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 this Monday, January 29.
NEED-TO-READ
The Royal Academy Tried to Borrow ‘Salvator Mundi’ – An exhibition dedicated to the spectacular collection of King Charles I is on show at London’s Royal Academy… but there are some notable absences. The RA reportedly asked the Louvre Abu Dhabi to borrow Leonardo da Vinci’s now world-famous Salvator Mundi (which was once owned by the king), but director Manuel Rabaté refused to part with it. (The Art Newspaper)
George W. Bush Gets a Second Museum Show – The former US president is showing his portraits of veterans at the Museum of the Southwest in his hometown of Midland, Texas (through March 25). The museum is the first of four venues to host the exhibition—which is titled “Portraits of Courage”—following its debut at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in March. (Glasstire)
Lorde Wears Jenny Holzer to the Grammys – Who needs a white rose when you have Jenny Holzer? While many musicians wore a pin or a rose on the Grammys red carpet to show their support of the Time’s Up movement, Lorde opted for a more artistic approach. She pinned an excerpt from Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays (1977–82)—which the artist originally posted around the streets of New York—to the back of her dress. The text reads in part: “The old and corrupt must be laid to waste before the just can triumph.… The apocalypse will blossom.” (Spin)
Should Museums Separate the Art From the Artist? – Curators and museum directors say that the National Gallery of Art’s decision to put off a planned Chuck Close exhibition due to allegations of sexual harassment sets an uncomfortable precedent. While more museums are providing context—in wall texts or otherwise—about controversial subjects, some wonder how much the artist’s biography ought to weigh on the reception of his or her work. (NYT)
ART MARKET
Collector Steve Wynn Accused of Sexual Misconduct – The casino owner—who is also one of the world’s most prolific collectors of blue-chip art—has been accused of sexual misconduct against employees that spans decades. The WSJ contacted 150 employees and found that Wynn paid a $7.5 million settlement to a former casino manicurist who he allegedly forced to have sex in 2005. The mogul has said that “the idea that I ever assaulted any woman is preposterous.” (Wall Street Journal)
Pace to Open in Geneva – Pace is setting up shop in Geneva this March, adding a ninth location to its international list. The gallery will launch the new 3,600-square-foot space on March 20 with an exhibition of work by Louise Nevelson, Sol LeWitt, and Adam Pendleton. (ARTnews)
Sotheby’s to Offer Giacometti Chandelier – The chandelier—one of only a few created by Alberto Giacometti—is estimated to fetch between £6 and £8 million when it hits the auction block in London on February 28. The original plaster cast for this piece was donated by dealer Heinz Berggruen to the Centre Pompidou in 1983. (Art Market Monitor)
COMINGS & GOINGS
CAA Announces Award Winners – Recipients of the 2018 College Art Association’s awards for distinction include Pepón Osorio, Firelei Báez, and Kellie Jones, who is the first to receive the association’s award for “excellence in diversity.” CAA also launched a new distinction for “feminist awards,” which went to artist Lynn Hershman Leeson and scholar Lowery Stokes Sims. (Artforum)
Robert Pincus-Witten Dies – The art historian, educator, and critic, who is credited with coining the term “Post-Minimalism” in 1971, has died. In addition to writing extensively about art and theory, Pincus-Witten also curated exhibitions at Gagosian Gallery and served as director of exhibitions at C&M Arts between 1996 to 2007. (ARTnews)
Rineke Dijkstra Nabs German Photography Award – The Dutch photographer is the recipient of the Spectrum award, given out by the Lower Saxony Foundation. The distinction comes with a €15,000 cash prize. (DPA)
Artis Director Resigns to Launch New Residency Program – Yael Reinharz is stepping down after nearly 11 years at the helm of the nonprofit foundation Artis, which supports contemporary art production in Israel, to launch a new residency program for artists and writers in Maine under the aegis of the Surf Point Foundation. (Artforum)
FOR ART’S SAKE
Tapes Uncover Feud Between Bacon and Freud – Newly revealed taped conversations between Francis Bacon and a friend shed light on the artist’s feud with fellow painter Lucian Freud. The tapes suggest Freud was jealous of Bacon, and reference a dispute surrounding Bacon’s 1953 painting of two naked men on a bed, Two Figures, which was cheaply sold to Freud, who later never allowed it to be borrowed. (The Guardian)
Calls Rise to Eliminate Banksy Work – Two days after it appeared, a new anti-Brexit Banksy stencil in Hull—captioned “Draw the Raised Bridge!”—has been vandalized. Although loved by many, there are some, including local councillor John Abbott, who are calling for it to be removed. The artwork is controversial in the English city because many locals voted Leave in the EU referendum. (BBC)
Norway’s Melting Glaciers Reveal Thousands of Artifacts – Climate change is keeping archeologists busy. Researchers have uncovered more than 2,000 artifacts—including organic materials previously preserved by glaciers and permafrost in Norway—that reveal illuminating ethnographic information about mountain peoples. (Smithsonian)
Purvis Young Work Lands on David Byrne Album Cover – This March, the acclaimed musician and legendary Talking Heads frontman will be releasing his first solo album in 14 years, titled “American Utopia.” For its cover, he has selected a painting by the late outsider artist Purvis Young. See it here: