BANGOR – A new art installation is set to shine its message of hope over Downtown Bangor.

The piece – titled “Hopeful” – is part of a series of neon artworks displayed outside and/or atop buildings all over the state. Bangor’s entry into the series will be installed and displayed on the side of 152 Main St., aiming its light and its message toward the city’s bustling downtown area.

“Hopeful” is the work of Charlie Hewitt, an artist based in Yarmouth. Versions of this piece can be seen in cities all over the state. There’s one atop the Speedwell Gallery in Portland – that was the first, back in 2019. Since then, Hewitt has completed commissioned versions for a number of other municipalities; there’s one on the Bates Mill in Lewiston, for instance, as well as in Brunswick and Yarmouth and towns in Connecticut and Maryland.

And soon enough – Bangor.

At the top, fine art is big business.

One can argue about the ethical, moral and other ramifications that come with putting a price tag on creative work, but regardless of argument, there’s no disputing that the world of high-end art is one that is driven as much by economics as by aesthetics.

And any time there’s that kind of money involved, you can bet that there will bad actors seeking to cash in.

“Made You Look: A True Story of Fake Art” is a documentary devoted to relating the tale of the largest known art fraud case in United States history. Over the course of decades, dozens of forged works of art were moved through a famed New York City gallery. These paintings – ostensibly by noted Abstract Expressionists – would be sold to unsuspecting patrons for a total of over $80 million.

Written and directed by Barry Avrich, “Made You Look” – currently streaming on Netflix – walks the viewer through the long-running scam, introducing us to many of the principals along the way, as well as an assortment of experts. He paints a picture (sorry) of the vagaries of the art world, illustrating just what can go wrong when something that seems too good to be true is taken at face value – even if that face is an undeniably beautiful one.

Month-long event shines spotlight on Bangor's arts and culture

BANGOR The creative culture of a place often serves as a major catalyst for revitalization. The past decade has seen that energy permeate the City of Bangor, where we've seen a boom in cultural excitement exciting new restaurants and interesting shops and a wealth of artistic and entertainment options.

University of Maine Museum of Art to offer trivia program

BANGOR The University of Maine Museum of Art is set to kick off a new programming series aimed at bringing people of all stripes to the museum to test their knowledge and have some fun.

'4 Contemporary Sound Poets' defies definition

ORONO - A new audio DVD produced by the University of Maine's IMRC Center titled '4 Contemporary Sound Poets' brings the work of a quartet of practitioners - Tomomi Adachi, Owen F. Smith, Duane Ingalls and Jaap Blonk - in the art of sound poetry to life.

PHILADELPHIA Candy Chang's public art pieces more than please the eye. They demand dialogue and encourage conversations. Her best-known project, 'Before I die,' was duplicated in 1,000 cities in 70 countries as thousands of people chalked their hopes and dreams on walls and fences.

New book explores cultural evolution by way of the internet

In a world increasingly driven by rapid advancement in technological capabilities, it can be a little weird to exist as one of those people who, by accident of birth, straddles the line between those largely disconnected from the internet world and those who have no concept of a world without it.

ORONO The University of Maine Intermedia MFA program presents 'Without Borders XIII: Play on Worlds,' a free gallery exhibit featuring thesis work by the six members of the 2016 graduating Master of Fine Arts class.

BANGOR The University of Maine Coaction Lab, in collaboration with UMaine's Intermedia MFA program and the Bangor Water District, presented 'FLOW: An evening of water-themed light & projection' on May 11.

Some of central and coastal Maine's summer theater offerings