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, June 6.
NEED-TO-READ
Climate Change Uncovers Ancient Iraqi City – Climate change has caused the Tigris River to dry up—and the receding waters have revealed remnants of the ancient city of Zakhiku. Archaeologists have seized the opportunity to excavate the 3,400-year-old site, which was an important center in the Mittani Empire. (The Art Newspaper)
The Unknown History of Jane Morris – William Morris’s wife Jane Morris was an important part of the Arts and Crafts movement but was written out of art history because of discomfort with her affairs with other members of the movement, a new biography of the couple reveals. Morris was dismissed as simply the face of the movement, as captured in pre-Raphaelite paintings by her lover Dante Gabriel Rossetti, but she was also integral to the success of her husband’s decorative arts firm. (Guardian)
Indianapolis Museum Pulls Watermelon Salad From Juneteenth Menu – In what is inevitably the most infuriating headline of the day (week? longer?), the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has apologized after a photo of pre-packaged watermelon salad it planned to offer as part of a special Juneteenth menu began circulating online. “As a museum, we apologize and acknowledge the negative impact that stereotypes have on communities of color,” the museum said in a statement. “The salad has been removed from the menu. We are currently reviewing how we may best convey these stories and traditions during this year’s Juneteenth celebration as well as making changes around how future food selections are made by our food service provider.” (USA Today)
Antony Gormley Clarifies He Isn’t Giving Up British Citizenship – The British sculptor has clarified that he remains a “proud British citizen” after reports that he applied for a German passport in the wake of Brexit. Gormley said he is entitled to the passport because of his mother’s German nationality, and that he is keen to retain his links with, and continue to show his work in, Europe while retaining strong British identity. (Evening Standard)
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Andreas Gursky Gets Transatlantic Shows – During the pandemic, the German photographer took a deep dive into his extensive archive. Now, he’s mounting a two-venue exhibition of new and recent works at Gagosian in New York and White Cube in London. Both shows present his continuing meditation on man’s impact on the environment. (The Art Newspaper)
Adrian Ghenie Takes Over a Church in Palermo – The Romanian painter unveiled two recent paintings in the Chiesa della Madonna della Mazza in Palermo, Italy. Custom made to fit the arched chapels of the 17th-century church, the two panels depict modern events: gruesome crucifixions carried out in Syria in 2015 and the murder of a Catholic priest by the mafia in Palermo in 1993. (FT)
Ibrahim Mahama Will Direct the Ljubljana Biennale – Ibrahim Mahama will serve as artistic director of the 35th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts in 2023. The Ghanaian artist was chosen for his interest in the important ties between Ghana and former Yugoslavia from the 1950s to 1966, and in abandoned post-independence infrastructure in Ghana. (e-flux)
FOR ART’S SAKE
See New Work by Sheila Hicks – The American-born, Paris-based artist has unveiled a monumental site-specific installation at Coal Drops Yard in London. Called Woven Wonders, it brings color and vibrancy to the site until October 16. (Press release)
Sheila Hicks walking beneath ‘Woven Wonders’ her installation in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross. Courtesy the artist and Alison Jacques Gallery.