artnet News Cheat Sheet

The top 10 art world stories of the week (June 2–6).

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Bambi’s portrait of Kim Kardashian.
Via Mirror.co.uk.

VIEWERS CHOICE
Ever the gentleman, rapper Kanye West commissioned the British street artist Bambi to make his new wife, Kim Kardashian, a very thoughtful wedding gift: A nude portrait of herself inscribed with the phrase “Perfect Bitch.” So sweet.

CLOSURE
In spite of the $1 billion the Qatar Museums Authority has pumped into developing museums, Doha’s Katara Art Center closed due to lack of funding, Coline Milliard reported. “There’s no art policy or anything that allows for small entities to really exist in Doha,” said Katara Art Center artistic director Mayssa Fattouh.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?!
If artists are going to have dedicated apps, what do we want out of them? Ben Davis took Art Intelligence’s newest iPhone and iPad app, “Cindy Sherman,” for a virtual spin, and found its extensive collection of Sherman images it was hilariously half-baked.

CENSORSHIP
The Senegalese government moved to shut down an exhibition that is part of this year’s Dakar Biennale, DAK’ART, resolving to censor any art that features homosexual themes or images, Alexander Forbes reported.

LEGAL WOES
Dealer and collector progeny Helly Nahmad has gotten himself into another sticky situation, this time over an Amedeo Modigliani painting his family is said to be holding illegally—the work, valued at $20 million, was left behind in Paris by a Jewish art dealer fleeing the Nazi invasion in 1939. Nahmad is now being sued by the dealer’s grandson.

NEWS TO KNOW
Scientists Race to Save Crumbling Da Vinci Self-Portrait

German Museum Has a Living Copy of Van Gogh’s Famous Ear

Islamists Deface John Latham Sculpture in Frankfurt

Artist Creates Chocolate-Covered Room, Invites Visitors to Lick It

Austin Considers Building Statue of Naked Rock Star Riding a Dragon