Art Industry News: Forget Mowing Lawns—Teens These Days Are Making Extra Cash by Minting NFTs + Other Stories

Plus, construction workers uncovered a slice of Hadrian's Wall in Newcastle, and one of Banksy's new murals has already been defaced.

Digital artist FEWOCiOUS sold five NFTs at Christie's on June 28, 2021 in New York City. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images.

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 Monday, August 16.

NEED-TO-READ

Banksy’s New Murals Defaced Already – That was fast. Just over a day after Banksy confirmed he was behind a mural of a rat reclining in a beach chair with a drink in hand, the work was covered in white paint overnight. It was one of a string of murals the artist created across coastal England in what he dubbed “a Gre at British Spraycation.” Officials in Lowestoft, East Suffolk, are now looking into possibilities to restore the composition underneath. (Independent

How Gen Z-ers Are Making Bank With NFTs – Spending the summer waiting tables or working at an ice cream parlor is so 20th century. These days, scores of teens are making spending money by minting NFTs and selling them for mid-four-figure sums. “Right now, I’m trying to do one drop a week,” said recent high school graduate Randi Hipper. “I try not to overload my feed, my collectors.” (We spoke to perhaps the NFT space’s most successful teen, who goes by the name Fewocious, on the Art Angle podcast.) (New York Times)

Slice of Hadrian’s Wall Discovered in Newcastle – While workers were replacing a water main under one of Newcastle’s busiest roads, they made a monumental discovery: a section of Hadrian’s Wall, believed to have been built during the earliest phases of the historic Roman wall in around 120 C.E., was hiding just under the surface. It had long been known that the wall ran through the city, but its exact location was a mystery. (Guardian)

Dispute Draws the Attention of Taiwan’s Art World – A dispute between the artist Jun Yang and the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei is playing out through Facebook posts, contradictory public statements, and legal threats. Yang says the museum’s new director sought to cancel his exhibition without consulting him and eventually shortened the show amid continued leadership changes. The institution said the incoming director had been unaware of the show, which was not included in the official exhibition plan. (Art Asia Pacific)

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Ai Weiwei-Designed House Becomes Artist Residency – The only house designed by the Chinese artist in the U.S. will become the home of the Forge Project, an initiative helmed by Candice Hopkins, Zach Feuer, and others, which will support Indigenous leaders and communities working in the creative field. The house, which is in upstate New York, will host exhibitions and serve as a workspace and residence for four fellows. (designboom)

Performa Adds New Board Leadership – Artist Rashid Johnson has been named chair of the board of Performa, the performance art biennial in New York. (The artist also recently donated $209,000 to support the organization’s commissions and fellowship program.) Todd Bishop, the former deputy director of the Museum of Modern Art, has taken on the role of treasurer. (Press release)

FOR ART’S SAKE

The CDC Wants Artists to Help Spread the Word on Vaccines – With COVID-19 cases on the rise again in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are calling on artists to help promote vaccination. The agency has launched a comprehensive resource page for state and local health departments seeking to partner with artists and arts organizations to create PSAs and other campaigns encouraging immunization. (HyperallergicInstagram)

Jorge Garza Vaccinated. via Amplifier.org