Garbo greets travelers to Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden Air travelers flying over the northern city of Umeaa can catch a glimpse of Swedish film star Greta Garbo’s mysterious gaze.

A group of students from the local university has honored Garbo, who died in 1990 at 84, with a giant portrait made with an art form known as “land art.”

The six students used different shades of sand and dirt from a nearby sandpit to replicate a digital picture of a young Garbo. The portrait measures 17-by-21, said Fredrik Jonsson, 33, one of the artists.

The portrait took a week to complete, Jonsson said, and the weather will determine how long it lasts.

“It has already rained,” he said. “But she still looks to be in good spirits.”

Garbo’s films include 1930s film classics “Mata Hari” and “Anna Karenina.”

Malkovich tries being a director

San Sebastian, Spain Actor John Malkovich tackled a dense political drama inspired by the capture of former Peruvian guerrilla leader Abimael Guzman for his directorial debut, “The Dancer Upstairs.”

Based on the novel by Nicholas Shakespeare, the film was shown Thursday at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.

The movie, set in an unidentified Latin American country, describes a social climate where political corruption is universal and public indifference so ingrained that a brutal revolution is almost unnoticed.

Javier Bardem plays an idealistic lawyer-turned-politician who faces the challenge of capturing a mysterious guerrilla leader.

Bowie back where Ziggy died

London David Bowie is returning to the venue where he killed off his most famous creation, Ziggy Stardust, nearly 30 years ago.

The 55-year-old star said Friday he’ll perform Oct. 2 at London’s Carling Apollo, which was known in the 1970s as the Hammersmith Odeon.

“This has got to be one of the great venues in London. It should be a thrill to play it again,” Bowie said.

The performer stunned his fans in 1973 when he rounded off a Ziggy tour at the Odeon by telling them: “This show will stay the longest in our memories, not just because it is the end of the tour but because it is the last show we’ll ever do.”

At the Oct. 2 concert, he’ll play many of his classics as well as songs from his recent “Heathen” album. But he gave no indication that he has any plans to resurrect Ziggy.

Music director wins top honors

Cincinnati Leonard Slatkin, music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, has been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

Slatkin, 58, has served seven years as conductor of the Washington-based orchestra. He previously was music director of the St. Louis Symphony.

His induction was in recognition of his advocacy of American music, his international reputation and his support for arts education in public schools. The hall of fame is in Cincinnati.

“Such a distinction would not be possible without the many American composers who have entrusted me with their music and the many orchestras that have embraced the new and different, especially my own National Symphony Orchestra,” he said.