– Darling Defends Marilyn Statue's Honor: Michael Darling, who recently left the Seattle Art Museum to become chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, has gallantly come to the rescueof the Marilyn Monroe statue that has drawn ire from Chicagoans and almost everyone else who has laid eyes on it. "The scale of the Seward Johnson piece is impressive, and commands that space in a way," Darling said of "Forever Marilyn." "It really works, whether you like the piece and how it's executed and what that means." [Tribune] 

– Steve Jobs Made Design Mistakes, Too: After reading a laudatory piece about Steve Jobs in the Wall Street Journal, fellow Journal writer Christopher Sheawas inspired to point out some of Jobs's worst design decisions. Hethinks Jobs clung "to the one-button mouse for way too long" anddislikes the iMacs' glossy screens, which he says have caused somepeople to submit petitions begging for more matte options. Then again,if you're going to say Jobs's iMac G4 was a bad design decision justbecause it wasn't influential, you might point out that his fashion sense never really took off either. [WSJ] 

– Meet the Art Collector Running for Egypt's Presidency: Billionaire telecom scion and art patron Naguib Sawaris has founded a political party and is angling to become Egypt's next president. You may recognize Sawaris as the guy who pledged a $175,000 reward for the return of Van Gogh's "Poppies" after it was stolen from a museum in Cairo last August. He is now hoping to establish a secular democratic government in Egypt as well as a national museum devoted to his own collection of modern and contemporary art. A Coptic Christian, Sawaris doesn't have a great shot at political office, according to Forbes. But he doesn't seem to shy away from controversy: in June, he received death threats after tweeting a cartoon of Minnie Mouse in a burqa. [Forbes] 

– Central Park Has a New Face: Type face, that is — Titling Gothic. TheCentral Park Conservancy has unveiled more than 1,500 new signs aroundthe park this summer to present its new typographical identity to theworld — all in a new font that seeks to inform or gently nudge ratherthan demand. The Titling Gothic typeface designer was unaware that hisfont had been chosen until he was contacted by a reporter, but wasdelighted at the news: "None of the styles of Titling Gothic exude thekind of authoritarian insistence of Helvetica, which I'm sure wasconsidered in the process," he said. [NYT]

– What Happens When Cops Don't Know Art History: Los Angeles police have improbably launched an investigation into artist Alex Schaefer over his painting of a "Chase on Van Nuys Boulevard" that depicts the bank engulfed in flames. Hey officers, we suggest you also look into another artistic arsonist, Ed Ruscha, with whom Schaefer is clearly in cahoots. [LAT]

– Williamsburg's Monster Island Closes: Monster Island arts center in Brooklyn will close its doors next month after seven years because of rising property prices in the area. In the past, the center has been home to artists, musicians, and retailers, but the building is scheduled for demolition in November — and its replacement is rumored to be a Whole Foods supermarket. [TAN]

– Artist on Artist Insults: Flavorwire has compiled a thoroughly enjoyable list of the 30 harshest artist-on-artist insults in history. Pablo Picasso is a popular target, while Salvador Dalí appears to have it in for everyone from Paul Cézanne to Jackson Pollock. Our favorite, however, may have to be Andy Warhol on Jasper Johns: "Oh, I think he's great. He makes such great lunches." [Flavorwire]

– New London Fund for Mideast Art: Husband-and-wife philanthropy team Maryam and Edward Eisler have launched a new foundation devoted to funding curatorial posts, acquisitions, and exhibitions at British art institutions. The initiative has already financed the British Museum's acquisition of several modern and contemporary Iranian artworks. [TAN]

– Chuck Close Talks Art Market Corruption: In a video interview, Chuck Close defends the art industry against comparisons to the corrupt financial industry. The difference, he says, boils down to the fact that art professionals are willing to work for no pay: "If the bottom dropped out of the market and the artist was not going to sell anything, he or she will keep working, and the dealer will keep trying to find some way to convince somebody to buy this stuff," he said. [HuffPo] 

– New Yorker Festival Lineup: There are arts offerings aplenty at this year's New Yorker Festival, which runs from September 30 to October 2. Among several other art opportunities, visitors can go for a tour of 8 Spring Street with architect Frank Gehry, take a stroll through the Frick Collection with critic Peter Schjeldahl, and see a drawing demonstration by painter Jacob Collins. [ITA]

–VIDEO OF THE DAY: Artist Mickalene Thomas offers a peek at some of her latest works in anticipation of her upcoming show, "More than Everything" at New York's Lehmann Maupin, opening September 15. [Life + Times]