Remodeling

By Kathleen Adams, Val Castronovo, Randy Hartwell, Joel Stein, Ellin Martens, Joseph Pierro, Sora Song and Josh Tyrangiel

NIP AND TUCK Oscar hasn't changed much in 70 years, so here are some designers' ideas for possible face-lifts. Alessandro Mendini and Alessi offer a female Oscar, far left, that looks more like a transsexual corkscrew. Paula Scher designed a giant letter O, left, which also works nicely as a paperweight. Industrial Light + Magic whipped up Floating Oscar, far right, which suggests movie magic but could prove too ethereal for any teary actress wanting to clasp it to her bosom. Peter Arnell imagines Oscar as a constellation, above, and would carve out an actual constellation in the shape of the statue, then name stars therein after winners, who would get a symbolic telescope with which to view it. A nice idea, though NASA might want to weigh in.