Art Industry News is a daily digest of the most consequential developments coming out of the art world and art market. Here’s what you need to know on this Tuesday, May 18.

NEED-TO-READ

Art Workers Urge Boycott of Zabludowicz Trust – A group called Boycott/Divest Zabludowicz (BDZ) has published a new statement with 450 signatories condemning Israel’s attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. The group, formed in 2014 by a mix of artists, activists, curators, writers, and dealers, is calling on cultural workers to join their effort. In their statement, BDZ also condemned Israel’s airstrikes, which have killed more than 200 Palestinians in the past week of fighting. Signatories include Reena Spaulings, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, and Eyal Weizman from the Turner Prize-winning group Forensic Architecture. (Artforum)

U.K. Government Forms New Monuments Board – In an op-ed published in the Telegraph on Sunday, culture minister Oliver Dowden said that the government “won’t allow Britain’s history to be canceled.” The U.K. ministry is forming a new heritage board to focus on how cultural organizations can “retain and explain,” as opposed to remove, controversial statues or contested objects. The board consists of Trevor Phillips, former director of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and historian Robert Tombs. (The Art Newspaper)

Pinault’s New Museum Prepares for Its Grand Opening – The time has finally arrived: Kering founder François Pinault is poised to open his long-awaited museum inside the former Paris Stock Exchange on May 22. (Stay tuned for more on-the-ground coverage from Artnet News later this week.) The $194 million project, designed by architect Tadao Ando, is the billionaire’s first museum in his home country. It has the potential to transform the Châtelet neighborhood and represents the latest soft power push from the Pinault family, which also owns Christie’s and a variety of luxury brands. “It creates a better image for brands and their leaders to be seen as involved in the cultural space,” said Katherine Ross, a former Sotheby’s executive. (Business of Fashion)

Greece Plans to Open Up Underwater Heritage Sites – Interested in going sightseeing… underwater? The Greek culture ministry plans to open 91 shipwrecks for recreational diving in the coming years, reversing previous restrictions in an effort to replenish tourism. Last summer, the country welcomed around 300 divers to its first underwater museum, the shipwreck of Peristera, which dates to 425 B.C. to 415 B.C. (TAN)

ART MARKET

White Cube Expands to Aspen – The blue-chip gallery is the latest to open a pop-up in Aspen, Colorado. For three months beginning June 8, White Cube will stage three group shows under the title “Correspondences.” Works by Takis, Cerith Wyn Evans, Imi Knoebel, Kaari Upson, and Tracey Emin will be among those featured. (Press release)

Expo Chicago Launches Editions Fair – Expo Chicago, the contemporary art fair on Navy Pier that recently moved its dates from September to April, is hosting another fair in its former slot. Editions Chicago will run from September 23 to 26, 2021 with a focus on prints, printmaking, photography, and art books. (Chicago Tribune)

Inside the Sneaker Collecting Boom – One sign that sneakers have officially become an asset class? There are now fractional ownership options available, just like in art. The company Rares enables buyers acquire a share of a shoe and trade it like a stock. Rares bought the Nikes that Kanye West wore at the 2008 Grammys at Sotheby’s for $1.8 million in April, and now plans to offer 72,000 shares of the shoe for $25 each. (Guardian)

COMINGS & GOINGS

Mary Beth Edelson Dies at 88 – The pioneering artist and women’s advocate died on April 20 at the age of 88. Edelson was an early member of the U.S.’s first all-woman gallery A.I.R. and founder of the women’s magazine Heresies. (Artforum)

Joyce Foundation Announces Award Winners – Chicago’s Joyce Foundation has announced four winners of its $75,000 award to support BIPOC artists. They are: Daniel Minter, Sydney Chatman, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and Santiago X. (TAN)

FOR ART’S SAKE

Beirut’s Sursock Museum Gets Aid From Italy – Italy, together with the U.N.’s cultural department, signed a €1 million ($1.21 million) funding agreement to help fund the restoration of the famous Sursock Museum, which was badly damaged by the Beirut port explosion last summer. The damage to the institution, which holds 1,500 artworks, is around €2.5 million. (Arab News)

KAWS Relaunches His Roving Companion – KAWS’s beloved “Companion” figure is going back on a world tour later this year—and this time, you can ride along. The artist is offering rides in a “Companion” hot-air balloon. If you can’t get a spot, the artist has also released a new line of 12-inch figurines in three different colors with AllRightsReserved to mark the occasion. (Complex)