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 Thursday, April 29.
NEED-TO-READ
Trump Protest Artwork Recovered by the FBI – A flag with the words “he will not divide us” by British artist Luke Turner, which was stolen four years ago by white nationalists during a protest of Donald Trump’s presidency, has been recovered by the FBI. Missing for years, it was finally located after it was spotted in the background of an image of a white supremacist at home included in a photo essay published online. (The Art Newspaper)
David Hockney Billboards Will Take Over the Globe – Okay, maybe not the entire globe. But the British artist is planning to unveil animations of the sun on digital billboards in four cities next month: New York, London, Tokyo, and Seoul. The work, created on an iPad, will be unveiled by the digital platform CIRCA and Times Square Arts. It aims to offer viewers a sense of hope as they emerge from pandemic lockdowns. (New York Times)
Manifesta Workers Still Haven’t Been Paid – It’s been three years since the roving European art biennial took place in Palermo, Sicily, and dozens of workers and institutions have still not been paid for their work. The exhibition’s organizers are reportedly facing debts of €650,000 ($787,537). Organizers say they are late on payments because the state has not yet transferred the promised funds to the local government, which agreed to help fund the project. (TAN)
How the Digital Art Market Will Replicate the Art Industry’s Problems – NFTs are unlikely to be a panacea for the art industry, says Georgina Adam. The digital art market still requires many of the same gatekeepers that the traditional art market has, from lawyers to curators to arts administrators. Plus, many classic issues, including buyers controlling entire artists’ markets and copyright infringement concerns, are already bubbling to the surface. (TAN)
ART MARKET
Phillips Is Launching an Art Advisory – The blobification of the art market continues as Phillips launches an art advisory designed to assist clients with acquisitions and collection management with a focus on contemporary art and the primary market. Kevie Yang, an international specialist at the house, will lead the new service. (ARTnews)
White Cube Will Represent Isamu Noguchi – The same week Pace picked up a high-profile artist in the form of Jeff Koons, another art-historical fixture has left the gallery. The foundation of the Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi will now be exclusively represented by White Cube. (TAN)
COMINGS & GOINGS
Artist Michael Lovelace Dies at 60 – Lovelace, who began making art over two decades ago while working the night shift at a senior care facility in Cleveland, died at age 60 after a long illness. He created indelible paintings and drawings that frequently focused injustice in America. (ARTnews)
Busan Biennale Names Artistic Director – The Seoul-based curator Haeju Kim will organize the next edition of the Busan Biennale in 2022. (Remember biennials?) She has worked as deputy director at the Art Sonje Center since 2017. (Press release)
FOR ART’S SAKE
Cleveland Museum Acquires Major Works by Black Artists – The Ohio institution has acquired 12 new works, including eight by African American artists including Amy Sherald, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Wadsworth Jarrell, and D’Angelo Lovell Williams. (CultureType)
See the Statue of Sir Captain Tom Moore – The World War II veteran who led a fundraising campaign for the NHS last year will be honored with a statue by Andrian Melka. The memorial to Moore, who died in February at the age of 100, is almost ready to be cast in bronze and will be donated to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. A crowdfunding campaign is ongoing. (Evening Standard)