Police Are Searching for a Man Who Attacked a British Museum’s Benin Bronzes After He Failed to Appear in Court

Law & Politics

Police Are Searching for a Man Who Attacked a British Museum’s Benin Bronzes After He Failed to Appear in Court

Isaiah Ogundele is one of two men facing charges in Europe this month for dramatic protests against museums' colonial-era artifacts.

By Kate Brown, Sep 23, 2020

Law & Politics

The FBI Has Arrested Two New York Antiquities Dealers for Falsifying Ownership Histories Using Dead Collectors’ Names

The owners of Fortuna Fine Art have been charged with falsifying documents.

By Eileen Kinsella, Sep 22, 2020

Law & Politics

The End of the Long, Exceedingly Nasty Legal Battle Over Robert Indiana’s Assets Is in Sight as Two Art Foundations Reach an Agreement

The artist’s longtime representative reached an out-of-court deal with the foundation established to oversee his estate.

By Taylor Dafoe, Sep 22, 2020

Law & Politics

Ousted Montreal Museum Director Nathalie Bondil Is Suing Her Former Employer for $1.5 Million Over the ‘Destruction of Her Reputation’

Meanwhile, the embattled board chair is stepping down from his role.

By Sarah Cascone, Sep 21, 2020

Law & Politics

Reversing an Earlier Decision, Marlborough Is Not Closing Its New York Gallery—But It Is Trading Lawsuits With Ousted Former President Max Levai

The two sides traded lawsuits this week in Manhattan.

By Sarah Cascone, Sep 17, 2020

Law & Politics

In a Threat to Banksy’s Empire, an EU Court Rules That He Can’t Hold Trademarks While His Identity Remains a Mystery

The ruling against the anonymous artist came in the midst of a bitter legal battle between him and a greeting-card company that used one of his images.

By Taylor Dafoe, Sep 17, 2020

Law & Politics

In Bangladesh, Pro-Government Forces Disrupted a Protest Performance Featuring Photos by Artist Shahidul Alam

Some 60 human rights activists have issued a statement condemning the action.

By Taylor Dafoe, Sep 14, 2020

Law & Politics

The Tate Has Permanently Cut Ties With Patron Anthony d’Offay More Than Two Years After He Faced Harassment Accusations

Dealer Anthony d'Offay served as one of its leading patrons over the years.

By Eileen Kinsella, Sep 4, 2020

Law & Politics

Hackers Have Stolen Private Information From Donor Lists to 200 Institutions, Including the Smithsonian and the UK’s National Trust

The Parrish Art Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass were also hit by ransomware.

By Sarah Cascone, Sep 2, 2020

Law & Politics

California’s Legislature Just Passed a Bill to Make It Easier for Native American Tribes to Reclaim Remains and Artifacts From Museums

A California state bill that would expand repatriation rights for Native American tribes is heading to the governor's desk.

By Eileen Kinsella, Sep 1, 2020

Law & Politics

A Union Representing Museum of Natural History Workers Is Suing the Institution Over an Allegedly Invasive Health-Screening Policy

The union says the app employees are being forced to use does not comply with medical confidentiality laws.

By Sarah Cascone, Aug 27, 2020

Law & Politics

The 20-Year-Old Who Punched a Picasso Painting at Tate Modern as a ‘Performance’ Is Going to Jail for 18 Months

“There is nothing to suggest you were anything other than a 20-year-old seeking fame,” the sentencing judge concluded.

By Taylor Dafoe, Aug 26, 2020

Law & Politics

Artist Frank Bowling Is Locked in a Bitter Legal Battle With His Longtime Gallery Hales Over Alleged Failure to Pay

The artist and the gallery are suing each other in London's High Court

By Eileen Kinsella, Aug 25, 2020

Law & Politics

What Happens to My Lease if My Gallery Goes Belly Up? + Other Questions About Bankruptcy in the COVID Era, Answered by Lawyers

As the art world faces unprecedented challenges, two art lawyers offer a primer on bankruptcy filing and how the rules have changed.

By Thomas Danziger & Charles Danziger, Aug 24, 2020

Law & Politics

American Authorities Have Returned 10 Looted Antiquities Worth a Combined $1.2 Million Back to India

Four years after the works were seized during New York's Asia Week, authorities formally returned them to their home country.

By Eileen Kinsella, Aug 20, 2020