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, February 19.

NEED-TO-READ

Joseph Beuys’s Studio and Home Hit the Market – A German real estate company is selling the former home and studio of Joseph Beuys in Düsseldorf. While the company is leaning heavily into marketing the Beuys connection, the home is not a protected landmark because there are few traces left of the artist on site. (ARTnews)

An Embattled Brancusi Sculpture Can Be Removed from Paris Cemetery – A Brancusi sculpture of two lovers that has been nestled into a grave in Montparnasse Cemetery for nearly 100 years could be removed after the heirs of the graveholder won a court battle in December. Their battle to obtain the marble sculpture is not over yet, however, as the City of Paris is trying to obstruct its removal on the grounds that it is a cultural monument. New proceedings are now underway in which the family will have to argue whether the work was designed for the location. (Le Monde)

TIME’s 100 Next List Features Salman Toor and Amoako Boafo – TIME‘s list of emerging thought leaders and talents, called 100 Next, includes the New York-based painter Salman Toor, whose first show at the Whitney earned rave reviews, and Ghanaian auction star Amoako Boafo, for his role in creating a larger dialogue around “who really profits when Black art is handled by white gatekeepers.” (TIME)

Alabama Bill Could Ban Adding Context to Confederate Monuments – A proposed amendment to an Alabama bill could obstruct efforts to add contextual plaques to Confederate monuments and other controversial statues. The amendment to the Memorial Preservation Act would ban “competing signage, wording, symbols, objects, or other types or means of communication.” (Hyperallergic)

ART MARKET

Second Half of Jeanne-Claude and Christo Sale Closes – The second half of Sotheby’s much-talked-about sale of the collection of Christo and Jeanne-Claude brought in $1.4 million yesterday. The remainder of the sale brings its total up to $11.2 million—more than double its estimate. More than half the buyers were new to Sotheby’s, according to the house. (ARTnews)

Gallery Weekend Berlin Announces Lineup – Some 49 galleries art taking part in Gallery Weekend Berlin, which will be held across the city from April 29 through May 2. Highlights include Borch Gallery’s planned presentation of Julie Mehretu and Capitain Petzel will present a solo show of work by Matt Mullican, as well as smaller solo presentations by Christopher Williams, Monika Sosnowska, and Samson Young. (Press release)

COMINGS & GOINGS

Columbus Museum of Art Receives $1 Million for Fellowship – The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation has awarded $1 million to the Columbus Museum of Art to endow a fellowship for emerging museum professionals. The rotating two-year program is designed for staff who are committed to “representing diversity, inclusion, equity, and access” in the museum field. (The Columbus Dispatch)

The UK Releases More Relief for Museums – The UK government has released the latest round of funds from its £1.57 billion ($1.9 billion) arts bailout. Among the new crop of beneficiaries is the Black Country Living Museum, which is getting £3.74 million ($5.2 million) to support regeneration projects scheduled before the pandemic. (BBC)

FOR ART’S SAKE

Art to Celebrate Black History Month – Rutgers African American studies professor Salamishah Tillet has selected some key pieces of African American art and culture to celebrate during Black History Month. Her picks include the High Museum’s David Driskell survey “Icons of Nature and History” and Ava DuVernay’s television series Queen Sugar. (NYT)

See the Natural History Museum’s Giant Model of Mars – London’s Natural History Museum has installed a giant model of Mars to mark the landing of NASA’s Perseverance rover on the red planet. The installation by artist Luke Jerram is hanging in the museum’s main atrium alongside its famous blue whale skeleton. (Press release)

The “Mars” installation by Luke Jerram at Natural History Museum on January 29, 2021 in London, England. Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.