cultural institutions are offering arguments for why the NEA and NEH should continue to be funded. This week, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs commissioner Tom Finklepearl has released an open letter on ArtNews detailing just some of the myriad ways in which the NEA, NEH, and other arts supporting bodies have positively influenced the city and state of New York. The letter makes it clear that defunding the program would be a loss not only for the arts, but for the overall economy.

5) An Illustrated OK Computer

Exit Music (For a Film), Lala Abaddon

Finally, start your weekend with some great artistic imaginings of the tracks on Radiohead’s 1997 album, OK Computer. Pitchfork asked 12 different artists to each create an illustration for one song on the album. The resulting images vary widely in style and material, and are fascinating examples of music put to art.