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 Wednesday, February 8.
NEED-TO-READ
Art Dubai to Donate Proceeds to Earthquake Relief – The art fair, which will be open from March 1 to 5, will donate 50 percent of online ticket sales to support victims of the earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria. The death toll of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake has climbed to 11,000 deaths. (The Art Newspaper)
Eccentric Collector’s Daughter Cleaning Up His Mess – Bruno Stefanini, a Swiss real estate magnate who died in 2018, had amassed a collection of more than 100,000 pieces, from fine art by Giacometti to historic memorabilia, including a toothbrush Napoleon may have used at Waterloo. His daughter’s foundation is now going through the collection, to clean it up (it was not being well-cared for) but also to look into the possibility that it contains Nazi-looted art. (New York Times)
Doig Joins Styles’s Grammys Circus – Ahead of the opening of a major exhibition at London’s Courtauld Gallery, Peter Doig joined the online conversation surrounding Harry Styles’s Grammys outfit. Styles’s choice of a technicolor, harlequin-patterned, sequin jumpsuit caused a stir on social media, with some praising him for pushing gender boundaries and others mocking the “clowncore” aesthetic of the suit. The artist posted an image drawing similarities to the look in his 2022 painting Alpinist, whose protagonist is wearing a similar striking ski suit. (Instagram) (Instagram)
Cooper Union Reinstates Postponed Russia Show – The prestigious New York art school will mount the show about an early 20th century art and architecture school Vkhutemas, considered to be the Russian equivalent of the Bauhaus school, on dates yet to be announced this spring. The decision to delay opening sparked an open letter against the move, calling it “a troubling instance of censorship and historical erasure.” (Artforum)
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Just Stop Oil Protesters on Trial – Five climate activists who glued themselves to the frame of a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper are on trial this week in London. The court heard their testimonies, including that they were “very careful” not to damage the £3.6 million painting. The five accused are charged with causing £180 of “criminal damage” to the artwork’s frame and of causing £539.40 of damage to a nearby sofa during an action in July 2022 at the Royal Academy of Arts. (Evening Standard)
New U.K. Culture Minister – Lucy Frazer is the new Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport following a shake-up in the culture ministry in the U.K. Frazer, a former barrister and solicitor, replaces Michelle Donelan. (TAN)
Banksy’s Seaside Mural Covered Up – A Banksy mural in Lowestoft, Suffolk has been covered up with scaffolding. The mural, painted as part of the artist’s “Great British Spraycation” series, was one of three in the area and appeared next to a skip, which was later removed to prevent fly-tipping. The building it was painted on is privately owned and locals believe the scaffolding is up because renovations are taking place. (BBC)
FOR ART’S SAKE
JR’s New Performance Dedicated to Refugee Children – More than 1,000 people helped held up artist JR’s giant images of refugee children during a performance in Turin, Italy. The participatory artwork aimed to raise awareness about the current refugee crisis and was created as part of JR’s ongoing efforts to use art to create social change. (TAN)
JR, Déplacé∙e∙s, Turin, 2023 © JR