Since its launch in 2005, the Epson 9800 has heralded the new generation of inkjet printers. It can print a range of sizes, namely up to B0+, 44 inches wide, and can print onto several different media, including high quality canvas for the wall art market.

Its trademarked Micro Piezo print head technology means that the amount of ink being delivered is precisely controlled depending on the depth of colour intensity required. Also incorporated in the printer is Epson’s variable-sized droplet technology, which automatically adjusts the size of the ink droplet required to produce highly accurate results. Used alongside Epson’s K3 UltraChrome ink it is claimed to offer the ultimate in both colour and black and white printing. The addition of an extra tone of black ink means that monochrome images, and in particular monochrome skin tones, are produced with a depth and realism not previously seen.

Although priced outside the domestic market, it is competitive with other business printers, making it easier to obtain professionally produced images for any setting. Once printed, Epson are confident the images will remain in excellent definition for many years, stating them lightfast against fading for up to 75 years in colour and over 200 years in black and white.

Resembling a scene from the Godfather, a piece of Warhol styled pop-art featuring the Sicilian Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro has suddenly cropped in Palermo, Italy. The pop-art, which is said to look like Warhol’s iconic image of Marilyn Monroe, appeared in the centre of Palermo, just down from the Cathedral.

“Messina Denaro - The Last One!” has been scrawled in graffiti below the mural, next to a row of dollar signs.

The letters ‘FA’ have been written above the mural, which are believed to be the initials of the artist.

Carlo Vizzini, an Italian conservative senator said:

The mural ’s prominent position in central Palermo, as if it were a normal piece of pop art rather than an image of one of the most wanted, powerful and dangerous Mafia fugitives alive today is serious and disturbing.

It is disquieting that Messina Denaro gets treated like a Hollywood movie star and a person to emulate.

This shows the uphill struggle we face in bringing about the change in mentalities needed to defeat the Mafia.

Messina Denaro has been on the run since 1993 and is said to be one of the leaders of the Sicilian Mafia.

In the sixties Marilyn Monroe was the ultimate pin-up within Hollywood, so much so that her name and image has held iconic status ever since. She was the subject of one of the most famous artists of the 20th Century, Andy Warhol, when he completed his Pop Art masterpiece.

Now in the 21st Century the British Supermodel, Kate Moss, has taken the place of Marilyn Monroe as a pop art icon.

In February, at the Urban Art auction, a series of prints by Banksy depicting pop art of Kate Moss sold for £96,000. In 2006 a set of 6 prints featuring Kate Moss sold in the USA for $94,000.

The Helium Foundation is to release a set of six prints of Kate Moss, with an expected limited run of just 20 sets. Expect the prices to be fairly high, and it could represent a sound investment if recent prices of Kate Moss artwork are anything to go by.

The World famous painting “Happy Tears” from the American Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein has gone missing amidst an investigation into a scandal over slush funds in Hong Kong. 62 year old Hong Ra-hee is the owner of the painting and one of the most influential and respectable art collectors. She’s also the wife of the Chairman of the Samsung Group, Lee Kun-hee.

Korean prosecutors questioned Hong in a 6 hour session this month about the slush funds, and are interested to learn more about her family’s art collection, including the extremely valuable “Happy Tears” from Roy Lichtenstein.

Happy Tears features a red-haired woman exhibiting tears of delight in a cartoon style work.

Earlier this year, in January, one of Samsung’s warehouses was raided by prosecutors as they searched for the Lichtenstein painting in an attempt to seize it. It is believed to be the most valuable that the Hong family own.

The family also own the Frank Stella painting “Bethlehem’s Hospital”.

Ever since January the paintings have been known by the Koreans as the ‘slush fund paintings’. The case is proving very complicated for prosecutors as they are having difficulty ascertaining who actually owns the works.

An art collection worth a reported $600 million is currently being appraised for sale, and includes several works from renowned Pop Art icon Andy Warhol. Art dealer Ileana Sonnebend, who passed away in October last year, is having her prised collection broken up by his heirs in order to pay outstanding taxes on his estate.

The $600 million is an estimate of her collection’s worth from her lawyer, Ralph Lerner.

Not all of the collection will be sold, they are planning to break the collection down and sell just two groups, one including several works from Andy Warhol and the other including various Pop art works for the sixties.

The buyer has yet to be named but Lerner expects the works to be on public display once the sale has gone through.

Sonnebend was instrumental in launching the careers of many of the 20th century’s best know artists, including Warhol himself.