News Splash: Meier's Ara Pacis Museum "Critiqued" With Paint Bombs

Richard Meier's Ara Pacis museum--whose white-on-white Modernist design has evoked the ire of Rome's right-wing, Traditionalist mayor--was splashed with red and green paint by vandals, who also let their feelings for the project be known by leaving a toilet by the scene of their crime.


Courtesy of the Ara Pacis Museum

Incidently, the museum, whose commission Meier won in 1998, also plays a supporting role in what is one of my top film recommendations so far for 2009: Valentino: The Last Emperor. A lavish party celebrating the fashion designer's 50-year career is held at the museum--although on a pre-party visit, captured on film, Valentino is not too enthusiastic about Meier's design, either.