BEST?

A Long Overdue Solo Show – The Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam will have his first US retrospective at the New York-based Rubin Museum of Art. Alam made headlines after he was imprisoned by the Bangladeshi government for criticizing the corruption and violent tactics used to suppress its people.

Lights, Camera, Artists – Critic Ben Davis reviews five Hollywood films that helped shape the public perception of famous artists as tortured, creative geniuses.

documenta 15 Makes Its Choice – The quinquennial event announced that the Indonesian art collective ruangrupa will curate the exhibition’s next edition in 2022. It is the first artist collective to take up the prestigious post.

A Passion for Paleo – artnet News surveys the ever-growing market for dinosaur fossils, whole skeletons, and other animal remnants discovered long after their demise. Celebrity collectors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe are just a few of the fossil fanatics.

Artists Celebrate Amazon’s Exit – This week, Amazon backed out of its plan to set up HQ2 in Long Island City, to the relief of many artists and art organizations, which protested the move since its announcement in 2018.

On the Other Hand – Attention, lefties: we compiled a list of more than 20 left-handed artists, including Kerry James Marshall, Thomas Kinkade, and Alice Neel.

WORST?

Up in Arms About the Armory – Just a week before it’s set to open, the Armory Show has been forced to relocate a large portion of its exhibitors due to fears over safety at the intended venue, Pier 90.

Remembering a Sartorial Savant – The incomparable fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died in Paris at age 85. To celebrate his legacy and lesser-known passion for photography, the Zurich-based Galerie Gmurzynska is hosting a retrospective of his work spanning the last 30 years.

Museums So White – An overwhelming amount—85 percent—of artists represented in select American museum collections are white and 87 percent are male, according to a new study.

Fearless Girl Artist Faces Lawsuit – Kristen Visbal, the artist who created Fearless Girl, is being sued by the investment company that commissioned the work, which claims she made unauthorized reproductions of the diminutive and defiant sculpture.

Threat at the Hermitage – The Saint Petersburg museum was evacuated due to an anonymous bomb threat that was sent over email this week. Authorities are still working to determine the veracity of the threat, but the museum remained closed through the week.

Plastic Jesus Takes on Kevin Hart – The anonymous street artist unveiled a scathing sculpture of comedian Kevin Hart holding (ironically) a rainbow flag, right outside the venue where the Oscars will be held this Sunday. Hart was slated to host the event, but stepped down amid backlash over his past homophobic tweets.