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 Friday, December 11.

NEED-TO-READ

France Extends Museum Closures – As the holidays draw nearer, France has announced it will maintain some lockdown restrictions, including an extra three weeks of closure for cultural institutions. Prime Minister Jean Castex said museums, theaters, and cinemas are among those that will remain closed, though people will have some freedom to travel and see family while adhering to an 8 p.m. curfew. (France24)

Painting Lost at Airport Found in Dumpster – A businessman had accidentally left behind a painting worth $340,000 by the French surrealist Yves Tanguy when he boarded a flight from Düsseldorf to Tel Aviv at the end of November. Authorities could not locate the work—until the man’s nephew went to the airport to press authorities further. In a lucky turn, authorities found the work—undamaged—in a recycling dumpster used by the airport cleaning company. (Courthouse News)

The Home Where Banksy Created His Latest Work Is Off the Market – The Bristol house where Banksy created his latest work, a mural of a sneezing woman, has suddenly become a whole lot more valuable. The home was on offer for £345,000 ($454,753)—but its owners have decided to take it off the market following Banksy’s stunt while they consider next steps. The addition of an original Banksy has been known to double the price of a property overnight; the mural itself is worth far more than that. ““The main thing is to try and protect the work because it’s such an iconic piece,” says Alex Makin, whose mother owns the house. (The Art Newspaper)

John Lurie Has a New Gig – Is John Lurie the new Bob Ross? The actor, artist, and musician has a new show airing on HBO called simply, Painting With John, in which he will paint watercolors and reflect on life. In the early 1990s, Lurie had another unscripted show called Fishing With John, which often featured a rotating cast of celebrity friends like Tom Waits, Dennis Hopper, and Willem Dafoe. Announcing the new series, which premieres January 22 and will ostensibly contain footage of live painting, Lurie took to Twitter writing, “I was hoping this show would be educational, but I really don’t know what the f*ck I’m doing.” (Variety)

ART MARKET

Kenny Schachter Plans Another “Hoarder” Sale – The esteemed Artnet News columnist is planning a second sale from his personal collection at Sotheby’s online this week. The 120 lots included in the Hoarder: Part II, which runs December 10 through 17, will be offered with no reserve. Treasures include a Damien Hirst syringe cabinet from 1995 (presale estimate: $15,000–20,000) and a Wade Guyton printed U ($250,000–350,000). (Financial Times)

Victoria Miro Now Reps Kudzanai-Violet Hwami – The 27-year-old Zimbabwe-born, UK-based painter’s work focuses on identity, the diaspora, and the Black body. The news of her representation comes just after a work of hers sold on December 8 at Phillips for $252,000. (Culture Type)

COMINGS & GOINGS

Hungary Names Artist for Venice Biennale – The Budapest-born artist Zsófia Keresztes has been chosen to represent Hungary at the upcoming 59th Venice Biennale. Keresztes’s work explores themes of memory and reality through fantastical installations filled with candy-colored sculptures of biomorphic forms. The pavilion will be curated by Mónika Zsikla. (Instagram)

New York Times Names New Critics – Jason Farago, who has been contributing to the Gray Lady since 2017, has been named critic at large for the New York Times, where he will “continue to expand the boundaries of criticism… while writing regularly about art and other disciplines in New York and abroad,” according to a memo. The paper also named Maya Phillips, its inaugural arts critic fellow, as critic at large. (Press release) 

Belvedere Museum to Open Salzburg Branch – The Vienna-based Belvedere Museum is moving ahead with plans to open a Salzburg outpost. The announcement comes on the heels of an earlier report that the Belvedere and Salzburg museum boards agreed that a new exhibition space would be erected to display the Belvedere’s permanent collection, one that will reportedly cost up to €30 million ($36.5 million) to build. The Belvedere houses the world’s largest collection of works by Gustav Klimt. Architects will be invited to submit proposals beginning in spring 2021. (ARTnews)

FOR ART’S SAKE

Istanbul Biennial Announces Curators for 2021 – Turkey’s top art event has named its curators for the next edition, which will take place from September 11 through November 14, 2021. Curator Ute Meta Bauer, artist Amar Kanwar, and art historian David Teh, all based in Asia, will helm the biennial. The trio suggested they will focus on ecological and environmental concerns. (Artforum)

Smithsonian and Berlin Museums Team Up – The Smithsonian and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Berlin’s museums, have joined forces to create an international group of provenance researchers focused on Asian art. Beginning with a series of webinars, the collaboration will aim to provide dedicated attention to the history of the Asian art trade, which has historically been overshadowed by other focal points of provenance research. (The Art Newspaper)

Mom Makes Viral Art Installation Out of Daughter’s Dirty Sock – A creative parent decided to make a museum label for a dirty sock that her daughter had left for days on end in their bathroom. Her daughter decided to one-up her and built a pedestal for the “artwork.” Then, the mother added toys as art viewers. At one point, even one of those pesky monoliths decided to show up. (Good Morning America)