Plus, meet the U.K.'s new culture secretary, and Harry Styles stars in a film about a museum-curator love triangle.
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 Thursday, September 8.
Who Is the U.K.’s New Culture Secretary? – The U.K.’s new culture secretary appointed by prime minister Liz Truss, Michelle Donelan, was formerly minister for higher and further education and, in the private sector, worked at World Wrestling Entertainment and Marie Claire magazine. She been described by colleagues as “reasonable, informed, and friendly,” but her previous statements suggest she may not dampen the culture-war rhetoric championed by her predecessor. (The Art Newspaper)
States Are Taxing NFTs Now – Over the summer, Pennsylvania and Washington became the first two U.S. states to list NFTs as digital assets and therefore subject them to sales and use taxes. While both states have adopted slightly different approaches, the new regulations could mark the beginning of a new normal that will transform industry practices by eroding the anonymity of NFT buyers and sellers. (Hyperallergic)
Es Devlin Project Spotlights Endangered Species – For the artist and set designer’s latest collaboration with Cartier, “Come Home Again,” she produced 243 pencil drawings of animals and insects that the London Wildlife Trust has deemed “most at risk of extinction.” The drawings will be blown up and displayed on illuminated boards shaped like a scaled-down model of Saint Paul’s Cathedral outside Tate Modern from September 16–25. (Financial Times)
James Fuentes Expands – The Lower East Side fixture is planning a major expansion, with a new space at 52 White Street in Tribeca and a Los Angeles outpost set to debut in 2023. The gallery joins a slew of others moving en masse to the New York neighborhood, where Fuentes says “there’s this vibrant community there, and it just felt like an exciting evolution or next step for the gallery.” (ARTnews)
Bruce Springsteen’s Artifacts Head to Grammy Museum – Personal items belonging to Bruce Springsteen will travel from New Jersey to Los Angeles this fall to star in the Grammy Museum’s forthcoming show dedicated to the Boss. Handwritten set lists, stage clothing, and Springsteen’s favorite Fender guitar are just a few of the objects that will be on display. (AP)
Speed Museum Names New Director – Vanja Malloy has been named director of the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, effective October 1. She has served as director and chief curator of the Syracuse University Art Museum since 2019. (Press release)
Harry Styles Is Caught in a Love Triangle With a Museum Curator – In Harry Styles’s latest film, My Policeman, which comes to Prime Video on October 22, the actor’s policeman character is caught in a queer love triangle with his wife, a schoolteacher, and a museum curator in 1950s England. Based on the book by Bethan Roberts, the film is billed as a “visually transporting, heart-stopping portrait of three people caught up in the shifting tides of history, liberty, and forgiveness.” Sign us up! (Trailer)
David Shrigley Collaborates With Castify – The tech accessories company has tapped Turner Prize nominee David Shrigley for a new line of products featuring his artwork. In typical Shrigley fashion, the accessories are decorated with winking doodles and wry, de-motivational commentary, such as “Unlock Your Limited Potential” and “I Hate Human Beings.” (Complex)
